CaptainPhoto

What is the down load speed recommendation for a Memory Card for my Olympus OM-D E M1-MK III camera. It has the burst mode capability.
Sequential shooting the Olympus is capable of 10 fps to 60 fps.


B&H as a SAN Disk card 128MB-KEY FEATURES: 128GB Storage Capacity UHS-I / Class 10 / U1 Max Read Speed: 100 MB/s Min Write Speed: 10 MB/s on sale for $16.99. Not a bad price. But the description says: Suitable for compact to mid-range point and shoot cameras- which my Olympus is not a point and shoot.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Does your manual list compatible memory cards?

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

The info should be in your manual or on the Olympus Web Site.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The write speed is the issue for bursts and video. This card would be a disaster at 10MB/sec. But, I'm concerned you haven't transcribed the technical details correctly as you reference 128MB-KEY FEATURES. When I found the model on B&H, that 10MB/sec write speed is expressed as minimum.

Typically, the write statistic is expressed as the max, such as the $164 SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO UHS-II SDXC Memory Card version that lists as max write speed at 260 MB/sec.

Although it's twice the price, at only $32 for 128GB (!!!) the model SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO UHS-I SDXC Memory Card is a much better choice with a max write speed at 90MB/sec. Just a few years ago, $32 was the price for just 32GB at the same 90MB/sec write speed.

On B&H just sort by price-descending and you can easily scan and see the differences in capability in the technical specs as the price goes down. For a 20MP camera like your Olympus, the range of 120MB/s to 90MB/s write speed is an appropriate choice where the card won't be a bottleneck in maximum performance.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

What do you use the camera for? Video, Stills, Sports, Portraits, Landscapes? That could determine your needs.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I have learned that shopping for cheap memory cards is like shopping for expired film in the old days...feels good when you buy, but can really upset your stomach later.

I have also learned to ask these questions:

Do you now, or do you expect in the future, to actually use the burst mode in your camera? If so, card speed may be really important to you.

Do you now, or do you expect in the future, to shoot longer bursts than what your camera's buffer can hold? If so, card speed IS really important to you.

Do you now, or do you expect in the future, to shoot series of bursts in quick succession? If so, card speed is really important to you.

If you just shoot one-off, individual shots with some space in between, you are never going to see any impact from using even the slowest memory card, except that they may be slower to upload to your computer at the end of the day. But if you work quickly, there are likely to be cases where it makes a difference.

Older cameras are designed for older cards and may have slower internal interfaces between the camera and the card. There may or may not be any operational advantage to buying a card faster than specified for your camera. You have to be willing to experiment and find out. But it all starts by referring to your manual, either hardcopy or perhaps one available on line.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

Take note of CHG_CANON's advice focus on write speed. Also note that your EMI mk3 has a UHS-II slot. This is even faster but more expensive. Note UHS-II cards can be use in UHS-I slots at reduced speed. UHS -I cards can be used in UHS-II slots at reduced speeds.

These are cards that I normally use in my Olympus cameras

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1431033-REG/sandisk_sdsdxxy_064g_gn4in_extremepro_sdxc_64gb_card.html?sts=pi&pim=Y

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1282971-REG/sandisk_sdsdxxg_032g_gn4in_extremepro_sdhc_32gb.html?sts=pi&pim=Y

and for EM1 Mk 3 in the UHS-II slot.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1617739-REG/sandisk_sdsdxdk_032g_ancin_32gb_extreme_pro_uhs_ii.html

I find 32 GB cards quite adequate for my purposes. UHS-II is handy for high speed continuous shooting and may be helpful with video. I do very little spray a pray photography.

Go look up the cost of a roll of film and processing. I think the cost of cards is rather small just get cards from a quality manufacturer with adequate specs for your use. Don't sweat the cost but don' over buy either. A card with specs better than your camera can handle with not be used up to its maximum potential. A UHS-II card can be used in a UHS-I slot but you do not get the extra speed.

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

The Instruction manual that comes with the camera does not give size of card, from this I have taken that any size can be used.
It does give types of card, see pages 26, 27, 284.

User ID

The download speed has no relation to the camera. Download occurs between the card reader and the computer.

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The only sense in which download speed relates to your 60fps camera is that if you do many large bursts then you have a huge number of files to download and a fast card combined with a fast computer means you don’t hafta schedule all your downloads just before you leave for work or just before you go to bed ;-)

If you use Olympus “Pro Capture” the minimum length of each burst is over 35 frames, typically 50 to 60 frames. So a soccer game could fill an entire 64 or 128GB card. IOW download speed does matter with fast cameras, but not while shooting, only later.

AikenMooney Loc: SouthCarolina

You have a great camera & if you want best performance then use UHS-II card in top slot. I was using SanDisk but never used write protection switch so now use 32 GB Sony Tough cards in top slot of M1 Mk II & III. I shoot wildlife & BIF so I need a fast card, especially using Pro Capture.
If not interested or don't need speed then SanDisk UHS-1 32 GB cards are excellent & much less expensive.
Enjoy your camera & whatever card you.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

If your camera is reasonably modern it will have quite a large buffer. If that is the case, the SD card speed becomes relevant only when the camera needs to purge the buffer. That will be the case if you are shooting in continuous shutter release mode. A faster card will give a quicker recovery time, and even then it's only up to a point because if the card exceeds the camera's data transfer capabilities it won't be a bottleneck.

SanDisk Extreme Pro cards are a good choice. Both the 32GB and the 64GB versions perform well under test. The V rating is more meaningful than the maximum read and write speeds. According to the tests that I did, the 32GB and 64GB cards could have both been rated at V60 but are actually rated at V30. Any card rated at V30 or higher is very unlikely to slow the camera down, and if it does at all, it won't be by much.

Hip Coyote

You wont get better advice than what Chg_Canon said. There is a noticeable difference in camera performance with faster cards. Do not be penny wise and pound foolish on cards. The Oly OMD Em1 m3 (I'm jealous) is a boat load of money. Add to that a pro lens and you have an expensive camera kit. Put in a high speed card. Going cheap on cards would be like the guy with a Ferrari filling up with low octane gas to save a few pennies. You have one of the fastest cameras on the market...have to fill up with high octane racing fuel...aka fast cards... if you are going to use the speed to your advantage.