Canon EOS 550D (Rebel T2i / Kiss X4 Digital) In-depth review

Compared to...

Here we compare the EOS 550D to the other cameras that potential buyers might also be considering. The most obvious competitor to the 550D comes in the form of Nikon's D5000, which is aimed roughly at the same market, and also features a video recording mode. The EOS 500D is included here as a convenient point of comparison, as the 550D's nearest contemporary in Canon's current DSLR lineup (even if the 550D isn't strictly speaking a replacement model).

It was easy to see the Canon EOS 500D as the 'baby brother' to the EOS 50D when it was released, and the EOS 550D adopts the same role alongside the EOS 7D, in Canon's current lineup. Things would be a little easier to understand if Canon weren't still insisting that both the 500D and 50D remain 'current' models, but the super-powered 550D has more in common (in terms of specification) with the 7D than it does the 500D.

Canon EOS 550D advantages

• Very high spec video recording option
• Highly intuitive interface, user-friendly ergonomics, 'true' 3:2 format LCD screen.
• Relatively trivial price premium over EOS 500D

Canon EOS 550D disadvantages

• Fixed LCD screen (as opposed to the flip-out model on the D5000)
• No in-camera raw conversion
• Fairly high price (at introduction)

	Canon 550D	Nikon D5000	Canon 500D
Price (body only)	US: $799 [check price]	US: $550 [check price]	US: $699 [check price]
Sensor	• 22.3 x 14.9 mm CMOS • 18.7 million effective pixels • 18.0 million effective pixels	• 23.6 x 15.8 mm CMOS • 12.3 million effective pixels • 12.9 million effective pixels	• 22.3 x 14.9 mm CMOS • 15.1 million effective pixels • 15.5 million effective pixels
Dust reduction	• Anti-dust materials • Low pass filter vibration • Dust reference image	• Low pass filter vibration • Airflow Control System • Dust reference image	• Anti-dust materials • Low pass filter vibration • Dust reference image
Native image size	5184 x 3456 (3:2 ratio)	4288 x 2848 (3:2 ratio)	4752 x 3168 (3:2 ratio)
Movie resolution	1920 x 1080 @ 30, 25, 24 fps 720p @ 60, 50 fps	720p @ 24 fps AVI Motion-JPEG, with monaural sound	1080p @ 20fps 720p @ 30fps MOV (Video: H.264, Sound: Linear PCM)
Lens support	• Canon EF mount • Including EF-S lenses	• Nikon F-mount • Includes DX lenses • AF only available with AF-S or AF-I lenses	• Canon EF mount • Including EF-S lenses
FOV crop	1.6x	1.5x	1.6x
Body Shake reduction	No	No	No
Live View AF	Yes, Contrast detect (inc Face detection) or Phase detect AF	Yes, Contrast detect (inc Face priority) or Phase detect AF	Yes, Contrast detect (inc Face detection) or Phase detect AF
File formats	• RAW (comp. lossless 14-bit) • JPEG (2 levels)	• RAW (compressed) • JPEG (3 levels)	• RAW (comp. lossless 14-bit) • JPEG (2 levels)
RAW+JPEG	RAW + JPEG (Fine)	RAW + JPEG (Any quality)	RAW + JPEG (Fine)
Auto focus	• 9-point TTL • F5.6 cross-type at center, extra sensitivity at F2.8 • Range: -0.5 to 18 EV • Contrast detect AF in live view	• 11 area TTL • Cross-type at center • Range: -1 to +19 EV • Contrast detect AF in live view	• 9 area TTL • Cross-type F2.8 at center • Range: -0.5 to +18 EV • Contrast detect AF in live view
