If you have used previous Canon models such as the 450D or 500D, then you will not be surprised with the 550D upgrade. The body of both the battery and the memory card has a total weight of 540 grams with three dimensions of 129 x 98 x 62 mm, not much different from the “predecessor” 500D. The rugged, robust and slippery, rubberized slider sleeve is slim-coated. The button system on the back is small but very sensitive. In return, the thumb position is designed quite widely. Live View and Movie Recording are now individually integrated on a key located to the right of the viewfinder, making the transition mode convenient and accurate. Same 3-inch size as before, but the resolution climbs from 920,000 pixels on the 500D to 1,040,000 , the sharpest screen on any DSLR out right now. That’s roughly 15% more detail than what the 500D showed you. It also matches the sensor’s 3:2 ratio, so Live View and the viewfinder actually show you the frame you’re getting, not some cropped approximation of it.
Similarly to the previous version, the Canon 550D is not equipped with additional LCD display parameters. All manipulation is always through the screen behind the machine. The interface of the 550D is similar to the “predecessor” 500D with visual icons and relatively eye-catching. The navigation menu is not too deep so it is easy to familiarize with the beginners.
The 550D’s optical viewfinder has a magnification of 0.87x and a 95% coverage of the frame, similar to the “predecessor” 500D, but slightly smaller than the Nikon D90. Autofocus runs on a 9-point system laid out in a diamond. I ran it through three lenses — the 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, the 50mm f/1.4 USM, and the 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro — and single-servo AF was quick and reliable across the board, especially with the center point doing the focusing. The steady-focus mode when working with fast-moving subjects.
The most grievable thing is probably the speed of focus based on contrasting contrast when the live viewfinder is activated. Under good lighting conditions, the camera takes nearly a second to lock the object. This time increases to 4-5 seconds if the environment is dim. When changing to the Quick mode, speed and accuracy are significantly improved. In return, the screen will not display when the camera is in focus, very inconvenient if your subject moves. The 550D lets you magnify images up to 10x on the LCD screen to support manual focus or autofocus accuracy. It also supports live view through the TV screen with HDMI connection or through the computer screen with EOS Utility software.
The Canon 550D uses an 18 megapixel CMOS sensor that is said to be “almost” identical to the EOS 7D’s premium model. The continuous shooting speed of the camera is impressive, although the resolution has reached the “threshold” among cameras using the APS-C sensor. Burst speed lands around 3.7fps, just under the Nikon D90’s 4fps and a step up from the 500D’s 3.4fps. The buffer, though, feels like an afterthought — you get 34 high-res JPEGs or a measly 6 RAW files before the camera needs to catch its breath. This figure on the “predecessor” 500D is 170 JPEGs or 9 RAW images.
The Canon 550D features a 63-zone iFCL metering sensor, which is a premium device on the mid-range EOS 7D. Color information is combined with data from the AF sensor to produce accurate results regarding the range and movement speed of the main subject in the frame. According to Ephotozine, the metering system of the 550D works perfectly under normal lighting conditions. With high contrast settings (sky – ground, indoor – outdoor …), the machine tends to slightly older exposure. You can solve this problem by subtracting some Ev or activating the Auto Lighting Optimiser.
Canon EOS 550D (European EOS Rebel T2i) 18 MP CMOS APS-C Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Body & Lens made in Japan): Buy it now
Canon EOS 550D (European EOS Rebel T2i) 18 MP CMOS APS-C Digital SLR Camera, Made in Japan (Body): Buy it now
Similar to DSLR models launched in recent years, the 550D is equipped with an analog / digital 14 bit switch system. Each channel on the 550D handles up to 16,384 colors, four times what the old 400D could do. On paper that should mean smoother gradients and more accurate color than a 12-bit sensor manages — and in practice, images do come out sharp with good contrast and color that holds together well, even if you’d need side-by-side files to really see the bit-depth difference at work. JPEG images are fresh. The large resolution of the sensor also makes it easier for users to crop and print larger images.
The ISO range of the machine is in the range of 100 to 6,400, extending up to the H level corresponding to ISO 12,800. Although the resolution of the sensor up to 18 Megapixel noise is still very good control even if ISO up to 800. The 550D has the ability to eliminate noise and retain the parity Nikon D90. The D90, Nikon’s midrange competitor, tops out at 12 megapixels — 6MP short of what the 550D offers. And color at high ISO is another spot where the 550D pulls ahead; the D90 just doesn’t hold up as well once you push the sensitivity up.
The 550D’s white balance has nothing to complain about in outdoor light. The picture is slightly warm when taken under the light. It also has Full HD 1080p video recording capability with 30, 25 or 24 frames per second scanning speed. The 550D’s twin anti-dust system consists of an ultrasound vibration filter and a transparent anti-static coating on the sensor surface. The test shows that this mechanism works relatively well, although it can not completely eliminate the very small particle size of the sensor. Lithium LP-E8 battery on the machine allows about 500 photos if fully charged.
Although there are limitations on caching capacity and Live View focus, the Canon EOS 550D is a perfect choice for beginners or those who want to upgrade from the popular DSLR. The machine has good performance, full feature set and above all, the picture quality is pretty cool compared to many of the same class.
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Tech Reviewer & Product Analyst
Định Bia has spent over 10 years testing consumer electronics with a focus on smart technology. He work as a product advisor at Biareview where he helped customers find the right devices for their needs. He personally tests every product featured on this site using a consistent evaluation framework covering quality, durability, and value. All reviews are based on experience, not influenced by the manufacturer.