Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs.
In this section, we are going to illustrate the Nikon D5300 and Nikon S3500 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon D5300 has external dimensions of 125 x 98 x 76 mm (4.92 x 3.86 x 2.99″) and weighs 480 g (1.06 lb / 16.93 oz) (including batteries). Nikon S3500 has external dimensions of and weighs 129 g (including batteries).
Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Nikon D5300 and the Nikon S3500. Nikon S3500 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 28mm narrower, 40mm shorter and 55mm thinner than Nikon D5300. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Nikon S3500 has a built-in lens but Nikon D5300 doesn't. Once you put a lens on D5300, its thickness will increase significantly.
Here is the back view size comparison of the Nikon D5300 and Nikon S3500.
Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon D5300 and Nikon S3500.
Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day.
Nikon S3500 is significantly lighter (351g ) than the Nikon D5300 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.
Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on D5300, the total kit will weigh much higher.
Weather Sealing
Unfortunately neither the Nikon D5300 nor Nikon Coolpix S3500 provides any type of weather sealing in their bodies, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections: Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing
LCD Screen Size and Features
Nikon D5300's 3.20" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon S3500's 2.7" screen.
Moreover, Nikon D5300 sports a
Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over-the-head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. On the other hand, Nikon S3500 has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to D5300.