Camera Memory Speed
Memory Card Comparison & Performance Tests for Digital Cameras
Canon T6s SD card door open

Canon Rebel T6i/T6s SD Card Comparison

Published: May 5, 2015

The Canon Rebel T6i and T6s (750D/760D) cameras are a major update to Canon's entry level EOS Rebel DSLR. The T6 cameras offer a 24.2MP megapixel APS-C sensor, an upgrade over the 18MP sensor found in the T5i (700D). The AF system has been improved to 19 cross-type sensors in addition to on-sensor phase detection. The T6i/T6s use the DIGIC 6 image processor and are capable of up to about 5 frames per second in continuous shooting. A single memory card slot accepts standard SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards and supports UHS-I.

Write speed and continuous shooting performance were tested using a total of 52 SD cards. Both the T6i and T6s were tested and the results were essentially the same in both cameras. The following results are for the T6s. The write speed results are provided for RAW images. The continuous shooting results are provided for RAW+JPEG, RAW and JPEG image modes. After the results an analysis has more details and observations from the tests. Recommended SD cards for the T6i/T6s are provided for the fastest write speed and best value.

Camera Details and Settings

When testing the T6i and T6s an unusual result was observed. In most cameras the write speed during continuous shooting for a given memory card is usually similar when shooting different scenes and is only slightly affected by file size (smaller files typically reduce write speed slightly). When the T6s and T6i were tested using a detailed test scene that created large files (33.7MB RAW) the average write speed was around 49MB/s with the fastest card, while a less detailed scene averaged 74MB/s write speed (26.5MB RAW files). Tests with the lens cap on (22.2MB RAW files) averaged 71MB/s write speed. Shooting detailed scenes can reduce the in average write speed of the T6i and T6s. All cards were affected by this reduction, not just the fastest ones. The camera is probably not writing continuously or at its highest rate when it processes large, detailed images.

For these tests the camera is mounted on a tripod and focused on a static test scene under controlled lighting. The test scene used is of average detail. (This differs from other tests that use a detailed scene because the T6s/T6i write speed was limited when using highly detailed scenes.) The camera is operated by a remote timer that provides 30 second intervals.

Write speed is determined by a new method that eliminates the use of the card access light. Write speed is the rate at which the buffer clears after the buffer has reached capacity. The buffer full condition begins when the buffer has reached capacity and is unable to sustain the full frame rate. The first shot at the lower frame rate until the last shot is the time interval used (range 25.8 - 28.4 seconds). The total bytes written is the number of shots during this interval (less one since the beginning and end are determined by shots) multiplied by the average file size (recalculated for for each card). Comparing results using the new method to the method using card access light shows the access light consistently adds about 0.7 seconds (resulting in about 2.2% lower apparent average write speed). While the access light provides a consistent and easy measurement, it is illuminated as soon as the shutter is first activated, not after the first shot is processed and written.

