Memory card guide
SD, SDHC and SDXC cards in old digicams: what fits
SD, SDHC and SDXC are three capacity tiers of the same card shape, and an old camera can only use the tiers its maker lists. The SD Association lists SDXC cards as usable only in SDXC host devices.
What is the difference between SD, SDHC and SDXC?
They are capacity tiers with different file systems. The SD Association defines SD as up to 2 GB (FAT 12 and 16), SDHC as over 2 GB up to 32 GB (FAT32) and SDXC as over 32 GB up to 2 TB (exFAT).1
Each tier uses a different file system in the SD Association's table: FAT 12 and 16, FAT32 and exFAT.
Will a newer card work in my old camera?
Only if the camera is a host for that tier. The SD Association states that SD host devices can only use SD cards, SDHC host devices can use SD and SDHC cards, and SDXC host devices can use SD, SDHC and SDXC cards.2
A 64 GB card is in the SDXC tier (over 32 GB), so by this rule it is only listed as usable in an SDXC host. Check your camera's own row in the lookup table first.
Which tier does my Canon take?
Canon's own support table marks it camera by camera. Of the 154 Canon compacts we could re-read in it, 54 are marked as taking SDXC cards, 53 stop at SDHC and 25 take SD cards only (2 GB max in the table's column heading).4
The table gives the ranges in its column headings: SD 2 GB max, SDHC 4 GB to 32 GB, SDXC 32 GB to 2 TB. For example the Canon SD600 / Digital IXUS 60 is marked SD only, and the SD1000 / Digital IXUS 70 is marked for SD and SDHC but not SDXC. Search the lookup table for your model to see its row. The table is dated 22 August 2013, so cameras launched later are covered by their own manuals.
Can I use an MMC (MultiMediaCard) in an SD camera?
Only where the maker lists it. 93 Canon rows in our table list MMC as well as SD, and the other rows we read do not list it. Check your model's row before you assume it.4
Do I need a fast card?
For stills, the manuals we read do not ask for a particular speed. For movies several makers do. Canon's manuals that we re-checked recommend SD Speed Class 2 (2 models), 4 (22 models), 6 (14 models), 10 (1 model); Sony's DSC-W830 guide recommends an SD card of Class 4 or faster for movies.5
Casio's EX-Z75 and EX-Z1000 manuals recommend a card with a transfer speed of at least 10 MB/s for high-quality movies; see their rows in the lookup table.
How do I format an SD card for an old camera?
Use the camera's own format command first; use the SD Association's formatter to restore a card that misbehaves. Sony's DSC-W830 guide recommends formatting a card in the camera the first time it is used, and says a card formatted with a computer is not guaranteed to work in the camera.5
The SD Association says only its SD Memory Card Formatter can restore cards to factory settings, and that the write-protect switch must be in the NOT PROTECTED (upward) position before you format.33
Can I use a microSD card?
Only if the maker says so. Olympus's Japanese table lists some xD cameras separately as taking a microSD card with the MASD-1 attachment.6 Canon's table marks a microSD column for 5 Canon compacts (the PowerShot N, ELPH 520 HS and ELPH 530 HS among them).4
Where do I buy the right card?
SDHC memory card 32GB on eBay SDHC memory card 32GB on Amazon Affiliate links: we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Search for the tier your camera's row names. A card from the wrong tier is the most common reason an old camera refuses a card: see card error or card not working.
The full memory card guide · xD · Memory Stick · CompactFlash
Sources
- SD Association: Capacity (SD, SDHC, SDXC, SDUC) (read 2026-10-19, page opened in the owner's Chrome because the site blocks scripts)
- SD Association: SD, SDHC, SDXC and SDUC card capacity choices (read 2026-10-19, page opened in the owner's Chrome because the site blocks scripts)
- SD Association: SD Memory Card Formatter FAQ (read 2026-10-19, page opened in the owner's Chrome because the site blocks scripts)
- Canon Asia: What SDHC/SDXC memory cards are compatible with this camera? (page dated 22 Aug 2013) (read 2026-10-19)
- Sony DSC-W830 Help Guide: Memory card (read 2026-10-19)
- Olympus Digital Solutions Japan: Compatibility table for Media Card, FE-Series (modified 20 Aug 2010) (read 2026-10-19)