Do you want to know what's better Nikon D5500 or Nikon D90? SpecsPRO has compared Nikon D5500 vs Nikon D90: weight, battery, sensor, resolution, ISO, dynamic range and other important specifications.

Nikon D5500 vs Nikon D90

  • Main

  • Model

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • launch

  • Announced

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

  • Max resolution

  • Sensor size

  • Sensor type

  • Processor

  • Image ratio w:h

  • Other resolutions

  • Sensor photo detectors

  • Image

  • ISO

  • White balance presets

  • Custom white balance

  • Image stabilization

  • Uncompressed format

  • JPEG quality levels

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

  • Maximum shutter speed

  • Aperture priority

  • Shutter priority

  • Manual exposure mode

  • Subject / scene modes

  • Built-in flash

  • Flash range

  • External flash

  • Flash modes

  • Continuous drive

  • Self-timer

  • Metering modes

  • Exposure compensation

  • AE Bracketing

  • WB Bracketing

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

  • Screen size

  • Screen dots

  • Touch screen

  • Screen type

  • Live view

  • Viewfinder type

  • Viewfinder coverage

  • Viewfinder magnification

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

  • File Format

  • Microphone

  • Speaker

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

  • Digital zoom

  • Manual focus

  • Number of focus points

  • Lens mount

  • Focal length multiplier

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

  • Dimensions

  • Environmentally sealed

  • Battery

  • Battery details

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

  • Storage

  • Storage types

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

  • HDMI

  • Wireless

  • Wireless notes

  • Remote control

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

  • Timelapse recording

  • GPS

  • GPS notes

  • Samples

  • Videos

  • Main

  • Model

    Nikon D5500

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Effective pixels: 24 megapixels

    SENSOR Max resolution: 6000 x 4000

    SENSOR Sensor photo detectors: 25 megapixels

    IMAGE ISO: Auto, 100 - 25600

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Continuous drive: 5.0 fps

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Articulated LCD: Fully articulated

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen size: 3.2

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen dots: 1,037,000

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Touch screen: Yes

    VIDEOGRAPHY FEATURES Resolutions: 1920 x 1080 (60, 50, 30, 25, 24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 50, 30, 25 fps), 640 x 424 (30, 25 fps)

    VIDEOGRAPHY FEATURES Microphone: Stereo

    OPTICS & FOCUS Number of focus points: 39

    PHYSICAL Weight (inc. batteries): 420 g (0.93 lb / 14.82 oz)

    CONNECTIVITY Wireless: Built-In

    Go to the Summary

Nikon D90
  • Main

  • Model

    Nikon D90

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Sensor size: APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm)

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Flash range: 17.00 m (at ISO 100)

    PHYSICAL Battery Life (CIPA): 850

    OTHER FEATURES GPS: Optional

    Go to the Summary

  • launch

  • Announced

    Jan 6, 2015

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Compact SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    24 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    6000 x 4000

  • Sensor size

    APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

    Expeed 4

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2

  • Other resolutions

    4496 x 3000, 2992 x 2000

  • Sensor photo detectors

    25 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 100 - 25600

  • White balance presets

    12

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (1)

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, Normal, Basic

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/4000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    Yes

  • Built-in flash

    Yes (Pop-up)

  • Flash range

    12.00 m (at ISO 100)

  • External flash

    Yes (Hot-shoe)

  • Flash modes

    Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow sync, Rear curtain

  • Continuous drive

    5.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2, 5, 10 or 20 sec)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    ±2 (3 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes (3 frames in either blue/amber or magenta/green axis)

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Fully articulated

  • Screen size

    3.2

  • Screen dots

    1,037,000

  • Touch screen

    Yes

  • Screen type

    TFT LCD monitor

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentamirror)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    95%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.82×

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    1920 x 1080 (60, 50, 30, 25, 24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 50, 30, 25 fps), 640 x 424 (30, 25 fps)

  • File Format

    MPEG-4, H.264

  • Microphone

    Stereo

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Center
    • Selective single-point
    • Tracking
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Touch
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Digital zoom

    No

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Number of focus points

    39

  • Lens mount

    Nikon F

  • Focal length multiplier

    1.5×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    420 g (0.93 lb / 14.82 oz)

