Pentax K20D Memory Card Compatibility
The Pentax K20D uses SD memory cards. 32GB is the biggest capacity SD card that is compatible with the K20D.
SD memory cards labeled as SDXC or SDUC are not going to work properly in the K20D. These cards can easily be avoided as they are 64GB or larger in capacity.
Affiliate Advertising Disclosure
Outside the Shot is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase. I also participate in affiliate advertising programs with KEH and Adorama. More can be found on the Affiliate Discolsure page.
The SDHC format was announced in 2006. All 32GB cards that are currently being produced will have almost identical performance. You cannot go wrong buying the cheapest class 10 name brand card. At the time of writing this, the PNY Elite 32GB SD memory card has the best price.Recommended K20D SD Cards
Below are some possibilities to choose from that are compatible with the K20D. With any of the cards listed below, you will not have to worry about card problems or poor capabilities.
- Sequential read speed of up to 100MB/s
- Class 10, U1 rating delivers speed and performance for full HD photography and HD videography.
- V10 video speed rating to capture uninterrupted HD video at 1920x1080 format
- Compatible with point & shoot cameras, DSLR cameras, standard & advanced HD-enabled video cameras, and more
- Reliable & Durable: Magnet Proof, Shock Proof, Temperature Proof, Waterproof
- Quick transfer read speeds up to 90MB/s.
- Write speeds are not capable of recording 4k video.
- Class 10 rating for Full HD video (1080p).
- Waterproof, temperature proof, X-ray Proof, magnet-Proof, and shockproof.
- UHS Speed Class 1 (U1) supports Full HD video and burst shots. 130MB/s transfer speeds1 let you upload footage to your PC in an instant.
- Built to survive tough conditions and heavy usage, whether you’re at home, outside, or on the go. Backed by 10-year limited warranty.
- Highly durable with comprehensive 7-proof protection.
- Backed by a 10 year warranty.
Best SD Cards
Reliable memory cards are manufacture by both SanDisk and Lexar. Avoid getting cards from inexpensive third-party brand names.
Cheap cards are more inclined to have file corruption, meaning you’ll lose all of your shots stored on the card. A minuscule amount of reduction in cost is not worth the decline of build quality.
The smart way to save money is to get hold of a memory card with a smaller capacity. They will be slightly less expensive and you will not have to fret about the SD card losing your shots.
Be aware that, SD card issues are rarely experienced. Through the years, I have only experienced only two cards fail on me. Age may have played a role, as the SD cards were bundled with pre-owned digital cameras.
Pentax K20D SD Card Compatibility
four different technical specs of Secure Digital (SD) memory cards are currently being made. The Pentax K20D is limited to using SD memory cards. Every new memory card standard raises the max storage capacity and read/write speeds when compared with the former specification.
Secure Digital memory card readers are backward compatible. A card reader built into a digital camera that can use SDXC cards will also be able to use SDHC and SD memory cards.
The card reader in the Pentax K20D is only compatible with the first two SD card technical specs. SDXC or SDUC cards won’t operate correctly.
- Secure Digital (SD) - These memory cards have a maximum capacity of 2GB and are compatible with the K20D.
- Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) - The capacity of these memory cards range from 4GB to 32GB and are also compatible with the K20D.
- Secure Digital eXtended Capacity (SDXC) - The capacity of these memory cards range from 64GB to 2TiB.
- Secure Digital Ultra Capacity (SDUC) - The capacity of these memory cards range from 4TiB to 128TiB.
Pentax K20D Memory Card Full Error
Trying to use an SD memory card that has a capacity of 64GB or larger in size in the K20D will result in the digital point and shoot camera to display an error.
Get a memory card that has a storage capacity of 32GB or smaller to prevent the error.
If you have an SD memory card that has a capacity less than 32GB, and the card is not functioning correctly, try to format the card in the camera.
Speed, Class, & Capacity
SD Card Image Capacity
This is a quick estimate of the total number of large JPEGs you could expect to save on an SD card.
- 4GB - 1920 images
- 8GB - 3840 images
- 16GB - 7680 images
- 32GB - 15360 images
Memory Card Speed
Speed ratings for SD memory cards are determined by sequential read and write speeds. The speed of the SD card is important in the event that many shots need to be written to the memory card.
SD Card Speed Class Rating
The Class speed rating of an SD memory card is based on the sustained write speed of the memory card. A Class speed rating of 2 means that the memory card can sustain a write speed of at least 2MB per second.
- Class 2 - 2MB/s
- Class 4 - 4MB/s
- Class 6 - 6MB/s
- Class 8 - 8MB/s
- Class 10 - 10MB/s
The best rating a card can receive is Class 10. There are SD cards that are significantly faster than 10MB/s. Those SD cards use other technologies, such as UHS (Ultra Highspeed Bus), which use a different rating specifications.
Sustained write speeds of 2MB, 4MB, 6MB, or 8MB per second means the card has a speed class of 2, 4, 6, or 8. Cards that have write speeds of 10MB/s or faster are rated as Class 10.
Conclusion
Buy an SD memory card for the Pentax K20D based on price. An expensive card isn’t going to improve performance. As long as it is a speed class 10 card, you will be fine. My recommendation is the PNY Elite 32GB SD memory card.