Best Value SD Memory Card for the Sony NEX-5 SD (and Memory Stick PRO Duo)

The Sony NEX-5, NEX-5N, NEX-5R, and NEX-5T are all compatible with SDXC and Memory Stick PRO Duo memory cards. They are each only able to use one memory card at a time.

My recommendation would be any SD card 128GB or larger with UHS-I. Having UHS-I means the card will have fast enough continuous write speeds for video.

The Memory Stick PRO Duo (Wikipedia) is a discontinued proprietary format from Sony. The largest capacity cards available are 64GB, but they are expensive, and SD cards better in every way.

Sony NEX-5 SD Card Compatibility

There are several versions on SD cards. The form factor has remained the same.

Newer versions have larger storage capacities and are able to transfer at faster speeds.

All the the versions of the NEX-5 can use SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards. That means any card with up to a 2TB memory card.

An SD memory card, meaning 2GB or smaller in capacity, will likely not be fast enough to record video.

The latest SDUC memory cards will not be compatible with the NEX-5. The capacity is too large.

• Secure Digital (SD) - 128MB to 2GB.
• Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) - 4GB to 32GB.
• Secure Digital eXtended Capacity (SDXC) - 64GB to 2TB.
• Secure Digital Ultra Capacity (SDUC) - 4TB to 128TB.

SD Card Speed Ratings

“Peak speed” is what gets advertised. Continuous write speeds are what is important for video and quickly clearing an image buffer.

Ratings cover different ranges.

Speed Class was the first rating system used. These are minimum speeds. For example, a Class 6 card could be capable of 7MB/s.

• Class 2 - 2MB/s
• Class 4 - 4MB/s
• Class 6 - 6MB/s
• Class 8 - 8MB/s
• Class 10 - 10MB/s

Ultra High Speed bus (UHS) is a faster transfer protocol. Some versions have additional pins. I recommend getting a card with UHS-I to maximize compatibility wiht other devices.

The UHS rating is represented by a Roman numeral I, II, or III.

• UHS-I - Maximum transfer rate of 104 MB/s
• UHS-II - Maximum transfer rate of 312 MB/s
• UHS-III - Maximum transfer rate of 624 MB/s
• SD Express - Maximum transfer rate of 3,938 MB/s

Video Speed Class, is for high resolution video.

• V6 - 6MB/s
• V10 - 10MB/s
• V30 - 30MB/s
• V60 - 60MB/s (4k video)
• V90 - 90MB/s (8k video)

See the SD Card Assosciation Speed Class overview, if you want more detailed information.

Sony NEX-5 PRO Duo Card Compatibility

The Sony NEX-5 is compatible with PRO Duo and PRO-HG Duo cards, which have a minimum write speed of 15MB/s.

Expect to spend more than twice the cost of an SD card on a PRO Duo card. You’ll most likely have to buy a used card as they are discontinued.

Image Capacity

Below is an approximate estimation of how many large JPEG images you can expect to store on each size of SD card.

• 16GB - 4,640 images
• 32GB - 9,280 images
• 64GB - 18,560 images
• 128GB - 37,120 images
• 256GB - 74,240 images

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Recommended SD Cards

• UHS-I, U1, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 10MB/s write speeds.
• Excellent choice for photos.
• Capable of recording Full HD (1920x1080) Video.
• Inexpensive with more than good enough performance.
• Larger capacities are available for a reasonable price.

• UHS-I, U3, V30, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 30MB/s write speeds.
• Good for burst shooting photos and recording 4K video.
• Larger capacity cards are available.
• Reliable & Durable: Magnet Proof, Shock Proof, Temperature Proof, Waterproof.

• Comparatively expensive for faster read speeds.
• UHS-I, U3, V30, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 30MB/s write speeds.
• Only makes sense for professional use or if you need the largest storage capacity available.
• Temperature-proof, waterproof, shock-proof, and X-ray-proof.