Canon EOS 550D Review

Main Features

18MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 12800( expands to 12800)

3″ Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder

4 fps continuous shooting

1920 x 1080 video resolution

530g. 129 x 98 x 62 mm

Also known as EOS Rebel T2i / EOS Kiss X4

Replaced Canon 500D

Replaced by Canon 600D

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Canon 550D Overview

First introduced in April 2010 , Canon EOS 550D is a 18.0MP Entry-Level DSLR camera with a APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor. 550D is also sold as EOS Rebel T2i / EOS Kiss X4 in some of the countries. Canon replaced the older Canon 500D with this model and later 550D was replaced with Canon 600D. Follow the links to compare these cameras in detail:
Compare Canon EOS 550D (EOS Rebel T2i / EOS Kiss X4) vs Canon 500D
Compare Canon EOS 550D (EOS Rebel T2i / EOS Kiss X4) vs Canon 600D
or try our multi-camera comparison:
Compare Canon EOS 550D (EOS Rebel T2i / EOS Kiss X4) vs 500D vs 600D

Canon 550D is a member of Canon's Rebel series of cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

Canon Rebel Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Canon SL3	2019	24.0MP - APS-C	5.0 fps	122 x 93 x 70mm	449g
Canon 4000D	2018	18.0MP - APS-C	3.0 fps	129 x 102 x 77mm	436g
Canon T7	2018	24.0MP - APS-C	3.0 fps	129 x 101 x 78mm	475g
Canon SL2	2017	24.0MP - APS-C	5.0 fps	122 x 93 x 70mm	453g
Canon T7i	2017	24.0MP - APS-C	6.0 fps	131 x 100 x 76mm	532g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series:
Canon SL3 vs 4000D vs T7 vs SL2 vs T7i

Canon 550D has an Overall Score of 65/100 and ranked #93 out of 201 in DSLR cameras (Top 10 DSLR), and ranked #238 out of 1175 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Canon 550D Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras

Canon 550D Compared to other DSLR Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Canon 550D review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

1920 x 1080 Max Video Resolution

Optical Built-in Viewfinder

Face Detection Focusing

18.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

12.800 Max ISO

1.040k dots LCD Resolution

530g Light Body

External Microphone Port

Flash Sync Port

Buy Canon 550D from or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Image Stabilization

No Articulating Screen

No Touch Screen

Only 9 Focus Points

Low Battery Life: 470 shots

No Environmental Sealing

Not so wide AE Bracketing Range: ±2 EV

No AF Micro Adjustment

Canon 550D Lens Mount and Lenses

Canon 550D has a Canon EF/EF-S lens mount and currently there are 319 native lenses available for this mount. EF mount has the widest and most complete native lens offerings in the DSLR world which helps Canon to protect its place as the number 1 choice amongst professional photographers all over the world.

Canon 550D doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 91 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization. There are also 85 lenses with weather sealing for 550D but bear in mind that 550D body doesn't have weather sealings.

Here are some of the most popular Canon 550D Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Canon 550D Lenses

	Focal Length on 550D	Max Aperture	Weight	Focusing
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II	80mm	F1.8	130gr	AF
Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM	38.4-168mm	F4.0	670gr	AF
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f4.5-5.6 IS STM	16-28.8mm	F4.5 - F5.6	240gr	AF
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM	80mm	F1.8	159gr	AF
Canon EF 15mm f2.8 Fisheye	24mm	F2.8	330gr	AF

Check our Canon 550D Lenses page or use our Smart Lens Finder tool for more detailed lens search.

Canon 550D Sensor and Photography Features

Canon 550D has a 18.0MP APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 4 processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 5184 x 3456 pixels with aspect ratios of and 3:2. 550D has a native ISO range of 100 - 12800 which can be boosted to 12800 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Canon 550D is not the highest resolution APS-C camera. Sigma Quattro with its 29.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Canon 550D vs Sigma Quattro or take a look at Highest resolution DSLR cameras list.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. Canon 550D sensor has been tested by DxO Mark and got an overall score of 66 for its image quality. You can find the details of their analysis of Canon 550D here.

Let's look at how the size of the Canon 550D's APS-C sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Canon 550D Physical Specs

Canon 550D weighs 530 g (1.17 lb / 18.70 oz) and has external dimensions of 129 x 98 x 62 mm (5.08 x 3.86 x 2.44″). Considering that the average weight of DSLR type cameras is 769g, Canon 550D is a remarkably light camera for its class. Even better, with a thickness of only 62mm, it is also quite small, 14mm thinner than the average of its class.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Canon 550D

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Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Canon 550D

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Average

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Here is the front and top view image of Canon 550D with the dimensions:

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Canon 550D, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Canon 550D with its main competitors:

Canon 550D Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Sensor	Weight	vs 550D	Thickness	vs 550D
Canon 700D	18.0MP - APS-C	580g	50g heavier	79mm	17mm thicker
Canon 1200D	18.0MP - APS-C	480g	50g lighter	78mm	16mm thicker
Canon 600D	18.0MP - APS-C	570g	40g heavier	80mm	18mm thicker
Canon 750D	24.0MP - APS-C	555g	25g heavier	78mm	16mm thicker
Canon 500D	15.0MP - APS-C	520g	10g lighter	62mm	equal thickness
Canon 100D	18.0MP - APS-C	407g	123g lighter	69mm	7mm thicker
Canon 70D	20.0MP - APS-C	755g	225g heavier	79mm	17mm thicker
Nikon D3300	24.0MP - APS-C	430g	100g lighter	76mm	14mm thicker

Canon 550D doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Canon 550D Other Features

LCD and Viewfinder

Canon 550D has a Fixed Type 3″ LCD screen with a resolution of 1,040k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

550D has a built-in Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder. The viewfinder has a coverage of 95% and a magnification ratio of 0.55x. 95% coverage means that what you see in your viewfinder while shooting will slightly be different from the actual image.

