There are really a lot of different memory card options on the market today as it relates to the Canon Powershot G12. When it comes to buying these storage devices, there are a lot of people out there who are confused as to what to card they should buy for the camera.
Below, I try to answer some of the questions some of you may have as it relates to memory cards for the G12, as well as recommend the top rated options.
Best Canon Powershot G12 Memory Cards
All the cards below are the best memory cards for the Canon G12 and they are listed here based off the storage space they deliver, along with their overall performance and price.
If you are looking for a memory card that is not overly expensive and delivers a good amount of storage space, then you are definitely going to want to look at this 128GB card from SanDisk. You really won’t have to worry about storage space with a card this size and the price is not one that will break your pocket. Great card for the G12 and you will find yourself using it a couple years from now, even if you upgrade cameras, so it is also a good investment.
If you are a budget conscious shopper and you are not looking to spend too much on a card, but still want a good amount of storage space, then the 64GB SDXC card is the best bet out there. The card gives amazing performance in the Canon G12 and the storage space is more than enough for whatever photographs or videos you intend to take. It also is a bonus that the card is on the cheaper side and still gives you want you want in terms of storage space.
If you really want to maximize the amount of storage space that you have, then the 256GB SDXC card is definitely the option to consider. You will not have to worry about storage space, as this is the biggest card currently available. Performance wise, this card is solid and it is really a great option for the G12, if the pricing is something that you can work with.
Canon Powershot G12 Memory Card Types
The Canon Powershot G12 has the ability to take a variety of memory card formats. I will look at the different types that can be used in this device.
- SD Cards – This memory card format can hold up to 4GB of images and video.
- SDHC Cards – This memory card format can hold up to 32GB of images and video.
- SDXC Cards – This memory card format can upwards of 48GB of images and video.
- Micro SD (With SD Adapter) – This memory card format can hold up to 4GB of images and video.
- Micro SDHC (With SD Adapter) – This memory card that can hold up to 32GB of images and video.
At times we get questions as it relates to the difference between SD and SDHC formats. It seems that a lot of people tend to get confused with the 2 formats. What you should know is that these cards are essentially the same thing. The only difference is that they have different storage sizes.
SD cards can hold up to 4GB worth of images and video.
SDHC cards can hold up to 32GB worth of video and pictures.
SDXC cards can hold 48GB – 2TB worth of data.
Other Vital Memory Card Information
When purchasing memory cards for the G12, you should be aware that the cards all have different speed class ratings. The purpose of the speed rating is there to indicate how quickly data can be written or read directly to the memory card. SD and SDHC cards have speed ratings of 2, 4, 6 and 10. SDXC cards speed ratings go from Class 4, 6 and 10. SDXC cards also have another speed rating known as Ultra High Speed (UHS)
- Class 2 – Minimum of 2 MB/s performance. (Slowest)
- Class 4 – Minimum of 4 MB/s performance. (Average)
- Class 6 – Minimum of 6 MB/s performance. (Above Average)
- Class 10 – Minimum of 10 MB/s performance. (Fastest)
- UHS-1 (SDXC CARDS) – Speeds up to 104 MB/s.
If you have a Canon G12 that you are thinking about using it to record HD video, then you need to be aware that the minimum speed class that the memory card can have is six. If you try to record HD video on slower memory cards, then you are going to see degradation in the recorded video. These slower class memory cards cannot keep up with the amount of data that is generated when recording in HD. This is why it is important to get either a class 6 or 10 card.
What Size Canon G12 SD/SDHC/SDXC Card Should I Get?
The choices really up to you, when it comes to getting a SD, SDHC or SDXC for the G12. SD Cards are available in 1GB, 2GB and 4GB. SDHC cards are available in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB sizes. SDXC cards come in 48GB, 64GB and 128GB sizes.
We always tell people that if they are planning on buying a memory card for the Powershot G12, they should definitely go with one of the bigger card sizes. This is essential if you will be using the camera to record HD video, or if you will be taken out of high quality pictures. The 32GB SDHC or 48GB/64GB/128GB SDXC card are the memory cards that should be considered for the camera. They will be able to offer ample storage space.
How Much Data Can Hold on a Canon G12 Memory Card?
okay, now that you have an idea as to the different types of memory cards that can be used in the Canon Powershot G12, it is now time for you to learn how much videos and pictures each memory card size can hold.
**Just a little warning when it comes to the table below. The table was created to show the comparisons between the different memory cards. The data that we utilized for the various columns were all based on ESTIMATED file sizes. These file sizes can obviously change, depending on a variety of factors. The table is really there to show the difference between the different memory cards.
| Images | Raw | Video: 640X480 | Video: 1280X720 | |
| 4GB | 1,946 | 268 | 43 min | 25 min |
| 8GB | 3,892 | 536 | 1 hr 26 min | 50 min |
| 16GB | 7,784 | 1072 | 2 hr 52 min | 1hr 40 min |
| 32GB | 15,568 | 2144 | 5 hr 42 min | 3 hr 20 min |
| 48GB | 23,352 | 3216 | 8 hr 32 min | 5 hr |
| 64GB | 31,136 | 4288 | 11 hr 22 min | 6 hr 40 min |
| 128GB | 62,272 | 8576 | 22 hr 44 min | 13 hr 20 min |
*Compatibility Issues
If you have plans on buying a SDHC or SDXC memory card, then it is a good idea for you to have a look on the card reader on your laptop or computer. A lot of the older devices come with SD card readers and as a result of that, they will not be able to read SDHC or SDXC card. If you’re computer does not support the newer file formats, then you will have to buy a card reader that has the ability to read SDHC and SDXC cards. They do not cost a lot of money and you can get one here.