Canon EOS
500D
 vs
Canon EOS
550D

Updated (February, 2011): Compare the Canon EOS 1100D vs Canon EOS 600D

Canon EOS 550D

58

  
Canon EOS 500D

56

  

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 500D

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 500D

Shutter lag
 Barely any delay taking photos
159 ms shutter lag
Size
 Really small
Prosumer size 129x98x62 mm
Badge
 Built-in focus motor
Autofocuses with more lenses
Thickness
 Thin
2.4"
Weight
 Light-weight
520 g
 

differences

Advantages of the Canon 500D
Shutter lag Significantly less shutter lag 159 ms vs 252 ms
Help
 Around 40% less delay when taking photos
Startup delay Slightly less startup delay 300 ms vs 400 ms
Help
 Around 30% less delay when turning on
Canon EOS 500D Learn more about
the Canon 500D

Advantages of the Canon 550D
External mic jack Has an external mic jack Yes vs No
Help
 Record high quality audio with an external microphone
Supports 24p Supports 24p Yes vs No
Help
 Get that real film feel
Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO 784 ISO vs 663 ISO
Help
 The 550D has a slight edge (0.2 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Color depth Better color depth 22.1 bits vs 21.7 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 0.4 more bits of color
Overall image quality Better image quality 66.0 vs 63.0
Help
 Almost the same
True resolution Higher true resolution 17.9 MP vs 15.1 MP
Help
 Capture around 20% more detail in your photos
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 1,040k dots vs 920k dots
Help
 More than 10% higher resolution screen
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 6,400 ISO vs 3,200 ISO
Help
 The 550D's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Lowest price Significantly cheaper $612.58 vs $900.84
Help
 The best price we've seen is $288 cheaper (more than 30% less)
Battery life Slightly longer battery life 440 shots vs 400 shots
Help
 10% more shots per battery charge
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly faster 3.7 fps vs 3.4 fps
Help
 Around 10% faster continuous shooting
Canon EOS 550D Learn more about
the Canon 550D
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent entry-level DSLRs, and ignoring price

Canon EOS 500D Canon EOS 500D
56 vs 58
Explain scores
Canon EOS 550D Canon EOS 550D
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon EOS 550D.

similarities

Compared to recent entry-level DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Size Very small Help
Prosumer size 129x98x62 mm
Lens availability Many lenses available Help
162 lenses
Startup delay Minimal startup delay Help
500D:300 ms
550D:400 ms
Thickness Very thin Help
2.4"
Fastest shutter speed Slow max shutter speed Help
1/4000 of a second
Light sensitivity (boost) Poor boost ISO Help
12,800 ISO
Autofocus No video autofocus Help
Manual focus only
Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
95%
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Sensor size Very small sensors Help
APS-C 22.3x14.9mm
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
Cross type focus points Few cross-type focus points Help
1
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
500D:3,200 ISO
550D:6,400 ISO
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
500D:3.4 fps
550D:3.7 fps
Battery life Few shots per battery charge Help
500D:400 shots
550D:440 shots
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
Risk of blur
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Focus points Few focus points Help
9
Weather sealed Neither is weather sealed Help
Need to shelter it from weather
Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
11.5 EV
Viewfinder size Below average viewfinder size Help
0.54x
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
500D:63.0
550D:66.0
Color depth Poor color depth Help
500D:21.7 bits
550D:22.1 bits
Low light performance Above average noise at high ISO Help
500D:663 ISO
550D:784 ISO

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon EOS 600D

Canon EOS 600D

Entry-level DSLR

$470 - $689 body only

$542 - $927 with 18-55mm lens
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Lowest price Is slightly less expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Size Is much larger
Compare the EOS 600D vs the EOS 500D
Compare the EOS 600D 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 slightly less shutter lag
Battery life Has a significantly longer battery life
Thickness Is thicker
Sensor cleaning Lacks a self cleaning sensor
Compare the EOS 1100D vs the EOS 500D
Compare the EOS 1100D vs the EOS 550D
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$497 body only

$597 - $805 with 18-55mm lens
Low light performance Is significantly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Thickness Is thicker
Lens focus motor Doesn't have a built-in focus motor
Compare the D5100 vs the EOS 500D
Compare the D5100 vs the EOS 550D
Nikon D3100

Nikon D3100

Entry-level DSLR

$447 - $740 with 18-55mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Sensor size Has a slightly larger sensor
Thickness Is thicker
Lens focus motor Doesn't have a built-in focus motor
Compare the D3100 vs the EOS 500D
Compare the D3100 vs the EOS 550D
Canon EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D

Pro DSLR

$699 - $899 body only

$999 - $1,279 with 18-135mm lens
Viewfinder size Slightly larger viewfinder
Weather sealed Has a weather sealed body
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is much heavier
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 500D
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 550D
Canon EOS 650D

Canon EOS 650D

Entry-level DSLR

$580 - $797 body only

$639 - $1,144 with 18-55mm lens
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Touch screen Has a touch screen
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the EOS 650D vs the EOS 500D
Compare the EOS 650D vs the EOS 550D
Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

Entry-level DSLR

$547 with 18-55mm lens
Low light performance Is significantly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Thickness Is thicker
Lens focus motor Doesn't have a built-in focus motor
Compare the D3200 vs the EOS 500D
Compare the D3200 vs the EOS 550D

Canon EOS 500D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Canon EOS 500D.

