Nikon D3500 Review:
Considering the level of the mirrorless camera, my friend had a debate with one of her friends, and at that moment, my analysis was that she was wrong.
My logic was that, at that moment, most people did not consider the mirrorless camera.
Still, once I started using the D3500, I was shocked and started using it repeatedly at every event in my life.
The D3500 was the start of my photography career.
This was the best career I wanted to choose, and the reason for starting the occupation was the fantastic camera D3500 by Nikon.
Overview:
The Nikon D3500 is a beautiful camera that Nikon introduced in August 2018.
This camera’s features are fantastic and compatible with my life’s many wonderful activities and events.
I can work on it because of its easy-to-handle menus and the fast-processing cards.
The shutter of the camera and the excellent image quality of the camera have a compact design that is easy to use.
The long-lasting battery of the camera has a quick startup with a perfect ISO range.
The fast cycle of the Nikon D3500 does a stunning performance at every angle, and while recording, it gives the best result.
Tech specifications:
- DX image sensor format
- 4k video
- ISO 100-25,600
- 0 in diagonal
- Wide viewing angle TFT-LCD
- EN-EL14a rechargeable Li-ion battery
- Single-lens reflex
- Nikon F bayonet mount
- 5 mm x 15.6 mm
- CMOS image sensor type
- 1 SD card slot
- Quick-return type reflex mirror
- TTL exposure metering system
- 921,000 dots monitor resolution
- Eye-fi compatible
- 1,550 shots CIPA
- Compact.
- Affordable.
- 24MP resolution.
- 5fps continuous shooting.
- Automatic image transfer via Bluetooth.
- In-camera shooting guide for beginne
Design and body of the camera Nikon D3500:
My easy-to-handle camera by Nikon is designed so that it is easy to handle.
The consistent design of the D3500 is very compact and light in weight, making it easier to handle.
I could travel with it because of its fantastic lightweight body.
The design of the new Nikon D3500 is a bit slim, and the grip of the camera is also perfect.
The camera’s overall compact size also makes it fantastic to carry.
The design of the D3500 has a rearranged controlled layout that protects the camera from all dangers.
The method of the D3500 is compatible with the performance of the camera.
The rear buttons on the left of the LCD give you access to most camera functions.
The body of the camera is 3.0 in diagonal and has a wide viewing angle of TFT-LCD.
The 3.9 mm x 4.9 mm camera body has 12.9 oz. Weight.
The camera dimensions concerning width x height x depth is 124mm x 97mm x 69.5mm, with an approximate weight of 365g.
The monitor of the camera is exceptionally fantastic.
I can view it more easily with it from every angle.
The camera’s best feature is the wide viewing angle that helps the user view each moment for recording from a wide angle.
This allows professional photographers to focus on different angles of the image, making the result more effective.
The wide viewing angle TFT-LCD is not a touch screen LCD but gives the best result I have dreamt of.
My friend arranged a get-together for friends after a long time.
Most friends were not in contact, so we were out of our minds when we got together.
At that moment, I captured lots of pictures, and just because of the excellent monitor screen of the Nikon D3500, I grabbed all the images with complete efficiency.
The wide viewing TFT-LCD is the best thing I love about the camera.
The easy-to-handle camera has perfect dimensions and weight, giving the user a tension-free mind.
It is so easy to handle that you can use it freely anywhere but have to protect it from harsh weather.
The weight of the camera’s body does not place pressure on the hands carrying the camera, and the shoulders cannot feel a slightly slim body.
All the camera users love this fantasy of the D3500, and its easy-to-handle features make it worth buying.
This is the reason soon after its launch, the camera of the Nikon D3500 seeks the attention of DSLR users.
Lenses and image sensor of the Nikon D3500:
The lenses and image sensor of the camera are the basic things needed for a perfect picture.
You do not have to worry about having the best camera compatible with multiple lenses and an ideal image sensor.
Having a D3500 was my dream, and when I fulfilled it, I was on the top level of happiness.
The results of the compatible lenses of the Nikon D3500 are beyond the level of appreciation.
Let me tell you about the supported lenses of the Nikon D3500.
The lenses are based on the single-lens reflex system and are supported by the Nikon F bayonet mount.
I will discuss the lenses used with variations for different types of photography later in the context.
As the camera is used for multiple-purpose recording, numerous lenses are the choice of the Nikon D3500.
The image sensor of the camera is perfect for use.
The effective pixels of the camera’s image sensor is 24.2 million megapixels.
