Best Memory Cards for Nikon D7500

Here is a list of our best memory cards for the Nikon D7500.

The D7500 has 1 x SD memory card slot which is UHS-I compatible (good news for video recording and burst mode).

You need a fast memory card if you plan on using the Nikon D7500 in the 8fps continuous shooting mode or 4K at 30fps, otherwise you risk random stopping of video recording, and waiting too long before the buffer clears.

Speed Class of SD Cards

Speed is one of the first things to consider when looking for a Nikon D7500 memory card.

The D7500 is UHS-I compatible and can take advantage of the extra speeds offered. It will not benefit from UHS-II type though, which is surprising as most of us expected the opposite from Nikon. The UHS-II cards do fit, but the interface will just make it work as if it’s an UHS-I card, so there’s no reason to spend extra money here. Where would UHS-II make a difference in this case? Only when sending the files to your computer or previewing them on the camera; these two processes would be much quicker, but you also need a USB 3.0 memory card reader.

We don’t recommend picking a Class 4 or 6 memory card for your Nikon D7500, as these might even result in in-camera errors since they’re not good enough.

Go with a 32GB or 64GB sized card, and buy a couple of these if you need lots of storage. It’s better than buying one huge card because you risk losing all of your shots if that 1 card fails.

These are the best 3 SDHC/SDXC Nikon D7500 memory cards you can get:

• SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s UHS-I U3
• Lexar Professional 300MB/s UHS-II U3
• Transcend R95/W60MB/s UHS-I U3

SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s UHS-I U3

The SanDisk 64GB Extreme Pro U3 is easily our favorite card. It’s inexpensive, and most importantly, offers write/read speed at around 90MB/s. It comes in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB sizes.

The speed makes it perfect for whatever you’re doing; fast bursts with large megapixel cameras, 4K video, let alone Full HD. It comes in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB and 256GB sizes. It’s a perfect match for the D7500 so if you’re looking for that one card that offers the most for the money, this is it.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

Lexar Professional 300MB/s UHS-II U3

The Lexar Professional 300MB/s UHS-II U3 offers faster speeds for both writing and reading files. The Nikon D7500 doesn’t support UHS-II so the only benefit you’ll get is from sending the files on your computer. If that matters to you and you often send hundreds of images and dislike the waiting time, then consider getting this one as you will see a huge improvement compared to the UHS-I speeds.

Don’t have a memory card reader that supports such speeds? Luckily you get a free Lexar UHS-II reader that’ll greatly reduce the waiting time. You also get a free downloadable Imaging Rescue software. It comes in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB sizes.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

Transcend R95/W60MB/s UHS-I U3

The most affordable on our list, yet still UHS-I, is the Transcend 64GB UHS-I U3. In terms of reading speed it goes up to 95MB/s, while for writing the maximum is 60MB/s.

Transcend, just like Lexar above, gives you the option of downloading their free image recovery program and they both work pretty good in most cases. It comes in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB sizes.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

Comparison of the 3 D7500 Memory Cards

What Memory Card Brands are the Best for Nikon D7500?

Your photographs and videos are stored on a memory card not directly on your D7500. So you should definitely not try to save any money here by buying from unknown, cheap brands. While you save a few bucks, you probably won’t even get the advertised speeds, and are at a bigger risk of losing your shots.

We see too many beginners choosing the cheap route here, but until you transfer your shots to a computer/online, this is where they’re stored at. You want the memory card in your D7500 to be the most reliable piece of your equipment!

Stick to Sandisk, Lexar, Transcend, Kingston, Sony and Toshiba. There may be a few other good brands out there, but the ones we mentioned are already more than enough and offer great prices.

Here’s a useful video from the SD card association where you can see a comparison of the memory card speed classes and what video resolution they’re best suited for.

Tips for Using SDHC or SDXC Memory Cards with a D7500

It’s best to delete the images on your computer rather than on your camera. When you erase all the images at one time on your computer you extend the life of your card. This is because you are putting it through fewer erase cycles.

Avoid extreme temperatures. Heat is an enemy to most electronics. So whether the card is in your camera or in your bag try to avoid prolonged exposures to high heat.

Periodically reformat your card. Kind of like restarting or shutting down your phone, tablet, or computer once it awhile, cleaning your card can help keep your card working well. Just make sure to download all the images you want first as well as format the card in the camera you want to use it with so that it’s formatted to work with that camera.

Replace your cards occasionally. If your cards are 3 years or older, you should consider getting some new ones. That depends a bit on how much you’ve used the card and how its been cared for. Cards can last longer than just a few years. Although if you take lots of pictures the cost of buying a new card is small in comparison to losing some great shots.

I know this is a lot of information to take in, on something that seams like such a small part of your camera, which is why we’ve done the digging for you. So to recap, make sure to buy more than one card and here’s our list of the best 3 SDHC/SDXC D7500 memory cards you can get:

• SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s UHS-I U3
• Lexar Professional 300MB/s UHS-II U3
• Transcend R95/W60MB/s UHS-I U3

Need more than just a memory card?

While a memory card is essential just to get your camera to work, the right lens may be the most important thing to complement your camera.

We’ve also written guides for lens and other gear you might need for your D7500. Check out our recommendations for lens and accessories.

• Best Nikon D7500 Accessories
• Best Lenses for Nikon D7500

If you need some help finding other gear check out our selection of the best photography accessories.