Canon 550D vs Canon 5D MII
70 Imaging
57 Features
63 Overall
59
56 Imaging
64 Features
70 Overall
66
Canon 550D vs Canon 5D MII Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 18MP - APS-C Sensor
- 3" Fixed Display
- ISO 100 - 6400 (Boost to 12800)
- 1920 x 1080 video
- Canon EF/EF-S Mount
- 530g - 129 x 98 x 62mm
- Revealed April 2010
- Additionally Known as EOS Rebel T2i / EOS Kiss X4
- Succeeded the Canon 500D
- Later Model is Canon 600D
(Full Review)
- 21MP - Full frame Sensor
- 3" Fixed Screen
- ISO 100 - 6400 (Raise to 25600)
- 1/8000s Max Shutter
- 1920 x 1080 video
- Canon EF Mount
- 850g - 152 x 114 x 75mm
- Revealed February 2009
- Replaced the Canon 5D
- Successor is Canon 5D MIII
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Let's look more in depth at the Canon 550D versus Canon 5D MII, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Advanced DSLR and both of them are offered by Canon. The sensor resolution of the 550D (18MP) and the 5D MII (21MP) is pretty close but the 550D (APS-C) and 5D MII (Full frame) offer different sensor sizes.
Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhoneThe 550D was revealed 14 months after the 5D MII which makes them a generation away from each other. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Canon 550D being a Compact SLR camera and the Canon 5D MII being a Mid-size SLR camera.
Before getting straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the 550D grades vs the 5D MII when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.
Photography Glossary Canon 550D vs Canon 5D MII Gallery
Here is a preview of the gallery images for Canon EOS 550D and Canon EOS 5D Mark II. The full galleries are available at Canon 550D Gallery and Canon 5D MII Gallery.
Reasons to pick Canon 550D over the Canon 5D MII
| 550D | 5D MII | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revealed | April 2010 | February 2009 | More modern by 14 months | |
| Screen resolution | 1040k | 920k | Sharper screen (+120k dot) |
Reasons to pick Canon 5D MII over the Canon 550D
| 5D MII | 550D |
|---|
Common features in the Canon 550D and Canon 5D MII
| 550D | 5D MII | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manually focus | Dial precise focus | |||
| Screen type | Fixed | Fixed | Fixed screen | |
| Screen size | 3" | 3" | Same screen dimensions | |
| Selfie screen | Neither includes selfie screen | |||
| Touch screen | Neither includes Touch screen |
Canon 550D vs Canon 5D MII Physical Comparison
For those who are intending to carry around your camera regularly, you're going to have to take into account its weight and size. The Canon 550D features physical measurements of 129mm x 98mm x 62mm (5.1" x 3.9" x 2.4") with a weight of 530 grams (1.17 lbs) whilst the Canon 5D MII has specifications of 152mm x 114mm x 75mm (6.0" x 4.5" x 3.0") with a weight of 850 grams (1.87 lbs).
Examine the Canon 550D versus Canon 5D MII in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the 550D and the 5D MII.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the 550D and 5D MII is 70 and 56 respectively.
Canon 550D vs Canon 5D MII Sensor Comparison
Generally, it's tough to picture the gap in sensor sizes just by viewing specifications. The picture underneath may give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the 550D and 5D MII.
Plainly, both cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The 550D having a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Canon 5D MII will result in greater detail because of its extra 3 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The younger 550D provides a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.
