Canon EOS
50D
 vs
Canon EOS
550D

Updated (February, 2011): Compare the Canon EOS 50D vs Canon EOS 600D

Canon EOS 550D

73

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 550D

Movie format
 Full HD
1080p @ 30fps
Screen resolution
 High resolution screen
1,040k dots
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"
Canon EOS 50D

67
Runner-up

Canon EOS 50D
"The ergonomics feel well sorted, all the controls are in the right place and even the formerly rather pointless Direct Print button now serves a purpose"
dpreview.com | talking about the 50D's button-layout
"The EOS 50D has to stand its ground in a highly competitive bracket of the DSLR market."
dpreview.com | talking about the 50D's overall-performance

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 50D

Continuous shooting
 Rapid fire
6.3 fps
Startup delay
 Almost no delay when powering up
300 ms startup delay
Shutter lag
 Barely any delay taking photos
131 ms shutter lag
Cross type focus points
 Many cross-type focus points
9
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 50D
Shutter lag Significantly less shutter lag 131 ms vs 252 ms
Help
 Around 50% less delay when taking photos
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 6.3 fps vs 3.7 fps
Help
 More than 70% faster continuous shooting
Cross type focus points More cross-type focus points 9 vs 1
Help
 Grab focus in difficult situations
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
Startup delay Less startup delay 300 ms vs 400 ms
Help
 Around 30% less delay when turning on
Battery life Slightly longer battery life 640 shots vs 440 shots
Help
 Around 50% more shots per battery charge
Fastest shutter speed Much faster max shutter speed 1/8000s vs 1/4000s
Help
 2x faster max shutter speed
Canon EOS 50D Learn more about
the Canon 50D

Advantages of the Canon 550D
Movie format Shoots movies 1080p @ 30fps vs None
Help
 Shoots Full HD (1080p) video as well as still pictures
Color depth Better color depth 22.1 bits vs 21.8 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 0.3 more bits of color
Overall image quality Better image quality 66.0 vs 63.0
Help
 Almost the same
Low light performance Slightly lower noise at high ISO 784 ISO vs 696 ISO
Help
 The 550D has a slight edge (0.2 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 1,040k dots vs 920k dots
Help
 More than 10% higher resolution screen
True resolution Higher true resolution 17.9 MP vs 15.1 MP
Help
 Capture around 20% more detail in your photos
Size Smaller 129x98x62 mm vs 146x108x74 mm
Help
 More than 30% smaller
Dynamic range More dynamic range 11.5 EV vs 11.4 EV
Help
 0.1 f-stops more dynamic range
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
Thickness Significantly thinner 2.4" vs 2.9"
Help
 Around 20% thinner
Weight Significantly lighter 530 g vs 822 g
Help
 Around 40% lighter
Lowest price Slightly cheaper $652.43 vs $1,281.99
Help
 The best price we've seen is $630 cheaper (around 50% less)
Canon EOS 550D Learn more about
the Canon 550D
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent DSLRs, and ignoring price

Canon EOS 50D Canon EOS 50D
67 vs 73
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.

performance Which camera has better performance? Cast your vote!

CanonEOS 50D
 Canon EOS 50D vs Canon EOS 550D
CanonEOS 550D
Uses Travel score Travel
On holiday or vacation
31
60
Vote Vote
Sports score Sports
Fast action, sometimes indoors
59
32
Vote Vote
Features Color accuracy Color accuracy
White balance in varied lighting
42
47
Vote Vote
Autofocus peformance Still image focusing
Speed and accuracy
58
35
Vote Vote
Manual controls Manual settings
How quickly and easily you can change settings
57
35
Vote Vote
Build quality Build quality
Is it sturdy, well made, plastic or metal
61
31
Vote Vote
Green arrow Join in the discussion below!

similarities

Compared to recent DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Lens availability Many lenses available Help
162 lenses
Screen resolution High resolution screens Help
50D:920k dots
550D:1,040k dots
Startup delay Minimal startup delay Help
50D:300 ms
550D:400 ms
Thickness Thin Help
50D:2.9"
550D:2.4"
Storage slots Fewer storage slots Help
1
Viewfinder coverage Below average viewfinder coverage Help
95%
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
Focus points Few focus points Help
9
Autofocus No video autofocus Help
Manual focus only
Weather sealed Neither is weather sealed Help
Need to shelter it from weather
Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
Risk of blur
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Sensor size Very small sensors Help
APS-C 22.3x14.9mm
Dynamic range Poor dynamic range Help
50D:11.4 EV
550D:11.5 EV
Overall image quality Low image quality Help
50D:63.0
550D:66.0

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon EOS 600D

Canon EOS 600D

Entry-level DSLR

$860 - $1,035 body only

$922 - $1,099 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 50D
Compare the EOS 600D vs the EOS 550D
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$650 - $749 body only

$600 - $750 with 18-55mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D5100 vs the EOS 50D
Compare the D5100 vs the EOS 550D
Nikon D3100

Nikon D3100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $984 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 50D
Compare the D3100 vs the EOS 550D
Canon EOS 1100D

Canon EOS 1100D

Entry-level DSLR

$484 - $648 body only

$570 - $659 with 18-55mm lens
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the EOS 1100D vs the EOS 50D
Compare the EOS 1100D vs the EOS 550D
Canon EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D

Pro DSLR

$899 - $1,304 body only

$1,138 - $1,342 with 18-135mm lens
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Battery life Has a slightly longer battery life
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 50D
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 550D
Canon EOS 500D

Canon EOS 500D

Entry-level DSLR

$599 with 18-55mm lens
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
External mic jack Lacks and external mic jack
Compare the EOS 500D vs the EOS 50D
Compare the EOS 500D vs the EOS 550D
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$869 - $897 body only

$1,099 - $1,200 with 18-105mm lens
Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Color depth Has slightly more color depth
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D90 vs the EOS 50D
Compare the D90 vs the EOS 550D

Canon EOS 50D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

No significant competitors found that are specific to the Canon EOS 50D.

Canon EOS 550D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

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

appearance

Canon EOS 50D Canon EOS 550D
Canon EOS 50D Canon EOS 550D
Canon EOS 50D Canon EOS 550D

Find similar cameras

Here are some links to help you find other cameras with similar features to both of these:

discussion Which do you think is better?

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Showing 1 comments

Sunnycapricorn (2:16 PM, September 28, 2011)
i have use eos 550 d  its good camera but now ia m using eos 50 D its best  camera in image quality and manual functions