Best Memory Cards for the Nikon Z6 II & Z7 II – 68 Cards Tested In-Camera

The Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II have two card slots: one CFexpress Type B (or XQD) slot and one SD slot that takes UHS-II cards. In my in-camera tests, the fastest CFexpress cards wrote 325–341 MB/s, the camera’s limit, and a midrange Lexar Gold wrote 286–290 MB/s. The best V90 SD cards topped out around 200 MB/s. Buy a midrange CFexpress card for slot 1 and a V90 SD card for slot 2 if you shoot in backup mode.

Which Z6 is this? This page covers the Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II, released in 2020 with dual card slots. For the original Z6 and Z7 (2018), which have a single XQD/CFexpress slot and no SD slot, see my Nikon Z6 and Z7 memory card guide. For the Z6 III, see my Nikon Z6 III memory card tests.

Table of Contents

• How I Tested the Z6 II and Z7 II
• Quick Picks: Best Memory Cards for the Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II
• Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II Card Slots: CFexpress Type B, XQD, and SD
• CFexpress 4.0 vs 2.0 in the Z6 II and Z7 II
• Current CFexpress Type B Cards I Recommend
• V90 vs V60 SD Cards for the Z6 II and Z7 II
• Current SD Cards I Recommend
• Can I Still Use XQD Cards?
• Z6 II and Z7 II Video Card Requirements
• What Size Memory Card Do You Need for the Z6 II and Z7 II?
• Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II In-Camera Test Results: CFexpress Type B (Tested 2021)
• Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II In-Camera Test Results: UHS-II SD Cards (Tested 2021)
• UHS-I SD Cards in the Z6 II
• Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II Memory Card Specs
• Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II Memory Card Quick Answers
• What is the fastest memory card for the Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II?
• Why are some V90 cards slow in my Z6 II?

How I Tested the Z6 II and Z7 II

I tested 19 CFexpress Type B cards across both cameras and 49 SD cards, mostly in the Z6 II, in 2021. Each test is a burst of Uncompressed RAW in Continuous H (extended) until the buffer fills; I time how long the camera takes to clear the buffer and divide the data written by that time, then take the fastest of several runs to rule out hiccups with freshly formatted cards. It’s a simple scene, so treat the numbers as a comparison between cards. I don’t test RAW+JPEG, since JPEG processing muddies the card comparison.

Quick Picks: Best Memory Cards for the Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II

Not sure what capacity to get? Check what size memory card you need before you buy. If you’re coming from an older or lower-resolution camera, the Z7 II’s 45.7MP RAW files fill cards faster than you might expect.

	Best value CFexpress: Lexar Professional GOLD CFexpress Type B (128GB/256GB). 290 MB/s in the Z6 II and 286 MB/s in the Z7 II, close to the cameras’ limit, plus 1,410 MB/s write and 1,525 MB/s read in my reader. The card most Z6 II and Z7 II owners should buy.
	Fastest CFexpress: Lexar Professional DIAMOND CFexpress 4.0 Type B. The previous Lexar Diamond wrote 332 MB/s in the Z7 II, at the top of my results. The CF4.0 version runs at CF2.0 speeds in these cameras; the extra speed pays off when you offload on a CF4.0 reader.
	Pro pick I’ve reader-tested: Delkin Devices BLACK CFexpress 4.0 Type B. Wrote 1,736 MB/s and read 2,476 MB/s in my reader. The older Delkin BLACK 150GB wrote 301 MB/s in the Z7 II, so expect it to sit near the cameras’ limit.
	Best SD card for slot 2: SanDisk Extreme PRO V90 UHS-II SD. The previous version wrote 183 MB/s in the Z6 II; the current card wrote 260 MB/s and read 278 MB/s in my reader. Use a V90 card like this if you shoot in backup mode.
	Budget SD card: SanDisk Extreme PRO V60 UHS-II SD (256GB+). 191 MB/s write and 270 MB/s read in my reader. Fine for overflow, JPEGs, and video; its read speed also clears Nikon’s 250 MB/s requirement for 4K 60p on SD.

Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II Card Slots: CFexpress Type B, XQD, and SD

Slot 1 takes CFexpress Type B or XQD cards; slot 2 takes SD cards, UHS-I or UHS-II. Use the CFexpress slot as your primary card: the best CFexpress cards wrote about 1.5 times as fast as the best SD card in these cameras, and from my years of testing, CFexpress cards also seem to be more reliable than SD cards. How you set up slot 2 decides how much the SD card matters.

