Canon 550D has a
18.0MP APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 4 processor. On the other hand, Canon 30D has a
8.0MP APS-C (22.5 x 15 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .
Canon 550D's sensor provides 10MP more than Canon 30D's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely.
On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.
Below you can see the 550D and 30D sensor size comparison.
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon 550D and Canon 30D Cameras
Canon 550D and Canon 30D have almost the same sensor size, so neither of them has any significant advantage over the other in terms of providing control over depth of field when used with the same focal length and aperture.
DxOMark Sensor Scores
Both Canon 550D and Canon 30D sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, 550D has scored 66, 7 points higher than 30D.
Model
Overall
Color Depth
Dynamic Range
Low-light ISO
Canon 550D
66
22.0 bits
11.6 Evs
807 ISO
Canon 30D
59
21.5 bits
10.8 Evs
736 ISO
Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each
of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the
Canon 550D
or the
Canon 30D ,
including hyperfocal distance.
