Upgrade Guide
Canon EOS 550D→Canon EOS 40D
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The EOS 40D improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most EOS 550D owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the EOS 40D
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
-
Burst rate6.5fps vs 3.7fps
-
Battery life~800 shots (CIPA) vs ~440 shots (CIPA)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution10MP (down from 18MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | EOS 550D | EOS 40D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.6 | ||
| Street | -0.9 | ||
| Travel | -0.2 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.7 | ||
| Documentary | -0.2 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.9 | ||
| Landscape | +0.1 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.7 | ||
| Casual | -0.7 | ||
| Food | -0.6 | ||
| Macro | -0.6 | ||
| Architecture | -0.7 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.7 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | EOS 550D | EOS 40D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £26 used | £26 used | |
| Released | 2010 | 2007 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 10.1MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 18MP | 10MP | ↓ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/30, 720p/60 | No video | |
| Autofocus | 9-point phase-detect via viewfinder; contrast AF with face detection in live view | 9-point all cross-type phase-detect via viewfinder; contrast AF in live view | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 3.7fps | 6.5fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~440 shots (CIPA) | ~800 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 530g (with battery) | 820g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 0.87x | Optical pentaprism, 95% coverage, 0.95x | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.04M dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 230k dots | |
| Mount | Canon EF / EF-S | Canon EF / EF-S | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single CompactFlash slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See EOS 550D and EOS 40D next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
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