The SD Card Most Kodak PixPro FZ55 Owners Should Buy (And When to Spend More)

The short answer: get the SanDisk Ultra 32GB. Class 10, affordable, works perfectly with the FZ55, and you won't hit its limits shooting stills or 1080p video. Done.

If you want the slightly longer answer, because capacity, file systems, and a couple of edge cases actually matter here, keep reading. This won't take long.

What the FZ55 actually supports

The FZ55 takes SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards up to 512GB. It also works with microSD cards if you're using a standard SD adapter. MMC cards are out.

For speed, you need at least Class 10 or V10 to record 1080p video without issues. Most cards sold today are V30 minimum, so this mostly takes care of itself. UHS-II cards are physically compatible, but the FZ55 can't take advantage of the extra speed inside the camera. You'd only see that benefit when copying files to your computer via a UHS-II card reader.

One thing worth knowing: SDHC cards (32GB and under) use the FAT32 file system, which caps individual file sizes at 4GB. Long video clips will be split at that threshold, though playback is smooth. SDXC cards (64GB and up) use exFAT, so clips record without splits. For most FZ55 users shooting casual video, it doesn't matter much. But if you're recording longer clips, go 64GB or bigger.

The sweet spot: SanDisk Ultra (32GB or 64GB)

The SanDisk Ultra 64GB is the card I'd put in this camera without thinking twice. It's the most widely used card among FZ55 owners, it's proven reliable, and it's priced well. The 32GB SDHC version works just as well for stills-heavy shooting, but the 64GB SDXC gives you that exFAT formatting bonus for video and enough room to go a full vacation without worrying about card swaps.

What's good: broad compatibility, fast enough for everything the FZ55 can throw at it, and SanDisk's track record is hard to argue with.

What's bad: honestly not much at this price. You're paying for a mid-tier card and getting exactly that.

What's missing: if you shoot a lot and want to fill the card fast without thinking about it, 64GB can still fill up during a busy travel day mixing stills and video. Go 128GB if that sounds like you.

The budget option: PNY and Gigastone over generic brands

PNY and Gigastone are legitimate budget options if you want to spend less than SanDisk pricing. The FZ55 is an inexpensive camera, but the last thing you want is a card failure wiping out a day of photos from a trip or a kid's birthday. Stay with a recognizable name and a return policy.

The upgrade: Kodak-branded SD card (128GB)

There's a Kodak-branded 128GB SD card designed specifically for the PixPro series, including the FZ55 (with a firmware update installed). It reads at 85MB/s, it's listed as drop-proof and temperature-proof, and it has the obvious brand match going for it.

What's good: the 128GB capacity means you're unlikely to run out of space, and the build quality specs are solid for a camera that might get tossed in a bag or taken on a hike.

What's bad: the firmware update requirement is a minor hassle, and the SanDisk Ultra generally has a stronger long-term reliability reputation among users.

What's missing: nothing critical. This is a fine card. It's just that the SanDisk is easier to recommend without caveats.

The SanDisk Extreme: is it worth it?

The SanDisk Extreme 256GB is a better card than the Ultra. Faster write speeds, more rugged build, 256GB capacity. But the FZ55's camera internals can't take advantage of those faster write speeds, so you're paying a premium for a performance gap that doesn't exist in practice.

The one real argument for it: if you also use the same card in a faster camera, a drone, or a GoPro, the Extreme earns its keep. If it's living exclusively in the FZ55, it's overkill. Speaking of GoPros, we broke down the same decision for action cameras in our guide to the GoPro SD card most people overthink, and the same logic applies.

How much capacity do you actually need?

At 16MP, the FZ55 produces JPEG files that are a few megabytes each. A 32GB card gets you roughly thousands of shots before you're full. A 64GB card doubles that. Unless you're batch shooting events without a laptop nearby, 32GB is plenty for stills. If you mix in video, bump to 64GB. Planning a two-week trip without access to a computer? Go 128GB and stop thinking about it.

Final recommendation

Buy the SanDisk Ultra 64GB. It handles everything the FZ55 can do, the exFAT formatting is a small but real quality-of-life improvement for video, and you won't outgrow it in normal use. If you're mostly a stills shooter and want to save a couple of dollars, the 32GB version is just as good. And if you want the peace of mind of a bigger card with a brand match, the Kodak 128GB is a legitimate pick too.

The FZ55 is a simple camera for getting out and shooting. Your SD card should stay out of the way. All three of these options do exactly that.