Canon EOS
40D
 vs
Canon EOS
550D

Updated (February, 2011): Compare the Canon EOS 40D vs Canon EOS 600D

Canon EOS 550D

47

  
Canon EOS 40D

39

  

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 550D

Screen resolution
 High resolution screen
1,040k dots
Supports 24p
 24p movies
For that film look
External mic jack
 External mic jack
Record higher quality audio with a microphone
Size
 Really small
Prosumer size 129x98x62 mm
Badge
 Built-in focus motor
Autofocuses with more lenses
Thickness
 Thin
2.4"
 
Runner-up

Canon EOS 40D

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 40D

Continuous shooting
 Rapid fire
6.5 fps
Battery life
 Great battery life
1100 shots
Badge
 Built-in focus motor
Autofocuses with more lenses
Fastest shutter speed
 Fast shutter speed
1/8000 of a second
 

differences

Advantages of the Canon 40D
Battery life Significantly longer battery life 1100 shots vs 440 shots
Help
 2.5x more shots per battery charge
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 6.5 fps vs 3.7 fps
Help
 Around 80% faster continuous shooting
Viewfinder size Larger viewfinder 0.59x vs 0.54x
Help
 Around 20% larger viewfinder
Viewfinder Has a pentaprism viewfinder Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Help
 Pentaprism viewfinders are typically brighter
Fastest shutter speed Much faster max shutter speed 1/8000s vs 1/4000s
Help
 2x faster max shutter speed
Canon EOS 40D Learn more about
the Canon 40D

Advantages of the Canon 550D
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen 1,040k dots vs 230k dots
Help
 More than 4.5x higher resolution screen
Movie format Shoots movies 1080p @ 30fps vs None
Help
 Shoots Full HD (1080p) video as well as still pictures
Autofocus Faster autofocus Phase detection vs Contrast detection
Help
 Catch candid moments easily
True resolution Significantly higher true resolution 17.9 MP vs 10.1 MP
Help
 Capture around 80% more detail in your photos
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11.5 EV vs 11.3 EV
Help
 0.2 f-stops more dynamic range
Overall image quality Slightly better image quality 66.0 vs 64.0
Help
 Almost the same
Thickness Much thinner 2.4" vs 2.9"
Help
 Around 20% thinner
Size Smaller 129x98x62 mm vs 146x108x74 mm
Help
 More than 30% smaller
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 6,400 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
 The 550D's maximum light sensitivity is 2 f-stops better
Low light performance Slightly lower noise at high ISO 784 ISO vs 703 ISO
Help
 The 550D has a slight edge (0.2 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Weight Lighter 530 g vs 822 g
Help
 Around 40% lighter
Light sensitivity (boost) Better boost ISO 12,800 ISO vs 3,200 ISO
Help
 The 550D's boost ISO is 2 f-stops better
Canon EOS 550D Learn more about
the Canon 550D
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent DSLRs, and ignoring price

Canon EOS 40D Canon EOS 40D
39 vs 47
Explain scores
Canon EOS 550D Canon EOS 550D
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon EOS 550D. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a pro DSLR with a entry-level DSLR.

similarities

Compared to recent DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Lens availability Many lenses available Help
162 lenses
Startup delay Minimal startup delay Help
400 ms startup delay
Thickness Thin Help
40D:2.9"
550D:2.4"
Built-in flash Each has a built-in flash Help
External flash not needed
Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
95%
Storage slots Fewer storage slots Help
1
Autofocus No video autofocus Help
Manual focus only
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Light sensitivity (boost) Poor boost ISO Help
40D:3,200 ISO
550D:12,800 ISO
Weather sealed Neither is weather sealed Help
Need to shelter it from weather
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
40D:1,600 ISO
550D:6,400 ISO
Sensor size Very small sensors Help
40D:APS-C 22.2x14.8mm
550D:APS-C 22.3x14.9mm
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
40D:11.3 EV
550D:11.5 EV
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
Risk of blur
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
40D:64.0
550D:66.0
Color depth Poor color depth Help
22.1 bits
Low light performance Above average noise at high ISO Help
40D:703 ISO
550D:784 ISO

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon EOS 600D

Canon EOS 600D

Entry-level DSLR

$470 - $689 body only

$548 - $927 with 18-55mm lens
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the EOS 600D vs the EOS 40D
Compare the EOS 600D vs the EOS 550D
Canon EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D

Pro DSLR

$699 - $899 body only

$999 - $1,279 with 18-135mm lens
Weather sealed Has a weather sealed body
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 40D
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 550D
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$497 body only

$597 - $805 with 18-55mm lens
Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Color depth Has slightly more color depth
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D5100 vs the EOS 40D
Compare the D5100 vs the EOS 550D
Canon EOS 650D

Canon EOS 650D

Entry-level DSLR

$580 - $797 body only

$650 - $1,144 with 18-55mm lens
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Touch screen Has a touch screen
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the EOS 650D vs the EOS 40D
Compare the EOS 650D vs the EOS 550D
Canon EOS 1100D

Canon EOS 1100D

Entry-level DSLR

$436 - $445 body only

$448 - $818 with 18-55mm lens
Shutter lag Has significantly less shutter lag
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the EOS 1100D vs the EOS 40D
Compare the EOS 1100D vs the EOS 550D
Nikon D3100

Nikon D3100

Entry-level DSLR

$447 - $740 with 18-55mm lens
Movie continuous focus Can focus continuously while recording movies
Autofocus Focuses automatically while shootting video
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D3100 vs the EOS 40D
Compare the D3100 vs the EOS 550D
Canon EOS 7D

Canon EOS 7D

Pro DSLR

$1,499 body only

$1,699 with 28-135mm lens
Weather sealed Has a weather sealed body
Shutter lag Has significantly less shutter lag
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is significantly heavier
Compare the EOS 7D vs the EOS 40D
Compare the EOS 7D vs the EOS 550D

Canon EOS 40D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Canon EOS 40D.

Canon EOS 550D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$547 with 18-55mm lens
Overall image quality Significantly better image quality
Dynamic range More dynamic range
Screen resolution Lower resolution screen
Lens focus motor Doesn't have a built-in focus motor
Compare the D3200 vs the EOS 550D

appearance

Canon EOS 40D Canon EOS 550D
Canon EOS 40D Canon EOS 550D
Canon EOS 40D Canon EOS 550D

discussion

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