Memory cards aren’t always getting the deserved attention, at least not from amateurs who either go and buy the most expensive or the highest capacity one available, or settle for cheap, poor quality cards. There are a number of things that make a memory card good or bad. Among them is reading and writing speed. That means it has to be fast enough to handle the information coming from the camera as quickly as it delivers it. It shouldn’t be a big problem in theory, and it wasn’t until DSLRs started shooting video. That’s when things got a little tricky.

Reliability is also a key factor in choosing a memory card, but if you stay with the dedicated brands that have a history in the industry, you’ll probably be safe. Statistically, the most widely used type of memory card is the SDHC, so we are going to be focusing on them this time.

Here are the 9 best SDHC memory cards available on the market today. Please keep in mind, it is a rapidly changing market segment and performance is growing fast. A good SDHC card has to be fast, reliable, well made (as in it won’t brake like a potato chip between your fingers) and has to be perfectly compatible with any camera designed to use this type of card, without any kinds of errors.

1. SanDisk Extreme Pro 32GB SDHC Class10 UHS-1 95MB/s

This is currently the fastest memory card available on the market. It is the ideal choice for professionals who work with high speed burst shooting and it’s also perfect for shooting video, including 4k. It delivers speeds of up to 90MB/s when writing and 95MB/s in reading. It has built in Advanced Wear Leveling and an Error Correction Code engine that enhance endurance and reliability. The working temperature is anywhere between -13 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit , so that means you pretty much take anywhere on the planet without worrying about failure.

2. Lexar Professional 600X 32GB SDHC UHS-1

This is Lexar’s highest performance card of this type. It is designed to meet the needs at the highest level, both in photography and video. It has a minimum guaranteed read speed of 90MB/s, so that makes file transfer quite fast. The package also includes Image Rescue 4 software for recovering potentially lost files and Lexar also offers free, dedicated technical support.

3. SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC 32GB Class 10 UHS 80MB/s

This is also one of the best pro level options. Highly capable of coping with high frame rate speeds, as long as your camera has a decent buffer, it has up to 60MB/s write speed and 80MB/s read speed. It’s waterproof, X-ray proof, shock proof and just about everything else a professional card should be. It also comes with a RescuePRO data recovery software downloadable registration.

4. Lexar Professional 400X 16GB SDHC UHS-I

It is essentially a “slower” version of the 600x model. By that, we mean that the minimum guaranteed speed is “only” 60MB/s. Everything else is of the same, high level quality.

5. SanDisk Extreme 16 GB SDHC Class 10 45MB/s

This model is a couple of years old, and 45MB/s second was once the highest professional standard. Now you can find them at bargain prices and they are still good for any kind of photographic work and Full HD video. 4K, probably not so much.

6. Transcend 32GB High Speed Class 10 UHS

Transcend have also been making flash memories for quite some time and they are a considerable alternative to SanDisk and Lexar. This is one of their top models. The write speed is 45MB/s and the read speed 85MB/s. One of its cool traits it that is has a low battery consumption. Memory cards also drain the camera’s battery, especially at these high speeds, but Transcend have made a welcome adjustment to that.

7. Adata Premier Pro SDHC UHS-I U1 32GB

Adata is also a very important player in the storage manufacturing landscape. Their Class 10 card seems to be doing pretty well in the market and the performance is at standard pro level. The read speed is 95MB/s and the write speed, 45MB/s. It is built to withstand extreme temperatures and it’s protected against X-rays. It’s also backed up by a lifetime warranty.

8. SanDisk Ultra SDHC Class 10 30MB/s

This is a card that can be found in a lot of cameras all over the world. It’s not a professional card, but rather a medium class one. However, it’s the kind of medium class product that does the job perfectly and is good for 90% of regular needs and, of course, at a decent price.

9. Lexar Platinum II 200x16GB SDHC UHS-I

Like the Ultra, this is a premium mid-class memory card. It’s good for most of a photographer’s needs and it can also handle HD video. The cost/performance ratio is also very good, and therefore we recommend it.

Also Read:  41 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN’T DATE A PHOTOGRAPHER

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