Upgrade Guide
Nikon D5500→Nikon Df
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the D5500. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the Df
-
Battery life~1400 shots (CIPA) vs ~820 shots (CIPA)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution16MP (down from 24MP — optimised for low light)
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 | Df | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.2 | ||
| Street | -1.2 | ||
| Travel | -1.1 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.3 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Documentary | -0.8 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.2 | ||
| Landscape | -0.5 | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Casual | +0.5 | ||
| Food | -1.5 | ||
| Macro | -1.1 | ||
| Architecture | -0.8 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.0 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | D5500 | Df | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £165 used | £159 | |
| Released | 2015 | 2013 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 16.2MP full-frame CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 16MP | ↓ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/60 | No video (stills only) | |
| Autofocus | 39-point phase-detect (9 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face priority in live view | 39-point phase-detect AF (Multi-CAM 4800); contrast AF with face detection in live view | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 5.5fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~820 shots (CIPA) | ~1400 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 470g (with battery) | 765g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.82x | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.7x | |
| Screen | 3.2" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" fixed LCD, 921k dots | |
| Mount | Nikon F-mount (DX) | Nikon F | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See D5500 and Df 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 Df against your specific genres — not just specs.
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