Nikon D3400 vs Nikon D5500

Take a look at our comparison of the Nikon D3400 vs Nikon D5500, and how their specifications match up.

If you’re buying your first DSLR but can’t decide which one of these two Nikon models to get, this post is exactly for you.

	Nikon D3400	Nikon D5500
Megapixels	24.2	24.2
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Sensor Size	23.5 x 15.6mm	23.5 x 15.6mm
Sensor Type	APS-C/DX	APS-C/DX
Image Resolution	6000 x 4000	6000 x 4000
ISO Range	100 - 25,600	100 - 25,600
Processor	Expeed 4	Expeed 4
AF Points	11	39
Burst Mode	5fps	5fps
LCD Size	3.0" Fixed LCD Screen	3.2" Articulating LCD Touch-Screen
LCD Resolution	921,000 dots	1,037,000 dots
Viewfinder Coverage	95%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.85x	0.82x
Viewfinder Type	Pentamirror	Pentamirror
Shutter Speed Range	1/4000 to 30 sec.	1/4000 to 30 sec.
Exposure Compensation	±5 EV	±5 EV
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Full HD Video	1,920 x 1,080 (60fps) 1,920 x 1,080 (50fps) 1,920 x 1,080 (30fps) 1,920 x 1080 (25fps) 1,920 x 1,080 (24fps)	1,920 x 1,080 (60fps) 1,920 x 1,080 (50fps) 1,920 x 1,080 (30fps) 1,920 x 1080 (25fps) 1,920 x 1,080 (24fps)
Weight (inc. batteries)	395g (0.87lbs)	420g (0.93lb)
Battery Life	1200 Shots (CIPA)	820 Shots (CIPA)
Dimensions	124 x 98 x 76 mm	124 x 97 x 70 mm
Price	Amazon	Amazon
Release Date	2016	2015

Nikon D3400 Advantages:

• 400 shots longer battery life
• Around $200 cheaper yet you still get the same sensor, ISO performance and same image quality

There’s quite a big price difference between them, but it’s good to know that the quality of your images will look the same regardless whether you go for the D5500 or the D3400, as they use the same sensor with 24 megapixels and maximum ISO of 25,600.

Take a look at our 8 best lenses for Nikon D3400.

The extra 400 shots mean you won’t have to charge your battery as often, but the D5500’s battery life is still higher than most products from the competition.

I recommend the Nikon D3400 if you’re trying to get the most for as little as possible, especially if you’ve never owned a DSLR before.

You can buy the Nikon D3400 at Amazon, or read more reviews here.

Nikon D5500 Advantages:

• 39 vs 11 AF Points – That’s 28 more points to choose from, meaning you (or your camera alone ) can be much more accurate when it comes to focusing on your subject
• It also has 9 cross-type AF points, whereas the D3400 only has 1.
• Articulating vs Fixed LCD screen.

If you are more serious about photography (especially sports and action) and want more control over your images, the D5500’s auto focus is perfect as 39 AF points truly allow you to be precise when focusing on your subject, or on a specific part of it (like the eyes of an animal). Having 9 vs 1 cross-type points means your camera is more capable of focusing in low light conditions.

Here are our 6 best lenses for Nikon D5500.

The moving LCD screen isn’t that much of an advantage because many people never use it. For taking pictures/videos of yourself while being able to see how your scene looks, the ability to move your screen is a big time saver!

You can buy the Nikon D5500 at Amazon, or read more reviews here.