Canon releases EOS 550D

The EOS 550D redefines the boundaries of Canon’s consumer DSLR range, incorporating technologies and features more commonly found in semi-professional DSLRs into the compact, lightweight body favoured by consumers. With a newly-developed 18 Megapixel (MP) APS-C CMOS sensor, coupled with Canon’s advanced DIGIC 4 image processor and the ability to shoot Full HD movies, photography enthusiasts are empowered to explore new levels of creativity.

The EOS 550D makes Canon’s powerful imaging technology more accessible to consumers. Canon’s advanced DIGIC 4 image processor and 18MP sensor support standard ISO settings of 100 – 6400 (expandable to 12800), while enhanced in-camera noise reduction technology boosts performance in low light conditions. The system’s 14-bit image processing also produces smoother tonal gradation and natural looking colours for high quality prints and on-screen display.

For swift and accurate focusing, the EOS 550D features a 9-point AF system with one extra-sensitive cross–type point at the centre for f/2.8 or faster lenses. The EOS 550D also supports high-speed, continuous shooting at 3.7 frames per second (fps). These features provide users with the opportunity to exert greater control over their images, allowing them to capture split-second moments with ease and accuracy.

Continuing Canon’s tradition of filtering new technology and features down from its advanced and professional DSLR ranges, the EOS 550D includes the iFCL metering system first launched in the EOS 7D. New for EOS is the ability to set the top limit for automatic ISO, allowing users to control the maximum amount of noise in their images. In a first for entry level EOS, exposure compensation and bracketing can be set up to plus or minus five and two stops respectively, allowing the photographer to take a number of differently exposed versions of the same shot to ensure they capture a well-exposed image, even in difficult lighting conditions.

“Digital SLR photography has captured the imagination of consumers globally,” said Kieran Magee, Director of Product Planning, Consumer Products, Canon Europe.  “Every year, more and more individuals are looking to record key life events with unrivalled quality or to test and explore their creativity. The EOS 550D redefines the entry level DSLR category, putting technologies and features previously the preserve of the professional into the hands of the consumer – allowing them to achieve outstanding results. With the EOS 550D, consumers are free to explore the limits of their own creative vision.”