What size SD card do i need?

Hi, i'm buying the nikon D5100 soon, and i was just wondering what size SD card i would need, i have read that the size of the card impacts on the quality of the videos/photos that you shoot, the camera takes approximately 30 frames per second in video (HD), obviously i want the best quality videos and pictures so what size card should i get?

OK, the most important thing is to get a good quality card.
Sure you can buy one for $5, but if the card goes faulty, you lose the images on it.

So, look at Sandisk Ultra or Extreme, or Lexar Pro cards. Don't buy them off eBay as there are lots of fake ones on there.

I'd also suggest getting 2 smaller cards instead of one bigger one. Yes they cost more, but again, it's all about making sure you don't lose images.

So, 2x8GB cards would be my first suggestion. If you've got more money, maybe buy 16GB ones.

The capacity of the SD card has nothing to do with the quality of the photos and videos that the camera produces, it only determines how many photos/videos can be stored on the card. I suggest getting a card with at least 8GB capacity.

It should not make much of a difference. I would recommend the SanDisk Ultra, or any Class 10 SD Card, because they are much faster then class 4. There should be no quality difference, however, the more GBs a SD Card has, the more pictures and video it can hold.

Get a couple of 8G class 10 memory cards. Maybe a 16G. I have used sandisk, kingston and transcend with absolutely no problems.

The class 10 refers to how fast the card can move data. Class 10 is required for DSLRs, which need to record a 1gig every 3 minutes.

Which leads to the second issue. 20 gigs/hr means a clean 16 gig card will give you about 45 minutes.

Card has no direct effect on quality, it will either record or quit. To use a slower card, in a pinch, you can set a lower quality video format.

And be careful, Class 10 cards are often counterfeited by re-labeling slower cards. Stick with dealers you know, and well established brands. If the price is too good to be true… Move on. Expect a little less than $1.00 (USA) per gig. I just got a 32 gig card for $24 at a big-box store.