Usability for beginners is straightforward: point the camera at a subject, doink the red button and the camera does the rest. If you want more control over your footage – shutter and aperture, for example – you need to enable the camera’s “Manual movie settings”. This allows you to control exposure when shooting movies but, annoyingly, prevents you from changing the aperture setting in live view mode. Keep the ISO under control and the camera’s image quality is only limited by the lens you attach. Colours were always accurate and, natch, you can always opt to shoot RAW files to gouge the maximum from your files in post-production.

EVFs certainly have their advantages, especially as you can see the exposure 'live', meaning you don't get any nasty surprises when you fire the shutter. These days, modern EVFs are also fantastic at what they do. But still many photographers prefer the cleaner, definitely lag-free view offered by an optical viewfinder, so there's no 'best' option for everyone. Nov 15: Nikon has released new firmware for the Nikon Zfc. Only listed change is support for a new model of battery that isn’t yet in stores (EN-EL25a). I advise people to buy a cheap camera with a zoom lens, to begin with, and then after having used it a while, after having looked at the EXIF of the images and see what focal lengths they have used a lot decide what to get next. If you’re comparing this directly with a mirrorless camera however, the D3500’s body is inevitably going to seem chunky by comparison. However the upshot is that we get a decent sized handgrip in comparison. While the LCD here is fixed and isn’t touch sensitive, the sensibly spaced and implemented button layout here is such that we’re not accidentally activating features we don’t want. I disagree. Most mirrorless cameras in the same price range offer features that are far better for beginners, like:All our high quality replacement batteries for Nikon D3500 come with a 1-year warranty. Warranty is applicable if the buyer has installed the battery properly in the device and has treated the battery correctly. My current favorite is the NiteCore UNK1 USB charger. It has two bays, one for the EN-EL14/a and another for the EN-EL15/a batteries like the ones the Nikon D850 takes. If you’re only using the D3500, you can regard this as a single-battery charger, since you’ll only be able to use one of the two slots. But if you’re also shooting with one of Nikon’s other DSLRs which happens to use the EN-EL15a, as I do, then you get to take full advantage of the dual slots. It also has a small LED screen that shows a more precise percentage for charging status as well as battery health and the current flowing. It’s smaller and lighter than the official Nikon MH-24 charger and can be powered via USB by an external powerbank, AC charger, or in the car. So I find it to be a more convenient option even using only one of the two slots. BatteryBuy.co.uk is your best choice of high quality Nikon batteries! The brand new 8.1Wh(2 cells) replacement Nikon D3500 Li-ion battery is made with superior quality cells from Samsung, Panasonic and LG to ensure the best performance. Nikon D3500 battery case is made of non-flammable and durable plastic, which is fire-retarded and non-perishable when dropped from low heights.

ALL cameras benefit from having redundant storage though. You never know when that rare card failure can happen. For pros, that can mean loss of a several thousand dollar wedding job, or THE shot of the Superbowl, etc. But even the average Joe point-and-shooter won't want their kid's first steps or incredible vacation photos in some exotic locale lost to an inexplicable card failure. I’ve also found some of the more affordable aftermarket versions to work well, particularly the batteries from Wasabi Power. I’ve used their batteries for several years in other cameras and found them to be one of the better aftermarket camera battery manufacturers. those folks claiming the D3500 is "crap" are more than the freak of the week, this is really jerko BS talk. One who can't make decent pictures with the D3500, can't make any good compositions with any camera, period. The Nikon D3500 is a 24 Megapixel entry-level DSLR with an APS-C CMOS sensor, that is cheaper, lighter, and has a longer battery life than the D3400 that it replaced. It was designed with the new photographer in mind and features a Guide Mode that will essentially teach you how to shoot in various situations. Key specifications: What about image quality? The D3500's 24.2MP sensor produces impressive results, although you'll want to invest in some additional lenses to really see its potential.

There's also no microphone port, so you'll need to rely on the D3500's built-in monaural microphones. If you're looking to shoot video regularly, you'll probably want to look elsewhere, but for those who only have need to capture the odd clip or two, it's a perfectly adequate set up. To further expand creativity, the in-camera Guide Mode gives new DSLR users the tools they need to learn about their new camera’s capabilities and become better, more knowledgeable photographers. The redesigned Nikon D3500 is ideal for a fast-paced on-the-go lifestyle, making it the perfect companion for any family event or travel adventure. While you can buy the Nikon D3500 as a standalone camera with no lens, most people looking at this beginner camera will choose to get the 18-55mm lens that's bundled with the camera for a few more dollars or pounds.

