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Nikon D3500 · Nikon Japan product photograph with AF-P DX 18–55mm VR lens; lens is not part of body specifications

Nikon D3500
Photo 1 of 16

Nikon D3500 · Nikon Japan product photograph with AF-P DX 18–55mm VR lens; lens is not part of body specifications

Nikon · Nikon DSLR

D3500

Released September 2018

A 24.2-megapixel DX DSLR with a revised grip and control layout, Bluetooth remote shooting and a 1550-shot CIPA battery rating.

Type
DSLR
Sensor
APS-C
Megapixels
24.2
Lens
Nikon F mount
Video
1920 × 1080 at 60 fps
Body weight
365 g

What reviewers say

Both recommend it to beginners for image quality, handling and long battery life, while finding few internal advances. Photography Blog likes the deeper grip and revised controls but misses the Function button and infrared remote. Digital Camera World finds AF-P live-view focusing unexpectedly responsive, though slower than mirrorless alternatives. Both favour the stabilised kit lens and note the fixed screen.

From photographyblog.com and digitalcameraworld.com

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Image and sensor

Camera type
DSLR
Sensor format
APS-C
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor dimensions
23.5 × 15.6 mm
Effective resolution
24.2 MP
Largest image
6000 × 4000
RAW recording
Yes
Standard ISO range
100–25600
Sensor detail
Nikon DX CMOS with 24.16 million effective and 24.78 million total pixels; no optical low-pass filter; approximately 1.5× lens focal-length equivalent. Image Dust Off reference data uses Capture NX-D; no automatic vibrating sensor-cleaning system
Image formats
12-bit compressed NEF RAW, JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus JPEG; maximum 6000 × 4000 pixels; Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape and Flat Picture Controls
ISO detail
ISO 100–25600 in one-stop steps; Auto ISO

Lens and shooting

Lens mount
Nikon F mount
Stabilisation
Optical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst
5 fps
Lens detail
Autofocus supported with AF-P lenses and type E/G AF-S lenses; no body autofocus motor for screw-drive lenses
Autofocus
Multi-CAM 1000; 11 phase-detection points including one cross-type; -1 to +19 EV at ISO 100, 20°C; AF-S/AF-C/AF-A, single-point, dynamic, auto-area and 11-point 3D tracking. Contrast-detection live view supports face, wide, normal and subject-tracking areas
Shutter
Electronically controlled focal-plane shutter; 1/4000 to 30 seconds in one-third stops, Bulb and Time; flash sync 1/200 second
Burst detail
Approximately 5 fps with manual focus, S/M exposure, 1/250 second or faster and other settings at defaults
Stabilisation detail
Optical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation
Flash
Built-in pop-up flash; guide number approximately 7 m at ISO 100, 20°C, or 8 at manual full output; accessory shoe
Exposure controls
P/S/A/M, Auto, flash-off Auto, scene and special-effects modes; beginner Guide mode; 420-pixel RGB metering with matrix, centre-weighted and spot modes; ±5 EV compensation; Active D-Lighting on/off

Video

Highest video resolution
1920 × 1080 at 60 fps
Video detail
H.264 MOV at Full HD 60p/50p/30p/25p/24p or 720p 60p/50p; actual NTSC rates 59.94/29.97/23.976. Maximum 29 minutes 59 seconds, reduced to 20 or ten minutes depending on frame-rate/quality settings, or three minutes with Miniature Effect
Audio
Built-in mono microphone with adjustable sensitivity and linear PCM recording; no external microphone input. Photography Blog describes stereo sound, differing from Nikon’s technical specification

Screen and viewfinder

Viewfinder
Optical
Screen size
3″
Screen dots
921,000
Display detail
Fixed 3-inch TFT; approximately 921000 dots in the US, rounded to 920000 in Japan; 170° viewing angle and approximately 100% coverage; dots count subpixels
Viewfinder detail
Pentamirror; approximately 95% coverage, 0.85× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity and 18 mm eyepoint

Connections and design

Battery life (maker's claim)
1550 photographs
Body weight
365 g
Release detail
Nikon Japan records first sale on 28 September 2018; global announcement on 30 August 2018
Recording media
One SD/SDHC/SDXC slot; UHS-I support for SDHC/SDXC
Ports
Hi-Speed Micro-USB and HDMI Type C; no wired accessory terminal, external microphone socket or infrared remote receiver
Wireless connections
Bluetooth 4.1 with SnapBridge; automatic transfer of two-megapixel JPEGs and smartphone time/location synchronisation. Nikon’s updated announcement supports Bluetooth remote still capture using SnapBridge 2.5, manual original-JPEG transfer, and excludes RAW/movie transfer; no Wi-Fi
Battery life detail
EN-EL14a rechargeable lithium-ion battery; approximately 1550 photographs per charge under CIPA testing with Bluetooth disabled
Charging
External MH-24 charger; optional EH-5c/EH-5b AC adapter with EP-5A power connector
Dimensions
Approximately 124 × 97 × 69.5 mm
Weight detail
Approximately 365 g body only or 415 g including battery and SD card, excluding body cap
Materials
Slim monocoque body structure with a deeper grip and most operational buttons grouped on the right of the rear panel
Colours
Black
In the box
EN-EL14a battery, MH-24 charger, AN-DC3 strap, BF-1B body cap and DK-25 eyecup

Pros and cons

Pros

  • 24.2-megapixel sensor without an optical low-pass filter
  • 1550-shot CIPA battery rating
  • Bluetooth photo transfer and remote shutter release

Cons

  • Fixed screen without touch control
  • No external microphone or wired remote socket
  • No Wi-Fi or 4K recording

Closest rivals

Model
TypeSensorMegapixelsLensVideoBody weightReleased
CanonEOS 2000D
DSLRAPS-C24.1Canon EF / EF-S1920 × 1080 at 29.97 fps427 gMar 2018
CanonEOS 4000D
DSLRAPS-C18Canon EF / EF-S1920 × 1080 at 29.97 fps389 gMar 2018
CanonEOS 250D
DSLRAPS-C24.1Canon EF / EF-S3840 × 2160 at 25 fps402 gApr 2019

Sources

  1. nij.nikon.com/products/lineup/slr/d3500/spec.html
  2. nij.nikon.com/products/lineup/slr/d3500
  3. nikonusa.com/p/d3500/D3500/overview
  4. nikon.com/company/news/2018/0830_dslr_01

Photo: Nikon Japan product photograph with AF-P DX 18–55mm VR lens; lens is not part of body specifications

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