I think the Nikon D3500 is still a great entry-level camera, but only for beginners and students on a tight budget. Here’s why…

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The Nikon D3500 isn’t a whole lot cheaper than the excellent Canon EOS R100. But if you plan on buying lots of lenses, it might be a better choice if you want the cheapest setup possible

Nikon D3500
The Nikon D3500 is still a decent still camera, but with no 4K video I can't recommend it for aspiring videographers (Image credit: Future)

The Nikon D3500 is part of Nikon’s legendary D3XXX line of entry-level DSLR cameras – and although it was discontinued in 2022, I still think it’s one of the best cameras for beginners or students working on a tight budget. Although it can occasionally be found new, you’ll likely need to pick up a used D3500. Expect to pay around $250-$350 / £250-£400 in the UK or US depending on condition and accessories.

You might be thinking, but the Canon EOS R100 isn’t much more expensive and that’s a brand-new mirrorless camera. Plus, let’s not forget, it plummeted to $299 / £379 (body-only) over Black Friday. It really is hard to argue with the R100, which is the closest you’re going to get to a mirrorless Nikon D3500 (unless Nikon returns to the entry-level market).

Canon EOS R100 sample image

The Canon EOS R100 is the better choice if money's no object (Image credit: James Artaius)

If you’ve got the money, I’d definitely recommend the R100 over the D3500 at this point. But if you want a decent setup for the lowest price possible, and your focus is to try out lots of different photography genres, you’re going to need lenses. And that’s where the Nikon D3500 potentially comes into its own.

Not only can you find some pretty awesome job-lot bundles on the used market, F-mount DX lenses can be picked up very cheaply. Take the Nikon AF-P DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR for example. This goes for less than $70 / £40. The Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II can be found for under $100 / £100. And while you can find Canon RF-S lenses for some very good prices on the used market, too, the Nikon system is still going to work out cheaper.

The Nikon D3500 itself is still a capable little camera, with good all-round image quality, beginner-friendly controls and features. Just be aware that it doesn’t shoot 4K video. A dealbreaker if you’re at all interested in filmmaking.

So, whether you opt for the Nikon D3500, Canon EOS R100 or any other camera for that matter, do make sure you factor in lens prices.

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I explain why used camera lenses are a great buy for photographers on a budget. Pen an open letter to Nikon – continue to ignore the entry-level market and you’ll stop attracting new blood. And chat about why the Nikon Df is the DSLR I'd buy today.

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Mike Harris
Mike Harris
How To Editor

Mike is Digital Camera World's How To Editor. He has over a decade of experience, writing for some of the biggest specialist publications including Digital Camera, Digital Photographer and PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine. Prior to DCW, Mike was Deputy Editor of N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine and Production Editor at Wex Photo Video, where he sharpened his skills in both the stills and videography spheres. While he's an avid motorsport photographer, his skills extend to every genre of photography – making him one of Digital Camera World's top tutors for techniques on cameras, lenses, tripods, filters and other imaging equipment – as well as sharing his expertise on shooting everything from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and architecture to wildlife and, yes, fast things going around race tracks...

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