Canon 6D Mark II vs Nikon D5500

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II and the Nikon D5500 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2017 and January 2015. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a full frame (6D Mark II) and an APS-C (D5500) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 26 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 6D Mark II		Nikon D5500
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
26 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-40,000 (50 - 102,400)		ISO 100-25,600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.2" LCD – 1037k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
6.5 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
1200 shots per battery charge		820 shots per battery charge
144 x 111 x 75 mm, 765 g		124 x 97 x 70 mm, 470 g

Check 6D Mark II price at
amazon.com
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ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 6D Mark II and the Nikon D5500? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 6D Mark II and the Nikon D5500 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The D5500 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the 6D Mark II is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D5500 is notably smaller (25 percent) than the Canon 6D Mark II. Moreover, the D5500 is substantially lighter (39 percent) than the 6D Mark II. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 6D Mark II is splash and dust resistant, while the D5500 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (6D Mark II) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D5500).

Concerning battery life, the 6D Mark II gets 1200 shots out of its Canon LP-E6N battery, while the D5500 can take 820 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL14a power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
2.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	US$ 899	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	151 mm	116 mm	76 mm	890 g	900	Y	Aug 2016	US$ 3 499	amazon.com
5.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5DS R	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
7.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
8.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
9.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
10.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
11.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The D5500 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 55 percent) than the 6D Mark II, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 6D Mark II features a full frame sensor and the Nikon D5500 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the D5500 is 57 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 26MP, the 6D Mark II offers a slightly higher resolution than the D5500 (24MP), but the 6D Mark II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.76μm versus 3.91μm for the D5500) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the 6D Mark II is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 5 months) than the D5500, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the D5500 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The 6D Mark II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 40000, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D5500 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
2.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.8	13.6	2995	91
5.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
6.		Canon 5DS R	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.6	12.4	2308	86
7.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
8.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
9.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
10.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
11.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
12.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
13.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
14.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
15.		Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
16.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
17.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 6D Mark II and the D5500 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the 6D Mark II offers a wider field of view (98%) than the one in the D5500 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 6D Mark II has a higher magnification (0.72x vs 0.57x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 6D Mark II and Nikon D5500 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
2.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 5DS R	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
7.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
8.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
13.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D3400	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 6D Mark II, but is missing on the D5500 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The Canon 6D Mark II and the Nikon D5500 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 6D Mark II and the D5500 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 6D Mark II and Nikon D5500 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 5DS R	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Nikon D3300	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Nikon D3400	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
16.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the 6D Mark II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The 6D Mark II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the D5500 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the D5500 was succeeded by the Nikon D5600. Further information on the features and operation of the 6D Mark II and D5500 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 6D Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D5500 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon 6D Mark II better than the Nikon D5500 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 6D Mark II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (1 stops ISO advantage).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (98% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.72x vs 0.57x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6.5 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1200 versus 820) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 5 months of technical progress since the D5500 launch.

Advantages of the Nikon D5500:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (2.1 EV of extra DR).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More compact: Is smaller (124x97mm vs 144x111mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 295g or 39 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (55 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2015).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 6D Mark II is the clear winner of the match-up (13 : 8 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 6D Mark II and the Nikon D5500 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 6D Mark II or the D5500 perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
2.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	US$ 899	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	4.5/5	+ +	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	US$ 3 499	amazon.com
5.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5DS R	5/5	+	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
7.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
8.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
9.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
10.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
11.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D3300	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D3400	4/5	+	4/5	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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