Max Shutter speed
Canon 550D can shoot continuously at max speed of 4 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.

Flash
550D has a built-in flash, and it also has a flash shoe to mount your external flashes too.

Focusing
Canon 550D features both Contrast Detection and Phase Detection autofocus (AF) systems which ensures speed and accuracy of focusing in most situations. The AF system has 9 points to choose from.

Canon 550D also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

Video Features
With Canon 550D, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30,25,24 fps and save in and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Canon 550D will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

550D has a built-in Stereo microphone but no speaker. Canon 550D also has a port for an external microphone so you can record high quality sound with the help of an external microphone.

Connectivity and Storage

You can connect 550D to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery Canon 550D is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 470 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of DSLR type cameras is 883 shots, Canon 550D has a short battery life for its class so we strongly recommend 550D owners to buy some extra batteries.

Battery Life Comparison in Entry-Level DSLR Cameras

Canon 550D

Min

Average

Max

Pentax K-x with its 1900shots is the model with longest battery life among Entry-Level DSLR cameras. Check the comparison of Canon 550D vs Pentax K-x or take a look at Longest Battery Life DSLR cameras list.

Canon 550D Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Canon 700D >>Compare to 550D	1920 x 1080	440shots	No	No	No
Canon 1200D >>Compare to 550D	1920 x 1080	500shots	No	No	No
Canon 600D >>Compare to 550D	1920 x 1080	440shots	No	No	No
Canon 750D >>Compare to 550D	1920 x 1080	440shots	Yes	No	Yes
Canon 500D >>Compare to 550D	1920 x 1080	440shots	No	No	No
Canon 100D >>Compare to 550D	1920 x 1080	380shots	No	No	No
Canon 70D >>Compare to 550D	1920 x 1080	920shots	Yes	No	No
Nikon D3300 >>Compare to 550D	1920 x 1080	700shots	No	No	No

User Manual
You can download Canon 550D's User Manual here

What type of Photography is Canon 550D Good for?

In this section, we review and score Canon 550D in 5 different photography areas. This first spider web graph shows how the 550D compares with the average DSLR camera.
Hover your mouse over the points to see the score details for each photography type.

Canon 550D for Portrait Photography

Canon 550D has a score of 67 for Portrait Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Portrait Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder

Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Canon 550D for Portrait Photography

Canon 550D for Street Photography

Canon 550D has a score of 59 for Street Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Street is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Street Photography list.

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing

Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
Large Body

Read the details of how we scored Canon 550D for Street Photography

Canon 550D for Sports Photography

Canon 550D has a score of 77 for Sports Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Sports Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Sports Photography list.

Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps

Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Canon 550D for Sports Photography

Canon 550D for Daily Photography

Canon 550D has a score of 59 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Large Body

530g
Body Thickness 62mm

Read the details of how we scored Canon 550D for Daily Photography

Canon 550D for Landscape Photography

Canon 550D has a score of 57 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Live-view
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor

Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Canon 550D for Landscape Photography

Canon 550D Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Canon 550D compares with other DSLR cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of 550D and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Canon 550D alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Canon 550D

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Canon 550D amongst Camera Decision readers.

Canon 700D

Compare

Canon 1200D

Compare

Canon 600D

Compare

Canon 750D

Compare

Canon 500D

Compare

Canon 100D

Compare

Canon 70D

Compare

Nikon D3300

Compare

Canon 550D Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Canon 550D with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Canon 550D's price range.

Sony A7 II

Compare

Panasonic G85

Compare

Sony A7

Compare

Sony A6400

Compare

Olympus E-M10 II

Compare

Olympus E-M1

Compare

Panasonic GX85

Compare

Sony A6300

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Canon 550D

Does the Canon 550D have Image Stabilization?
Does the Canon 550D have RAW support?
Does the Canon 550D have Weather Sealing?
Does the Canon 550D have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Canon 550D?
What is the Sensor Size of Canon 550D?
is the Canon 550D a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Canon 550D have Touch Screen?
Does the Canon 550D have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Canon 550D?

Canon EOS 550D Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Canon
Model	Canon EOS 550D
Also known as	EOS Rebel T2i / EOS Kiss X4
Announced	2010-04-01
Body Type	Compact SLR
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Canon EF/EF-S
Number of Lenses	319
Focal Length Multiplier	1.6×
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Technology	TFT color liquid-crystal LCD
Screen Size	3″
Screen Resolution	1,040k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.55
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Shutter Speed	1/4000s
Continuous Shooting	4.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	13.00 m
Max Flash Sync	1/200s
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Red-eye
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	66
DxO Color Depth	22.0
DxO Dynamic Range	11.6
DxO Low Light ISO	807
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	APS-C
Sensor Dimensions	22.3 x 14.9 mm
Sensor Area	332.27mm²
Sensor Resolution	18 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	5184 x 3456
Max Native ISO	12,800
Max Boosted ISO	12800
Min Native ISO	100
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	9
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (30, 25, 24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 50 fps), 640 x 480 (60, 50 fps)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	530g
Physical Dimensions	129 x 98 x 62mm
Battery Life	470 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	LP-E8
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 sec or 10 sec)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage Slots	1

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