Nikon D5500 vs D7100
Camera Comparisons
·11 min read

Nikon D5500 vs D7100 : Which Should You Buy?

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Like its predecessor,  the new Nikon D5500 is the most advanced entry/mid-level SLR available,  making the choice to spend a little more money on the Nikon D7100 even harder. Below, I’ll briefly explain what has been added to (and what has been taken away from) the D5300 to derive the D5500, but I’ll primarily focus on the differences that remain between the D5500 and the D7100. If you’re trying to decide which camera to buy, my general advice is always this: buy the least expensive camera that will meet your needs, and buy the best lenses that you can afford. Most photographers will be very happy with the D5500, but some advanced shooters will require the D7100; this article should help you decide whether you fall into the latter camp.

[UPDATE: With the release of the Nikon D7200, I’ve updated this article with the new camera information. You can read that article here: Nikon D7200 vs D5500.]

New In the D5500

If you’re deciding between D5500 and older D5300, here’s the difference:

  • a touch-sensitive screen has been added to the D5500
  • built-in GPS have been removed in the D5500
  • the top of the ISO scale has been increased by a stop to 25600, though it may be more accurate to say that the “expanded” ISO of 25600 has been incorporated as “native”
  • its a millimeter shorter and narrower, 5mm thinner, and about 60 grams lighter than the D5300

That’s it! The D5500 and D5300 are virtually identical, otherwise, so as the price drops on the D5300, many photographers who don’t care about having a touch-screen or who want built-in GPS will be able to pick it up at a great price.

The Nikon D5500, left, is slightly smaller than the D5300, and about 60g lighter.
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter The Nikon D5500, left, is slightly smaller than the D5300, and about 60g lighter.

Nikon D5500 vs D7100: What’s the Difference?

To begin with, we can take a look at the most significant specs for the D5300, the new D5500, and the D7100.

Nikon D5300Nikon D5500Nikon D7100
Price (body)
$596$746$796
Price (with 18-140mm kit lens)$896$1046$1096
Body MaterialSereebo, (carbon fiber reenforced plastic) body-chassis Sereebo, (carbon fiber reenforced plastic) body-chassis Partial Magnesium Alloy Frame, Plastic
Dust/Weather Sealed BodyNoneNoneModerate
Sensor Resolution24.1 Megapixels
(Toshiba)		24.1 Megapixels
(Toshiba)		24.1 Megapixels
(Toshiba)
Anti-Aliasing Filter
(Reduces sharpness, prevents moire)		NONONO
ISO Range100-12800
+25600		100-25600100-6400
+12800
+25600
Total AF Points393951
Cross-Type AF Points9915
AF Motor In Body
(For Using Older AF Lenses)		NONOYES
AF Light Level Range-1 to +19 EV-1 to +19 EV-2 to +19 EV
Autofocus Fine Tuning
Adjustments		NONOYES
Shutter Speed Range1/4000th - 30 sec.
+bulb		1/4000th - 30 sec.
+bulb		1/8000th - 30 sec.
+bulb
Expected Shutter Life100,000 Shots100,000 Shots150,000 Shots
Max Frame Rate5 fps5 fps6 fps
(7 shots in 1.3x crop mode)
Max RAW Burst
(buffer size)		6 shots, compressed 14-bit6 shots, compressed 14-bit7 shots lossless 12-bit
6 shots lossless 14-bit
Max JPG Burst
(fine, Large)		~100~10033
Flash Sync Speed1/200th sec.1/200th sec.1/250th sec.
(1/320th* sec, or slower,)
Wireless Flash
(Built-in Commander)		NONOYES
Auto FP Flash Mode
(High Speed Sync)		NONOYES
Media Slots1 SD / SDHC / SDXC1 SD / SDHC / SDXC2 SD / SDHC / SDXC
LCD Size3.2"
1,036,800 pixels		3.2"
1,036,800 pixels		3.2"
1,228,800 pixels
LCD ArticulatedYesYesNo
LCD TouchscreenNoYESNo
Built-in GPS YesNoNo
Built-in WiFiYesYesNo
Body Weight480g (no battery)
530g (with battery)		420g (no battery)
470 (with battery)		675 (no battery)
Body Size125 x 98 x 76 mm 124 x 97 x 70 mm136 x 107 x 76 mm
Battery Life600 shots
CIPA Standards		820 shots
CIPA Standards		950 shots
CIPA Standards
Viewfinder Coverage95% Frame
.82x Magnification		95% Frame
.82x Magnification		100% Frame
.94x Magnification
Video CodecMPEG-4 / H.264
.mov		MPEG-4 / H.264
.mov		MPEG-4 / H.264
.mov
Video Resolutions1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 50i, 30, 25, 24 fps)
1280 x 720 (60, 50 fps)
640 x 424 (30, 25 fps)		1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 50i, 30, 25, 24 fps)
1280 x 720 (60, 50 fps)		1920 x 1080 (60i*, 50i*, 30, 25, 24 fps)
1280 x 720 (60, 50 fps)
640 x 424 (30, 25 fps)

*only in 1.3x crop mode
Video Length Limit29 min 59 sec.29 min 59 sec.29 min 59 sec.
Headphone JackNoNoYes
Internal MicStereoStereoStereo
Nikon D5500 vs D7100 back view
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter

Build Quality

Perhaps the most obvious difference between the D7100 and the D5500 is in their construction. The D5500 body is significantly smaller and lighter, built of carbon-fiber reenforced plastics (Sereebo), while the D7100 is heavier and built for durability, with a metal (magnesium alloy) back and top, and importantly, it is weather sealed. Since the D5500 also uses a smaller battery, the carry-around weight of the D7100 is about 40% more1 Actually 38.6% than the D5500.

Whether this is an advantage or disadvantage depends on your photographic needs; some photographers (especially those with larger hands) prefer a larger camera with some ‘heft’ to it, while others prefer something more lightweight and easy to carry around, especially travelers and hikers. Needless to say, those who work in harsh conditions will also prefer the D7100’s weather sealing and heavier-duty construction, as a matter of practicality.

Nikon D7100 with grip
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter Nikon D7100 with optional battery grip.

The Sensors : Exactly the Same

The success of the D800e may have led directly to Nikon’s decision to produce an APS-C camera without an optical low-pass/anti-aliasing (OLP/AA) filter, but whatever led to the fact, the D7100’s sensor is naked. Before the D800e, all of the major SLRs produced their sensors with an AA filter: essentially an extra layer in front of the sensor that blurs the image slightly, in order to reduce the jagged edges and moire 1 that have traditionally been associated with digital capture. With modern improvements in image processing software, though, Nikon was confident that the moire and jaggies could be avoided without the AA filter, so they opted to remove it and allow the cameras to capture finer image detail.

Now, with the success of the D7100, Nikon has also decided to remove the AA filter from the D5300 and D5500’s sensors. For all practical purposes, there is no difference between the sensors the D7100 and D5500, so there should be no difference in image quality if you shoot RAW. Though this lack of AA filter does provide the potential to for the camera to produce sharper images, don’t expect too much.

Comparisons of images produced by the D800 (AA Filter) and D800e (no AA Filter) have shown that the principle works; there are subtle improvements in fine detail in the D800e’s images. However, we should not expect such significant improvements in the D7100’s images. The receptors on the 24 megapixel sensor of the D7100 are already much, much smaller than those of the D800e. In fact, the D7100 and D5500 fit about 56% more pixels into the same sensor area than the D800e.

Why does that matter? Even with the much larger receptors of the D800, lens resolution has become a serious bottle-neck for image quality. The dramatically higher pixel density of Nikon’s 24 megapixel sensors will tax lens resolution even more, meaning that the D7100 and D5500’s images won’t get much sharper unless lenses get sharper first.

Auto Focus Systems

Unlike most entry and mid-level SLRs, the Nikon D5500 has a very sophisticated autofocus system. While cameras like the Canon T5i and 70D have 9 and 19 autofocus points, respectively, the D5500 has 39, though only the central nine of them are cross-type2If you’re not sure what cross-type points are, or why they’re important, check out our short video on the subject, here.. This autofocus system, which also incorporates color information, has been adopted from the Nikon D7000.

Nikon D5500 af points, focusing screen
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter
Nikon D7200 af points, focusing screen
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter

The D7100, however, shares the same AF system with the flagship Nikon D4 and the D800: 51 AF points, including 15 cross-type… the best system available in a Nikon body.

For all but the most dedicated action photographers, the system in the D5500 will be more than sufficient, even if you’re buying a camera primarily for shooting sports. If your paycheck, however, is going to depend on your focusing system, the extra several hundred dollars will be well spent on the D7100.

Speed

When it comes to speed, the differences between the D5500 and D7100 are more modest that you might expect. The D7100 does have a top shutter speed that is one full f-stop faster than the D5500’s (ie, 1/8000th vs 1/4000th). When it comes to shooting bursts of photos, though, the D7100 only provides an additional frame per second over the D5500’s 5 fps (unless you’re shooting in 1.3x crop mode, in which case it will give up an additional frame per second).

