Unbiased digital camera reviews, advice, and prices
Note: this camera was first sold in Jan 2007. There may be newer versions available.
Canon PowerShot A550
Canon PowerShot A550
B-
HQ Grade: B-
A is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of digital cameras.
B means they are good, with some standout features.
C means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they are worth.
D & F mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs.
  • 4 out of 5
"A great point and shoot camera."
  • 4 out of 5
"Good camera"
See rating based on 290 user reviews
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Swamiji (Swamiji) 2 pts
April 9, 2007 12:22 PM
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Canon a550. Their site, until today was mentioning a version 5.7.0 of their software for windows 98. Now they deny it, sticking to the win 2k and up)

Until yesterady, when I emailed them, the Canon people mentioned on their website that if you are using Win98, then not to use the current driver (version 5.8.0) but to use version 5.7.0, which Icouldn't find on their site.

I am not going to change my operating system to suit them, but may have to return the camera for one that works in my computer!

Is it possible that you know where on the internet one can find this slightly older driver? Lots of references on the net quote this camera (A550) as working with win98, even win95, and I assume they are just being difficult. Any ideas please?

Thanks.

swameejee@netzero.net
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Answers This question has been answered!
bukit97 (bukit97) 12611 pts
April 10, 2007 3:04 AM
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5.7.0 probably refers to the version of Zoom Browser that allows you to transfer and view pictures from a Canon camera. Twain driver is the one that allows the computer to recognize and communicate with your camera.

You need not change your OS because of the camera, and you can forget about 5.7.0 or Twain driver altogether if you have a card reader and Picasa2.

For $10 or so, you can get a card reader with a driver CD for for Win 98SE and Picasa2 is a free picture viewing and editing software that you can down load from internet.

The card reader-Picasa combination is the best idea that many have tried and Picasa has more surprise for you in store, it can burnt you pictures directly to CD and render them viewable on TVs through the VCD/DVD player.








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dicro 2 pts
April 18, 2007 12:21 AM
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I run Windows XP Home on my computer and recently bought this Canon camera. My problem is my computer cannot see the camera. I am trying to see if there is an updated driver to download but haven't been successful yet. I have uninstalled and reinstalled the software but still my camera does not detect the camera.
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Swamiji (Swamiji) 2 pts
April 20, 2007 5:44 PM
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The above answers do not address the real problem, which is one of an appropriate drive for Windows 98 so that the camera can be attached to the computer via a standard USB cable.

I emailed Canon and called the tech support people with the problem over a week ago, but their answer was the standard win 2k and up one.

However, I solved the problem myself and found a drive on the installation CD that comes with the camera! It even has a reference to win98 in the folder name. Now I can see the photos on the camera SD memory card. Since we have just purchased a new Canon printer (MP600) which works well and has sockets for these memory cards, we were hoping to be able to read the card contents from the printer SD socket directly into the computer. Windows 98se does show a drive letter for the SD card whenever it is plugged into the printer and we can print photos that way, one at a time, but cannot access the photos from the computer. I have seen this situation often enough to know that we need another driver for the printer so that the USB connection can be used for photos into the computer. FYI I have been a technician for many years.

Most people have suggested a Card Reader and we have solved the problem that way, with a nice unit by Trendnet, model TMR-61U2. It comes with a CD with drivers on it which work in Win98. A different model from Radio Shack did not come with a CD and the downloaded driver software didn't not just work, it had a Trojan Horse virus in it (which their tech support denied upon my email). So beware!

The best price I found was at www.provantage.com and the price did vary considerably across the 'net.

Another thing I liked about the Trendnet model is that in addition to the driver CD, it comes with a genuine USB 3 foot long extension cable, which is perfect to bring our recently purchased USB 2.0 card output to the front, where other USB stuff can be easily plugged in for a while.
Best Answer
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dicro 2 pts
April 20, 2007 7:33 PM
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I have checked my installation CD and the Twain driver cannot be found? I have recently had problems with the CD Rom driver for my computer and discovered that it is a problem with the registry (Error Code 39). Microsoft have answers to this problem which is usually caused after uninstalling a DVD/CD writer program and have a Guided Help link which automatically fixes the registry - AND IT DID. So I am wondering if my camera problem is related. I cannot launch EOS Utility and nothing sees my camera.
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FaCE 0 pts
April 29, 2007 11:20 AM
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Swamiji, why are you still using Windows 98?
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dicro 2 pts
April 29, 2007 7:28 PM
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I am not using Windows 98, I am using Windows XP SP2 and the camera is a Canon A550 Powershot. However the computer cannot see it and I cannot download my photos onto it. I have now bought a cardreader and have given up trying to work out what the problem is. Too hard!!!!
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Brenda P (BrendaP) 28728 pts
May 25, 2007 1:46 AM
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Dicro, did you ever resolve this issue? I'm curious; you have a separate problem going on from the OP, and while he seems to have solved his, I'm wondering about yours. We have had issues before with users whose cameras could not be detected by XP, and it has usually been something like a bad USB connection, because all the drivers you need should be located right in the XP operating system.

Let me know if you're still struggling with this and I will try to help further. But you mentioned buying a card reader, so I'm assuming you have it working. This is a good solution anyhow, as a card reader saves batteries and wear & tear on your camera anyhow.
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dicro 2 pts
May 25, 2007 6:54 PM
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Hello BrendaP. No my problem has not been solved. And yes, I bought and am using a card reader, because the whole issue became too hard. Canon couldn't/didn't help and although Microsoft had some solutions to a Canon100 issue, it didn't solve mine. I have only 2 USB ports on my laptop and when I tried to get a USB2 converter which runs from the PCMCIA card that didn't work so I took it back for a refund. Thanks for the info regarding the battery saving features of the card reader.
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Swamiji (Swamiji) 2 pts
May 29, 2007 1:17 PM
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As a final note from me;

The Trendnet card reader and its provided driver works well with windows 98se. More recently, I switched over to Windows 2000 and everything works OK as advertised. I can even see the card slots in the Canon MP600 printer and read and write to the memory card from the computer. So the problem always was a matter of a correct driver. So firms seem to have abandoned win98se since M$ has also done so. Maybe a combination of pressure from M$ and laziness.

Swamiji
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arveheloin 2 pts
November 23, 2008 1:06 AM
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have a cannon a550. xp comp ...but it says cannot detect the fukin camera...any help?
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thefremen 1 pts
January 28, 2009 8:54 PM
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anyone knows where i can find a drivers for this cam on xp? canon only have twain for win2k and a "update" for zoombrowser, y lost my cd
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