Hi, my name is Vicki, and I am a beagle mom. I am getting back into photography after years away. I have recently bought a Nikon d3400 with numerous lenses. The question I have now is about using a hot shoe flash. The one that came in the original kit does not adjust. I have an old (1980's)) vivitar zoom thyristor 2500 hot shoe flash with an adjustable head.(so I can keep the flash out of my soon-to-be first grandchid's eyes). Is it ok to use this flash with my new camera? How would I keep the built in pop- up fllash from firing at the same time as the hot-shoe? Need some help as baby Alex is due any time! Thanks for any help and please go easy on me ! Vicki, beagle mom.

A used, under $100.00 Nikon SB-800 will be worth more in 4 years than any other new cheaper flash out there, it should also out perform any other cheaper flash out there and give better results than any other cheaper flash out there. PERIOD. I cannot wear my D800's out, have used them hard for 6 years now and they are still going strong. You just cannot get that kind of value in a cheaper flash. PERIOD AGAIN. As an owner and user of over 6 SB800's I have never sent one in for a repair. Don't care about reviews, only care about REAL WORLD RESULTS, and in my opinion, that verdict is in. Nikon wins hands down in my world of consistent, reliable results.

What are you looking for in the camera?

D3400 and D7200 use the same 24.2MP sensor, so in all likelihood the images from them will be virtually identical. It will be more down to you and your skill, care and attention to making good images with either of them, than from the camera itself.

You don't mention what lenses you have and upgrading those might give you far more improvement in your images, than upgrading your camera would. If you are working with the "kit" lens(es) that came with the D3400, there's bound to some room for improvement. Plus, since you plan to stick with DX format, any lenses you add now would be usable on some future camera upgrade.

Probably the most significant difference between the D3400 and D7200 are:

- D7200 has a more sophisticated, higher performance autofocus system: 51 AF points versus 12 AF points. This would give most benefit for fast action shooting and when used with equally high performance lenses.

- D7200 offers slightly faster frame rate: 6 FPS versus 5 FPS plus a somewhat larger image buffer... 18 RAW versus 12 RAW (little or no difference if shooting JPEGs). Slightly better for sports/action being done using continuous shooting. Not much help for other things.

- D7200 offers slightly higher performance shutter: 1/8000 top speed and 1/250 flash sync versus 1/4000 and 1/200 in D3400.

- D7200 has a larger 100% viewfinder versus 95% with D3400. D7200 also has a slightly larger rear LCD screen: 3.2" versus the 3" on D3400. D7200's LCD screen also has 33% higher resolution.

- Typically a camera like D7200 also has a higher durability shutter, probably rated for between 100,000 and 150,000 "clicks" versus 75,000 typical for a camera like the D3400.

- D7200 appears to be more robust and is better sealed for weather resistance. A clue is that it weighs almost twice as much as the D3400. Part of the weight difference is that the D7200 uses a true pentaprism that makes for a slightly brighter viewfinder, while the D3400 uses a penta-mirror that saves weight and cost.

- D7200 has more direct user access to various camera functions and settings while D3400 has more emphasis on automation to help less experienced users.

- D7200 has in-body autofocus motor that allows it AF a greater range of lenses. For example, "D" type lenses cannot autofocus on D3400, but can on D7200. This simply gives you more choice of lenses.

- D7200 has some added conveniences... such as WiFi, microphone & headphone sockets (video related), secondary LCD (top shoulder) showing camera setup info, time-lapse and exposure bracketing capabilities, micro-focus adjustment of lenses, dual memory card slots and more.

- Of course, D7200 also is about twice the price.

But, really, for many common photographic purposes there would be little difference to be seen. You would likely see much more improvement of image quality and greater versatility/capabilities by upgrading lenses for use on the D3400... than by purchasing the D7200.

You have been getting some really good advice . My 3400 did not stand up toooo well when I ran over it with my truck!!!!. I took the pieces to my local camera shop in a plastic bag and asked If they could put it back together. You should have seen the clerks shocked expression. Replaced with the 5500 series. Now d7100. You seem to be happy with your existing camera. And results. You say cost is a factor. IF you can get into the 7100 or 7200 used it might be a good upgrade. SOOOO many more bells and whistles. ( that maybe you don't need) Unless you really want to fine tune, thousands of options. I would suggest you stay where you are. There is also a considerable weight difference for instance.
Good shooting, The Bear

Yes, a long time. But, so will your D3400 if that's your choice. Some people are still getting great pics and mileage out of the Nikon D40. Very long in the tooth.

GAS (the desire to have the latest and bestest) is a horrible affliction that robs food from your families mouths and doesn't often improve your photography.

