• Blog
  • Calculators
    • Camera Bitrate Converter | Record Time Calculator
    • Diffraction Calculator
    • DoF Calculator | Lens Equivalent
    • Shutter Speed to Shutter Angle Calculator
  • Memory Cards
    • SD Memory Cards Guide
    • CFExpress Type-B Memory Card Benchmarks
    • CFexpress Type-A Memory Card Benchmarks
    • Memory Cards For Canon Cameras
    • Memory Cards For Fujifilm Cameras
    • Memory Cards For Nikon Cameras
    • Memory Cards For Panasonic Cameras
    • Memory Cards For Sony
    • SD Cards For GoPro
  • Accessories
    • Canon
      • Canon R5 Accessories
      • Canon R6 Accessories
      • Canon EOS R
      • Canon RP
      • Canon M50 Accessories
      • Canon T7i / T6 / T6i / T6s
      • Canon SL3 / 250D
      • Canon M6 II
      • Canon M5
      • Canon G1X III
      • Canon G7X III
    • Nikon
      • Nikon Z9
      • Nikon Z6 II / Z7 II
      • Nikon Z6 / Z7
      • Nikon Z50
    • Fujifilm
      • Fujifilm X-H2s
      • Fujifilm X-H2
      • Fujifilm X-T5
      • Fujifilm X-T4
      • Fujifilm X-S10
      • Fujifilm X-Pro3
      • Fujifilm X-T3
      • Fujifilm X-H1
      • Fujifilm X-T200
      • Fujifilm X100V Accessories
      • Fujifilm X100F Accessories
      • Fujifilm X-E4
      • Fujifilm XT30 & XT20
    • Leica
      • Leica Q2 Accessories
    • Panasonic
      • Panasonic GH5 / GH5s
      • Panasonic LX100 II
    • Ricoh
      • Ricoh GR III
    • Sigma
      • Sigma fp
    • Sony
      • Sony A1 Accessories
      • Sony A7IV Accessories
      • Sony A7c Accessories
      • Sony A7sIII
      • Sony A7rIV / A9II
      • Sony A9
      • Sony A7 III, A7r III Accessories
      • Sony A6600 Accessories
      • Sony A6100 Accessories
      • Sony A6000 Accessories
      • Sony RX1R II
      • Sony RX10 IV / RX10 III
      • Sony RX100 IV / RX100 V
    • Drones
      • Mavic 2 Pro
    • Camera Cleaning Gear
  • Lenses
    • Canon RF Lens List
    • Fujifilm G Lens List
    • Fujifilm XF Lens List
    • Leica / Panasonic / Sigma L Lens List
    • Leica M Lens List
    • Micro Four Thirds Lens List
    • Nikon Z Lens List
    • PL Mount Cine Lens List
    • Sony FF E Lens List
    • Sony APS-C E Lens List
  • Store
Alik Griffin
Alik Griffin
  • Blog
  • Calculators
    • Camera Bitrate Converter | Record Time Calculator
    • Diffraction Calculator
    • DoF Calculator | Lens Equivalent
    • Shutter Speed to Shutter Angle Calculator
  • Memory Cards
    • SD Memory Cards Guide
    • CFExpress Type-B Memory Card Benchmarks
    • CFexpress Type-A Memory Card Benchmarks
    • Memory Cards For Canon Cameras
    • Memory Cards For Fujifilm Cameras
    • Memory Cards For Nikon Cameras
    • Memory Cards For Panasonic Cameras
    • Memory Cards For Sony
    • SD Cards For GoPro
  • Accessories
    • Canon
      • Canon R5 Accessories
      • Canon R6 Accessories
      • Canon EOS R
      • Canon RP
      • Canon M50 Accessories
      • Canon T7i / T6 / T6i / T6s
      • Canon SL3 / 250D
      • Canon M6 II
      • Canon M5
      • Canon G1X III
      • Canon G7X III
    • Nikon
      • Nikon Z9
      • Nikon Z6 II / Z7 II
      • Nikon Z6 / Z7
      • Nikon Z50
    • Fujifilm
      • Fujifilm X-H2s
      • Fujifilm X-H2
      • Fujifilm X-T5
      • Fujifilm X-T4
      • Fujifilm X-S10
      • Fujifilm X-Pro3
      • Fujifilm X-T3
      • Fujifilm X-H1
      • Fujifilm X-T200
      • Fujifilm X100V Accessories
      • Fujifilm X100F Accessories
      • Fujifilm X-E4
      • Fujifilm XT30 & XT20
    • Leica
      • Leica Q2 Accessories
    • Panasonic
      • Panasonic GH5 / GH5s
      • Panasonic LX100 II
    • Ricoh
      • Ricoh GR III
    • Sigma
      • Sigma fp
    • Sony
      • Sony A1 Accessories
      • Sony A7IV Accessories
      • Sony A7c Accessories
      • Sony A7sIII
      • Sony A7rIV / A9II
      • Sony A9
      • Sony A7 III, A7r III Accessories
      • Sony A6600 Accessories
      • Sony A6100 Accessories
      • Sony A6000 Accessories
      • Sony RX1R II
      • Sony RX10 IV / RX10 III
      • Sony RX100 IV / RX100 V
    • Drones
      • Mavic 2 Pro
    • Camera Cleaning Gear
  • Lenses
    • Canon RF Lens List
    • Fujifilm G Lens List
    • Fujifilm XF Lens List
    • Leica / Panasonic / Sigma L Lens List
    • Leica M Lens List
    • Micro Four Thirds Lens List
    • Nikon Z Lens List
    • PL Mount Cine Lens List
    • Sony FF E Lens List
    • Sony APS-C E Lens List
  • Store
  • Memory Cards

