Nikon D3500 vs Olympus E-520

The following is a in-depth assessment of the Nikon D3500 and Olympus E-520, both Entry-Level DSLR digital cameras by companies Nikon and Olympus. There is a noticeable difference between the image resolutions of the D3500 (24MP) and E-520 (10MP) and the D3500 (APS-C) and E-520 (Four Thirds) offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The D3500 was released 10 years after the E-520 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras have the same body design (Compact SLR).

Before delving right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick summary of how the D3500 scores versus the E-520 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon D3500 & Olympus E-520. The complete galleries are provided at Nikon D3500 Gallery & Olympus E-520 Gallery.

For those who are intending to travel with your camera frequently, you will need to think about its weight and proportions. The Nikon D3500 has physical dimensions of 124mm x 97mm x 70mm (4.9" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 365 grams (0.80 lbs) and the Olympus E-520 has measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") accompanied by a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs).

Examine the Nikon D3500 and Olympus E-520 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the D3500 against the E-520.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the D3500 and E-520 is 72 and 68 respectively.

Usually, it is hard to visualise the gap between sensor dimensions simply by reading a spec sheet. The image underneath may give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the D3500 and E-520.

Clearly, both the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The D3500 featuring a larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Nikon D3500 will deliver more detail as a result of its extra 14MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images more aggressively. The fresher D3500 is going to have an edge in sensor tech.