Sony A6000 vs Nikon D5500

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Sony A6000 vs Nikon D5500

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

Go in depth with our full Sony A6000 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A6000 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A6000.
Compare Sony A6000 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A6000 conclusion.

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.

Succeeded by the Sony A6100
Compare A6000 vs A6100

Succeeded by the Nikon D5600
Compare D5500 vs D5600

Compare SONY A6100 vs NIKON D5600

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Differences

Sony A6000 advantages over Nikon D5500

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Thinner
45 mm vs 70 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
468g vs 668g
Lighter weight
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.55x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Wider angle kit lens
24 mm vs 27 mm
Capture more of the scene with the included lens
Faster JPEG shooting
11.1 fps vs 4.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
11.1 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)
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Nikon D5500 advantages over Sony A6000

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
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 2.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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 360 shots
Capture more photos
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Bigger JPEG buffer
100 vs 47 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
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 Image Stabilization
Neither provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Adorama
Read A6000 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D5500 User Reviews

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Body Only (Black)
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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

Review Excerpt

Amazing image quality for the price; Blazing-fast hybrid autofocus; Swift burst shooting with generous buffer depths; Good battery life with LCD monitor; More compact than a DSLR; In-camera Wi-Fi wireless networking
Continuous autofocus can't match its burst rate; High-ISO JPEGs can look overprocessed; Sluggish startup; No touch-screen display; Wi-Fi can be a bit frustrating to use
Read our Sony A6000 Review

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

The Competition

Compared to Samsung NX3000

Sony A6000

Samsung NX3000

$674
APS-C

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$950
APS-C

Slow-motion videos

Compare Sony A6000 vs Samsung NX3000

Nikon D5500

Samsung NX3000

$797
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$950
APS-C

In-camera panoramas
NFC

Compare Nikon D5500 vs Samsung NX3000

Compared to Pentax K-3 II

Sony A6000

Pentax K-3 II

$674
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Sony A6000 vs 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

Compared to Sony A6300

Sony A6000

Sony A6300

$674
APS-C

Less expensive

$748
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
Fast startup

Compare Sony A6000 vs Sony A6300

Nikon D5500

Sony A6300

$797
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$748
APS-C

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

Compare Nikon D5500 vs Sony A6300

Compared to Fujifilm X-A3

Sony A6000

Fujifilm X-A3

$674
APS-C

Eye-level viewfinder
NFC

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Touchscreen

Compare Sony A6000 vs Fujifilm X-A3

Nikon D5500

Fujifilm X-A3

$797
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Nikon D5500 vs Fujifilm X-A3

Compared to Nikon D5600

Sony A6000

Nikon D5600

$674
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$898
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Lens selection

Compare Sony A6000 vs 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

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