SD Card Capacity

ShiftR · 05-03-2016, 05:07 PM

This is a question for current K-1 owners. I have two 32gb cards in my K-3 currently, but with the increase in resolution, and my potential heavy usage of Pixel Shift, I'm thinking of getting a pair of 64gb ones. What size cards are you running, and what is the K-1 or manual (I can't find a working link with the "leaked" one) telling you the shot capacity is at that size?

Last edited by ShiftR; 05-04-2016 at 06:01 AM.

**bwgv001** · 05-03-2016, 06:30 PM - **1 Like**

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/190-pentax-k-1/317814-k-1-manual.html

Adam · 05-03-2016, 07:04 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by ShiftR

This is a question for current K-1 owners. I have two 32gb cards in my K-3 currently, but with the increase in resolution, and my potential heavy usage of Pixel Shift, I'm thinking of getting a pair of 64gb ones. What size cards are you running, and what is the K-1 or manual (I can't find a working link with the "leaked" one) telling you the capacity is at that size?

I will be using two 128Gb cards. 64Gb fills up pretty quickly at 36Mp if you're shooting RAW+ (around 60Mb per photo).

Given the recent Sandisk price drops, don't hesitate to go for more than you think you need:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/94-pentax-price-watch/320058-sandisk-high...ice-drops.html

**wtlwdwgn** · 05-03-2016, 07:09 PM

Originally posted by Adam

I will be using two 128Gb cards. 64Gb fills up pretty quickly at 36Mp if you're shooting RAW+ (around 60Mb per photo).

Given the recent Sandisk price drops, don't hesitate to go for more than you think you need:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/94-pentax-price-watch/320058-sandisk-high...ice-drops.html

What write speed cards are you going to get? I can't find any mention of write speed in the manual. I was going to get a pair of 633X (95 Mbs) cards but now I'm not sure if I should get something faster?

I think I just answered my own question. The K-1 uses UHS-I cards.

Adam · 05-03-2016, 07:19 PM

Originally posted by wtlwdwgn

What write speed cards are you going to get? I can't find any mention of write speed in the manual. I was going to get a pair of 633X (95 Mbs) cards but now I'm not sure if I should get something faster?

I think I just answered my own question. The K-1 uses UHS-I cards.

The UHS-I extreme pro's. The K-1 can write up to the maximum speed supported by UHS-I (which is 95 Mb/s in practice).

I currently have 64Gb one of those and it works wonders.

**wtlwdwgn** · 05-03-2016, 07:25 PM

Thanks Adam!

h_r_nobre · 05-03-2016, 08:01 PM

Do you know the size limit for card capacity and write speed in K3? I didn't find it in the manual.

ShiftR · 05-03-2016, 09:17 PM

Originally posted by bwgv001

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/190-pentax-k-1/317814-k-1-manual.html

Originally posted by Adam

I will be using two 128Gb cards. 64Gb fills up pretty quickly at 36Mp if you're shooting RAW+ (around 60Mb per photo).

Given the recent Sandisk price drops, don't hesitate to go for more than you think you need:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/94-pentax-price-watch/320058-sandisk-high...ice-drops.html

Thanks!!!

Rudy · 05-03-2016, 10:14 PM

Originally posted by h_r_nobre

Do you know the size limit for card capacity and write speed in K3? I didn't find it in the manual.

For K-3 II which should be same for K-3

Pentax K-3 II SD Card Write Speed Comparison of Fastest Memory Cards for the Pentax K3 II Digital Camera - Camera Memory Speed Comparison & Performance tests for SD and CF cards

Adam · 05-03-2016, 10:19 PM

Originally posted by h_r_nobre

Do you know the size limit for card capacity and write speed in K3? I didn't find it in the manual.

You get pretty good performance with 45 Mb/s cards, but better performance with the fastest cards if you're shooting long bursts. See this test:

Pentax K-3 Review - Performance and Burst Mode | PentaxForums.com Reviews

As for card size, the K-3 should theoretically support 512Gb cards (the largest currently available) but I don't think they've been tested. 128Gb definitely works.

The maximum size for the SDXC spec is 2TB- we're getting close!

AussieTrev · 05-04-2016, 03:10 AM

There is a fairly strong argument to use several smaller cards rather than one very large card. It goes that if you use one card and it fails you lose all your work, if you use smaller cards and one fails you don't lose all your work. Just a thought.

