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Olympus TG-5 SD Card Recommendations

The Olympus TG-5 doesn't come with an SD card as standard. So which should you get? Here are some practical recommendations for cards that are fast enough to take advantage of all the TG-5's features.

Olympus TG-5

Categories: Memory Cards
Tags: Olympus, Olympus TG-5 Compact Camera
Last updated about 1 year ago // Originally published about 2 years ago

The Olympus TG-5 doesn’t come with a memory card as standard. Some retailers sometimes put together bundles that might include one, but chances are you’ll have to pick up a memory card separately. So which one should you get?

If you want to make sure you get an SD card that can take full advantage of all the Olympus TG-5’s features, the most important criteria to be looking for is one that’s fast enough. Specifically, you want one with a sequential write speed that’s fast enough to handle the TG-5’s high-bitrate video recording mode (Super Fine) and its high-speed burst photo modes. If the card isn’t fast enough to keep up with those, you can end up with recordings that stop prematurely, missed photos, and maybe even camera lockups or other errors. So it’s worth getting the right card from the get-go.

Top Picks

If you just want some quick recommendations, here you go:

  • SanDisk Extreme U3 – Amazon | B&H Photo
  • Lexar 1000x – Amazon | B&H Photo
  • Sony U3 – Amazon | B&H Photo
  • PNY Elite Performance – B&H Photo | Amazon

Detailed Version

So which SD card should you get for your TG-5? If you go looking for the answer in the manual, you’ll come up pretty empty-handed. On page 5, you’ll find this:

Cards compatible with this camera: SD/SDHC/SDXC/Eye-Fi (with Wireless LAN function) card (commercially available) (for compatibility card details, visit the Olympus website.)

OK, then…. If you go to the website, you’ll find a compatibility table that includes some SanDisk and Toshiba cards, but it hasn’t been updated since mid-2017 and doesn’t take into consideration the newer models that are actually available today.

So what I’m aiming to do here is provide some practical recommendations on which SD cards to get for the TG-5 so you can spend less time searching online and more time out shooting. I’m not trying to list every SD card that works in the TG-5–there are others that will work just fine as well. I’m focusing here on ones that offer a good combination of meeting the requirements of all of the TG-5’s features, are readily available at major retailers, are cost-effective, and come from major manufacturers with track records for good-quality cards. And in putting these recommendations together, I’m combining Olympus’s guidance (such as it is), my testing of a large number of SD cards, and my own shooting with my TG-5.

The good news is that SD cards that work well in the TG-5 are readily available and relatively inexpensive. The two functions on the TG-5 that are most demanding of the memory card are the burst photo modes and high-bitrate video recording. And while the TG-5’s Super Fine video mode produces videos with a bitrate of up to 102 Mb/s, which is quite high, it’s nowhere near as demanding as some other cameras like the Panasonic GH5 or FujiFilm X-T3 that shoot up to 400 Mb/s and require the very fastest SD cards available.

So here are some more specific recommendations:

SanDisk Extreme V30 UHS-I

SanDisk 256GB Extreme SDXC UHS-I Card -...
SanDisk 256GB Extreme SDXC UHS-I Card -...
Check Price at Amazon

SanDisk's Extreme range are good bets for many cameras, and that's true here too. SanDisk has faster ranges like the Plus and Pro lines, but the Extreme line is both quick enough for most cameras and usually less expensive than those faster lines.

One thing to note with SanDisk cards is that they recycle their model names. So you can find Extreme cards that are older and slower. You'll probably find those older versions work just fine--it really depends how far back you go--but you can tell the latest version because it's labeled with both U3 and V30, both of which are speed ratings specifically related to recording video. These cards are often good value, and you can sometimes find them sold in 2-packs.

Buy at Amazon or B&H Photo.

Lexar Professional 1000x V60 UHS-II

Lexar Professional 1000x 256GB SDXC...
Lexar Professional 1000x 256GB SDXC...
Check Price at Amazon

Like the SanDisk Extreme Pro, this one actually has UHS-II, which you don't need with this camera, but it's still a very good, reliable option. It's rated for video recording speed rating of V60. It comes in sizes up to 256GB.

Buy at Amazon or B&H Photo.

Sony U3 UHS-I

Sony 64GB High Performance Class 10...
Sony 64GB High Performance Class 10...
Check Price at Amazon

These Sony cards are quick, reliable, and fairly widely available. Sony also now has another much faster model that works well but is a bit overkill for this use.

Buy at Amazon or B&H Photo.

Toshiba Exceria Pro U3 UHS-II

Toshiba Exceria Pro N401 128 GB SDXC -...
Toshiba Exceria Pro N401 128 GB SDXC -...
Check Price at Amazon

These aren't always as easy to find as some of the other brands, but they're very good cards indeed. Toshiba has been a big player in hard drives and flash memory for a long time, and this range builds on that expertise and reputation.

Buy at Amazon.

SanDisk Extreme Pro U3 UHS-II

SanDisk SDSDXPK-064G-ANCIN Sandisk...
SanDisk SDSDXPK-064G-ANCIN Sandisk...
Check Price at Amazon

This is SanDisk's top-of-the-line range, and they work well in this camera. This latest version is somewhat overkill however, because they use UHS-II, which most cameras can't fully take advantage of. Older versions of the Extreme Pro cards are UHS-I and will still work well (ideally, stick to ones with the U3 rating on them).

