Canon announce 550D

[Amy Davies]

Looks like those 60D rumours were well half right, except for the name!

Check out the new Canon EOS 550D:

http://www.photoradar.com/news/story...beginner-d-slr

We've also got a hands on video with Chris George - editor of PhotoPlus and David Parry from Canon UK:

http://www.photoradar.com/news/video...hands-on-video

What do you make of it?

For full, official specs see here: http://www.photoradar.com/news/story...-press-release

[anglefire]

What do you make of it?

By the lack of response, it would seem not a lot!

Why oh, why, is everything having video? And why do reviews knock marks off for not having it? It was unthinkable to have video not long ago.

I'd rather have a built in hand warmer

[Amy Davies]

I think a lot of consumers feel that they'd like to be able to take video without having to have a separate video camera.

And let's not forget that you can get very creative when shooting with a D-SLR in a way that's not really possible with conventional hand-held cams, in terms of creating a shallow depth of field, using different lenses and so on.

I guess the only thing they could try and do to make "everybody" happy would be to produce each model with and without video, with the non-video option being a little cheaper.

Amy

[Sue Allen]

...and hands up those who forgot their camera has that other 'must have' live view....
Perhaps anyone interested in the all new 550D is being sensible enough to realise the price will fall quite quickly so there's not much point in thinking about one for a while.

[flake]

I don;t understand the need to cycle the entry level cameras so quickly, it doesn't seem that long since the 350D. The pro & semi pro cameras are on a 3 year cycle which is probably what the entry levels should be.

A dissapointment that there were no new lenses announced.

[anglefire]

Well, one reason could be that the perception is that a new camera will improve your photography - and how many people buy more lenses? They might get a 55-200mm and thats about it.

And lenses tend to be replaced every 10years or so, particularly the "L" range. So hence there is less money to be made!

[chris-p]

The thing that I still don't get is why keep the outgoing model. You end up with a lineup of too many cameras. I know that someone with enough money to buy a 500D might then stretch to a 550D (more money for Canon) but it just seems ridiculous to me.
Sony are the wortst culprits with 6 bottom to mid-range cameras!

The 550 looks good, it's a tweaked 500D and it's got the expected nod towards the 7D. It's nothing to write home about though.

[cosmicma]

it reminds me of the 450d / 40d scenerio when the 450d was released it looks good on paper ( good enough for me to go and buy a 450d ) untill you start using it i soon moved on to the 40d
the limitations of the budget range becomes apparent very quickly

i imagine the same could be said about the 550d and the 7d or even the 50d the price gap is that much more i know but i get the feeling that canon are presenting the budget 550d as a comparison to the 7d which in reality it isn't

[Forseti]

Originally Posted by chris-p

The 550 looks good, it's a tweaked 500D and it's got the expected nod towards the 7D. It's nothing to write home about though.

And only a slight nod at that. Looking at the comparator chart here http://www.canon-europe.com/for_home...Comparator.asp there are still a lot of differences to justify the price differential - different body materials to name but one.

[wavemachine]

I think it just causes total confusion, for both owners of existing kit and people buying an entry level D-SLR.

Havind just upgraded to the 7D and sold my old 40D battery grip on Ebay which was compatible with the 10D, 20D, 30D and 40D I noticed the 7D used the same batteries as the 5D MK II but they use different battery grips, I have also noticed the 550D uses yet another battery grip.

It just seems to be getting ridiculous now, what next are they going to start producing lenses which will be tied to a particular Canon model.

I feel the model refreshes are getting far to frequent now and certainly new models the features can sometimes feel like incomplete bolt ons, take the restriction to live view on the 40D potentially a useful feature which havd some significant restrictions which were improved in a lower end camera realeased a few months later.