These pixels help the user look at and process the image and recordings well.
The sensor size of the Nikon D3500 is 23.5mm x 15.6mm, which provides an extensive viewing area for the consumer.
At the same time, the incredible camera’s image sensor is based on DX image sensor format and is a CMOS type sensor.
The camera designers give a total amount of 24.78 million pixels that are effective with the variant lenses of the camera.
The dust reduction system is a beautiful camera that helps protect the camera from dust.
This system is like a shield for the image sensor and the camera’s memory card.
This dust-off reference data is effective in use, and for using this feature, the user primarily uses capture NX-D software.
The lens aperture that supports the Nikon D3500 is an electronically controlled instant return type aperture that is perfect for professional photographers.
Format of images and memory cards:
I love taking pictures and recording the events in my life.
So when I bought my camera, the main thing that was roaming in my mind was whether the camera’s memory would be capable of taking such pressure off my craziness or, once again, I’ll be left upset.
And for my joy, the single SD card slot became the reason for my happiness.
The memory of the camera is fantastic and was capable of saving my precious recording and images.
When I was at an event with my family and friends and working as a professional photographer for the function ad in the middle of it, my camera’s memory was all filled.
That was the most critical moment I faced in my professional photography career.
But then, all of a sudden, I remembered the effective memory cards, and this thing saved my day.
The storage media supported by the Nikon D3500 are SD, SDXC, and SDHC media.
These types of storage media are all backed by a single SD card slot that is effective for saving a large amount of data.
Whereas the files saved in these memory cards all have a specified file format supported by this incredible camera by Nikon, the D3500.
This DSLR camera has a compressed bit of NEF(RAW) and works in the JPEG file format.
In contrast to that, these two formats also combine to make a single format that gives the user the freedom to save a single image in both formats.
The 12-bit NEF(RAW) and the baseline-compliant JPEG image format are compatible with the DCF 2.0, Exif 2.3, and PictBridge file systems.
This file system supports the camera’s memory and file format.
The viewfinder of the Nikon D3500:
The best thing I learned while using the Nikon D3500 was the type of viewfinder that the camera was using.
Now let me explain it to you.
When purchasing the camera, I read in the manual about the eye-level pentamirror viewfinder.
When I searched about it, I was surprised because this camera used a mirror-based system in the viewfinder instead of prisms. This was a new thing for me.
At the same time, the viewfinder is a single-lens reflex viewfinder that gives 95% vertical and 95% horizontal coverage.
The best feature of the viewfinder was the pentamirror system, which gave me the best image preview before I could capture it.
With a maximum magnification of 0.85x, the viewfinder provides a bright image of the recordings you will save on your camera.
In contrast, the eyepoint of this incredible viewfinder is 18mm with a diopter adjustment of -1.7 to +0.5.
This diopter adjustment can provide the perfect preview of the object at a minimum distance.
The focusing screen of the Nikon D3500 viewfinder is a type B Brite view mark VII screen that gives the result in a clear matte form.
This viewfinder uses a quick return reflex mirror that reflexes the images very well, proving that the software and the mind used in this camera are both incredible.
The shutter system of the Nikon D3500:
The incredible camera results depend on the shutter system supported in a camera.
So while purchasing the camera, I ensured that I was buying a camera that keeps an electronically controlled shutter system.
This shutter system of the Nikon D3500 reduced my programming before capturing and saved my energy.
The reason to purchase an electronically controlled shuttered camera was that manual shutters usually create a problem.
Some times photographer forgets to open it and sometimes faces other issues.
So I chose an electric shutter and found one in the form of a Nikon D3500.
Another property of this remarkable shutter was the vertical-travel focal plane that significantly impacts the camera’s result, making it capable of getting the best result that a photographer has dreamt of.
The shutter speed of this fantastic Nikon D3500 is 1/4000 in 30 seconds which is not much good but still effective many times.
This shutter speed has a backing flash sync system that works with the speed of 1/200 sec.
These speeds can produce five frames per second and have a salient feature of a self-timer.
Camerapersons and the photographer can control the self-timer quickly, and the user can set it from 2, 5, 10 to 20 seconds and is appropriate from 1 to 9 exposures.
This timer can be controlled electronically and gives relief to the user.
Exposure and movie metering of the Nikon D3500:
When I got exposure to the world, I found many new things that were blowing my mind.
All these things are the perfect creativity of Allah, and when I looked at them, all I wanted to do was to spread them in the same way to the whole world.
