Nikon D3500 vs Canon T7

Introduction

A camera can really help people express themselves and tell everything about their life, journeys and travels through photography or videography. Nowadays, there are a lot of cameras in the mass market, however, there are those cameras that were introduced years ago, but still, they remain as a top-option for users worldwide even now. That’s not because they’re maybe more affordable compared to some high-end cameras, but simply, people don’t see the price as something that tells quality, but instead, they look at the specific features that they’re after more.

Take in mind that in most cases, the price can be high due to the built quality, however, if you’re just starting out, or you just want a second camera to go with, then obviously, you will search for a camera that comes at a reasonable price, and it has those specific features that you’re really after, basically, it all depends on what your requirements are.

Now, as for this topic, we have two remarkable DSLRs, the Nikon D3500 and the Canon T7. If you’ve been reading our reviews, then maybe you know that I’m a fan of Nikon, however, in most cases, my Nikon cameras have been outperformed by Canon cameras, so, for this article, we are yet to find out.

Before we start with the reviews, let’s just have a look at both cameras just so you know for what kind of DSLRs we’re talking about.

Nikon D3500 is an easy-to-use camera with a great sturdy built along with balanced controls. It is the ideal camera for travel due to the compact, durable and versatile construction that it boasts. Additionally, it is pretty easy to connect this camera with smartphones, so, sharing your photos won’t be a problem at all.

But what about the Canon T7, is it similar or better?

This also, is a DSLR camera while similar to the Nikon D3500, it also has an easy-to-use operation, while it can deliver dazzling images, and similar to the Nikon D3500, it also has easy sharing methods, with Wi-Fi and NFC technology.

Besides that, these cameras both come at the same price, well, nearly the same, nonetheless, we’re going to explain now even the slightest details and differences between them, so let’s start, shall we.

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Head To Head Comparison

Nikon D3500

As we mentioned in the beginning, the Nikon is a highly portable and easy-to-use camera which makes it perfect for people who are just starting out, basically, it is the perfect entry-level DSLR for everyone. It is fast and accurate, while the photos that are captured make more than just a moment, due to the colorful and the high-quality image that it delivers. From my experience, the Nikon D3500 was good enough until you start asking for more features because as I said, it is an entry-level DSLR that packs the most common features used for cameras in this price range. It’s a great camera for forensic photography though.

In terms of the design, this particular model has a compact size and weight which makes it perfect for travelers, while on the other hand, the camera has a deep handgrip which means that it provides the user with great comfort, so holding it won’t be a drag. Construction-wise, it measures 4.9 x 3.9 x 2.8 inches and weighs 12.9 ounces, so you can already imagine how compact this camera is, despite the fact that it is a DSLR camera.

However, I was never really a fan of the LCD screen of this camera, due to the fact that there is no touch screen included. Personally, when I buy a camera, I really look for touchscreen capabilities because it just makes your experience better, it lets you optimize the settings easier, scrolling through images easier, and so on. What I also didn’t like about the screen is that it doesn’t have a flip-out design, which can also be of great help when shooting from different viewing positions and angles. The guideline is, if I was to purchase an entry-level DSLR, I’d be willing to pay a little more to have an articulated, flip-out, or tilting touchscreen LCD.

Okay, now, let’s see what specs does this camera have, and what is the D3500 truly capable of.

This camera has a 24MP sensor that runs the updated EXPEED image processor, which is great for an entry-level DSLR, in fact, it is better than most other competitors at this price range.

As for the autofocus system, this is also an area where I’m not really impressed, but when you think about it and what price this camera has, 11-AF system point is enough, and for a camera of this caliber, these points are spread across the frame, while the fulltime AF locks onto your subject to keep it in focus while you capture shots. Also, let’s not forget to mention that this camera has 5 frames per second continuous shooting rate, which is great for entry-level DSLRs, but not that groundbreaking.

What I really like about the Nikon D3500 is the SnapBridge app. You might say almost any other company delivers its camera with a smartphone app, however, that’s not the case here, since this app allows the photos taken by the D3500 to appear right on a compatible smartphone or tablet, while you can post them immediately to your favorite sites, or to save them just as backups. There’s also another addition to this, you can even use the smartphone or tablet to remotely trigger the D3500 to take pictures, pretty cool huh?

Similar to high-end cameras, this affordable entry-level DSLR has an ISO range of 100-25,600, but if you want the best image quality out of all, I’d recommend you shoot at ISO400, it’s pretty decent, significant, and qualitative.

It might sound surprising, but i use it as my zoom camera. I pair my D3500 with a zoom lens, and it’s good to go.

