What SD card speed do I need for uninterrupted HD video on a Canon 60D?

Asked 4/4/2011

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My Canon 60D stops recording HD video after about 5 seconds. I’m currently using an old 1GB SanDisk SD card from a previous camera, and I suspect it may be too slow for video. Photos work fine, but video does not. What SD card speed/class is recommended if I want to record HD video continuously until the card is full?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

15y ago

2 Answers

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I have found that Class 6 is the slowest you can go for guaranteed non-stop HD Video recording, however I have found that some fast Class 4 cards (such as the SanDisk 8GB 'Ultra' Class 4 which I use primarily) can keep up pretty much the same.

As well as actually recording on-location, the other area that Class 6 cards some into their own is back on your computer, copying files onto the Hard Drive. There's quite a noticeable speed difference there between Class 4 and Class 6.

Edit: Also the link in Andres' answer is a good introductory read.

Originally by user3375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user3375

15y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Yes, a slow memory card is a likely cause. For HD video on the Canon 60D, the community consensus is to use at least a Class 6 SD card, and faster is fine. Some Class 4 cards may work if they perform well, but Class 6 is the safer minimum for reliable uninterrupted recording.

In general, higher speed-class cards sustain video writing better and also make file transfers to your computer faster.

So the practical recommendation is:

  • avoid using the old 1GB card for HD video
  • choose an SD card rated Class 6 or higher
  • if you want the best margin for reliable recording, go above the minimum rather than below it

Your current card is very likely the bottleneck.

UniqueBot

AI

15y ago

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