Welcome to my Sony A7R VI (ILCE-7RM6) memory card guide.
The Sony A7R VI has only recently been released and I’ve not yet had the opportunity to run all of my cards through it.
However, I have tested 23 CFexpress Type A cards and 28 UHS-II SD cards in the A7R V so have a pretty good idea to which cards will work well with the A7R VI.
So just in case you are unaware, the Sony A7R VI features two memory card slots just like its predecessor.
Each slot is a dual slot compatible with CFexpress Type A (2.0 & 4.0) cards and also SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II / UHS-I) cards.
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Introduction
The write speeds found on memory card labels offer limited insight into real-world, in-camera performance, as they typically reflect maximum short burst speeds rather than sustained write speeds.
Therefore testing them in camera to see how they perform in the real world is a lot more helpful.
Best CFexpress Type-A Memory Cards
In the below table you will find all of the CFexpress Type A cards that I have tested so far in the A7R V by shooting Uncompressed RAW + JPEG L in Hi+ Drive Mode, because this combination pushes the camera and cards the hardest.
Because their performance is so similar, I have grouped them by brand. Except for the slowest four cards that you will find at the bottom of the table.
These results are only valid for the card capacities tested, because sometimes write speeds can vary by capacity.
Swipe left on mobile to view the entire table.
Please note that these figures are based on my A7R V in-camera tests. Once I’m able to test the A7R VI I will update this article. However, I expect to see very similar results.
| CFexpress Type A Memory Card | Shots to Fill Buffer * | Buffer Clearing Time in Seconds | Video Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
 Novachips Express 4.0 (1.6 TB) Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 69 | 10s | VPG400 |
 Novachips Express 4.0 (400 GB) Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 69 | 10s | VPG400 |
 Lexar Professional Gold Series 2.0 (160 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 69 | 10s | VPG400 |
 Lexar Professional Silver Series 2.0 (320 GB) Amazon | 69 | 10s | VPG200 |
 Lexar Professional GOLD 4.0 (256 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 69 | 10s | VPG400 |
 Delkin Devices BLACK 4.0 (480 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | Memory Wolf UK | 68 | 10s | VPG200 |
 Delkin Devices POWER 2.0 (160 GB) Memory Wolf UK | 68 | 10.5s | VPG400 |
 Nextorage NX-A2 PRO 4.0 (160 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 68 | 10s | VPG400 VPG800 |
 Nextorage NX-AE 4.0 (500 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 68 | 10s | VPG400 |
 Nextorage NX-A2SE 4.0 (512 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 68 | 10s | VPG200 |
 ProGrade Digital Iridium 4.0 (480 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 68 | 10s | VPG200 |
 SanDisk Pro Cinema 4.0 (480 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 67 | 10s | VPG200 |
 Angelbird AV PRO 2.0 SE (160 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | Memory Wolf UK | 68 | 10s | VPG200 |
 Angelbird AV PRO 4.0 (256 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | Memory Wolf UK | 67 | 10.5s | VPG400 |
 OWC Atlas Pro 4.0 (240 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 67 | 10s | VPG200 |
 Exascend Essential 2.0 (480 GB) Amazon | 68 | 10s | VPG200 |
 Sony CEA-G Tough 2.0 (160 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 67 | 10s | VPG400 |
 Sony CEA-G Tough 4.0 (240 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 64 | 11s | VPG400 |
 Sony CEA-M Tough 2.0 (960 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 61 | 11s | VPG200 |
 Lexar Professional SILVER 4.0 (256 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 61 | 11.5s | VPG200 |
 ProGrade Digital 2.0 Gold 2.0 (240 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 63 | 13.5s | VPG200 |
 Pergear Master 4.0 (256 GB) Amazon | 57 | 14s | VPG200 |
 Nextorage NX-A2SE 4.0 (256 GB) Amazon | B&H Photo | 52 | 15s | VPG200 |
Please note that the Nextorage NX-A2SE 4.0 (256 GB) card has a much slower sustained write speed than the larger 512 GB version which is why the buffer clears slower. The 256 GB card has a sustained write speed of 400 MB/s vs 850 MB/s for the 512 GB version. The max write speeds on the card labels are identical which makes it very confusing. The Pergear Master 4.0 256 GB also has a slower sustained write speed than the 512 GB version, but I’ve not tested the 512 GB version.
