Illustration, not a product photo.
Nikon D3500
Light, simple beginner DSLR with excellent battery life.
Overview
The Nikon D3500 is a 2018 APS-C 24.2MP DSLR on the Nikon F mount. It shoots up to 5 frames per second, records 1080p 60 video. Light, simple beginner DSLR with excellent battery life.
It's best suited to general photography, and it's an easy camera to learn on. In our database, 25 lenses fit it natively (14 from third-party makers such as Samyang, Sigma, Tamron).
Used at MPB it currently sells for £79 to £309 depending on condition, and it's no longer sold new.
Key specifications
| Released | 2018 |
| Type | DSLR |
| Sensor | APS-C (23.5×15.6mm, 1.5× crop) |
| Resolution | 24.2 megapixels |
| Max burst | 5 fps |
| Sensor readout | Mechanical shutter (DSLR) |
| Max ISO | 25,600 |
| Low-light score | 2.75/5 |
| Stabilisation | Lens only |
| Viewfinder | Optical |
| Video | 1080p 60 |
| Weather sealed | No |
| Weight | 415 g with battery |
| Mount | Nikon F |
- APS-C sensor: about 1.5× extra reach from every lens
- Light at 415g
- Optical viewfinder with zero lag and long battery life
- Strong value used, from £79
- No in-body stabilisation: use stabilised lenses or faster shutter speeds
- Not weather sealed
- DSLR: no subject-detection autofocus through the viewfinder, and lens development has stopped
- Older autofocus generation; check shutter count and battery health when buying used
Compatible lenses
25 native in our database
| Lens | Fit | Focal | Aperture | Weight | New ≈ | Used (MPB) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G Everyday & travel · Portraits · Vlogging & video | Native First-party | 35mm | f/1.8 | 200g | £179 | £59–105 | |
| Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G Portraits · Everyday & travel | Native First-party | 50mm | f/1.8 | 185g | £199 | £72–123 | |
| Samyang 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC (manual) Astrophotography · Landscape | Native Third-party (manual focus) | 14mm | f/2.8 | 552g | £299 | £169 | |
| Nikon AF-P DX 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR Landscape · Vlogging & video | Native First-party | 10-20mm | f/4.5-5.6 | 230g | £299 | £138–159 | |
| Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM Everyday & travel | Native Third-party | 17-50mm | f/2.8 | 565g | £349 | £63–219 | |
| Nikon AF-S DX 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Everyday & travel | Native First-party | 18-140mm | f/3.5-5.6 | 490g | £399 | £65–164 | |
| Tokina atx-i 11-16mm f/2.8 CF Landscape · Astrophotography | Native Third-party | 11-16mm | f/2.8 | 555g | £399 | £174–239 | |
| Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8G Portraits | Native First-party | 85mm | f/1.8 | 350g | £449 | £154–214 | |
| Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD Everyday & travel · Wildlife & animals | Native Third-party | 18-400mm | f/3.5-6.3 | 710g | £599 | £199–424 | |
| Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Everyday & travel · Portraits · Vlogging & video | Native Third-party | 18-35mm | f/1.8 | 810g | £649 | £294–359 | |
| Nikon AF-S 20mm f/1.8G ED Astrophotography · Landscape | Native First-party | 20mm | f/1.8 | 355g | £699 | £384–429 | |
| Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Everyday & travel · Portraits · Astrophotography | Native Third-party | 35mm | f/1.4 | 665g | £699 | £314–364 | |
| Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Portraits | Native Third-party | 50mm | f/1.4 | 815g | £749 | £184–214 | |
| Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Wildlife & animals · Sports & action | Native Third-party | 100-400mm | f/5-6.3 | 1160g | £799 | £639 | |
| Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Wildlife & animals | Native Third-party | 150-600mm | f/5-6.3 | 1930g | £899 | £304–754 | |
| Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR Everyday & travel | Native First-party | 24-120mm | f/4 | 710g | £899 | £219–409 | |
| Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR Landscape | Native First-party | 16-35mm | f/4 | 680g | £899 | £149–299 | |
| Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/4G ED VR Sports & action | Native First-party | 70-200mm | f/4 | 850g | £1,099 | — | |
| Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Art Everyday & travel · Portraits | Native Third-party | 24-70mm | f/2.8 | 1020g | £1,099 | £394–584 | |
| Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Portraits | Native Third-party | 85mm | f/1.4 | 1130g | £1,099 | £509–704 | |
| Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Everyday & travel · Portraits | Native Third-party | 24-70mm | f/2.8 | 905g | £1,099 | £504 | |
| Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Wildlife & animals · Sports & action | Native First-party | 200-500mm | f/5.6 | 2300g | £1,199 | £334–849 | |
| Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 Wildlife & animals · Sports & action | Native Third-party | 150-600mm | f/5-6.3 | 2010g | £1,199 | £664–919 | |
| Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM Art Astrophotography · Landscape | Native Third-party | 14-24mm | f/2.8 | 1150g | £1,299 | £824 | |
| Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Sports & action · Portraits | Native First-party | 70-200mm | f/2.8 | 1430g | £2,399 | £554–1,119 |
Batteries and memory cards
Nikon EN-EL14a · maker's battery about £50
Entry DSLR battery (D5600, D3500). Third-party: Mathorn USB-C £29. Carry at least one spare.
SD (UHS-I)
A V30 UHS-I SD card is all this camera can use; faster UHS-II cards work but won't speed it up.
Where to buy
*Used prices on this site come from MPB on 5 November 2026. MPB only lists what it has bought in, so "None listed" means none in their stock that day, not that Nikon D3500 is hard to find. Check these trusted UK dealers too.
See example photos
Real-world shots taken with the Nikon D3500. Results are searches on each site, so check the camera or lens listed in each photo's details.
Frequently asked questions
What lenses fit the Nikon D3500?
It uses the Nikon F mount. 25 lenses in our database fit natively, including 14 third-party options.
How much is a used Nikon D3500?
At MPB, used examples range from £79 to £309 (checked 5 November 2026), depending on cosmetic grade from Heavily used to Like new.
Does the Nikon D3500 have image stabilisation?
No. It relies on stabilised lenses (OIS, IS or VR) for steady hand-held shots.