Best memory card for Sony a7 V?

I’m using the a7 V for a similar mix (RAW bursts + 4K video), and you don’t have to go CFexpress Type A right away unless you’re really pushing the camera.

What I actually carry:

• Slot 1 (CFexpress Type A)
  • Card: Sony TOUGH CFexpress Type A 160GB (CEA-G160T)
  • Use: Action bursts, 4K60/4K120, paid work where I don’t want the buffer to be the limiting factor.
• Slot 2 (SD UHS-II, V90)
  • Card: Sony TOUGH SDXC UHS-II 128GB (SF-G128T, V90) or Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II V90 128GB
  • Use: General stills, 4K30, backup recording.

How it behaves in real use:

• Bursts / buffer:
  • On CFexpress Type A, the buffer clears noticeably faster. For long bursts of RAW+JPEG, the camera stays responsive a lot longer and recovers quicker.
  • With a good V90 SD, it’s still totally usable, just a bit more “waiting” between long sequences if you spray and pray.
• Video:
  • For the a7 V’s higher‑bitrate 4K modes (especially 4K60 / 10‑bit, All‑Intra), check Sony’s recording media chart, but in general:
    • V60 cards are fine for most 4K Long-GOP modes.
    • V90 SD or CFexpress Type A is safer if you’re doing the highest data‑rate profiles or want more margin.
  • I record 4K30/60 10‑bit mostly to V90 SD without dropped frames.
• Is CFexpress Type A “worth it”?
  • If you often fill the buffer shooting action/sports/wildlife and hate waiting → yes, it’s worth it.
  • If your bursts are short and 4K is more “B‑roll” than hardcore production → a good V90 SD is the best value.

Suggested “smart” starting setup for you:

• 1× 128GB UHS‑II V90 SD (Sony TOUGH, ProGrade V90, or Lexar/SanDisk high‑end line)
• 1× 160GB CFexpress Type A if the budget allows, or add this later once you hit the limits of SD.

That gives you:

• Reliability and speed for paid jobs
• Enough capacity that you’re not swapping every 5 minutes
• A clear upgrade path if you find SD actually is holding you back.

a7 V supports CFexpress Type A card and UHS-II SD card.  I will recommended CFexpress Type-A card if budget is not the problem.

I recommend looking at the Lexar Silver or Pergear Standard CFexpress Type-A cards. The value is unbeatable, and they are more than fast enough for the Sony A7V. You'll get nearly unlimited buffer for burst shooting and can handle all the highest bitrate 4K modes without any issues.

Seconded!

Hey,

I was literally in your shoes about a month ago with my a7 V. I thought “faster card = just buy CFexpress Type A”, but once I started looking at prices and what I actually shoot, I ended up going a bit more practical.

**What I ended up with:**
- Slot 1: **Sony TOUGH SF-G 128GB (SD, UHS-II, V90, 300MB/s)**
- Slot 2: **SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB (SD, UHS-II, V60, 280MB/s)**

I mainly shoot RAW bursts of sports and some 4K 60p video (not the absolute highest bitrate modes though), and honestly, that V90 card in slot 1 has been totally fine for me. Long bursts don’t choke the buffer nearly as fast as my old V30 cards, and the camera clears the buffer while I’m still shooting. It’s not instant, but it’s absolutely usable.

I did borrow a friend’s **Sony CFexpress Type A 160GB** for a weekend, and yeah, it’s noticeably snappier when you really hammer the buffer and for the crazy high-bitrate 4K. But… for my normal shooting, it felt more like a nice luxury than something I *had* to own.

**My takeaway / what I’d recommend:**
- If you’re doing **extreme bursts all the time** or **top-end 4K bitrates**, then 1x CFexpress Type A in slot 1 + 1x decent UHS-II SD in slot 2 makes sense.
- If you’re more “mixed stills and regular 4K”, a **good V90 UHS-II SD** is a really decent option and way better value.

So, in your case, I’d probably start with **one quality 128GB V90 SD (Sony Tough / ProGrade / SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II)** and see if it actually limits you. If you ever feel the buffer is slowing you down, *then* add a CFexpress Type A later.

FWIW, for travel and paid stuff, the Sony Tough line feels really solid and rugged. It’s not cheap, but it works and I don’t worry about it.

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask if you wanna know specific a7 V settings I’m using with these cards.

Hey, nice pickup on the a7 V!

**Background – what actually matters with this body**
The a7 V’s buffer + dual slots are good, but the weakest link is always the *sustained* card speed, not the “up to XXX MB/s” marketing number. For your use (RAW bursts + 4K), you mainly care about:
- Minimum sustained write (for video and clearing bursts)
- Codec/bitrate you’re using (XAVC S vs S-I vs HS)
- Reliability over years, not just benchmarks

**Why it matters**
In my experience, CFexpress Type A only really shines when you’re:
- Hammering long RAW bursts all the time, **and**
- Shooting the highest-bitrate 4K modes, **and**
- Need the buffer to vanish basically instantly.

For most hybrid shooting, a good V90 SD keeps up surprisingly well, and the camera’s buffer hides a lot of the difference.

**What I’d actually do (conservative setup)**
If you’re cautious / shooting paid work, I’d start like this:

- **Primary card (still + main video):**
- 128–256GB **V90 SD UHS-II**
- Brands I’ve had the fewest issues with over the years:
- **Sony Tough M or G (V90)**
- **ProGrade Digital V90** (the cobalt line is overkill but rock solid)
- This will handle long bursts of compressed RAW and standard 4K (XAVC S / HS) just fine.

- **Secondary / safety card:**
- Another SD, even V60, for backup recording or JPEGs. Redundancy > speed for paid gigs, imo.

- **When CFexpress Type A is actually worth it:**
- You’re regularly shooting **4K 60/120 in XAVC S-I** (the intra codecs at higher bitrates)
- You spray long action bursts in uncompressed RAW and hate waiting.
- You value super fast offloads on deadlines.

In that case, I’d grab **one 80–160GB CFexpress Type A** (Sony Tough or ProGrade) as your **“performance card”** and keep SDs as workhorses. That keeps your cost sane but gives you a high‑end option when you actually need it.

If you’re unsure, I’d honestly start with a solid 128GB V90 SD, test your longest bursts + 4K mode, and only step up to CFexpress if you can actually feel the slowdown in your real shooting, not just on paper.

Hope this helps!

Hey, from a more budget‑first angle, I’d start with fast SD and only go CFexpress Type A if you later hit a real limit.

What I’d do for an a7 V:
- Slot 1: 128GB (or 256GB if you can swing it) V90 SD, something like Sony Tough, ProGrade V90, or Lexar/SanDisk V90. That’s plenty for long RAW bursts + 4K at normal/high bitrates.
- Slot 2: a cheaper 128GB V60 SD as backup / overflow.

CFexpress Type A is definitely nice, but the price per GB is kinda brutal and, for most stills + 4K, a solid V90 SD will keep you happy. I’d only “upgrade” to a small CFexpress later if you start doing the highest bitrate video or super long bursts and actually see the buffer slowing you down.

Also, whatever you buy: stick to reputable sellers, buy 2 smaller cards instead of 1 huge one (less risk if one fails), and format in‑camera every time. Has worked well for me so far, no complaints.

Hope this helps!