What camera should I buy as a beginner photographer? What is the most important thing I should look out for when I’m buying a camera?
Between a Nikon D5500 and a Nikon D5600, which one is better?
These are some of the questions I get daily, especially after my recent blog post on Sony a5100 and a6000 . So, today, we’re going to look into the Nikon Cameras and, most specifically, the Nikon D5500 and Nikon D5600.
Nikon Company has been in the camera market for over a century. Yes, the company was founded in 1917 in Tokyo. Being one of the camera manufacturing companies that has operated for long has given them time to improve the quality of their cameras. It’s the reason why they are known for quality cameras.
Whether you’re either a novice or a pro in the photography world, you’ll love both Nikon D5500 and the Nikon D5600.
Quick Comparison Table & Our Pick!
HDR | Built In | Built In |
Continuos Shooting Speed | Five | - |
Style | Dual Lens Kit (18-55mm VR & 70-300mm Lens) | Dual Lens Kit (18-55mm VR & 70-300mm Lens) |
Display Size (Inches) | 3.2 | 3.0 |
Resolution For Better Clarity (MP) & Zoom | 24.2/3x/Full HD 1080/60p | 24.2/3x/Full HD 1080/60p |
Focus Type | Automatic | Automatic Only |
Touch Screen | Yes Swiveling | Yes Swiveling |
ISO Range | Auto, 100-25600 | - |
Built-In Wi-Fi | Yes | BuiltIn With Bluetooth 4.1 LE and NFC |
Other Great Recommendations | ||
Dimensions (Inches) | 3.82 x 4.88 x 2.76 | 12.9 x 6 x 8.9 |
ViewFinder Type | Pentamirror | Optical |
Photo Sensor Size | APS-C | APS-C |
Cell | ||
However, which of the two do you choose?
The D5500 and D5600 look very similar in terms of design and make. It is a little difficult to tell how one is different from the other.
We want to make you understand the two cameras in-depth so that you will have an easy time making your choice.
Similarities:
The two cameras are identical in so many spheres. These include:
Specifications:
The two cameras have the following specifications which are similar:
- 24 MP –APS-C CMOS sensor
- No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
- Built-in wireless capability. This allows you to connect to a WI-FI network and share your photos.
- Measurements: 124x97x70 inches
- 1920x1080 video resolution
- Optical viewfinder
- Nikon F mount
- 3.2” fully articulated screen. You can tilt the screen to different shooting positions.
- 5.0 fps continuous shooting
- ISO 100 -25600
- A built-in flash to assist in taking photos in low light conditions
- The touch screen feature enables you to control the camera functions easily.
- The face detection focus detects a human face, which makes the cameras ideal for taking portraits.
Differences Between Nikon D5500 and D5600
Nikon D5500
Price
The D5500 costs less than D5600. Price is an essential factor to consider between the two cameras. This is especially so because the two do not have significant differences in terms of features.
Announcement Date
Nikon D5500 announcement date was on 2015-01-06
Features AndSpecifications
Nikon D5500 weighs 420g, which means it is light enough for you to move around. In terms of measurements, the camera has external dimensions of 124x97x70 inches and a thickness of 70mm. It can fit in a camera case easily for portability purposes.
If you are to use the camera in dusty areas or under the rain, you should take extra care as the camera has no weather ceiling which means you need to be extra careful.
The camera has a fully articulated LCD screen with 1,037 dots resolution. The screen is large enough to give you a feel of the whole environment. The screen is also selfie-friendly so that you can quench your thirst for selfies and group photos. The fact that the screen is a touch screen allows you to control the camera functions by the touch of your fingers.
This masterpiece comes with a 24MP CMOS sensor and Expeed 4 processor. The camera allows you to shoot at a maximum resolution of 6000x4000 pixels. It also offers you an opportunity to save files in their raw format.
That’s not all. The camera also prides itself on the lack of anti-alias filters which increases sharpness and details in the images that you take.
The camera also comes with a Nikon F lens mount. The mount can support a wide range of lenses. Also, the mount has what is known as backward compatibility, which enables the mount to support lenses dating back to the 1960s.
Are you wondering if you can record anything with the camera? You are sorted. The D5500 comes with a built-in microphone to help you record. It also has a port for an external microphone for high-quality recording.
