Pentax 645Z Memory Card Compatibility
SDXC, SDHC, and SD memory cards are engineered to operate with the Pentax 645Z. For continuous shooting and video, it is important the memory card you use can write data fast enough.
The SD card you go with is a large effect on the performance of your camera.
Want to skip the tech jargon? Below is my suggestion on the SD memory card to get to use with the Pentax 645Z:
- 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.
Best SD Cards
SD memory cards have come way down in cost since the introduction of the Pentax 645Z.
Seeing as how affordable the cost are, it is not going to be smart to get anything other than a high-quality card.
The best cards I use have been the SanDisk Extreme Pro, Lexar Professional, and PNY Elite Performance models. I have under no circumstances encountered a card break or corrupted data with any of those cards.
Every one of the hassles I have experienced has been due to no-name unbranded SD cards. Hoping to save around a buck isn’t worth the cost if your 645Z is going to experience hassles.
If you want to reduce your cost, select a lower storage capacity card from a quality manufacturer. By doing this, you will not have to fret about the images stored on the memory card.
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.
Pentax 645Z SD Card Compatibility
The only cards that are compatible in the Pentax 645Z are SD, SDHC, and SDXC. Check to make sure your camera has the most up to date firmware.
The newest memory cards, SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity), will not be compatible with the 645Z.
You should understand the four different types of Secure Digital (SD) memory cards that there are. They are split up by their storage size.
- 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
Listed here is a fast approximation of the number of large JPEGs photographs you can expect to save on a SD card:
- 16GB - 4,640 images
- 32GB - 9,280 images
- 64GB - 18,560 images
- 128GB - 37,120 images
Speed, Class, & UHS Ratings
Card Speed
The speed rating of an SD memory card is based on the sequential write and read transfer speeds. The speed of a memory card is critical for video as well as continuous shooting.
Slows cards can reduce the number of continuous frames the Pentax 645Z can take. This is because the buffer in the camera is not able to write to the memory card fast enough.
When shooting video, a slow memory card can cause an unexpected end to shooting. The video file may also be corrupted. If you are going to capture video, it is essential the card you use meets the minimum requirements of the 645Z.
Read speed is important for transferring files to a computer. If you have cards that are full, a SD card with a fast read speed will reduce the time it takes the transfer to finish.
Speed Class Rating
The Class rating of a card is determined by the continuous write speed. Memory cards that have a minimum 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-name card that you can purchase online will be rated Class 10. You can verify the class rating of a SD memory card by finding a number inside of a C on the sticker.
Ultra High Speed (UHS)
The Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus is built into SDHC, SDXC, and SDUC memory cards. The UHS bus cards to have faster write speeds.
Three different specs have been specified. They are UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III.
To find the UHS rating of a memory card, look on the front of the card. The presence of a Roman numeral I, II, or III on the label, that is going to be the UHS rating of the SD 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
Based upon the topics that were mentioned is what makes the the 64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro is the best memory card for the Pentax 645Z. Any future camera you buy, you will know what memory card to use.
The following are more pages on digital cameras similar to the 645Z: