The Best Entry-Level DSLR Kit is Now $350.00 Off
- An 11-point autofocus system
- An ISO range of 100-25600
- 5 fps continuous shooting
- Face detection focusing
- Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- A 3-inch LCD
Photo by Joseph Pearson on Unsplash
If you’re a beginner photographer and you need a camera kit, I’ve got the perfect suggestion for you: the Nikon D3500.
Not only is the Nikon D3500 packed with features and easy to use, but it’s also budget-friendly. That’s especially true now that you can get $350.00 off a D3500 bundle that includes the camera body and two lenses. A great camera and two lenses for about $500.00. Nice!
Below, I’ve outlined some of the D3500’s best features and specs so you can decide if it’s the right camera for you.
Nikon D3500 Specs
Though the D3500 is firmly in the beginner category, that doesn’t mean that Nikon has skimped on its specifications.
It has a robust 24-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor that offers excellent image quality. The camera lacks a low-pass filter, which might not mean anything to you as a beginner photographer, but the result of that is that images are sharper. That’s a good thing!
Additionally, this camera features:
The D3500 can also be controlled via your smartphone via Nikon’s SnapBridge for easier selfies and group photos. Remote functionality also aids in getting sharper photos since the possibility of moving the camera when the shutter is triggered is eliminated.
This camera also has an incredible battery life rated to over 1,500 shots.
See a hands-on test of the D3500 in the video above by Photo Genius.
Nikon D3500 Handling
If you’re graduating to a DSLR from a compact camera or your smartphone, the D3500 is a good choice because it’s small and lightweight as far as DSLRs go.
The camera body measures 4.9 x 3.9 x 2.8 inches and weighs in at just 12.9 ounces. Granted, the size and weight increases when a lens is attached, but it’s still an easy camera to utilize all day long without feeling strain or fatigue in your arms and shoulders.
Despite its small size, the D3500 offers a large, deep grip that makes for a comfortable shooting experience.
Though these features might not seem all that sexy, they matter when you’re out shooting for long periods of time!
Nikon has also tweaked the layout of the buttons and dials, and their positioning now makes more sense for beginners with the dedicated controls grouped to the right of the LCD. The buttons and dials are all easily reachable with one hand as well.
Nikon D3500 Image Quality
The Nikon D3500 has quickly developed a solid reputation for its image quality, which makes sense given its lineage.
Its predecessor, the Nikon D3400 has an excellent reputation as far as image quality is concerned, and the D3500 builds on that.
With an updated sensor and a new EXPEED imaging processor, the D3500 outperforms the D3400 when it comes to top-notch image quality.
And that image quality isn’t just among entry-level DSLRs. Instead, the D3500 can go toe-to-toe with much more expensive cameras when it comes to the color rendition, saturation, and exposure.
Nikon D3500 Pros & Cons
This camera’s best advantages are its image quality, size, battery life, and ease of use.
As noted earlier, the D3500 can match up with much more expensive cameras in the image quality department, but it’s still incredibly easy to use, even if you don’t rely on Guide Mode to get you started.
Of course, as a Nikon camera, there are virtually endless possibilities for adding lenses. That being the case, the D3500 is a solid option not just for brand-new photographers, but it will also serve your purposes as you learn, grow, and develop your skills as a photographer.
There are some issues, though.
For starters, the D3500’s LCD is fixed is not touch-enabled. For a camera that was released in 2018, that’s just unacceptable, even for a basic DSLR.
Another issue is that you can’t preview images on your smartphone when using SnapBridge. The whole point of SnapBridge is to give you remote control over your camera, but that doesn’t do you much good when you still have to look at the back of the camera to see the images you’ve taken.
Nikon D3500 Price
The D3500 has always been priced well, but at the time of this writing (March 2019), its price is better than usual.
Nikon offers a D3500 bundle with an AF-P 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens and an AF-P 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED lens that’s normally $850.00. However, that same bundle is currently on sale for just $499.99.
I won’t pretend that either of these lenses are the best in the world, but they are more than functional for beginner photographers. Besides, the camera alone is worth that price so two lenses are a nice bonus.
The D3500 is normally a great deal, particularly given the wide range of features I’ve outlined above. But if you act now, you can get an incredible deal on one of the best entry-level DSLRs on the market right now.
