Best Sd Card For Leica Q

Leica M-E Typ 220
Image: Leica M-E Typ 220 by Ben Fredericson (CC BY 2.0)

As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.

This guide is for the original Leica Q (Typ 116), not the later Q2, Q3, or Q3 43. Leica specifies SD, SDHC, and SDXC media for the original camera, so a full-size 128GB SDXC card is a sensible one-card travel capacity without buying a UHS-II card solely for a newer Q body. The nine picks below are current full-size V30/U3 SDXC cards from established makers; that rating gives useful headroom for the Q’s stills, Full HD video, and transfers, while each remains ordinary SD media rather than a camera-specific proprietary format.

# Product Price Where to buy
1 SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO UHS-I SDXC V30 $55-$75 Amazon · eBay
2 SanDisk 128GB Extreme UHS-I SDXC V30 $30-$50 Amazon · eBay
3 Lexar 128GB Professional SILVER PLUS UHS-I SDXC $50-$65 Amazon · eBay
4 Kingston 128GB Canvas Go! Plus UHS-I SDXC $40-$50 Amazon · eBay
5 Samsung PRO Plus 128GB Full Size SDXC $35-$55 Amazon · eBay
6 PNY 128GB Elite-X UHS-I SDXC V30 $25-$40 Amazon
7 Transcend 128GB 300S UHS-I SDXC V30 $25-$40 Amazon · eBay
8 Delkin Devices 128GB Advantage UHS-I SDXC V30 $30-$50 Amazon · eBay
9 Silicon Power 128GB Superior Pro UHS-I SDXC V30 $20-$35 Amazon

The picks, in detail

SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO UHS-I SDXC V30
Pick 01 of 09

SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO UHS-I SDXC V30

A current 128GB full-size UHS-I/V30 Extreme PRO, the straightforward premium choice for a Leica Q owner who wants one well-known card rather than a huge capacity.

  • 128GB SDXC
  • UHS-I, U3 and V30
  • full-size SD format
Pros

  • V30 minimum-write rating leaves ample margin for the original Q
  • Easy replacement from major photo retailers
Cons

  • The original Q cannot turn a UHS-I card into the faster workflow of a newer UHS-II body
SanDisk 128GB Extreme UHS-I SDXC V30
Pick 02 of 09

SanDisk 128GB Extreme UHS-I SDXC V30

The non-PRO Extreme is the value-oriented SanDisk option: 128GB, full-size SDXC and V30 without paying for a card whose peak interface speed the original Q does not need.

  • 128GB SDXC
  • UHS-I, U3 and V30
  • up to 180 MB/s read rating
Pros

  • Meets a modern V30 video specification
  • Usually costs less than Extreme PRO
Cons

  • Lower-tier positioning than the Extreme PRO line
Lexar 128GB Professional SILVER PLUS UHS-I SDXC
Pick 03 of 09

Lexar 128GB Professional SILVER PLUS UHS-I SDXC

Lexar’s current SILVER PLUS 128GB card pairs a V30 rating with a quoted 150 MB/s maximum write speed, making it a strong stills-and-video all-rounder for the original Q.

  • 128GB SDXC
  • UHS-I, U3 and V30
  • 205 MB/s read and 150 MB/s write ratings
Pros

  • Substantial quoted write rating for a UHS-I card
  • Sold new by photo specialists
Cons

  • Costs more than basic V30 cards
Kingston 128GB Canvas Go! Plus UHS-I SDXC
Pick 04 of 09

Kingston 128GB Canvas Go! Plus UHS-I SDXC

A current 128GB Canvas Go! Plus with U3/V30 certification and a 30 MB/s minimum write specification, aimed at photographers who want dependable capacity without a flagship-card premium.

  • 128GB SDXC
  • UHS-I, U3 and V30
  • 200 MB/s maximum read rating
Pros

  • Official V30 minimum-write specification
  • Good fit for a compact travel camera
Cons

  • Does not add any camera-side speed advantage over another quality UHS-I card
Samsung PRO Plus 128GB Full Size SDXC
Pick 05 of 09

Samsung PRO Plus 128GB Full Size SDXC

Samsung’s full-size PRO Plus is a genuine SDXC card, not the similarly named microSD version; its U3/V30 markings make it a clean choice for a Q owner who prefers Samsung media.

  • 128GB full-size SDXC
  • UHS-I, U3 and V30
  • rated for 4K UHD and Full HD
Pros

  • Clear V30 and U3 rating
  • Ruggedized Samsung card line
Cons

  • Check the listing says full-size SDXC, since PRO Plus also exists as microSD
PNY 128GB Elite-X UHS-I SDXC V30
Pick 06 of 09

PNY 128GB Elite-X UHS-I SDXC V30

PNY’s 128GB Elite-X is a full-size Class 10/U3/V30 SDXC option for Leica Q users seeking a mainstream lower-cost card rather than an ultra-fast specialist model.

  • 128GB SDXC
  • UHS-I, U3 and V30
  • Class 10 full-size card
Pros

  • Current V30 specification
  • Often one of the less expensive branded choices
Cons

  • Fewer specialist-photo workflow extras than premium lines
Price: $25-$40
Transcend 128GB 300S UHS-I SDXC V30
Pick 07 of 09

Transcend 128GB 300S UHS-I SDXC V30

The 128GB Transcend 300S is a full-size UHS-I V30 card suited to a practical Leica Q spare or second card, with no need to chase the UHS-II hardware used by later Q generations.

  • 128GB SDXC
  • UHS-I, U3 and V30
  • full-size card
Pros

  • Established storage brand
  • V30 rating suits everyday photo and video use
Cons

  • Less compelling for buyers who specifically want the fastest quoted read speeds
Delkin Devices 128GB Advantage UHS-I SDXC V30
Pick 08 of 09

Delkin Devices 128GB Advantage UHS-I SDXC V30

Delkin’s Advantage V30 is a photo-focused 128GB UHS-I card for buyers who would rather buy from a specialist memory-card maker than choose a general electronics brand.

  • 128GB SDXC
  • UHS-I, U3 and V30
  • full-size SD form factor
Pros

  • Photo-market specialist brand
  • V30 sustained-write class
Cons

  • Availability can be less universal than SanDisk or Samsung
Silicon Power 128GB Superior Pro UHS-I SDXC V30
Pick 09 of 09

Silicon Power 128GB Superior Pro UHS-I SDXC V30

Silicon Power’s Superior Pro provides another current 128GB full-size UHS-I/V30 alternative for an original Leica Q kit where capacity and a real video rating matter more than prestige branding.

  • 128GB SDXC
  • UHS-I, U3 and V30
  • full-size card
Pros

  • V30 option at a budget-friendly tier
  • Useful as a labelled backup card
Cons

  • Buy from an authorized seller to avoid counterfeit memory cards
Price: $20-$35

Buying tips

  • The original Q (Typ 116) takes SD, SDHC and SDXC cards; do not use a Q2 or Q3 recommendation as proof of what its slot can exploit.
  • Format a new card in the camera after copying off any existing files, and keep a second labelled card rather than relying on a single high-capacity card for a whole trip.
  • Buy memory cards from an authorized retailer. An implausibly cheap marketplace listing is a false economy when the card holds irreplaceable photographs.

As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.

Latest Posts