LilithBaerchen · 05-04-2016, 03:32 AM

In my K5 have I used several 16GB and 8GB cards with different speed levels - at concerts I safed the fastest one for the headliner xD

Now with the K1 I got 2x 32GB with fast speed and one 128GB with moderate speed (still faster then my 16GB cards I had for the K5). The 128GB helps me at a long festival or daytrip to keep all the data without having to safe on a PC or sort out on the camerascreen, the 2x 32GB will be my normal setup. I shoot RAW only most times, btw - so I have a bit more capacity, then with RAW+

If this is working - well I havnt had the time to test it yet, but at least in mid June I have my first festival with the K1 (hopefully one before, too^^) and will have to add more cards for July / August festivals if I run into problems with this setup.

h_r_nobre · 05-04-2016, 04:55 AM

Thank you all for the information and suggestions.

jcsnyc · 05-20-2016, 10:48 AM

I keep considering the move to 64GB - but continue to buy 32GB because there is not a big price savings (like $1) and it's not worth the risk. I have three sets of 32GB cards (6 cards) and for critical shoots have the cards mirrored in the camera.

I will sometimes shoot RAW+, but 32GB x 3 is plenty of space between trips to my PC to download.

Tan68 · 05-20-2016, 11:20 AM

I have a K5
An 8 GB card lets me store about 200 RAW files

I bought 16 GB cards for K1
The camera estimates I will be able to store 200 RAW files

The pixel shift files are about 4x larger
Same scene (light tones, good exposure): no pixel shift = 41 MB & pixel shift = 152 MB

I can't really see any appreciable difference (means I haven't measured) between Sandisk Extreme Pro UHS-I and another 32 GB uSD card I have. The uSD card is not slow but it is not particularly well specified; I don't remember what it is called and the writing on the card is not very instructive. It might be a Kingston '32GB microSDHC Memory Card Gen 2 Class ?'... I don't regret buying the Sandisk cards; they don't cost much more.

Overall, the write to card for not pixel shifted files feels the same as with K5. However, with my K5, I had to wait until the orange light finished blinking before I reviewed an image. With the K1, I can review an image as soon as I see the orange light illuminate but not before. This makes things seem faster.

05-03-2016, 05:07 PM	#1
ShiftR Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 62	SD Card Capacity This is a question for current K-1 owners. I have two 32gb cards in my K-3 currently, but with the increase in resolution, and my potential heavy usage of Pixel Shift, I'm thinking of getting a pair of 64gb ones. What size cards are you running, and what is the K-1 or manual (I can't find a working link with the "leaked" one) telling you the shot capacity is at that size? Last edited by ShiftR; 05-04-2016 at 06:01 AM.

05-03-2016, 07:04 PM - 1 Like	#3
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,597	Originally posted by ShiftR This is a question for current K-1 owners. I have two 32gb cards in my K-3 currently, but with the increase in resolution, and my potential heavy usage of Pixel Shift, I'm thinking of getting a pair of 64gb ones. What size cards are you running, and what is the K-1 or manual (I can't find a working link with the "leaked" one) telling you the capacity is at that size? I will be using two 128Gb cards. 64Gb fills up pretty quickly at 36Mp if you're shooting RAW+ (around 60Mb per photo). Given the recent Sandisk price drops, don't hesitate to go for more than you think you need: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/94-pentax-price-watch/320058-sandisk-high...ice-drops.html Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

05-03-2016, 07:19 PM	#5
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,597	Originally posted by wtlwdwgn What write speed cards are you going to get? I can't find any mention of write speed in the manual. I was going to get a pair of 633X (95 Mbs) cards but now I'm not sure if I should get something faster? I think I just answered my own question. The K-1 uses UHS-I cards. The UHS-I extreme pro's. The K-1 can write up to the maximum speed supported by UHS-I (which is 95 Mb/s in practice). I currently have 64Gb one of those and it works wonders. Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

05-03-2016, 10:19 PM	#10
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,597	Originally posted by h_r_nobre Do you know the size limit for card capacity and write speed in K3? I didn't find it in the manual. You get pretty good performance with 45 Mb/s cards, but better performance with the fastest cards if you're shooting long bursts. See this test: Pentax K-3 Review - Performance and Burst Mode \| PentaxForums.com Reviews As for card size, the K-3 should theoretically support 512Gb cards (the largest currently available) but I don't think they've been tested. 128Gb definitely works. The maximum size for the SDXC spec is 2TB- we're getting close! Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

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05-03-2016, 06:30 PM - 1 Like	#2
bwgv001 Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Alabama Photos: Gallery Posts: 697	https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/190-pentax-k-1/317814-k-1-manual.html

