The Nikon ZR is a 25 megapixel full-frame 6K/60p cinema camera with RED color science that features two memory card slots.
Slot 1 supports CFexpress Type B or XQD cards, and slot 2 supports microSD/microSDHC/microSDXC (UHS-I) cards.
We strongly recommend using CFexpress Type B cards over the now older and slower XQD cards that many manufacturers are discontinuing.
You will also need to use CFexpress Type B cards over the microSD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-I cards if you wish to record in all of the video modes supported by the Nikon RED ZR.
Recommended CFexpress Type B Cards
If you want to record in Apple ProRes RAW HQ 6048 x 3402 : 29.97p (5000 Mbps) or R3D NE / N-RAW High quality 6048 x 3402 : 59.94p (3780 Mbps) which are two of the most demanding video modes available, then you'll want to use a card that supports a minimum sustained write speed of no less than 625 MB/s (5000 Mbps).
A Video Performance Guarantee (VPG) of 800 would be best, but there are currently no CFexpress Type B cards with this certification, only VPG400.
Our top recommended CFexpress Type B cards based on speed and reliability for the Nikon ZR are:
| CFexpress Type B Memory Card | Min Sustained Write Speed | Max Write Speed | Max Read Speed | Video Rating | CFexpress Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delkin Devices BLACK 4.0 | 2040 MB/s | 3200 MB/s | 3600 MB/s | VPG400 | 4.0 |
| Delkin Devices POWER 4.0 | 820 MB/s | 3240 MB/s | 3650 MB/s | NA | 4.0 |
| Angelbird AV PRO SE v4 | 1050 MB/s | 1100 MB/s | 3700 MB/s | NA | 4.0 |
| SanDisk PRO-CINEMA * | 1400 MB/s | 1500 MB/s | 1700 MB/s | NA | 2.0 |
| Lexar Professional DIAMOND 4.0 | 3200 MB/s | 3400 MB/s | 3700 MB/s | VPG400 | 4.0 |
| Nextorage NX-B2 PRO * | 3400 MB/s | 3600 MB/s | 3900 MB/s | VPG400 | 4.0 |
| Delkin Devices POWER G4 | 805 MB/s | 1700 MB/s | 1780 MB/s | NA | 2.0 |
| Lexar Professional GOLD 4.0 * | 3000 MB/s | 3300 MB/s | 3600 MB/s | NA | 4.0 |
| Lexar Professional SILVER 4.0 | 2600 MB/s | 3000 MB/s | 3600 MB/s | NA | 4.0 |
| ProGrade Digital 4.0 Gold * | 850 MB/s | 3000 MB/s | 3400 MB/s | NA | 4.0 |
|
ProGrade Digital 4.0 Iridium |
850 MB/s | 3000 MB/s | 3550 MB/s | VPG400 | 4.0 |
| Sony CEB-G | NA | 1600 MB/s | 1850 MB/s | NA | 2.0 |
| SanDisk Extreme PRO * | NA | 1200 MB/s | 1700 MB/s | NA | 2.0 |
Cards with a * next to their name are also recommended and supported by Nikon. Those without will most likely work just fine, Nikon does not test every single memory card.
Recommended UHS-I Micro SDXC Cards
As well as CFexpress Type B cards the Nikon ZR also supports UHS-I microSD/SDHC/SDXC cards.
The faster UHS-II microSD/SDHC/SDXC can be used in the ZR but they will only work in-camera at UHS-I speeds. Full size UHS-I / UHS-II cards are not supported, only the Micro cards.
We would recommend using microSDXC cards instead of SD/SDHC for video recording to avoid video files being split into 4GB chunks.
Our top recommended UHS-I microSDXC cards based on speed and reliability for the Nikon ZR are:
| UHS-I Card | Max Write Speed | Max Read Speed | Video Speed Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| SanDisk Extreme UHS-I microSDXC * | 130 MB/s | 190 MB/s | V30 |
| Delkin Devices Hyperspeed UHS-I microSDXC | 75 MB/s | 100 MB/s | V30 |
| Lexar Professional Silver Plus UHS-I microSDXC * | 150 MB/s | 205 MB/s | V30 |
Cards with a * next to their name are also recommended and supported by Nikon. Those without will most likely work just fine, Nikon does not test every single memory card.
FAQs
Are CFexpress Type B 4.0 cards compatible with the Nikon ZR?
Yes, the Nikon ZR is compatible with CFexpress 4.0 cards because the 4.0 standard is backward compatible with 2.0. Unfortunately in-camera there is no speed benefit to using a 4.0 card over a 2.0 card because the ZR memory bus does not support the faster 4.0 speeds. Where you will see a benefit is when copying files from your memory card to your computer, with a 4.0 card this can be up to twice as fast compared to a 2.0 card when using a CFexpress 4.0 Type B compatible reader.
What is the difference between CFexpress Type B 2.0 and 4.0?
The main difference is speed. CFexpress Type B 4.0 cards utilize the PCIe Gen 4 bus which delivers twice the bandwidth (up to 4 GB/s) compared to CFexpress 2.0 Type B cards that utilize the PCIe Gen 3 bus (up to 2 GB/s).
CFexpress Type B 4.0 cards are backward compatible with CFexpress 2.0 devices, meaning a 4.0 card will work in a 2.0 camera or reader, but the performance will be limited to CFexpress 2.0 speeds. Similarly, a CFexpress 2.0 card will perform at its peak in a CFexpress 4.0 device.
Are CFexpress Type A cards compatible with the Nikon ZR?
No. The Nikon ZR is not compatible with the physically smaller CFexpress Type A cards, only CFexpress Type B cards are supported in slot 1 and microSD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I)cards in slot 2.
Where can you find the Nikon ZR specifications?
Full specifications for the Nikon ZR can be found on Nikon's website.