More importantly, though, the under-sized buffer in the D7100 does not allow longer bursts than the D5500; in fact, the D5500 comes out dead even. The D7100 and D5500 can both only shoot 6 14-bit RAW shots before the buffer is full (the D5200 could manage 8). Compare this to the 15 RAW shots allowed by a Canon 60D or 25 in a 7D, and it will be clear that neither Nikon is probably ideal for photographers who rely on the machine-gun method of action photography.

That said, shooting JPG changes things dramatically. The D7100 can shoot bursts of at least 33 frames (at 6 fps) while the D5500 may be able to shoot 100 or more frames (at 5fps).

The D5500’s Downfall

Flash. With the popularity of “Strobist” techniques over the past several years, flash photography has become increasingly important to amateur and semi-pro photographers, and this is where the D5500 falls short: it lacks high-speed-sync3For a quick explanation of what high-speed-sync is, watch our video here. (Auto FP Flash, henceforth AFP) and external flash control with the built-in flash. External flash control may not be a big deal; many of us prefer to use radio-units instead… though the built-in IR system can be very useful with Nikon’s Creative Lighting System (CLS).

The lack of AFP, however, is a serious problem. Consider this situation: you’re shooting a portrait outdoors during the day, and you want to use a large aperture to blur the background… perhaps f/2 or f/1.4 . This will push your shutter speed beyond 1/1000ths of a second, much higher than the camera’s 1/200th sec. maximum sync speed. So, if you want to use a flash to soften the shadows or create a catch-light in the eyes of your subject, forget it: the flash will not sync. The same is true if you want to use flash for sports and a high shutter speed, and while you can purchase external command modules or radio transmitters for off-camera-flashes, there’s nothing you can buy to work around the lack of AFP. You’d need to buy the D7100 instead.

In some instances, a neutral density filter can be used to bring the shutter speed down within the range of the D5500’s sync speed. There are several problems with the method, though: the image through your viewfinder can become quite dark, making it hard to frame your shot and making it hard for your camera’s AF system to pull focus, you lose flash power, if you’re shooting with a telephoto lens, shutter speeds at the camera’s sync speed might not be safe for hand-holding, and they’ll always be too slow for sports or fast action (if you’re balancing flash and ambient light).

Nikon SB-910, SB-700, and SB-500
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter A Nikon Flash Trio

All the Little Things

There are a few other assorted differences that deserve mention here, but they’re mostly the same differences that we saw between the D5100 and D7000. First, the D5500 does not have an autofocus motor built into the camera body, so it will not be compatible with the full range of (old school) Nikon lenses, while the D7100 does posses the motor. And speaking of “focus”, the D7100 is capable of micro adjustments to correct for front or back-focus problems on lenses, while the D5500 is not.

Nikon D5500 articulated screen
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter The Nikon D5500’s swivel screen.

As should be obvious from the images above, the D5500 has an articulated LCD screen, which some people find helpful for ground-level shots and video but others find a breakage hazard or amateurish.

Finally, if you are interested in video, the D7100 has been given a headphone jack for monitoring audio while you shoot. The jack is absent in the D5500 (and D5300, D7000). It’s also worth noting that the D5500/5300 are capable of shooting video at 1920×1080 at 60p, while the D7100 currently only does so at 30 or 24p (although it can shoot 60i if you’re willing to use 1.3x crop mode).

Which to Buy?

The Nikon D5300  and D5500 are great cameras, and I’d recommend them for the vast majority of amateur photographers, with the exception of those who need superior flash capabilities. If you’re ready to buy now, please support this site by purchasing through one of the links below! Thanks!

To summarize, you should buy the D5300 if you:

Buy the D5500 ONLY IF you:

Buy the D7100 if you:

  • are hard on your equipment and need a more durable body
  • use flash for action or fill and need high-speed sync
  • use Nikon’s CLS and want to use the built-in command module
  • shoot macro (or other focus critical work) and need to make micro adjustments to your lenses
  • shoot a lot of video and want a simple headphone jack on your camera
  • don’t need to worry about spending a little more. At Amazon, the current price for the D7100 body is [amazon template=price&asin=B00BI9X97I]

For the sake of simplicity I’ve tried to focus on only the differences that, in my experience, will actually be important. There are, of course, numerous differences between the two cameras, though, and some features may be more important to particular photographers. If you think that I’ve left out something important, please feel free to let me know.

Please Comment!

If you have additional questions or comments, please let me know, below. I’ll do what I can to answer questions and clear up any confusion.

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Matthew Gore
Editor-in-Chief
Matthew Gore is the Editor-in-Chief and Administrator of Light & Matter Media.
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97 Comments

  1. Thanks for spotlighting the HSS limitation on the D5500. I heard that HSS on the Yongnuo YN-568EX flash works on the D5500. Can you confirm it? Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hi Chris,

      Not at the moment. I do have a Yongnuo 568 in my collection, but no D5500 right now. In general, HSS is a flash feature, so if a flash is capable, the body should be… but Nikon has intentionally crippled their D5000 series bodies to not support HSS. Basically, this would mean that either the camera would not trigger it properly or meter/set exposure properly, or both. I’m not sure how the Yongnuo would get around that, but I can see how it might be possible. I’ll let you know if I can get my hands on a D5500 again in the next few days.

      – Matthew

      Reply

      1. Hi Matt,

        Thanks for your quick response. As I learn more about HSS, I realize it is the tight coupling between the camera and the flash that makes it possible. Therefore, it is unlikely that the Yongnuo 568’s HSS will work on the D5500.

        I much prefer the D5500 over the D7x00 because of small size, lightweight, and touch screen. It is very unfortunate that Nikon cripples its HSS. HSS can be a very useful feature for even a causal photographer who wants to take better photos of his kids outdoors. It is not an esoteric feature for only the professionals. Are there any other Nikon solutions that have most of the benefits of the D5500 but with HSS?

        Thanks,

        Chris

        Reply

  2. Hi Matt, I have a Nikon D60 for eight years and finally I’m going to renew my camera.
    I was comparising 5500 and 7100 because I thought that buy the 7100 may be a good upgrade for me. But I was wondering if I really need 7100, because the price and the weight (I use the camera for travel and hiking).
    And I also think that having a D60, the 5500 is already a good upgrade.
    After reading your article I think I have more accurated information to decide.

    Thanks

    Reply

  3. Hey Matthew thanks for the review my best review yet! I used to have a d5500 and I used it very well but I sold it and now got a d7100 but I am not getting the same result, maybe cos of the LCD screen I don’t know I feel the image quality of the 5500 Is better than the d7100 now should I get another 5500 or stick to this d7100 and probably get better lenses because now I use a 50mm 1.8g expecting your reply..thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi James,

      You shouldn’t be seeing any appreciable difference in image quality between the D7100 and the D5500; what is it that you liked better about the images of the D5500? Are you using the same lenses? I wouldn’t recommend judging the image quality on the LCD of the camera… the camera doesn’t display the full quality image there; it’s just a general preview… to get a true idea of the image quality, you should look at the images from the full res JPGs or, better yet, the RAW files on your computer.

      But I think that your instinct here is right… I’d stick with the D7100 and buy a nice lens or two. But it’s hard to be sure without knowing more about what you don’t like about the D7100 image quality.

      Reply

      1. Yeah hello Matthew for the d5500 I used a 50mm and I’m using that same 50mm for the d7100 but I’m not getting the same result. Even when I take pictures in the night I get more noise on the 7100 like I did on the 5500. I feel the 5500 is smarter or I haven’t used the 7100 to its full potential also an issue with the 7100 is the color distortion which I didn’t see in the 5500

        Reply

  4. Matthew,
    you are a patient soul to answer all of us asking the same questions over and over! Best and most thoughtful reviews anywhere. Thank you so much and I apologize for contributing to your pain.
    I have a D7000 which I bought when it first came out and certainly no professional but love photography. I have back focus issues and can’t seem to get adjusted with the lens but I still like it. Anyhow, my 15 year old daughter wants a camera for Christmas and I am looking at the D5500 versus the 7100 (the deals now make the 7200 300 dollars more than the 7100 which seems a total waste). The deals right now place the 7100 with 18-140 and the d5500 with same lens about 100 dollars apart. She is a very small girl and wondering if the D5500 would be easier to deal with although I can’t imagine not having the LCD screen and 2 dials. I know she will get used to whatever but didn’t know how big a pain this is to deal with, is it pretty easy to adjust without a LCD on top? she will take mostly artsy photos nothing overly demanding I don’t think- just take photos and would want to wifi to phone. As a typical dumb guy, it is hard to get the D5500 when the 7100 is “bigger and better”. I have 100 micro and 50 1.4 prime and 55-200 and the usual kit lens also for my camera and she can use these also. I had finally decided D5500 might be better for her even though price difference isn’t a big deal and knowing the 7100 is better then realized the D5500 is backordered which has again got me spiraling! I think I have a hard time seeing the D500 as a “proper” camera without the LCD and 2 wheels!

    Reply

    1. Hi Bob,

      It’s no pain, I’m happy if I can help. First, you might consider trying out Reikan FoCal to help with your back-focus issues, if you think it’s your lens/camera. I’ve had good luck with it.

