compatible XQD cards

[Mongo]

Have an opportunity to purchase Sony 128 "G" series XQD card for extremely good price from reputable store. However, it is the latest QD-G128E card. The nikon charts state that only the QD-G128A is compatible. Mongo also notes that B&H are also selling the same cards - not sure if they are suggesting they are suitable for Nikon D4 and onwards.

It may well be that they have not yet tested the latest "E" version card to add it to the approved compatible list OR it simply has more connectivity for other devices but still works fine on D4 and onwards.

Question: has anyone tried the latest QD-128E card on a Nikon D4 or later and if so, does it work correctly without issue ??

[MFloyd]

According to the D5 Manual, the Sony G series QD-G128A is compatible. I don't have a D4 and the manual is outdated to mention this relatively new card.

[Mongo]

According to the D5 Manual, the Sony G series QD-G128A is compatible. I don't have a D4 and the manual is outdated to mention this relatively new card.

thanks so much for your input. This was also Mongo's understanding i.e. that the "A" cards in the "G" series are the compatible ones. However, not sure when the "E" card was released of the "G" series and therefore not sure Nikon has tested it yet for compatibility - they well be compatible. A friend has told Mongo that according to Nikon NPS site that all XQD cards format version 2 is fully compatible with the D4s. It is Mongo's understanding that the new "E: version of the "G' series card is still a format version 2. Therefore may theoretically work.

The D4 is not compatible with the XQD format version 2 but still can use these cards with a lower writing speed (maximum writing speed allowed by the D4). Mongo's query is thus now limited to the D4s and D5.

The only way to answer this question is for either Nikon to test the latest "E" card or have someone try it in their D4s or D5 to see if it will work.

[Frank Fremerey]

Nikon's track record of updating the compatibility list for Card Media is weak. I remember when I bought my first cards for the D3 early 2008 the Transcend cards were not on the list but friends had used them successfully with their D3 cameras.

Did not work on my D3. I gave the cards back for refund at the local brick and mortar and bought the fastest, largest and most expensive cards on the List: 2 * Sandisk Exteme IV with whooping 8 GB each. These cards do work till today.

That is why I bought Lexar XQD. They work flawlessly in my cameras. And they will probably still work flawlessly in 10 years, even if XQD is some day discontinued as a format, which would be a pity.

[RoyC]

I have been using a 64 GB "E" version in my D500 since I bought it and it works in my D5 as well.  I just looked at 8 Sony 32GB "G" cards and each one has a different model/batch number. As far as I am concerned, a Sony "G" is good.

[Mongo]

Frank, Mongo agrees with you. The testing is too slow to catch up with new cards being released. Mongo also swears by his CF Sandisk Extremes - great quality cards. Frank, unfortunately, the official chart mentioned below only shows the Lexar x1000 as the fastest of the compatible Lexars for the D4s.

Roy, a very big thanks. You have provided the most direct evidence that the newer "E" Sony XQD cards actually do work on D5 ( and presumably, D4s) despite the official "Approved memory Cards - D4s" chart of 30/11/2017 not listing them as compatible.

[Frank Fremerey]

Mongo: I used only 2933x Lexar to date with capacity of 2*32GB, 2*64GB and 2*128GB.

I used them in my D500 and a rental D5.

I can confirm that both the 32s and the first 128 worked flawlessly for a year of heavy shooting with tens of thousands of shots on each of them

[Frank Fremerey]

PS: I am so convinced of the quality of the product, that I now have enough of this digital film to utilize new and used cameras of that format till the far future. I spent roughly 500€ for all 6 cards together.

[Fons Baerken]

Anyone has experience with this one -Sony 128GB M-Series XQD-?

[Les Olson]

According to Thom Hogan the 128 GB M series card is slow compared to the same size of the G and G-E series (150 MB/sec write speed vs 350 and 400 respectively; one of the curious things about XQD cards is that smaller cards tend to be slower than bigger ones). 

[Fons Baerken]

i currently use the lexar 64gb 2933x, no complaints and i like the sturdier build of the xqd's

[Ilkka Nissilä]

Anyone has experience with this one -Sony 128GB M-Series XQD-?

 Would not it be best to buy G series to take advantage of the write speed? The price is not proportionally greater compared to the write speed increase.

[Mongo]

thanks Frank. Your information doubly confirms that the Nikon tested and confirmed cards are well out of date. There are clearly more cards that are compatible and work well with certain Nikon bodies than are listed the current compatibility chart.

To others that have asked about the "M" series, a wildlife photographer friend recent said to Mongo that he uses them on his D4s and work well. He belief was that they are the best value. However, in very recent times with the release of the G series "E" cards, Mongo must say that the difference is now so little that you are best off with the G series card. Indeed some retainers have not yet caught up with the real prices and are trying to sell "M" series and "G" series "A" cards for more than the latest and fastest G series "E" cards. So, do look and compare prices and features before buying the cards. As a guide, B&H have the latest 128gb Sony G series "E" cards for about US $160. In Australia, some retailers have this card listed for $210 Australian  (which is about the same as the B&H price).

thanks to all for your contributions. I know it has helped Mongo decide and hope it has been useful to you too. 

[Frank Fremerey]

Amazon.de wants EUR 225 for the latest Sony 128GB. I do not trust Sony though for no particular reason. Just emotional.

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I got a whole Zoo of Sandisk Professional cards, but I do not trust Sandisk anymore after 5 out of 20 SD cards failed severely. I feel the quality of their product has declined. The early CF-cards were very good and some of the early SD cards, the later SD (and micro-SD) cards are crap. I lost data. I sent or gave them them back for refund, which was accepted.

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Very fast and very reliable happen to be the SAMSUNG Pro and SAMSUNG Pro Plus SD (and micro SC) cards. Highly recommended. I bought a lot of these to replace all of the Sandisks which I do not trust anymore and only have them freshly formatted in the bag-backup, just in case I should run out of memory.

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I only got one Lexar SD card (as a replacement for a failed Sandisk at the local brick & mortar) and I do not trust her at all. I only have her for a few weeks now and got several CRC errors in files I could not open after returning from shootings. It is a Lexar Professional 1000x 150MB/s SD HC UHS II.

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I paid EUR 239,60 for 2 x 64 GB XQD Lexar 2933x and EUR 169,00 for 1 x 128 GB XQD. In America I paid US$172.70 for my first 128GB XQD last fall, when both of my 32GBs were full, which I bought for EUR 155,84 together in April last year.

The shuttercount of my D500 is at 44.585 this morning, so the cards can properly be described as "duely tested".

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I use "Lexar professional Workflow" card readers, IMO the best in the market, although a tad on the expensive side.

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I wish Memory cards were as dependable as the cameras and lenses from Nikon.