• Backup: every file goes to both cards, so the camera waits for the SD card to finish writing. You need a V90 card here; a slower V60 card will cut into your buffer and waste your fast CFexpress card.
• Overflow: the camera only uses the SD card when the CFexpress card fills. A V60 card is fine.
• RAW in slot 1, JPEG in slot 2: the small JPEGs make a V60 card enough for most shooters.

Occasionally, some CFexpress cards in Nikon Z6, Z7, Z8, and Z9 series cameras are a little tight. I’ve had this happen with Angelbird and OWC cards. However, this has been improved with the Nikon Z6 III.

CFexpress 4.0 vs 2.0 in the Z6 II and Z7 II

The Z6 II and Z7 II are CFexpress 2.0 cameras, and my best results (325–341 MB/s) show the cameras, not the cards, are the limit. You can safely use CFexpress 4.0 cards; you won’t see a speed boost in-camera, but your offloads to your computer will be about twice as fast. That’s why a midrange card like the Lexar Gold is the smart buy: it wrote 286–290 MB/s here for a lot less than a flagship card.

Current CFexpress Type B Cards I Recommend

I update this list as new cards come out. The speeds are from my card reader tests where I have them, plus the manufacturer’s rated and sustained speeds.

V90 vs V60 SD Cards for the Z6 II and Z7 II

In the Z6 II and Z7 II, the best V90 SD cards wrote about 200 MB/s, while V60 cards wrote 77–148 MB/s. If you shoot in backup mode, buy V90. If the SD slot is only for overflow, JPEGs, or video, V60 saves money.

There was significant wild variation in the Nikon Z6 II. Many V90 UHS-II cards were not engaging that second set of pins and ran at UHS-I speeds: the Sony TOUGH G V90 wrote 83 MB/s in the Z6 II but 193 MB/s in the Z7 II, and the older ProGrade V90 wrote 79 MB/s versus 180 MB/s. I am told this is a problem with the camera firmware, so just stick with the cards posting good scores.

Current SD Cards I Recommend

I update this list as new cards come out. The speeds are from my card reader tests, which show how fast each card writes and reads outside the camera.

Can I Still Use XQD Cards?

Yes. If you are upgrading from a D850 or original Z6 and already own Sony G or Nikon XQD cards, keep using them! Save your money for good glass instead. XQD cards are obsolete now, so if you’re buying new, buy CFexpress.

Z6 II and Z7 II Video Card Requirements

The Z6 II and Z7 II record H.264 at up to 144 Mbps (18 MB/s) in 4K UHD, so video is easy on cards. Nikon recommends CFexpress or XQD cards rated at least 45 MB/s, or UHS Speed Class 3 SD cards, for movie recording. For 4K at 60p or 50p, Nikon recommends CFexpress or XQD cards with a maximum transfer rate of at least 250 MB/s, or U3 SD cards with a maximum transfer rate of at least 250 MB/s. On cards of 32GB or less, each movie stops at 4GB.

However, for long-form interviews or events, I still recommend recording video to the CFexpress slot. The cards are physically larger and dissipate heat much better than plastic SD cards, reducing the risk of overheating warnings during long takes.

What Size Memory Card Do You Need for the Z6 II and Z7 II?

Nikon rates a 128GB card at about 3,000 Lossless Compressed (12-bit) RAW files on the Z6 II and about 1,600 on the Z7 II, whose 45.7MP files are close to twice the size. For stills on the Z6 II, a 64GB card is plenty for a day around town and 128GB covers a few days without offloading. The Z7 II fills cards about twice as fast, so a 128GB card holds roughly what a 64GB card does on the Z6 II. Wedding and event photographers shooting on one card should start at 128GB, or rotate several cards through the day, depending on how much they burst. If you are going on a landscape trip or some serious travel where you might be away from a computer for days, a 512GB or 1TB CFexpress card can be very useful, giving you a ton of peace of mind. Although I would still back up the card regularly, just in case something happens.

Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II In-Camera Test Results: CFexpress Type B (Tested 2021)

Most of these cards have since been replaced by CF4.0 versions, but the pattern holds: the fastest cards hit the cameras’ limit of about 330–340 MB/s, and newer cards won’t change that. To see how each card runs with a Thunderbolt reader, check out the guide for the best CFexpress Type B cards.

