The Leica Q2 has some pretty impressive specs and can write a lot of data to memory cards pretty quickly. This guide will help you find the best sd card for the Leica Q2.
Table of Contents
Leica Q2 – Amazon / Adorama / B&H
9 Must-Have Accessories For Leica Q2
Best Memory Cards Leica Q2
The Leica Q2 features one UHS-II memory card slot. This means the camera can take UHS-II cards that are v90, v60, and it will still take UHS-I cards.
Recommended UHS-II Memory Cards
If you don’t mind paying for it and want the fastest performance when it comes to clearing the buffer after a quick burst, the UHS-II V90 cards are going to be the fastest sd cards for the Leica Q2. Stick with the top brands, Sandisk, Sony, Lexar, Delkin Toshiba to name a few. You could even find some good deals on Prograde or Angel Bird as well, even the new Kodak brand memory cards are testing very well.
To save a little money you can go with the v60 memory cards. You likely don’t need the v90 performance with this camera, it’s not really a high-action sports camera that’s demanding immediate turnaround after shooting 10fps. However, the Leica Q2 can write some large files so v60 cards are going to be a really nice value while still having great performance.
There are a lot of great options for V60 cards, look at the Sony M Tough cards, Sony even makes a non-tough E-card that is slightly slower than the M but still plenty fast if you go with the 128GB model. Angel Bird MkII v60 cards have also been testing well in most cameras.
Here are my current recommendations.
| Fastest SD Memory Cards | USB Write | USB Read | Check Price |
| Sony G Tough UHS-II | 229.1 MB/s | 270.6 MB/s | Amazon / B&H |
| Sandisk Extreme Pro UHS-II | 242.2 MB/s | 293.7 MB/s | Amazon / B&H |
| Delkin Black UHS-II | 225.4 MB/s | 259.9 MB/s | Amazon / B&H |
| Budget-Friendly Options | |||
| Angel Bird MkII v60 UHS-II | 219.5 MB/s | 290.4 MB/s | Amazon / B&H |
| Sony M v60 UHS-II | 129.5 MB/s | 282.4 MB/s | Amazon / B&H |
| Sony E U3 UHS-II | 103.8 MB/s | 282.3 MB/s | Amazon / B&H |
Leica Q2 Spec
| Sensor: 47.3MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor Processor: Maestro II Image Processor How Many Memory Card Slots? 1 UHS-II SD memory card slot Continuous Burst: 10fps Video Formats: DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) at 24.00p / Full HD (1920 x 1080) up to 119.88p What Is The Video Bitrate? 100Mb/s What is The Buffer Size? unknown How Many Shots To Fill Buffer? Untested How Long To Clear Buffer? Untested |
How To Avoid Counterfeit Cards
Counterfeit memory cards are out there and you do need to be careful where you buy your memory cards. I try to buy mine from Adorama or B&H photo if I can. They don’t mix inventory with other sellers and you’re pretty much guaranteed to get a genuine card.
If you need to buy a card form anywhere else, you can fill your card to see if reaches fairly close to the rated capacity. If it does, you’re off to a good start, if it doesn’t then it’s likely counterfeit. Next, try writing some files to it over a UHS-II reader. You won’t get rated speeds here and some computers are going to be faster than others, but you should be getting pretty decent transfer speeds of at least well over 100MB/s. If not, it’s possible you have a counterfeit, mislabeled card.
Best Memory Cards Leica Q2 Conclusions
The Leica Q2 is a cool little camera and doesn’t really demand very fast memory cards. It’s up to you and how you shoot to decide which class of card is right for you. Most brands are making pretty good cards today and I haven’t really seen to many issues when benchmarking cameras with various brands. Even the new Kodak cards are testing well in new cameras.
Stick with the list above and you should get set with some nice cards that should last you the lifetime of the camera.
Why V60 vs V90 Actually Matters for the Q2
The Q2 has a 47.3MP sensor — uncompressed DNG files run roughly 85–90MB each. At 10fps, a full burst fills 850–900MB in one second. That’s a very fast buffer drain, and a fast card is needed to clear it quickly. The UHS-II V90 cards at the top of the table (Sony G Tough, SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II) are the right choice for anyone shooting bursts regularly — they have the in-camera write speed to clear the backlog before the next burst opportunity. V60 cards are fine if your shooting style favors deliberate single frames or slow-paced sequences over rapid bursts.
For video at 100 Mbps (12.5 MB/s), any UHS-II card has triple the headroom needed — V60 and V90 are equally capable for video. The card choice only matters for stills burst shooting.
Can I Use a microSD Card in the Leica Q2?
The Leica Q2 uses a full-size SD card slot. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need a V90 card for the Leica Q2?
It depends on your shooting style. At 47.3MP and 10fps, the Q2 generates large files quickly. V90 cards clear the buffer fastest, which matters if you’re shooting rapid burst sequences — street photography, events, anything where you want immediate readiness for the next burst. If you shoot mostly at a leisurely pace with occasional short bursts, V60 cards perform well and cost less. The Q2 isn’t a sports camera by design, but its 47MP sensor means buffer management is more relevant than it would be on a lower-resolution body.
Can I use a UHS-I card in the Leica Q2?
Technically yes — the UHS-II slot accepts UHS-I cards and they’ll work at UHS-I speeds. For video at 100 Mbps, UHS-I is sufficient. For stills with 47MP files at burst speeds, UHS-I will slow buffer clearing noticeably compared to UHS-II. Given the Q2’s price point, pairing it with a UHS-I card is leaving performance on the table — a good UHS-II V60 card is the minimum worth using in this body.
What capacity card should I use in the Q2?
At 47.3MP, DNG files from the Q2 are large — plan on 85–95MB per file depending on content. A 128GB card holds roughly 1,300–1,500 full-quality DNGs. For a day of shooting where you’re not offloading, 128GB is a reasonable minimum. If you shoot extensively or can’t easily offload in the field, 256GB keeps you safe. The Q2 has no official card capacity limit, so larger cards work fine.
Does the Leica Q2 have more than one card slot?
No — single UHS-II SD slot only. Leica’s design philosophy on the Q series prioritizes compactness over dual-slot redundancy. There’s no backup recording option. For professional or once-in-a-lifetime shooting situations where card failure would be costly, carry a spare formatted card and swap regularly rather than relying on a single card through a full day.
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