Having a compatible SD memory card is very important for obtaining the best results out of your camera. Trying to use a card that is Larger than 32GB can result in an error to display or reduce the performance of the GX1's use.
You can use SDHC and SD memory cards with your Panasonic GX1. That means that the largest card capacity you will be able to use is 32GB.
Don't use a slow memory card. Cards that do not meet a minimum transfer rate will slow down continuous shooting and can stop video from being recorded.
If you're in a rush, here's the best SD card you can buy for the Panasonic GX1:
SanDisk Extreme Pro 32GB SDHC Memory Card
The absolute best card you can buy for the camera.
64GB or larger cards are not compatible with the camera.
Table of Contents
Best SD Cards
In the time since the intro of Panasonic GX1, the cost of cards has greatly reduced.
Seeing as how low costs are, it doesn't make sense to choose anything other than a high-quality memory card.
The best cards I use have been the SanDisk Extreme Pro, Lexar Professional, and PNY Elite Performance models. I have never experienced a card failure or corrupted data with any of those memory cards.
All the hassles I have experienced have been because of cheap unbranded cards. Trying to save around a dollar isn't worth it if your GX1 is going to have hassles.
A savvy way to spend less money is to buy a smaller storage capacity SD card from a high-quality company. By doing this, you will know your images are secure on the SD card.
Recommended SD Cards
SanDisk Extreme Pro 32GB SDHC Memory Card
- Best value for the money.
- Read speeds of up to 95MB/s; write speeds of up to 90MB/s.
- Shock-proof, temperature-proof, waterproof, and x-ray proof.
SanDisk Ultra 32GB SDHC Memory Card
- Quick transfer speeds up to 80MB/s.
- Class 10 rating for Full HD video (1080p).
- Waterproof, temperature proof, X-ray Proof, magnet-Proof, and shockproof.
Lexar Professional 633X 32GB SDHC UHS-I Memory Card
- High-speed, Class 10 performance.
- UHS-I technology for a read transfer speed up to 633x (95MB/s).
- High-speed file transfer from card to computer to dramatically accelerate workflow.
Panasonic GX1 SD Card Compatibility
Only SD and SDHC memory cards can be used by the Panasonic GX1. Check to ensure that your camera has the most up to date firmware installed.
SDXC or SDUC memory cards are unable to be used in the GX1.
You need to know of the 4 different types of Secure Digital (SD) cards that can be found. They are divided by storage capacity.
- 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.
Image Capacity
Here is an estimation of how many large JPEGs you can expect to fit on a card:
- 4GB - 1,160 images
- 8GB - 2,320 images
- 16GB - 4,640 images
- 32GB - 9,280 images
Speed, Class, & UHS Ratings
Card Speed
The speed rating of an SD memory card is based on the sequential write and read speeds. SD card continuous write speed is very important for continuous shooting and video.
A slow SD card can reduce the number of continuous photos the Panasonic GX1 can take. This is because the buffer in the camera is not able to write to the memory card fast enough.
With video, a slow card can cause an abrupt end to recording. The video file could also be corrupted. If you are going to shoot video, it is crucial the SD card you use meets the minimum requirements of the camera.
Read speed is important for transferring files to a computer. If you are filling up cards with images or video, a memory card with a fast read speed will cut down on the transfer time.
Speed Class Rating
The Class rating of a card is determined by the sustained write speed. Memory cards that have a minimum write speed of at least 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 name SD card that you can buy today will be rated Class 10. You can check the class rating of a card by looking for a number inside of a C on the label.
Ultra High Speed (UHS)
The Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus comes in SDHC, SDXC, and SDUC cards. The UHS bus allows offers a way to increase file transfer rates.
Three separate versions exist. They are UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III.
You can find the UHS rating of an SD memory card by looking at the front of the card. If the card has UHS, a Roman numeral I, II, or III will be on the front of the memory card.
- 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
Related Cameras
If you needed to choose one, SanDisk 32GB Extreme Pro is the best Panasonic GX1 memory card. Any future camera you own, you will know what sd memory card to buy.
Below are more posts on Panasonic cameras similar to the GX1:
