SDXC Card Questions for A7s (Shooting Video Only)

T

The Irish TRex

Well-known member
Looking for the most reliable cards for use with the Sony A7s. I shoot video only (weddings). XAVC-S ideally so that means 64GB cards. 60p. I don't mind spending a bit more if it means reliability so I'm not looking for the cheapest "get-by" option. Any ideas?

1) Which cards are best/most reliable (again, I shoot weddings so I'd rather pay a bit more if necessary for peace of mind)?

2) I know you can't shoot XAVC-S with any cards under 64GB. When you do have a 64GB+ card, would I still be limited to the 30 minutes at a time recording, or does it format it differently somehow with larger cards allowing for longer recording?

3) Finally, what is the recording time per 64gb card when shooting XAVC-S (50Mb/s)?

That's all for now. Thanks!
 
1. I'm using PNY 64gb SDXC cards, rated at 90MB/s and they're only $36 each. I've never had an issue with any of the dozens of cards I've used through the years - going back to my first 512mb CF card that I put in my first digital Rebel many years ago. You can pay more for a Sandisk Extreme Pro or another brand, but I don't see why. XVAC-s is a relatively small file, just 50mbps. I used 16gb cards rated at 45 MB/s to record 100mbps from the GH4. I really don't get the 64gb requirement, but whatever.

2. I have the NTSC model and it has the 30 minute limit.

3. A freshly formatted 64gb card shows 2 hr 41 min of record time.
 
If you want to be able to say to yourself "I did everything I could to avoid this" when your SD card fails, just get the silly expensive Sandisk Extreme Pro or UHS II cards... then you know you have the most expensive cards people with plenty of money swear by. Whether or not they actually have a lower failure rate us unclear, but at least you did what most people do and trusted the most popular company and bought the most expensive cards.
 
I'm not saying failure doesn't happen, I'm just saying I've never experienced it and IMO its way overblown. I've used cards from Sandisk, Transcend, Lexar, PNY, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba and others and never experienced a failure, shooting in conditions ranging from the Arctic and -70 F temps to the Arizona desert at 118 F. I've dropped them in snow, in rivers, in mud and so on and have never had a card fail. I'd just like to see actual proof that brand X is better than brand Y, beyond internet conjecture.
 
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photochris said:
1. I'm using PNY 64gb SDXC cards, rated at 90MB/s and they're only $36 each. I've never had an issue with any of the dozens of cards I've used through the years - going back to my first 512mb CF card that I put in my first digital Rebel many years ago. You can pay more for a Sandisk Extreme Pro or another brand, but I don't see why. XVAC-s is a relatively small file, just 50mbps. I used 16gb cards rated at 45 MB/s to record 100mbps from the GH4. I really don't get the 64gb requirement, but whatever.

2. I have the NTSC model and it has the 30 minute limit.

3. A freshly formatted 64gb card shows 2 hr 41 min of record time.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I went for 2 x SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-I cards. The UHS-II cards, while faster, don't seem to add anything in terms of reliability to what already is a very reliable brand/card. Bummer about the time limit. Guess I'll have to adapt. :)

Much appreciated!
 
I'm bumping this now that people had the camera for a while and many different cards have been used. My camera has arrived, canon adapter and lens should be here next week. What cards works in order to record xavc-s?
 
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