When comparing Nikon D5500 vs Sony RX100 IV, the Slant community recommends Nikon D5500 for most people. In the question“What are the best cameras for photography under $1000?” Nikon D5500 is ranked 13th while Sony RX100 IV is ranked 16th. The most important reason people chose Nikon D5500 is:
A flat color profile captures footage in low contrast and higher dynamic range allowing for easier color grading in post-production.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Offers a flat color profile for video
A flat color profile captures footage in low contrast and higher dynamic range allowing for easier color grading in post-production.
Pro Can output 8-bit 4:2:2 1080p60 video over HDMI
D5500 can record to an external recorder at a higher quality than when recording to camera.
Pro Good dynamic range
According to tests performed by DxOmark D5500 has 14.01 stops of dynamic range in print and 13.21 stops on screen for images taken at 100 ISO. Among the best scores for cameras in this price range.
Dynamic range is the range of brightness that a camera can capture. Detail in parts of the scene that are outside of the camera's dynamic range will be lost.
Pro Good subject tracking
D5500 has a 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor. It's accurate and fast.
Pro Good battery life
The camera is CIPA rated for 820 shots per charge.
Pro Good video quality
D5500 shoots 1080p60 video that's low in noise and low in artifacts.
Pro Great image quality
Nikon D5500 has a 24MP APS-C sensor and has no AA filter. The lack of an AA filter increases sharpness at the expense of increased moire chance. Little noise up to 3200 ISO. You can see in-depth lab tests on DPReview.
Pro Good tilt and swivel touchscreen offers versatility and ease of use
D5500 has a 3.2" 1.04M-dot tilt and swivel touchscreen.
Pro Well implemented Auto ISO
Pro Amazing image quality for a compact camera
There's lots of detail due to the 20.1MP sensor, the images are sharp, offer a reasonable tonal range with S-Log's color profile allowing you to recover more dynamic range in post and the 24-70mm equivalent lens is sharp throughout the available focal length with all aperture settings.
Pro Great viewfinder
The camera has a popout electronics viewfinder with a high quality OLED display. It's 800x600, offers 100% coverage and 0.59x magnification.
Pro Helps with composing self-shots with a screen that flips 180 degrees
Pro 3-stop ND filter
Pro Flat color profile for video
A flat color profile captures footage in low contrast and higher dynamic range allowing for easier color grading in post-production.
Pro Good video capabilities
The camera can shoot 2160p30 and 1080p120 video at a max video bit rate of 100Mbps. It can go up to 960fps at the expense of resolution. The high speed video is later upscaled to 1080p.
Pro Up to 40x slow-mo factor
At the expense of resolution, the camera can capture video at up to 1000 frames per second for 2 to 4 seconds. Those videos will then be upscaled to 1080p. The camera can also capture 1080p video at 120 frames per second without any limitations.
Pro Smart Auto ISO system
Auto ISO includes rate-of-change control.
Pro Quiet shutter
Pro Great image stabilization
Cons
Con Can't control aperture in movie mode
While you can set ISO and shutter speed before you start shooting, the camera will choose the aperture for you.
Con Buffer limits continuous RAW shooting speed
Buffer fills after 6 RAW shots or 13 JPEG shots after which you have to wait for the buffer to clear.
Con Lacks Auto ISO in movie mode
Auto ISO automatically changes ISO within a user defined range based on lighting conditions. This feature cannot be used in movie mode.
Con Can't micro-adjust lens focus points
Autofocus microadjustment is intended to fine tune the point where the camera focuses. If the camera consistently focuses slightly in front or behind the intended point, microadjustments allow you to fix that. D5500 lacks this ability.
Con No environmental sealing
Con JPEG details get smudgy at high ISO settings
Con Lens range can be limiting
The camera has a 24-70mm equivalent lens. Other compact point and shoot cameras often have between 24-100mm and 24-120mm equivalent focal length lenses.
Con The depth of interface options can be overwhelming at first
The menu has 6 tabs of up to 9 pages of settings for each tab. Going through all of that, learning where everything is tucked away can take some time.
Con No touchscreen
Con Battery life could be better
The camera is CIPA rated 280 shots per charge.