AF illuminator	Flash strobe, must be raised	Built-in lamp	Flash strobe, must be raised
Color space	• sRGB • Adobe RGB	• sRGB • Adobe RGB	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Metering sensor	• 63 zone sensor • 1 - 20 EV working range	• 420 pixel RGB sensor • 0 - 20 EV working range	• 35 zone sensor • 1 - 20 EV working range
Metering	• Evaluative • Partial • Center-weighted average • 4% spot	• 3D Color Matrix Metering II • Center-weighted average • Spot (2.5%)	• Evaluative • Partial • Center-weighted average • 4% spot
Exp. comp.	+/- 5.0 EV	+/- 5.0 EV	+/- 2.0 EV
EV steps	1/3 or 1/2 EV	1/3 or 1/2 EV	1/3 or 1/2 EV
Sensitivity	• ISO 100 - 6400 (with 12800 equiv)	• ISO 200 - 3200 (with 100 and 6400 equiv)	• ISO 100 - 3200 (with 6400 and 12800 equiv)
Auto ISO	Auto (100-6400)	User definable maximum ISO and minimum shutter speed	Auto (100-1600)
High- ISO NR	Yes (4 levels)	Yes (4 levels)	Yes (4 levels)
Shutter speed	• 30 - 1/4000 sec / Bulb • 1/200 sec Flash sync	• 30 - 1/4000 sec / Bulb • 1/200 sec Flash sync	• 30 - 1/4000 sec / Bulb • 1/200 sec Flash sync
Continuous shooting	• 3.7 fps • 34 JPEG/Fine frames • 6 RAW frames	• 4 fps • 67 JPEG/Fine frames • 11 RAW frames	• 3.4 fps • 170 JPEG/Fine frames • 9 RAW frames
White balance	• Auto • Six presets • Manual preset • Kelvin temperature • Fine tunable	• Auto • Twelve presets • Manual preset • Fine tunable	• Auto • Eight presets • Manual preset • Kelvin temperature • Fine tunable
Comment	Owner name set in-camera	Comment set in-camera	Owner name set via software
Flash	Electronic release pop-up	Electronic release pop-up	Electronic release pop-up
Viewfinder	• Pentamirror • Eyepoint 18 mm • Frame coverage 95% • Magnification approx 0.87x • Precision matte screen	• Pentamirror • Eyepoint 18 mm • Frame coverage 95% • Magnification approx 0.78x • B-type Bright View Clear Matte Mark V	• Pentamirror • Eyepoint 18 mm • Frame coverage 95% • Magnification approx 0.87x • Precision matte screen
LCD screen	• 3.0 " TFT LCD • 1040,000 dots	• 2.7 " TFT LCD • 230,000 dots • Hinged/swivel	• 3.0 " TFT LCD • 920,000 dots
Mirror lock-up	Custom function	No (exposure delay mode)	Custom function
Other features	• Multi-shot self-timer • Auto Lighting Optimizer • Highlight Tone Priority • Remote Live view shooting (via USB) • Eye sensor • DOF preview	• In-camera retouching • Active D-Lighting • RAW Development • Interval shooting • Stop motion movies	• Multi-shot self-timer • Auto Lighting Optimizer • Highlight Tone Priority • Remote Live view shooting (via USB) • Eye sensor • DOF preview
Storage	SD/SDHC card	SD/SDHC card	SD/SDHC card
Battery	LP-E8 (7.2 V, 1120 mAh)	EN-EL9a (7.2 V, 1080 mAh)	LP-E5 (7.4 V, 1050 mAh)
Battery status	Battery life (3 stage)	Battery life (3 stage)	Battery life (3 stage)
Connectors	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
Grip	BG-E8 (option)	No	BG-E5 (option)
Software	• Canon DPP • Canon PhotoStitch • Canon ZoomBrowser EX • EOS Utility (Remote Capt.)	• Nikon Transfer • ViewNX	• Canon DPP • Canon PhotoStitch • Canon ZoomBrowser EX • EOS Utility (Remote Capt.)
Dimensions	129 x 98 x 62 mm (5.1 x 3.9 x 2.4 in)	127 x 104 x 80 mm (5.0 x 4.1 x 3.1 in)	129 x 98 x 62 mm (5.1 x 3.9 x 2.4 in)
Weight (no batt)	530 g (1.7 lb)	560 g (1.2 lb)	480 g (1.1 lb)