Canon EOS 550D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Canon EOS 550D.

appearance

Canon EOS 500D Canon EOS 550D
Canon EOS 500D Canon EOS 550D
Canon EOS 500D Canon EOS 550D

discussion

Showing 12 comments

Avatar for PC1512 PC1512 (2:19 PM, May 02, 2012)
It doesn't need one - the EOS range has *always* put the AF motor in the lens, ever since the system was devised in 1987 (for film cameras) - so no EOS body has an internal motor, but every EOS body can work with every EF lens.

Nikon started out putting motors in the camera bodies and none in their AF lenses, and even now most of their camera range have motors inside to power those motorless AF lenses, some of which are still on sale.  It was only much more recently that they started to adopt the Canon method, and put motors in newer lens designs.  Cutting out the internal motor from the lower end bodies like the D5100 reduces Nikon's costs, but means their users are restricted to autofocus with ONLY those much newer lenses - not the whole AF range that's open to any EOS user.
 
Avatar for PC1512 PC1512 (2:12 PM, May 02, 2012)
This is all a little inaccurate - there is no internal focussing motor in the 500D, the 550D, or in fact ANY Canon DSLR.  The EOS range (ever since the system was designed for the first film cameras in 1987) has always put the motor in the lens, not the camera.  There are no mechanical linkages between an EOS body and an EF lens, only electrical contacts.  The result of that is that any of Canon's DLSR's today can work perfectly with virtually any EF lens created since 1987.

Nikon are different, as instead of creating a whole new lens mount from scratch as Canon did with the EOS system, they adapted their existing F mount dating back to 1959 (which obviously predates autofocus by some way).  For many years, their AF bodies (film and digital) had an autofocus motor inside which drove the matching AF lens range via a "screw" in the mount.  Only much more recently have they ended up rethinking this approach, and copying Canon's original idea - putting the motor in newer lenses.  Most Nikon bodies still have the motor inside as well, so can autofocus with the whole range of lenses, but newer lower-end bodies like the D5100, D3100 etc do not - they can ONLY autofocus with those newer lenses which have their own built in motor.

So it's wrong to say the 500D, 550D etc have a focus motor, but right to say they still have an advantage over the equally motorless D5100, because they never needed one in the first place - unlike the Nikon.
 
Youssef Funky (11:35 AM, January 08, 2012)
500d Doesnt Have A Built In Focus Motor :s
 
Flona (10:33 PM, December 06, 2011)
Canon t2i is just another name of the canon 550d.
 
Flona (10:32 PM, December 06, 2011)
The 550d is better than the 500d but the lenses 75-300 is for zooming a lot, and the 18-55mm is the lenses of the kit, but he doesnt zoom a lot. Take the 550d, and after when you know how using it buy the 75-300mm.
Hope i help you :)
 
Frans (8:07 AM, November 26, 2011)
I have to make a choice between the canon EOS500D with lenses18-55mm and 75-300mm and the canon 550d with only a 18-55 IS lens. The Canon550D is a little more expensive. Please help! I dont have photography experience. And which has the best zoom?
 
Vishnucia@yahoo.co.in (9:07 AM, July 18, 2011)
:P
 
Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (6:25 PM, June 16, 2011)
Hi Sam, you're correct, they're the same camera.  Its a bit subtle, but if you check Snapsort's page on the Canon T2i you'll see part way down it says "also known as Canon 550D".  Canon markets the camera in North America as the Rebel T2i, and as the 550D everywhere else.
 
Sam (6:22 PM, June 16, 2011)
Is there any difference between Canon T2i and Canon 550D? Most of the websites refer them as the same.
 
Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (0:40 PM, April 19, 2011)
Like you said most lenses on the market today have internal motors in them. Some older ones do not.
 
Ajay Sarda (10:19 AM, April 19, 2011)
How does the internal moter play a role. If i buy 550d it has and d3100 doesnt has. Are there any lens that dont have internal motor these days?
 
Avatar for claicers claicers (3:24 PM, April 09, 2010)
Eos 550D is better