  • Dimensions

    124 x 97 x 70 mm (4.88 x 3.82 x 2.76)

  • Environmentally sealed

    No

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    EN-EL14 / EN-EL14a lithium-ion battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    820

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    SD/SDHC/SDXC

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (mini-HDMI)

  • Wireless

    Built-In

  • Wireless notes

    Remote control / photo retrieval via smartphone

  • Remote control

    Yes (MC-DC2 (wired), WR-1/WR-R10 (wireless))

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes

  • GPS

    None

  • GPS notes

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • launch

  • Announced

    Aug 27, 2008

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Mid-size SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    12 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    4288 x 2848

  • Sensor size

    APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2

  • Other resolutions

    3216 x 2136, 2144 x 1424

  • Sensor photo detectors

    13 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 200 - 3200 (plus 6400 with boost)

  • White balance presets

    12

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (5)

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, Normal, Basic

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    6400

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/4000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    Yes

  • Built-in flash

    Yes (pop-up)

  • Flash range

    17.00 m (at ISO 100)

  • External flash

    Yes (Hot-shoe, Wireless)

  • Flash modes

    Auto, On, Off, Front curtain, Rear curtain, Red-Eye, Slow Sync

  • Continuous drive

    4.5 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2, 5, 10 or 20 sec)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    (2, 3 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes (2 or 3 frames in either blue/amber or magenta/green axis)

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Fixed

  • Screen size

    3

  • Screen dots

    920,000

  • Touch screen

    No

  • Screen type

    Super Density TFT color LCD with wide-viewing angle

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentaprism)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    96%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.96×

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    1280 x 720 (24 fps), 640 x 424 (24 fps), 320 x 216 (24 fps)

  • File Format

    Motion JPEG

  • Microphone

    Mono

  • Speaker

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Selective single-point
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Digital zoom

    No

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Number of focus points

    11

  • Lens mount

    Nikon F

  • Focal length multiplier

    1.5×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    703 g (1.55 lb / 24.80 oz)

  • Dimensions

    132 x 103 x 77 mm (5.2 x 4.06 x 3.03)

  • Environmentally sealed

    No

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    Lithium-Ion EN-EL3e rechargeable battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    850

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    SD/SDHC

  • Storage included

    None

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (Mini Type C)

  • Wireless

    Eye-Fi Connected

  • Wireless notes

  • Remote control

    Yes (Optional ML-L3 or MC-DC2)

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes (by USB cable and PC)

  • GPS

    Optional

  • GPS notes

    GP-1

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • Summary

    The Nikon D5500 highest resolution of 6000 x 4000 pixels (24 megapixels) is better in comparison with the Nikon D90 highest resolution of 4288 x 2848 pixels (12 megapixels). The Nikon D90 is produced with bigger sensor compared to the Nikon D5500: APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) versus APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm). This is very important difference between these models because large sensor lets you to produce pictures of the better quality. The Nikon D5500 has a wider ISO range of 100-25600 in compare with 200-3200 ISO range of the Nikon D90. Such ISO range let the camera owner to produce better pictures in low light situations. The Nikon D5500 provides more number of focus points in compare with the Nikon D90: 39 vs 11. More number of focus points means more convenience while attempting to focus on objects which are not centred.

    The D5500 is produced with articulated LCD which will let you to take pictures from any interesting angle. The Nikon D5500 display is better as it offers more number of screen dots 1,037,000 in comparison to 920,000 dots of the Nikon D90 display. The higher dot count display is better for reviewing photos on your camera. The Nikon D5500 is produced with Yes inch touch screen which is bigger in comparison to No inch display of the Nikon D90.

    The D5500 is produced with built-in Wi-Fi which will help the camera owner to transfer pictures wirelessly from a digital camera to a laptop. The Nikon D90 battery life is better than the Nikon D5500 battery life. According to CIPA standards the camera owner will be able to capture 850 photos with the D90 and only 820 with the D5500. The D5500 weighs 420g which is 283g less in comparison with the weight of the Nikon D90. The Nikon D90 can utilize optional accessory GPS devices. This feature can be useful if you like to travel, to be able to go into the photo metadata and see exactly where a photo was shot.

    Considering the above-mentioned differences the Nikon D5500 will become the best buy. Get the lowest price on Amazon.