Canon EOS
550D
 vs
Nikon
D90

Updated (February, 2011): Compare the Canon EOS 600D vs Nikon D7000

Nikon D90

71
Winner

Nikon D90
"Fast Autofocus with useful control options"
dpreview.com | talking about the D90's auto-focus
"Although the buttons have been redesigned and are a lot easier to press the layout is identical to the D80."
dpreview.com | talking about the D90's button-layout

Reasons to buy the Nikon D90

Overall image quality
 Great image quality
73.0
Dynamic range
 Wide dynamic range
12.5 EV
Viewfinder size
 Large viewfinder
0.63x
Startup delay
 Almost no delay when powering up
300 ms startup delay
Sensor size
 Large sensor
APS-C 23.6x15.8mm
Battery life
 Great battery life
850 shots
Canon EOS 550D

59
Runner-up

Canon EOS 550D

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 550D

Screen resolution
 High resolution screen
1,040k dots
True resolution
 High true resolution
17.9 MP
External mic jack
 External mic jack
Record higher quality audio with a microphone
Size
 Really small
Prosumer size 129x98x62 mm
Thickness
 Thin
2.4"
Weight
 Light-weight
530 g

differences

Advantages of the Canon 550D
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 30fps vs 720p @ 24fps
Help
 Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video at a higher frame rate
External mic jack Has an external mic jack Yes vs No
Help
 Record high quality audio with an external microphone
True resolution Much higher true resolution 17.9 MP vs 12.2 MP
Help
 Capture around 50% more detail in your photos
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
Size Significantly smaller 129x98x62 mm vs 132x103x77 mm
Help
 Around 30% smaller
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 1,040k dots vs 920k dots
Help
 More than 10% higher resolution screen
Thickness Significantly thinner 2.4" vs 3"
Help
 Around 20% thinner
Weight Significantly lighter 530 g vs 703 g
Help
 More than 20% lighter
Light sensitivity (boost) Better boost ISO 12,800 ISO vs 6,400 ISO
Help
 The 550D's boost ISO is 1 f-stop better
Lowest price Slightly cheaper $652.43 vs $869.00
Help
 The best price we've seen is $217 cheaper (more than 20% less)
Canon EOS 550D Learn more about
the Canon 550D

Advantages of the Nikon D90
Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO 977 ISO vs 784 ISO
Help
 The D90 has a slight edge (0.3 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
Overall image quality Better image quality 73.0 vs 66.0
Help
 More than 10% better image quality
Dynamic range More dynamic range 12.5 EV vs 11.5 EV
Help
 1 f-stop more dynamic range
Viewfinder size Significantly larger viewfinder 0.63x vs 0.54x
Help
 Around 40% larger viewfinder
Battery life Significantly longer battery life 850 shots vs 440 shots
Help
 More than 90% more shots per battery charge
Color depth Better color depth 22.7 bits vs 22.1 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 0.6 more bits of color
Sensor size Larger sensor APS-C 23.6x15.8mm vs APS-C 22.3x14.9mm
Help
 More than 10% larger sensor
Viewfinder Has a pentaprism viewfinder Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Help
 Pentaprism viewfinders are typically brighter
Shutter lag Less shutter lag 208 ms vs 252 ms
Help
 Around 20% less delay when taking photos
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 4.5 fps vs 3.7 fps
Help
 More than 20% faster continuous shooting
Startup delay Less startup delay 300 ms vs 400 ms
Help
 Around 30% less delay when turning on
Focus points More focus points 11 vs 9
Help
 Set focus accurately within the frame
Viewfinder coverage Better viewfinder coverage 96% vs 95%
Help
 Almost the same
Lens availability Slightly more lenses available 169 lenses vs 162 lenses
Help
 Almost the same
Nikon D90 Learn more about
the Nikon D90
vs

recommendations

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

Canon EOS 550D Canon EOS 550D
59 vs 71
Explain scores
Nikon D90 Nikon D90
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon D90.

performance Which camera has better performance? Cast your vote!

