Best Memory Cards for Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

Best CF cards and CFast cards for Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. Here is our full list of top recommended CompactFlash cards and CFast cards for Canon 1D X Mark II DSLR Camera.

The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II (AmazonB&HAdorama) is an excellent full frame DSLR camera aimed at pro-level photographers. With a maximum of 14fps standard/16fps Live View burst rate and up to 170 RAW images per blast when using a Cfast card, as well as improved AF performance and 4K60p video capture, the full-frame Canon EOS-1D X Mark II is destined to the camera of choice for sports photographers, wildlife photographers, and even for studio photography. Featuring a full-frame 20.2MP CMOS sensor and dual DIGIC 6+ image processors, the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II is capable of fast continuous shooting rates up to 16 fps in live view, 14 fps with full-time AF and AE, and it supports DCI 4K video recording at 60 fps and Full HD 1080p recording at 120 fps, along with the ability to record on-board to a CFast 2.0 memory card, or uncompressed Full HD video can be saved via HDMI to an optional external recorder. And video shooting is enhanced by Dual Pixel CMOS AF, which makes its first appearance in a full-frame sensor for smooth, quick, and controllable AF in live view.

Want to get the best memory cards for the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II? In this post, we are going to go through absolutely everything you need to know before buying the best memory card for the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II.

First off… What kind of memory card do you need?

Before buying a memory card, make sure it complies with your Canon EOS-1D X Mark II camera. This is what Canon EOS-1D X Mark II requires:

  • Memory Card Slot: 1 x CompactFlash and 1 x CFast
  • Memory Card Type: CF Card (Type I; compatible with UDMA 7 CF cards) and CFast Card (CFast 2.0 supported)
  • Recommended Capacity: 32GB-512GB

So, the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II has two memory card slots: one CF card slot (compatible with UDMA 7 CF cards) and one CFast card slot (CFast 2.0 supported).

Why Do You Need a High-Speed SD Card?

Not every memory card will work well with your Canon EOS-1D X Mark II camera. If the card is too slow, you may have to wait longer for the buffer to clear or end up with recording errors and loose all your footage. So, buying a fast card is always worth it:

  • Fast write speed provides fast buffer clearing time between burst shots optimizing your shooting experience.
  • Fast read speed can let large files such as 4K video or a bunch of high-resolution images by continuous shooting transfer to PC in seconds.

Reminder: if you plan to shoot videos, stick to 64GB (or larger) cards for the best video codex.

Best CF & CFast Cards for Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

Here are our top recommended CF cards and CFast cards for Canon EOS-1D X Mark II DSLR camera:

CF Cards:

  1. Lexar Professional 1066x CompactFlash Card (UDMA 7)
  2. SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash Card (160MB/s, UDMA 7)

CFast Cards:

  1. Sony G Series CFast 2.0 Memory Card
  2. Lexar 3500x CFast 2.0 Memory Card
  3. SanDisk Extreme PRO CFast 2.0 Memory Card
  4. Delkin Devices Premium CFast 2.0 Memory Card
  5. ProGrade Digital CFast 2.0 Memory Card

Best CF Memory Cards for Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

1. Lexar Professional 1066x CompactFlash Card (UDMA 7)

 

  • 1066x Speed Rating
  • Max. Read Speed 160 MB/s
  • Max. Write Speed 155 MB/s

Highly recommended! Available in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB and 256GB, the Lexar Professional 1066x (UDMA 7) is the most popular and super fast CF cards with an affordable price. With a 1066x speed rating, this card is capable of achieving data read speeds of up to 160 MB/s and data write speeds of up to 155 MB/s, allowing you to transfer your files via the card-to-computer transfer method via a UDMA 7-enabled card reader. Whether you’re a professional photographer, videographer, or enthusiast, the card provides performance you can trust and lets you quickly capture and transfer high-quality photos and 1080p full-HD, 3D, and 4K video.

Buy Lexar Professional 1066x (UDMA 7) CF Cards at AmazonB&HAdorama.

2. SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash Card (160MB/s, UDMA 7)

 

  • Up to 160MB/s Read Speed
  • Up to 150MB/s Write Speed

Highly recommended! Featuring enhanced data read speeds of up to 160MB/s along with data write speeds up to 150MB/s, the SanDisk Extreme Pro (160MB/s, UDMA 7) is another popular and excellent card with almost the same speed. This Extreme Pro CompactFlash Card is designed to support both full HD and 4K video as it is VPG-65 certified. VPG-65 (video performance guarantee) offers sustained data write speeds of 65MB/s ensuring a smooth flow of data keeping video streams crisp and clean. This CompactFlash card is also compatible with both RAW and JPEG file formats and comes equipped with an RTV silicone coating and writable label. And the SanDisk Extreme Pro cards are designed for professionals and come with a lifetime limited warranty

Buy SanDisk Extreme Pro (160MB/s, UDMA 7) CF Cards at AmazonB&HAdorama.

