Canon intros new EOS 550D consumer DSLR camera

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Posted on 8 Feb 2010 at 17:31

Canon has today announced the newest addition to its popular line of consumer DSLRs, the EOS 550D. Its highlights include an 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, 1080p HD video recording with full manual control, as well as Canon's new 63-point iCFL metering system first introduced on the semi-professional EOS 7D.

The EOS 550D's sensor is similar, but not exactly the same as the one in the EOS 7D, despite having the same ISO range from 100 to 6,400, expandable to 12,800. What's more, Canon has improved its auto-ISO system, enabling the user to select a maximum ISO to ensure their images are to their satisfaction.

Full HD video recording was first introduced on the EOS 5D Mark II, but has been improved further on the EOS 550D. It records video with full manual control in 1080p full HD at 30, 25 and 24fps, as well as offering 720p at 60 and 50fps. You'll be able to take control of exposure settings, depth of field and degree of motion blur, as well as independent highlight tone priority control (which doesn't change the still image capture settings) while recording video.

Furthermore, Canon has included a Movie Crop function for those situations where you're too far away from the action. This reduces the resolution to 640x480 but, in doing so, it uses the central 640x480 pixel grid to record video to effectively increase magnification by a factor of seven. There's also a built-in 3.5mm stereo microphone jack, allowing you to connect an external microphone, and an HDMI port that allows you to view images from your camera on an HDTV using the TV's remote.

The 550D's body has gone through a number of changes too - the biggest being the new 3.0in Clear View LCD screen. Canon has changed the ratio from 4:3 to 3:2, while leaving the resolution at 1,024k dots - this makes sense, as it allows the user to view 100 per cent captured images without the letterbox. It also means that the interface has had to undergo a number of changes in Live View/Movie mode and playback mode, with the information now overlaid on top.

The buttons have also been tweaked and are now much bigger and more intuitive following user feedback. There's also an additional button on the new (optional) BG-E8 battery grip that allows users to change both shutter speed and aperture without having to reorient the camera.

Canon's new EOS 550D is compatible with all Canon EF and EF-S lenses, as well as the EX-series Speedlite flash units. It'll be available on 24th February, but UK pricing is yet to be confirmed. Typically though, Canon's pricing is a good deal higher than the street price, so we'll wait to hear from some of the retailers before making any kind of judgement on this camera. We're especially excited about its video capabilities though.

Author: Tim Smalley