The redesigned camera body is slightly smaller and lighter than its predecessor, and incorporates both an optical pentamirror optical viewfinder along with a large 3.2" 1,037k-dot vari-angle touchscreen LCD monitor, which features a 180° swivel design to better support working from high and low angles. A variety of touchscreen functions allow you to pinch to zoom, navigate menus, choose settings, and choose your focus point. An eye sensor turns the LCD monitor on and off, enables a Touch function, and starts the playback funtion when your eye moves away from the viewfinder.
Built-in Wi-Fi enables advanced image sharing capabilities, and when paired with an Android or iOS mobile device, remote viewing and control over the shutter release is possible from a distance.
A wide range of Picture Control modes, Scene Modes, and Special Effects modes are available as well as in-camera image editing capabilities for adjusting settings prior to sharing. Built-in HDR and Active D-Lighting modes can also be used to optimize exposure results by preserving highlight and shadow details for an extended range of apparent tones.
Included with the D5500 is the DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II lens, a general-purpose zoom lens featuring a retractable barrel for a compact, lightweight design. The lens has a 35mm equivalent zoom range of 27-82.5mm, making it useful in a wide variety of shooting conditions.