      I don’t think that the single dial is a big deal… I hardly notice it. You very quickly get used to “the dial” switching function from aperture to shutter, depending on whether you’re in Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority, and I shoot in aperture priority most of the time anyway. For those times that I use full manual mode, yes… it can be a little annoying, but it’s a minor issue. The top LCD is a bigger issue for me, but just because all of my cameras have had them for the past 25 years… the same info is available in the viewfinder and the rear LCD, so I imagine that I’d adjust to that pretty quickly too, if I had to.

      I can understand the conflict with buying a better (if older) camera that is not too much more expensive. The truth is, almost any camera that you buy these days is going to be so powerful, with such excellent image quality that few photographers will be able to reach the limits of their camera’s potential, even when we’re talking about entry level cameras. In the end, though, deciding between those two cameras sounds like less of a “feature” issue and more of a matter of personal preference, so I’ll have to leave that up to you :-) But I wouldn’t worry about getting the D5500, or even the D5300.

      Good luck!

      Reply

  5. Matt,
    Thanks for the prompt reply. :) I happened to check in a DSLR shop this weekend and had my hands on to D7100 and D5500. But the 5500 seemed so small for my palm which was a downer for me. Right now i have two options : D7100 with a 18-105mm kit lens and D5300 with 18-55 and 70-300 kit lens. Which one out of the both would you suggest or do you have any other options to suggest for the long run? . Eagerly awaiting your reply.

    Reply

    1. Hey Geo,

      I have the same issues with Nikon body sizes. I started out with the D80 and D300, which both have full-size bodies. When the D7000 came out, it was significantly smaller than the D300, and the D5000 series was even smaller, so all of them have felt a little small in my hands. I’ve grown used to the D7000 series, but the D5000 series still feels too small for me.

      Of course, that’s a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer smaller cameras, so you’ll have to decide how important that is to you. In your case, I’d probably go for the D7100, and if you can find it, get it with the 18-140 VR, but if not, the 18-105 is a good alternative.

      However, if you decide to go with the D5500, the check and see what 70-300mm lens it is. Sometimes sellers bundle a Tamron lens (which is fine, but you need to know which one).

      Good luck!

      Reply

      1. Hi Matt,
        Must say you are a patient human. :) I meant D5300 in my previous question and not D5500 since the former is little more bigger in size and have a good review.Your suggestion on investing more on the lens made me think actually. So here it is..How about buying D5300(yes..D5300) with 18-140 VR lens along with a 70-300 VR lens. Is it outdated or worth buying? Also would these serve most purposes and also if you could suggest me a wide angle lens it would be helpful.

        Reply

        1. Hi Geo,
          Keep in mind that the D5500 has a (pretty limited) touchscreen and loses GPS, but the cameras are otherwise just about identical, so the D5300 is still a great camera. The 18-140 VR is a great lens. The 70-300 lenses that Nikon makes are pretty good, too. I generally opt for a 70-200 f/2.8 for any sort of action shooting, but they’re expensive and big, so that’s a matter of personal preference.

          Wide angle for APS-C cameras is tricky, and really depends on your purposes. I’m a big fan of the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens because of the wide aperture, so it’s good for shooting events. (I take it that you’re talking about an ultra-wide angle lens, since the 18-140 already covers wide-angle pretty well… the Sigma 18-35 f/1.8 is awesome if you want more of a standard wide-angle zoom). The Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 is also a very good option, and much less expensive than the Nikon equivalent, with a better fixed aperture and great image quality.

          Good luck!

          Reply

          1. Hi Matt,
            And finally ended up buying the D7100 :). Thank you very much for showing a big heart to all the queries. Will be back with after purchase questions soon ;)

            Reply

            1. Glad to hear you finally got the camera! I’m sure you’ll love it. The key is to practice… shoot as often as you can, and pay attention while you’re doing it. Learn a little more each time. Good luck!

              – Matthew

              Reply

  6. Hola: estoy en la disyuntiva todavía de qué comprar, si la nikon D 5500 o la nilon D 7100. Creo que la D 7100 es más duradera…,es la impresión que tengo. En mi ambiente de trabajo suele haber polvo humo. Tan poco estaré todo el tiempo en este ambiente,son fotos puntuales a la fragua,luego haría fotos de las composiciones que termino y tambien quiero fotografiar paisajescy hacer retratos. ¿Podrian ayudarme en mi decisión…?? Muchas gracias.

    Reply

    1. Shooting JPG the differences may be more pronounced… it depends on a variety of camera settings (picture style, sharpening, NR, etc) but if you shoot JPG, then you’ve already lost the image-quality game anyway, and in-camera noise processing isn’t an issue with RAW.

      Shooting RAW, I can only speak from my own experience: the difference in image quality is tiny unless you’re pushing the image very hard in post processing (beyond 3 stops), at which point the D5500 will hold up better. A much better test of image quality between the two sensors can be found on DP Review: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikon-d5500/8 Go down to the studio scene widget and set the cameras to RAW and pick the D7100 for the second camera, and you’ll see: in some places, the D7100 even looks better than the D5500. In others, the D5500 looks better. In most cases, they look almost identical. And this is in the lab… not real world usage, where the differences are even less important.

      Reply

      1. Hi Matt,
        I want to purchase a new DSLR which would be first one. My preferences are either D5500 or 7100 and i would like stick on to nikon only. Now totally confused which one to choose seeing the reviews where not much differences could be seen but there is diff in price though. My usage would mostly be for outings with friends, family functions, and portrait images as well. I dont plan to upgrade for another 5 years and I need good image quality and sharpness in the pic. I am an amateur in photography but really keen to learn it in the manual way than the auto mode. Please help me in this regard.

        Reply

        1. My inclination is to recommend the D5500, which should be less expensive and will give you the same image quality. The only real reason that I’d be hesitant is that the D7100 has two controller dials, one that will control aperture and one to control shutterspeed when you’re using full-manual mode. Of course, most professional photographers don’t use full-manual, we use a partial manual mode like aperture-priority, so it’s only a concern if you really like full manual mode.

          Otherwise, the types of photography that you mention will be well suited to the D5500, as long as you use the right lenses… and that’s true of any camera.

          Reply

          1. Matt,
            Thanks for the prompt reply. :) I happened to check in a DSLR shop this weekend and had my hands on to D7100 and D5500. But the 5500 seemed so small for my palm which was a downer for me. Right now i have two options : D7100 with a 18-105mm kit lens and D5300 with 18-55 and 70-300 kit lens. Which one out of the both would you suggest or do you have any other options to suggest for the long run? . Eagerly awaiting your reply.

            Reply

  8. Hi Matthew , I am considering changing cameras- I have a Canon E550. I mainly use my camera for landscapes , portraits and my sons when they are surfing. My brother has a Nikon D5550 which he loves – what would you recommend.?
    Thanks SHEELAGH

    Reply

  9. what do u suggest between the 18-140mm kit lens vs tamron 18-270mm for general photography on a d5500 or a d7100 body

    Reply

    1. I would always recommend the Nikon 18-140mm over the Tamron. In fact, I don’t recommend any 18-200 or 18-300mm lenses, either. The problem is, the more zoom range that you pack into a single lens, the harder it is to engineer the lens so that it’s really good image quality at any part of that zoom range… so there are a lot of compromises. In general, with all of those lenses, image quality is pretty decent at the wide end, and the more you zoom, the softer the image quality gets, especially around the borders of the frame. The Nikon 18-140mm is the longest zoom range that I’ve found that manages to maintain excellent image quality all around.

      Of course, some people are willing to trade image quality for convenience… but to me, that doesn’t make sense. If you care more about convenience than image quality, there are plenty of point-and-shoots out there that have even greater zoom ranges than these lenses, and they’re more compact and easy to travel with.

      Reply

  10. Hi Matthew,
    Thanks so much for all your helpful information. I have been torn between the D7100 and D5500 and have pretty well finally decided to go with the D7100, for many of the reasons you have provided – a big one being durability as I am not in a financial situation to make this kind of purchase very often (thus the D7100 and not the newer D7200). So the question comes down to the lenses. The kits come with either the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6 OR the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VRII and the 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VRII lenses (virtually no difference in price). The convenience of not changing lenses weighs against losing some of the zoom capability and also, the VRII lenses are newer, so I am not sure if they are better performing lenses. I have read a lot of reviews and this still isn’t totally clear to me.

    Reply

    1. Hi Michelle,

      Sorry I missed your question over the weekend!

      The 18-55 VR II kit lens is pretty mediocre when it comes to image quality; the 18-140mm is actually better (and it’s also a relatively new lens, but it replaced an old 18-135mm, so it doesn’t get a II behind it’s name). I’m actually not as familiar with the 55-200, but from what I’ve seen, it’s a better lens than the 18-55; it’s at least very sharp in the center of the frame at all zoom levels, and the borders of the frame aren’t too bad at 55mm, though they’re not perfect.

      Personally, I’d go with the 18-140 for the convenience and strong overall performance, but there’s no really no wrong answer here. They’re both good options, depending on your needs.

      – Matthew

      Reply

  11. I don’t have any questions as you answered all of them but I really want to thank and appreciate your efforts in answering all the questions !! Just a thank note.