CanonEOS 550D
 Canon EOS 550D vs Nikon D90
NikonD90
Uses Travel score Travel
On holiday or vacation
284
250
Vote Vote
Sports score Sports
Fast action, sometimes indoors
207
280
Vote Vote
Features Color accuracy Color accuracy
White balance in varied lighting
274
263
Vote Vote
Autofocus peformance Still image focusing
Speed and accuracy
269
246
Vote Vote
Autofocus performance Video focusing
Speed and accuracy
274
194
Vote Vote
Manual controls Manual settings
How quickly and easily you can change settings
264
258
Vote Vote
Build quality Build quality
Is it sturdy, well made, plastic or metal
236
281
Vote Vote
Green arrow Join in the discussion below!

similarities

Compared to recent entry-level DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Screen resolution High resolution screens Help
550D:1,040k dots
D90:920k dots
Lens availability Many lenses available Help
550D:162 lenses
D90:169 lenses
Screen size Larger than average screens Help
3.0"
Supports 24p 24p support Help
For that film look
Startup delay Minimal startup delay Help
550D:400 ms
D90:300 ms
Fastest shutter speed Slow max shutter speed Help
1/4000 of a second
Storage slots Fewer storage slots Help
1
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
Image stabilization No image stabilization Help
Risk of blur
Cross type focus points Few cross-type focus points Help
1
Autofocus No video autofocus Help
Manual focus only
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
550D:6,400 ISO
D90:3,200 ISO

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
Thickness Is thicker
Size Is significantly larger
Compare the EOS 600D vs the EOS 550D
Compare the EOS 600D vs the D90
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 slightly better image quality
Thickness Is thicker
Lens focus motor Doesn't have a built-in focus motor
Compare the D5100 vs the EOS 550D
Compare the D5100 vs the D90
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
Thickness Is thicker
Lens focus motor Doesn't have a built-in focus motor
Compare the D3100 vs the EOS 550D
Compare the D3100 vs the D90
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 much heavier
Compare the EOS 60D vs the EOS 550D
Compare the EOS 60D vs the D90
Canon EOS 1100D

Canon EOS 1100D

Entry-level DSLR

$484 - $648 body only

$570 - $659 with 18-55mm lens
Weight Is slightly lighter
Thickness Is thicker
Sensor cleaning Lacks a self cleaning sensor
Compare the EOS 1100D vs the EOS 550D
Compare the EOS 1100D vs the D90
Nikon D7000

Nikon D7000

Entry-level DSLR

$1,097 body only

$1,227 with 55-200mm lens
Low light performance Is slightly less noisy at high ISO
Overall image quality Has slightly better image quality
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is much heavier
Compare the D7000 vs the EOS 550D
Compare the D7000 vs the D90
Canon EOS 500D

Canon EOS 500D

Entry-level DSLR

$599 with 18-55mm lens
Shutter lag Has slightly less shutter lag
Supports 24p Doesn't record movies in 24p
Color depth Has significantly less color depth
Compare the EOS 500D vs the EOS 550D
Compare the EOS 500D vs the D90

Canon EOS 550D Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

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

Nikon D90 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D300S

Nikon D300S

Pro DSLR

$1,700 body only

$2,547 - $4,295 with 18-200mm lens
Focus points Many more focus points
Cross type focus points Many more cross-type focus points
Low light performance More noise at high ISO
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Compare the D300S vs the D90

appearance

Canon EOS 550D Nikon D90
Canon EOS 550D Nikon D90
Canon EOS 550D Nikon D90

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?

Speech is free, but discussion at Snapsort is moderated! Please discuss your opinion of these cameras here, and discuss feedback for Snapsort at our support community.

Showing 19 comments

Fdg Es (11:21 AM, December 11, 2011)
o_o
 
Connorjohnpritchett (8:16 AM, October 28, 2011)
I don't care what this review says, I think the canon eos 550d is better than the d90 - From Canon Fanboy
 
T Pibulsilp (3:45 AM, October 02, 2011)
What really grates me is that all comparisons i find seem to be technical. I would rather see an actual photo comparison. What is true in theory does not always hold true in the real world where cameras are actually used. I would like to let my eyes judge what rendering etc i like. 
 
