The verdict

It’s mostly business as usual…

The D5500 represents a slight upgrade, rather than a complete overhaul, but the changes that have been made are welcome and make using the camera a nicer experience than before. Adding a touch-sensitive screen to the already well-performing sensor and processor combination of the D5300 means that you have the best of the old, with a nod to the new.

The feature set of the D5500 is great. The high resolution sensor produces detailed images, while built-in Wi-Fi, a 39-point AF system and a touchscreen round off the specs very nicely. It’s very much a camera which is a sum of its parts rather than having one special standout feature.

While Nikon hasn’t created a game-changer with the D5500, it’s nevertheless a very pleasing camera that brings a lot very useful features to the novice user. It’s ideal as your first D-SLR, or as an upgrade from a much older model. If you’re on a budget, the older D5300 has the same image quality, but lacks the touch-sensitive screen.