Amateur Photographer Magazine

 Canon EOS 550D DSLR: UK price and launch date (update with spec 3.20pm) - Page Two: Canon UK confirms EOS 550D and UK price

Monday 8th February 2010

Chris Cheesman

Canon has today announced the EOS 550D, an 18-million-pixel DSLR boasting 'Full HD' video and 'semi-professional' features, targeted at the enthusiast market.

Canon EOS 550D DSLR: FULL SPEC HERE

AP's Canon EOS 550D hands on preview HERE

AP video interview with Canon Europe about the EOS 550D

Safety fears prompted EOS 550D battery change

The EOS 550D is due in shops on 24 February priced £799.99 (body only).

The 550D does not replace the entry-level EOS 450D or the EOS 500D, but will sit above them in the range - below the higher-spec, £1,800, EOS 7D.

Both the 500D and 450D will continue said Canon Europe's Photo Products planning manager Mike Owen.

In an interview with Amateur Photographer (AP), Owen said the EOS 550D is aimed at photo enthusiasts and the 'top end' of the consumer DSLR range.

Closing the gap

He said its launch will 'blur the line' between Canon's entry-level and 'mid-range' DSLRs where, he admitted, there has in the past been a 'gap'.

The EOS 550D houses a new 18MP APS-C size CMOS imaging which, says Owen, is similar to the sensor on board the semi-professional EOS 7D but with 'fewer channels'.

It boasts a top burst rate of 3.7 frames per second for up to an, unconfirmed, maximum of 250 frames (depending on memory card). And it incorporates a Digic 4 image processor.

Canon has redesigned the body to include a rubber grip and a more textured feel.

With the inclusion of Full HD video (1,920x1,080 pixels) Canon will be hoping to attract punters outside the traditional photography arena.

There is a burgeoning interest in HD video, creating a potential new market for camera makers.

The firm revealed that its UK office receives up to five phone calls a day from budding filmmakers wanting to borrow the Full HD-equipped Canon EOS 5D Mark II professional-level DSLR for student and/or documentary projects.

'It [HD video] will be a useful tool for many different photographers and creatives,' said Owen.

Manual movie control

Using HD movie on the 550D, photographers can control the shutter speed, aperture and equivalent ISO - allowing control of depth-of-field, for example.

To aid handling, a 'stop/start' movie activation button has been added to the 550D, a camera that can record a maximum of 12 minutes of HD video at one time, according to Canon.

The EOS 550D has a built-in microphone and will be compatible with an optional external microphone (3.5 mm socket), according to Canon.

It also features a built-in HDMI port so that images can be viewed on an HD-compatible TV.

In a first for Canon, the 550D adds a movie crop function that records using the central '640x4890 pixel' area of the sensor - to create an effective magnification of 'approximately seven times', according to the firm.

The 550D is also the first Canon DSLR to accept SDXC memory cards. It will also be compatible with Eye-Fi, a memory card that allows images to be transferred over a Wi-Fi [wireless] network.

Billed as an 'evolution from previous models' – and another EOS first - the 550D allows the user to set a top ISO limit when using the automatic ISO mode in a bid to allow them to control over the maximum amount of noise they want in their images.

The camera's 100-6400 ISO range is expandable to '12,800'.

And the 3in dot Clear View LCD screen features an aspect ratio of 3:2, designed to mirror the ratio of the sensor, said Owen. Canon has boosted the monitor's resolution to '1,040,000' dots.

Owen said that he expects a combination of camera features to attract buyers, rather than one single aspect. 'Outstanding stills and movies bring convergence of technology closer together at a price point that people would not have thought achievable in the past,' he told us.

Build quality differences over the camera's EOS 7D (£1,799.99) sibling include a plastic body (the 7D has a magnesium-alloy shell), a slightly smaller grip and lack of weather-sealing.

The debutante borrows the 9-point AF system from the 500D, while technology trickling down from the 7D includes iFCL metering. This aims to use focus, colour and luminance information to determine 'consistently exposed shots'.

The 7D's technical superiority includes an 8fps burst rate and 19 AF points (ten more than the 550D), for example.

New metering sensor

A new metering sensor features 63 zones, arranged in a 'dual layer' - designed to combat overexposure that can result from metering sensors typically being more sensitive to red subject, explains Canon.

Armoury also includes Canon's EOS Integrated [sensor] Cleaning System.

The newcomer measures 128.8x97.3x62mm and weighs around 530g.

A dedicated battery grip (BG-E8) will be available, compatible with AA batteries. This will cost £159.99.

Canon UK has confirmed that the EOS 550D will be available in two kits: one that includes an 18-55mm, priced £899.99 and another with an 18-135mm lens costing £1,099.99.

There will also be a 'dual kit' (18-55mm plus 55-250mm zoom), priced £1,199.99.

Canon EOS 550D DSLR: FULL SPEC, KIT PRICES AND MORE PICS HERE

AP's Canon EOS 550D hands on preview HERE

AP video interview with Canon Europe about the EOS 550D

Canon EOS 7D launch news.




Picture:Canon Europe's Mike Owen with the new EOS 550D, an 18MP DSLR

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