Best Memory Cards | Sigma FP

  • January 13, 2020
  • AGriffin

A detailed look at the different brands of memory cards tested in the Sigma fp. Use this guide to find the best and fastest memory cards for H.264 recording or even CinemaDNG.

Also see, Must-Have Accessories Sigma fp

 

Best Memory Cards Sigma fp

With the Sigma fp, I got errors, glitches, crashes, freezes when testing the camera out in the field. UHS-II cards were not running at UHS-II speeds when in Photo Mode which makes this guide a little tricky for me. Clearly, the fp was having serious firmware issues with v1.00 and the camera was obviously not ready.

Because of this, it’s going to be important to stick with the popular brands of memory cards for this camera until they figure out their firmware a little better. This camera is the biggest mess I’ve ever experienced.

Right now, I suggest using the best Sony or Sandisk cards since the camera has a massive video bitrate. Sigma even recommends the Sandisk Extreme Pro 300MB/s UHS-II cards, or the Panasonic UHS-II cards but the Sony G cards will also work.

The Sigma will shoot CinemaDNG internally, but you really should be doing that to an external SSD if you don’t want to ever have any buffer problems and you want the best quality video possible.

Honestly, it’s just not worth the trouble of shooting internal CinemaDNG and getting individual frames separated from the audio that you have to put back together in post for only 4k 8-bit. Get an external SSD so you can at least reward yourself with 12-bit. 8-bit is not worth the trouble for RAW, especially since the camera makes an amazing 440Mbps H.264.

If 1080p is your thing, you can do 1080p 12-bit CinemaDNG internally but there are still only a few cards that will handle this that I will list below.

 

Recommended Cards

I could not get the camera to run at UHS-II speeds in the Photo Mode so my in-camera speed tests are not going to be helpful. I’m guessing this is a firmware issue.

With the H.264 video bitrate of 440Mbps ( 55MB/s ), or CinemaDNG running at around 200MB/s you will need the best or at least very stable UHS-II cards. If you’re recording at that 440Mbps bitrate you may also want to start with 128GB memory cards since you will fill those quickly.

4k CinemaDNG is at the edge of what SD cards can do and really you should just record to an external SSD, but it does work with Sony Tough and Sandisk Cards.

Here is all that I recommend right now.

Card Name H.264 CinemaDNG Order
Sony G Tough Yes Yes Amazon
Sony M Tough Cards Yes No Amazon
Toshiba Exceria Pro Yes Maybe Amazon
Sandisk Extreme 300Mb/s Yes Yes Amazon

Why not ProGrade, Lexar or Delkin or any other brand? Because the camera is super buggy and these cards just usually aren’t as fast or as stable.

I may do some more testing in Feb 2020 if I can get the camera again. By then firmware should be more stable. Sigma is supposed to even offer internal CinemaDNG playback in-camera.

 

Sigma fp Camera Specs And Buffer Questions

Sensor: 24.6MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
SD Cards Slot: Single Slot, UHS-II
Continuous Burst: 18 fps
Video: 4k30p H.264 Internal, 4:2:2 12-bit External
What Is The Max Video Bitrate? H.264 at 440Mbps (55MB/s)
12-bit CinemaDNG bitrate: Up to 2500Mbps (312MB/s)
How Big Is The Buffer? 400MB
How Many Shots To Fill Buffer? 17
What Size Are The Raw Photo Files: 27MB average

Sigma fp – Amazon / Adorama / BHphoto

 

Recording CinemaDNG

Sigma does allow you to record internal CinemaDNG at 8-bit, 24 or 25fps with the fastest memory cards, but a lot of people are having issues with this. With the massive file sizes, it will likely be easier and cheaper to buy an external SSD. Sigma recommends the Samsung T5. I have the Sandisk Rugged Drive that is an incredible value. I have Velcro brand hook & loops that I have stuck to it so I can mount the drive anywhere.

