SanDisk debuts World's Highest Capacity SD card - 512GB!

At IBC2014, storage media giant SanDisk announced a world's first: an SD card with a whopping 512GB, or half-a-terabyte, capacity!

As the number of 4K capable cameras grows with each passing month, the need for higher capacity storage is clear. Many of these new cameras record externally to recorders or to robust, professional options for internal recording, like CFast cards or propreitary media, like AJA's PAK media for its upcoming CION 4K camera. But, 4K prosumer cameras that use SD cards, like the Panasonic GH4 for internal, 8-bit 4K recording, would also benefit greatly from increased storage.

At IBC 2014, SanDisk announced a product which may cause GH4 users and others to rejoice...or double-check the balance on their credit cards. The 512GB variety of the SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I memory card, the highest capacity SD card on the market, will deliver the same great SanDisk performance that many professionals swear by at the same great speeds of its other cards in the same class (95 MB/s read; 90 MB/s write).

Here's what Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO, had to say about SanDisk's latest offering:

The new 512GB SanDisk Extreme PRO UHS-I card offers incredible speed and capacity. Our Pocket Cinema Camera customers shoot in every type of circumstance and location, and get amazing wide dynamic range RAW images capturing the brightest highlights and darkest shadows at the same time. The additional capacity of the SanDisk Extreme PRO UHS-I card will extend the creative freedom for our customers shooting in RAW and open up the ability to use wide dynamic range RAW files with even more productions.

Of course, Petty framed his praise of SanDisk's new card in terms of the company's Pocket Camera, which records at 1080p resolution, but the same applies for the Panasonic GH4, which would create compressed 8-bit 4K files at similar sizes to the Pocket Camera HD recording in RAW. The 512GB SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I memory card will set you back $799, so you better start saving your pennies now. No word on exact release date, but given SanDisk's participation in other photographic conventions through the year's end, it's likely to arrive sometime in Q4, or sooner.

Check out the full press release from SanDisk on Page Two!

Full Press Release

SanDisk Premieres World’s Highest Capacity SD Card for High Performance Video and Photo Capture

Company Helps Video and Photo Professionals Prepare for the Future with Breakthrough Storage Technology

SanDisk Extreme PRO® SDXC™ UHS-I Memory Card 512GB enables capture of 4K Ultra HD, Full HD video and fast-action photography
Increases SD™ card capacity by 1,000 times in just over a decade

International Broadcasting Convention, AMSTERDAM, Sept. 11, 2014 - SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), a global leader in flash storage solutions, today launched its 512GB** SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I memory card, the world’s highest capacity SD™ card on the market. The new offering is designed to meet the demands of industry professionals who require the most advanced gear available for shooting 4K Ultra High Definition (3840x2160p) video, Full HD video (1920x1080)1 and high-speed burst mode photography.

"As an industry leader, SanDisk continues to push the boundaries of technology to provide customers with the innovative, reliable, high-performance solutions they have come to expect from us," said Dinesh Bahal, vice president, product marketing, SanDisk. "4K Ultra HD is an example of a technology that is pushing us to develop new storage solutions capable of handling massive file sizes. The 512GB SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I card is a tremendous advancement that enables professionals to reliably store more content on a single card than ever before."

Built for the Pros
Since SanDisk unveiled its first 512MB SD card in 2003, capacity demands have increased exponentially and the new 512GB SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I card represents a 1,000-fold capacity increase in just over a decade, yet maintains the same size footprint. SanDisk’s most powerful and highest capacity SD UHS-I memory card yet, the 512GB card delivers write speeds up to 90 MB/s* and UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) recording speed for high resolution, real-world color and stutter-free 4K Ultra HD video1. Transfer speeds up to 95 MB/s* move data quickly for efficient post-production workflow.

The 512GB SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I card delivers both the speed and capacity needed to support 4K Ultra HD video capture, enabling users to shoot tremendous amounts of content without disrupting the moment.

The new offering comes with key features designed for pro-level action:

Built for and tested in harsh conditions—temperature proof, water proof, shock proof, and x-ray proof2
Lifetime limited warranty3
RescuePRO® Deluxe data recovery software download offer4, for bringing accidentally deleted images back to life
SanDisk Extreme Team member Sebastian Devaud, renowned director and producer, relies on cutting edge technologies to continuously advance his productions. "I am always interested in new technologies to help improve how I work and the quality of my results," said Devaud. "With higher capacities, I have greater flexibility to capitalize on the moment and let the camera roll without worrying about the performance of my equipment."

"The new 512GB SanDisk Extreme PRO UHS-I card offers incredible speed and capacity," said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. "Our Pocket Cinema Camera customers shoot in every type of circumstance and location, and get amazing wide dynamic range RAW images capturing the brightest highlights and darkest shadows at the same time. The additional capacity of the SanDisk Extreme PRO UHS-I card will extend the creative freedom for our customers shooting in RAW and open up the ability to use wide dynamic range RAW files with even more productions."

Pricing and Availability
The SanDisk Extreme PRO UHS-I SDHC/SDXC memory cards are available worldwide in capacities of 512GB, 256GB and 128GB. The 512GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I card will be available for $799.99 (MSRP). For more information, please visit www.SanDisk.com.