Nikon D5500 PDF User Manual
Did you lose or misplace the instruction manual that came with your Nikon D5500? It happens all too easily, but fortunately Nikon makes a soft copy available that you can browse through online, print out, or download (see the pdf file below). It is certainly good practice to carefully familiarize oneself with the many different functionalities and options that the D5500 offers, and the official user manual is without doubt an authoritative and comprehensive source of respective information.
That said, the instruction booklet can be a dry read, so that a dedicated camera guide book from a professional photographer that illustrates the camera's core functions in a real life photography context can be a very helpful complement. Yes, getting one of these camera guides (see here at amazon) would involve an additional expense, but if that book helps to exploit the camera's potential to the full, the (small) additional investment may well be worth it.
Also, you might want to check out the video tutorial on the Nikon D5500 below.
In any case, the D5500 is an advanced imaging tool, whose many features merit serious attention. This DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera was officially introduced on January 6th, 2015, which means that, as of today, the camera is 3548 days old (young?). The camera has meanwhile been discontinued and was succeeded by the Nikon D5600 as a replacement in the same line of cameras.
Nikon's reference manual for the D5500
The camera's reference manual is 436 pages long. The pdf version is embedded below. As you browse through, you will hopefully find the information you are looking for. You can also print out a hard copy by right clicking on the manual and then choosing the respective menu option. For convenience, a summary of the key specs of the D5500 is included towards the bottom of this webpage.
Don't forget to bookmark this page for future reference (Ctrl-Shift-D on a Windows PC; Cmd-Shift-D on a Mac). Happy browsing!
Click on the button below to download the pdf version of the Nikon D5500 manual to your computer. The file will open in a new browser window.
If you prefer to read the user guide in another language, please check the respective availability on Nikon's support site. That site also provides complementary online resources, such as information on the compatibility of various camera accessories or the availability of firmware updates that are not necessarily comprehensively covered in the instruction manual.
Printed, hardcopy versions of the Nikon D5500 manual can sometimes be found online. You can check the availability on amazon and ebay via the buttons below.
Video tutorial for the Nikon D5500
Perhaps instead of reading through a manual or operations guide, you might prefer to better familiarize yourself with your D5500 by watching a video tutorial. It can notably help to quickly get to know the key functions and to set up your camera according to your particular preferences and needs.
Once again, the Nikon D5500 is a sophisticated imaging tool and not exploiting its capabilities to the full would be a pity. Hence, taking the time to study online information material or to read through a well-written camera guide book is highly recommended to make the most of your purchase.
Nikon D5500 FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the D5500.
What type of imaging sensor is used in the Nikon D5500?
The camera has a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.
Which image processing chip is used in the Nikon D5500 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Nikon equipped the D5500 with the EXPEED 4 image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Nikon D5500?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600.
Does the Nikon D5500 have a selfie-friendly screen?
Yes, the LCD-screen of the D5500 is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Nikon D5500?
Nikon mentions a shutter rating of 100 000 actuations for the D5500. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the D5500 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Nikon D5500?
Nikon embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your D5500 has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.
Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Nikon D5500?
No, the Nikon D5500 has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.
Does the Nikon D5500 feature an autofocus assist light?
Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Nikon D5500 for flash photography?
The D5500's flash sync speed is 1/200 sec.
Does the Nikon D5500 support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?
Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).
Which battery does the Nikon D5500 use?
The camera gets its power from the Nikon EN-EL14a (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Is there a vertical grip available for the Nikon D5500?
Nikon does not offer an optional battery grip, but third party suppliers do (see here on ebay).
Further reading
How does the D5500 stack up against available alternatives? If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, just make your choice using the following search menu. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 7D II vs Nikon D5500
- Canon 800D vs Nikon D5500
- Canon R7 vs Sony A9 II
- Canon T7 vs Nikon D5500
- Fujifilm X-T4 vs Sony A9 II
- Nikon D5500 vs Olympus E-M1
- Nikon D5500 vs Panasonic GX800
- Nikon D5500 vs Sony NEX-6
- Olympus E-M1X vs Sony A9 II
- Sony A68 vs Sony A9 II
- Sony A7C II vs Sony A9 II
- Sony A7C vs Sony A9 II
Core camera specifications
Here is a list of the main features and technical characteristics of the Nikon D5500.
Camera Model | Nikon D5500 | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | |
Camera Lens | Nikon F mount lenses | |
Launch Date | January 2015 | |
Launch Price | USD 899 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 23.5 x 15.6 mm | |
Sensor Area | 367 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 28.2 mm | |
Crop Factor | 1.5x | |
Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 6 000 x 4 000 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 3.91 μm | |
Pixel Density | 6.55 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | no AA filter | |
Movie Capability | 1080/60p Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 25 600 ISO | |
Image Processor | EXPEED 4 | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 84 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 24.1 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 14.0 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 1438 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.57x | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 3.2 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 1037k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Swivel screen | |
V-logging Friendliness | Front-flip possible | |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/4000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 5 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | Intervalometer Built-in | |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | |
UHS card support | UHS-I | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | |
Body Specs | ||
Battery Type | Nikon EN-EL14a power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 820 shots per charge | |
Body Dimensions |
124 x 97 x 70 mm (4.9 x 3.8 x 2.8 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 470 g (16.6 oz) |
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