The latest innovation from our friends at Canon is the Canon 550D, a ground-breaking new addition to the infamous EOS range, an acclaimed range of professional cameras that have received a numerous amount of photographic accolades worldwide. Canon has yet again covered significant ground in their quest to bridge the gap between professional and amateur photography. The Canon 550D is particularly unique as it incorporates the sheer power of professional photographic technology into a more compact, light-weight body as favoured by consumers.With the 550D, Canon has developed both an entry-level and advanced DSLR in one package. The interface is extremely easy to use and the convenience is unparalleled. Entry level users will have no trouble at all capturing amazing images using the most basic settings. The in-built Eye-Fi is a nice little addition that allows users to transfer their images via a wireless connection, there is also an integrated HDMI port compatible with Hi-Def Multimedia Interface that allows images and video stored on the 550D to be viewed on hi-def TVs and controlled via the TV remote… Not bad for a camera, huh?
For the photography guns out there, let’s delve into the specs of the Canon 550D. At a glance, many photographers will identify the 550D with its parent, the EOS 7D; rightly so too, because many of the features possessed by the 550D are very similar. There are many discernable differences which divide the two models – most notably the price points – but if you were to compare the two side by side you’d have to be pretty picky to select a winner. That’s why we love the Canon 550D; it incorporates so much technology of its parent the 7D which we are all fans of, and at nearly half the price.
The newly developed 18 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and Canon’s advanced DIGIC 4 image processor allows photography enthusiasts to push their creative boundaries. The sensor supports standard ISO settings of 100-6400, maxing out at 12800, with sophisticated in-camera noise reduction that drastically improves photographic quality in low-light conditions. Topped off with 14-bit image processing, the display colours are much more natural looking both on the screen and on print. Another photographic trait that the Canon 550D has inherited from its parent is the support of high-speed, continuous shooting at up to 3.7 frames per second… It’s not quite a “pocket” rocket, but this thing is extremely quick for its size! The 550D was also lucky enough to inherit the 7D’s iFCL metering system, an amazing 63-zone dual layer metering sensor that analyses focus, colour and luminance information for accurate image metering. If you’re finicky with exposure settings, don’t be, because the 550D allows exposure compensation and bracketing to be set to plus or minus five and two stops allowing you to diversify your image exposure with a number of differently exposed shots, even in difficult lighting conditions, to ensure that you’ve captured your desired image.
The physical build of the Canon 550D comprises of a 7.7cm LCD screen with a resolution of 1040k, so you can see your image clearly and without any borders. Canon has really thought this one through with a reflective, water-shielded coating on the screen allowing you to review your work in almost any conditions.
In our opinion, the Canon 550D exceeds performance expectations and is a great buy for its technical capabilities. Although the price is a little steeper than most entry level SLRs, the 550D really is in a league of its own as it possesses the strengths of its professional parent and makes these traits accessible to entry-level photographers. For advanced photographers, call the 550D a microcosmic version of the 7D… And for half the price, how could you possibly ignore it!?
The verdict…? The Canon 550D is definitely a must-buy!
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