Melani (0:45 PM, September 29, 2011)
I am a first time camera shopper, female, and love to take pictures of people, cropping them, see how to make any occation, one to remember. I do care about the size and weight, I do care about video, I do care about MP, why drive a V6 when you can have a V8.  Thank you for all the comments, all of it was helpfull.  My choice, Canon, lighter, smaller, video and, as was mentioned, easier to master.  When I master this one, I'll buy the other one as well, then I can do Bill boards and scrapbooks.
Thanks for a great site
 
canonikon (8:31 AM, June 14, 2011)
Personally, for me, i think the 550d is slightly better. The 550d would be better for the people who are new to DSLRs, since this camera is a little easier to use than the Nikon. However, the Nikon is a camera for more of the people that have used DSLRs for a longer time. I have both of the Nikon D90 and the Canon 550d, and they are both excellent cameras. The canon 550d is magnificent at Macro shots, and the Nikon is fantastic for taking long-distanse shots, and it was zoom in quite well. 
I enjoy using the 550d better, since it took quite a long time for me to get used to the Nikon and all of it's different buttons. 
Overall, if you are new to DSLRs, i'd recommend the 550d. :)
 
Ilia (8:44 AM, March 04, 2011)
D90 is the best
 
Darkacre (3:56 PM, January 30, 2011)
I think what it comes down to is preference & priorities - what do you think is more important? There is no clear winner here; for the snobs that are suggesting Nikon outclassing Canon (or vise versa), clearly have their own agenda. IQ wise, you can't really argue either way. Technically you can say that Nikon have slightly better image quality and but then you can also argue that Canon clearly has the 5 Meg pixel advantage. For those that argues its not the pixel that counts, then why not buy a Nikon with 10 meg pixels? It does matter to some degree . 5% this, 10% that.... In the end result, if you look at the photos, we are talking about literally no difference visually, one way or the other - both producing gorgeous images - you literally can't tell them apart if you took 1000 pictures each and mix them up. Unless you plan to make a billboard from it (thats where the 18 M pixels will come in handy.)

Yes Nikon is a bit faster and auto-focus a tad better.. But then Canon gives you better video recording resolution and control. In the end I went with Canon because of the video features.
To me 4.5 fps vs 3.7 fps shutter speed may translate to 20% faster shutter speed for Nikon but in the real world, .8 fps really doesn't mean anything. I mean you take 4 shots instead of 3 shots per second, are you really counting? If you are really into sports, then you should be looking at 7-10 fps cameras, not these .8 fps difference. Of course on the other hand, some people may not need the video advantage of Canon, then why not buy a cheaper Nikon without video?
 
Salonjoe (6:07 PM, January 22, 2011)
but d7000 is batter
 
Salonjoe (6:06 PM, January 22, 2011)
nikon d90 is the best ............................
 
Rafi (6:48 PM, January 20, 2011)
Nikon D90 with 18 to 105mm Lens price = Canon EOS 550D with 18 to 55mm Lens + 55 to 250mm Lens price.
I think Canon EOS 550D is better.
 
Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (3:06 PM, January 09, 2011)
Hi Alwyn, whats important is different for each person, so Snapsort's goal is to list all the advantages of each, so you can make your own decision, for example, you'd presumably ignore the fact that one camera was thinner than the other (or consider it a disadvantage).

The DxOMark scores are based on results. Cameras with better low light high ISO scores produce better quality images at high ISO.
 