    Though I think I will flip a coin to choose with Nikon D7100 and D5500 :) , since its so confusing for new comers to decide. This is first time I will buy a DSLR and probably go ahead with 50mm 1.8g and Sigma 18-15 1.8mm Setup. Hope I will be able to learn whatever I will go ahead with(previously had Sony HX 300).

    Reply

    1. Glad you found this stuff useful! Sounds like a good choice of lenses. I’d probably lean towards the D7100, but I’ll leave that up to you. Getting a lot of practice is much more important than the camera… so remember to keep shooting!
      – Matthew

      Reply

  12. Hi Matthew!

    Very nice and helpful article, thank you very much for your work here. I have a deadly D5100 and I shot most of the time in studio with macro lens (tech journalist) and I wasn’t sure about what buy. I know that changing from D5100 to D5500 can be “silly” but the articulated LCD is fantastic for some pics. I wasnt sure about D7100 and D5500 and I think I will go def. with 5500. I guess I will enjoy even all that AF points, since I have way less.

    Keep pushin, I will follow your site :)
    Luca

    Reply

  13. Hi Matt, first thank you for the sharing of your knowledge. I need your advice on my choice of my first DSLR. Since experts like you often emphasize that we should invest in the lenses vs the body I am left with these options. I will very predominantly shoot landscapes (involving use of tripod, filters, slow shutter speed etc). I have no need for wi-fi, GPS. I don’t want to be overwhelmed by too many buttons and functions but I can grow with it. So here are my two options: 1) D3300 with a Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED (cost $1730CDN) or 2) D7100 with Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR ($1130CDN). To complicate things though I read last night that the Pentax K-S2 is a pretty proud competitor of the above two: 3) Pentax-Appareil Photo Numérique à Réflex DSLR K-S2 avec Objectifs HD PENTAX-DA 18-50mm DC WR et SMC PENTAX DA 50-200mm ED WR ($775CDN).
    So what do you recommend? Everyone is welcome to join. Thank you.
    Greetings from Québec.

    Reply

    1. Hello Denis,

      Of your first two choices, I’d drop consideration of the D3300 with the 24-120 f/4 because that lens is not a great fit for that camera. It’s a fine lens, with great center sharpness, so I think that optically it will be just fine for an APS-C camera (though it’s not especially sharp away from the center at the long end of the zoom), but the zoom range itself is just not ideal for a crop sensor camera. On the D3300, the zoom range will be equivalent to a 36-180mm, which just isn’t very wide on the wide end of the zoom, and it’s not very telephoto at the other end. If you’re going to shoot landscapes, a wider lens will generally be appreciated. If you were getting a full-frame camera, that lens would be a great fit.

      The 18-140 makes a lot more sense, especially since you’ll be shooting from a tripod, mostly, so having a wider f/4 aperture isn’t as important. So, your choice #2 is a better camera with a more suitable lens… so that’s where I’d go.

      However, you might also want to consider the D3300, D5500 or D5300 with 18-140 (these will have better auto-focus than the D3300); I think they’d suit your style of shooting just as well, and they’d leave you with room in your budget for additional or better lenses.

      Personally, I think it’s a good idea to get a DSLR with a lens like the 18-140 that will cover all of your day-to-day needs with good, solid optical quality, and then add on lenses for other specific purposes. The Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 ART, for example, is a remarkably sharp lens, if those are focal lengths that you’d use frequently, and of course, it’s great in low-light. Or if you prefer to shoot on the telephoto end, then the Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 VD USD is truly excellent, optically. Of if you want to go really wide, the Sigma’s 10-20 f/3.5 is quite good.

      If you’re seriously considering the Pentax, then I can’t be of much help… I don’t have much experience with that camera, other than to play around with it a bit at the photo expos. The image quality will be, for all practical purposes, as good as the lenses allow (just like the Nikons). Unfortunately, you’ll be much more limited with lens choices: you’ll pretty much have to buy Pentax lenses… so no Sigma, Tamron, Zeiss, Tokina, etc, and considering the wonderful quality of third party lenses these days, that’s a big loss. It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t buy it, but you should at least take some time to consider the fact that you’re buying not just a camera body, but buying into a whole camera system.

      Good luck!

      Reply

      1. Thanks Matthew. Considering the 18-140 will be the lens of choice for the moment it is to decide now about the body. D5500 and D7100 sells about the same, D3300 is $330 cheaper. Is the slowness in the autofocus of the D3300 a very important factor in landscape photography or any other important feature to justify the difference in price? Maybe I could go with the more basic D3300 and evolve from it??? I guess I can take very good pics anyway. What do you think?

        Reply

        1. Hi Denis,

          For landscape photography, the autofocus really won’t make much difference… you’ll be in good shape with the D3300, and it’s sensor is just as good as the more expensive cameras. Starting there with a good lens or two is definitely the way to go!

          – Matthew

          Reply

  14. Okay, I’m a band photographer. I am learning video so it sets me apart and it helps me tour which is what I want to do with my career. I have a Nikon D200 which I love but I need an upgrade for video. I’m debating between the D5500, D7000 or D7100. Everything talks about studio lighting, which I don’t use very often. Only behind the scenes, although I’m mostly on stage with all different types of lighting. Which camera would be the best out of those for my use? Nikon D5500, D7000, or D7100?

    Reply

    1. Hi Jordyne,

      If you’re shooting performances on stage in dark and otherwise difficult lighting, two things are going to be very important to you: autofocus reliability (improved by the number of cross-type AF points) and the lower light limit of the AF system (more sensitive is better).

      That being the case, the D7100/D7200 is the clear winner here. It has the most cross-type points and it can focus in -2 EV light levels (pretty low light).

      That said, if you’re going to be working professionally, you should also check out the new Nikon D500 (here’s my article comparing the D7200 and the D500). It has dramatically more cross-type AF points than the D7200, and it can focus with only 1/4 of the light required by the D7200…almost too dark for your own eye to be able to focus. It also has several other benefits over the D7200, including faster frame rates, and the ability to shoot 4K video. Unfortunately, it’s also quite a bit more expensive, at about $2000 for the body.

      Reply

  15. Hey Matthew,

    Great article :). Thank you for this.

    I never used DSLR but am eager to buy my first one asap. Should I buy Nikon D3300, D5200, D5300, D5500 or D7100. Also, should I go with dual lens bundle of 18-55mm and 55-200mm or just with 18-144mm ?
    I just like shooting things around and esp. nature with my phone so not any specific needs
    Any suggestions please.
    Cheers

    Reply

  16. Excellent review… Thanks.. I am using canon rebel t3i (600D). I want to upgrade. So after a deep search i got an opinion that latest all nikon models are better than canon specially in image quality. Which one i have to choose D5500/D7100/D7200?

    Reply

    1. Hi Selva,

      If you’re not interested in shooting video, then yes… Nikon’s sensors (mostly made by Sony) are probably measurably better than Canon’s. So far, I haven’t found there to be a practical difference, however, unless you’re dramatically under-exposing your images and attempting to correct it with your software, later. Nikon’s files have an advantage there, if you shoot RAW.

      Anyway, you do have some good options from Nikon. From the interests that you mention, the D5500 would be a great option for you. It’s not a perfect sports camera, but it’s excellent for landscapes and portraits and general shooting, and it will leave you plenty of money for lenses (which is really more important than the camera, at this point).

      If you are more interested in street photography, and you’re concerned about having a better autofocus system, then the D7100 should be worth the extra cost, since it’s not much more expensive than the D5500 right now.

      Reply

      1. Thanks Matt, replied with Useful matter.
        You mentioned D7100 is good for street photography. it means it is not suit for landscape compare than D5500. Right?
        in otherway, D5500 is not suit for street photography.right?

        Reply

        1. Is the kit lens ok for D5500? or I have two lenses in mind. can you please check the following lenses are ok?
          1. Nikon AF-S DX 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR
          2. AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED

          Reply

          1. It depends on this kit. The 18-140mm kit is actually quite good. The 18-55 is pretty good, optically, but it’s not the greatest range of focal lengths; you’d want a second lens, too.

            The 16-80mm seems like a good range, but I haven’t had a chance to use it yet, so I can’t comment on the optical quality. From what I’ve read, the quality is great, though the price is high.

            The 10-24 is fine, but not great. The center resolution is good, but away from the center, it’s pretty mediocre (at best).

            Reply

          2. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as narrowing it down to “landscape photography”. Some people like to shoot landscapes with wide angle lenses or ultra wide angle lenses; others prefer to use a telephoto to single out elements for a tight composition. What matters is what YOU like to shoot landscapes with.

            One of my favorite lenses in the wide-mid range is the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8. It’s very versatile; extremely sharp, so it’s perfect for landscapes, but also great for low-light work.

            If you want wider angle than that, the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM is a great buy; the optical quality is as good as the Nikon, and the price isn’t too bad.

            Beyond that, there are lots of good options in the telephoto range, depending on how much money you want to spend. I’m partial to the Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 VC USD. My tests have shown that it’s as sharp as anything else out there, but lenses like this are not for everyone… they’re big and heavy, and expensive.

