SD cards

How Much Does SD Card Quality Impact Video Quality?

Whether SD cards really make a difference in video quality is an often debated topic. The short answer is it depends. When using sideline video towers like Hi Rise camera systems, micro SD cards with class 10 speed ratings are usually recommended. Such SD cards will ensure sports cameras can leverage both performance and speed, both of which are essential for sideline video camera towers and endzone camera systems. Understanding just how much the SD card affects your high-speed video quality can help you choose the right one for your needs. Here’s exactly how your SD card factors into your video quality. 

Speed

The appropriate SD card should have a good speed for video recording. Inferior SD cards used for HD footage will cause the video to skip and jump, which ruins its overall quality. You might even risk some footage being cut out because the SD card is too slow to record the high-speed video. To ensure no skips and missing footage, it’s a better investment to purchase an SD card with a good speed and class for high-quality video. 

Another advantage of having a fast SD card is your camera’s response time. It will have less of a buffer that will allow you to rapidly stop and start shooting footage depending on your requirements.

Size

Apart from speed, any sports video camera needs to factor in the size and space available on the SD card. The better the video quality on your sports camera, the more space is required on the SD card. For instance, an endzone camera system that is recording a game for one hour on the highest HD video quality setting will require about 5 GB of storage on an SD card. If the same endzone camera is set at a lower HD video quality setting, the same hour’s worth of footage might only need 3 GB of storage on the SD card. Sports cameras typically record ultra-HD footage to capture high-speed details during events, so getting the SD card with the most available space is the most logical option. 

Protecting Your SD Cards

As technology improves for sports cameras and storage devices, so does the care and upkeep required for the equipment. Different storage options are available on various SD card sizes, with micro, mini, and standard being readily available depending on your camera’s needs. 

Protecting your valuable SD cards is as important as getting the footage of the game. When bringing them to and from the sports arena, always be sure to use a waterproof and shockproof case to store all your cards. Getting a case that can accommodate several SD cards micro SD cards simultaneously ensures that no footage will be left unrecorded.

Conclusion

It may be easy to gloss over the type of SD card you should buy for your sporting event. However, ensuring that you are prepared with the best possible equipment to capture high definition footage of important gameplay is essential for many different reasons. Using the right equipment and the proper storage mechanisms can spell the difference between the best video quality and unusable footage. Whether you choose to shoot in 4k or not, getting sports videos up to standard can only be made possible by investing in a good SD card suited for your needs. 

At Hi Rise Camera, we offer first-class solutions for capturing video footage from high points and aerial angles. Whether your sporting event requires endzone video or sideline cameras, Hi Rise Camera is perfectly suitable for capturing your sporting event. Get in touch with us today to purchase your sporting video needs!