Best UHS-II SD Memory Cards
In the below table you will find all of the UHS-II SD cards that I have tested so far in the A7R V by shooting Uncompressed RAW + JPEG L in Hi+ Drive Mode, because this combination pushes the camera and cards the hardest.
Unlike the CFexpress Type A cards, there is much more variance in performance. I have therefore ranked them by buffer clearing time.
Again, these results are only valid for the card capacities tested, because sometimes write speeds can vary by capacity.
Swipe left on mobile to view the entire table.
Please note that these figures are based on my A7R V in-camera tests. Once I’m able to test the A7R VI I will update this article. However, I expect to see very similar results.
| UHS-II SD Memory Card | Shots to Fill Buffer * | Buffer Clearing Time in Seconds | Video Speed Class |
|---|---|---|---|
 Nextorage NX-F2 PRO (256 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | 43 | 24s | V90 |
 SanDisk Extreme Pro (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 43 | 24s | V90 |
 Sony SF-G Tough (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 43 | 24s | V90 |
 Delkin Devices BLACK (64 GB) B&H Photo | Memory Wolf UK | 43 | 25s | V90 |
 Delkin Devices POWER (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 43 | 25s | V90 |
 ProGrade Digital V90 Iridium (128 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | 43 | 25s | V90 |
 Angelbird AV Pro Mk 2 V90 (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 43 | 25s | V90 |
 Angelbird AV Pro Mk 2 V90 (128 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 43 | 25s | V90 |
 Integral UltimaPro X2 (64 GB) Amazon | 43 | 25s | V90 |
 PNY EliteX-PRO 90 (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | 42 | 26s | V90 |
 Kingston Canvas React Plus (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 42 | 26s | V90 |
 Ritzgear Video Pro (64 GB) Amazon | 42 | 26s | V90 |
 Lexar Professional 2000X (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 43 | 27s | V90 |
 Exascend Catalyst (128 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | 42 | 27s | V90 |
 OWC Atlas Ultra (128 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | 42 | 29s | V90 |
 ProGrade Digital V90 300R (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | 39 | 30s | V90 |
 Sony SF-E (128 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 41 | 31s | V60 |
 Nextorage NX-F2 SE (512 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | 41 | 32s | V60 |
 Sony SF-M Tough (128 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 40 | 39s | V60 |
 Sony SF-M (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | 40 | 39s | V60 |
 Lexar Professional 1800X (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | 41 | 40s | V60 |
 ProGrade V60 (128 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | 39 | 43s | V60 |
 Transcend SD 700S (64 GB) B&H Photo | 38 | 48s | V90 |
 Lexar Professional Silver Pro (128 GB) Amazon | 38 | 52s | V60 |
 Angelbird AV Pro MK2 V60 (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 38 | 58s | V60 |
 SanDisk Extreme Pro (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | 38 | 59s | V60 |
 Lexar Professional 1667X (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 37 | 59s | V60 |
 Sony SF-E (64 GB) B&H Photo | Amazon | Memory Wolf UK | 37 | 79s | V30 |
Please note that the Transcend SD 700S (64 GB) underperformed badly for a V90 card, it was even slower than all of the V60 cards tested which should not be the case. If buying the Sony SF-E card please be aware that the 64 GB version is V30 rated with a 45 MB/s write speed, whilst the 128 GB version is V60 rated and has a much faster 100 MB/s write speed.
About These Tests
All of my in-camera tests were carried out with the Sony A7R V and firmware 4.00 whilst shooting in Uncompressed RAW + JPEG L (Extra Fine). All figures presented in this article are based on my test conditions.
For further details including other file types and combinations tested please visit my Sony A7R V Memory Card Guide.
Simultaneous Recording Slot 1 + Slot 2
If you shoot the A7R VI simultaneously to both memory card slots then it’s best to use either two identical CFexpress cards or two identical UHS-II cards.
If you use a CFexpress card in slot 1 and a UHS-II card in slot 2, then the write speed is always restricted by the slower UHS-II card.