And when I bought the D3500, I decided to use its exposure and metering system for this purpose.
As this camera is perfect for use in the street and in sports, I was capable of taking pictures of nature and sharing them with my friends worldwide.
Let me discuss the exposure metering system of the Nikon D3500 with you.
The TTL exposure metering system of the Nikon D3500 uses a 420-pixel RGB sensor that is perfect for use while you are taking shots in the middle of a jungle.
This system’s metering range starts from 0 EV and reaches the fixed point of 20 EV.
This movie metering system uses ISO from level 100 at center-weighted metering.
In comparison, the spot metering system of the Nikon D3500 has a range of 2 to 20 EVs.
This exposure metering system is coupled with a CPU system and has multiple modes that you can easily find on the manual that comes along with the camera.
In short, I can explain that the movie metering system of the Nikon D3500 has six exposure modes with an exposure compensation of +-5 EV.
The camera’s exposure lock also has a luminosity lock that is easily detected with the AE-LAF-L button and can be controlled easily.
The movie metering of the Nikon D3500 is supported by the MOV file format and can use advanced video coding.
In contrast to this, the audio recording format of the movie metering system is based on the Linear PCM audio recording format.
The full HD 4K movie format gives the best result, the demand of any professional photographer.
The movie audio system of this incredible camera is supported by a manual built-in microphone whose sensitivity can be adjusted by the users quickly.
Types of photography by Nikon D3500:
The camera I use is best for me because it fulfills my dream.
Let me explain how.
When we use something that can do multiple functions, we are so happy, so think that when a person gets a camera that is good in variant photography types, then what will be the person’s happiness level?
In this contrast, the Nikon D3500 is a perfect camera as it gives results beyond average in multiple types of photography.
Some of them are discussed below.
Sports photography:
The first and most important type of photography the Nikon D3500 is doing is sports photography.
The incredible lenses of the camera are capable of capturing the events of sports from every possible angle with absolute perfection.
Once I was invited by a school to cover their sports event, and when I went to take pictures with my fantastic camera, I got the best result.
These pictures and recordings gave me the best outcome I had dreamt of when processed.
In sports photography, this camera by Nikon is considered an excellent camera for effective results.
Daily life photography:
Another type of photography that can be considered while using D3500 is daily life photography.
Professional photographers can do this type of photography easily if their camera is compatible with capturing images at any time.
Fortunately, the results of the Nikon D3500 are beyond average in daily-life photography.
This type of photography increases the demand for camera production.
Night photography:
Another type of photography that I recommend to the Nikon D3500 users is night photography.
As the viewfinder and the flash sync mode of the Nikon D3500 are excellent in performing their function, low light results effectively increase the beauty of your albums.
Here I want to share a little story with you all.
I was traveling on the highway with my group in my country, but the problem was that the only light we were getting was the bus’s headlights.
I wanted to take some great pictures.
All thanks to my excellent camera, I was capable of taking some incredible shots of my life.
I did all this due to the bulb mode present in the camera that gives me the power to take great images in a dark area.
Easy to handle:
You might get a little shocked when you read about the heading “easy to handle “photography and think I am crazy.
But let me tell you, this incredible Nikon D3500 is easy to carry and can do candid photography, which is why it is the perfect camera for beginners.
The manual and the overall working of the camera can lead your way to become a professional photographer.
ISO sensitivity of Nikon D3500:
The ISO sensitivity of the Nikon D3500 ranges from 100 to 25,600 and is supported by the active D-light bracketing system that is controlled manually.
This ISO sensitivity of the camera allows the user to shoot videos and capture images in low light.
The ISO sensitivity of the Nikon D3500, when combined with Active D lighting and the camera’s bulb mode, gives the best results and creative outcome that any professional photographer needs.
This feature of the Nikon D3500 is loved by its users as it fulfills all their needs.
Autofocus system of the Nikon D3500:
I have a problem with myself. Whenever I talk about the camera’s autofocus system, I always discuss the autofocus system of the Nikon D3500.
Even though I have changed my camera and have shifted to a more advanced camera with a more advanced AF system, I still love the AF system of the Nikon D3500.
I love this incredible AF system because I find myself in an imaginary world whenever I use it.
The results of this AF system give me the imagination of the beauty around me, and soon my idea is filled up with fantasies of ideas for recording.
The detection range of the autofocus system of the Nikon D3500 is from -1 to 19 EV.
