There are currently only four manufacturers producing APS-C format digital SLRs. In order of their respective market shares they are Canon, Nikon, Sony and Pentax. While Pentax seems content to plod along with its two percent share of the market and its small but excellent range of entry-level and semi-pro models, the other three brands are involved in a cut-and thrust battle, launching new cameras into ever smaller niches, seeking to fill every possible gap in the market. The past year has seen Canon’s leading share of the DSLR market drop from around 50 per cent to just over 40, while rivals Nikon and Sony are gaining ground with some very strong products such as the D5000, Alpha A500 and A550.
The Canon EOS 550D is a difficult product to categorize. Ostensibly designed to appeal to first-time DSLR buyers and enthusiasts, it offers a lot more technology, and at a higher price, than we might expect for a camera aimed squarely at this sector. Although it might seem logical for the 550D to replace the EOS 500D, the older camera is set to continue in Canon’s lineup, which leaves the 550D pinched between its entry-level (represented by the still-current EOS 1000D and the 500D) and nominally enthusiast (the EOS 50D) peers. Confusingly however, apart from build quality (which is all but identical to the EOS 500D), the 550D has more in common with the prosumer EOS 7D, and – perhaps even more confusingly – it out-specifies the EOS 50D in many areas.
Central to the impressive specification of the EOS 550D is a high-spec movie mode which offers full HD capture at up to 30 fps, manual control over exposure, and the option to use an external stereo microphone. The new camera also inherits the EOS 7D’s sophisticated metering system (which brings it a lot closer to similarly positioned Nikon SLRs).
Headline features
– 18 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
– DIGIC 4 processor with ISO 100-6400 (Expansion to 12800)
– Continuous shooting at 3.7fps
– Full HD movie recording with manual control and selectable frame rates
– 7.7cm (3.0”) 3:2 Clear View LCD with 1,040k dots
– iFCL metering System with 63-zone Dual-layer Metering Sensor
– Quick Control screen to change shooting settings
– Exposure compensation +/-5 stops (although viewfinder scale is still +/-2 stops)
– Select maximum value for Auto ISO
– External Microphone socket
– Movie crop function
– Eye-Fi connected functions compatibility
EOS 550D vs EOS 500D Key differences
– Higher resolution 18MP CMOS with gapless micro lenses
– ISO 6400 no longer in ‘expanded’ range (12,800 max remains the same)
– Redesigned buttons and new movie/live view button
– Customizable auto ISO ranges
– Improved 63 zone metering (iFCL)
– 3:2 format screen with more pixels
– Improved movie functionality
– Slightly higher burst shooting rate (though buffer holds fewer shots)
– HDMI control (CEC)
– SDHX Compatible
CLICK here EOS 550D User’s Guide
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