As far as length of reliability. Camera's break when they break. The estimate of shutter life is a bogus figure, rather meaningless. I've had 150,000 projection shutters live as long as 250,000 actuations. I have also had 150,000 projected life shutters die at less than 20,000 clicks. And I baby my equipment. I've only been shooting since the Sixties however, so what do I know.

In the Sixties, we used to buy the magazines, look at the advertisements for the camera that was going to make us professional. We actually used to wait as long as 1-2 years for the next model (and only one) to come out.

And today, I still own and can reliably shoot some of those cameras, and I do, because I shoot more film than digital.

Digital requires that the manufacturers "churn" new models every few months, and multiple models to stay competitive. Are these new digital offerings more reliable, or even better than the last model.

Hardly!!!!

The income stream is necessary for companies like Nikon, Canon, Sony and the rest to stay in business. Do they really give you a better product? Sometimes, but more than that, they need you and your cash flow to stay in business

Buy what works. Buy used and refurbished as I always have, and learn the skills of photography that give you the images that please you.

It's not the camera's. It's you, your skills and how you use your gear.

The fact that you are using manual mode, changing settings on the fly and not interested in auto modes, find menus cumbersome, etc. tells me you need to move up. I did and never looked back. Now I can't imagine ever using the entry model (which was a D40 for me). On a recent vacation, I was shooting a beautiful sunset thru The Window in Big Bend. Not exactly extreme conditions, but low light approaching.

A lady next to me was shooting hand held, with a D5xxx something and kept getting dark, almost black images on her LCD (shooting into the sun on auto). She asked for help and I told her to go manual and open up the aperture and shutter speed to compensate and to look at her histogram to see if she was on target and to adjust from there. I also suggested she shoot in RAW. For the life of me, she couldn't get thru all the menus and I didn't know/remember enough about menu-scrolling to help her. Meanwhile, with my D7200 on a tripod, I fired off 10-15 images, adjusting exposure as the sun set and tried to assist her between my shots. The sun set, she went home frustrated and I got one memory I liked with potential to process in post. granted, my PP skills need work (got to learn to get rid of halos)

Buttons and command wheels have their advantages. And you can always call up your info on the LCD if you can't read the green screen or viewfinder. So that argument doesn't hold water.

I have been doing the comparison of d7100
and d7200 and the built in wifi could come in very handy - allows your phone to work with the camera as a remote and sometimes that is real easy when you are down low and cannot see everything through the viewfinder or even the LCD screen. I have found a company that sells the body only of d7200 VERY reasonably and wondering if anyone has any experience with Bigtimecamera in Tampa Florida? They do not answer their phone which is strange since it is during business hours.

I know you have probably gotten a lot of replies but I just wanted to let you know my opinion. I moved up from the d500 to the d7200. I have ha it about 2 years. I like to take photos and don't have tons of gear, just a couple of lens' and a nice flash. I can't afford to get something new every time it comes out. Although the 7200 has a better processor etc. the biggest difference for me any way is the ease of use. You have buttons instead of menus . You can change focus points or use much easier and guicker. You also get two card slots to use as you please, one for raw and one for jpeg or for back up or overflow. The 7200 is a great camera.
Enjoy

I asked the same question last week.

(Many moons ago, in college photography classes, I learned to use a camera manually, black and white film. Even set up my own home darkroom. So I did learn the basics. Then as time went on I didn’t have time for the hobby, relied on auto cameras, took mostly snapshots. Now am retired but (and as an inspiration from what i’ve read and seen on this site) want to get back to having more control over my photos).

See, I had already bought the D3400. But I wasn’t entirely happy with it. And I hadn’t ever tried the D7200 because I heard it was similar. Thanks to the excellent advice here, began to see there are important differences. So, yesterday I returned the D3400 kit to Costco—no use keeping something you’re not entirely happy with.

Then I checked out the D7200 as someone suggested. Do not make a decision on the two cameras without trying both. First of all, the weight, feel and sturdier construction of the camera (see the info I was given on this site). If we want to get our money’s worth by keeping the camera for a long time, wouldn’t that be a consideration? Even more important, is the ease of making settings. With an “entry level” camera I would be more likely to rely on auto. This camera “encourages” me to make my own settings.

Of course price is a consideration. But realized that for the price of the Costco D3400 kit which included two lenses I wasn’t crazy about, I could order out of NY the D7200 body and the one lens I really want for really not that much more.

That's not going to happen. At least not if you focus on what is available and not what your current camera CAN DO.

Digital cameras 'improve' very rapidly because technology is at the heart of the camera. That doesn't always result in better photographs. Being old enough to be past the point of having to save for the future, I do enjoy buying new toys.

But, unless there is something your camera can't do for you, hang on to it. Start saving a little at a time for the new one and when you NEED that new camera buy the best you can afford.

Congratulation on the adoption!

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