Fantastic deal for an entry level DSLR camera with two lenses (18-55mm and 70-300mm).
Nikon D3500 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm +70-300mm Lens Kit $647 @ Harvey Norman
640
Llemotank on 01/12/2018 - 22:52 harveynorman.com.au (1345 clicks)
Last edited 01/12/2018 - 23:16 by 1 other user
Last edited 01/12/2018 - 23:16 by 1 other user
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Don't buy a Nikon to do video. I own both Nikon and Canon. I would take the Nikon for most stills photography and especially action photography. I would choose the Canon every time for video, especially casually shooting video (i.e. anything where you don't want to manually focus and make professional grade productions). AF in live view on Nikon is a dog even on the higher end cameras like the D850, never mind the bottom of the range.
I would also prefer 1080 coming from a camera and decent lens than 4K from a phone.
Spot on
For 1080p, sure Canon DSLR with dual pixel auto focus is a great option. For 4K, mirrorless option is better (mainly because Canon purposely held these DSLR back on 4K video).
If you care about video a lot, then mirrorless option is better and more cost effective. If D850 or 5D Mark IV are what you are looking at, seriously, if your main concern is video, neither is the correct option in that price range. As for the cheapest Canon with Dual Pixel AF, it is held back by Canon on the photo side and it isn't exactly well priced.
I have Canon, Nikon and Panasonic cameras. Just wish Canon would stop holding back video on DSLR (4K). Nikon is also just as bad. Come on, if low end mirrorless can get 4K video, surely entry level DSLRs can get them too. My old phone purchased 2-3 years ago can already do 4K.
You may want to premise your comments on the DSLR world. In mirrorless, Nikon has the best full frame video, then Sony closely behind and Canon footage sucks balls.
Why area you comparing a phone to a SLR?
Does the phone have an optical zoom?
What difference does having an image sensor 15x larger make compares to your phone?Why would you look at AliExpress for this kit?
hes comparing a fully fledged dslr to a phone because the phones marketing departments have done their job really well and convinced him so ;)
Price isn't terrible for the twin lens kit but confirm when you buy that you're getting the VR version of the 70-300. (The pictures show the VR lens). There is no good reason to own the non-VR over the VR and the price difference between the 2 is tiny. VR gives you a lot of latitude shooting still subjects hand held. If you have a bit more money go the D5600 or if you have twice as much the D7200.
What on earth are you talking about?
The official name of the lens you're using is the AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300MM F/4.5-6.3G ED VR
http://www.nikon.com.au/en_AU/product/nikkor-lenses/f-mount/…
It uses VR version 2, but there is no VRII in the title of the lens.The 70-300 AF-S VR G is a discontinued more expensive heavier lens that's not quite as fast.
The new 70-300 AF-P DX VR is the newer lens and uses the latest in VR even though it doesn't have a II in the title.You might be thinking of the 55-200 which has a VR version that is 1st gen and a GII VR (which is actually second gen VR). The 55-300 also is labelled VR but is a VR version 2 lens. None of the other lenses I have mentioned focus faster or provide more stabilization than the 70-300 AF-P DX VR
Btw for most of my shooting I've gone back to the 70-300 AF-S VR G. It has a few advantages over the DX lens. The ones that matter to me.
- It is parfocal, meaning when you zoom it doesn't need to refocus. That translates to less missed shots if you have to zoom while the action is happening for sports, airshows etc. This is more important than raw focus speed.
- It does not focus breathe as much. That means nice large higher magnification images while birding or shooting wildlife and portraits.
The D3500 and D5600 have the same sensor iirc. If you're just getting into photography I would recommend getting the D3500 and spending the extra on a decent lens.
It's amazing that people still use cameras for taking photographs of something other than themselves. I guess I'm old fashioned.
To a slight beginner with Cameras, hows this compare to my old D90 I gave to my parents???
Curious to see how much, if anything they've improved at lower price points. Lens seem the same as the stock D90 twin lens kit.
The successors to the D90 were D7000 -> D7100 -> D7200 -> D7500.
The D90 is basically 2 steps up in the lineup but obviously several years older (about 4 generations). In between the D3x00 series and the Dx0/D7x00 series was the D5x00 series.
