Pentax K-5 Memory Card Compatibility

The Pentax K-5 uses SD memory cards. 2TB is the largest size that can be used.

Using a 4TB card or larger (that don’t currently exist) will cause an error.

It’s good to get a card that is fast enough to clear the image buffer and record video. Any card with UHS-I will be fast enough.

Do not pay for a UHS-II card. The K-5 doesn’t have a compatible card slot.

Pentax K-5 SD Card Compatibility

The Pentax K-5 can use card the meet the SD, SDHC, and SDXC standards.

For best compatibility, make sure the latest firmware is installed.

The newest memory cards, SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity), can not be used in the K-5. They are too large.

• 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

Estimated JPEGs:

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

Speed Class Rating

A memory card receives a Class rating depending on its continuous write speed. SD cards that have a minimum write speed of 10MB/s are labeled as 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 name-brand SD card that you can get today will receive a Class 10 rating. You can determine the class rating of a memory card by searching for a number inside of a C on the sticker.

Ultra High Speed (UHS)

The Ultra High Speed bus (UHS) is built into SDHC, SDXC, and SDUC cards. The UHS bus allows for increase transfer speeds.

Do not pay more for a UHS-II or UHS-III card. The K-5 is not compatible with them.

A card’s rating will be shown on the label as a Roman number I, II, or III.

• 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

The sweet spot for price to performance is 128GB or 256GB cards.

Only get a 256GB card if you will be shooting RAW photos. 64GB is large enough for JPEGs.

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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 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 Extreme 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.