Nikon D3500 Review: Best DSLR for Beginners

Our Verdict

Similar its D3400 predecessor, the new Nikon D3500 is a modestly priced but well-equipped camera that takes really skilful pictures and is an excellent learning tool for those new to DSLRs.

For

Affordable
Good image quality
Feature-rich
Splendid bombardment life
In-camera raw processing

Against

Fixed LCD
No touch on capabilities
Modest video AF performance

Tom's Guide Verdict

Like its D3400 predecessor, the new Nikon D3500 is a modestly priced but well-equipped camera that takes really proficient pictures and is an excellent learning tool for those new to DSLRs.

Pros

+
Affordable
+
Good prototype quality
+
Feature-rich
+
First-class bombardment life
+
In-photographic camera raw processing

Cons

-
Fixed LCD
-
No touch capabilities
-
Pocket-size video AF performance

Nikon'southward new entry-level DSLR, the D3500 isn't a radical departure from the D3400, but then again, the company didn't need to change much.

While information technology has the same feature fix and capabilities as its predecessor, Nikon tweaked the size, weight and control layout, making the new model slightly smaller, lighter and easier to operate. It likewise delivers improved battery life and the ability to trigger the photographic camera via the SnapBridge app. Not bad for less for less than $500, which is why it's the best DSLR camera for beginners. Find out why it also made our listing of the all-time cameras.

Who is the Nikon D3500 for?

The Nikon D3500 will appeal to beginners and enthusiasts on a upkeep. Its guide modes make it swell for students or those learning about photography. If you lot're looking for something a little more avant-garde, bank check out the Nikon D5600. Want to know the difference between the two cameras? Read our Nikon D3500 vs. D5600 comparison.

Nikon D3500: Toll and availability

As of this writing, the D3500 costs $496.95 on Amazon and comes with a 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens. A separate $596 bundle includes the xviii-55mm lens and a 70-300m f/4.v-6.3G lens.

Nikon D3500 review — (Paradigm credit: Nikon)

Nikon D3500: Design

Nikon slimmed downward the D3500's body merely a footling; it now measures four.9 x 3.9 x 2.8 inches and weighs 12.9 ounces, versus the D3400'due south 4.9 x 3.9 x 3.0-inch, 14-ounce trunk. Its compact size and weight makes it easy to use the camera all day without strain, even with the longer 70-300mm kit lens. The camera's deep handgrip is comfortable to hold.

I thought that the D3400'due south control layout was quite proficient, but I similar the D3500's control revisions even meliorate. Dedicated controls are aligned to the right of the LCD, with the wink button on the back console merely to the left of the viewfinder. A alive view switch sits adjacent to the manner dial and flips live view on/off with but a motion-picture show of your forefinger.

I don't know about you, merely I'd be willing to pay a fiddling more to take an articulated or tilting bear upon-screen LCD. This makes it easier in Live View to shoot overhead or low-bending photos. And, if you lot're out in the vivid sunlight, angling the LCD helps convalesce glare on the screen so yous tin can more easily read the menus and review your images. For that, y'all'll take to step upwardly to the Nikon D5600, which costs a few hundred more than.

Nikon D3500: Interface

The D3500's Guide Fashion provides assist for setup, shooting playback and retouching images. Located on the mode dial, the Guide's directions — bachelor in bones or advanced functioning options — are uncomplicated and easy to follow. They range from setting image quality to softening the background in a portrait. The latter (shallow depth of field) is manually achieved by setting the aperture to a low f/stop number and the Guide Manner outlines the process.

The D3500 also has more than avant-garde controls to satisfy those who already have some photographic skills. In addition to full transmission and semi-manual exposure modes, this DSLR offers a selection of white-balance options, including the ability to manually create a custom white balance. You'll also observe picture controls, including Standard, Neutral Vivid Landscape and Flat, to name a few. More than important, motion-picture show-control parameters — sharpness, clarity, contrast, brightness, saturation and hue — are adjustable so yous can create your own custom version. And, you tin can fifty-fifty add copyright information to your images right in the camera.

As much equally I think the Guide Mode is helpful for newcomers, there are two caveats. If you cut your photographic teeth on the Guide Mode and then switch to semi-automatic and manual exposure modes, information technology's easy to get confused. Some settings, like paradigm quality, are located in the Setup carte in Guide Way but in the Shooting Menu and the "i" button menu for other modes such as PSAM.

The other disconnect betwixt the Guide Mode and PSAM is that settings are non consistent. For instance, if you change the prototype quality to Normal while in Guide Manner, the setting alter does not carry over in PSAM modes, and so be certain to bank check your settings before you beginning shooting.

Nikon D3500: Image quality

Similar the D3400, the D3500 has the aforementioned resolution — 24MP — but has an updated sensor and EXPEED image processor. There'southward no give-and-take about what those updates entail, though, since most of the specifications betwixt the D3400 and D3500 remain the same (an increased battery life is the main exception). Both models are known for their ease of use and top-notch image quality in their toll class.

It'southward no surprise, then, that the Nikon D3500 delivered consistently skilful pictures with colors that were well-saturated and authentic. Exposure was almost ever spot on regardless of the type of metering used (matrix, eye-weighted or spot).

Nikon D3500: Video quality

Likewise, video clips exhibited accurate colors and exposure. The camera was able to retain expert details in shadows and highlights even under relatively high dissimilarity lighting.

One of the benefits of shooting with the Nikon D3500 is its extensive retouch menu. Go into Playback, hit Menu and you lot're presented with a long list of options for editing still and movie files. Notably, the D3500 tin can process RAW files in-camera so you don't have to worry nigh whether your software supports RAW processing for this specific camera. If you'd like to have more than command over RAW processing, check out Nikon's complimentary Capture NX-D software.

Other retouching features include a quick, automatic retouch, resizing, D-Lighting (to assist bring out details in shadows), red-eye correction, distortion control and vignette correction. Creative effects such as monochrome, image overlay, color outline, photo illustration, selective colour and miniature consequence are also available.

These effects can be applied and a dissever copy saved after y'all've captured the epitome. Or y'all can switch the mode punch to Effects and utilize them to the original paradigm as you lot're shooting. Some Furnishings are also available when shooting movies.

Nikon D3500: Battery life

Bombardment life has been improved by well-nigh 350 shots per accuse to 1,550 on the D3500 — even though both the D3400 and the D3500 use the aforementioned battery, the EN-EL14a. This means y'all should be able to shoot for at least a couple of days without having to recharge if yous're a prolific moving picture-taker. For more moderate everyday apply, I institute that the battery lasted a calendar week, with a piddling scrap of charge left over.

Nikon D3500: Smartphone features

I accept mixed feelings almost Nikon's Snapbridge app, which is available for iOS and Android smart devices. On the plus side, you lot tin easily transfer images from the D3500 to a smart device via Bluetooth, either past selecting individual images or downloading them all. You lot tin even have the camera automatically transfer images as yous shoot them or while the photographic camera is off.

The SnapBridge app allows you to choose the resolution (total or 2 megapixel for faster transfer). You can also sync the fourth dimension and location from your smart device. More oftentimes than not, the pairing of the camera and the device goes smoothly when following directions on the camera and the app.

While you tin can shoot remotely via your smartphone, you're non able to preview the shot on your telephone's screen, so you demand to set the camera (settings, focus, composition, etc.) beforehand. And there's no style to adjust camera settings remotely. Granted, that's all y'all could do with the $20 ML-L3 infrared remote, merely higher-end Nikon DSLRs allow full remote control and viewing on a mobile device.

Which brings u.s. to the D3500 and SnapBridge's utilize of Bluetooth. Certain, it draws less ability so your battery won't drain as quickly as information technology would with Wi-Fi. Just it's pretty slow, peculiarly if you want to transfer a lot of images fifty-fifty at the 2MB size. The latter took nearly 10 seconds per prototype to download to an iPhone 6S running iOS 10.3.3.

Nikon D3500: Verdict

Although Nikon hasn't made whatsoever major updates to the Nikon D3500, this photographic camera can concur its own amid such competition every bit the $500 Canon EOS Rebel T7 . With a solid feature set for its form, the D3500 actually is a bargain at $400 with the eighteen-55mm f/three.5-5.6G VR lens.

All in all, the D3500 is an fantabulous photographic camera for the price, but if you desire an articulating touchscreen, y'all'll have to step up to the Nikon D5600.

Credit: Theano Nikitas/Tom's Guide

Theano Nikitas is a freelance announcer and photographer. She's been writing virtually photography for more than 20 years, contributing countless reviews of cameras, lenses, accessories and software packages to Tom's Guide. Her work has as well appeared in dozens of other magazines and websites, including CNET, DPreview, PopPhoto, Professional Lensman and Shutterbug.