The Nikon D3400 is a great DSLR that offers photographers a lot of versatility. However, if you want to take and save a lot of photos with the camera, you’ll need a memory card. Unfortunately, choosing one isn’t always easy.
There are dozens of different memory cards on the market, which begs the question: which should you use for your camera? If that’s something you’ve been struggling with, you’re in luck.
This guide will show you some of the best SD cards for the Nikon D3400.
Contents
Who Should Get This
These memory cards are great for those who want to shoot and capture high-quality photos or videos on their Nikon D3400. The camera doesn’t have any internal memory, so you will need a memory card in order to save anything you take.
Whether you’re taking photos at an event, taking some landscape photos, or doing some basic photography, you will benefit from any of the three cards outlined below.
Many of the options also work with other cameras or devices, so they have a lot of use even if you aren’t taking photos all that often.
If you already have memory cards that work in your camera, or don’t often take photos with your D3400, you might not need a specific extra memory card for it.
Best SD Memory Card for Nikon D3400: Our Picks
Here is a list of our top picks, along with a quick review of each memory cards so you know its pros and cons.
1. Lexar Professional 633x 128GB SDXC UHS-I Card
This model from Lexar is a popular choice for those who don’t want to spend a ton for a quality SD card.
Not only does it come with 128GB of storage, but it also offers high-quality and speedy file transfer. Those can greatly increase the speed of your workflow and help you waste less time. It also features read speeds of up to 95 MB/s.
The card lets you capture incredibly high-quality photos, including 4K video, and it’s specially designed so it can work in a range of different cameras. Perfect for people who own or use a lot of different devices while they shoot.
Pros
- High-quality file transfer
- Lifetime product support
- Can be used in many types of cameras
Cons
- Write speeds aren’t as impressive as the read
2. PNY 256GB Elite Performance Class 10 U3 SDXC Flash Memory Card
If you’re after an SD card that can keep up with all of your adventures, this is the one to pick.
This is shock proof, waterproof, magnet proof, and capable of working in a range of different temperatures. That means you’ll always be able to take advantage of its features.
In addition to being durable and capable of working in a range of different conditions, this card also packs quite a punch. It has a Class 10 U3 rating, which means it can easily handle 4K video and HD photography.
This card also makes it easy and fast to share files, photos, and videos from device to device. The 256 GB capacity is incredibly nice for those long days of shooting photos and video.
Pros
- Class 10 U3 rating for speed
- Durable and reliable
- Great for 4K video and burst HD photography
Cons
- Card can overheat quite quickly
3. SanDisk 512GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I Card
This is a great SD card for those who want to capture a ton of content on their Nikon D3400. With 512 GB of space, this card is capable of capturing hours of photos and videos.
In addition to simply having all the storage you will ever need, the card also offers exceptional performance.
This can reach read speeds of up to 170 MB/s and write speeds up to 90 MB/s. It’s also great at capturing long and quality uninterrupted video.
It’s powerful enough not to hold you back, and even comes with an offer for RescuePRO Deluxe to help you recover lost data or photos.
Pros
- Great storage capacity
- Tremendous read and write speeds
- Superb real-time video recording
Cons
- Can lead to formatting troubles
Choosing Memory Cards for Nikon D3400: What to Consider
Storage Capacity
The first thing to consider when searching for a memory card is storage capacity. The higher the capacity of the card, the more photos and videos you will be able to save on it.
The models in this guide come in a range of different capacities, like 32GB, 128GB, and 512GB. It’s important to keep in mind that as the capacity rises, so will the price. Always stay within your budget.
Card Speed
In addition to your card’s storage capacity, you also want to pay attention to speed. There’s both the write speed (how fast data goes from the camera to card) and read speed (how fast data goes from card to your computer or other devices).
Memory card speed classes go from Class 2 (minimum write speed of 2 MB/s) all the way up to U3 (minimum write speed of 30 MB/s). In most cases, faster is better.
Reliability
It’s also important to consider your card’s reliability. While most cards look the same, you generally want to purchase them from a company that’s reputable and has a history of creating quality products.
Also, be on the lookout for knockoffs. Some companies will try to make their cards look like that of a reputable brand, and you never want to fall into that trap.
Other Useful Tips
The first thing you need to know when getting a card is how to properly insert it into the camera. If done incorrectly, it will not only not delete your photos and videos, but could potentially harm the device.
It is also important to frequently check how much space is left on your memory card before you head out for a day of shooting. There are few worse feelings than arriving on the scene and realizing you’re almost at full capacity.
You should know ahead of time how much space you need, and bring a spare memory card if you think that you’re going to need it.
Final Words
Each and every one of the SD cards covered above is a good option for the Nikon D3400. They will all help you store more of your favorite memories, and not have to worry that you’ll miss that next precious moment. Read over their traits and pick the one for you.
Do you know about any other great memory cards for the Nikon D3400? If so, be sure to let us know in the comments below.
