# SDXC card size limit in 5DmkIII ?



## Robert Welch (Apr 24, 2015)

I'm wondering if there is an upper size limit for the SD(XC) card slot in the 5DmkIII. So far, I've only used the 32GB cards, but am looking to get a 128GB SDXC card. I know someone who has used 64GB cards ok, so I assume a 128GB should work. Before I buy one, thought I'd check to see if it would work for sure, and if anyone has tried bigger cards even. Has anyone tried a 256GB card?


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## Valvebounce (Apr 24, 2015)

Hi Robert. 
No idea about your question as I don't own anything canon that uses SDXC. Just a thought to perhaps temper the urge to go huge! Why not go for two smaller cards, probably cheaper and many less photos to loose due to corruption or plain damn where's that card gone! ;D

Cheers, Graham.


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## kaihp (Apr 24, 2015)

According to page 54 the 5D Mk 3 manual, you can use SDXC cards with higher-than 128 GB:


> Cards with 128 GB or lower capacity will be formatted in FAT format.
> Cards with a capacity higher than 128 GB will be formatted in exFAT
> format.



I didn't find any hard limits mentioned in the manual.


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## Robert Welch (Apr 25, 2015)

kaihp said:


> According to page 54 the 5D Mk 3 manual, you can use SDXC cards with higher-than 128 GB:
> 
> 
> > Cards with 128 GB or lower capacity will be formatted in FAT format.
> ...



Kailhp, thanks for finding that for me. Good to know about the difference after 128GB.



Valvebounce said:


> Hi Robert.
> No idea about your question as I don't own anything canon that uses SDXC. Just a thought to perhaps temper the urge to go huge! Why not go for two smaller cards, probably cheaper and many less photos to loose due to corruption or plain damn where's that card gone! ;D
> 
> Cheers, Graham.



Graham,

I'm a wedding photographer and use dual cards with one card as backup. I like to leave the SD card in the camera for multiple weddings, just use the CF card as my main card. I use 16GB-32GB CF cards, and have been using a 32GB SD card, but have just been saving JPGs to the SD card. I'm thinking of going to RAW files to both cards, which means I'll need a bigger SD card, otherwise I'd need to swap out both cards between weddings. Since I'm writing to 2 cards, I'm not so concerned about card corruption, in fact that is the reason for writing the same files to both cards.


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## East Wind Photography (Apr 25, 2015)

Robert Welch said:


> kaihp said:
> 
> 
> > According to page 54 the 5D Mk 3 manual, you can use SDXC cards with higher-than 128 GB:
> ...



I landed a deal for 256gb SD cards and have been using them in both my 5d3 and 7d2. I'm not a fan of putting all of my eggs in one basket. For stills I prefer 32gb cards. However I'm doing a bit more video these days for special events and the 256gb card lets me shoot pretty much non stop for most of the day. I shoot video on the SD and reserve the CF card for my stills.


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## Valvebounce (Apr 25, 2015)

Hi Robert. 
I forget about the pro cameras having dual slots. Sorry, I'm still not really understanding your logic "I'd need to swap out both cards between weddings." Once you have finished a wedding do you not empty the cards, make backup duplicates and process? What happens when the SD card fills up, do you then delete the older images on site? 

Cheers, Graham. 



Robert Welch said:


> Graham,
> 
> I'm a wedding photographer and use dual cards with one card as backup. I like to leave the SD card in the camera for multiple weddings, just use the CF card as my main card. I use 16GB-32GB CF cards, and have been using a 32GB SD card, but have just been saving JPGs to the SD card. I'm thinking of going to RAW files to both cards, which means I'll need a bigger SD card, otherwise I'd need to swap out both cards between weddings. Since I'm writing to 2 cards, I'm not so concerned about card corruption, in fact that is the reason for writing the same files to both cards.


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## lichtmalen (May 8, 2015)

Robert Welch said:


> I'm wondering if there is an upper size limit for the SD(XC) card slot in the 5DmkIII. So far, I've only used the 32GB cards, but am looking to get a 128GB SDXC card. I know someone who has used 64GB cards ok, so I assume a 128GB should work. Before I buy one, thought I'd check to see if it would work for sure, and if anyone has tried bigger cards even. Has anyone tried a 256GB card?



I'm using a 128GB Transcend SDXC and it works with no problems.


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