Nikon D5500 Review – Conclusion
You have only to cast your eyes over the specification sheet of the D5500 to see how strikingly similar it is to the D5300. With the same sensor, AF system and metering chip, its core credentials remain practically identical. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. We certainly aren’t dissatisfied with the image quality, metering, colour or autofocus. In fact, they are brilliant. Images are highly detailed with consideration to sensor size, and noise is very well controlled even at higher ISO sensitivities. Although the AF in live view is a touch slow, the regular autofocusing is extremely quick in both continuous and single modes. There’s also a good range of focus points and coupling the camera with a faster optic than the standard kit lens really shows what the D5500 can do. Colour rendition is also one of the D5500’s strong points, delivering very dense, tonally rich images with punchy colours.
The main difference between the D5500 and its predecessor is the body shape, which draws inspiration from the more recent D750. The front grip has been made very deep and is an absolute delight to hold. Also, factor in that Nikon has managed to shave 60g off the overall weight compared to the D5300 and it adds a lot to the handling of the camera.
The other significant change is that touchscreen functionality has been added to the D5500. It provides a different user experience, one that I think many first-time DSLR owners will find favourable. When working on a tripod where buttons aren’t easily accessible, the touchscreen is great for quick changes. Overall, Nikon has built upon the solid foundation of the D5300 and made a couple of changes that have improved upon the camera further.
