Max size of Compact Flash memory card for Nikon 3D

[kasperbergholt]

Clever people,


I'm blown away be the high quality of feedback I got in this thread on macro photography of various vacuum tubes, so I'll venture out into a more simple question: What's the maximum size for Compact Flash memory cards for the Nikon D3. Mine came with two 8GB cards.

Nikon's official site says 8GB is the max, various source online say different things - 8, 16, 32GB.

In terms of price, the 8GB cards are more expensive than 16GB & 32GB versions - and it would nice to get the largest size possible.


Thanks in advance,

Kasper

[Ilkka Nissilä]

With the latest firmware, I believe 64 GB should work. I use a 64 GB card in my D3X. I don't have a D3 to test.

You could call Nikon customer service to double check.

[Dogman]

I'm using 32mb cards in my D3 bodies.  I know they will work.

[Ian Watson]

I used 16 GB cards when I had a D3.

[Alaun]

You can check here:

https://www.nikonimgsupport.com/eu/BV_approved_memory_cards?lang=en_EN#

64GB should be fine

[Birna Rørslett]

I always used 8GB cards in my D3/D3S/D3X era. Just make sure you have a spare or two availalble at any time.

[mxbianco]

I keep an Excel sheet, where I document the field tested max memory compatible with each model.

Here are a few results:
D1, D1X, D1H: Max size 2GB
D100: 32GB OK
D2H tested up to 8 GB, possibly 32 GB OK (it's OK on D2X and D2Xs)
D70/D70s: Max size tested 12 GB, possibly 16 GB OK
D200: 32 GB OK
D300, D300s: 64 GB OK
D3: 64 GB OK
AW100, AW110, AW120, AW130: 128 GB SDXC OK

Memory cards above 32 GB have to be formatted with the EXFAT format, NTFS won't work!

Ciao from Massimo

[kasperbergholt]

I keep an Excel sheet, where I document the field tested max memory compatible with each model.

Here are a few results:
D1, D1X, D1H: Max size 2GB
D100: 32GB OK
D2H tested up to 8 GB, possibly 32 GB OK (it's OK on D2X and D2Xs)
D70/D70s: Max size tested 12 GB, possibly 16 GB OK
D200: 32 GB OK
D300, D300s: 64 GB OK
D3: 64 GB OK
AW100, AW110, AW120, AW130: 128 GB SDXC OK

Memory cards above 32 GB have to be formatted with the EXFAT format, NTFS won't work!

Ciao from Massimo

That's brilliant - thank you! Are there other parameters than the size of the memory card to take into account? Do all speeds work or can there be limitations of some sort in relation to this? Thinking high-speed card perhaps not working?

[kasperbergholt]

I'm using 32mb cards in my D3 bodies.  I know they will work.

Thank you Which speeds do you use?

[kasperbergholt]

I used 16 GB cards when I had a D3.

Thank you, Ian   Do you remember their speed parameters?

[Fons Baerken]

I am using 1 lexar 32gb 600x and 1 transcend 32gb 600x (udma 7) in my d3s in back-up mode; i have a number of cf cards with different capacities lying around!

[Dogman]

Thank you Which speeds do you use?

Oh, people ask me the hard questions.  I dunno speeds just SanDisk Extreme and Extreme Pro cards in everything, whatever they are. 

I tried to replay yesterday, Kasper, but the site outage hit and knocked me off.  Sorry to offer a non-answer so late.

[Ian Watson]

Thank you, Ian   Do you remember their speed parameters?

UDMA 7. 800x, I think.

[kasperbergholt]

Oh, people ask me the hard questions.  I dunno speeds just SanDisk Extreme and Extreme Pro cards in everything, whatever they are. 

I tried to replay yesterday, Kasper, but the site outage hit and knocked me off.  Sorry to offer a non-answer so late.

That's perfectly okay! Regarding speed I had a concern that the highest rankings cards might not be compatible, but there seems not to exist such a correlation.

Thanks again

[SLR]

SANDISK Extreme Pro UDMA 7 128 GB in a D3X and in a D3S and also in a Kodak SlrN...work flawlessly and Fast!!