When it comes to connections, you are likely to be disappointed since Nikon has not included Wi-Fi connectivity nor NFC, so I guess you just have to deal with it, you only have the SnapBridge App and Bluetooth.

Simply put, the Nikon D3500 has a decent performance, it is good for newbies, but I wouldn’t recommend this camera for people who’ve been using higher-ranked DSLRs before, it will just seem like a downfall because this camera is mainly oriented towards beginners. However, if you get one of the best tripods for Nikon D3500, you can do some pretty interesting stuff with it!

Nikon D3500 Sample Images:

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Canon T7

The Canon T7 is a solid camera with decent specs and great build quality. It is also an entry-level DSLR, however, in comparison with Nikon D3500, this one is slightly weaker, but don’t get fooled by that, because the T7 has some advantages over the D3500 as well, which we’ll mention in a bit.

To start off the right way, let’s first talk about the design of this camera. The T7 is one of the smallest DSLRs on the market, with a weight of 1.75 pounds and measuring 5.1 x 3.9 x 3.1 inches, you can already tell how lightweight and compact this camera is.

Is it too much to ask for a touchscreen LCD in a camera of this price range? The Canon T7 also disappoints just like the Nikon D3500, since the screen has neither touchscreen capabilities, nor a flip-out or tilting design, so I guess Nikon D3500 is not the only entry-level DSLR camera that lacks these.

However, the camera has a pop-up flash that covers a distance of up to 30 feet, but it’s most effective if you have the subject within a range of 15 feet. Other than that, both the optical viewfinder and the 3-inch LCD are bright and clear, so that’s the only good thing about the LCD screen.

Now, let’s get more into the specifics and see what this camera is truly capable of.

I really like the 24-MP sensor, it’s definitely better than a smartphone or a compact camera, although, this sensor hasn’t changed much since the T6 model. Nonetheless, it still offers good picture quality and ease of use for those new to DSLRs. In addition, it runs the DIGIC 4+ image processor which enables the camera for responsive performance, for a shooting experience that can be smooth and natural. If you pair it with a Canon EOS T7 lens, you’ll be good to go.

The Canon T7 has a 9-point autofocus system, which is most suitable for high-contrast scenes, and it is fast enough to capture fast-moving subjects. What I’m really disappointed at is the 3 fps continuous shooting rate, which means that you won’t be able to capture fast cars or hockey players just for an example, but you will be able to capture some waves, and other subjects which do not move at a fast pace.

What I truly like about the Canon T7 is the creative filters feature, which means that the camera allows the user to capture images with a new perspective. To be more precise, there are five different creative filters for still images: Fisheye Effect, Miniature Effect, Grainy B/W, Soft Focus and Toy Camera Effect, while each of these filters alters the mood and feel of any particular scene.

You won’t find groundbreaking results when it comes to the ISO options, since the T7 has a range of 100-6400, while this is enough for most situations, it is not eligible for everything. But, there is a Hi setting of 12,800, which is available on the menu and it can be turned on by optimizing the ISO Expansion settings.

In terms of connections, unlike the Nikon D3500, this Canon T7 has a built-in Wi-Fi and NFC technology, which makes connecting and sharing much easier, especially since you can connect with compatible smartphone devices or tablets. This is one of the few advantages that the Canon T7 has over the Nikon D3500.

Overall, if you’re low on budget, this is the camera to go with, or if you’re new to DSLR, this would also be the ideal choice to start with, however, there are plenty of other DSLRs out there that come at a similar price with better specs, such as the Nikon D3500 in this case.

Canon T7 Sample Images:

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Nikon D3500 vs Canon T7 Feature Comparison

	Nikon D3500	Canon T7
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Megapixels	24.0	24.0
ISO Range	100-25,600	100-6400(12,800)
Flip-Out Screen	No	No
AF Points	11 AF points	9 AF points
Viewfinder	Yes	Yes
Touchscreen	No	No
Video Recording	Yes	Yes
Sensor Size	APS-C	CMOS

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Conclusion

Given the fact that now you know what these cameras are capable of, and which one outperforms the other, I believe I can leave the decision of choosing the one that meets your requirements the most to you.

But on the other hand, we can’t just skip the part where the Nikon D3500 is better than the Canon T7, being a tad ahead with features, performance, and aesthetics.

Still, depending on what you need the camera for, even the Canon T7 can suit you better, so make sure exactly for what you’ll be using the camera, for example, the Canon T7 would be the worst entry-level DSLR for sports, however, it would be great for still photography though.

All and all, Nikon D3500 would be our editors’ choice for today, and when choosing between these two, you simply can’t go wrong with Nikon.

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