How to choose a memory card

Memory Cards (Flash Cards) is the most common way to store digital information. Compact, lungs and relatively inexpensive, they are used in photo, video equipment, mobile phones, smartphones and other techniques. The problem of selecting a memory card is not as simple as it may seem at first glance. When buying, you need to pay attention to the following criteria: map format, memory, data exchange rate, compatibility.

The format or type of memory card is its most important characteristic, implying not only shape and sizes, but also technology. If the XD-Picture Card formats have been missing at unprecedented formats (used in the Olympus and Fujifilm photographic equipment), Memory Stick (were specifically designed for various Sony techniques, but subsequently replaced with more versatile formats) and MMC (sd format predecessor ), now in the market most common:

SD Card (Secure Digital Card) with more modern SDHC and SDXC modifications and the following physical classification: SD, MINISD and MicroSD. This is the most common format. Due to its small size and good technical characteristics, the cards of this type are widely used in the mobile industry, digital photo and video cameras, tablets and other electronics.
CF (Compact Flash). The cards of this format have relatively large sizes, but differ in high data exchange rate and reliability. Used primarily in professional photo and video equipment.

The flash card memory indicator is also a very important parameter. The more, the better, but if the budget is limited, it is necessary to determine what purpose a memory card is bought and how much memory will be enough for comfortable work. Modern technologies allow you to create an SDXC format memory cards up to 2 TB.

The exchange rate of data cards is especially important for photo and video cameras. High speed allows prolonged serial shooting in the best quality without delay:

SD cards for this parameter are divided into classes. Thus, SD Class 2 supports data transmission at 2 MB / s, SD Class 4 - 4 MB / s, etc. Up to SD Class 45. Class 10 will be enough, for example, to record Full HD video.
The CF card speed is traditionally indicated in relation to the standard reading speed of the CD (150 Kb / s). For example, X100 means the read speed of 15 MB / s and so to x1000. In addition, some manufacturers now indicate the speed in MB / s.

The memory card compatibility parameter is important for owners of old equipment. The SD format, including Minisd and MicroSD, was evolution from SDSC (practically not used now) to SDHC and SDXC, and Compact Flash from version 1.0 to modern 6.0. Thus, old devices can support only those generations that were produced at the time of their creation, while modern gadgets are compatible with flash cards of all previous generations.

As you can see, the selection criteria for memory card are not limited to only its format and memory. Also, do not risk taking a cheap map of the missing Chinese manufacturer. It is better to take a map of the proven brand (Kingston, Transcend, SanDisk, Lexar), because the higher its quality, the more stable and longer it will last you.