The Best Memory Cards for the Sony A350
The largest Compact Flash memory card that is compatible with the Sony A350 is 32GB. There will probably be compatiblity issues if you use a larger card.
The size limit is due to the use of the FAT32 file system. The A350 cannot format a card to larger than 32GB.
If you’re in a hurry, my recommended Compact Flash memory card is:
- Read speeds up to 120MB/s.
- Write speeds up to 85MB/s.
- Water, x-ray, & shock proof.
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Best CF Cards
The best value Compact Flash memory card is going to be either 16GB or 32GB. Smaller or larger cards are going to have a worse value per GB.
A professional card does not add a noticeable amount to the price. Having a fast card will eliminate the need to upgrade the card with a camera upgrade.
Recommended CF Cards
- Read speeds up to 120MB/s.
- Write speeds up to 85MB/s.
- Sustained data recording of 20MB/s.
- Water, x-ray, & shockproof.
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- Fast enough write speeds for burst photography and video.
- Upto 60MB/s write and 120MB/s red speeds.
- Supports UDMA7 transfer mode.
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- Transfer speeds up to 160MB/s.
- Video Performance Guarantee sepc VPG 65.
- Limited lifetime warranty.
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- Transfer speeds up to 160MB/s.
- Can record 4k Ultra HD and Full HD video.
- Video Performance Guarantee sepc VPG 65.
- Limited lifetime warranty.
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Compact Flash Card Types
Compact Flash cards come in two different sizes. The CF cards are known as Type I or Type II.
The only difference between the types is how thick the cards are. The length and width of the cards are the same.
- Type I - 3.3mm thick
- Type II - 5mm thick
The Type II spec were thicker so Microdrives could be used in the Sony A350. A Microdrive was a tiny mechanical harddrive.
When CF memory cards were first introduced they had high prices and very limited capacities. Microdrives were the only option to get large amounts of storage.
Microdrives are no longer being produced. Because they were mechanical , failure was a matter of time. So they are nearly impossible to find used.
SD to Compact Flash adapters also take advantage of Type II sized slots. The adapters allow you to use Micro SD or SD cards in a CF slot.
Card Reader
The UGREEN 4-in-1 card reader is what I use with my CF cards.
The UGREEN card reader is compatible with USB 3.0. Transfer speeds over USB 3.0 will be quicker than the Sony A350.
The card reader can read these memory card types:
- CompactFlash Cards
- SD, SDHC, & SDXC Cards
- Memory Stick (MS), MS Pro, MS PRO-HG, & MS XC DUO
- MicroSD, Micro SDHC, & Micro SDXC Cards
Avoiding Card Read Errors
A common problems with cameras that use CF memory cards are bent card slot pins. When a pin is bent, you may see a ‘unable to use card’ error.
To avoid damaging pins, do not force a Compact Flash memory card into the Sony A350. The extra space for a Type II card makes it possible for a Compact Flash card to be aligned incorrectly.
If the compact flash card will not easily slide into the camera slot, take it out and check the alignment of the card. Also, check to see if there is any damage to the card or slot.
If it looks fine, carefully align the compact flash card and make another attempt.