            Reply

        2. Actually, both cameras are great for landscape photography, and they’re both pretty good for street photography. For anything that requires the best autofocus (like street photography can), the D7100/7200 are slightly better, but the D5300/5500 are still quite good.

          The only reason that I’d recommend the D5300/5500 over the D7100 is if you need to save money to buy better lenses.

          Reply

      2. Hi matt,
        Is the kit lens ok for D7100/D5500? or I have two lenses in mind. can you please check the following lenses are ok for landscape and general photography?
        1. Nikon AF-S DX 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR
        2. AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED

        Reply

  17. Hello!
    I started my daughters fashion Instagram account and currently use my iPhone for photos. I really enjoyed reading your review on both cameras. Which camera would you recommend? And what lense would be best for fashion photos, purpose being showing of the clothes or accessories? I really like the blurred background, which lense would do this?

    Reply

    1. The D5500 should be a great camera for that sort of thing… in fact, either of them would be, but the benefits of the D7200 probably won’t make any difference for what you’re doing. The main thing is going to be the lens(es) that you choose.

      Any lens with a large aperture will give you a blurred background compared to a smaller one, but telephoto lenses will also give you more blur than wide angle. In general, an 85mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 would be a great, classic portrait lens. Another great option for these cameras is a 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4, and finally… if you need something that’s wider, a 35mm f/1.4 or f/2 will work well.

      I’d start with either the 85mm f/1.8 or the 50mm f/1.8. The 50mm is cheaper, so your budget may come into play

      Reply

  18. Hi Matthew
    Just bought a D5500 twin lens kit
    With 18 – 55 mm & 50 – 200mm
    Lenses , want to get a good prime lens , looking at 35mm 1.8 or 28mm 1.8 what are your thoughts
    For best option.
    Regards Michael.

    Reply

    1. Hi Michael,

      Both lenses are good choices from an optical perspective, so it’s really a matter of deciding on which one you’d like better and which one you’d use more. I can tell you which one I’d use more (35mm), but if you asked 10 different photographers, you’d get 10 different answers based on their needs and preferences… so that’s not very helpful.

      I can say this: the 35mm is going to be a nice, middle focal length lens… not very wide, not telephoto. Not a great portrait lens, but useful for street photography and maybe some wider, full-body portraits, food shots, random objects. Not great in tight crowds, but not too bad, either.

      The 28mm will be a bit wider, but not a ton. You’ll get more distortion, but you’ll also be a little better off if you’re shooting a group shot. It will be a little better for some landscape shots, but if you really want to be able to emphasize foreground elements, you’ll still need something much wider, like a 16mm lens, or wider.

      Good luck!
      – Matthew

      Reply

  19. I have a D5100 with an 18-200 VRII lens. I have used and loved them but am looking for my next step (which may not come for a few months).

    I’ve considered D5300, D5500 & D7100. Are there other suggestions you might make?

    My photography is nearly exclusively landscapes. I just stick it in auto mode when I take pictures of people (I leave that more to my wife with her Canon Point&Shoot).

    What is the cost/picture benefit of going to a full-frame and if so, what would you recommend (keeping in mind budget is not unlimited).

    I’ll probably have the camera five years or so before upgrading again so want to make a good choice. Like the flip out viewfinder on the 5x series but like the durability of the 7x series as well. Not always in the greatest conditions out taking pictures.

    Reply

    1. The D7200 and D5500 would be my top pics for APS-C landscape cameras; they have excellent sensors and they’re nice and lightweight.

      Moving to full frame has a couple of benefits. First, there’s the potential for a sensor with higher resolution… anywhere from 36-50 megapixels is possible with Nikon and Canon now, with Sony in between. That can be nice if you regularly print very large photos, but it’s a waste for most of us. More important, I think, is that full frame sensors can make better use of the resolution of high quality lenses (optical flaws may be tiny in modern lenses, but smaller sensors have smaller pixels to capture them). Again, this is a pretty minor issue. Sometimes, the dynamic range of full sized sensors is better, and that can be a benefit if you don’t like to bracket your shots.

      The more important reasons that people get full-frame cameras are that they can provide shallower depth of field for portraits (not important to a landscape photographer) and that they have less digital noise (also not much of a problem for landscape photographers who can shoot at low ISO. If you shoot nightscapes, or other long exposures, then perhaps the lower noise of a full-frame sensor could be useful to you.

      My advice (as you’ve probably already seen) is always to buy the least expensive camera that will meet your needs, and the best lenses that you can afford. The 18-200 is a very convenient lens, but optically, it is not the greatest. I’d recommend taking some time to go through your photo library and determine which focal length you use the most… or which you use the most for your favorite photos, and buy the best lens you can afford in that range.
      – Matthew

      Reply

  21. Hi everyone.

    I’m thinking about buying a new SLR after having worked with Nikon D3000 for almost five years (was my first SLR). I was satisfied with the photos I took with it so far, but I want a new one because the camera gets pretty weak when it comes to low light situations and makro…
    I shoot various kinds of photos (makro, portraits to landscapes etc.), but as a hobby. I do not plan the shoots in advance but shoot whatever jumps to my eye.

    Do you recommend the D5500 or D7200/D7100? The price is less important. I plan to take the camera with me on a 6-week-trip to Japan, so I’m not sure whether the additional weight is worth it. What do you think?

    Ayoka

    Reply

    1. Hello Ayoka,

      I’d stick with the D5500. The D7200 does not have any better low-light performance than the D5500, and the D5500 is great for macro too, as long as you use a Nikon macro lens or a Sigma with the adjustment dock. It’s rare that you’ll need micro-AF adjustment.

      However, if macro is a major interest of yours and you’re concerned about micro adjustment (I wouldn’t be), then the D7200 really is still not a very heavy camera in the grand scheme of things… it’s not heavy like a D810 (the D7200 weighs about 2/3rs as much).

      Something to keep in mind here is that when it comes to low-light performance, the lens you use is going to make a big difference. I don’t know what you’re using, but a kit lens, for example, will generally have an aperture of f/5.6 (for at least part of the zoom range). An f/1.4 lens would let in 16 times more light to your sensor! That’s enough light to allow you to shoot at ISO 200 instead of ISO 3200, which is a MASSIVE difference in low-light image quality. And you’d get similar results from an f/1.8 lens, which can be purchased pretty inexpensively.

      – Matthew

      Reply

  22. Hi Matt,
    I read all the reviews and tried to figure out the same issue: D5500 or D7100. I found an offer with 18-140 lens cheaper for 7100 than 5500.
    I would use it for outdoors (some landscapes as well), macro, sports and most important for portraits – do I need to buy a fixed 50 mm? I want to take a lot of pictures of my children so please advise …
    Thanks,
    Alina

    Reply

    1. Hi Alina,

      I’d go with the D7100, then. It’s an all-around better camera, although it is heavier.

      You certainly don’t need to get a 50mm lens, but a large aperture prime lens like the 50mm is a great idea for portraits. The advantage is that they allow you to throw the background out of focus, while keeping the subject perfectly sharp; this helps keep the attention on the subject and the background relatively clean, giving a professional look. 50mm is popular because it’s inexpensive, but 85mm lenses (like the Nikon 85mm f/1.8 or 1.4) can be even better.

      However, using the 18-140mm lens can also give nice results, IF you zoom out to 100mm or so and keep your subject as close to the camera as you can. That will also provide shallow depth of field (ie, blurred background), though it’s not exactly the same. It’s a good place to start, though.

      – Matthew

      Reply

  23. Hi Matthew,

    I really appreciate this site.

    Buying something this expensive always makes me a tad nervous but I do also consider the cost of having to replace cheap things that don’t work properly – so I am hoping for the best.

    So…I’m trained in some composition but I know there is always more to learn and in terms of all the technicalities – I’m clueless.

    I love to enjoy life and sit and just watch it without a lens in my eye mostly but when I see ‘something’ (a moment or a beautiful landscape) I have to take a picture before it’s lost!!

    I am going to buy the D7100 from the Nikon site. 1 for it’s cost because I’m broke LOL and 2) because I’ve seen the raving reviews.

    All though I did read something about oil seeping through or something – not sure what that is about?

    I would appreciate any advice or feedback you have considering I still need to practice and get to know my camera – working my way up – and need to watch the budget.

    I would rather buy 2 good lenses that fit my needs then 5 cheap ones. I will do midline for sure. I just don’t want to spend money, find the quality is poor and want to go buy another one. I don’t mind being patient and shooting my way up the lens ladder.

    Here’s my line up. I could use advice on:

    -a lens for versatility and I think you usually suggest the 18-140 but I have noticed posts of these and they are tad blurry…That could also be that I saw it on my cellphone.

    – a lens for close-ups of small insects etc

    -a lens for portrait

    -a lens for landscape (I love taking pictures of landscapes, architecture and STREET photos of people)

    I like to take pictures outside mostly (live in California) and 50/50 on DAYTIME and NIGHT TIME photography. I LOVE city lights!

    That’s a mouthful. I know there is no all in one and I do know that I can just as easily take an amazing picture with a much lower level camera – however, the quality outside of the viewfinder will differ of course.