In comparison, that person can control the Autofocus system manually as well.
The essential feature of this AF system is the focus lock that the camera person or any professional photographer can prevent manually. Another salient feature is the focal point which is also under the user’s control.
There are multiple AF modes available that the camera person can change as per the demand of the photography.
Is Nikon D3500 still worth buying?
Yes, Nikon D3500 remains worth buying as a digital camera with a few high-quality capabilities. The D3500 now gives an exquisite fee to a robust foundation of the fantastic fine photograph, clear menus, and lengthy battery life. Recollect mirrorless competition, especially if you require a touchscreen or 4K video. The usage of this, Aran Islands are a great one-day trip option with this exciting camera. For the first time, I traveled there on a FERRY which was a terrific experience to record with this camera. I love the use of it to present my followers with incredible snapshots for my posts.
Is the Nikon D3500 good for photography?
Yes, Nikon D3500 is good for photography. Its image quality is its main selling point. Despite its price range, cutting-edge Nikon entry-stage DSLRs, especially for people with 24MP sensors, have provided fantastic photo quality, frequently matching or surpassing a few higher-cease cameras. California is beautiful but more at some stage in the autumn. Californians are taking advantage of the pleasant weather and seashore days even as the relaxation of the USA is bundling up in sweaters and drinking pumpkin spice lattes which seems brilliant on this camera display screen to proportion with my viewers.
Why is Nikon D3500 best for beginners?
If you’re equipped to strengthen your photography skills and purchase your first DSLR digital camera, the Nikon D3500 is the first-class choice for a novice. Its exceptional-in-elegance 24-megapixel sensor can seize sharp pics with excessive dynamic variety, meaning bright and darkish regions will display details, and it excels in low-light situations. My son is very much adapted to this camera as it is convenient to learn and handles many commands simultaneously. Moreover, it does show value for money.
Is the Nikon D3500 outdated?
In late 2021, Nikon designated this camera as an “old product,” signaling its production life would soon end. It is four years old, yet it’s still a camera that I frequently recommend to people. I have shot many landscapes and food products with it. My son can practice more on this as it is suitable for beginners to learn quickly. I am very attached to it, but we all need to update to new technology with time. If you can afford a new Nikon camera, you must go for it; otherwise, it can still beat a show for you.
Playback functions:
Some of the playback functions that affect the photography results are listed below.
- Rotation of image automatically
- Thumbnail
- Full frame
- Highlights
- Display of histogram
- Comments of images
- Collection of the location of the image
- Playback of movie
- Information of photos and recordings
- Photo information
- Slideshow of images
- Rating of pictures
- Zooming of playbacks
Connectivity:
- Type C mini-pin HDMI connector is used for output.
- The professionals recommend a built-in USB port for a Hi-speed USB connection.
- WiFi that is compatible with Eye-fi.
- The camera can be connected easily to different compatible intelligent devices with the help of SnapBridge.
- Built-in compatible Bluetooth.
- The camera supports an EN-EL14a rechargeable Li-ion battery for perfect use.
- The camera person can take 1,550 shots once the battery is fully charged.
- EH-5c AC adaptor is required for the battery.
- MH-24 quick charger is used for charging the battery of D3500 efficiently.
- Once the battery is fully charged, it can shoot for 29 and 59 seconds at standard quality, and on high quality can shoot for 20 minutes.
Conclusion:
The qualities of the Nikon D3500 make the camera beyond the average for professional use.
The main thing that a professional photographer needs are the best lightning system compatible with variant lenses and perfect memory.
Luckily, the Nikon D3500 has all these qualities.
I often recommend the camera to early-rising photographers because the camera, besides having many salient features, is straightforward to use and handle.
The perfect weight and the slimy shape of the camera’s body make it the ideal camera for various types of photography.
These features of the camera, when coupled with the movie metering and the camera formats, impact the users.
- Compact.
- Affordable.
- 24MP resolution.
- 5fps continuous shooting.
- Automatic image transfer via Bluetooth.
- In-camera shooting guide for beginne
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I am a Professional and Certified Digital Photographer born in the USA. I have been in this field of photography for 22 years, and in these years, I have used many photography lenses and Cameras, which I want to share here on this website about my experience. The idea for Bestoflens.com is to provide honest information about different Lenses and Camera products in the format of a “Best lenses for AYZ” list. I want this website to be the last destination for people to pick the best Cameras and lenses to fit their needs. You can find our unbiased reviews here on Bestoflens.