Canon EOS Rebel T6s SD Card Write Speed

+ Show more prices
Memory CardSize
(GB)
Average Write Speed (MB/s)Price
Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II 32GB3273.8$86.50
SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s 64GB6473.8$59.99
SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s microSDXC 64GB6473.3$14.29
SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s microSDHC 32GB3272.9$15.23
Kingston U3 90/80 MB/s 64GB6472.3$59.40
SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s 32GB3271.6$18.08
Kingston U3 90/80 MB/s 32GB3271.5$69.95
Toshiba Exceria Pro UHS-II 32GB3271.3
Transcend 95/85 MB/s U3 32GB3270.5
Toshiba Exceria Type 1 32GB3270.5
Kingston Class 10 UHS-I 64GB6469.9$36.38
Transcend R95 W85 U3 64GB6469.5$49.99
Samsung PRO 32GB3269.3$69.00
Samsung PRO 64GB6469.1$69.50
Sony 95MB/s U3 64GB6468.7$34.99
Sony 95MB/s U3 32GB3268.1$15.99
Lexar Professional 1000x UHS-II 32GB3266.1$44.99
Lexar Professional 1000x UHS-II 128GB12862.4$54.95
Lexar Professional 633x U3 64GB6459.1$59.99
SanDisk Extreme Plus 80MB/s microSD 32GB3258.6
Lexar Professional 600x 64GB6458.3$14.99
Transcend 95/60 MB/s U3 64GB6458.2$29.95
PNY Elite Performance U1 64GB6457.6$19.99
Toshiba Exceria Type 2 32GB3257.1
SanDisk Extreme Plus 80MB/s 64GB6454.8$29.99
SanDisk Extreme Plus 80MB/s 32GB3254.5$41.00
Toshiba Exceria UHS-I Class 3 32GB3254.1
Toshiba Exceria UHS-I Class 3 64GB6453.9
SanDisk Extreme U3 microSD 64GB6450.7$38.99
SanDisk Extreme 60MB/s 32GB3250.2$17.84
SanDisk Extreme U3 microSD 32GB3249.4$19.99
SanDisk Extreme 60MB/s 64GB6448.9$36.90
Lexar Professional 633x U3 32GB3244.8$39.99
Kingston Ultimate 32GB3243.7
SanDisk Extreme Pro 280MB/s UHS-II 32GB3241.1$69.00
SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 32GB Card 13241.0
Panasonic Gold Series 32GB3241.0
SanDisk Extreme 45MB/s 32GB3240.8$9.50
Patriot EP Pro 90MB/s 64GB6438.1$24.99
Transcend 600x 32GB3236.2$17.99
PNY Elite Performance U1 32GB3235.4
Panasonic MicroP2 UHS-II 32GB3233.2
Samsung EVO 32GB3221.6$44.00
Sony 94MB/s 32GB3220.8$26.29
Lexar Professional 400x 32GB3220.6$79.99
Lexar Professional 600x 32GB3220.4$42.99
SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 32GB Card 23218.8$8.49
SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 64GB6415.3$13.00
SanDisk Ultra microSD 64GB6414.3$24.99
SanDisk Ultra microSD 32GB3213.8$13.99
Toshiba FlashAir II 32GB3212.3
Patriot EP Pro 90MB/s 32GB3211.2$31.58

Canon EOS Rebel T6s Continuous Shooting

The continuous shooting test measures the number of images taken in 30 seconds. Three image modes are used for this test: RAW+JPEG, RAW, and JPEG. The JPEG setting is large, fine quality. The Canon T6s is set to continuous high release mode. The subject is a test scene of average detail (with this camera the write speed is limited when using highly detailed scenes). The average RAW file size is 26.5 MB, average JPEG file size is 6.2 MB.

+ Show more prices
Memory CardSize
(GB)
Continuous Shooting – Images in 30 SecondsLowest
Price
RAW+JPEGRAWJPEG
Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II 32GB325487142$86.50
SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s microSDXC 64GB645487142$14.29
SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s microSDHC 32GB325487142$15.23
SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s 64GB645487142$59.99
SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s 32GB325485142$18.08
Kingston U3 90/80 MB/s 64GB645386142$59.40
Kingston U3 90/80 MB/s 32GB325385142$69.95
Toshiba Exceria Pro UHS-II 32GB325285142
Transcend 95/85 MB/s U3 32GB325284142
Toshiba Exceria Type 1 32GB325284142
Transcend R95 W85 U3 64GB645283142$49.99
Samsung PRO 64GB645282142$69.50
Samsung PRO 32GB325183142$69.00
Sony 95MB/s U3 64GB645182142$34.99
Sony 95MB/s U3 32GB325181142$15.99
Kingston Class 10 UHS-I 64GB645083142$36.38
Lexar Professional 1000x UHS-II 32GB325079142$44.99
Lexar Professional 1000x UHS-II 128GB1284875142$54.95
Lexar Professional 633x U3 64GB644771142$59.99
SanDisk Extreme Plus 80MB/s microSD 32GB324671142
PNY Elite Performance U1 64GB644670142$19.99
Lexar Professional 600x 64GB644670142$14.99
Transcend 95/60 MB/s U3 64GB644670142$29.95
Toshiba Exceria Type 2 32GB324569142
SanDisk Extreme Plus 80MB/s 64GB644567142$29.99
SanDisk Extreme Plus 80MB/s 32GB324466142$41.00
Toshiba Exceria UHS-I Class 3 64GB644466142
Toshiba Exceria UHS-I Class 3 32GB324466142
SanDisk Extreme 60MB/s 32GB324262142$17.84
SanDisk Extreme U3 microSD 64GB644262142$38.99
SanDisk Extreme U3 microSD 32GB324261142$19.99
SanDisk Extreme 60MB/s 64GB644260142$36.90
Lexar Professional 633x U3 32GB323956142$39.99
Kingston Ultimate 32GB323855142
SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 32GB Card 1323852142
SanDisk Extreme Pro 280MB/s UHS-II 32GB323852142$69.00
SanDisk Extreme 45MB/s 32GB323751142$9.50
Panasonic Gold Series 32GB323751142
Patriot EP Pro 90MB/s 64GB643648142$24.99
Transcend 600x 32GB323546142$17.99
PNY Elite Performance U1 32GB323445142
Panasonic MicroP2 UHS-II 32GB323343142
Samsung EVO 32GB322830113$44.00
Sony 94MB/s 32GB322429112$26.29
Lexar Professional 400x 32GB322429111$79.99
Lexar Professional 600x 32GB322429110$42.99
SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 32GB Card 2322227103$8.49
SanDisk Ultra 40MB/s 64GB64202384$13.00
SanDisk Ultra microSD 64GB64202284$24.99
SanDisk Ultra microSD 32GB32202281$13.99
Toshiba FlashAir II 32GB32172074
Patriot EP Pro 90MB/s 32GB32101968$31.58