05-03-2016, 07:09 PM	#4
wtlwdwgn Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Billings, MT Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,851	Originally posted by Adam I will be using two 128Gb cards. 64Gb fills up pretty quickly at 36Mp if you're shooting RAW+ (around 60Mb per photo). Given the recent Sandisk price drops, don't hesitate to go for more than you think you need: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/94-pentax-price-watch/320058-sandisk-high...ice-drops.html What write speed cards are you going to get? I can't find any mention of write speed in the manual. I was going to get a pair of 633X (95 Mbs) cards but now I'm not sure if I should get something faster? I think I just answered my own question. The K-1 uses UHS-I cards.

05-03-2016, 07:25 PM	#6
wtlwdwgn Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Billings, MT Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,851	Thanks Adam!

05-03-2016, 08:01 PM	#7
h_r_nobre New Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Belo Horizonte - MG Posts: 22	Do you know the size limit for card capacity and write speed in K3? I didn't find it in the manual.

05-03-2016, 09:17 PM	#8
ShiftR Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 62 Original Poster	Originally posted by bwgv001 https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/190-pentax-k-1/317814-k-1-manual.html Originally posted by Adam I will be using two 128Gb cards. 64Gb fills up pretty quickly at 36Mp if you're shooting RAW+ (around 60Mb per photo). Given the recent Sandisk price drops, don't hesitate to go for more than you think you need: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/94-pentax-price-watch/320058-sandisk-high...ice-drops.html Thanks!!!

05-03-2016, 10:14 PM	#9
Rudy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 109	Originally posted by h_r_nobre Do you know the size limit for card capacity and write speed in K3? I didn't find it in the manual. For K-3 II which should be same for K-3 Pentax K-3 II SD Card Write Speed Comparison of Fastest Memory Cards for the Pentax K3 II Digital Camera - Camera Memory Speed Comparison & Performance tests for SD and CF cards

05-04-2016, 03:10 AM	#11
AussieTrev Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,590	There is a fairly strong argument to use several smaller cards rather than one very large card. It goes that if you use one card and it fails you lose all your work, if you use smaller cards and one fails you don't lose all your work. Just a thought.

05-04-2016, 03:32 AM	#12
LilithBaerchen Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 80	In my K5 have I used several 16GB and 8GB cards with different speed levels - at concerts I safed the fastest one for the headliner xD Now with the K1 I got 2x 32GB with fast speed and one 128GB with moderate speed (still faster then my 16GB cards I had for the K5). The 128GB helps me at a long festival or daytrip to keep all the data without having to safe on a PC or sort out on the camerascreen, the 2x 32GB will be my normal setup. I shoot RAW only most times, btw - so I have a bit more capacity, then with RAW+ If this is working - well I havnt had the time to test it yet, but at least in mid June I have my first festival with the K1 (hopefully one before, too^^) and will have to add more cards for July / August festivals if I run into problems with this setup.

05-04-2016, 04:55 AM	#13
h_r_nobre New Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Belo Horizonte - MG Posts: 22	Thank you all for the information and suggestions.

05-20-2016, 10:48 AM	#14
jcsnyc Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Brooklyn, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 253	I keep considering the move to 64GB - but continue to buy 32GB because there is not a big price savings (like $1) and it's not worth the risk. I have three sets of 32GB cards (6 cards) and for critical shoots have the cards mirrored in the camera. I will sometimes shoot RAW+, but 32GB x 3 is plenty of space between trips to my PC to download.

05-20-2016, 11:20 AM	#15
Tan68 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 501	I have a K5 An 8 GB card lets me store about 200 RAW files I bought 16 GB cards for K1 The camera estimates I will be able to store 200 RAW files The pixel shift files are about 4x larger Same scene (light tones, good exposure): no pixel shift = 41 MB & pixel shift = 152 MB I can't really see any appreciable difference (means I haven't measured) between Sandisk Extreme Pro UHS-I and another 32 GB uSD card I have. The uSD card is not slow but it is not particularly well specified; I don't remember what it is called and the writing on the card is not very instructive. It might be a Kingston '32GB microSDHC Memory Card Gen 2 Class ?'... I don't regret buying the Sandisk cards; they don't cost much more. Overall, the write to card for not pixel shifted files feels the same as with K5. However, with my K5, I had to wait until the orange light finished blinking before I reviewed an image. With the K1, I can review an image as soon as I see the orange light illuminate but not before. This makes things seem faster.