Upgrade Guide
Nikon D5500→Nikon D7200
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the D5500. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the D7200
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
-
Battery life~1110 shots (CIPA) vs ~820 shots (CIPA)
Unchanged or similar
-
ResolutionSimilar (24MP)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | D5500 | D7200 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.1 | ||
| Street | -1.4 | ||
| Travel | -0.7 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +1.5 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Documentary | +0.9 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.1 | ||
| Landscape | +0.1 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.7 | ||
| Casual | -1.5 | ||
| Food | -1.7 | ||
| Macro | -1.0 | ||
| Architecture | -0.8 | ||
| Astrophotography | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | D5500 | D7200 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £165 used | £212 used | |
| Released | 2015 | 2015 | |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 24MP | |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/60 | Full HD 1080p/30 (60p in 1.3× crop) | |
| Autofocus | 39-point phase-detect (9 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face priority in live view | 51-point phase-detect (15 cross-type, EV -3) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face priority in live view | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 6fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~820 shots (CIPA) | ~1110 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 470g (with battery) | 765g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.82x | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.94x | |
| Screen | 3.2" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots | |
| Mount | Nikon F-mount (DX) | Nikon F-mount (DX) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Dual SD slots |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See D5500 and D7200 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the D7200 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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