I've owned a D90 but only played with a D3x00 series briefly at the shops. In terms of image quality the newer higher megapixel sensor on this camera will outdo the D90 and the newer sensor should have better dynamic range too. The D90 being older had the same number of focus points that this now bottom of the line camera has, so this should be similar. What you miss out on with this camera is the options you had on your D90 and the ability to use older lenses. If you were using it your D90 in auto and only occasionally mucking about with other modes, this camera should be fine for your needs. But if you're looking at more advanced stuff I'd step up to the d7x00 range. Personally I'll never buy a brand new camera that doesn't allow AF Fine tuning (other manufacturers use different names - Canon calls it microfocus adjust) again.
If you're more interested in video than stills, skip the Nikon. AF in live view sucks on all Nikon DSLRs unfortunately.
Also the lenses are completely different. Your old lenses will work on this new body but the new lenses are AF-P lenses which require a newer body. They won't work on the D90 and D7000. These newer kit lenses, especially the 70-300, are actually quite spectacular compared to options available at the same price point years ago. Very fast to focus. The older more expensive non-kit lenses are actually slower to focus (but do have some other advantages). I prefer the older AF-S 70-300VR which also works on full frame for action/wildlife despite slower focus speed because it magnifies more up close, and you don't have to refocus when you zoom. But I have a newer copy of the kit lens which is smaller and lighter for when I am shooting more casually and it's nice to use and produces good results.
In terms of pecking order and models for APS-C Nikon here are the series and camera models. Left is older. Higher is more advanced.
Pro
D200 -> D300 -> D300S -> (big gap where people used D7100 and D7200) -> D500Enthusiast
D70 -> D70S -> D80 -> D90 -> D7000 -> D7100 -> D7200 -> D7500.Mid range
D5000 -> D5100 -> D5300 -> D5500 -> D5600Beginner
D40 -> D40X -> D50 -> D60 -> D3000 -> D3100 -> D3200 -> D3300 -> D3400 -> D3500
You missed D5200? :/
In short, this "entry level" is better in pretty much every way (compared to D90) except one thing. Some Nikon lenses do not have a focus motor built in (i.e. Nikon 50mm 1.8D), D3500 cannot use those lenses (This is something Nikon did intentionally - to entice people to buy higher model). But, there are generally newer model of lenses which do work with these cameras.
Since D90 is so old, it cannot even match entry level DSLR now. However, with DSLR, the lenses matter more (and that's what's keeping them alive). The lenses included here are toys (sorry for being blunt). Feature wise, DSLRs have been lagging behind mirrorless for a few years now. Smartphone cameras are getting so much better with impressive video capabilities.
When comparing cameras over 3 years, you cannot look at it just based on the family /class. That's just the way it is if you buy the so called "Enthusiast" or "Pro" range cameras. The mid range will either use those technologies in a year or two or simply exceed them (which is often the case). So your enthusiast cams in a few years time is more like mid range or entry level. P.S. I still have one of those old enthusiast DSLRs (the good lenses are why I still use it from time to time).
As stated above, this is much better at just about everything than the D90. More pixels, more accurate sensor, better low light. Better kit lens, especially the 70-300 one, the kit lens that came with my D90 lacked VR and was not sharp at 300 even with a tripod.
I think the D90 had more features on the body (dials etc) while the D3500 body is more basic, but apart from those dials being moved into menus, d3500 is better all around internally.
Thanks people, very much appreciated
Don't buy. Spend a bit more and buy Fuji xt20 new or used. Won't regret.
There is a big difference between SLR and mirrorless. I find the lag shooting & using a viewfinder on mirrorless quite frustrating.
Really? Both of them are APS crop sensor. Mirrorlesa have smaller design ans are more versatile. Imagine you taking this heavy crapLR on picnic. I got d5100 with both kit lenses because i thought big body meant better quality. I recently checked fuji x-E3 and fell in love with the versatility.
Don't forget this is an entry level camera that will produce entry level photos.
Don't forget this is an entry level camera that will produce entry level photos.
Entry level photographers produce entry level photos.
@[Deactivated]: Absolutely not. You lose a few AF points and some other 'advanced' features you were probably never going to use anyway. Quality comes down to the sensor and it's the same as the D5600 iirc.
On your other point on this versus the Fuji. They're both APS-C sensors so should perform similarly in terms of quality. In terms of experience though, the SLR will be snappier when it comes to taking photos. For general use mirrorless is fine, but I wouldn't want to be taking macro or zoom shots of a fast moving subject on a mirrorless cam.