    *I would like to buy 2 lenses to start with and work my way up.
    As an Emergency Services public servant my cashflow is low so that will be my bigger decider on how many I will buy in the end.

    If there is a lens that will allow me to test the camera’s versatility first with the things I’ve mentioned – covering some of my wants – I’m willing to try that for now as well (again I know there’s no all in one but something close is a consideration if it exists).

    I would like to eventually do some PRINT and WEBSITE work.

    As a note, I did come across a package with (not sure if it’s partly a fit):

    1) AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR and
    2) AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G

    Thank you for your time and thoughtful response in advance. I know you’ve helped lots of folks on your site!

    Best!
    Azaria

    Reply

    1. Hi Azaria,
      The D7100 sounds like a great choice. Nikon did have an issue with grease spots getting on their sensors with a few cameras, but they seem to have gotten it under control. I wouldn’t worry about it… and it will be covered by warranty if it comes up. Incidentally, places like Adorama are selling Nikon factory refurbished D7100s for $479, which is a great deal.

      As you’ve mentioned, I’m a fan of the 18-140mm. There are lots of reasons that photos can end up blurry, and most of them are not the lens or camera’s fault :) (I wrote a post about how to tell where your blur is coming from, incidentally, if you are curious.) It’s really quite good, especially if you shoot from a tripod, with your lens stopped down to f/8 or so.

      There are lots of great macro lenses out there, and they’re almost all great portrait lenses too. To make the right choice, you need to consider the working distance for the subject you’re shooting— a 60mm 1:1 lens will give you the same degree of magnification as a 180mm 1:1 macro lens, but you’ll have to be much closer to your subject with the 60mm lens (just a few inches away). The 180mm lens will give you more working space, which is handy if your subject is skittish. On the other hand, to shoot portraits with a 180mm lens on the D7100 you’ll have to be quite a distance away from your subject to get more than just a head/face shot. Many people find the 90mm to 105mm range to be a good, happy medium. I have the Nikon 105mm and love it. The 85mm on a D7100 should be good, too.

      Landscape lenses, if you don’t just want to use your “convenient” zoom, are tricky. The problem is that some people like to shoot landscapes with wide-angle lenses, others prefer isolating elements and patterns with telephotos… etc. It’s very style dependent. I shot this one about 7 years ago with the Nikon 18-135 (predecessor to the 18-140) at a mid-range:Tree Lane

      I may be able to give you better suggestions if you have a focal-length range in mind for that lens.
      – Matt

      Reply

      1. Hi Matt,

        Thank you for your reply!

        I appreciate you clarifying the grease spots issue and the tip on Adorama.

        I will most def be reading your post on blur, along with the others. Your site is invaluable!

        Great question in regards to my distance. I guess it varies.
        I LOVE the picture you took with the Nikon 18-135. Breathtaking!
        That is def a shot I would have taken if had the opportunity.

        Some examples of my distance/ style of photography I enjoy:

        -I shot Haleakalā in Maui and road the clouds and the angles, horizontally, vertically, angled…so I think I would need a lens that covers a lot of ground for a scene that runs for miles.

        -If I find a large object with great lines I like to shoot through – per say – in different angles. I guess a lens that allows for Bokeh would work best here…?

        -Morning surf with sun rising. Always fun.

        -Small insects. Close.

        -I usually stand at least 10 ft. or more away from my subject for general everyday tourist or outing kind of photos.

        -For my more emotionally loaded I am usually right in the face or 5 or so ft. away.

        Perhaps the 90mm to 105mm range may be a good fit and start. I’ll do some research. If you have any other suggestions with what I’ve mentioned I’m all ears.

        Thanks again!

        ~Azaria

        Reply

  24. I upgraded from a d5200 to the d7100. I miss the flip out screen, but the d7100 is SO sharp and the control scheme is great. And while it is heavier, it’s tougher too.

    I travel in some rough places (Tibet, Cambodia, Myanmar) and I like that my camera can take a little wear and tear.

    I think the 5000 series is better for the novice photographer or the more social one because the flip out screen is fun for selfies. But I love my d7100.

    Might not recommend it for a first time DSLR user as it is a lot of camera and can be a little overwhelming.

    Reply

  25. Hi matt ,
    how are you ? i hope that you will be fine .i saw your review thanks for the review ,but i am still confused. i spent 4 days searching a camera that i want to buy here in the internet. i watched some video comparisons and blogs of different types of cameras.every site has there own review and am very much confused as it is my first DSLR camera so i am thinking about to buy best camera . i am confused between D5500 and D7100 . i am not intrested in touch screen so i thinking about to buy D7100 but still when i see ISO range of D7100(100-6400,+12800,+25600) and ISO range of D5500(1-25600) i am not getting it because am new and a beginner . i need your help will you please guide me or suggest me the best one i will thankfull to you , waiting for your reply .
    thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hi Umii,

      Here’s the story with ISO specs: the initial range given for the D7100 is the “native” ISO range, which basically means that there are electronic changes happening at the sensor when you change ISO, but ISO 12800 and 25600 are “expanded” ISOs, which means that nothing is actually changing in the camera when you set the ISO that high… they images just get processed to simulate a higher ISO setting. With the D5500, all of the ISO settings are supposed to be “native”.

      At least, that’s the official story. I suspect that there isn’t really anything different going on in these two cameras… but Nikon wanted to be able to list a higher top ISO. I don’t know of any regulatory body (camera police?) that would keep them from just changing how they list those settings.

      The important thing, though, is the difference in image quality, and between the two cameras (the D5500 and D7100), there’s hardly any difference. At ISO 3200, I don’t see any difference at all if I shoot RAW (there is some difference in how they process JPGs, but you can always get around that by shooting RAW), but at ISO3200, the image quality is already pretty noisy… noisy enough that I wouldn’t shoot there unless it were necessary. At ISO 6400, the story is the same… the image quality is even worse, and the difference is very minor (although the D5500 is perhaps slightly smoother, while the D7100 has slightly more vibrant colors). The same is true at 12800. I doubt that I could tell them apart, reliably, but I wouldn’t want to shoot at that ISO except in an emergency. The image quality would be bad enough that I wouldn’t be proud to share the images or have them printed.

      That is all to say, in the ISO range that you’d want to actually use, there is no significant difference between the two sensors. At the very highest end, there might be slight differences, but who’d want to shoot there anyway?

      I wouldn’t worry about the sensor differences. They’re both awesome sensors, and even though they get noisy at high ISO like all sensors do, they handle it very well, all things considered.

      Beyond that, you’ve probably already read my advice, so I won’t burden you with more :) Good luck!

      Reply

  26. Hi Matt,
    I decided to finally buy my first dslr and after some research I picked up the d 7100 two lens kit, I reached home and decided to take it back and I got the d5500 instead. I feel awful that I didn’t see this review before because I now understand that maybe it wasn’t the best thing to do. I was thinking the newer will be better. My photography will be nature and macro. Should I return for the d7100 or I can work with the d5500?

    Reply

    1. Hi Neema,

      What you ultimately decide to do will probably depend on how much you paid for each of these cameras, but the D5500 is an excellent camera, and unless there’s something that you think it’s missing that you’ll need, it should serve you well. 7 years ago, I worked as a professional photographer with a Nikon D300 and a D80 as a backup and took some great pictures (many of which have been sold and published); the Nikon D5500 is better than both of those cameras in almost every way: better resolution (24 megapixel vs 12), better autofocus, better high ISO performance, faster frame rate, etc. It is missing high-speed sync for flash, as mentioned above, and it will have a shorter battery life… but the point is, any good DSLR today is more than capable of taking professional quality images. You can certainly work with it.

      That said, if the price of the D7100 is similar to the D5500 for you, I’d probably go with the D7100 instead. It has all of the things that the D5500 is missing, even if they are not very important. It is a bit heavier, too.

      My general advice is always to buy the least expensive camera that will meet your needs and buy the best lenses you can afford. If buying the D5500 would allow you to increase your lens budget, then that’s the way I’d go. If they’re close, then go with the D7100.

      – Matthew

      Reply

  27. Hi Matt,

    I’ve been a sports photographer (with few actual paying gigs) for awhile now and have killed two cameras from use (first was a D40X and second was a D3100). Looking for a good sports camera that isn’t going to kill my bank account. I’m careful, but do shoot football and lacrosse as my primary sports. Am looking at the D5500 and D7100, leaning toward the 7100… in your opinion, would I be making a good choice? I can’t upgrade lenses yet… I primarily use a 55-200mm 1.4-5.6 lens but am little concerned about batteries, but hoping that I’m making a good choice. Thoughts??

    Reply

    1. Hi Alison,

      I guess it sorta depends on what you mean when you say that you’ve killed two cameras :) If you’ve simply worn out shutter modules or aperture motors, etc, that’s one thing. If you’ve broken the cameras, fried them in the rain, frozen them in arctic temperatures… that would be another issue.

