Best Memory Cards for Nikon D850
Here are the best memory cards for Nikon D850 DSLR camera, including CFexpress Type B cards, XQD cards and UHS-II SD cards.
The Nikon D850 DSLR camera has two memory card slots: 1x CFexpress Type B / XQD card slot and 1x SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II) card slot. And the Nikon D850 (Amazon, B&H, Adorama) comes with 45.7MP FX-Format Sensor, 4K UHD Video, 7fps burst and 8K time-lapse. As we all know, every second matters in photography, so a fast enough memory card is a must for serious photographers. 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.
Here is our full list of top recommended CFexpress Type B cards, XQD cards and UHS-II SD cards for Nikon D850 DSLR camera.
CFexpress Cards | XQD Cards | UHS-II SD Cards
Recommended CFexpress Cards for Nikon D850
One of the Nikon D850 card slots supports the CFexpress Type B cards, which is currently the fastest and the most capable memory card format on the market.
Currently, Delkin Devices Power & Black CFexpress Cards, ProGrade Digital Cobalt & Gold CFexpress Cards, Sony TOUGH CFexpress Cards, Wise Advanced CFX-B Series CFexpress Card, and the new Lexar DIAMOND Series Professional CFexpress Type B Card are the top fastest and the most popular choices for you!
Designed for strength, reliability and performance, Delkin Devices’ Power & Black CFexpress Cards boast read speeds of up to 1730 MB/s and write speeds of up to 1540 MB/s, making them perfect for raw and continuous-burst photography, 8K, 6K and 4K video at high bitrates and frame rates. For added peace of mind, the BLACK Series is covered by a limited lifetime warranty and 48-hour replacement guarantee upon registration with Delkin.
The ProGrade Digital Cobalt & Gold CFexpress Cards and Sony TOUGH CFexpress Cards are the speediest CFexpress cards on the market, making transferring content to your computer effortless – boasting read speeds of up to 1700 MB/s and write speeds of up to 1500 MB/s, while the Cobalt is guaranteed to reach a minimum write speed of 1400 MB/s.
The Wise Advanced 320 GB CFX-B Series CFexpress Card is a powerful powerhouse of performance! With lightning-fast read speeds of up to 1700 MB/s, maximum write speeds of up to 1550 MB/s, and minimum write speeds of 1300 MB/s, this card is sure to skyrocket your transfer speeds and workflow. Super speedy and incredibly recommended!
The Lexar DIAMOND Series Professional CFexpress Type B Card, boasting read speeds of up to 1900 MB/s, write speeds of up to 1700 MB/s and sustained write speeds of 1600 MB/s, is a formidable tool for capturing smooth raw 8K, 6K, and 4K video… but there’s a catch. Lexar has since been bought out by a Chinese company, raising questions about their reliability and performance – so although it’s a decent card, it’s one I’d be reluctant to recommend today. You’ll have to make the call yourself if you still want to get your hands on one.
| CFexpress Cards (Type B) | Max. Read Speed | Max. Write Speed | Buy Now |
| Delkin Devices POWER CFexpress Type B Card | 1730 MB/s | 1540 MB/s | Amazon | B&H | Adorama |
| Delkin Devices BLACK CFexpress Type B Card | 1645 – 1760 MB/s | 1400 – 1710 MB/s | B&H |
| ProGrade Digital Cobalt Series CFexpress Card | 1700 MB/s | 1500 MB/s | Amazon | B&H | Adorama |
| Sony TOUGH CFexpress Memory Card Type B | 1700 MB/s | 1480 MB/s | Amazon | B&H | Adorama |
| Wise Advanced CFX-B Series CFexpress Card | 1700 MB/s | 1550 MB/s | B&H |
| Nikon MC-CF660G CFexpress Type B Card | 1700 MB/s | 1500 MB/s | B&H | Adorama |
| Lexar Professional CFexpress Type B Card (DIAMOND Series) | 1900 MB/s | 1700 MB/s | B&H |
| ProGrade Digital Gold Series CFexpress Card | 1700 MB/s | 1400 – 1500 MB/s | Amazon | B&H | Adorama |
| SanDisk Extreme PRO CFexpress Type B Card | 1700 MB/s | 1200 – 1400 MB/s | Amazon | B&H | Adorama |
| Hoodman Steel CFexpress Card | 1700 MB/s | 1400 MB/s | Amazon | B&H | Adorama |
| Lexar Professional CFexpress Type-B Card | 1750 MB/s | 1000 MB/s | Amazon | B&H | Adorama |
Recommended XQD Cards for Nikon D850
In addition to the CFexpress cards, the Nikon D850 card slot 1 also supports the XQD cards. When it comes to XQD cards, your options are few. You can choose from the Sony G Series XQD Card, Delkin Devices Premium XQD Card and Nikon XQD Card. While Nikon has a 64GB XQD card, professionals favor the Sony and Delkin XQD cards – making them the best choice for photographers and videographers.
Boasting capacities of 32GB, 64GB, 120GB and 240GB, the Sony G Series XQD Card is a powerhouse when it comes to capturing 4K video and up to 200 continuous raw still image bursts, thanks to its blisteringly fast read and write speeds of up to 440 MB/s and 400 MB/s respectively. For those who need similar performance, the Delkin Devices Premium XQD Card is just as impressive, with the same read and write speeds as the Sony G Series, allowing you to record DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) and Full HD (1920 x 1080) video at up to 180 fps, as well as up to 200 continuous raw still image bursts.
| XQD Card | Max. Read Speed | Max. Write Speed | Check Price |
| Sony G Series XQD Cards | 440 MB/s | 400 MB/s | Amazon | B&H | Adorama |
| Delkin Devices Premium XQD Cards | 440 MB/s | 400 MB/s | Amazon | B&H | Adorama |
| Nikon XQD Card | 440 MB/s | 400 MB/s | Amazon | B&H | Adorama |
Recommended SD Cards for Nikon D850
The other Nikon D850 card slot is compatible with widely-used UHS-II SD cards. If you don’t often take photos with continuous bursts, I would highly recommend you to save your money and buy one of the faster SD cards. The Kingston Canvas React Plus cards offer almost the same level of performance as the Sony SF-G Tough cards but cost almost 40% less and even come in a 256GB size. Moreover, the new PNY X-PRO 90 UHS-II SD Card (V90) is also a great option for those looking for an affordable UHS-II SD card with excellent performance.
If you are in search of UHS-II SD cards that won’t break the bank yet deliver speed and reliability, then consider the ProGrade Digital UHS-II SDXC Card (V90) and the Delkin Devices Power UHS-II SDXC Card (V90). Although the Sony SF-G Tough UHS-II SD Card (V90) is the fastest and priciest UHS-II SD card on the market, these two are two of the most popular cards available at a reasonable cost. You truly can’t go wrong with these two cards!
If you’re looking to save some money, why not check out the economical Sony SF-M Tough UHS-II SD Card (V60) and the ProGrade Digital UHS-II SD Card (V60)?
Read more: Best Lenses for Nikon D850.