Expensive cameras are indeed attractive and will be amazing to own but even the affordable options should be able to elevate your experience when taking stills or recording such as Sony Alpha a6000 Vs Nikon D3500. These cameras are perfect for a wide range of users with a reliable system and also a pocket friendly price point. For those who wonder which of them will be a better choice, let’s see what they can offer here.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- How to Choose a Budget Camera
- What are Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500
- How are the Design of Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500
- How are the Specs of Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500
- How are the Performance of Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500
- How are the Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500 for Recording Video
- Sony Alpha a6000 Vs Nikon D3500
Buying a Budget Camera
Camera is almost like a second pair of eyes today that can bring you something that we may never be able to observe in real life due to various limitations. Camera brings you the beautiful places on earth or even news from all over the world captured by people or machines that can access the area. From the photos of a tourist destination to the picture of Mars, all are possible with cameras. Just like any other devices however, cameras are always improved to be better.
There are lots of good cameras today such as the Canon EOS R6, the X-T4 from Fujifilm, Alpha 1 from Sony, or the Z6 II from Nikon. However, they are also costly and not everyone can spend so much, especially when they just started with the hobby. Expensive cameras are great for professionals or whoever are making a living from the results because if so then we can always seek for the most reliable system available. For beginners, it is most important to improve the skills and learn the methods.
For the basics, you may want to know what the camera can offer or take a faster road by checking what the market is currently fond of. When it comes to budget cameras the most common specs to consider is probably the sensor and pixel count. Sensor size is to determine the ability of this camera against low light conditions and in general the bigger sensor is capable of capturing a greater dynamic range of tones and even letting you to get a better background blur.
Pixel count is for resolution and it means sharp images but it is only extremely necessary when you want to blow up the size for printing or resizing the picture. What is often less considered by users is the camera handling. It can be subjective depending on your own taste but usually a decent grip will help a lot in balancing the camera and improving the comfort while shooting. If you will travel a lot with the camera, its size can be a very important factor to consider too.
The camera’s overall ability in performance also plays a huge role and can be a great buying decision. From the lens compatible with the mount to how fast the camera is in burst mode, there are so many factors that can be subjective to the users. Additionally if you will be recording too, we recommend to check how the camera performs for this type of application or whether they are satisfying from hybrid shooters.
| Sony Alpha a6000 | Nikon D3500 | |
|---|---|---|
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| Product Dimensions | 4.72 x 1.77 x 2.64 inches | 4.88 x 2.76 x 3.82 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 12.2 ounces | 13.8 ounces |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500
The choice is all yours and if you can have access to a camera rental shop, we do recommend trying some of them just to see which seems more promising to invest on or match with the budget. Budget cameras may not seem as interesting as we move quite fast year by year with how companies are making their products better and more reliable yet, they should be enough for casual photographers, enthusiasts or beginners because the prices are quite low.
There are so many good options to consider when it comes to budget cameras and almost any company offers a wide range of options that can go from pocket cameras to those made for professionals. Different companies usually have their own advantage based on their system such as Sony which is well-known for their autofocus and Nikon who is famous for their DSLR cameras. They are also quite affordable when you check the older releases such as Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500.
These cameras are among the best budget options you can have today and while their respective companies are making much better cameras, these two are still promising alternatives for those who are more serious about their photography hobby or want to learn how to capture photos with a dedicated camera. Some people call this an art and it is certainly skills and experienced build up that can result in satisfying work. The camera itself is actually quite similar or has the same hard specs.
What separates the two at the base is their mechanism because a6000 is a mirrorless while the D3500 is a DSLR. You can already guess the camera type by their housing and style and while it has less to do with image quality, there are some users who prefer one system or handling style than the other. Both are APS-C with 24MP pixel count that should be enough for various types of shooter whether you move from a bridge camera or smartphones.
Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500 Unit
Personally we have no specific preference on the body or main body of a camera as long as they are decently weighted. The a6000 is more of a point and shoot than a DSLR style of D3500 so you can guess, the a6000 is smaller and thinner. The D3500 is thicker but it also has a better grip in our opinion especially if you will use a larger lens to achieve a better balance. There is a viewfinder on each camera and as expected one is EVF and the other is OVF.
Another noticeable difference is on the control buttons because we do think the D3500 is more suitable for those who will plan on buying a higher end model and since this camera doesn’t have a touch-sensitive display, we are going to rely on these buttons. The a6000 is not touch-sensitive either but the display is not fixed as you can tilt it and in comparison, it gives a slightly more freedom even though it will be much better with an articulating display. Read also: Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D5600 here.
Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500 Specs
Moving further, let’s see what the Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500 can offer starting from the hard specs and the image quality. Just like most cameras in the same price point and usually many options in mid-range collection, these two are APS-C 24MP cameras. The ISO range can go from 100 to 25,600 while the recording function itself is only 1080p on the highest setting. The rear display, while slightly different, is in fact the same 921K dots which is decent but nothing is special either.
Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500 Performance
From the image quality they will look amazing under decent lighting. There is only so much the old sensor can offer compared to the current tech but they are adequate for capturing portraits of your family in various occasions, taking photos of the tourist attraction while you travel or for street photography. The lens will play a huge role as well when it comes to image quality but both systems support a wide range of options to try.
Side by side the photos are equally good but upon further observing you may notice that the D3500’s sensor is not as capable of capturing details as the a6000 for some reasons. The picture of hair strands for example is not as sharp and detailed when taken out from D3500 while it is preserved nicely by Sony. Sony does tend to sharpen their image but it is not to the point of being annoying and in comparison the color indeed looks more saturated.
As for the performance in speed, you can capture subjects with burst mode to take several shots at once but in comparison the a6000 is faster as it is capable of 11fps compared to the D3500 which only 5fps so the Sony camera can take more shots before it starts to slow down.
Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500 for Video Recording
Last but not least is the recording function and in general we don’t think the Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500 are ideal for hybrid shooters. We will recommend something like a6100 for hybrid shooters as it has a folding screen. The maximum 1080p is decent for personal use or social media uploads but may be less suitable for a dedicated video camera. Additionally, they can only record for up to 30 minutes and have no built-in stabilization.
Sony Alpha a6000 Vs Nikon D3500
Both Sony Alpha a6000 and Nikon D3500 are good cameras for the budget because they are working really well and very affordable for beginner or enthusiast and casual users. The differences are D3500 will be slightly bulkier and also comes with an optical viewfinder. The control buttons and grip is better on Nikon but Sony is more compact and the a6000 has both reliable autofocus as well as fast shooting performance, making the camera still one of the most favorite models from Alpha line.
Conclusion
The decision is all yours because they are an equally good option to consider in the same price range. Personally we recommend the a6000 for the compact housing, tilting screen, and the 11fps burst shooting. It also has a reliable autofocus.