Alwyn_42 (6:38 AM, January 09, 2011)
I am a beginner who decided a few months ago to look at replacing my bridge cam with a DSLR. Needless to say I'm still looking coz of all the confusion. I want a place that will give it to me straight. Tell me straight up which one is better. And really, to me I could care less about stuff that won't mean a thing when it comes to image and performance. I want to know how the still images compare, how it will do in low light and how fast it will shoot. The other stuff can be mentioned, but should not affect the scoring as it has little to do with real performance. Like Berkut83 says. Is a thinner camera really a plus? I think not. You may just find the bulk will give more stability in hand and on a tripod in windy conditions. Who knows? Also, figures mean ziltch, it's the REAL end result that matters. That's why I'm cautious when it comes to the DxO mark. Give us the stuff that matters and be impartial, but be clear. That will make things easier for guys like me to decide. Now maybe I'll get a new cam by the end of 2011
 
Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (3:06 AM, December 23, 2010)
Hi Berkut, I see what you mean. I wonder what the DxO guys would say in response to that. What you're saying basically is that low light score is resolution dependent, I wonder if there would be a way to express it resolution indepdendent, e.g. score/MP or something.
 
Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (3:05 AM, December 23, 2010)
Hi Berkut, you've got some great info there, thanks. We are aware that Snapsort doesn't cover many features, especially more intricate/detailed ones, we hope to improve that in the future.
 
Berkut83 (1:38 PM, December 22, 2010)
Forgot to say.....consider also to show a photo "from top" of every camera ....for example without a from top photo people can't know that the D90 has the extra lcd on top of it, while 550D not.......
 
Berkut83 (1:35 PM, December 22, 2010)
I'm adding another comment for further suggestions.....in this comparison you are not taking into account some extra and very important things....

1) what about the fact that the D90 has an internal wireless flash control device??

2) what about it has an extra display on top of body?

3) what about the viewfinder preview DOF button in the D90

5) what about amount of buttons on body of D90?

6) why you consider an advantage the fact that a camera is smaller and thinner?? is it a really an advantage? for who? I really prefer a more stable and easy to hand camera, so the body of the D90 would be preferrable because is bigger......compact body doesn't mean advantage....it really depends by the size of your hands and your needs....so considering small size better than big size makes this comparison valid just for tourists

Your website is a very good idea, and i hope you will improve it further to avoid as much as possible to confuse people about which camera to buy.......there are some properties of a camera that you can't miss in a comparison like this while there are others for which it is not possible to tell if it's an advantage or not because it simply depends by single photographer, like, in fact, the size.
 
Berkut83 (1:14 PM, December 22, 2010)
X ALex Black:
Alex i think you are not well understood the real problem Andy if telling you and use..........As you know, and obviuosly, if i resize a 16 megapixel to a lower megapixel resolution like 2 megapixel, the noise will be absolutely less and the quality higher (for that resolution)
So, basically, it doesn't make sense to compare the quality of a 16 megapixel camera versus a 12 megapixel camera, because this comparison doesn't take absolutely into account that if you resize the 16 megapixel of canon to 12 like d90 the quality would be probably superior

So, concluding, if you would like to do a real test, before giving to the DX0 software the photo of a canon for evaluation, you should resize all photos to a standard fixed resolution (for example 12 mp), and then proceed with the comparison for image quality

that's it
 
Avatar for Alex Black Alex Black (2:01 AM, July 22, 2010)
Hi Andy, at Snapsort we don't value megapixels a lot because we think 6 (clean) megapixels are good enough for 90% of what people need, and even if one does need more detail, more megapixels doesn't necessarily mean more detail. Obviously thats a brief answer, and not a viewpoint everyone one in the world shares, but thats the reason.

If resolution is important to you, you might search for DSLRs with at least 10MP, and see that Snapsort then ranks the 550D (and 500D) ahead of the D90.
 
Avatar for andygeerlings andygeerlings (10:21 PM, July 21, 2010)
I don't understand how you can not take resolution into account with the scoring. 18MP (550D) offers significantly more cropping options then 12MP (D90).
Also I really wonder what would happen to the High ISO / noise rating when 18MP 550D images were downsized to 12MP. D90 scores better on ISO/noise, but how were they compared? It's ofcourse not really fair to compare output at a per pixel level at full resolution (without downsizing the Canon's images to a D90 comparable 12MP).