This page will explain which SD cards are compatible with the Nikon D5200.
If you're in a hurry my here's my recommendation:
SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB SD Card
- Best value for the money.
- Capacities from 32 GB to 2TB.
- Transfer speeds up to 170 MB/s.
- Class 10 & UHS-I
- Temperature Proof, Water Proof, Shock Proof, and X-ray Proof.
For additional information, check out the Nikon D5200 Resources page.
Table of Contents
Best SD Cards
High quality manufactures of memory cards for the Nikon D5200 are SanDisk, Lexar, and PNY. My first choice is always SanDisk.
I have never had a SanDisk card fail or become corrupted. Lexar Professional and PNY Elite Performance have also been problem-free for me.
When I have had problems with SD cards, it was due to using a generic branded card.
Trying to save a buck on a cheap card might result in losing all your photos on it in the future.
If you want to save money, the best memory card will be a high-quality card, with a smaller capacity.
Recommended SD Cards
SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB SD Card
- Best value for the money.
- Capacities from 32 GB to 2TB.
- Transfer speeds up to 170 MB/s.
- Class 10 & UHS-I
- Temperature Proof, Water Proof, Shock Proof, and X-ray Proof.
PNY Elite Performance 128GB SDXC Card
- Lower priced card.
- Transfer speeds up to 95 MB/s.
- Class 10 & UHS-I.
- Magnet Proof, Shock Proof, Temperature Proof, Waterproof.
Lexar Professional 1066x 128GB SDXC UHS-I Card
- Lexar Professional Silver Card.
- Transfer speeds up to 160 MB/s.
- Class 10 & UHS-I.
- Includes Lexar Recovery Tool Software.
- Designed for durability in harsh conditions.
Nikon D5200 SD Card Compatibility
The D5200 uses SD memory cards. Secure Digital (SD) cards come in 3 different formats, with each newer format supporting higher storage capacities. They are all forward and backward compatible with each other.
- Secure Digital (SD) - Up to 2GB cards will work.
- Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) - Up to 32GB cards will work.
- Secure Digital eXtended Capacity (SDXC) - 64GB and larger cards.
Memory Card Requirements for Video
A class 6 or faster card is needed to record video. Using a slower card will cause problems, such as the recording suddenly stopping.
Most cards that have been produced in the last several years will be class 10 cards.
Image Capacity
Below is an approximate estimation of how many large JPEG images you can expect to store on each size of SD card.
- 8GB - 600 images
- 16GB - 1,200 images
- 32GB - 2,400 images
- 64GB - 4,800 images
- 128GB - 9,600 images
Speed, Class, & UHS Ratings
SD Card Speed
SD card speed is rated by sequential read and/or write speed. Sequential performance is important when large amounts of data needs to be written or read from the card.
Slow cards will have difficulty handling continuous shooting and recording video.
Speed Class Rating
Speed Class ratings of 2, 4, 6, and mean a card is able to sustain a 2MB, 4MB, 6MB, or 8MB sustained write speed. Class 10 is for cards that have a minimum write speed of 10MB/s.
Almost all SD cards that have been made in the last few years will have a class 10 rating. You can tell what class a card is by looking at the number inside a 'C' on the label.
Ultra High Speed (UHS)
The Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus is a feature that allows for faster data transfer. There are 3 different standards, UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III, that can be found on some SDHC and SDXC cards.
You can tell the UHS rating of a card by looking for a Roman numeral I, II, or III next to the SD logo. Or there will be a 1, 2, or 3 inside of a U, similar to how the class rating looks.
Maximum transfer rates for the standards are:
- UHS-I - 104 MB/s
- UHS-II - 312 MB/s
- UHS-III - 624 MB/s
