Nikon D5500 vs Pentax K-3 II

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Nikon D5500 vs Pentax K-3 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.

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-3 II Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-3 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-3 II.
Compare Pentax K-3 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-3 II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D5600
Compare D5500 vs D5600

Succeeded by the Pentax K-3 III
Compare K-3 II vs K-3 III

Compare NIKON D5600 vs PENTAX K-3 III

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Differences

Nikon D5500 advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Less expensive
$697 vs $830*
Save money for lenses or accessories
Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs none
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Fast startup
~0.40 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
D5500 test data on DxO Mark K-3 II test data on DxO Mark

1,438 vs 1,106 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
More AF points
39 vs 27
More AF points improve autofocus
Bigger JPEG buffer
100 vs 60 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Pentax K-3 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
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
More cross-type AF points
25 vs 9
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
Pentaprism viewfinder
Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Much better viewfinder picture fidelity
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.20 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More viewfinder magnification
0.63x 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
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs None
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 4.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.2 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
22 vs 7 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
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 Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Adorama
Read D5500 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

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

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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

Top-notch image quality; Spectacular detail from Pixel Shift Resolution; Better performance than K-3; Geotag images with no accessories; Great ergonomics in a compact body; Clever on-demand low-pass filtering; Broad sensitivity range; Large and bright viewfinder for an APS-C camera; Dual card slots
No built-in flash strobe; No wireless flash support out of the box; AstroTracer function can be finicky; AE Lock button is poorly located; Below-average battery life for a prosumer DSLR; Requires a different battery grip accessory than its predecessors
Read our Pentax K-3 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Pentax K-S1

Nikon D5500

Pentax K-S1

$697
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

$502
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D5500 vs Pentax K-S1

Pentax K-3 II

Pentax K-S1

$830
APS-C

High resolution composite
Built-in GPS

$502
APS-C

Internal flash

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Pentax K-S1

Compared to Canon T6i

Nikon D5500

Canon T6i

$697
APS-C

Larger sensor
Fast startup

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
NFC

Compare Nikon D5500 vs Canon T6i

Pentax K-3 II

Canon T6i

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon T6i

Compared to Nikon D3400

Nikon D5500

Nikon D3400

$697
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

$497
APS-C

Less expensive
Built-in Bluetooth

Compare Nikon D5500 vs Nikon D3400

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon D3400

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$497
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon D3400

Compared to Nikon D5600

Nikon D5500

Nikon D5600

$697
APS-C

Less expensive
Higher effective ISO

$898
APS-C

Fast startup
NFC

Compare Nikon D5500 vs Nikon D5600

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon D5600

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$898
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon D5600

Compared to Pentax KP

Nikon D5500

Pentax KP

$697
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D5500 vs Pentax KP

Pentax K-3 II

Pentax KP

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Built-in GPS

$999
APS-C

Tiltable Screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Pentax KP

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