Best Memory Cards Canon R5 II

The Canon EOS R5 Mark II is an advanced hybrid camera supporting two distinct media formats in its dual-slot configuration: CFexpress Type B and SD UHS-II.

Capacity Note: The camera supports memory cards up to 2TB.

Canon R5 II – Amazon / B&H

Recommended CFExpress Type-B Memory Card

Here is a quick list of some of the best memory cards for the Canon R5 II. VPG400 cards are recommended for important video work, but not required.

Recommended SD Memory Cards

An SD memory card will be required to record with in-camera redundancy. The entire camera’s buffer-clearing speed will be limited to the speed of the SD card you are using as backup, so a V90 card is recommended for important shoots.

For Videographers

The card you choose directly determines the video quality and the bitrate you can record at. If you’re having trouble with heat, you can try switching to SD cards and recording at lower bitrates.

CFexpress 4.0 Cards: Are They Necessary?

In the above list, I like the Lexar Gold and Delkin Power cards for casual use. They come in 128GB, which is really all you need unless you’re serious about video. Also, if you want CF4.0 technology, NextStorage makes a nice card with 165GB of memory. Still, the older-gen Lexar, Delkin, and Prograde cards in the 128-256GB range are usually considerably less expensive.

The Canon R5 II is designed around the current CFexpress 2.0 standard. While the new CFexpress 4.0 cards are available and backward compatible, you will not gain any in-camera performance benefits for burst shooting or video on the R5 II. It does not hurt to purchase them, but feel free to choose older generation cards if you find them at a significantly better price. The performance gain will only be realized when files are offloaded to a computer using a 4.0-compatible reader.

SD Card Choices for Stills and Casual Use

Backup Performance (JPEG/HEIF)

If you are using the second slot for simultaneous backup of JPEG or HEIF files while shooting RAW to your CFexpress Type B card, V90 UHS-II SD cards are recommended. Since the slower SD slot dictates your maximum write speed during simultaneous recording, using the fastest SD card available (V90) minimizes the bottleneck and minimizes the impact on your continuous shooting performance.

Casual and Cost-Effective Use (V60)

For photographers shooting in a slower-paced environment, such as landscape or portraiture, V60 UHS-II SD cards offer a cost-effective solution with ample speed.

Alternatively, V60 cards offer significant savings for videographers targeting lower bitrates (up to 480 Mbps). A major practical advantage of using high-quality SD cards is their thermal performance: they typically do not heat up the camera as quickly as CFexpress Type B cards during extended video recording, which can be a key consideration if heat management is a concern.

Your Canon R5 II Memory Card Checklist

Choosing the right media for the Canon R5 II is a balance between performance, budget, and intended use. Here is the concise breakdown of the best choices for every scenario:

Final Takeaway: While the R5 II is flexible, investing in at least one high-speed CFexpress Type B VPG400 card is mandatory to unlock the camera’s full potential for high-speed shooting and professional video. Unfortunately, since the second slot is limited to SD UHS-II speeds, recording with redundancy will lower the camera’s overall performance. So you will need a V90 SD card to get maximum performance.