Connectivity
The D5500 comes with built-in wireless connectivity that allows you to send and transfer files instantly as you are taking them. You can also use your smartphone to control the camera by using a control app remotely. What more would you want?
Check Nikon D5500 Price On Amazon
Nikon D5600
Price
The D5600 is an improvement of the D5500. As such, you will spend a little bit more when purchasing the D5600 than you would the D5500.
Announcement Date
The announcement date for the D5600 into the market was on 10th November 2016.
Features And Specifications
The D5600 is the latest member of the Nikon’s D5000 series of cameras. Therefore, it has some features and improvements that you may not get in other members of the series.
The camera features a 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor. It comes with a Nikon F lens mount and 304 lenses are compatible with this mount. And just like in the D5500, the mount is compatible with lenses from years that date back to the 60s.
One downside with this camera is that it does not have a weather ceiling. That calls for extra caution when you want to use it on a rainy day or dusty areas. But there are weather ceiling lenses that are available for this camera.
The D5600 also does not have an anti-alias filter. The lack of the filter increases sharpness in your images and gives them more details.
The D5600 weighs a little more than the D5500. The D5500 weighs 420g while the D5600 weighs 465g. You can carry it around for photo sessions in different areas without much struggle. It has a thickness of 70mm, and its external dimensions are 124x97x70 inches.
This camera has a fully articulated LCD touch screen with 1,037k dots resolution. The fact that it is a touch screen means you can easily control and change the settings of the camera with a touch of your fingers.
If you are a lover of selfies and group photos, this is the camera for you. This is because it comes with a selfie-friendly screen. It also has a built-in Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder. The viewfinder has a 95% coverage, which means that the image you take will be 95% similar to the actual image.
The D5600 features a built-in flash, and it also comes with a flash shoe on which you can mount external flashes. The D5600 shoots at a maximum speed of 5.0 fps, and it has a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.
The camera also features autofocus (AF) phase and contrast detection. These guarantee you of speed and accuracy of focusing.
When it comes to videos, the camera allows you to record at 1920x1080 resolution, which is the highest. It comes with a built-in microphone and a port for an external microphone for high-quality sound.
If you’re a vlogger, you will find the time-lapse feature on the D5600 very useful. This particular feature is not present in the D5500 camera.
Connectivity
The D5600 comes with a built-in wireless connection and Bluetooth. The Bluetooth allows you to share your photos with all compatible devices while the Wi-Fi connectivity will enable you to share your photos instantly.
The snapbridge app on the D5600 helps to maintain the connection between the camera and the phone. It also synchronizes images as you take more pictures with the camera. This eliminates the hustle of having to remove the USD card and transferring it to the phone, PC, or Laptop to access the images.
Verdict
After our detailed analysis, it is time to announce our winner between the two cameras.
And the camera that carries the day is Nikon D5600. In terms of features and specifications, the D5600 is higher than the D5500. It supports a remote Smartphone, and it has NFC. It also has a phase detection autofocus for videos.
In terms of price, the D5500 is cheaper than the D5600. It also has most of the features of the D5600. If you have a tight budget, you will not have lost much if you decide to take the D5500 instead of the D5600.
So, is the D5600 worth an upgrade if you already own a D5500? Not really. But, if you don’t have either and you’re considering to buy one of them, then definitely go for the D5600.
Editor Notes:
Nikon D5600 and D5500 look so identical with numerous resembling features. But when it comes to deciding which to buy between them, we suggest you go for the D5600. Being a newer version, Nikon D5600 performs much better and has upgraded specifications.
Unlike the D5500 that only has an automatic focus feature, the D5600 also features manual focusing besides auto-focusing. For this reason, it provides you with an added advantage in ensuring picture clarity and real-looking pictures.
Another outstanding feature of the D5600 is the provision of Bluetooth and Wifi wireless communication, unlike the D5500, which only has the Wifi option.
The D5600 takes a giant leap ahead of the D5500 with the time-lapse feature, which the latter lacks. Due to this, you can monitor the progress of something without the hassle of sticking around.
Typically, upgraded products come at a higher cost. Not so with these two. With over $100 to save by opting for the D5600 over the D5500, the decision for the best here is straightforward.