Best Memory Cards for Canon R6
Best Memory Cards for Canon R6
The Canon R6 is a formidable full-frame mirrorless camera that is capable of shooting breathtaking still shots as well as high-definition video. You need a dependable memory card that is capable of handling the high-speed shooting and recording of 4K video that the camera is capable of in order to make the most of its possibilities.
Memory cards such as the SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO CFexpress Type B, the SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I, the Lexar Professional CFexpress Type B, the Sony 128GB SF-M Tough SDXC UHS-II, and the ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type B will be discussed in this article. These are some of the best memory cards available for the Canon R6. Using these memory cards will make it easy for you to record all of the priceless events in your life since they will supply you with the space and the speed you require.
Canon EOS R6 Memory Card Recommendations
Canon R6 Memory Card Quick Recommendations
Any of these makes for a good choice for use in the Canon EOS R6.
These SD cards are fast enough to let you use all of the R6’s features, have a strong track record of reliability, are readily available, and are usually cost-effective.
And don’t forget that the Canon R6 has dual SD slots, so you can use two memory cards (it’s not a requirement to use two, but there are benefits; more on this below).
Canon R6 SD Card Compatibility & Requirements
The Canon EOS R6 is a full-frame mirrorless camera that shoots 20-megapixel photos and 4K60 video, and at its highest settings (4K60, HEVC, IPB Standard, Canon Log ON, HDR PQ ON), it records at a video bitrate of up to 340 Mbps. [1]
The Canon R6 has two SD card slots that take SDXC and SDHC memory cards. And, notably, those SD card slots are UHS-II compatible, which means it can take advantage of the extra speed benefits that UHS-II can bring.
How Many SD Cards Do You Need for the Canon R6?
The Canon R6 has dual SD card slots, so you can use two SD cards.
But it’s not a requirement that both slots be filled. The camera will work normally with a single SD card in slot 1.
That said, there are advantages to filling both memory card slots. That’s because the second slot gives you extra options. You can use it for overflow storage, so that when the first card fills up, it moves on automatically to the next one. Or you can use it in various ways for creating a real-time backup copy or designate one card for photos (or RAW) and another for video (or JPG). You can also copy between the cards.
Something else worth noting is that the memory cards do not have to be identical. If you’ve ever worked with external hard drive storage with multiple drives, you might have run into systems that require that the storage drives be identical in capacity and type. That is not the case here: you can use different types of SD cards in the Canon R6. So you can use one very fast card for recording video, for instance, and have the second card as a slower and cheaper card that has much more storage capacity. A combination like that can be especially useful if you’re using the second memory card slot for overflow storage or as a backup.
So the ideal situation is to use two memory cards and fill both slots, but the camera will still work normally with only one SD card.
Canon’s SD Card Guidance for the R6
The R6’s instruction manual is actually more helpful than many other manuals when it comes to providing guidance on which SD cards will work in this camera.
The most detailed guidance is buried all the way back on page 863. There it lays out various speed requirements in the different video settings combinations.
The gist is that, as with other cameras, you can use slower SD cards if you’re willing to limit which of the camera’s features are available to you. For instance, if you only want to shoot 1080p video, you can use a slower SD card than if you want to shoot 4K. And you can use slower cards if you choose H.264 video rather than the newer (and better) HEVC (H.265).
But that doesn’t make much sense to me. If you’ve chosen to get an impressive camera like the R6, you want to be able to use all of the camera’s features. And it’s pretty easy to get SD cards that are fast enough to let you use all of the camera’s features so long as you know what to look for.
So what I’m aiming to do here is provide some practical recommendations on which SD cards to get for the Canon R6 so you can use the camera to its full potential.
I’m not trying to list every SD card that works in the R6–there are others that will work just fine as well. I’m focusing here on ones that offer a good combination of meeting the requirements of all of the R6’s features, are readily available at major retailers, are cost-effective, and come from major manufacturers with track records for making good-quality cards. I’m also basing this on my own SD speed tests.
Canon R6 Memory Card Detailed Recommendations
Here’s more information on the cards mentioned above, along with some other good alternatives.
Lexar Professional 1667x Silver V60 UHS-IILexar's Silver line is for their V60 cards, and they I've come across them quite often for reasonable prices. Over many years of using Lexar memory cards, I've found them to good, reliable performers.
This card is rated for V60 and is UHS-II. It comes in sizes up to 256GB, and you can often find good deals on 2-packs.
Lexar has also recently reintroduced Gold series 1800x. They're a bit faster, but in practical terms, it's not a difference that you'll really notice in this camera. They're also V60 UHS-II cards, and they perform well. They do tend to be priced a bit higher, too. But a reason they might make a good alternative is that they come in larger storage capacities, up to 512GB.
Buy at: B&H Photo or AmazonProGrade Digital was born out of some corporate upheaval at Lexar a while back. While the brand might not yet have the same kind of name recognition yet, I can speak from personal experience that they make very good memory cards (and other accessories). I routinely use ProGrade CFexpress and SD cards in several of my cameras, as well as their top-notch memory card readers. I've been impressed.
This is their V60 line (they also a V90 card). It's available up to 512GB, and you can often find good deals on 2-packs.
SanDisk Extreme Pro V90 UHS-IISanDisk's Extreme Pro range is their top model. It's technically faster than this camera needs, but it's still a good, solid choice.
One thing to note with SanDisk cards is that they recycle their model names. So you can find Extreme cards that are older and slower. And, even more confusingly, you can also find another version of this card widely available—there are Extreme Pro UHS-I and UHS-II versions. The one I'm listing here is the one is the UHS-II version that is rated for 300 MB/s and V90. There are also UHS-I Extreme Pro cards that are rated for 170 MB/s and 200 MB/s. They'll work fine in this camera, although they won't take full advantage of UHS-II.
Delkin Devices PRIME V60 UHS-II
Delkin Devices have actually been around for years, but not too long ago they refreshed their SD card lineup to make it both clearer and more competitive. The PRIME is their V60 line, which is a good fit for this camera. This card is rated at V60 and has UHS-II.
It's available in versions up to 1TB, and you can also find good deals on multi-packs.
Buy at: B&H Photo or AmazonKingston is another brand that isn't as well known as some of the others, but they've been making reliable memory cards for a very long time. As a brand, they don't tend to focus on the cutting edge speeds but rather on reliable and good-value memory cards.
But this card is an exception to that. It's Kingston's fastest model in their SD card lineup, and it's very quick indeed. It's available in sizes from 16GB through 512GB.
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