We tested each memory card in the Sony A9II to see which had the best performance. Turns out, there are only a few you should buy.
Use this guide to find the best memory cards for your Sony A9II.
Recommended Memory Card Sony A9 II
The Sony A9 II has a dual memory card configuration with both slots taking UHS-II V90 memory cards. This means you can use two V90 UHS-II cards without throttling performance.
For video shooters, you don’t need v90 cards or even V60 cards. UHS-I U3 SD cards will run fine for the 100Mbps 4k video internal recording.
Each card has been tested in-camera using a continuous burst with an uncompressed raw format.
Here are the best-performing SD cards in the Sony A9II.
| Card Name | In-Camera Speed | Order |
| Sony G Tough | 184.5MB/s | Amazon / B&H |
| Delkin Power v90 | 183.4MB/s | Amazon / B&H |
| Sandisk Extreme Pro | 181.0MB/s | Amazon / B&H |
| Toshiba Exceria Pro | 166.8MB/s | Amazon |
That’s it. Everything else is significantly slower.
Also, check out the List of Essential Accessories Sony A9 II
Sony A9 II In-Camera Speed Test
Speed Chart
This chart shows how each memory card performed in the Sony A9II. Note there are a lot of new cards today, but you’ll likely still want to stick with the champions, the Delkin Black, or the Sony G Tough.
See more SD Memory Card Benchmarks like USB Read and Write speeds.
Sony A9 II Camera Specs And Buffer Questions
| Sensor: 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor RS CMOS Sensor Processor: BIONZ X SD Cards Slot: Dual Slot, UHS-II Continuous Burst: 20 fps Video: 4k30p 100Mbps. Can I Use UHS-I Cards? Yes, but they are slower What Is The Max Video Bitrate? 100Mbps (12.5MB/s) How Big Is The Buffer? 5GB How Many Shots To Fill Buffer? 143 Uncompressed RAW What Size Are The Raw Files: 49.1MB Uncompressed How Long To Clear Buffer? 24:22 That’s 24seconds 22 frames in a 60fps sequence. |
Best SD Memory Cards For 4k Video
If you’re going to be using the Sony A9 II for a lot of video, you don’t need a very fast memory card. Still, the max bitrate of the A9II is only 100Mbps. This is only 12.5MB/s.
For Primary video shoots you could stick with a U3/V30 SD UHS-I card or try the Sony E cards.
Sony A9 II Video Record Times
Most of the Sony cameras are all shooting with the same video specs even the Sony A9 II.
You can shoot 4k at 30fps with 100Mbps, or 1080p up to 120fps.
Here a list of video record times for the different sizes of cards for the different record settings.
| Resolution | Format | Bitrate | 32GB | 64GB | 128GB | 256GB |
| 4k30p, 24p | XAVC S 4K | 100Mbps | 43min | 85min | 171min | 341min |
| 4k30p, 24p | XAVC S 4K | 60Mbps | 71min | 142min | 284min | 569min |
| 1080 120p, 100p | XAVC S HD | 100Mbps | 43min | 85min | 171min | 341min |
| 1080 120p, 100p | XAVC S HD | 60Mbps | 71min | 142min | 284min | 569min |
| 1080 24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p | XAVC S HD | 50Mbps | 85min | 171min | 341min | 683min |
| 1080 25p, 30p | XAVC S HD | 16Mbps | 267min | 533min | 1067min | 2133min |
| 1080 60i | AVCHD | 24Mbps | 178min | 356min | 711min | 1422min |
| 1080 60i | AVCHD | 17Mbps | 251min | 502min | 1004min | 2008min |
What the 5GB Buffer Means for High-Speed Shooting
The A9 II’s 5GB buffer is one of the largest in its class. At 20fps shooting uncompressed RAW (49.1MB per file), you can fire off 143 frames before the buffer fills — roughly 7 seconds of continuous shooting. Once full, the buffer clears in about 24 seconds with the fastest V90 cards. In practice, most action subjects — sports, wildlife, aviation — present burst opportunities well under 7 seconds, so most shooters won’t hit the ceiling during normal sequences.
The Sony G Tough’s 184.5MB/s in-camera write speed is what makes that 24-second clear time possible. Slower UHS-II cards will extend that clear time noticeably. Switching to compressed RAW extends burst depth significantly beyond 143 frames, making the effective buffer feel even larger for most assignments.
Dual Slot Configuration on the A9 II
The A9 II has two UHS-II SD slots running at full speed. Three practical configurations: simultaneous backup (both slots recording the same files) is the safest option for events and sports where reshoots aren’t possible. RAW to slot 1, JPEG to slot 2 keeps raw files separate from delivery files. Relay recording switches to slot 2 automatically when slot 1 fills, useful for long sessions at 20fps where you don’t want to interrupt shooting to swap cards. For simultaneous backup mode, both cards need to be V90 to avoid bottlenecking the write speed.
Can I Use a microSD Card in the Sony A9 II?
The Sony A9 II uses full-size SD card slots. MicroSD cards work with an adapter, but from experience they can lose connection inside the adapter — I wouldn’t use one for anything critical. See the microSD memory card guide if you need to use one.
Sony A9 II Memory Card FAQ
Do I need V90 cards for the Sony A9 II?
For burst shooting at 20fps, yes — V90 cards make a meaningful difference in buffer recovery speed. V60 cards will work, but clear times will be longer after a full burst sequence. For video at 100Mbps (12.5MB/s), a UHS-I U3 card handles the data rate without issue. The V90 recommendation is specifically about burst recovery, not video recording.
Can I use UHS-I cards in the A9 II?
Yes, but performance is substantially reduced. UHS-I write speeds are a fraction of UHS-II V90, so the 5GB buffer will take far longer to clear between bursts. For casual or low-speed work UHS-I functions, but for the 20fps continuous shooting the A9 II is designed for, UHS-II V90 is the right choice.
How much storage do I need for a full day of sports shooting?
Uncompressed RAW files run 49.1MB each. At 20fps, a single 7-second burst generates roughly 6.5GB. For a typical sports day with 2,000–3,000 keeper frames in uncompressed RAW, you’re looking at 100–150GB of actual data. A 256GB card provides comfortable headroom; many sports photographers carry two 256GB cards and swap at halftime or between periods.
Does it matter which slot I use as the primary?
Both slots are full-speed UHS-II, so there is no performance difference between them. Slot 1 is the conventional primary, but the camera behaves identically either way. What matters more is your configuration: in simultaneous backup mode, both slots record at the same time, so both cards need to be V90 to avoid bottlenecking write throughput.
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