Nikon D300 vs Nikon D3500

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D300 compared with D3500

	NikonD300	NikonD3500
Overview
Released
Released	November 2007	September 2018
Image and sensor
Camera type
Camera type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor format
Sensor format	APS-C	APS-C
Sensor type
Sensor type	CMOS	CMOS
Sensor dimensions
Sensor dimensions	23.6 × 15.8 mm	23.5 × 15.6 mm
Effective resolution
Effective resolution	12.3 MP	24.2 MP
Largest image
Largest image	4288 × 2848	6000 × 4000
RAW recording
RAW recording	Yes	Yes
Standard ISO range
Standard ISO range	200–3200	100–25600
Sensor detail
Sensor detail	13.1 million total pixels; vibrating low-pass filter for dust removal; Image Dust Off reference data	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
Image formats	12-bit or 14-bit NEF RAW, uncompressed, compressed or losslessly compressed; JPEG, TIFF RGB and RAW plus JPEG	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 detail	Expanded equivalents ISO 100–6400; Auto ISO	ISO 100–25600 in one-stop steps; Auto ISO
Image processor
Image processor	EXPEED image-processing system; Scene Recognition System	–
Lens and shooting
Lens mount
Lens mount	Nikon F mount	Nikon F mount
Stabilisation
Stabilisation	Optical lens stabilisation	Optical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst
Maximum continuous burst	6 fps	5 fps
Lens detail
Lens detail	AF coupling supports compatible screw-drive lenses. Supported non-CPU AI lenses permit aperture-priority and manual exposure; entered lens data enables colour matrix metering. IX and F3AF lenses unsupported	Autofocus supported with AF-P lenses and type E/G AF-S lenses; no body autofocus motor for screw-drive lenses
Autofocus
Autofocus	Multi-CAM 3500DX phase detection; 51 points including 15 cross-type; single-point, auto-area and dynamic 9/21/51-point modes with 3D tracking; AF fine-tuning	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
Shutter	1/8000 to 30 seconds and Bulb; standard flash sync 1/250 second, with 1/320 available at reduced flash range; shutter tested to 150000 cycles	Electronically controlled focal-plane shutter; 1/4000 to 30 seconds in one-third stops, Bulb and Time; flash sync 1/200 second
Burst detail
Burst detail	Approximately 6 fps with the body's EN-EL3e. Up to 8 fps using MB-D10 with EN-EL4/EN-EL4a or eight AA cells, or EH-5/EH-5a AC power; an EN-EL3e in the grip alone does not provide 8 fps. 14-bit RAW limits speed to approximately 2.5 fps	Approximately 5 fps with manual focus, S/M exposure, 1/250 second or faster and other settings at defaults
Stabilisation detail
Stabilisation detail	Optical VR depends on the attached lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation	Optical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation
Flash
Flash	Pop-up i-TTL flash; guide number approximately 12 at ISO 100 in metres, 13 at full manual output; commander support, hot shoe and PC sync terminal	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
Exposure controls	P/S/A/M; 1005-pixel RGB 3D Colour Matrix Metering II; ±5 EV compensation; Active D-Lighting and interval timer	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
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical	Optical
Screen size
Screen size	3″	3″
Screen dots
Screen dots	920,000	921,000
Tilting screen
Tilting screen	No	–
Display detail
Display detail	Fixed TFT with 170° viewing angle; dots count subpixels; removable protective cover	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
Viewfinder detail	Pentaprism, approximately 100% coverage and 0.94× magnification with 50mm at infinity; 19.5 mm eyepoint; selectable grid	Pentamirror; approximately 95% coverage, 0.85× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity and 18 mm eyepoint
Connections and design
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	No	–
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	1000 photographs	1550 photographs
Body weight
Body weight	825 g	365 g (better)
Release detail
Release detail	Nikon's original US announcement specifies November 2007 availability; Japan records 23 November. Main retains the month	Nikon Japan records first sale on 28 September 2018; global announcement on 30 August 2018
Recording media
Recording media	CompactFlash Type I/II, including UDMA, and Microdrive; single slot	One SD/SDHC/SDXC slot; UHS-I support for SDHC/SDXC
Ports
Ports	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, analogue NTSC/PAL output, full-size HDMI Type A (HDMI 1.3a), ten-pin accessory terminal and PC flash sync; optional MC-35 connects compatible external GPS receivers	Hi-Speed Micro-USB and HDMI Type C; no wired accessory terminal, external microphone socket or infrared remote receiver
Wireless connections
Wireless connections	Optional WT-4 transmitter supplies network transfer; Wi-Fi is not built into the body	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
Battery life detail	EN-EL3e; approximately 1000 shots under CIPA conditions with AF-S VR 24–120mm f/3.5–5.6G ED, flash on alternate exposures and no live view. Separate Nikon continuous test claims approximately 3000. Optional MB-D10 accepts EN-EL3e, EN-EL4/EN-EL4a or eight AA cells	EN-EL14a rechargeable lithium-ion battery; approximately 1550 photographs per charge under CIPA testing with Bluetooth disabled
Charging
Charging	External MH-18a charger; optional EH-5/EH-5a AC adapter	External MH-24 charger; optional EH-5c/EH-5b AC adapter with EP-5A power connector
Dimensions
Dimensions	Approximately 147 × 114 × 74 mm	Approximately 124 × 97 × 69.5 mm
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximately 825 g excluding battery, card, body cap and monitor cover	Approximately 365 g body only or 415 g including battery and SD card, excluding body cap
Materials
Materials	Magnesium-alloy construction with dust and moisture seals; not a waterproof rating	Slim monocoque body structure with a deeper grip and most operational buttons grouped on the right of the rear panel
Colours
Colours	–	Black
In the box
In the box	–	EN-EL14a battery, MH-24 charger, AN-DC3 strap, BF-1B body cap and DK-25 eyecup
Video
Highest video resolution
Highest video resolution	–	1920 × 1080 at 60 fps
Video detail
Video detail	No movie recording. Handheld live view uses phase-detection AF with mirror interruption; Tripod live view uses contrast-detection AF	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
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