Analysis

The Canon T6s/T6i can use UHS-I SD cards, and support the fastest SDR104 bus mode. While many Canon cameras support UHS-I, only recently have they supported SDR104. Earlier cameras such as the Canon 6D and 70D do not support SDR104 and are limited in write speed. The Canon 7D Mark II also supports SDR104. It and the new Rebel T6i and T6s support higher SD card write speed than most previous Canon cameras (excluding those that support CF cards).

The T6s and T6i both have a relatively small buffer. The term "Buffer capacity" usually means the number of shots before the frame rate slows. In this definition it is not a static number, but can change depending on the write speed of the card, the subject of the shot (file size) and camera settings. In these tests the buffer capacity ranged from 6 to 7 shots RAW+JPEG, 7 to 9 shots RAW, and 23 to infinite JPEG. This range is due to different SD card write speeds; faster cards allow more shots at full frame rate because they clear the buffer faster during continuous shooting.

Card write speed affects the frame rate when the buffer is full. In these tests in RAW+JPEG mode, frame rate with the buffer full varied from 0.4 to 1.6 fps, depending on card speed. RAW frame rate varied from 0.4 to 2.8 fps. JPEG was 1.6 to full frame rate (4.7 fps). In addition to the card write speed, frame rate depends on camera settings and image subject. The subject in this test created 26.5 MB average RAW files and 6.2MB average JPEG files. (This subject differs from the detailed subject used in earlier camera tests so these results should not be used to compare different cameras. This information is provided to illustrate the difference between memory cards in this camera.)

Recommended SD Cards for the Canon T6i and T6s

Fastest UHS-I card:
73.8 MB/s write
SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s UHS-I SD Card
SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s UHS-I SD Card
Fastest UHS-II card:
73.8 MB/s write
Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II SD Card
Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II SD Card
Best Value:
69.9 MB/s write
Kingston Class 10 UHS-I SD Card
Kingston Class 10 SD Card

The fastest SD cards for the Canon T6s and T6i are the SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s UHS-I 64GB SDXC Card and Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II card. Both cards performed at 73.8 MB/s average write speed during continuous RAW shooting. The T6i and T6s only support UHS-I. In these cameras UHS-II cards operate in UHS-I mode and offer no write speed advantage. However in a UHS-II card reader the UHS-II cards offer much faster download speed. The Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II card averaged around 250 MB/s downloading images to a computer. The Extreme Pro 95MB/s UHS-I card is no slouch either, it provided 90MB/s download speed. It should be noted the SanDisk Extreme Pro 280MB/s UHS-II card was much slower in UHS-I mode, only reaching 41.1 MB/s average write speed (the card does not support the faster UHS-I mode SDR104).

There are many cards that offer high write speed at a relatively low cost. One example is the Kingston Class 10 64GB SDXC card (SDA10/64GB), which is a "second tier" card but offers nearly the same write speed as the fastest cards in the T6s (note the 32GB capacity card did not provide the same write speed). Depending on price the Samsung PRO SD cards offer fast write speed (both 32GB and 64GB cards averaged 69MB/s) and frequently go on sale at Amazon.

Canon T6s camera with USB cable in side port and open door

Downloading images from the Canon T6s and T6i

The T6s and T6i have a USB 2.0 port on the camera that can be used to download images. Using the SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB SDXC card and copying 3GB of RAW images from the camera to a computer with a SSD drive, the transfer averaged around 31MB/s. This is good performance for USB 2.0, but well short of what can be achieved with a USB 3.0 card reader. In a separate USB 3.0 card reader, UHS-I cards such as the SanDisk Extreme Pro 95MB/s provide actual download speeds of about 90 MB/s. UHS-II cards like the Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II can reach around 250 MB/s when copying actual RAW files. Further card reader tests and benchmarks can be found in the Card Reader Reviews.