Card	Z6 II write (MB/s)	Z7 II write (MB/s)
Angelbird AV PRO MK1 256GB	332	341
Angelbird AV PRO SX 160GB	325	334
Lexar Professional Diamond 128GB	—	332
Delkin BLACK 150GB	—	301
Delkin BLACK 75GB	—	294
Sony TOUGH G 128GB	241	292
Lexar Professional Gold 128GB	290	286
Angelbird AV PRO SE 512GB	—	285
Wise PRO 128GB	268	270
SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB	240	237
ProGrade Cobalt 325GB	228	233
Silicon Power 128GB	—	223
Delkin POWER 128GB	208	215
Delkin BLACK 128GB	103	214
Delkin PRIME 128GB	210	213
Wise 160GB	152	211
Hoodman Steel 128GB	180	188
ProGrade Gold 128GB (older generation)	112	179
RitzGear 128GB	142	140

Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II In-Camera Test Results: UHS-II SD Cards (Tested 2021)

The SanDisk and Angelbird V90 cards here are earlier versions; both brands have updated them since. The ProGrade V90 is the older pre-Iridium card. For reader benchmarks, see my SD card guide.

Card	Class	Z6 II write (MB/s)	Z7 II write (MB/s)
Kodak Ultra Pro V90	V90	203	200
Kingston Canvas React Plus V90	V90	201	203
Wise V90	V90	—	202
RitzGear V90	V90	201	199
Delkin BLACK V90	V90	200	198
Sony TOUGH G V90	V90	83	193
Delkin POWER V90	V90	185	187
Lexar Professional 2000x V90	V90	180	184
SanDisk Extreme PRO V90 (previous version)	V90	183	141
ProGrade V90 (pre-Iridium)	V90	79	180
ADATA Premier ONE V90	V90	179	179
Transcend V90	V90	151	149
Fujifilm Elite II V90	V90	137	136
Hoodman Steel 2000x V90	V90	136	135
Angelbird V90 II (previous version)	V90	—	119
Toshiba Exceria Pro V90	V90	107	108
Angelbird V90 (first generation)	V90	90	—
Lexar Professional 1800x V60	V60	—	148
Sony TOUGH M V60	V60	123	123
Angelbird V60 II	V60	—	117
Angelbird V60 (first generation)	V60	117	—
Sony E V60	V60	116	115
Amplim 2000x V60	V60	111	111
Hoodman Steel 1500x V60	V60	86	101
Lexar Professional 1667x V60	V60	83	91
Amplim 1900x V60	V60	86	87
Delkin PRIME V60	V60	77	87
FreeTail Evoke Pro V60	V60	85	87
ProGrade V60	V60	77	77
Lexar Professional 1000x	U3	83	—

UHS-I SD Cards in the Z6 II

UHS-I cards work in slot 2 but top out around 80 MB/s, less than half the speed of a good V90 card.

Card	Z6 II write (MB/s)
PNY Pro Elite U3	82
Delkin BLACK U3	77
Transcend U3	77
Kingston Canvas Go! U3	77
Kingston Canvas Select U3	77
SanDisk Extreme PRO (170 MB/s) U3	71
Delkin Advantage U3	71
SanDisk Extreme Plus U3	70
Verbatim Pro+ U3	68
Toshiba Exceria Pro U3	66
PNY Elite Performance U3	59
RitzGear Extreme Performance V30	56
Verbatim Pro U3	56
PNY Elite-X U3	56
SanDisk Extreme U3	48
Amplim 667x V30	46
Lexar 633x U1	35
Toshiba Exceria U3	29
SanDisk Ultra U1	25

Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II Memory Card Specs

	Z6 II	Z7 II
Card slots	CFexpress Type B / XQD + SD (UHS-II)	CFexpress Type B / XQD + SD (UHS-II)
Continuous H (extended)	14 fps (10 fps 14-bit)	10 fps (9 fps 14-bit)
Uncompressed 14-bit RAW	42.0 MB, buffer about 126 frames	76.8 MB, buffer about 48 frames
Lossless compressed 12-bit RAW	20.6 MB, buffer about 124 frames	36.8 MB, buffer about 77 frames
4K video	H.264, up to 144 Mbps	H.264, up to 144 Mbps

Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II Memory Card Quick Answers

What is the fastest memory card for the Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II?

Angelbird’s AV PRO cards and the Lexar Diamond were the fastest in my tests at 325–341 MB/s, which is the ceiling for what these cameras can write. But honestly, a Lexar Gold hit 286–290 MB/s and is a much better value for most people.

Why are some V90 cards slow in my Z6 II?

In my Z6 II tests, several V90 UHS-II cards didn’t engage that second set of pins and ran at UHS-I speeds: the Sony TOUGH G V90 only did 83 MB/s compared to 193 MB/s in the Z7 II, and an older ProGrade V90 crawled at 79 MB/s versus 180 MB/s. I was told this is a camera firmware problem, so stick with the cards that posted good scores in my results tables.

More guides: original Nikon Z6 and Z7 memory cards, Nikon Z6 III memory cards, Nikon Z8 memory cards, Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II accessories, best CFexpress Type B cards, and best SD cards.