      My if it’s the former, then it probably doesn’t matter which camera you choose… all cameras will wear out after a few years of heavy use and will need repairs or replacement. If it’s the latter, then the D7100 or D7200 would be a great choice. The D7200 is better if you shoot RAW, but if you get by with JPGs then the D7100 should be just fine. The autofocus system on the D7100 is first rate, and it’s a bit faster than the D5500 in general… and more responsive. You’ll notice the difference in handling, with shutter-lag and AF speed and metering speed, etc. And the D7100 is on sale (pre Black Friday Sale) at Amazon for only $796 at the moment, ( http://amzn.to/1MilHmB ) making it a pretty good deal for such an impressive camera.

      So, it sounds to me like you’re leaning the right direction!
      – Matthew

      Reply

  28. Hi Matthew,

    I have been reading your reviews and they are easily up there with the best that I have come across and let me lock in a Nikon D5500 so thankyou for that!
    My wife is wanting her first ‘serious’ camera and I have taken upon the task of purchasing it for her but am wondering if you could help me out as I am still struggling with understanding what the best lense/s would be for a beginner in the field?

    I have read that the AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm F1.8G Lens is a “must have” but am also considering whether the 18-55mm VR II Lens is suitable? Can you please help me out and suggest which of those (or another, or even both) would be nice for her to play around with?
    I can see her photographing family/friends and some wildlife at the park sort of thing. There wont be much sport type action apart from when we head up to the river once in a while.
    Sorry and thanks for your time!
    Scott

    Reply

    1. There is also the option for a “twin kit” that offers the 18-55mm VR II & 55-200mm VR Twin Lens but if I went for that, would not be able to afford the “must have NIKKOR 35mm prime”. Am so out of my area of expertise (def not cameras) here haha

      Reply

    2. Hi Scott,

      Lens choice is very hard for me to make recommendations on, because personal taste plays such a big part in it. Some people love 50mm or 35mm prime lenses. Some people prefer 24mm or 85mm. Some people shoot only with zoom lenses, because they offer so much more flexibility (at the price of letting in less light). Journalists, for example, very frequently shoot with 24-70mm and 70-200mm f/2.8 zooms, because it allows them to not carry to much equipment but cover a huge number of shooting situations. Portrait photographers tend to shoot with primes, since they can plan ahead and stage the shots how they want them. And so forth.

      For most beginners, I’d recommend getting a zoom lens that covers wide-angle to telephoto, with good image quality. The Nikon 18-140 VR is very good for that purpose. It won’t let in as much light as the 35mm f/1.8, but because it is image stabilized, it will be good for most of the same situations. You can take a single lens with you when you travel, and not have to change lenses while you’re out doing things.

      Generally speaking, lenses longer than 70mm are going to be better portrait lenses (Traditionally, 85mm up to about 135mm are considered the perfect portrait range). A 35mm lens may be good for some wider, full-body portraits with some background… but it won’t be any good for wildlife, and the same is true of the 18-55mm. The 55-300 would cover that purpose nicely.

      If you start with a zoom (or two), you can shoot for a while, and then go back and take a look at your images metadata (in Adobe Lightroom, or similar) and see what focal lengths you shoot at the most… and that will help you narrow down which prime lenses would be the best to purchase. But in the end, although I can offer some advice as to which 35mm lenses are the best available, I can’t tell you whether you should buy a 35mm or a 50mm, or something else.

      Good luck!
      – Matthew

      Reply

  29. hello mat! i spent 4 days searching a camera that i want to buy here in the internet. i watched some video comparisons and blogs of different types of cameras. my choices are, d5300,d5500, d7100 and d7200. i really want to buy the d7200 but i guess thats a little bit expensive than d7100. so i was making some comparisons between d7100 d5300 and d5500. i finally made up my mind and go for d7100. its going to be my first dslr and if a newbie in photography. is it a good choice of me buying the d7100? by the way they are coming next week. thank you sir.

    Reply

    1. Hi Carlo,
      The D7100 is a great camera, so it is probably a good choice. Without knowing what you plan to do with it, I don’t know whether it will be any better or worse for you than the other cameras that you mentioned… but it will certainly be sufficient for a newbie :)
      – Matthew

      Reply

  30. Thanks for your detailed comparison which was very helpful in decision making and I bought d5300 with 18-140mm lens. Now I like to buy another prime lens should I go for 35mm and 50mm 1.8 or 35mm and 50mm 1.4? I need your valuable advice. Thanks again.

    Reply

    1. This is a difficult issue, in part because the price difference between a 50mm f/1.8 and 50mm f/1.4 can be pretty significant, while there is not much difference in light transmission (only 2/3rds of a stop) or image quality… but usually, but the f/1.4 will give you shallower depth of field, slightly smoother bokeh, and perhaps slightly sharper image quality.

      So, unless bokeh or shallow depth of field are very important to you, I’d recommend starting with the 50mm f/1.8. If you find that you use it frequently and would like to push your images a little further, you can always sell it and purchase an f/1.4.
      – Matthew

      Reply

  31. Hi Matt,

    This article was very helpful. I am looking for a good DSLR to shoot car show events. some events are outdoors and some indoor. I am still torn between the Canon 70D, Nikon D7200/D7100 and the D5500.

    Image quality is important to me as I will be posting pics and video on my web site and social media. I do tinker a bit in lightroom and photoshop.

    Video is important as well, however I am not using it for high-speed action. I will be using it to walk around a vehicle highlighting the features and maybe a brief interview of the car owner.

    Also, if you can recommend a good lens size. I have been told the best lens to use is 10mm – 18mm, then I heard 85mm and most recently 35mm. I am thinking the 35mm but I am not certain.

    I am currently using a point and shoot camera and my phone and I am looking to step things up to a real camera.

    Initially, I wanted the Canon 70D but I have been hearing so much about the image quality on the Nikons are so much better. I pretty much like the way all of them feel in the hand. I just want the best one for this type of photography and I can build on the platform for years to come.

    Additionally, it would be used for other things too, vacations, roadtrips etc. But mainly for the events.

    Thanks,
    Joel

    Reply

    1. Hi Joel,

      Let me begin by saying this: the image quality of ALL modern DSLRs is awesome… far better than most people will ever use. I know professional photographers (David Wells, for example) who shoot magazine covers with 16 megapixel MFT cameras (Olympus), Fujis, and of course, just a few years ago, pros were shooting events, weddings, landscapes with 12-18mp sensors and getting awesome results. So, while there are some ways that you can say that the Nikons will give you measurably better image quality than some of the Canons, it’s not a significant difference. Lens quality is more often a limiting factor than sensors… and the skill of the photographer.

      That said, the Nikon D7100/D7200 would be a great choice; the D7200 in particular if you plan to shoot a lot of action. The Canon 70D would be the best choice if you were planning on shooting a lot of video. It will work like a video camera, while the Nikons will still be quite slow to focus in comparison… even if you’re just talking about walking around a vehicle. Both options will give you great image quality when used with good lenses, both will be good for action and general shooting.

      The Nikons will have a higher pixel count and higher resolution if you shoot from a tripod with good technique. If you were going to be shooting very fine-detailed subjects and making large prints, that would be the way to go. However, if you’re publishing to the web, remember that even a full 1080p screen is only 1920 x 1080 pixels: that’s only TWO megapixels, so if you’re shooting with either of those cameras, you’d be throwing away 90% of the resolution that you’re capturing anyway. The Nikon is going to be a little bit better in low light… but neither is going to be much good at high ISO. If low light is a going to be a concern, make sure that you get large aperture lenses, use flash equipment, or buy a full-frame camera instead.

      Speaking of lenses, the Sigma 18-35 f/1.8 would probably be a great choice for you, regardless of which camera you buy. It will give you excellent optical quality, tons of light (f/1.8 is more than twice as much light as f/2.8, which is 4 times more light than f/5.6), and it covers the 35mm range that you’re interested in, plus wider to the 18mm end, and all of that is razor sharp.

      Not sure if that helps or just confuses the issue :-) I guess my advice is to go for the Canon if video is important to you, go with the Nikon otherwise. But before you do either, take some time to think about the entire camera system (flash equipment, telephoto lenses, wide angle lenses) that you might want to use in the future, and choose accordingly.
      – Matthew

      Reply

      1. Hi Matt,

        Thank you for the reply. That does help, I think it just comes down to picking one. From what I am understanding there is no wrong decision.

        I have some pretty killer shots on my site with far less than Canon or Nikon.. LOL.

        There will certainly be a little bit of a learning curve for either one but I am sure I will figure that out with practice.

        Thanks again, and I want to say man I love your site. I came across it last night and I will also dig a little deeper into some of your articles. Good stuff :)

        Keep up the good work.

        Thanks,
        Joel

        Reply

  32. I am having D 80,18-155,50mm,70-300mm nikkor ed lens,now I am deciding to purchase Nikon D 7100, as I can use my older lenses also.
    I am also having FM10 camera, can I use it lens on it ?
    I also want to purchase 11-16 mm tokina lens, will it be suitable?

    Reply

    1. Hi Ajay,
      The FM10 will be able to use SOME of your DSLR lenses. It will be fine with the 50mm and the 70-300mm. The 18-135mm that came with the D80 is NOT compatible, since it is intended for cameras with a sensor that is smaller than a 35mm frame.