Memory Card Readers
Mixing memory card and card reader brands often works without issue, but compatibility problems can occasionally occur.
Therefore, I recommend using a card reader that matches your memory cards to reduce the risk of incompatibility. For example, if you use ProGrade memory cards, I’d recommend a ProGrade card reader; if you use Lexar cards, a Lexar reader is the best choice, and so on.
CFexpress Type A 4.0 Readers
These CFexpress readers support the faster CFexpress Type A 4.0 speeds, they are also backwards compatible with CFexpress Type A 2.0 cards.
| CFexpress Type A 4.0 Reader | * Max Transfer Speed | Price Check |
|---|---|---|
| ProGrade Digital CFexpress 4.0 | 2000 MB/s | B&H Photo | Amazon |
| Nextorage NX-SA1PRO CFexpress 4.0 | 2000 MB/s | B&H Photo | Amazon |
| Novachips CFexpress 4.0 | 2000 MB/s | Memory Wolf UK | Amazon |
| Sony MRW-G3 CFexpress 4.0 | 2000 MB/s | B&H Photo | Amazon |
| Lexar Professional Workflow 4.0 | 2000 MB/s | B&H Photo | Amazon |
CFexpress Type A 2.0 Readers
These CFexpress readers support CFexpress Type A 2.0 speeds, they compatible with CFexpress Type A 4.0 cards but will only transfer data at 2.0 speeds.
| CFexpress Type A 2.0 Reader | * Max Transfer Speed | Price Check |
|---|---|---|
| Angelbird PKT CFexpress 2.0 | 1000 MB/s | B&H Photo | Amazon |
CFexpress Type A 2.0 + SD Dual Slot Readers
These dual readers support CFexpress Type A 2.0 cards, they are compatible with CFexpress Type A 4.0 cards but will only transfer data at 2.0 speeds. They also support SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II / UHS-I) memory cards.
| CFexpress Type A 2.0 + SD Reader | * Max Transfer Speed | Price Check |
|---|---|---|
| Sony MRW-G2 | 1000 MB/s | B&H Photo | Amazon |
| ProGrade Digital | 1000 MB/s | B&H Photo | Amazon |
| Lexar Professional | 1000 MB/s | B&H Photo | Amazon |
UHS-II SD Card Readers
These card readers only support SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II / UHS-I) memory cards.
| UHS-II SD Card Reader | * Max Transfer Speed | Price Check |
|---|---|---|
| Lexar Professional Workflow Dual-Slot | 312 MB/s | B&H Photo | Amazon |
| SanDisk Extreme Pro SD Card USB Type-C | 312 MB/s | B&H Photo | Amazon |
| Kingston Mobilelite Plus | 312 MB/s | B&H Photo | Amazon |
| Sony MRW-S1 UHS-II SD Memory Card Reader | 312 MB/s | B&H Photo | Amazon |
Summary
As you’ve probably noticed, there’s now a huge selection of CFexpress Type A and UHS-II SD cards available, and choosing the right one for your needs and budget isn’t always straightforward.
However, most CFexpress Type A cards perform very similarly in real-world use, so it often makes sense to simply choose a trusted brand or the option that best fits your budget.
If you don’t regularly shoot long continuous bursts, a UHS-II SD card may be more than adequate for you.
However, performance differences between UHS-II cards are far greater than with CFexpress cards. In testing, the fastest UHS-II card cleared the buffer in just 24 seconds, while the slowest took as long as 79 seconds.
Nextorage is definitely a brand worth considering. Based in Japan and founded by former Sony employees, the company produces cards that offer excellent performance and reliability.
South Korea-based Novachips may be less familiar to many photographers, but it offers exceptionally fast CFexpress Type A cards at highly competitive prices. In fact, they’re arguably among the best-performing and best-value options currently available.
Delkin is another brand I personally rate highly. Their cards come with excellent lifetime warranties, and the BLACK series adds a 48-hour replacement guarantee alongside a limited lifetime warranty. Delkin also offers dedicated support teams in both the U.S. and Europe.
If you are in the UK please consider purchasing from Memory Wolf which is a store that I also run.
Thanks for reading!
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