Canon 4000D vs 550D

The Canon EOS 4000D (called Canon T100 in some regions) and the Canon EOS 550D (labelled Canon T2i in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2018 and February 2010. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 17.9 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 4000D		Canon 550D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.7" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		3.7 shutter flaps per second
500 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
129 x 102 x 77 mm, 436 g		129 x 98 x 62 mm, 530 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 4000D and the Canon EOS 550D? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 4000D and the Canon 550D are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 550D is somewhat smaller (4 percent) than the Canon 4000D. However, the 550D is markedly heavier (22 percent) than the 4000D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 4000D nor the 550D are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 4000D gets 500 shots out of its LP-E10 battery, while the 550D can take 440 images on a single charge of its LP-E8 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 4000D	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
2.		Canon 550D	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
3.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
4.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1300D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
7.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1200D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
9.		Canon 100D	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon 700D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
11.		Canon 650D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
12.		Canon 600D	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
13.		Canon 1100D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	495 g	700	n	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
14.		Canon 500D	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
15.		Canon 1000D	126 mm	98 mm	65 mm	502 g	500	n	Jun 2008	449	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The 4000D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 43 percent) than the 550D, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the 4000D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 4+) than the 550D (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 17.9 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the 4000D and the 550D have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the 4000D is much more recent (by 8 years) than the 550D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Canon EOS 4000D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The Canon EOS 550D offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 4000D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
2.		Canon 550D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
3.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
4.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
6.		Canon 1300D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
7.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
8.		Canon 1200D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
9.		Canon 100D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
10.		Canon 700D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
11.		Canon 650D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
12.		Canon 600D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
13.		Canon 1100D	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	720/30p	21.9	11.0	755	62
14.		Canon 500D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
15.		Canon 1000D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.0	10.9	719	62

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 4000D and the 550D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the 550D has a higher magnification than the one of the 4000D (0.54x vs 0.50x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 4000D and Canon 550D in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 4000D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 550D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon 1300D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 1200D	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 100D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 700D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon 650D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon 600D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
13.		Canon 1100D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon 500D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
15.		Canon 1000D	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 4000D and the 550D write their files to SDXC cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 4000D and Canon EOS 550D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 4000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Canon 550D	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon 1300D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon 1200D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 100D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 700D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon 650D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 600D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon 1100D	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon 500D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Canon 1000D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 4000D offers wifi support, while the 550D does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

The 4000D is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the 550D has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 550D was succeeded by the Canon 600D. Further information on the features and operation of the 4000D and 550D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 4000D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 550D Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 4000D or the Canon 550D – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 4000D:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 4+ vs DIGIC 4).
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 94g or 18 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 440) on a single battery charge.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (43 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 8 years of technical progress since the 550D launch.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 550D:

• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.54x vs 0.50x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3.7 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2010).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 4000D comes out slightly ahead of the 550D (7 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 4000D and the Canon 550D place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 4000D or the 550D perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 4000D	2.5/5	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
2.		Canon 550D	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
3.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
4.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1300D	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
7.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1200D	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
9.		Canon 100D	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon 700D	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
11.		Canon 650D	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
12.		Canon 600D	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
13.		Canon 1100D	..	80/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
14.		Canon 500D	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
15.		Canon 1000D	..	82/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2008	449	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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