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The Nikon D800 has dual SD and CompactFlash slots, and its 36MP sensor produces large RAW files that benefit from fast, reliable cards. These are the best SD and CF options for both stills and video on the D800/D800E.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SanDisk Extreme PRO SDHC/SDXC UHS-I Card (64GB/128GB) | $15-$30 | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | Lexar Professional 1066x SDHC/SDXC UHS-I Card | $18-$32 | Amazon |
| 3 | SanDisk Extreme PRO CompactFlash 160MB/s (64GB/128GB) | $40-$70 | Amazon · eBay |
| 4 | Lexar Professional 1066x CompactFlash Card | $35-$60 | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | Kingston Ultimate 600x CompactFlash Card | $20-$35 | Amazon · eBay |
The picks, in detail
SanDisk Extreme PRO SDHC/SDXC UHS-I Card (64GB/128GB)
A fast, reliable SD card that keeps up with the D800’s burst shooting and 1080p video recording.
- Up to 170MB/s read speed
- UHS-I U3 rated for video
- Shock, waterproof, and X-ray proof
- Excellent reliability for the price
- Widely compatible and easy to find
- D800’s SD slot caps real-world write speed below the card’s rated max
Lexar Professional 1066x SDHC/SDXC UHS-I Card
A high-speed SD card that’s a favorite among D800 shooters for RAW burst shooting.
- Up to 160MB/s read speed
- UHS-I U3/V30 rated
- Includes Lexar recovery software
- Strong sustained write speeds for RAW bursts
- Good reputation for reliability
- Slightly pricier than SanDisk Extreme (non-Pro) equivalents
SanDisk Extreme PRO CompactFlash 160MB/s (64GB/128GB)
The top-performing CF card for the D800’s CompactFlash slot, which is faster than its SD slot for burst shooting.
- 160MB/s read speed
- UDMA 7 support
- Rated for the D800’s fastest write scenarios
- Fastest realistic option for the D800’s CF slot
- Handles long RAW bursts without buffer stalls
- CF cards cost more per GB than SD
Lexar Professional 1066x CompactFlash Card
A high-performance CF card that’s a strong, slightly cheaper alternative to the SanDisk Extreme Pro.
- Up to 160MB/s read speed
- UDMA 7 support
- Backed by Lexar’s Image Rescue software
- Near-top-tier performance at a lower price than SanDisk
- Reliable for professional workflows
- Slightly behind SanDisk Extreme Pro in real-world benchmarks
Kingston Ultimate 600x CompactFlash Card
A budget-friendly CF card that offers most of the performance of premium cards at a lower cost.
- 600x speed rating (~90MB/s)
- UDMA 7 support
- Good buffer-clearing speed for the D800
- Best value CF option for the D800
- Nearly matches premium cards in real-world use
- Slower than the SanDisk/Lexar top-tier cards in heavy burst shooting
Buying tips
- The D800’s CF slot is meaningfully faster than its SD slot (up to ~70MB/s vs ~40MB/s) — if you shoot long RAW bursts, prioritize a fast CF card and use the SD slot as overflow/backup.
- Look for Class 6 or faster (ideally UHS-I U3/V30) on the SD side if you record 1080p video, which the D800 supports.
- Buy from an authorized retailer — counterfeit high-capacity SD/CF cards are common on third-party marketplace listings.
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