Canon EOS Rebel T2i / 550D

This is a 2010 Canon DSLR with an 18-megapixel APS-C sensor. Shooting centres on the optical viewfinder, with Live View on the LCD when you prefer to compose at arm's length.

The Canon EF-S lens mount ties the camera to Canon's lens system, so extra lenses can be added over time. A pentamirror viewfinder shows the scene directly and uses no battery power while you frame.

The body weighs 530 g and measures 129 x 98 x 62 mm, a manageable size for carrying. With no wireless connectivity, moving images to a computer means using the memory card.

The 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor is paired with a Digic 4 processor. That resolution leaves room for large prints and generous cropping from each frame.

Autofocus uses 9 points, and the maximum burst rate is 3.7 frames per second, figures that favour portraits, landscapes and general photography over fast action.

There is no in-body stabilisation, so sharp handheld shots in dim light depend on steady hands, faster shutter speeds or lenses with their own stabilisation. Anyone shooting indoors without a tripod should factor a stabilised lens into the budget.

Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to 6400. The maximum shutter speed is 1/4000 s, which can limit wide apertures in bright sunlight. Partial credit for sensor format, ISO range, shutter speed, autofocus points and burst rate, with none for stabilisation, leaves the optics score at a modest 41, in the bottom 7% of cameras in our database for Optics.

The camera records video with a maximum resolution of Full HD and a maximum frame rate of 30 fps, saving files in MOV format. That is enough for standard clips, family films and web content.

Movies are composed on the 3-inch LCD in Live View, and its 1,040,000 dots help when checking focus on screen. The nine autofocus points are shared with stills shooting.

There is no built-in timelapse mode, so interval work needs an external timer or manual triggering. Full HD rather than a higher maximum resolution, a 30 fps ceiling and the missing timelapse function keep the video score at a modest 43, though the basics for planned, tripod-based clips remain in place.

The 3-inch LCD carries 1,040,000 dots, plenty for judging focus when you review shots or compose in Live View. Framing on the screen instead of the viewfinder suits tripod work and awkward handheld angles.

The screen is fixed and controlled with buttons rather than touch. You cannot tilt it for overhead or waist-level shots, so the optical viewfinder remains the main way to compose.

There is a built-in flash for quick fill light, plus a hot shoe so you can add a larger flash unit when you want more power or bounce lighting off a ceiling.

Nothing here is weather sealed, so keep rain and dust away. With no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or GPS, file transfer needs a physical connection, and built-in location tagging is absent. Missing weather sealing, touch control and Bluetooth cost the features score points, leaving a modest 44, though the screen and Live View scored well.

Photos and video record to a single SD, SDHC or SDXC card. SDXC support means you can use high-capacity cards, so there is room for long shoots, but there is no second slot for overflow or copies of important files.

The LP-E8 battery is rated for 440 shots per charge. That figure is a specification rating rather than a guarantee of real-world endurance, so a charged spare is a sensible addition for longer shooting days.

The battery charges in an external charger rather than over USB, so you cannot top it up from a laptop or power bank. The single card slot, moderate battery rating and lack of USB charging together explain the limited storage and battery score of 24.