Nikon D3500

Good quality kit lens ; Very good image quality ; Fast and silent autofocus ; Unexpectedly snappy live view ; Great for keen learners ; Value for money

Fixed rear screen ; Video is HD rather than 4K ; Chunky compared to a mirrorless camera

The D3500 is a solid, well-specified entry-level DSLR that gives beginners good handling, great performance and real value for money

Excellent image quality Remarkable 1,550-shot battery life Handy Guide mode Compact for a DSLR Easy to use

No 4K video No touchscreen control Bluetooth, but no Wi-Fi

It's now over two years old, but the Nikon D3500 remains the best DSLR around for beginners looking to embrace creative, manual photography. Built around a solid core of great image quality, intuitive menus and a superb battery life, the D3500 now...

Compact. Affordable. 24MP resolution. 5fps continuous shooting. Automatic image transfer via Bluetooth. In-camera shooting guide for beginners.

Fixed LCD omits touch support. Contrast-based live view focus not ideal for video. No mic input.

Bottom Line: The Nikon D3500 doesn't offer a lot of upgrades, but cements its value as a strong entry-level camera thanks to a lower price point.

The new Nikon D3500 retains the same core feature-set as its predecessor, the D3400, but presents it in a smaller, lighter and more logical design that's very reminiscent of the mid-range D5600 camera. A couple of things have been sacrificed along the...

Great image quality for its class; Excellent high ISO performance for APS-C; Fast single-shot AF speeds; Compact, easy to use design; Incredible value at under $500 with lens.

11-point AF system feels out-dated; Underwhelming C-AF performance; Below average viewfinder coverage accuracy; No touchscreen; Limited wireless features.

Much like its predecessor, the Nikon D3500 is an extremely enticing camera for beginner photographers. It has a compact design, comfortable ergonomics, fast single-shot AF and best of all, the camera's image quality is fantastic, not only for an...

Value for money ; All-round image quality ; Beginner friendliness ; Responsive autofocus ; 5fps continuous shooting

Fixed rear screen ; No 4K video ; Relatively slow live view AF

The Nikon D3500 is one of our favorite DSLRs for photography students – or for anyone who is looking for a low-cost way into serious image taking. It was launched way back in 2018, and even back then it wasn't much of a update on the D3400 that went...