@NuclearWessels: "For general use mirrorless is fine" obviously no one will shoot a wedding with either of these cameras.
@[Deactivated]: I've gotten good results shooting a couple of wedding about 8-9 years ago with my D90. The sensor on the D3500 kills the D90. Back then it sat where the D7500 sits today. You can mount the same lenses. What I'd be worried about without testing it is the AF speed and potential for a cheap camera to break down. Otherwise there is no reason you couldn't.
good startup combo. altho the 70-300 is pretty dudu. just stick with the 18-55 and also get a 50mm portrait.
The af-p 70-300 VR included in this seems very well regarded on the reviews I've seen, especially for that price point. It might not be much use for family snaps or walking around a city snapping buildings but it should be decent for wildlife if you want a light weight portable lens.
I'd bet good money you've never used the new AF-P 70-300 VR DX lens. The thing is lightning quick to focus, sharp even wide open and only has a couple of traits that aren't great - (heavy focus breathing with less magnification up close until you're at minimum focus distance, and it isn't parfocal). That matters for birding and sports where you rack in and out to keep up with the action where you'll miss a few more shots as it refocuses. Lack of a VR switch is a minor irritation too. It also loses a third of a stop at the long end but that's barely noticeable. In every other way it's superior to lenses that cost more used. This lens is optically equal to or better than the 55-250STM on the Canon side and focuses much faster and more reliably. And it's damn light and small. It's pretty close to the ideal zoom lens for a beginner.
Hmm I have a D3100 with a damaged 18-55mm lens. But I also have 55-200mm, 18-140mm and 35mm lenses.
Might not be enough upgrades/additions for the dosh.
We find the 18-140mm + 70-300mm VRII combo very good for our needs. The 18-140 is for day to day and travel use (not too much bigger than the 18-55), while the 70-300 is a pretty good kids and sports lens.
The official name of the lens you're using is the AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300MM F/4.5-6.3G ED VR
http://www.nikon.com.au/en_AU/product/nikkor-lenses/f-mount/…
It uses VR version 2, but there is no VRII in the title of the lens.
And yes it makes a great combination with the 18-140.
Personally I'd forget those lenses and get the 18-200mm super zoom. Best lens to grab and go.
Changing lenses is a pain in the backside and can cause you to miss shots.
I'd take the 16-80mm f/2.8-4 myself… more versatile.
The best solution is 2 bodies. It does require you to be willing to hang double the weight off your neck (or other strap).
18-140 lenses (18-135 in Canon land) lenses are a good compromise. You can still get sharp images.
This is a good price but similar/better options available second hand.
So many people think of taking up photography buy a $1000 kit, and then dump gear 6 months later, Or upgrade to higher end at the 12-18month mark.If you can live with buying second hand its definitely worth it.
Only if you know what you're buying and how to spot a camera or accessory that has problems. Those same people mistreat their cameras and accessories ruining them. Most don't know how to store their gear to prevent fungus. If you come across someone who looks after their things meticulously you'll get a bargain. But the people that dump their gear after 6 months don't tend to be meticulous, unless perhaps they got it for a gift.
What’s a good memory card to get for this camera?
Anyone know how much the 70-300mm lens would cost on it's own? I tried googling it but couldn't find this particular lens
The VR version retails for about $300,
That's $300-$350 for Aussie stock from a major retailer. (TED's $300, Camera House $350). Interestingly it's still listed as USD399 retail on Nikon USA.
Grey market I've seen it go for <$250.
http://www.cccwarehouse.com.au/xcart/pc/nviewPrd.asp?idProdu…
This lens will NOT work, even in manual focus on older cameras.
https://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/camera-le…
"Fully compatible models:D7500, D5600, D5500, D5300*, D3400, D3300*, D500 and later models
Compatible models with limited functions:D5, D810 series, Df, D750, D7200, D7100, D5200, Nikon 1 series with the FT1
Incompatible models:D4 series, D3 series, D2 series, D1 series, D800 series, D700, D610, D600, D300 series, D200, D100, D7000, D5100, D5000, D90, D80, D70 series, D3200, D3100, D3000, D60, D50, D40 series, film cameras"
Nikon has lost it's mind advertising this lens with camera ruining "colour run" photos.
IVI on 02/12/2018 - 01:08 Comment score below threshold.