Pentax K-7 Memory Card Compatibility
The Pentax K-7 is able to use SDXC, SDHC, and SD memory cards. For burst shooting and video, it is essential the card you use has a fast write speed.
You can reduce the overall performance of your camera by using the wrong memory card.
If you are in a hurry, here’s the best SD memory card you can buy for the Pentax K-7:
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- 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
SD memory cards have come way down in price the time since the launch of the Pentax K-7.
Since costs are affordable, it does not be smart to pick anything other than a pro-level SD memory card.
SanDisk Extreme Pro, Lexar Professional, and PNY Elite Performance cards are wonderful. I have not endured a card physically fail or data errors with any of those SD memory cards.
Every one of the complications I have dealt with has been when using cheap unbranded cards. Seeking to save around a buck is not worth the cost if your K-7 will not operate correctly.
A savvy way to spend less money is to find a smaller storage capacity memory card from a high-quality company. By doing this, you will know your shots are safe and sound on the memory card.
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.
Pentax K-7 SD Card Compatibility
The only cards that will work with the Pentax K-7 are SD, SDHC, and SDXC. Check to make sure that you have the most recent firmware installed on your camera for the best overall performance.
The newest cards, SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity), are not going to be compatible with the K-7.
You need to be aware of the 4 types of Secure Digital (SD) memory cards that can be found. They are divided by their storage capactiy.
- SD (Secure Digital) - 128MB to 2GB.
- SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) - 4GB to 32GB.
- SDXC (Secure Digital eXtended Capacity) - 64GB to 2TB.
- SDUC (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity) - 4TB to 128TB.
Image Capacity
The following is an approximation of the total number of large JPEGs pictures you should be expecting to be saved on a SD memory card:
- 16GB - 4,640 images
- 32GB - 9,280 images
- 64GB - 18,560 images
- 128GB - 37,120 images
Speed, Class, & UHS Ratings
Card Speed
The speed rating of an SD card is based on the continuous read and write speeds. The write speed of a SD card is essential for clearing the buffer for continuous shooting and recording video.
Slows cards can cause a reduction in the number of continuous frames the Pentax K-7 can capture. This is because the camera’s buffer is not able to write data to the SD card quickly enough.
When shooting video, a slow memory card can cause recording to end. The video file may also be corrupted. If you are going to record video, it is important the memory card you use meets the requirements of the K-7.
Read speed is nice to have for file transfers to a computer or laptop. If you have cards that are full, a memory card with a fast transfer speed will decrease the transfer time.
Speed Class Rating
An SD memory card receives a Class rating in accordance with its continuous write speed. Cards that have a minimum write speed of 10MB/s are rated as Class 10.
- Class 2 - 2MB/s
- Class 4 - 4MB/s
- Class 6 - 6MB/s
- Class 8 - 8MB/s
- Class 10 - 10MB/s or faster
Every name-brand memory card that you can find will receive a Class 10 rating. To discover the class rating of a card, look for a number inside of the C on the front.
Ultra High Speed (UHS)
The Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus is a feature often found in SDUC, SDXC, and SDHC cards. The UHS bus cards to achieve increased transfer rates.
Three different specs have been specified. They are called UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III.
Look at the front of the card to find out the rating of a SD memory card. If the memory card has UHS, a Roman numeral I, II, or III will be on the label.
- 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
Related Cameras
Based upon the topics that were mentioned is what makes the the 64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro is the best memory card for the Pentax K-7. Any future camera you own, you will know what memory card to buy.
Below are more pages on digital cameras related to the K-7: