Can the memory card you choose keep up with the Canon R5’s appetite for data? When shooting 8K, high-bitrate 4K, or long bursts, the right card can make the difference between flawless footage and file corruption.

In this guide we rank and compare the top CFexpress Type B and UHS-II SD cards for the Canon R5 so you can choose with confidence. We’ll focus on sustained write performance, thermal behavior, reliability, and real-world usability for hybrid stills and video workflows.

The R5’s 8K RAW and high-bitrate 4K modes produce massive files and push the camera’s buffer and cards to their limits. That makes sustained write speed and consistent thermal performance critical; without them you risk dropped frames or interrupted recordings at the worst possible moment.

CFexpress Type B cards are the workhorses for true 8K and very high-bitrate 4K capture, while UHS-II SD cards remain highly useful for stills, overflow, and lower-bitrate video. Matching the card type to your shooting style, capacity needs, and budget is the smartest way to avoid paying for unused performance or being under-equipped mid-shoot.

Throughout this piece we’ll translate benchmark data and real-world testing into clear guidance so you can pick the right card for landscape trips, wildlife days, or multi-camera shoots. Let’s get started and make sure your Canon R5 never misses a decisive moment because of the wrong card.

Editor's Choice

SanDisk Extreme PRO CFexpress Type B 64GB SDCFE-064G-GN4NN

Editor‘s Rating:

★★★★★★★★★★4.8

Check Price

Best Runner Up

ProGrade Digital CFexpress 4.0 Type B 512GB Gold

Editor‘s Rating:

★★★★★★★★★★4.8

Check Price

Best Budget

Kingston Canvas React Plus SDXC UHS-II 128GB V90

Editor‘s Rating:

★★★★★★★★★★4.7

Check Price

1. Angelbird AV PRO CFexpress Type B 512GB

Angelbird AV PRO CFexpress 2.0 Type B 330GB

Blazing performance for professional video: sustained write stability, lightning transfers, ideal for high-resolution RAW and continuous burst shooting.

Check Price

As a working photographer who also shoots video, I picked up the Angelbird AV PRO CFexpress Type B 512GB because it’s frequently recommended as the best-value CFexpress card for the Canon R5. In practice that 512GB size lets me record long 8K RAW clips or high-bitrate 4K120fps segments without constantly swapping cards.

What sold me was the sustained speed behavior — Angelbird’s card maintains write speeds that keep recording steady and avoid dropped frames during long takes. That sustained performance is what matters in-camera; peak read speeds are nice for offloading, but they don’t help when you’re recording a long wildlife sequence in the field.

Thermal management is another big win. On extended recording days the card stays cooler and more reliable than others I’ve depended on, which reduces the risk of throttling mid-shoot and gives me one less thing to worry about on long trips.

It’s tailored to hybrid shooters: stills and demanding video workflows both feel at home on this card because it aligns with the R5’s sustained-write needs and buffer behavior. User feedback consistently praises the Angelbird for its reliability and minimal speed drop-off during long sessions.

The trade-offs are modest — Angelbird has slightly fewer capacity options compared to some big brands, and it’s built on CFexpress 2.0 rather than the newest CFexpress 4.0 standard. For practical R5 shooting, though, those points rarely matter: the card performs where it counts.

• Reliable sustained write speeds
• Compatible with 8K RAW and 4K120fps without dropped frames
• Good thermal management for long 8K shoots
• Durable, reliable for long shooting days

• Fewer capacity options
• Uses CFexpress 2.0 tech (not 4.0)

2. Sony Tough CFexpress Type B SF-G Series

Sony TOUGH CFexpress Type B

Rugged, military-grade durability with extreme shock, dust and water resistance plus ultra-fast throughput for demanding shoots and harsh environments.

Check Price

If you shoot high-bitrate video or nonstop action, the Sony Tough CFexpress Type B SF-G series is a card you’ll notice immediately in hand — it’s built like a tank and rated waterproof, shockproof, and temperature resistant. In practical terms that ruggedness matters: when I’m on long wildlife or adventure shoots, knowing the card can handle dust, drops, and bad weather removes a lot of stress.

On paper this card can hit theoretical write speeds up to 1,480 MB/s, though the R5’s buffer limits in-camera write speeds to roughly ~500 MB/s. That means you get headroom for blazing transfer speeds to your workstation and rock-solid in-camera performance for 8K RAW and continuous high-speed shooting.

Users — including many pros in my network — praise it for durability and for turning in top results in sustained buffer tests. The card consistently clears the buffer quickly and behaves predictably during long burst runs and extended video takes, which is exactly what you want when moments don’t come with a second take.

Two real-world cautions: some shooters report a tighter-than-ideal fit in the R5 card slot, making insertion and removal a little fiddly. Also, the SF-G sits at the premium end of the price spectrum, so if you’re budget-conscious you’ll weigh durability and speed against cost-per-gigabyte.

