Nikon D3500 vs Nikon D90
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| NikonD3500 | NikonD90 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | September 2018 | September 2008 |
| Image and sensor | ||
| Camera type | DSLR | DSLR |
| Sensor format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Sensor type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor dimensions | 23.5 × 15.6 mm | 23.6 × 15.8 mm |
| Effective resolution | 24.2 MP | 12.3 MP |
| Largest image | 6000 × 4000 | 4288 × 2848 |
| RAW recording | Yes | Yes |
| Standard ISO range | 100–25600 | 200–3200 |
| 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 | 12.9 million total pixels; sensor cleaning and Image Dust Off reference data |
| 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 | NEF RAW, JPEG and RAW plus JPEG; Cameralabs confirms 12-bit compressed RAW |
| ISO detail | ISO 100–25600 in one-stop steps; Auto ISO | Expanded equivalents ISO 100–6400; Auto ISO |
| Image processor | – | EXPEED |
| Lens and shooting | ||
| Lens mount | Nikon F mount | Nikon F mount |
| Stabilisation | Optical lens stabilisation | Optical lens stabilisation |
| Maximum continuous burst | 5 fps | 4.5 fps |
| Lens detail | Autofocus supported with AF-P lenses and type E/G AF-S lenses; no body autofocus motor for screw-drive lenses | DX angle of view approximately 1.5× FX focal length; AF coupling supports compatible screw-drive lenses. Non-CPU lenses permit manual exposure without metering; IX and F3AF lenses unsupported |
| 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 | Multi-CAM 1000 phase detection, 11 points including one cross-type; single, dynamic, auto-area and 3D tracking. Live view uses contrast detection with face-priority, wide and normal areas |
| Shutter | Electronically controlled focal-plane shutter; 1/4000 to 30 seconds in one-third stops, Bulb and Time; flash sync 1/200 second | 1/4000 to 30 seconds and Bulb; flash sync 1/200 second; tested to 100000 releases |
| Burst detail | Approximately 5 fps with manual focus, S/M exposure, 1/250 second or faster and other settings at defaults | High-speed continuous approximately 4.5 fps; low-speed 1–4 fps |
| Stabilisation detail | Optical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation | Optical VR depends on the attached 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 | Pop-up i-TTL flash, guide number approximately 17 at ISO 200 in metres; commander for two remote groups; ISO 518 hot 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 | P/S/A/M, auto and scene modes; 420-pixel RGB metering; ±5 EV compensation |
| Video | ||
| Highest video resolution | 1920 × 1080 at 60 fps | 1280 × 720 at 24 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 | Motion-JPEG AVI at 24 fps; 720p limited to approximately five minutes, 640 × 424 and 320 × 216 to approximately 20 minutes; autofocus unavailable during recording |
| 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 | Monaural movie sound |
| Screen and viewfinder | ||
| Viewfinder | Optical | Optical |
| Screen size | 3″ | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 921,000 | 920,000 |
| Tilting screen | – | No |
| 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 | Fixed TFT with approximately 100% coverage and 170° viewing angle; dots count subpixels |
| Viewfinder detail | Pentamirror; approximately 95% coverage, 0.85× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity and 18 mm eyepoint | Pentaprism, approximately 96% coverage and 0.94× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity; 19.5 mm eyepoint; selectable grid |
| Connections and design | ||
| Battery life (maker's claim) | 1550 photographs | 850 photographs |
| Body weight | 365 g (better) | 620 g |
| Release detail | Nikon Japan records first sale on 28 September 2018; global announcement on 30 August 2018 | Nikon's original US announcement specifies September 2008 availability; Nikon Japan records 19 September there. Main retains the month without assigning the Japanese day to every region |
| Recording media | One SD/SDHC/SDXC slot; UHS-I support for SDHC/SDXC | SD and SDHC cards |
| Ports | Hi-Speed Micro-USB and HDMI Type C; no wired accessory terminal, external microphone socket or infrared remote receiver | Hi-Speed USB, analogue AV output, HDMI mini Type C and accessory terminal for optional MC-DC2 or GP-1 |
| 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 | EN-EL3e; approximately 850 CIPA photographs with the 18–105mm VR lens and flash in half the exposures; optional MB-D80 grip |
| Charging | External MH-24 charger; optional EH-5c/EH-5b AC adapter with EP-5A power connector | External MH-18a charger; optional EH-5a AC adapter |
| Dimensions | Approximately 124 × 97 × 69.5 mm | Approximately 132 × 103 × 77 mm |
| Weight detail | Approximately 365 g body only or 415 g including battery and SD card, excluding body cap | Approximately 620 g excluding battery, card, body cap and monitor cover |
| 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 | EN-EL3e battery, MH-18a charger, DK-5 eyepiece cap, DK-21 eyecup, UC-E4 USB cable, EG-D2 AV cable, AN-DC1 strap, BM-10 monitor cover, body and shoe caps; regional contents may differ |
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