burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Very! I used several dSLRs without sensor cleaners. Their sensors got dirty quickly.

glyphtrix

Hi burkphoto! I've read many of your replies. Thanks for writing in. Lack of a lens cleaner, no external mic input, only so-so wifi... the 3400 doesn't appear to be a winner. Thanks.

therwol Loc: USA

There are some very good AF-D lenses, 24mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2, 50mm f/1.8 and f/1.4, some of the micro lenses etc. This is not a complete list, just ones I'm familiar with. You can check the Nikon site for those that are still in production. Ken Rockwell reviews some that you can buy used on his list of Nikon lenses. I have the 28-105 AF-D that I bought used for around $200 in mint condition that is very sharp except at the far edges, but you wouldn't see that deficiency on a DX camera. The smaller sensor would crop out the edges. The 80-200 f/2.8 AF-D is considered a pro quality lens. You could save a lot of money buying one of those if that range suits you. None of these lenses have VR, by the way. If you want a camera that can use these older lenses, you have to start with a D7xxx or D500 or buy any of the full frame DSLRS. In all cases, you're talking about added bulk and weight because of the internal motor and the larger sensor if you go FX. In all cases, you're talking about spending more money on the body than for the cameras you're looking at. You might save enough if you go with some older lenses to offset that.

Are the newer lenses better? I think most would agree that many do have an edge, but you pay for it.

Andycapt

I would start with the 34oo. I think I would have been lost if I went right to the 7200. If the 5300 is anything like the 52 and I think it is, its just not played out where you can really fiddle with the buttons and dials. I love my little 5200 but it does a lot for you and the 3400 is a solid bigger camera and the series on you tube really did help me its called real world. The guy replies and he's a little different. But he uses a 3400 in all his vids. It might be the only one he has. Watch a few. Some are not me but I did learn the features, buttons, what they do. After reading the manual a few times and thinking ,I'll never get this, it all becomes clear, you'll have a breakthrough at some point,that aha moment. Practice is paramount, shoot shoot shoot,play with the controls and keep it out of auto as much as you can. Id use it and see what the camera used and then put them in and see what you get. So its fun. Id get a aftermarket battery grip for this one. I use a 400 dollar magnesium one on my 7200 and I'll use one on my new one but for the more inexpensive, some of the better aftermarket grips are fine plus yup have the extra battery and power if you doing a lot of fleas shots or keeping your monitor on doing a lot of fiddling in the setup menues. Cool rig. And if you decide photography isn't for you ,I could be wrong but its a scalable unit. I keep and collect everything. So I Dont swap or trade my camera bodies or lens deals maybe. The angry photographer on you tube is a crack up and the best lense and camera guy there is. Very entertaining. He's calmed down a lot and not friends but tony and Chelsea northrup are great in help in you with cameras and lightroom6 and Photoshop. Might take a bit to get used to and listening to him instead of thinking he's boring. Oh that's enough from me. Good luck.

Hbuk66 Loc: Oswego, NY

Ken Rockwell is OK some times, but his comparisons are also stacked at times. He did one comparing a Canon MD MK5, a 243 Leica, and a Sony a7... two top line cameras against an entry level...why, I wonder... and I would go with the 3300 if it came with the new AF-P lenses...

67skylark27 Loc: Fort Atkinson, WI

I got an even better deal than I had thought on my 50mm 1.4mm - $240 and it was in excellent condition.
I just bought a 50mm 1.8mm as a backup - used for 75.00.

glyphtrix

Thanks very much for your time to post this very helpful info !

therwol Loc: USA

I've said several times on this forum that in my opinion, Ken Rockwell is very good if you want to see descriptions, specifications and the history of something. He puts a lot into that. His opinions can be a bit strange. Some of the pages on his site are very much outdated, and he admits he doesn't have time to clean them up. He told me this. One shouldn't use any one web site to research equipment. What I usually get out of his web site is a starting point. By the way, he prefers Canon over Nikon. He also told me this.

glyphtrix

He's definitely pitching canon now. His writing claims that his laurels were achieved on nikon gear . In his history post canon vs nikon : he outlines the glory days and the eras that followed of bad nikon plastic and cheap lenses. He then gives a breakdown on which of the 2 manufacturers lenses are good for what purpose IE super wide or whatever

I can't repost the original link..but it did appear as a resource earlier on in this thread.

Frankly, i didn't know the guy existed before this week. I'm greatful for this and the MANY OTHER resources that members have cited.

These can be found earlier in this thread.

therwol Loc: USA

That's pretty amazing in and of itself. I don't know how he does it, but if you type almost anything related to specific Nikon or Canon gear and include the word "review" into Google, his site seems to come up in the first few lines.

He will sometimes respond to an e-mail, maybe 50-50. I can't imagine how many he gets in a day. Some people object to the way he hustles money, but hey, people do have to eat, and it's voluntary.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Ever hear of search engine optimization? That's how savvy web site operators pull in more hits. (Besides paying to be first in the list by buying ads...)

Andycapt

Ken rockwell is an idiot IMHO. He is so wrong on so many things and makes his I second and 3rd party sales. Sorry but I just had to say that.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Are you saying that the external controls are significantly more intimidating on the "higher tier" Nikon cameras?? I had always expected the controls on all the cameras to be very similar - the differences to largely show up in deeper menus.

therwol Loc: USA

I said that some of his opinions are strange. Some are so strange that you really wonder what he's thinking or even if he's joking. I like to read his pages that describe equipment, not necessarily his subjective opinions about the equipment, because some of them are just in left field. As for how he makes money, he's not an idiot. He's probably laughing all the way to the bank.

truckster Loc: Tampa Bay Area

Here is my take ... started out on a D3300 ... had fun with it for two years ... just bought a "new to me" well used but extremely functional D7000. You can do more with the D7000 than the D3300 and the controls are different. Example, I went looking to change the shutter to continuous from single shot ... on the 3300 there is a easily recognizable button on the back that lets you change the mode. On the 7000 it is done through a dial on the top of the camera. Yes, the 7000 has deeper (or more to the point, extended menus) than the 3000. Locations of buttons and wheels are different too. After two years with the 3300 I move the control wheel without thinking, on the 7000 the control wheel is in the front of the camera with a separate wheel on the back, on the 3300 it is on the back. I have to constantly (although with practice, less and less) that the front controls my aperture in Aperture priority mode. Some camera modes are easily changed on the 7000 by pressing a button and rotating a wheel instead of having to search through menus on the 3000. The manual becomes a must read.

My take on this is if you read the manual and have the time to experiment you can actually start out with the better cameras (no matter the brand). If all you want to do is point and shoot ... well, just get a point and shoot camera or stick with your cell phone camera. Everyone is different, for some the 3000 is all the camera they will ever need. I thought that was me until I shot a D750.