Some more AF points would have been nice, but the 11-point AF system works fine for general shooting, and does the job for some moving subjects too. But if you’re looking for a small, cheap DSLR that will hold your hand while you figure out the ins and outs of photography, the D3500 – like most of Nikon’s previous entry-level DSLRs – could be well worth the cash. Nikon D3500 review: Price and competition Cost is a key factor for this market, so it’s welcome to see Nikon delivering the new model at a more attractive price point than before, at least in the US. The Fujifilm X-T100 easily wins for dynamic range in our lab tests, with the Canon EOS Rebel T7/2000D in second place and the Nikon D3500 and Sony A68 very slightly behind. Verdict Seriously, like always since Fall 2018, when the D3500 came out: no DSLM does have its Battery Runtime (CIPA 1550 shots - into real life, way much more).The camera’s image quality is beautiful on the low end of the ISO range and just fine up to about ISO 6400. On the higher end of the range things start to deteriorate. We didn’t love the amount of noise that we were seeing on files shot at ISO 12800. Given that almost all mirrorless cameras (and even smartphones) offer 4K video, it's a bit disappointing to only see Full HD capture on the D3500. It's not all bad news though, as the D3500 can shoot at a smooth 60/50p, as well as 30/25p and 24p, while there are lower-resolution recording options as well. Ultimately the D3500 is a very capable and affordable camera for beginners and young families. It does a fine job capturing 'candids' and other casual shots. Although the Guide Mode leaves something to be desired for seasoned shooters, it does offer a non-intimidating way to learn about some of the more technical aspects of photography. The grip is reasonably deep, and even those with shovels for hands will have no problem finding a comfortable grip on the camera. The rubber cover on the grip isn’t exactly the last word in luxury but at the very least this isn’t a camera that will slip out of your hands. While we’re on build quality, neither the battery nor memory card doors feel particularly bomb-proof: it’s worth making sure they’re securely closed before stuffing the D3500 in a bag. The D3500 isn’t just Nikon’s cheapest and simplest DSLR, it’s also its lightest, weighing just 415g, body only, and that’s with the battery and a memory card. It will usually come with a lightweight 18-55mm AF-P kit lens which has a retracting mechanism to make it more portable when it’s not switched on. It’s not quite as small as a mirrorless camera, but the battery life alone makes a good case for the classic DSLR design, and the D3500 but is light, fast enough and cheap enough to make a great travel camera.

It’s a shame, because video quality is excellent, and we like the range of frame-rate options, but without an easy way to manage exposures or incoming audio, the D3500’s appeal will always be limited despite its excellent image quality. Nikon D3500 review: Verdict

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Nikon has also opted to carry over the same 3-inch display, with a modest 921,000-dot resolution, from the D3400. The screen is fixed, and sits flush with the body – if you want a DSLR with a vari-angle display then you'll need to look further up the range to the Nikon D5600 or at the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D. It's also slightly disappointing to see no touchscreen functionality, a feature that would really lend itself to a entry-level DSLR, with touchscreens having become second nature for anyone using a smartphone. If you've made up your mind to get a DSLR, the Nikon D3500 does face some strong competition in the Canon range. The cheapest of all is the Canon EOS Rebel T100 / EOS 4000D, but it's hard to find now. It was made down to a price and it showed – we didn't like it much at all. The EOS Rebel T7/2000D is closer to the Nikon D3500 in specifications, and an ideal alternative if you're a Canon fan. However, the battery life is worse, its burst mode is slower, and there's no retracting lens option – in fact getting a good kit lens with IS (image stabilization) pushes the price higher still. The D3500 has the same 124mm width as the model it updates, but it's 1mm shorter and 6mm thinner than the D3400, at 97mm and 69.5mm respectively. Again, those are hardly big figures, but even small incremental reductions in size will help the model to stay competitive against a slew of mirrorless rivals. Nikon D3500 vs Nikon D3400: price Sept 12: Fujifilm has announced a new medium format mirrorless camera: Fujifilm GFX 100 II. There are three new lenses alongside it, a GF 55mm f/1.7R WR and two new tilt-shift lenses.