Compatible Nikon D5000 Memory Cards
The Nikon D5000 needs SD memory cards. 32GB is the maximum capacity SD card that will work in the D5000.
SD memory cards described as SDUC or SDXC won’t function correctly in the D5000. These cards will be At least 64GB or larger, so they can easily be avoided.
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The SDHC format was announced in 2006. All 32GB cards that are currently being produced will have almost identical performance. You cannot go wrong buying the cheapest class 10 name brand card. At the time of writing this, the PNY Elite 32GB SD memory card has the best price.Recommended D5000 SD Cards
Below are some choices to pick from that will function correctly with the D5000. With any of the cards outlined below, you won’t have to stress out over poor functionality or SD card data corruption.
- Sequential read speed of up to 100MB/s
- Class 10, U1 rating delivers speed and performance for full HD photography and HD videography.
- V10 video speed rating to capture uninterrupted HD video at 1920x1080 format
- Compatible with point & shoot cameras, DSLR cameras, standard & advanced HD-enabled video cameras, and more
- Reliable & Durable: Magnet Proof, Shock Proof, Temperature Proof, Waterproof
- Quick transfer read speeds up to 90MB/s.
- Write speeds are not capable of recording 4k video.
- Class 10 rating for Full HD video (1080p).
- Waterproof, temperature proof, X-ray Proof, magnet-Proof, and shockproof.
- UHS Speed Class 1 (U1) supports Full HD video and burst shots. 130MB/s transfer speeds1 let you upload footage to your PC in an instant.
- Built to survive tough conditions and heavy usage, whether you’re at home, outside, or on the go. Backed by 10-year limited warranty.
- Highly durable with comprehensive 7-proof protection.
- Backed by a 10 year warranty.
Best SD Cards
Be sure to buy a card from a brand name with a great reputation, such as SanDisk or Lexar. Avoid purchasing cards from cheap house brands.
Cheap cards are much more likely to encounter file corruption, meaning you will lose all of your images stored on the card. The reduction in construction quality is not worth the tiny cost savings.
In a situation where you would like to reduce expenses, just buy a memory card with a smaller sized capacity. They are often a little less expensive and you will not have to fret about the SD card having data failure.
Always bear in mind, SD card failures are very rare. Throughout the years, I have only had a couple of cards fail. Age could have played a part, as the SD cards were included with used digital cameras.
Nikon D5000 SD Card Compatibility
Currently, 4 separate specifications of Secure Digital (SD) memory cards are currently being made. The Nikon D5000 uses SD memory cards. Each updated memory card technical spec improves the maximum storage capacity and read/write speeds when compared with the earlier specification.
Secure Digital memory card readers are backward compatible. A card reader built into a digital camera that can use SDXC cards will also be able to use SDHC and SD memory cards.
The card reader in the Nikon D5000 is only compatible with the initial two SD card specs. SDXC or SDUC SD cards will not work.
- Secure Digital (SD) - These memory cards have a maximum capacity of 2GB and are compatible with the D5000.
- Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) - The capacity of these memory cards range from 4GB to 32GB and are also compatible with the D5000.
- Secure Digital eXtended Capacity (SDXC) - The capacity of these memory cards range from 64GB to 2TiB.
- Secure Digital Ultra Capacity (SDUC) - The capacity of these memory cards range from 4TiB to 128TiB.
Nikon D5000 Memory Card Full Error
Attempting to use an SD card that has a storage capacity of 64GB or larger in size in the D5000 results in the point and shoot camera to display an error.
Use a memory card which has a capacity of 32GB or smaller to prevent the error.
If you are using a memory card that has a storage capacity less than 32GB, and it is not functioning correctly, format the memory card while it is in the camera.
Speed, Class, & Capacity
SD Card Image Capacity
Here is an estimate of how many large JPEGs you can expect to store on an SD memory card.
- 4GB - 1920 images
- 8GB - 3840 images
- 16GB - 7680 images
- 32GB - 15360 images
Memory Card Speed
Speed ratings for SD cards are established by the sequential read and write speeds. The speed of the card is important in cases where many photographs need to be written to the memory card.
SD Card Speed Class Rating
The Class speed rating of an SD memory card is based on the sustained write speed of the SD memory card. A Class speed rating of 2 means that the memory card can sustain a write speed of a minimum of 2MB per second.
- Class 2 - 2MB/s
- Class 4 - 4MB/s
- Class 6 - 6MB/s
- Class 8 - 8MB/s
- Class 10 - 10MB/s
The top rating an SD card can be given is Class 10. There are SD cards that are considerably faster than 10MB/s. Those memory cards use other technologies, such as UHS (Ultra Highspeed Bus), which have a separate rating standards.
Sustained write speeds of 2MB, 4MB, 6MB, or 8MB per second means the card has a speed class of 2, 4, 6, or 8. Cards that have write speeds of 10MB/s or faster are rated as Class 10.
Conclusion
Buy an SD memory card for the Nikon D5000 based on price. An expensive card isn’t going to improve performance. As long as it is a speed class 10 card, you will be fine. My recommendation is the PNY Elite 32GB SD memory card.