Bottom line: if you prioritize rugged reliability, maximum transfer headroom, and need a card that won’t quit in extreme conditions, the Sony Tough SF-G is an excellent choice for demanding R5 workflows. If slot-fit or price are major concerns, factor those in before committing.

• Extremely durable and rugged
• Theoretical write up to 1,480 MB/s
• Excellent for 8K RAW and continuous high-speed shooting
• Trusted brand reliability

• Tight fit in Canon R5 slot reported
• Premium price / less value per GB

3. Kingston Canvas React Plus UHS-II SD Card

Kingston Canvas React Plus SDXC UHS-II 128GB V90

High-speed memory card for photographers and videographers, fast read/write, reliable for continuous RAW burst and 4K video recording.

Check Price

As a working photographer I often use the Kingston Canvas React Plus UHS-II SD Card as the go-to card for my Canon R5’s SD slot. It’s recommended as the best UHS-II SD for the R5 secondary slot and that fits my workflow for backups and overflow.

The card offers theoretical write speeds up to 300 MB/s, which is plenty for high-bitrate 4K UHD video and long burst shooting. That speed, combined with V90 ratings common to UHS‑II, means reliable sustained writes when I’m not pushing 8K RAW.

In practical use the Kingston is smooth to insert and remove, and I’ve found fewer slot-fit hassles compared with some Sony Tough SD cards. That ease-of-use matters in the field; quick, confident card swaps save time and reduce anxiety when conditions are tight.

It’s ideal as a backup, overflow, or for projects that don’t require CFexpress-level throughput. I’ll use these cards for second-angle 4K reels, extended still sessions, and whenever I need a cost-effective high-performance SD option.

Users report the same reliability I see — steady performance for 4K video and continuous shooting, and a good price-to-performance ratio among UHS-II V90 cards. The main trade-offs are clear: it won’t handle 8K RAW or the highest-bitrate formats, so it shouldn’t be your primary card for those tasks on the R5.

Overall, if you need a dependable, easy-to-handle UHS-II card for secondary duties on the Canon R5, the Kingston Canvas React Plus is hard to beat.

• Smooth card slot fit
• Solid sustained speeds for 4K
• Theoretical write up to 300 MB/s
• Good price-to-performance for UHS-II V90

• Not fast enough for 8K RAW
• Limited as primary R5 recording card

4. ProGrade Digital CFexpress Cobalt Type B 325GB

ProGrade Digital CFexpress 4.0 Type B 512GB Gold

Next-level throughput and massive capacity for professional cinema workflows, optimized for multi-stream 8K recording and rapid offloads.

Check Price

The ProGrade Digital CFexpress Cobalt Type B 325GB is built specifically for high-demand work like sports, wildlife, and 8K RAW recording. Its VPG-400 rating guarantees a sustained 400 MB/s write speed, which is exactly what you need to keep the R5’s buffer feeding smoothly during long bursts and heavy 8K files.

That sustained performance means fewer dropped frames and far more predictable shooting when you’re pushing the camera to its limits. In practice this card supports Canon R5 peak burst rates and 8K recording without the buffer hiccups that ruin a take.

Users consistently praise the Cobalt for stable, predictable performance across scenarios. It’s often chosen by shooters who need smooth burst shooting and reliable high-bitrate video workflows because it is less prone to thermal throttling than some competitors.

For a working photographer or videographer who needs a dependable primary CFexpress card, the ProGrade Cobalt hits the sweet spot: professional-grade build, warranty support, and workflow-friendly sustained speeds. The main trade-offs are capacity choice and heat under extreme use; the typical mid-range 325GB size is great for many shoots but may force more frequent card swaps on very long jobs.

• Reliable sustained 400 MB/s write speed
• Dependable for continuous burst shooting
• Designed for 8K RAW and R5 peak rates
• Professional-grade build and warranty

• Limited capacity options (commonly 325GB)
• Can run a bit warmer during extended recording

5. SanDisk Extreme PRO CFexpress Type B

SanDisk Extreme PRO CFexpress Type B 64GB SDCFE-064G-GN4NN

High-performance card with thermal management and sustained writes, perfect for burst RAW, high-frame-rate video, and fast file transfers.

Check Price

As a working photographer who often shoots both stills and video, I find the SanDisk Extreme PRO CFexpress Type B to be a dependable everyday performer in the Canon R5. It’s a popular, widely tested CFexpress Type B card that supports 8K RAW and 20 fps burst shooting, so it covers the camera’s most demanding modes on paper.

In practice the card delivers good peak read and write speeds which make offloading and transfers quick. That makes it handy when you’re moving footage to an edit workstation between shoots and when you need fast playback or card-to-card copies on location.

That said, user reports are mixed under the heaviest loads. Some shooters notice occasional buffer slow-downs and performance drop-off at larger capacities during very long recordings or sustained high-bitrate sessions. If your workflow is lots of long continuous 8K clips, that’s worth testing before committing.

For many hybrid shooters who switch between high-speed stills and demanding video, this SanDisk card is a solid choice. It’s widely available and supported, which helps when you need replacements or want to buy multiple cards quickly in different capacities.

My take: great for most R5 use cases — fast, broadly compatible, and convenient — but if you do extended, high-bitrate 8K recordings regularly, validate sustained performance for the capacity you plan to buy to avoid surprises.

• Reliable under most conditions
• Good peak read/write speeds
• Good speed for hybrid still + video workflows
• Widely available and supported

• Performance drops at higher capacities
• Often higher cost per GB compared to Angelbird or ProGrade

Choosing the Right Card for Your Style

Deciding which card to carry really comes down to how you shoot. If you’re primarily a stills shooter—weddings, portraits, landscapes—an SD UHS‑II card in the R5’s second slot will handle thousands of images and keeps the buffer moving. I usually recommend 128GB or larger so you aren’t constantly swapping cards in the middle of a job.

For video work you’ll want CFexpress Type B without question. The R5’s 8K and high‑bitrate 4K modes demand sustained write performance, not just flashy peak numbers. Look for cards that guarantee sustained writes around 400 MB/s (VPG400) so recordings don’t stop mid‑take or produce corrupted files.

Match capacity to your shoot. A half‑terabyte card is a great sweet spot for long wildlife days or event coverage, while multi‑hour cinematic shoots push me toward 1TB or more. Remember the R5 supports cards up to 2TB, so plan with your offload workflow in mind rather than buying tiny cards and juggling swaps.

Think about durability and heat too. Long 8K recording sessions stress cards thermally, and some models manage heat better than others. If you spend time outdoors or travel a lot, choose cards known to sustain speed without throttling and that can take a knock or a rain shower.

If you’re a hybrid shooter carry both types: CFexpress as primary for demanding video and long bursts, with a fast UHS‑II SD as overflow or backup. That combo gives you flexibility on set and a smoother, less stressful shoot day. In the end, pick the card that matches the longest, most demanding thing you plan to shoot—then everything else becomes easier.

Why Sustained Write Speeds Matter

Sustained write speed is simply how fast a card can keep writing data over time, not just a flashy peak number on the spec sheet. For the Canon R5 this matters because the camera can produce massive streams of data—8K RAW and high‑bitrate 4K will push a card for minutes at a time. If the card can’t sustain the data rate you’ll see dropped frames, interrupted recording, or worse, corrupted files.

Practically speaking, for 8K and demanding 4K codecs you want a card that can sustain roughly 400 MB/s (VPG‑400 class) or better. That’s not a random target; it matches what the R5’s buffer and internal processing require to keep recording without choking. Cards that only advertise peak bursts but fall off quickly are the ones that bite you during long takes.

For stills shooters the principle is the same, just on a shorter timescale. A high sustained write speed clears the buffer faster after long burst sequences, so you can keep shooting without waiting for the camera to catch up. That’s invaluable for wildlife, sports, or any scene where missed frames equal missed opportunities.

Heat and reliability also tie directly to sustained performance. Cards that are forced to push beyond their comfortable thermal envelope will throttle, slow down, or become prone to errors. In the field I prefer cards that advertise real sustained numbers and have proven thermal management over ones that only tout headline read speeds.

Some simple habits will save you headaches: trust the sustained write rating over peak specs, test new cards with long video takes before a critical shoot, format cards in‑camera, and carry multiple cards so you can swap when one heats up or fills. Treat sustained speed as a guarantee of uninterrupted capture—not an optional extra—and your shoots will run smoother.

What People Ask Most

Conclusion for Canon R5 Memory Cards

Choose the card that matches your workflow: CFexpress Type B when you need guaranteed sustained write speed for 8K or high‑bitrate 4K and fast bursts, and UHS‑II SD for stills, backup, overflow, or lower‑bitrate video needs.

Prioritize sustained write performance and capacity over peak read numbers to avoid recording drops, long buffer clears, and heat‑related issues during extended shoots.

For practical use cases, the field-tested options span best‑value sustained performance, extreme ruggedness, reliable UHS‑II secondary cards, and professional VPG‑rated choices—pick the one that fits your shooting style and budget.

If you want to sharpen your workflow, settings, and card management techniques, read more guides on the site to build confidence and reduce on‑set surprises.

Have a specific setup or scenario to discuss? Leave a comment below and we usually reply within a few hours to help you choose the right card or troubleshoot performance questions.