Canon 550D vs Canon 5D MII Screen and ViewFinder
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Canon 550D vs Canon 5D MII Specifications
| Canon EOS 550D | Canon EOS 5D Mark II | |
|---|---|---|
| General Information | ||
| Brand Name | Canon | Canon |
| Model type | Canon EOS 550D | Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| Alternate name | EOS Rebel T2i / EOS Kiss X4 | - |
| Category | Entry-Level DSLR | Advanced DSLR |
| Revealed | 2010-04-01 | 2009-02-13 |
| Physical type | Compact SLR | Mid-size SLR |
| Sensor Information | ||
| Chip | Digic 4 | Digic 4 |
| Sensor type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor size | APS-C | Full frame |
| Sensor dimensions | 22.3 x 14.9mm | 36 x 24mm |
| Sensor surface area | 332.3mm² | 864.0mm² |
| Sensor resolution | 18 megapixel | 21 megapixel |
| Anti alias filter | ||
| Aspect ratio | 3:2 | 3:2 |
| Maximum resolution | 5184 x 3456 | 5616 x 3744 |
| Maximum native ISO | 6400 | 6400 |
| Maximum boosted ISO | 12800 | 25600 |
| Min native ISO | 100 | 100 |
| RAW format | ||
| Min boosted ISO | - | 50 |
| Autofocusing | ||
| Focus manually | ||
| Autofocus touch | ||
| Continuous autofocus | ||
| Autofocus single | ||
| Tracking autofocus | ||
| Autofocus selectice | ||
| Autofocus center weighted | ||
| Autofocus multi area | ||
| Live view autofocus | ||
| Face detect autofocus | ||
| Contract detect autofocus | ||
| Phase detect autofocus | ||
| Total focus points | 9 | 9 |
| Lens | ||
| Lens mount type | Canon EF/EF-S | Canon EF |
| Amount of lenses | 326 | 250 |
| Focal length multiplier | 1.6 | 1 |
| Screen | ||
| Display type | Fixed Type | Fixed Type |
| Display diagonal | 3 inches | 3 inches |
| Display resolution | 1,040k dots | 920k dots |
| Selfie friendly | ||
| Liveview | ||
| Touch function | ||
| Display technology | TFT color liquid-crystal LCD | TFT liquid-crystal color LCD |
| Viewfinder Information | ||
| Viewfinder type | Optical (pentamirror) | Optical (pentaprism) |
| Viewfinder coverage | 95 percent | 98 percent |
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.55x | 0.71x |
| Features | ||
| Lowest shutter speed | 30s | 30s |
| Highest shutter speed | 1/4000s | 1/8000s |
| Continuous shooting rate | 4.0fps | 4.0fps |
| Shutter priority | ||
| Aperture priority | ||
| Manually set exposure | ||
| Exposure compensation | Yes | Yes |
| Set white balance | ||
| Image stabilization | ||
| Integrated flash | ||
| Flash distance | 13.00 m | no built-in flash |
| Flash options | Auto, On, Off, Red-eye | no built-in flash |
| Hot shoe | ||
| Auto exposure bracketing | ||
| White balance bracketing | ||
| Highest flash synchronize | 1/200s | 1/200s |
| Exposure | ||
| Multisegment exposure | ||
| Average exposure | ||
| Spot exposure | ||
| Partial exposure | ||
| AF area exposure | ||
| Center weighted exposure | ||
| Video features | ||
| Video resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (30, 25, 24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 50 fps), 640 x 480 (60, 50 fps) | 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) |
| Maximum video resolution | 1920x1080 | 1920x1080 |
| Video file format | H.264 | H.264 |
| Mic support | ||
| Headphone support | ||
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | Eye-Fi Connected | None |
| Bluetooth | ||
| NFC | ||
| HDMI | ||
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| GPS | None | None |
| Physical | ||
| Environmental sealing | ||
| Water proofing | ||
| Dust proofing | ||
| Shock proofing | ||
| Crush proofing | ||
| Freeze proofing | ||
| Weight | 530 gr (1.17 lbs) | 850 gr (1.87 lbs) |
| Physical dimensions | 129 x 98 x 62mm (5.1" x 3.9" x 2.4") | 152 x 114 x 75mm (6.0" x 4.5" x 3.0") |
| DXO scores | ||
| DXO All around rating | 66 | 79 |
| DXO Color Depth rating | 22.0 | 23.7 |
| DXO Dynamic range rating | 11.6 | 11.9 |
| DXO Low light rating | 807 | 1815 |
| Other | ||
| Battery life | 470 images | 850 images |
| Type of battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery ID | LP-E8 | LP-E6 |
| Self timer | Yes (2 sec or 10 sec) | Yes (2 or 10 sec) |
| Time lapse recording | ||
| Type of storage | SD/SDHC/SDXC | Compact Flash (Type I or II), UDMA, Microdrive |
| Card slots | 1 | 1 |
| Cost at launch | $599 | $1,190 |