Spring has sprung. Get out and shoot your Henry

Opinion of D3400

Sir Henry and I love photography. Share your photography with us all.
User avatar
clovishound
Drover
Posts: 2070
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:18 pm
Location: Summerville SC
United States of America

Opinion of D3400

Post by clovishound » Fri Nov 17, 2017 1:01 pm

I'm thinking about getting Clovispup a new camera for Christmas. She has some interest in photography, and I would like to fan the flames of that. We have an older Canon DSLR which still works, but the newer cameras have much higher resolution stats and other nice features like bluetooth connectivity. I can't justify the expense of a high end DSLR, but from what I am reading the difference in the half frame sensors and full frame sensors are no longer a major consideration.

The local AFB exchange has a good price on a package deal with two lenses, and I am hoping that they will run some kind of sale on it before Christmas.

Any thoughts, experiences with this model. I've never owned a Nikon before, but they have always had a great reputation, and they seem to offer more bang for the buck in the current crop of DSLRs these days from what I can tell.
0 x
There is, I think, humor here which does not translate well from English to sanity. - Sanya

User avatar
dave77
Cowboy
Posts: 1922
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2017 12:09 am
Location: Eastern Washington
United States of America

Re: Opinion of D3400

Post by dave77 » Fri Nov 17, 2017 3:24 pm

Tony Northrup's youtube channel is really great for camera info, saw this comparison of the d3400 vs d5600 which is a few $100 more. The D3400 doesn't have a touch or articulating LCD screen, I have a Canon 70d which has both and I would hate to give either option up. Tony actually recommends the older D5300 over both of them.

Check out some of his some of his other reviews, there are a lot more good cameras now than just Nikon and Canon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO2RMAH2WIs
0 x

User avatar
RetiredSeabee
Administrator
Posts: 2284
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 5:04 pm
Location: Harrisburg, North Carolina
United States of America

Re: Opinion of D3400

Post by RetiredSeabee » Fri Nov 17, 2017 7:22 pm

I have a d5000 and have been very happy with it. Just looking at the specs for the d3400 it seems like a very good camera. The 5000 came out in 2009 which is when I got mine. The articulated screen is a nice feature for when you need to shoot with the camera in a position where you can’t use the viewfinder. But I think that I have used it to shoot less than a dozen times. Many people have learned to shoot using an lcd screen and don’t use the viewfinder much if at all. I am old school when it comes to my cameras and prefer to use the lcd to review shots and check settings.
0 x
Load on Sunday and Shoot all Week.......okay it's a Mare's Leg I will reload on Wednesday. ;)

User avatar
dave77
Cowboy
Posts: 1922
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2017 12:09 am
Location: Eastern Washington
United States of America

Re: Opinion of D3400

Post by dave77 » Fri Nov 17, 2017 7:50 pm

I almost always use the viewfinder but the articulated screen does come in handy for some shots. I've used it at a few banquet/reception shoots and if you walk around with the camera at waist level looking at the screen you can get some good candid shots, people don't realize you're taking their picture until the flash goes off. A touch screen is really nice for making setting changes, you don't have to scroll through a bunch of menus.

My first SLR had a dial for ISO setting, shutter speed and f-stop, a lever to advance the film, a shutter button and a button to turn on the exposure meter which was just a needle in the viewfinder. No zoom lenses either, your legs were the zoom.
0 x

User avatar
clovishound
Drover
Posts: 2070
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:18 pm
Location: Summerville SC
United States of America

Re: Opinion of D3400

Post by clovishound » Sat Nov 18, 2017 1:48 am

My first camera didn't even have a light meter built in. Either use a handheld meter, or guess. I got pretty good at guessing.
0 x
There is, I think, humor here which does not translate well from English to sanity. - Sanya

User avatar
RetiredSeabee
Administrator
Posts: 2284
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 5:04 pm
Location: Harrisburg, North Carolina
United States of America

Re: Opinion of D3400

Post by RetiredSeabee » Sat Nov 18, 2017 10:44 am

My first camera was a Kodak Brownie my grandmother gave me when I was six. No bells or whistles. :D
Over the years I have had a number of good cameras. But the basics I learned from that Brownie had less to do with the camera and everything to do with subject, lighting, and composition.
I do appreciate all the bells and whistles on the newest cameras and although my current Nikon is pushing 8 years old I haven’t used them all.
I have a couple of custom screens set up with what I do use which is a nice feature. I expect the d3400 would be set up similar.
But learning to use the basics well before getting into advanced features is a good start.
The camera kits that I see in the base exchanges are always a good deal. A two lens kit usually has a kit lens from around 18 to 55mm. Great lens for candid shots and landscape to portrait. And usually a mid range zoom around 55 to 200mm. Gives you a good overall range to learn with.
0 x
Load on Sunday and Shoot all Week.......okay it's a Mare's Leg I will reload on Wednesday. ;)

User avatar
clovishound
Drover
Posts: 2070
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:18 pm
Location: Summerville SC
United States of America

Re: Opinion of D3400

Post by clovishound » Sat Nov 18, 2017 3:22 pm

My first was an Argus C4. Handmedown from my dad, who was into photography. I got his Rollie TLR when he passed. Still have it, although it hasn't been used in a very long time. I still have darkroom equipment moldering in the unused darkroom in the garage.

I see that Best buy has the D3400 on sale next weekend. $100 less than the exchange, although I'll have to add $40 tax. It also includes a bag and a 32 gig card, as well as the 18-55 and 70-300 lenses. I will likely go for that, although I dread braving the crowds.
0 x
There is, I think, humor here which does not translate well from English to sanity. - Sanya

User avatar
dave77
Cowboy
Posts: 1922
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2017 12:09 am
Location: Eastern Washington
United States of America

Re: Opinion of D3400

Post by dave77 » Sat Nov 18, 2017 4:31 pm

clovishound wrote:My first was an Argus C4. Handmedown from my dad, who was into photography. I got his Rollie TLR when he passed. Still have it, although it hasn't been used in a very long time. I still have darkroom equipment moldering in the unused darkroom in the garage.

I see that Best buy has the D3400 on sale next weekend. $100 less than the exchange, although I'll have to add $40 tax. It also includes a bag and a 32 gig card, as well as the 18-55 and 70-300 lenses. I will likely go for that, although I dread braving the crowds.
Also got a hand me down Argus from my dad, don't see a model # anywhere.

I cleaned out my storage last year and finally decided I would never be using my darkroom equipment again so got rid of it all.

Good luck on your shopping trip, I think I would almost rather pay the extra $100 than go shopping the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Image
0 x

User avatar
clovishound
Drover
Posts: 2070
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:18 pm
Location: Summerville SC
United States of America

Re: Opinion of D3400

Post by clovishound » Sun Nov 19, 2017 1:55 am

I believe that is the C3, nicknamed "The Brick", for obvious reasons.
0 x
There is, I think, humor here which does not translate well from English to sanity. - Sanya

User avatar
dave77
Cowboy
Posts: 1922
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2017 12:09 am
Location: Eastern Washington
United States of America

Re: Opinion of D3400

Post by dave77 » Sun Nov 19, 2017 2:50 am

This is the camera I got in the late 60's when I got serious about photography. Shot mostly black and white. Color film and processing was expensive and not very practical for a home darkroom while B&W was reasonable, even for 8x10s. We turned my best friend's whole unfinished basement into a darkroom, had room to do some big prints, only limited by how much we could afford to spend on trays.

Image
0 x

Post Reply