Find them at Amazon and B&H Photo.

Delkin Devices Advantage V30 UHS-I

Delkin Devices 256GB Advantage SDXC...
Delkin Devices 256GB Advantage SDXC...
Check Price at Amazon

Delkin Devices have recently come out with a range of new SD cards of varying speeds and specs. This is one of their mid-range cards that is rated for V30 video recording speeds.

Find them at Amazon and B&H Photo.

Kingston U1 UHS-I

Kingston 128GB SDHC Canvas Select Plus...
Kingston 128GB SDHC Canvas Select Plus...
Check Price at Amazon

Kingston is another brand that isn't as well known as some of the others, but they've been making reliable memory cards for a very long time. As a brand, they don't tend to focus on the cutting edge speeds but rather on reliable and good-value memory cards.

This particular card (model SDS2 Canvas Select) isn't the fastest in Kingston's range, but it's fast enough to work well in this camera. It's available in sizes from 16GB through 128GB.

Buy at Amazon.

What Size SD Card to Use in the Olympus TG-5

The TG-5 is compatible with SDHC and SDXC cards. That means you can use cards from 4GB all the way to the largest cards currently available, which are 256GB or even 512GB cards. The current sweet spot for a combination of convenience, being readily available, and being cost-effective is probably around the 64GB to 128GB cards. But you can use larger or smaller ones if you prefer–it’s mostly a matter of convenience of how much video footage or photo data you can store on the card before it fills up and you have to download to a computer or some other device.

How to Format Memory Cards in the Olympus TG-5

This is something I’ve covered in detail separately here. The TG-5 has both an “All Erase” and a “Format” function. If you’re completely wiping a memory card for use, you want the “Format” option. The “All Erase” function deletes everything except for photos and video clips that you’ve tagged as protected.

How to Format SD Cards with a Computer

It’s always best practice to format memory cards in the camera you’re planning to use them in, but if that’s not practical or not what you want to do, it is possible to format them with a computer. But there are some things to watch out for, particularly when it comes to choosing which filesystem to use. So I’ve put together guides on how to format SD cards on Mac and how to use the free SD Card Formatter app for Windows or Mac.

Images and product information from Amazon PA-API were last updated on 2021-01-17 at 04:19. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon Site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on August 5, 2019

Categories: Memory Cards
Tags: Olympus, Olympus TG-5 Compact Camera

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News & Deals

With the holidays fast approaching, there’s some great deals on photography gear and services available. I’ve put together a roundup of Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2020 Photography Deals. It’s a running list as new deals are announced, so be sure to check back.

Canon announces new EOS Rebel T8i DSLR. Canon has announced their new T8i DSLR. 24MP APS-C cropped CMOS sensor, 4K24 video, and updated image processing and detection systems. It’s available for preorder from B&H Photo.

New Firmware for the Ricoh GR III. Ricoh has release firmware v1.31 for the GR III. Release notes are: “Corrected — When shooting with the multiple exposure, in rare cases the live view may not display correctly. Improved stability for general performance.” You can download it here.

New Canon 1D X Mark III Pro DSLR Announced. Canon has announced their new flagship model of pro DSLR, the 1D X Mark III. They’re sticking with a 20.1MP CMOS sensor, but it’s a new and improved version and boasts an incredible native ISO range of ISO 100 to ISO 102400 and an extended range that goes up to a jaw-dropping ISO 819200. With revamped autofocus, a new image processor, and all sorts of other bells and whistles, it’s no wonder that Canon is billing it as “The Ultimate EOS.”

New Manfrotto Pro Rugged Memory Cards. Manfrotto, an Italian probably best known for their tripods and studio accessories, has launched a new Pro Rugged range of high-end SD, microSD, and CompactFlash cards. While they don’t have a huge selection of sizes and speeds, the cards are aiming for very fast cards that can put up with rugged demands. For instance, they claim that their V90 rated SD cards can withstand three times the force (20kg / 45 lbs) of a regular SD card. I’ve ordered some to run through my speed tests.

New Sony Alpha a7 firmware released. A firmware update for the Sony a7R IV now lets you control external Sony flashes from the camera’s own menu system. Up to 15 flashes in five groups can be controlled via the camera. It also applies to the a7R III and a7 III.

Comments

  1. dawn says

    August 5, 2019 at 11:43 am

    the tg6 is out. do you still recommend the same cards?

    Reply
    • David says

      August 5, 2019 at 2:54 pm

      Yes. The new features and tweaks haven’t increase the video bitrate, which is the main thing that places speed demands on the memory card.

      Reply
  2. Richard Long says

    December 28, 2018 at 8:05 pm

    Wouldn’t the Sony SF-G series TOUGH cards be a good choice?

    Reply
    • David says

      December 29, 2018 at 10:56 am

      Great cards, although getting one specifically for this camera is overkill–the camera won’t take advantage of anywhere near the card’s available speed. But if you already have one on hand, by all means.

      Reply
      • Chris Baudeh says

        September 14, 2019 at 11:34 am

        SanDisk Extreme Pro U3 UHS-II

        Why UHS II card, if the camera does not use that specification??

        Reply

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