Canon 1300D vs Nikon D3500

The Canon EOS 1300D (called Canon T6 in some regions) and the Nikon D3500 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in March 2016 and August 2018. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 1300D		Nikon D3500
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
17.9 MP, APS-C Sensor		24 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-12800 (100-25600)		ISO 100-25600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD, 920k dots		3.0" LCD, 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
500 shots per battery charge		1550 shots per battery charge
129 x 101 x 78 mm, 485 g		124 x 97 x 70 mm, 365 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 1300D and the Nikon D3500? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 1300D and the Nikon D3500 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D3500 is notably smaller (8 percent) than the Canon 1300D. Moreover, the D3500 is markedly lighter (25 percent) than the 1300D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 1300D nor the D3500 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Yet, since both cameras are based around an APS-C sensor, their respective lenses will tend to have similar dimensions and heft. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1300D) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D3500).

Concerning battery life, the 1300D gets 500 shots out of its LP-E10 battery, while the D3500 can take 1550 images on a single charge of its EN-EL14a power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, just use the right or left arrows in the table to switch to the respective camera. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from the full list of cameras there.

Camera Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life (CIPA)	Weather Sealing (yes/no)	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon 1300D»	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	-		Canon 1300D
	Nikon D3500«	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	365 g	1550	n	Aug 2018	429			Nikon D3500
	Canon 2000D« »	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449			Canon 2000D
	Canon 4000D« »	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399			Canon 4000D
	Canon 77D« »	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899			Canon 77D
	Canon 200D« »	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	-		Canon 200D
	Canon G9 X Mark II« »	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529			Canon G9 X Mark II
	Canon M100« »	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499			Canon M100
	Canon SX730« »	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	-		Canon SX730
	Canon SX540« »	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	205	n	Jan 2016	399			Canon SX540
	Canon 750D« »	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	-		Canon 750D
	Canon G9 X« »	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	529	-		Canon G9 X
	Canon SX530« »	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	210	n	Jan 2015	429	-		Canon SX530
	Canon 1200D« »	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	-		Canon 1200D
	Nikon D3400« »	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	499	-		Nikon D3400
	Nikon D5500« »	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	420 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899	-		Nikon D5500
	Nikon D3300« »	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	499	-		Nikon D3300
Convert to Imperial
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The D3500 was somewhat cheaper (by 4 percent) than the 1300D at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the D3500 is 11 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (1300D) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors.

With 24MP, the D3500 offers a higher resolution than the 1300D (17.9MP), but the D3500 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 4.31μm for the 1300D). Yet, the D3500 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 5 months) than the 1300D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the D3500 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon D3500 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D3500 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inch or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inch or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inch or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1300D are 25.9 x 17.3 inch or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inch or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inch or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 1300D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D3500 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the D3500 provides a faster frame rate than the 1300D. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 1300D and the D3500 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the D3500 has a higher magnification than the one of the 1300D (0.57x vs 0.50x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 1300D and Nikon D3500 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 1300D and the D3500 write their files to SDXC cards. The D3500 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the 1300D cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 1300D and Nikon D3500 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

It is notable that the 1300D offers wifi support, while the D3500 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

The D3500 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the 1300D has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 1300D was succeeded by the Canon 2000D. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Nikon websites.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1300D or the Nikon D3500 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 1300D:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in March 2016).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D3500:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 17.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.57x vs 0.50x).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 120g or 25 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1550 versus 500) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 5 months of technical progress since the 1300D launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the D3500 is the clear winner of the contest (10 : 4 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 1300D and the Nikon D3500 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 1300D or the D3500 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon 1300D»	o	73/100	4/5	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	-		Canon 1300D
	Nikon D3500«	-	-	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	429			Nikon D3500
	Canon 2000D« »	o	-	3.5/5	-	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449			Canon 2000D
	Canon 4000D« »	o	-	3.5/5	-	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399			Canon 4000D
	Canon 77D« »	-	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899			Canon 77D
	Canon 200D« »	+ +	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	-		Canon 200D
	Canon G9 X Mark II« »	-	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529			Canon G9 X Mark II
	Canon M100« »	+	-	4/5	-	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499			Canon M100
	Canon SX730« »	+	-	4/5	-	4/5	Apr 2017	399	-		Canon SX730
	Canon SX540« »	-	-	-	-	-	Jan 2016	399			Canon SX540
	Canon 750D« »	-	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	-		Canon 750D
	Canon G9 X« »	+ +	-	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	529	-		Canon G9 X
	Canon SX530« »	+ +	-	4/5	-	4/5	Jan 2015	429	-		Canon SX530
	Canon 1200D« »	+	-	4/5	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	-		Canon 1200D
	Nikon D3400« »	+	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	499	-		Nikon D3400
	Nikon D5500« »	+	79/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899	-		Nikon D5500
	Nikon D3300« »	+	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	499	-		Nikon D3300
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (-) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

Specifications: Canon 1300D vs Nikon D3500

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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