Sony a9 II vs Nikon D3500
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a9 II and Nikon D3500. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a9 II is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D3500 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.
Sony a9 II were released 2019 and Nikon D3500 was released 2018. That is a 1 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.Camera | Released |
Sony a9 II | 2019 |
Nikon D3500 | 2018 |
Type of camera
Sony a9 II is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D3500 is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony a9 II has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Nikon D3500 has a "Nikon DX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.
Camera | Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 ** |
Sony a9 II | 50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier |
Nikon D3500 | 75 mm Nikon DX sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5 |
** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"
Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)
Resolution
Both these cameras have the exact same resolution. Sony a9 II has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D3500 has 24 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
Camera | Megapixels |
Sony a9 II |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
Nikon D3500 |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
ISO range
Sony a9 II has a larger ISO-range than Nikon D3500. Sony a9 II has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 51200 while Nikon D3500 has 100 to 25600.
Camera | ISO Range |
Sony a9 II | 100-51200 |
Nikon D3500 | 100-25600 |
Autofocus and lens compatibility
There is a big difference between these two cameras. Sony a9 II has a built-in autofocus motor but Nikon D3500 does not. If you want to be able to use autofocus on Nikon D3500 there is a need for having an autofocus motor inside the lens. We really encourage you to look closely at our lens compatibility charts at the links below.
Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a9 II
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D3500
Pictures per second
Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a9 II can shoot up to 20 pictures per seconds and Nikon D3500 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds.
Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
Sony a9 II | 20 |
Nikon D3500 | 5 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
In this case, both Sony a9 II and Nikon D3500 can shoot movies.
Weight
The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.
Sony a9 II weighs 678 gr (equal to 1.49 lb) which is 86% heavier than Nikon D3500 and its 365 gr (or 0.8 lb).
Camera | Weight |
Sony a9 II | 678 gr 1.49 lb |
Nikon D3500 | 365 gr 0.8 lb |
Sony a9 II vs Nikon D3500 Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a9 II and Nikon D3500, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.
Product |
Sony a9 II |
Nikon D3500 |
Name | Sony a9 II | Nikon D3500 |
Manufacturer | Sony | Nikon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a9 II |
Nikon D3500 |
Release Year | 2019 | 2018 |
Release Date | 2019-10-03 | 2018-08-30 |
MSRP | 4499 USD | 499 USD |
Buy it today | ||
Camera Type |
Sony a9 II |
Nikon D3500 |
Camera Type | Mirrorless | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony a9 II |
Nikon D3500 |
Sensor Size | Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) |
APS-C (approx 23.7 x 15.5 mm) Also known as "DX" |
Sensor Type | Stacked CMOS | CMOS |
Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
Megapixels | 24 MP | 24 MP |
Image Processor | Bionz X | EXPEED 4 |
Image |
Sony a9 II |
Nikon D3500 |
ISO Range | 100 - 51200 | 100 - 25600 |
White Balance Presets | 9 | 12 |
Custom White Balance | Yes | Yes |
Image Stabilization |
Yes (Sensor-Shift (5-axis)) |
No |
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating | 5.5 stops | 0 stops |
Uncompressed format | RAW | RAW |
Optics & Focus |
Sony a9 II |
Nikon D3500 |
Autofocus Motor | Yes | No |
Autofocus |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Focus Points | 693 | 11 |
Lens Mount |
Sony E See Compatible Lenses |
Nikon F See Compatible Lenses |
Focal Length Multiplier |
Full frame No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm |
DX / APS-C (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm |
Screen & Viewfinder |
Sony a9 II |
Nikon D3500 |
Articulated LCD | Tilting | Fixed |
Screen size | 3” | 3” |
Screen dots | 1440000 | 921000 |
Touch screen | Yes | No |
Screen type | TFT LCD | TFT LCD |
Live view | Yes | Yes |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic | Optical (pentamirror) |
Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 95% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.78x | 0.85× (0.57× 35mm equiv.) |
Viewfinder Resolution | 3686400 | N/A |
Photography features |
Sony a9 II |
Nikon D3500 |
Frames per second | 20 fps | 5 fps |
Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000 seconds | 1/4000 seconds |
Built-in Flash | No | Yes |
Built-in Flash Range | N/A | 7 meters |
External Flash | Yes | Yes |
Self-Timer | Yes | Yes |
Time-lapse | Yes | No |
Metering modes |
Multi Center Weighted Highlight Weighted Spot Average |
Multi Center Weighted Spot |
Exposure Compensation | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Sony a9 II |
Nikon D3500 |
Video recording | Yes | Yes |
Video format |
MPEG4 H.264 AVCHD |
MPEG4 H.264 |
Video resolution |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160 |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 |
Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
Built-in Speakers | Yes | Yes |
Storage |
Sony a9 II |
Nikon D3500 |
Memory Card |
SD/SDHC |
SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Sony a9 II |
Nikon D3500 |
HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
Microphone Port | Yes | No |
Headphone Port | Yes | No |
Wireless |
Yes Built-in (802.11ac + NFC + Bluetooth) |
Yes Built-in, SnapBridge (Bluetooth only) |
Remote Control | Yes (Wired or wireless) | Yes (via Smartphone) |
GPS | No | No |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a9 II |
Nikon D3500 |
Enviromentally sealed | Yes | No |
Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery Details |
NP-FZ100
|
EN-EL14a lithium-ion battery and charger
|
Battery Life (CIPA) | 690 shots | 1550 shots |
Width | 129 mm | 124 mm |
Height | 96 mm | 97 mm |
Depth | 76 mm | 70 mm |
Weight | 678 gram | 365 gram |