Nikon D5500 vs Panasonic GH5 II

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Nikon D5500 vs Panasonic GH5 II

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APS-C 366.6mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Nikon D5500 Review.
How does it shoot? Nikon D5500 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the D5500.
Compare Nikon D5500 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Nikon D5500 conclusion.

4/3 224.9mm²
20.3 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Panasonic GH5 II Review.
See real-world photos taken with the GH5 II.

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Differences

Nikon D5500 advantages over Panasonic GH5 II

Less expensive
$697 vs $1798
Save money for lenses or accessories
Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.92 vs 3.34 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

820 vs 410 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
More pixels
24.2 vs 20.3 megapixels
Higher resolution photos

Panasonic GH5 II advantages over Nikon D5500

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Shoot 4K video
5K vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
More dots on screen
1840k vs 1037k dots
Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
More viewfinder magnification
0.76x vs 0.55x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
12.0 fps vs 4.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

Tilt-swivel screen
Both provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Touchscreen
Both provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera

User reviews

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Adorama
Read D5500 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read GH5 II User Reviews

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Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)
Body Only (Red)
Kit with 18-140mm lens (Black)
Kit with 18-140mm lens (Red)
Kit with 18-55mm lens (Black)
Kit with 18-55mm lens (Red)

All D5500 Deals

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Buy the Panasonic GH5 II

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 12-35mm F2.8 Lens
Kit with 12-60mm Lens

All GH5 II Deals

Review Excerpt

Amazingly small for a DSLR; Great image quality for its class, including superb low light and high ISO performance; Generous JPEG buffer depth; High resolution.
Buffer depths are shallow when shooting RAW; Lacks GPS from the predecessor; No AA filter means it's susceptible to aliasing artifacts.
Read our Nikon D5500 Review

We haven’t reviewed the Panasonic GH5 II.
Read our Panasonic GH5 II Hands-On Preview

The Competition

Compared to Pentax K-S1

Nikon D5500

Pentax K-S1

$797
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

$502
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D5500 vs Pentax K-S1

Panasonic GH5 II

Pentax K-S1

$1298
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

$502
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic GH5 II vs Pentax K-S1

Compared to Canon T6i

Nikon D5500

Canon T6i

$797
APS-C

Larger sensor
Fast startup

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
NFC

Compare Nikon D5500 vs Canon T6i

Panasonic GH5 II

Canon T6i

$1298
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Panasonic GH5 II vs Canon T6i

Compared to Pentax K-3 II

Nikon D5500

Pentax K-3 II

$797
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D5500 vs Pentax K-3 II

Panasonic GH5 II

Pentax K-3 II

$1298
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Panasonic GH5 II vs Pentax K-3 II

Compared to Nikon D3400

Nikon D5500

Nikon D3400

$797
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

$497
APS-C

Less expensive
Built-in Bluetooth

Compare Nikon D5500 vs Nikon D3400

Panasonic GH5 II

Nikon D3400

$1298
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$497
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Panasonic GH5 II vs Nikon D3400

Compared to Nikon D5600

Nikon D5500

Nikon D5600

$797
APS-C

Less expensive
Higher effective ISO

$898
APS-C

Fast startup
NFC

Compare Nikon D5500 vs Nikon D5600

Panasonic GH5 II

Nikon D5600

$1298
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$898
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Panasonic GH5 II vs Nikon D5600

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