Best Memory Cards for Canon EOS 5DS & 5DS R

Best SD cards and CF cards for Canon EOS 5DS & 5DS R. Here is our full list of top recommended SD cards and CF cards for Canon EOS 5DS and 5DS R DSLR cameras.

Both Canon EOS 5DS and Canon EOS 5DS R feature a newly-designed 50.6MP resolution 35mm CMOS sensor along with dual Digic 6 processors allows for some of the sharpest images ever captured by a DSLR. The difference between the two cameras is that the 5DS R has a low-pass filter effect cancellation, which effectively improves the sensor’s sensitivity. Both models borrow the advanced programmable auto-ISO sensitivity from the 7D Mark II providing increased control over ISO sensitivity before having to stop down. With its built-in intervalometer, create time-lapses and long exposures to capture everything from an incoming storm to light trails from cars on night-time cityscape. In addition, featuring a 50.6MP full-frame CMOS sensor and dual Digic 6 processors, both Canon 5DS (Amazon, B&H, Adorama) and Canon 5DS R (Amazon, B&H, Adorama) are able to deliver ultra-high resolution images for large-scale printing and extensive, creative cropping and the top-of-the-line image quality and processing speed, and both cameras are capable of fast continuous shooting up to 5 fps, full HD 1080/30p video recording capability and Time Lapse Movie function.

Want to get the best memory cards for the Canon EOS 5DS & 5DS R? In this post, we are going to go through absolutely everything you need to know before buying the best memory card for Canon EOS 5DS and 5DS R.

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

Before buying a memory card, make sure it complies with your Canon EOS 5DS and 5DS R cameras. This is what Canon EOS 5DS and 5DS R require:

  • Memory Card Slot: Dual Slots – 1x SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) and 1x CompactFlash (UDMA 7)
  • Memory Card Type: SD Card, CF Card
  • Memory Card Speed: UHS-I SD, UDMA 7 CF
  • Recommended Capacity: 32GB-512GB

So, both Canon EOS 5DS and Canon EOS 5DS R have two memory card slots: 1x SD memory card slot with UHS-I support and 1x CompactFlash memory card slot (UDMA 7 compatible). Dual SD and CF memory card slots allow you to extend your file saving capabilities by permitting overflow recording or in-camera file type separation while shooting.

Why Do You Need a High-Speed Memory Card?

Not every memory card will work well with your Canon EOS 5DS and 5DS R DSLR cameras. 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 SD Cards & CF Cards for Canon EOS 5DS & 5DS R

If you just want to cut to the chase, here are our top recommended SD cards and CF cards for Canon EOS 5DS and 5DS R:

SD Cards:

  1. SanDisk Extreme PRO UHS-I SDXC Card 170 MB/s (V30, U3)
  2. Lexar Professional 1000x UHS-II Card (150 MB/s, V60)
  3. SanDisk Extreme UHS-I SDXC Card (V30, U3)

CF Cards:

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

Best SD Memory Cards for Canon EOS 5DS & 5DS R

1. SanDisk Extreme PRO UHS-I Card 170 MB/s (V30, U3)

  • UHS-I / V30 / U3 / Class 10
  • Max Read Speed: 170 MB/s
  • Max Write Speed: 90 MB/s

Highly recommended! With write speeds of up to 90 MB/s and read speeds of up to 170 MB/s, the SanDisk Extreme Pro 170MB/s UHS-I card is the fastest UHS-I SD card and the most popular card out there, and is almost always one of my top recommended SD card, especially for consumer UHS-I cameras. Designed for SD devices that can capture Full HD, 3D, and 4K video, as well as raw and burst photography, the SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-I card is compatible with the UHS-I bus, and features a speed class rating of V30, which guarantees minimum write speeds of 30 MB/s. Available in 64GB, 128GB, 256GB and 512GB sizes, the SanDisk Extreme Pro 170 MB/s UHS-I card is ideal for professionals recording extreme sports and other fast-action activities, you can rely on uncompromising performance without dropping frames.

Buy SanDisk Extreme PRO UHS-I 170 MB/s (V30, U3) at AmazonB&HAdorama.

 

2. Lexar Professional 1000x UHS-II Card (150 MB/s, V60)

 

  • UHS-II / V60 / U3 / Class 10
  • Max Read Speed: 150 MB/s
  • Max Write Speed: 90 MB/s

Excellent UHS-II SD Card with affordable price. The Lexar Professional 1000x UHS-II SDXC Card can achieve maximum read speeds of up to 150 MB/s and maximum write speeds of up to 90 MB/s, making it is well-suited for continuous shutter bursts and rapid shooting, as well as 4K and Full HD video. The cards leverage UHS-II technology (UHS Speed Class 3 (U3)) to deliver high-speed performance – up to 150 MB/s (1000x). This dramatically accelerates workflow from start to finish. For versatility, the cards also work with UHS-I devices at UHS-I speeds. Whether you’re a professional photographer, videographer, or enthusiast, Lexar Professional 1000x SDHC/SDXC UHS-II cards make it easy to quickly capture and transfer 1080p full-HD, 3D and 4K video. Great value!

Buy Lexar Professional 1000x UHS-II SD Card at AmazonB&HAdorama.

3. SanDisk Extreme UHS-I SDXC Card (V30, U3)

  • UHS-I / V30 / U3 / Class 10
  • Max Read Speed: 150 MB/s
  • Max Write Speed: 70 MB/s

Budget option! The SanDisk Extreme SDXC UHS-I memory card delivers performance that lets you take control of your creativity. With shot speeds of up to 70MB/s and UHS speed Class 3 (U3) recording, you’re ready to capture stunning high-resolution, stutter-free 4K UHD video. Its 150MB/s transfer speeds mean you can quickly move your photos where you want them. A built-in write-protect switch helps to safeguard against the accidental erasure of card data.

Buy SanDisk Extreme UHS-I SDXC Card (V30, U3): at AmazonB&HAdorama.

Best CF Memory Cards for Canon EOS 5DS & 5DS R

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 – perfect for storing large files including high-quality photos, 1080p Full-HD, 3D, and 4K video. 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.

The two CF cards listed here are a little bit faster than the fastest UHS-I SD cards, really great value, highly recommended! In addition, you can get the Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader (UDMA 7) at Amazon.

Read more: Best Lenses for Canon EOS 5DS & 5DS R.