Your in a pinch. You’ve just dropped the only SD Card that you have with you today and now you have run into a foreign store to buy a new one. You only have a couple of minutes before your tour departs, what do you look for?
Stick with name brands you recognize
Try to find a name brand you recognise and purchase one. Even if you’re in a foreign country, a Sony card will still be a Sony card and it’s the same for Sandisk.
Great, the only store that has SD cards, only has off brands you don’t recognize. Now what?
Look at the Speed
The speed should be listed on the front of the card as a number in almost every language. Buy whatever the highest speed card that is available.
Look at the Size
Go with whatever one looks to be the largest size available. Do you shoot any video? Go big.
Look at the Type.
Look at the back of the card, are there one row of pins or two. If your camera only uses the one row kind the two row will still work but you may not get the full speeds out of the card.
Look at the package quality.
Lastly, look at the package quality. Is it out of a self serve bin/candy jar or is it one of those impossible to open blister cases. You may need to have the sales person cut it open for you!
THEN BUY TWO!
Seriously buy two. For a couple of reasons, what if the off brand card doesn’t work? The other reason is that you’ve already lost one, get another in case that same thing happens again. Always have a back up.
Make sure you format it in camera before you start using it. Now run and catch your tour before it eaves you behind!