In addition, you can get the Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader (UDMA 7) at Amazon.

Best CFast Memory Cards for Canon EOS 1D X Mark II

1. Sony G Series CFast 2.0 Memory Card

 

  • Max Read Speed: 530 MB/s
  • Max Write Speed: 510 MB/s
  • Min Sustained Write Speed: 130 MB/s

Designed to meet the needs of professional photographers and videographers, the Sony G Series CFast 2.0 Memory Card is the fastest and reliable CFast cards for Canon EOS-1D X Mark II with maximum read speeds of up to 530 MB/s and maximum write speeds of 510 MB/s and it can be used to record a variety of content, such as 4K video, raw and high-resolution images, continuous burst shooting and more. Whether for photography, broadcast, or theater, the top write speed of up to 510 MB/s enables continuous raw burst shooting, and the top read speed of up to 530 MB/s allows fast transfer of large files including 4K videos. And thanks to Video Performance Guarantee-130 (VPG-130) support, minimum sustained write speeds of 130 MB/s are guaranteed. Highly recommended!

Buy Sony G Series CFast 2.0 Cards at AmazonB&HAdorama.

2. Lexar 3500x CFast 2.0 Memory Card

 

  • Max. Read Speed: 525 MB/s
  • Max. Write Speeds: 445 MB/s
  • CFast 2.0 Card Type
  • 3500x Speed Rating

Fast and reliable! Designed to address the exacting demands of today’s top content innovators, the Lexar Professional 3500x CFast 2.0 card provides new thresholds of high-speed performance and large capacity options to easily capture the highest-quality 4K video and beyond. Lexar 3500x CFast 2.0 Memory Cards are excellent and popular CFast 2.0 cards with data read speeds of up to 525 MB/s and write speeds of up to 445 MB/s allowing you to not only record 4K content, but also capture RAW, ProRes, and other types of content with ease. Included with this card is the downloadable file recovery software, Image Rescue, making it easy to recover most photo and video files should they become corrupted or if they are accidentally deleted.

Buy Lexar 3500x CFast 2.0 Cards at B&HAdoramaAmazon.

3. SanDisk Extreme PRO CFast 2.0 Memory Card

 

  • Max Read Speed: 525 MB/s
  • Max Write Speed: 450 MB/s
  • Min Write Speed: 130 MB/s (VPG-130)

For those working in high-performance industries such as broadcasting, cinema, and photography, the SanDisk Extreme PRO CFast 2.0 Memory Card combines the speed, capacity, and performance needed to record uninterrupted DCI 4K video, which has a resolution of 4096 x 2160 and a 17:9 aspect ratio. It features a SATA III 6 Gb/s bus, a maximum read speed of up to 525 MB/s (3500x), a maximum write speed of up to 450 MB/s (2933x), and a minimum write speed of 130 MB/s. Its minimum write speed is backed up by the Video Performance Guarantee 130 standard (VPG-130), meaning that its minimum write speed will never drop below 130 MB/s.

Buy SanDisk Extreme PRO CFast 2.0 Cards at B&HAdoramaAmazon.

4. Delkin Devices Premium CFast 2.0 Memory Card

Super fast CFast 2.0 card. Designed for professional photographers and videographers, the Delkin Devices Premium CFast 2.0 Memory Card supports maximum read speeds of 560 MB/s and maximum write speeds of 495 MB/s. Thanks to the Video Performance Guarantee 130 (VPG-130) standard, write speeds will not drop below 130 MB/s. All of this allows for users to capture DCI 4K (4096 x 2160), Ultra HD (3840 x 2160), and Full HD (1920 x 1080) video at 120 fps, as well as raw still images and rapid-fire bursts.

Buy Delkin Devices Premium CFast 2.0 Card at Amazon, B&H, Adorama.

5. ProGrade Digital CFast 2.0 Memory Card

  • Max Read Speed: 550 MB/s
  • Max Write Speed: 415 MB/s
  • Min Write Speed: 130 MB/s (VPG-130)

Designed for high-speed photography and videography applications, the ProGrade Digital CFast 2.0 Memory Card work with digital cameras that are compatible with the CFast 2.0 standard, which utilizes the SATA III 6 Gb/s interface. It features read speeds of up to 550 MB/s, write speeds of up to 415 MB/s, and minimum guaranteed write speeds of 130 MB/s, thanks to the VPG-130 standard. All of this allows for the capturing of 4K, 3D, and Full HD content using Canon and a wide range of other devices.

Buy ProGrade Digital CFast 2.0 Memory Cards at AmazonB&H.

Read more: Best Lenses for Canon EOS 1D X Mark II.