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Not to be confused with the Full Frame Black Magic Cinema 6k, The Blackmagic Pocket 6k has one CFast slot and one SD UHS-II card slot.
You can also plug a USB-C flash disk into the USB-C port for more storage.
For high-res and high-fps recording, Blackmagic suggests using CFast cards as they have faster write speeds than UHS-II V90 cards.
However, for lower res, fps, and bitrates, UHS-II v90 or V60 cards will work fine and save you money, or you can use a USB-C drive.
Blackmagic has an official list of recommended memory cards, but here are some of the best cards off that list.
Recommended Memory Cards Blackmagic Pocket Cinema 6k G2
The best CFast memory cards for the Black Magic Pocket 6k G2 will allow you to record up 2.8K Blackmagic RAW 3:1 with 120 fps, or up to 6K 2.4:1 Blackmagic RAW 5:1 with 60 fps. You’ll also want CFast memory cards for 4k ProRes 422LT, as that codec runs at around 110-117.88 MB/s, depending on the settings you use.
| Recommended CFast Cards | Rated Write | Rated Read | Links | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CFast | X | |||||
| Lexar Professional 3500x 256GB | 445 | 525 | B&H | X | ||
| Sandisk Extreme Pro 512/256GB/128GB | 450 | 525 | B&H | X | ||
| Sandisk Extreme Pro 64GB | 430 | 525 | B&H | |||
| ProGrade Cobalt 640/320GB | 520 | 550 | B&H | |||
| Delkin Cinema 512GB/256GB | 495 | 560 | B&H | |||
| Angelbird AV Pro 1TB/512GB | 498 | 560 | B&H | X | ||
| ARRI AV Pro 256GB | 450 | 550 | B&H | |||
| RED 512GB | B&H | |||||
| Silicon Power CFX 310 512GB/256GB/128GB | 330 | 530 | B&H | |||
| Silicon Power CinemaX 256GB | 450 | 540 | B&H | |||
| Exascend CFX 256/128GB | 530 | 550 | B&H | X | ||
| Exascend Z Cam 1TB/512/256/128GB | 500 | 520 | B&H | |||
| Exascend Archon 1TB/512 | 500 | 560 | B&H | |||
| Wise Advanced 3500X 1TB/512GB | 450 | 525 | B&H | |||
| Wise Advanced 3400X 256GB | 450 | 510 | B&H | |||
| Transcend CFX650 256/128GB | 370 | B&H |
Recommended SD Cards
These are the UHS-II V90 SD Memory Cards that Blackmagic recommends. They can record up to 6K Blackmagic RAW 5:1 at 30 fps.
You can also use v60 UHS-II cards for lower bitrates, but you must check the speed class and the bitrate compatibility.
| MicroSD Express Cards | Speed Class | Rated Write | Rated Read | Links | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexar PLAY PRO EX 256/512GB / 1TB | EX | 600 | 900 | Amazon | ||
| Sandisk EX 128GB/512GB | EX | 650 | 880 | Amazon | ||
| Samsung EX 256GB | EX | 800 | Amazon | |||
| PNY EX 128GB/256GB | EX | 750 | 890 | Amazon | ||
| Adata Premier Extreme EX U3 | EX | 700 | 800 | Amazon | ||
| Addlink EX U3 | EX | 750 | 880 | Amazon | ||
| Dato EX V30 A1 | EX | 700 | 800 | Amazon | ||
| Gigastone EX V30 A1 256GB | EX | 650 | 880 | Amazon | ||
| Patriot EP EX V30 | EX | 600 | 800 | Amazon | ||
| TeamGroup APEX EX V30 A1 256GB | EX | 700 | 800 | Amazon |
Blackmagic Pocket 6k G2 Memory Card Capacity
You can use any size CFast or SDXC SD cards for the Blackmagic Pocket 6K, but keep in mind that Cinema Raw files take up a lot of space so it would be good to get fairly large cards for Cinema Raw, or ProRes recording.
Blackmagic has two different recording settings, a Constant Bitrate and Constant Quality. Here are the different bitrates you can expect from each setting. Keep in mind that Blackmagic lists their numbers in MB/s not Mbps like all other camera brands.
Below, you can see the expected record time for each setting.
Blackmagic Pocket 6k G2 Record Times – Memory Card Capacity
This table provides a general overview of some of the recording times for the different Constant Bitrate and Constant Quality settings for Cinema Raw recording
I will list the maximum potential number for the constant quality setting since the bitrate will change depending on the complexity of the scene. I pull these numbers from my – camera bitrate calculator.
You’ll likely want a 512GB or 1TB card for these higher bitrates. Also, the only format supported by a V90 UHS-II card here is the 12:1 Constant Bitrate setting.
| Pocket 6k Record Times | 128GB | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB |
| Constant Bitrate | ||||
| 3:1 – 2,584Mbps | 323MB/s | 7min | 13min | 26min | 53min |
| 5:1 – 1,552Mbps | 194MB/s | 11min | 22min | 44min | 88min |
| 8:1 – 968Mbps | 121MB/s | 18min | 35min | 71min | 141min |
| 12:1 – 648Mbps | 81MB/s | 26min | 53min | 105min | 211min |
| Constant Quality | ||||
| Q0 – 3864Mbps | 483MB/s | 4min | 9min | 18min | 35min |
| Q1 – 3096Mbps | 387MB/s | 6min | 11min | 22min | 44min |
| Q3 – 2216Mbps | 277MB/s | 8min | 15min | 31min | 62min |
| Q5 – 1296Mbps | 162MB/s | 13min | 26min | 512min | 105min |
Memory Cards For Blackmagic Pocket 6k G2 | Conclusions
The Blackmagic Pocket 6K G2, a nimble powerhouse with a Super 35mm sensor, captures stunning visuals in various formats, including bitrate-hungry Cinema Raw and the ProRes codecs. But with such flexibility comes a crucial decision: choosing the right memory card.
Unlike cameras with fixed codec options, the Pocket 6K G2 demands tailoring your memory card to your shooting format with the option to record with a constant bitrate or quality setting that varies the bitrate.
Remember: The “perfect” memory card hinges on your format. Shooting Cinema Raw for an hour-long documentary? A 1TB UHS-II card is the best option.
