Please select Into the mobile phone version | Continue to access the computer ver.
Best SD Card for Spark?
91659 13 2017-12-27
Uploading and Loding Picture ...(0/1)
o(^-^)o
Checksum47
Flight distance : 11053 ft
United States
Offline

I just got a Spark with the Fly More package and I was actually suprised to see that it didnt include a SD card.  No big deal... But I was reading in the manual and it says this...
"Spark supports Micro SD cards up to 64 GB.  A UHS-1 Micro SD card is recommended due to their fast read and write speeds for high-resolution video recording."So Im on Best Buy.com and I see that they have 64 GB SD cards that are UHS-1 but the biggest factor in the cost between these cards is the write speed.  They start at 10 Mb/Second all the way up to 299 Mb/Seconds or 300 Mb/Second.  They start at about $30 for a 30 Mb/Second all the way up to about $150-$200 for a 260-299 Mb/Second Write Speed card.
Since it doesnt mention a upper limit when it comes to the write speed could I drop $199 for a 64 GB 300 Mb/Second SD Card?  Is it worth it?  Or am I wasting money.  

I only started this thread cause I did a search and I couldnt find anyone who has asked this basic question.  So Im sorry if it is somewhere on the forums and I missed it.  
Thanks,
Checksum47
2017-12-27
Use props
heliman
First Officer
Denmark
Offline

Max video bitrate is 24Mbps and a list of recommended micro sd cards is at
https://www.dji.com/spark/info

I have not tested if faster cards gives any advantages. Probably shorter delay saving images/video.
2017-12-28
Use props
Checksum47
Flight distance : 11053 ft
United States
Offline

Thanks, heliman...
really dumb follow up.  When you say "Max video bitrate is 24Mbps"  That would be the same as the "Write Speed" like they list them on Best Buy.com?  I'm thinking the answer is yes but I just want to be sure before I make a 45 minute drive to my nearest BestBuy and then 45 minute drive back home.  
Thank You,
Checksum47
2017-12-28
Use props
eYeSkYeYe
Captain

Croatia
Offline

heliman Posted at 2017-12-28 00:54
Max video bitrate is 24Mbps and a list of recommended micro sd cards is at
https://www.dji.com/spark/info

24 Mbs = 24 mega bits per second which translated to Mb would be 3 MB/s.
So, if Spark would spend all its processor time on writing to SD Card, theoretically the card with 3MB/s of writing speed would suffice.
However, thing is, Spark has a lot more to do except just writing to SD card.
It has to keep itself stable in the air, listen to commands and react accordingly, shoot the video and encode it etc.... so, my very wild guess is Spark can spend maximum of 1/10th of its processor time writing to SD card so that means card with writing speed of at least 30MB/s is required.
In my experience it's kind of the hit and miss thing. Some cards that are declaratively slower than some other but do better in real life than those "fast" ones. Another thing I've noticed is that cards formatted in PC, using SDAs card formatter for some reason perform better and are more reliable than the ones formatted in Spark. One would think, the ones formatted in device in which they will be used, should perform the best in that device, but that's not the case in my experience.
Furthermore, I prefer more smaller cards than one big one... like 2 x 32Gb is my preferred approach over 1 x 64Gb. If card dies or is lost or whatever you loose half the data, not all of it. Personally, I am using card that is not on the compatibility list and it performs very good... no lost frames, no problems of any kind. Not sure if mentioning the brand and model here would be treated as marketing so will refrain from doing so for now.
Just my 2 cents based on pretty extensive experience with SD cards in all kinds of equipment, not just drones.
2017-12-28
Use props
lannes
Captain
Flight distance : 4465 ft
  • >>>
Australia
Offline

I'd just get something like a Sandisk Extreme 64gb A1 V30 C10, writes up to 60mbps just in case you update to the Mavic Pro etc.The V30 A1 model is the latest

https://www.amazon.com/Sandisk-E ... k+extreme+sdxc+64gb


2017-12-28
Use props
A CW
Captain
Flight distance : 13838848 ft
  • >>>
United Kingdom
Offline

Sandisk exteme U3 16, 32 or 64gb will do the trick
2017-12-28
Use props
MavicFit91
Captain
Flight distance : 573225 ft
  • >>>
United States
Offline

I agree with A CW. I never realized how much of an effect an SD can play in quality until I started using a U3.
2017-12-28
Use props
heliman
First Officer
Denmark
Offline

eYeSkYeYe Posted at 2017-12-28 01:45
24 Mbs = 24 mega bits per second which translated to Mb would be 3 MB/s.
So, if Spark would spend all its processor time on writing to SD Card, theoretically the card with 3MB/s of writing speed would suffice.
However, thing is, Spark has a lot more to do except just writing to SD card.

DJI says the spark has 24 cores.
https://store.dji.com/guides/dji-spark-highlights/
I guess at most one of them is involved in writing to the sd card.
I use an old Verbatim class 10 card, formatted in the spark before every flying session. It works well.
2017-12-28
Use props
DJI Elektra
DJI team
Hong Kong
Offline

Hi, here is the recommended SD card list. I think all of them can work well with spark:
Sandisk 16GB UHS-1 Micro SDHC
Sandisk 32GB UHS-1 Micro SDHC
Sandisk 64GB UHS-1 Micro SDXC
Kinston 16GB UHS-1 Micro SDHC
Kinston 32GB UHS-1 Micro SDHC
Kinston 64GB UHS-1 Micro SDXC
Samsung 16G UHS-I Micro SDHC
Samsung 32G UHS-I Micro SDHC
Samsung 64G UHS-I Micro SDXC
2017-12-29
Use props
JohnRaggio
lvl.1
Flight distance : 30794 ft
United States
Offline

Strange thing.  Spark site says it uses FAT32 file system, which I thought was limited to 32 GB according to SD site.  So I don't see how it could support 64GB.

https://www.dji.com/spark/info

https://www.sdcard.org/developers/overview/capacity/index.html

2018-2-10
Use props
808
lvl.3
United States
Offline

What the hell are you people talking about
2018-2-10
Use props
p0w3r
lvl.1
Offline

#Quick Reply Here#in the Spark user manual p. 27 it states, ‘only Micro SD cards equal or less than 32 GB can be used on Mac computers do to system limitations.’ That being said, it can support a micro SD card up to 64 GB UHS-1. I’m guessing that the 64 capacity would work on a Microsoft computer, but not a Mac.
2018-5-16
Use props
m1n1s
Second Officer
Flight distance : 319915 ft
United Kingdom
Offline

using a sandisk 64gb  class 10 without issue
2018-5-17
Use props
Blellow
Captain
Flight distance : 1311056 ft
  • >>>
United States
Offline

Best card is 32 gigs because fat 32 runs on smart tvs, where 64 gigs us fat 32 ex not compatible with most smart TVs.
2018-5-17
Use props
Advanced
You need to log in before you can reply Login | Register now

Credit Rules