SanDisk 16GB 280MB/s SDHC UHS-II with Fuji X-T1

I recently acquired a SanDisk 16GB Extreme Pro 280MB/s SDHC UHS-II Card.

As you may, or may not, know the Fuji X-T1 is one of the first digital cameras to support the new high speed UHS-II memory cards.

Needless to say I was quite excited by this factor when the specifications were announced.  Not really from a wedding photographers point of view, but more for the oportunities this kind of write speed may offer sports and wildlife shooters who invest in the X-Series.

So, I did a very very brief test this morning.

In my test, shown in the crude video above, you will see that I shot first with a SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s SD HC I Card (which of course is no slouch in it's own right). 

The test was configured thus:

• The X-T1 was set up with the XF60mm macro lens

• Manually configured and focused so the exposure was locked and had no impact on write speed (not that that should have any impact as far as I'm aware).

• Camera set to FINE+RAW.  I did this to give it as much work to do as possible.

• I set the camera to High Speed Burst mode.

• I shot for 10 seconds (using my iPhone to time), then released my finger.

• I timed the buffer/write speed there after.

Keep an eye on the little orange/green flashing light to the top right of the camera for the writing to card indication.

The results were:

• SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s SD HC I Card = 14 seconds (approximately)

• SanDisk 16GB Extreme Pro 280MB/s SDHC UHS-II = 9 seconds (approximately)

Note:  After recording the video I timed it again against the Youtube clip and it looks like I shot for approximately 1.5 seconds longer before removing my finger for the UHS-II card which indicates an even stronger result in favour of the high speed card.

Of course, remember, the SD-HC I card is not slow by any stretch, but using the high speed card is noticeably quicker and if shooting sport or wildlife, or even some wedding photography, street photography and corporate work, and you need super fast write speed then this is probably the way to go.

I'm currently waiting on a SD-HC II compliant card reader to test the download speed to computer but that is of secondary importance to me at the moment.

As always, please feel free to comment or ask questions.