I have been doing a lot of work with 3D scanning and Photogrammetry and using an older Nikon L100 point and shoot wasn't cutting the mustard for me. For instance, on a Point and Shoot, you can't control the shutter speed easily or the ISO or the final output. After extensive research on DSLR cameras (this and the Canon T6i Rebel), I ended up getting this camera (not choosing the D3400 which was 100 dollars more, and not choosing the T6i because it was out of my pricing range at the time) on impulse, because it was on sale and I needed a better camera for reality capture (I use Agisoft Photoscan for Photogrammetry). After taking a few pictures using all of the modes, the visual quality of my images is a HUGE jump, especially from using cameras on the smartphone and the COOLPIX L100 that would never afford me this level of detail.
It took me a few hours to get used to the camera, especially with all of the settings such as the Live View and viewfinder (which I have fallen in love with) and I can get fine grain control of my images. My favourite mode is manual, and I set the focus to Manual Focus for complete control of my images and shots. In Photogrammetry, you don't want autofocus blurring out your details. I also love that the camera came with all of the essentials I needed to get started, including a lens that allows me an 18-55mm focal length to get beautiful images. I can't wait to take it to Palm Springs on my next trip and get picturesque shots of the mountains.
So the Pros and cons
The Pros:
-- Insane image quality 24.2MP is PLENTY for what I need for photography and 3D scanning.
-- Lightweight
-- Easy to set up. I had the camera together in minutes and ready to play
-- Many modes to play with, including cartoony filters and outlines.
-- The Viewfinder is my favourite feature which I can look at my subject and control the amount of depth of field and see it in real time.
-- Camera RAW. For the kind of work I do, camera RAW (which saves in .NEF format if you use PS CC or newer, I'll discuss this in cons) has the insane quality you need to get your best photos.
-- Plenty of accessories from lenses to remote triggers (which I will have to get soon for outdoor projects). I need to get my hands on a fixed 35mm lens and a long zoom lens to really play with imagery. I wonder if there is a lens that takes HDR probe images.
-- The light intensity bar is very helpful in letting me know if my photos are going to be overexposed or underexposed.
The Cons:
-- The Live View takes a bit longer to process the photo after shooting. Even with a faster shutter speed, I find myself waiting to see the picture I just took. Not exactly a bad thing, but if I have a client or fighting daylight, I want to see my pics faster. I usually use Live View to frame my shots when the tripod is lower than my height.
-- The Live View when on the entire time will kill your battery. I knew about this, so I will have to buy a spare battery to rectify it.
-- The camera will collect grease and fingerprints so make sure you clean your camera.
-- If you plan on editing your images in Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom, be forewarned if you are using an older version of Photoshop (I am using CS5) you will not be able to open the .NEF file which is the cameras RAW format. You will have to use a free app you can get from Adobe called Adobe DNG Converter to be able to open your photos in Camera RAW (you open it using Bridge) for editing
-- Not a con, but a heads up, get a HUGE SD card if you plan on using Camera RAW a lot. I bought a 32GB SD card with the camera and I am glad I did. The NEF files are HUGE. About 27MB depending on the camera settings.
-- I had some initial trouble trying to get Pre Measure lighting option to work. It might have been my camera settings so I'll figure this out.
Other than a few cons, this is a great camera that I will make great use of, from portraits to my visual effects work. The picture of the flower was taken at home with the lens set to 55 and the detail was beautiful, especially the depth of field. I processed the image in the camera menu for retouching and it was easy to do. I can't wait to get more lenses and take BEAUTIFUL pictures.
Nikon D3300 w/ AF-P DX 18-55mm VR Digital SLR – Black
4.5 | 430 ratings
Price: 299.99
Last update: 08-30-2024
About this item
24.2 MP CMOS DX-format sensor
5 frames per second continuous shooting
11 AF points with 3D tracking
ISO 100-12800 (expandable to 25600)
3 inch LCD with 921,000 dots; Lens Compatibility at a Glance***AF-S Lens Required for Autofocus ; Optical Zoom 3x
5 frames per second continuous shooting
11 AF points with 3D tracking
ISO 100-12800 (expandable to 25600)
3 inch LCD with 921,000 dots; Lens Compatibility at a Glance***AF-S Lens Required for Autofocus ; Optical Zoom 3x
Product information
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Top reviews from the United States
KRGraphics
The best (early) birthday gift I've ever got!!
