Recommended Exposure Index
DSLR Cameras
Canon EOS 550D
Specifications0 – 40 °C, 85% or less humidity
128.8 x 97.3 x 62 mm
Approx. 530g (CIPA testing standard, including battery and memory card)
Specifications
- 18 megapixel CMOS
- Great low light shots
- Stunning 1080p movies
- Powerful DIGIC processing
- Compose images using a large LCD
- Continous shooting
- Choice of AF points for creative framing
- Keeping your sensor clean of dirt
- Ready as soon as you are
- Supply different styles to your photos
- Widest selection of Lenses
- Lenses designed specifically for APS-C sensors
- Experiment with the EOS System
Specifications in detail
Image Sensor
- Type
22.3 x 14.9mm CMOS
- Effective Pixels
Approx. 18.0 megapixels
- Total Pixels
Approx. 18.7 megapixels
- Aspect Ratio
3:2
- Low-Pass Filter
Built-in/Fixed with Self Cleaning Sensor Unit
- Sensor Cleaning
EOS integrated cleaning system
- Colour Filter Type
Primary Colour
Image Processor
- Type
DIGIC 4
Lens
- Lens Mount
EF/EF-S
- Focal Length
Equivalent to 1.6x the focal length of the lens
Focusing
- Type
TTL-CT-SIR AF-dedicated with a CMOS sensor
- AF System / Points
9 AF points (f/5.6 cross type at centre, extra sensitivity at f/2.8)
- AF Working Range
EV -0.5 -18 (at 23°C & ISO100)
- AF Modes
AI Focus
One Shot
AI Servo
- AF Point Selection
Automatic selection, Manual selection
- Selected AF Point Display
Superimposed in viewfinder and indicated on LCD monitor
- AF Lock
Locked when shutter button is pressed half way in One Shot AF mode.
- AF Assist Beam
Intermittent firing of built-in flash or emitted by optional dedicated Speedlite
- Manual Focus
Selected on lens
Exposure Control
- Metering Modes
TTL full aperture metering with 63-zone SPC
(1) Evaluative metering (linked to all AF points)
(2) Partial metering at center (approx. 9% of viewfinder)
(3) Spot metering (approx. 4% of viewfinder at center)
(4) Center weighted average metering
- Metering Brightness Range
EV 1-20 (at 23°C with 50mm f/1.4 lens ISO100)
- AE Lock
Auto: In 1-shot AF mode with evaluative metering exposure is locked when focus is achieved.
Manual: By AE lock button in creative zone modes.
- Exposure Compensation
+/-5 EV in 1/3 or 1/2 stop increments (can be combined with AEB).
- AEB
3 shots +/- 2 EV, 1/2 or 1/3-stop increments
- ISO Sensitivity
AUTO(100-6400), 100-6400 Expandable to H (approx 12800) in 1-stop increments
Shutter
- Type
Electronically-controlled focal-plane shutter
- Speed
30-1/4000 sec (1/2 or 1/3 stop increments), Bulb (Total shutter speed range. Available range varies by shooting mode)
White Balance
- Type
Auto white balance with the imaging sensor
- Settings
AWB, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, White
Fluorescent light, Flash, Custom.
White balance compensation:
1. Blue/Amber +/-9
2. Magenta/ Green +/-9.
- Custom White Balance
Yes, 1 setting can be registered
- WB Bracketing
+/-3 levels in single level increments
3 bracketed images per shutter release.
Selectable Blue/Amber bias or Magenta/ Green bias.
Viewfinder
- Type
Pentamirror
- Coverage (Vertical/Horizontal)
Approx. 95%
- Magnification
Approx. 0.87x
- Eyepoint
Approx. 19mm (from eyepiece lens centre)
- Dioptre Correction
-3 to +1 (1/m) (dioptre)
- Viewfinder Information
AF information: AF points, focus confirmation light
Exposure information: Shutter speed, aperture value, ISO speed (always displayed), AE lock, exposure level/compensation, spot metering circle, exposure warning, AEB
Flash information: Flash ready, high-speed sync, FE lock, flash exposure compensation, red-eye reduction light
Image information: White balance correction, SD card information, monochrome shooting, maximum burst (1 digit display), Highlight tone priority (D+)
- Depth of Field Preview
Yes, with Depth of Field preview button.
