Nikon D 5500 w/ 18-55mm VR II

SLR cameras

A 24-megapixel camera from Nikon with an APS-C sensor, a 3.2-inch LCD, and an image stabilizer.

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CR Expert Take

How did it perform in our expert lab testing?

Overall Score

The Overall Score for this model is derived from our expert lab test results.

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Current Range of Tested SLR cameras

What goes into the Overall Score?

Image quality

/ 5

Ease of use

/ 5

Video quality

/ 5

LCD quality

/ 5

Viewfinder

/ 5

Flash photos

/ 5

Image stabilization

/ 5

Sensor types

/ 5

Battery life (shots)

/ 5

4K video

/ 5

WiFi

/ 5

Test lens

/ 5

Weight (oz.)

/ 5

Megapixels

/ 5

Detailed Test Results

PHOTO QUALITY. This 24-megapixel SLR camera captured images with very good quality. Pictures were sharp, which means you can see most details and subtle patterns in the image. In low-light situations without a flash, pictures were sharp. We judged this model very good for outdoor performance, such as shooting landscapes in the daytime; very good for indoor performance, such as photographing a well-lit basketball game in a gym; and very good for low-light performance without a flash, such as capturing a birthday party. Photos taken in our low-light performance tests displayed little image noise; subjects retained most of their correct detail and color.FLASH. The D 5500 w/ 18-55mm VR II with the 18-55mm kit lens captured flash shots that were good. In our distance test, we found the camera's flash could illuminate subjects very well, both near and far. The flash also has very good, even coverage.LENS. This camera has a standard 3x optical zoom lens. The lens also has wide-angle (27mm) capability that's useful for landscapes and group portraits, although you may notice a bit of distortion when you're shooting faces up close, for instance.IMAGE STABILIZATION. This is an important feature; taking hand-held shots at the telephoto end of the zoom range can generally blur or soften images due to the slight movement of your hands. Shooting telephoto in well-lit scenes, this model did an excellent job of minimizing the effects of camera shake. In low-light settings, it performed very well and rarely produced blurry photos. Overall, the shake reduction results from our tests were excellent.SPEED. In terms of performance, the Nikon D 5500 w/ 18-55mm VR II powers up instantly. It has a short interval between shots, which can be important when shooting fast-moving or unpredictable subjects.VIDEO. The Nikon D 5500 w/ 18-55mm VR II takes very good video. It captures full HD video at 1920 x 1080 60p. As for sound, it captures good audio in stereo.ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. Like all SLRs, it also includes a through-the-lens viewfinder, helpful when composing in bright light; this viewfinder has very good quality. The display also swivels; this can be helpful when shooting self-portraits or hard-to-reach shots. This SLR is much lighter than most in its class.

About

The D 5500 w/ 18-55mm VR II is a 24-megapixel camera with a kit lens that has a 35mm-equivalent focal length range of 27mm-82.5mm. It has a 3.2-inch LCD (1,036,800 pixels) that swivels. It also includes a through-the-lens viewfinder, which is helpful when composing in bright light. Because it accepts interchangeable lenses, and includes a mirror and a through-the-lens viewfinder, we consider this model an SLR (single-lens reflex) camera. The camera's kit lens has a maximum aperture of f/3.5. The camera's shutter speed range is 30 seconds to 1/4000 of a second. The D 5500 w/ 18-55mm VR II stores photos and video on SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards but has no on-board storage. It captures images as JPEG or RAW files at a top resolution of 6000 x 4000 and full HD-resolution video as MOV files at a top resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a frame rate up to 60p. Like most digital cameras, this model comes with a proprietary rechargeable battery. This SLR has 39 autofocus points, 22 exposure modes, and an exposure compensation control that can be set at +/-5 EV. The image stabilization system for this camera is optical. The D 5500 w/ 18-55mm VR II measures 4.9 inches wide by 3.8 inches high by 3 inches deep, and weighs 24 ounces (1.5 pounds) (with battery, memory card, strap, and tested lens).

Features & Specs

Features

Full frame

Swivelling screen

Yes

Hot shoe

Yes

Memory card

SD/SDHC/SDXC

Color space

sRGB/Adobe RGB

PC flash sync jack

Maximum aperture

3.5

Touch screen

Yes

Wireless remote

Widest angle (mm)

Live view

Exposure modes

Exposure compensation

Manual focus

Macro focus

Manual controls

Specs

Image stabilizer

LCD size (in.)

3.2

Max. ISO

25600

35mm equivalent multiplier

1.5

Shutter speed range

30 - 1/4000

Height (in.)

3.8

Width (in.)

4.9

Depth (in.)

Total weight (oz.)

Memory card slots/type

Max. buffer size JPEG/RAW

LCD pixel count

Still image formats

Price & Shop

Nikon D 5500 w/ 18-55mm VR II

CR Expert Take

Overall Score

What goes into the Overall Score?

Detailed Test Results

About

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