Well I’ve had the A550 for a few days now and I have bought myself a Sigma 50-500mm “Bigma” .
I am very impressed with the IQ also higher ISO shots, ok it has not the bells and whistles on it that I would like but it does have a few nice points, the AF tracking is as good as the Nikon system metering is also not bad.
What I don’t like is the “two tone body” the top looks very plastic and cheap but it does perform very well, far better than the older Sony’s
I do see a few people thinking of buying other brands, but there is a saying “the grass is not always greener on the other side”
I had a Canon 7D, to read most of the reviews it is “the best thing since sliced bread”
Not in my opinion, the AF tracking very poor, metering hit and miss the only thing it did well was being fast, I did have some of the best Canon “L” lenses as well.
I also had the 1Dmk11n only an 8.3 meg sensor but it was in my opinion a far better camera, just very heavy.
I will wait for the replacement A-700 because it may just be worth it.
Best Regards
Richard

Richard, you just became a "Persona Non Grata" for Canon fans.

I am too. I found the 7D very poor for focus accuracy and it really was a case of speed without finesse. Canon have my sample files, they've seen the results. The 1D MkIV in comparison is almost perfect. I would not buy a 7D for several reasons. I actually think the 550D is better.

David

Canon's enthusiast cameras don't seem to be the big bargains of performance that they're specified to be. The 5DmkII was a disappointment for studio shooters due to it's slower-than-advertised X-sync speed of 1/160th. Now I'm staggered to discover somebody coming over from the 7D to an a550. Sony doesn't specify their cameras as aggressively at the competition, but they don't over-promise either.

From all these reports of the a550 I'm tempted to add one to my kit the next time I need two bodies, but I'm still holding out for the a7XX.

Can the A550 be set up in the menu so that AF is delinked from the shutter release as it can on the A700?

Exactly David, I am one of those who is not a brand freak all I want is the best I can get for my money, the only trouble is you read up on a camera all looks good and then you find it just won’t do what you want it to.
But I did read one review on the Canon 550D that gave it a glowing report, and in small print underneath it said “If you may be doing sport or wildlife you may consider a Nikon”!
Now that says it all for me so why did they not say so in the review? Advertising may be?
By the way I did also have a canon 40D that was good!
Best regards
Richard

Hi all, now a couple of months on with the A-550 and I’m very pleased to say this camera is punching way above it’s weight.
As well as the Bigma I now have the Tamron 200-500mm any one want a Bigma cheap? And a Tamron 90mm macro, also a Sony 70-300mm G lens the best 70-300 I have ever used, sharp wide open as well.
I have had some incredible shots with this kit, ok it does not have some of the settings that I would like but it more than make up for it with high ISO shots that are clean.
I also like the fact that I do not have to do much in Photoshop to the images, something you have to with the Canon kit (soft).
A very good friend of mine who is a Canon user ( 5Dmk2 and 1Dmk2n) has tried the Tamron 200-500 with the A-550 hand held and cannot get over the IS in camera, how it performs, I took him round a local butterfly farm using the Tamron 90 macro I was getting loads of quality shots while he was struggling to get a few with his non IS macro lens.
Well just to say if this body (A-550) is anything to go by the wait for the A-700 replacement will be well worth it, I’m saving for it now.
Regards
richard

Thanks Scooterman for your A550 update. I fancied the A550 and ordered one from Simply Electronics. Eye Start did not work and neither did this function work on camera No. 2 so the money is now back in my account. Not sure what to do next. I would pay the same £430 for a fully functioning A550 but it seems that only buying "grey" would enable such a purchase and I lack the motivation to try again. Maybe I should wait for Sony's next crop of DSLRs. Sonyalpharumors are suggesting a replacement for A700 end 2010 with 18Mp+ sensor. That would be something. I have been wondering why Nikon are lying low. Maybe they are now doing their own sensor development and awaiting product or they are busy developing an awesome D400 based on such a Sony 18Mp+ sensor to blow Canon out of the water. Who knows? Thom has nothing to say on Nikon APS-C developments just now.

Well, I am pleased with my A-550 pity you had trouble with yours. Why two of them with the same fault, strange.
But I do not like to buy “grey imports” far to many problems can occur also with my luck they will.
The best thing to do is go to a camera shop and try the kit you are buying it may cost a fraction more but in the end it saves loads of trouble.
I will not buy a lens or a camera before I try, lenses are easy to test but cameras are not,(Canon 7D ) it has to “fit” first everybody has a different style and size of hands, I did not like the 550 at first till I fitted the grip then it was just right my one real gripe is the front wheel is far to close to the on-off switch, but even that can be overcome, you get used to it.
It also must be one of the easiest cameras to use the menu is so straight forward a child can understand it.
Regards
richard

Thanks for your advice Scooterman. I like to do the same as you, but only if the prices are reasonable. I do not like the idea that we pay the same in £ as the US price in $. Often 50% more. Take off VAT and we are still paying 30-40% more than in USA. I have just purchased an A550 body only on a UK Ebay supplier. Could not resist as Ebay or PayPal offered a 10% discount voucher with expiry 14/7. Order placed just before midnight yesterday. Price delivered for A550 body only plus a SDHC card £395. Now that is a fair price for a new item delivered. Hopefully the camera will be OK or it goes back. I did some test shooting with the first defective A550 before I discovered the Eye Start problem and I like it despite its shortcomings. I think Sony will be releasing some remarkable cameres shortly, but the A550 is more than good enough for my purposes and I am not into Video. I will still keep my A700 & A350.

Hi Again,
I’m sure you will love the A-550, it is a real gem, even for it’s simplicity.
I am waiting for the A-700 replacement, and if it is not as good as I hope I may just buy an other A-550 to take out with me as a spare body, and maybe a different lens on.
One with the Tamron 200-500 and the other with the 70-300 Sony G or a Tamron 90mm macro.
Birds /insects and flowers are my thing.
Regards
Richard

I've rented an a550 for a wedding at the end of the month. I figure it'll wear my 70-210 while the a700 carries the 17-50. We'll see if it grows on me...

I have now got my £395 A550. Seems to work OK but I have noted that the Eye Start function behaves differently from my A350 and A700. It will activate when the camera is not in Power Save but not when it is in Power Save. I first have to activate through depressing the shutter half way. Actually, on reflection, this is much better as it saves power but I am not sure if that is the factory setting. The Eye Start in ON in the Menu. In any event I will keep the camera as I think that whatever is the correct setting, what I have will work. I now think I have got a really good camera at a competitive price.