- Eyepiece Shutter
On strap
LCD Monitor
- Type
7.7cm (3.0") 3:2 Clear View TFT, approx. 1040K dots
- Coverage
Approx. 100%
- Viewing Angle (Horizontally/Vertically)
Approx 160°
- Coating
Dual Anti-reflection, anti smudge
- Brightness Adjustment
Adjustable to one of seven levels
- Display Options
(1) Quick Control Screen
(2) Camera settings
Flash
- Built-in Flash GN (ISO 100, meters)
13
- Built-in Flash Coverage
up to 17mm focal length (35mm equivalent: 27mm)
- Built-in Flash Recycle Time
Approx. 3 seconds
- Modes
Auto, Manual Flash On/off
- Red-Eye Reduction
Yes - with red eye reduction lamp
- X-Sync
1/200sec
- Flash Exposure Compensation
+/- 2EV in 1/2 or 1/3 increments
- Flash Exposure Bracketing
Yes, with compatible External Flash
- Flash Exposure Lock
Yes
- Second Curtain Synchronisation
Yes
- Multi-Function Shoe / HotShoe / PC Terminal
Yes/ -
- External Flash Compatibility
E-TTL II with EX series Speedlites, wireless multi-flash support
- External Flash Control
via camera menu screen
Shooting
- Modes
Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, No Flash, Movie, Program AE , Shutter priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Manual, A-DEP
- Picture Styles
Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Defined (x3)
- Colour Space
sRGB and Adobe RGB
- Image Processing
Highlight Tone Priority
Auto Lighting Optimizer (Basic and Creative modes)
Long exposure noise reduction
High ISO speed noise reduction
Peripheral illumination correction
- Drive Modes
Single, Continuous, Self timer (2s, 10s+remote, 10s + continuous shots 2-10)
- Continuous Shooting
Max. Approx. 3.7fps. (speed maintained for minimum of approx 34 images (JPEG)¹, 6 images (RAW)) ²³
Live View Mode
- Type
Electronic viewfinder with image sensor
- Coverage
Approx. 100% (horizontally and vertically)
- Frame Rate
30 fps
- Focusing
Manual Focus (Magnify the image 5x or 10x at any point on screen)
Autofocus: Quick mode, Live mode
- Metering
Real-time evaluative metering with image sensor
Active metering time can be changed
- Display Options
Grid overlay, Histogram
File Type
- Still Image Type
JPEG: Fine, Normal (Exif 2.21 [Exif Print] compliant) / Design rule for Camera File system (2.0),
RAW: RAW (14bit, Canon original RAW 2nd edition),
Digital Print Order Format [DPOF] Version 1.1 compliant
- RAW+JPEG Simultaneous Recording
Yes (RAW + Large JPEG only)
- Image Size
JPEG: (L) 5184x3456 (M) 3456x2304, (S) 2592x1728
RAW: (RAW) 5184x3456
- File Numbering
(1) Consecutive numbering
(2) Auto reset
(3) Manual reset
Other Features
- Custom Functions
12 Custom Functions with 36 settings
- Metadata Tag
User copyright information (can be set in camera)
- LCD Panel / Illumination
Yes
- Playback Zoom
1.5x - 10x enabled in 15steps
- Display Formats
(1) Single image with information (2 levels)
(2) Single image
(3) 4 image index
(4) 9 image index
(5) Jump Display
- SlideShow
Image selection: All images, by Date, by Folder, Movies, Stills
Playback time: 1/2/3/5 seconds
Repeat: On/Off
- Histogram
Brightness: Yes
RGB: Yes
- Highlight Alert
Yes (Shooting information display only)
- Image Erase Protection
Erase: Single image, Checkmarked images, Unprotected images
Protection: Erase protection of one image at a time
- Menu Categories
(1) Shooting menu (x4)
(2) Playback menu (x2)
(3) Setup menu (x3)
(4) My Menu
- Menu Languages
25 Languages
English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Portuguese, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Greek, Russian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, Ukrainian, Turkish, Arabic, Thai, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean and Japanese
- Firmware Update
Update possible by the user.
Interface
- Computer
Hi-Speed USB
- Other
Video output (PAL/ NTSC) (integrated with USB terminal), HDMI mini output (HDMI-CEC compatible), External microphone (3.5mm Stereo mini jack)
Direct Print
- Canon Printers
Canon Compact Photo Printers and PIXMA Printers supporting PictBridge
- PictBridge
Yes
Storage
- Type
SD card, SDHC card or SDXC card
Supported Operating System
- PC
Windows XP (SP2/SP3) / Vista inc SP1 (excl. Starter Edition) / 7 (excl. Starter Edition)
OS X v10.4-10.6
- Macintosh
Windows XP (SP2/SP3) / Vista inc SP1 (excl. Starter Edition) / 7 (excl. Starter Edition)
OS X v10.4-10.6
Software
- Other
PhotoStitch, EOS Utility (inc. Remote Capture, Original Data Security Tools*), Picture Style Editor
* Requires optional accessory
Power Source
- Batteries
1 x Rechargeable Li-ion Battery LP-E8
- Battery Life
Approx. 440 (at 23°C, AE 50%, FE 50%) ¹
Approx. 400 (at 0°C, AE 50%, FE 50%)
- Battery Indicator
4 levels
- Power Saving
Power turns off after 30sec or 1, 2, 4, 8 or 15mins.
- Power Supply & Battery Chargers
AC Adapter Kit ACK-E8, Battery charger LC-E8, LC-E8E
Accessories
- Viewfinder
Eyecup Ef, E-series Dioptric Adjustment Lens with Rubber Frame Ef, Eyepiece Extender EP-EX15II, Angle Finder C
- Wireless File Transmitter
All EF and EF-S lenses
- Cases / Straps
Semi-Hard Case EH19-L
- Lenses
All EF and EF-S lenses
- Flash
Canon Speedlites (220EX, 270EX, 270EX II, 320EX, 420EX, 430EX, 430EX II, 550EX, 580EX, 580EX II, Macro-Ring-Lite, MR-14EX, Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX, Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2)
- Battery Grip
BG-E8
- Remote Controller / Switch
Remote Switch RS-60E3, Remote Controller RC-6
- Other
Hand Strap E2
Physical Specifications
- Body Materials
Stainless Steel and polycarbonate resin with glass fiber
- Operating Environment
0 – 40 °C, 85% or less humidity
- Dimensions (W x H x D)
128.8 x 97.3 x 62 mm
- Weight (Body Only)
Approx. 530g (CIPA testing standard, including battery and memory card)
* Recommended Exposure Index
¹ with EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM at 50kph
¹ Large/Fine(Quality 8) resolution² Based on Canon's testing conditions, JPEG, ISO 100, Standard Picture Style. Varies depending on the subject, memory card brand and capacity, image recording quality, ISO speed, drive mode, Picture Style, Custom functions etc.³ Maximum fps and buffer capacity may be reduced depending on the cameras settings and light level
¹ Based on the CIPA Standard and using the batteries and memory card format supplied with the camera, except where indicated