      The Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 will be a great lens for the D7100, but it will not work correctly on the FM10. (At least, only the center of the 35mm frame will be properly exposed).

      – Matthew

      Reply

  33. hi Matthew

    I love your reviews and advises, I’m yet to start my photography school training,I plan on being a newborn,maternity,family, portrait and architectural photographer after completing my training. I intend to buy just one camera for a start to use at the photography school training and that would still be able to serve the purpose after graduation.

    I need your advice on the choices of camera I’m considering buying- Nikon D5500 with the 50mm – 200mm nikkor lenses or the Nikon D7000 , which of the two should I get or do you have better suggestions but affordable ones ?

    Thank you

    Reply

  34. Hi Matthey,

    I bough nikon 7100 and would like to buy lens for the camera.
    Could you please suggest any following sigma lens which could be used for many purposes.
    1. 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
    2. 18-125mm F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM
    3. 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM
    4. 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM | C

    Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Hi Le,
      Of the four lenses that you mention, the Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 is the best… it’s going to give you the most light (f/2.8 is 4x more light than the f/5.6 lenses below) and the best image quality across its zoom range. The only downside is that the zoom range is a little limited compared to the others. Its good for every day shooting.

      The 18-125 is an older lens, and it’s fine, but not outstanding.

      I would not buy ANY 18-200mm lens (including those made by Nikon, Canon, Tamron, etc). Super-zoom lenses have many compromises when it comes to image quality, and with the high resolution sensor of the D7100, they will all be magnified. You’ll be better off going with a more limited zoom and at least getting good quality pictures from it.

      For Nikon, the best lens that I know of that’s a good compromise between good image quality and large zoom range is the Nikon 18-140mm VR lens. It replaced and excellent Nikon 18-135 that was contemporary with the Sigma 18-125.

      Good luck!
      – Matthew

      Reply

  35. Hi MATTHEW,

    Thank you for this complete review.

    I am buying my first DSLR after having a good training on photography. I want a step up from my P&S camera to get better pictures. My use is shooting landscapes, casual family events and specially for travelling. I am fun of the D7100 because it’s a versatile DSLR, well built, have the top LCD info screen ( very useful for parameter adjustment) and 2 seperate dials ( Shutter speed & Aperture). but between what I like and what I need, there are 200 buks to be spent better in a lens. ( a 35mm1.8G for example)

    Should I get The D7100 + Nikkor 18-105mm
    or a D5300+ NIKKOR 18-105mm + Nikkor 35mm1.8G

    For my travels, I need a general purpose lens to carry with me. I’ve heard about the Tamron 16-300mm VC PZD. Is it a good lens to buy?

    Thanks in advance.
    From Tunisia.

    Reply

    1. If you’re used to the top LCD and two dials, it’s going to be hard to give that up to go to the D5300. However, it does sound like the D5300 will meet all of your needs when it comes to image quality, autofocus, and being lightweight for traveling… though the D7100 will be more robust. It sounds like you have a good understanding of the differences, so the decision will have to be yours :)

      I do not recommend ANY of the all-in-one super-zoom lenses, even the Nikon and Canon 18-200mm lenses have pretty poor image quality, and the Tamron 16-300 and 18-270 are even worse. They do have the advantage of being convenient and compact, but the image quality does not match the high resolution sensors of these cameras… you’ll be disappointed with the sharpness.

      However, the Nikon 18-140mm is a good compromise. It covers a good range, similar to a 27-210mm on a full frame, and it does it all with surprisingly good image quality. So, you might think about the D5300 with the 18-140, or the D7100 with the same lens.

      Good luck!

      Reply

  36. Thank you for the great review. I am upgrading from a D90 primarily for better image quality but also for the lighter weight. I had pretty much decided on the D5500 when a friend, who also has a D90 and is looking for better image quality, said his usual camera store was recommending the 7100. I have decided on the D55000 but I am comcerned that some of my present lenses, other than my Nikon 35mm 1.8, may not be up to the resolving power of the 24mp sensor.

    My other lenses are a Tamron 18-270 F 3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD, a Tamron SP Di 90mm 1:2.8 Macro 1:1, and a Tamron SP AF 17-50mm F2.8 XR Di II VC. Do you have an opinion regarding the appropriateness of these lenses with a 24mp sensor? If not, can you recommend a web site that might give me the answer. Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jim,

      To my knowledge, there are no lenses on the market right now that will out-resolve a 24 megapixel sensor, so basically, you just need to decide on which lenses are sharp enough for the kind of detail you want to achieve in your images. And to be honest, if your LENS in the limiting factor in your image quality, you’re lucky.

      That said, the biggest problem in your lineup is the Tamron 18-270. Any super zooom is going to have optical weaknesses as a tradeoff for the convenience of all that zoom range in one lens, and the Tamron is no exception. (Canon and Nikon’s 18-200s are pretty bad, too). Your 90mm Macro is a great lens, you’ll get excellent performance there, and the same is true of the 17-50, although you’ll get the best performance if you stop down to f/5.6.

      Matthew

      Reply

  37. I recently purchased the d7100 refurbished online at a substantial discount. I looked a several factors when comparing the 7100 and the 5500, but determined that the 7100 would most likely be more durable, and after using a 3200 for about 3 years, I wanted to go back to the feel of a more substantial camera. The 7100 I received had about 300 shutter clicks and looks brand new. It cost about half as much as a new 7200 body.

    Reply

  38. I find D5500 and the whole Nikon 5000 series not noticeably better than the 3000 series and poor value compared to the Canon 70d which I find the best intermediate level camera.

    Reply

  39. Excellent reviews, enjoyed reading them.
    I’m wondering about lens interchangability with lenses from older film cameras?
    Can you help?

    Thank You.

    Reply

    1. Hi John,
      With Nikon, all of the old F-mount lenses will fit onto new digital cameras, even the old manual focus ones. However, you may have to shoot them in manual mode.

      However, if you have autofocus lenses, even from back in the days of film (I still have some Nikon lenses from the 1990s… a 35-70 f/2.8, a push-pull 80-200 f/2.8, etc) these lenses will work just fine with the D7100 and D7200, which have motors in them that can work with the old drive mechanisms for them. On the D5300/D5500, they will not auto-focus, but they’ll still have auto-aperture. So, if you want to use old lenses, get the D7100 or D7200.

      -Matthew

      Reply

  40. Very helpful comparison…I am considering upgrading from D90 and would like to pursue serious close up work where the articulated screen can be useful. However what I need is the ability to reduce vibration with a mirror up ….that would stay up in live view mode. The D7100 clatters back and forth, but how would the D5500 help if at all?
    Thanks if you can advise,…if not, have a nice day, as they say!

    Reply

    1. don’t even doubt between an (old) 7100 and new 5500, go for the 7100 and enjoy the good toshiba sensor, and far most important, the easy way of changing settings with your fingers, still the best reason to go for a 7×00 nikon… I (was) still waiting for a lower price now the 7200 is out, but I think the 7100 will be soon out of production, 7200 is a bit better in low light, and has a better buffer, but if you don’t need the buffer, grap a 7100, for wifi, you grap a eyefi mobi pro card, and you are set

      Reply

  41. Wow! Matthew! Great review and real world information that matters. Thank you. Until now I was not able to make a decision between the D5500 and the D7100. My last Nikon is a D200 (yes, I know…ancient). I used it to shoot primarily Head shots but I’d like to get into event photography professionally and flash will be extremely critical. Thanks again. Would love to get your take on what’s the best Nikon flash system to go well with the D7100. I currently own the SB-800.

    Reply

    1. Hi Matt,

      The D7100 sounds like a good choice, especially if you’re doing events.

      The SB-800 is an awesome flash. I have one that I use all the time, even off camera when I’m shooting with Canons. I actually prefer it to the SB-900, and I haven’t used the SB-910 very much… though it’s supposed to have solved some of the problems associated with the 900. The 900/910 do have some fancy (sorta gimmicky) features like hard color filters that pop onto the end of the flash, which then communicate with the camera and set the white balance… but I’ve never had a need for that kind of thing. In fact, to be honest, I’d generally rather buy 5 cheap $100 dollar flash units like Yongnuos or similar and have a bunch of really versatile options (and backups) than spend $500 on one flash unit. But that’s just me… Nikon’s are certainly more reliable, so it will all depend on your needs.

      But unless you need additional flash units, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t just keep using the SB-800.

      – Matthew

      Reply

  42. nice review. you addressed all my questions about what the difference between 5500 and 5300 and high speed sync. can’t wait to see what you have to say about the t6i & t6s and how they compare against the 5500.

    Reply

    1. Hi Trixie,
      Thanks!

      With the release of the T6i/s, the Canon and Nikons are much more closely matched. The Canons use an anti-aliasing filter, while the Nikon’s do not, so there may be a measurable difference in sharpness, but probably not much, as explained above (between the D5200 and D5300).

      And while the D5500 has the AF system from the old D7000, the Canons have the AF system from the old 7D, which has fewer overall AF points, but more cross-type points… overall, I think it’s a little better for sports and action, but they’re both good.

      So, yes… it will be fun to really look at the details and compare the D5500 and the T6s; they’re going to be very similar!
      – Matthew

      Reply

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