Nikon D3500 Review: Yet another fantastic entry-level DSLR with excellent image quality & a super-low price

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posted Monday, March 18, 2019 at 10:16 AM EST


Click here to read our Nikon D3500 Review Conclusion

 
 

Amid the flurry of high-end full-frame mirrorless cameras in the past year or so -- and the rising popularity of mirrorless in general -- there's still seems to be a place for the humble entry-level DSLR. Are you looking for a camera that offers vastly better image quality and more versatility than a smartphone camera? Perhaps you're a beginner photographer wanting to learn the ropes without making a significant investment? The entry-level DSLR can be a great choice for both of those scenarios and the recent Nikon D3500 stands out as an especially great option.

We just took the wraps off our final D3500 Review Conclusion, and by-and-large, Nikon's latest entry-level DSLR model continues their tradition of making easy-to-use DSLRs that offer class-leading (or even class-breaking) image quality performance at an extremely affordable price point. The D3400 predecessor already wowed us with excellent image quality and a surprisingly low price, but the D3500 goes even further -- it's smaller, offers similarly impressive image quality, and is somehow even more affordable (especially when you factor in current sale pricing). Right now, you can get the D3500, a 24MP APS-C DSLR, with a zoom lens for under $400. Yes, $400. For a brand new camera. That's a fantastic bargain!

 
AF-P 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens at 18mm (27mm equiv.), f/8.0, 1/8s, ISO 100

As mentioned, the image quality from the D3500's 24MP sensor is impressive at both low and higher ISOs, and while its performance specs aren't tip-top (and we didn't expect them to be), the D3500 is quite nimble and responsive given the class of camera. The 11-point AF system, however, feels rather outdated now and the camera's C-AF performance leaves something to be desired. Overall, though, the Nikon D3500 is one heck of a value and earned a nod as the Best Entry-Level Camera of 2018 in our annual Camera of the Year awards. To see how the camera fared in our lab testing and in the field, check out our in-depth Nikon D3500 Review... or just jump to our final verdict in our D3500 Review Conclusion.

Nikon D3500 ReviewConclusion