Don't Waste Money on a Nikon Df SD Memory Card (2TB Max)

The Nikon Df uses SD memory cards. The largest capacity that will work is 2TB.

If a 4TB or larger card is used, there will be an error. Damage to the card reader will cause errors.

For video, get a card with a Class 10 speed rating.

I suggest getting a card with UHS-I. It will be much faster than Class 10. You will be able to quickly transfer photos and videos.

Nikon Df SD Card Compatibility

SD cards have had speed and capacity improvements.

With the latest firmware (1.03), the Df is compatible with the SDXC, SDHC, and SD standards.

Nikon Download Center for the Df. The latest firmware is available. A PDF copy of the manual can be downloaded. It has answers to common questions.

The newest cards, SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity), can’t be used in the Df. They are 4TB or larger, which is too big.

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

Image Capacity

Here is a quick approximation of just how many max-quality JPEGs shots you should expect to store on a memory card:

• 64GB - 18,560
• 128GB - 37,120
• 256GB - 74,240

Card Speed

Speed ratings of an SD card is based on the sequential read and write speeds of the card. SD memory card write speed is critical for continuous shooting in addition to video.

A slow SD card can reduce the number of continuous frames the Nikon Df can capture. This is due to the camera’s buffer not being able to write data to the SD card fast enough.

When recording video, a slow SD card can cause recording to end. The video file may also be corrupted. If you intend to record video, it is important the card you use meets the minimum requirements of the Df.

Read speed is nice to have for file transfers to a computer or laptop. If you are filling up cards with images or video, a memory card with a fast transfer speed will cut down on the transfer time.

Speed Class Rating

The Class rating of a card is determined by the continuous write speed. Memory cards that have a write speed of 10MB/s will be labeled Class 10.

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

Every brand of memory card that you can buy today will be rated Class 10. To discover the class rating of a card, find a number inside of the C on the front label.

Ultra High Speed (UHS)

The Ultra High Speed bus (UHS) is built into SDUC, SDXC, and SDHC memory cards. The UHS bus cards to have increased write speeds.

There are three separate versions. The versions are UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III.

Look at the label to find out the rating of a SD card. If the card has UHS, a Roman numeral I, II, or III will be on the SD card label.

• 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

Recommended SD Cards

128GB or 256GB is the sweet spot for cost per GB.

If you will be shooting JPEGs, 128GB will be enough. If you want to save some money, 64GB will be enough for most people.

For RAW photos and video, 256GB will be better.

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SanDisk Ultra 64GB

• 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.

PNY Elite-X 128GB

• 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.

SanDisk Extrme Pro 128GB

• 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.

Card reader should have tails

Future proof features:

• USB-C 3.1 or 3.2
• UHS-II Compatible
• Has a Tail

It’s super annoying when a card reader blocks other ports. They can also be built-in multi-port dongles or be able to read multiple types of memory cards.

Multi-card readers can do newer memory cards like CFExpress. If you’re into older cameras, a USB 2.0 26-in-1 memory card reader might be for you.

• Memory Stick (Sony)
• xD (Olympus)
• CompactFlash (Old Nikon, Canon, Pentax)