Product Information :  Canon EOS 550D

Does the camera photograph in 3D?

This makes it possible to prevent blurry pictures caused by hand movements.

The viewfinder is the optical "window" you look through to compose the scene. There are three different types of viewfinder implemented in digital cameras, though the most common is the Optical Viewfinder. On most cameras you can also use the LCD screen.

Indicates the resolution or quality of the picture. A mega pixel is a million pixels where every pixel is a dot and its size is decided by the resolution. Cameras that can handle more than 2 million pixels have the capacity to produce pictures that can be printed in A3 format, meaning you can print a photo in A3 format without a noticeable impairment of the picture.Please not that effective and total megapixels are not the same. The effective pixel count is the number that matters, because this is the actual number of pixels that can be used for recording an image.

Indicates the maximum resolution in pixels horizontal and vertical. The higher the resolution the higher the quality of the pictures.

The sensor is the chip (CCD, SuperCCD, CMOS) which records light falling on it, in the digital camera. It is the device which actually captures "the picture" (a digital camera's film). Most common standard is the CCD.

The total figure indicates the number of light sensors on the imaging chip, while the effective figure shows how many are actually used.

Focal length is measured in millimetres, it is defined as the distance from the lens to a point where parallel rays are focused to a point.

Indicates the digital zoom capacity, the number of times that the picture is enlarged thanks to digital technology.

If the camera has a filter thread, you can screw on additional filters. A filter can be placed in front of the lens either to create effects, such as sparkles from candles, to protect the camera’s interior from UV-rays or to enhance certain colours.

White balance is a name given to a system of colour correction to deal with differing lighting conditions.

The minimal and maximal shutter speeds available.

Indicates if there is a built in flash.

The sensitivity of the imaging chip

The metering system in a digital camera is the system which measures the amount of light in the current frame and calculates the best-fit exposure. The metering method defines how and what part of the image is used to calculate the exposure value, different manufacturers offer different metering modes but there are still similarities between them.

Select yes if you're interested in cameras only, select no to also include bundles of cameras with extra memory and/or a lens.

The memory card type that comes standard with the camera.

Enables the camera to record audio.

Indicates if the camera can record video.

Frames per second (fps) may differ between low to high resolutions.

Indicates if there is a built in colour screen. A built in colour screen makes it possible to instantly see the result of your photograph, then you can choose if you want to save the picture or discard it.

Indicates what type of port the camera has for connection to a computer. Most new digital cameras use USB connection, which is a fast way to transfer data. High end models might use FireWire, which is even faster than USB.
FireWire- The fastest way to transfer data
USB- the most common kind of interface making it possible to have a fast data transference
Serial- an older interface that is a bit slower in data transference
Parallel- a interface somewhere between Serial and USB standard.

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is the first and only industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. By delivering crystal-clear, all-digital audio and video via a single cable, HDMI dramatically simplifies cabling and helps provide consumers with the highest-quality home theater experience. HDMI provides an interface between any audio/video source, such as a set-top box, DVD player, or A/V receiver and an audio and/or video monitor, such as a digital television (DTV), over a single cable.

HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or high-definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. It transmits all ATSC HDTV standards and supports 8-channel, 192kHz, uncompressed digital audio and all currently-available compressed formats (such as Dolby Digital and DTS), HDMI 1.3 adds additional support for new lossless digital audio formats Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD with bandwidth to spare to accommodate future enhancements and requirements.

Video connection for the camera to send pictures/movies to a TV or receiver.

Indicates the weight of the camera in grams.