Best Memory Cards Canon EOS RP – Real Benchmarks

In its attempt to strip out many features and capabilities from the Canon EOS RP, Canon accidentally created a camera with a bottomless buffer —something no camera has done before (at least that I’ve tested).

What does it mean to have a bottomless buffer? 

It means you can shoot a continuous burst without it ever slowing down.

By incorporating the same tech as the Canon EOS R —UHS-II memory card support and a fast processor —but reducing the frame rate to 5 fps and using a smaller sensor, the camera can write to memory cards from the buffer faster than it can take new photos.

This doesn’t happen with every card; it only happens with high-end UHS-II cards.

Canon RP – Amazon / B&H

Recommended SD Cards Canon EOS RP

Here is a quick list of the top five memory cards, ranked by speed and value.

When speeds approach 85-100MB/s, the camera will give you a bottomless buffer with the fastest UHS-II SD cards. However, you can save money with slower UHS-II options that are more affordable but perform very well.

Here is a list of some of the best cards currently available for the Canon RP. Not all have been benchmarked since many of these cards are new. But you can compare this chart to the one below to see which have been benchmarked and stick with those same brands that are performing well.

Canon RP Memory Card Speed Chart

As a side note, I did have the LCD frame rate set to eco mode, which improved performance. You’ll also notice this with the Canon EOS R memory card performance.

Camera Specs Sensor: 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Processor: DIGIC 8 Image Processor Video: UHD 4K and Full HD 1080 Video What Is The Bitrate? 4k IPB 120mbps / 1080p IPB 60mbps Continuous Shoot: 5 fps Shooting Memory Card Type: Single Slot UHS-II How Big Is The Buffer: 1GB How Many Shots To Fill Buffer: Unlimited RAW (UHS-II cards) Time To Clear Buffer: 0

Also, see Accessories Canon RP

What Size Memory Card To Buy

The size of the memory card you buy depends on how you plan on using the camera. If I’m using a camera like this for a lot of video, I tend to find 128GB cards to be the sweet spot. If I’m just shooting photos with a bit of video mixed in, then 64GB is fine.

I rarely need more than a 64GB card in one day, even when I’m shooting photos all day. However, if you’re on a trip where you may not be able to clear off your card every night, it might be a good idea to go with a 128GB card. 

If 128GB cards are too expensive, consider getting a slower UHS-I in a larger size.

In practice, it’s better to go with multiple smaller cards and clear them off regularly, because if you don’t clear your cards and something happens to one of them with your entire trip on it, you lose everything.

Memory Cards For 4k Video

If you want to shoot some 4 K video with the EOS RP, you still won’t need a very high-end card, since the camera has a maximum bitrate of 120 Mbps, which translates to about 15 MB/s. That means any card streaming at 15 MB/s will work for video in the RP. This pretty much means any modern card is fine for video.

Where To Buy Memory Cards

I still get some emails from time to time about strange memory card issues. Often, it turns out they have a counterfeit card. The easiest way to get a counterfeit card is to buy one on eBay. Don’t do that.

Buy your memory cards from a trusted source that deals directly with the memory card brands. Companies like BHphoto, Adorama, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and Jet are all good companies. I’ve heard rumors that some people are getting counterfeit Sandisk cards on Amazon, so if you want Sandisk, maybe avoid Amazon. However, I have seen them relist many of their Sandisk cards lately, so it’s possible they cleaned this up. There were rumors that they would mix inventory between all the dealers. So, cards from Joe Shmoe’s hardware would get thrown into the same bucket as cards from Adorama.

I haven’t seen anyone confirm this, and I have never personally known anyone with issues with SanDisk cards from Amazon.