The Best Memory Cards for the Sony A77ii
Two different types of memory cards are compatible with the Sony A77ii. SDXC, SDHC, and SD memory cards can be used as well as Sony XC-HG Duo, PRO-HG Duo, and PRO Duo cards.
The A77ii only has just one card slot. You’ll need to make a decision between an SD or PRO Duo card.
Sony is the owner of the PRO Duo card format. Because of this, SD cards are quite a bit cheaper and frequently provide greater performance than PRO Duo memory cards.
- UHS-I, U1, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 10MB/s write speeds.
- Excellent choice for photos.
- Capable of recording Full HD (1920x1080) Video.
- Inexpensive with more than good enough performance.
- Larger capacities are available for a reasonable price.
Best SD Cards
SanDisk, Lexar, and PNY are brands that make high-quality SD cards. The best memory cards I have used have been the SanDisk Extreme Pro cards.
You do not need to purchase a card from SanDisk for your Sony ILCE-A77ii. Just make sure the name is impressive. That will ensure you get fast transfer rates, water resistance, and other features.
I have not had issues with PNY Elite Performance or Lexar Professional SD cards.
When I have experienced problems with cards has been when cheap no name brands were used. Not having a brand name increases the possibility of corrupted data or card errors.
If you would like to spend less money, don’t buy a generic card. You will avoid problems by purchasing a professional-quality SD card with a smaller capacity.
Recommended SD Cards
- UHS-I, U1, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 10MB/s write speeds.
- Excellent choice for photos.
- Capable of recording Full HD (1920x1080) Video.
- Inexpensive with more than good enough performance.
- Larger capacities are available for a reasonable price.
- UHS-I, U3, V30, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 30MB/s write speeds.
- Good for burst shooting photos and recording 4K video.
- Larger capacity cards are available.
- Reliable & Durable: Magnet Proof, Shock Proof, Temperature Proof, Waterproof.
- Comparatively expensive for faster read speeds.
- UHS-I, U3, V30, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 30MB/s write speeds.
- Only makes sense for professional use or if you need the largest storage capacity available.
- Temperature-proof, waterproof, shock-proof, and X-ray-proof.
Sony A77ii SD Card Compatibility
SDXC, SDHC, and SD cards are compatible with the Sony A77ii. Use a memory card to get the maximum performance out of the camera.
The brand new SDUC cards can’t be used in the A77ii.
Currently, there are four different types of SD (Secure Digital) cards. Newer card specs add more tech that allows for more storage space as well as greatly improve transfer speeds.
- Secure Digital (SD) - 128MB to 2GB.
- Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) - 4GB to 32GB.
- Secure Digital eXtended Capacity (SDXC) - 64GB to 2TB.
- Secure Digital Ultra Capacity (SDUC) - 4TB to 128TB.
SD Card Speed
The speed rating of an SD memory card is based on the sequential write and read speeds. SD card write speed is important for continuous shooting and video.
A slow SD card can cut down the number of continuous photos the Sony A77ii can capture. This is because the camera’s buffer is not able to write to the SD card fast enough.
When shooting video, a slow SD card can cause recording to end. The video file could also end up being corrupted. If you are going to record video, it is essential the card you use meets the requirements of the camera.
Card read speed is important for transferring files to a computer or laptop. If you are filling up cards with images or video, a card with a fast read speed will decrease the transfer time.
Speed Class Rating
A memory card is labeled with a Class rating based on the sustained continuous data write speed of the card. Class 10 is the top rating, even though SD cards can be purchased that have a higher write speed.
Here is a list of the Class ratings and their associated lowest transfer rates:
- Class 2 - 2MB/s
- Class 4 - 4MB/s
- Class 6 - 6MB/s
- Class 8 - 8MB/s
- Class 10 - 10MB/s or faster
Any SD card worth picking out for the Sony A77ii will be a Class 10 SD card. In the time period since the camera was released, Cards have gotten so much faster.
Ultra High Speed (UHS)
The Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus is found in SDUC, SDXC, and SDHC cards. The UHS bus makes it possible for increased file transfer rates.
There are 3 different specifications. They are UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III.
Look at the front of the SD card to find out the rating of a SD card. If there is aRoman numeral I, II, or III on the front of the SD memory card, that is the UHS rating of your SD card.
- UHS-I - Maximum transfer rate of 104 MB/s
- UHS-II - Maximum transfer rate of 312 MB/s
- UHS-III - Maximum transfer rate of 624 MB/s
Sony A77ii PRO Duo Card Compatibility
One PRO Duo or PRO-HG Duo memory cards can be used in the Sony A77ii. PRO-HG signifies the memory card may have read speeds up to 50MB/s and a 15MB/s minimum write speed.
You’ll have to spend more to purchase a PRO Duo card than a comparable SD card. Considering the price difference, I will not recommend purchasing a Sony PRO Duo memory card for use in a A77ii.
Image Capacity
Below is an approximate estimation of how many large JPEG images you can expect to store on each size of SD card.
- 16GB - 4,640 images
- 32GB - 9,280 images
- 64GB - 18,560 images
- 128GB - 37,120 images
- 256GB - 74,240 images
Related Cameras
There is nothing more you need to know about SD and PRO Duo cards.