Here is the chart Sigma provides for us to show you media compatibility for their different formats.

 

Recording Internal MOV

The Sigma fp records Internal mov files at 440Mbps down to 60Mbps. Every UHS-II can theoretically handle this speed, but since the Sigma fp is such a glitchy camera, I would still recommend sticking with the recommended cards above. Or if you want a larger card that’s slightly slower, the Sony M cards are the way to go.

What’s interesting is the 440 bitrate at 120fps. This makes it the highest internal recording bitrate hybrid camera right now.

 

Camera Record Times

Record Times 64GB 128GB 256GB 512GB
440Mpbs 19min 39min 78min 155min
240Mbps 36min 71min 142min 284min
140Mbps 61min 122min 244min 488min
120Mbps 71min 142min 284min 569min
100Mbps 85min 171min 341min 683min

 

Sigma fp Memory Cards Conclusions

 

I’m excited to see what this camera becomes. I’ll be keeping a close eye on it since it has seriously piqued my interest and I will do some more tests once the firmware is further along.

If I had this camera, I would probably just stick with 4k H.264 for most recordings and I would only use Sony G Tough cards. But I would definitely get an external SSD and start building a workflow around 12-bit CinemaDNG recording. The Sigma image quality is just beautiful, I love the colors and the tonal depth. This camera was really a good idea.

I wonder if you could get an external CFexpress reader and cards and record to those instead of a Samsung T5? There is so much potential here. More tests coming!

**This website contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you click them to make a purchase.
AGriffin

Professional editor, blogger and photographer from Los Angeles California.

Related Topics
  • Sigma FP
You May Also Like
GoPro 11 Black Memory Cards
View Post
  • Memory Cards

Best Memory Card GoPro Hero 11 Black

  • AGriffin
  • January 26, 2023
Best Memory Cards For Sony
View Post
  • Memory Cards

Best Memory Cards For Sony Cameras

  • AGriffin
  • January 26, 2023
View Post
  • Memory Cards

Best Memory Cards For Panasonic Cameras

  • AGriffin
  • January 26, 2023
Memory Cards Fujifilm X-T5
View Post
  • Memory Cards

Best Memory Cards Fujifilm X-T5

  • AGriffin
  • January 30, 2023

IG Landscapes @alikgriffin

IG Streets @griffinalik

Twitter Feed
Fall colors in Japan on Kodak Gold. #leica #kodak #landscapephotography https://t.co/JByXZHQsSj
2 days ago
  • Reply
  • Retweet
  • Favorite
Follow
Popular Articles
  • BB2 Blower Review 1
    NiteCore BB2 Electronic Blower Review
  • 2
    Voigtlander Ultron 35mm f2 Review
  • Lexar New CFexpress A 320GB 3
    Lexar 320GB CFxA Memory Card – The Best Card Yet?
  • Leica M11 With Voigtlander 35mm f2 4
    Leica M11 Review | An Icon With Some Glaring Problems
  • Kalina Posing 5
    I Still Love This Lens – Here is why
Join The Fun! Sign Up To The Newsletter!


*You will need to confirm your email. Check your spam folder after hitting subscribe.

About Me

A professional freelance trailer editor. I've been blogging for a decade and this site focuses on benchmarking memory cards, camera accessories, and lens reviews. There will be a shift towards more education with color and editing so be sure to hit the bell in the bottom right to subscribe for updates. Read About to learn more.

Popular Lens Reviews
  • 1
    A Complete List Of Fujifilm Lenses | X-Mount
  • Nikon Z 50mm f1.8 S Lens Review 2
    Nikon Z 50mm f1.8 S Lens Review & Sample Photos
  • 3
    Kamlan 50mm f1.1 II Review & Sample Photos
  • 4
    Meike 35mm f1.7 Review & Sample Photos
  • 5
    Meike 35mm f1.4 Review & Sample Photos
Memory Card Guides | Benchmarks

Memory Cards For Canon R5

Memory Cards For Canon R6

Memory Cards For Nikon Z6II / Z7II

Memory Cards For Nikon Z5

Memory Cards For Fujifilm X-T4

Memory Cards For GoPro Hero 9

Memory Cards For GoPro Hero 8

Privacy Policy | Ethics Statement | Licensing

Copyright © Alik Griffin Inc. 2021

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Manage Cookie Consent

We use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}