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2018
KRGraphics
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2018
It took me a few hours to get used to the camera, especially with all of the settings such as the Live View and viewfinder (which I have fallen in love with) and I can get fine grain control of my images. My favourite mode is manual, and I set the focus to Manual Focus for complete control of my images and shots. In Photogrammetry, you don't want autofocus blurring out your details. I also love that the camera came with all of the essentials I needed to get started, including a lens that allows me an 18-55mm focal length to get beautiful images. I can't wait to take it to Palm Springs on my next trip and get picturesque shots of the mountains.
So the Pros and cons
The Pros:
-- Insane image quality 24.2MP is PLENTY for what I need for photography and 3D scanning.
-- Lightweight
-- Easy to set up. I had the camera together in minutes and ready to play
-- Many modes to play with, including cartoony filters and outlines.
-- The Viewfinder is my favourite feature which I can look at my subject and control the amount of depth of field and see it in real time.
-- Camera RAW. For the kind of work I do, camera RAW (which saves in .NEF format if you use PS CC or newer, I'll discuss this in cons) has the insane quality you need to get your best photos.
-- Plenty of accessories from lenses to remote triggers (which I will have to get soon for outdoor projects). I need to get my hands on a fixed 35mm lens and a long zoom lens to really play with imagery. I wonder if there is a lens that takes HDR probe images.
-- The light intensity bar is very helpful in letting me know if my photos are going to be overexposed or underexposed.
The Cons:
-- The Live View takes a bit longer to process the photo after shooting. Even with a faster shutter speed, I find myself waiting to see the picture I just took. Not exactly a bad thing, but if I have a client or fighting daylight, I want to see my pics faster. I usually use Live View to frame my shots when the tripod is lower than my height.
-- The Live View when on the entire time will kill your battery. I knew about this, so I will have to buy a spare battery to rectify it.
-- The camera will collect grease and fingerprints so make sure you clean your camera.
-- If you plan on editing your images in Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom, be forewarned if you are using an older version of Photoshop (I am using CS5) you will not be able to open the .NEF file which is the cameras RAW format. You will have to use a free app you can get from Adobe called Adobe DNG Converter to be able to open your photos in Camera RAW (you open it using Bridge) for editing
-- Not a con, but a heads up, get a HUGE SD card if you plan on using Camera RAW a lot. I bought a 32GB SD card with the camera and I am glad I did. The NEF files are HUGE. About 27MB depending on the camera settings.
-- I had some initial trouble trying to get Pre Measure lighting option to work. It might have been my camera settings so I'll figure this out.
Other than a few cons, this is a great camera that I will make great use of, from portraits to my visual effects work. The picture of the flower was taken at home with the lens set to 55 and the detail was beautiful, especially the depth of field. I processed the image in the camera menu for retouching and it was easy to do. I can't wait to get more lenses and take BEAUTIFUL pictures.
Images in this review
Ivy B
Excellent Entry-Level DSLR!
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2018
Ivy B
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2018
PROS:
- Excellent entry-level DSLR
- Allows complete manual control of settings, as well as Aperture and Shutter Priority modes
- Decent number of focus points
- Kit lens is quick to auto-focus, and works surprisingly well in low-light situations
- Seems easy enough to quickly change settings when shooting in Manual/AP/SP modes (although, another dial would be great)
- Battery seems to last quite a long time, especially if you don't use the Live View, or flash. I can easily shoot several hundred photos without worry
- Lightweight - can easily shoot one-handed
- The photos look simply amazing
- The HD video quality looks pretty darn good, especially if you're using a wide-aperture lens
CONS:
- Feels a little small in the hand. My pinky tends to hang off the bottom of the grip - an aftermarket battery grip would be a nice addition to help that, as well as adding extra battery life
- Crop sensor body (DX) means that any non-DX Nikon lens (or crop sensor format Sigma/Tamron/etc. lens) will be equal to approx. 1.5x the lens focal length (e.g., a non-DX 85mm acts as if it were a 127mm lens) - not necessarily a "con", as long as you're aware of this fact
- No high-speed flash sync. Only goes to 1/200 sec. Not a huge deal but does limit some of the creativity for using flash
- F3.5 max. aperture won't blur the background/create bokeh quite as much as you may wish, for portraits. You'll either need to invest in a faster lens (f1.8-2.8) or you can get creative in Photoshop/Lightroom
- Does not have wifi (but you can purchase an adapter for it)
- Not supported by either Lightroom or CamRanger for tethering. While this is a bummer, there are work-arounds, as well as other programs that work very well.
All in all, this really is a great camera kit for a beginner, or even if you've shot with a DSLR, previously. It has all the options you need to learn photography and create some gorgeous photos.
I have absolutely no regrets about purchasing it.
I've included some photos I've taken with this camera. Some were shot with the included kit lens, some with an 85mm f1.8 lens.
Images in this review
Sampster
Happy Mom of Toddlers
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2015