dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Going all John James Audubon on us are you? I hear that is how he did his "bird watching"

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

I would rent and then buy the lens first for a few reasons. Among others, the lens will give you the sharp pictures if you make sure you calibrate your camera to the lens (see your camera manual and previous UHH postings), it's not the other way around. Secondly, lens design does not change as frequently and dramatically as body design, so by holding off on a new body you will end up with more advanced features there and have a high quality lens to put on it. Finally, top quality lenses hold their value better than camera bodies, so you will have a higher value combination when you move up to a better body and better resale value if you decide to make a major future change.

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

Let us know what you decide, I don't think the D3400 has in camera calibration.

Bipod

Right, I'll just scan a few prints, so you can display the pixels on your LCD monitor.

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

Nose bent out of shape? Once again... What have YOU produced? Pot shots from those who are unable or unwilling to share their work is just that: Pot shots. I'm not interested in displaying pixels on my monitor, but rather more interested in seeing exactly what you proposed in your rant. Get close. Show interest. Make it more interesting. Make zoologists swoon. Well... show us your work or may I suggest you move on and quit being critical of those trying to get better and share.

Bipod

I had the courtesy to answer your ad hominem post.

Tell me how to send resin coated paper over a wire and I'll do it.

While I'm at it, I'll send you some vegetable to eat from my garden.
What file format works best for vegetables?

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

Thank you so much for the courtesy! Since I won't be using the rental(s) to take film images or grow vegetables, your comments are neither relavant or helpful. Once again, I classify you as a troll on a photography blog who is unwilling to share results, but is willing to be snarky. I now wonder if you even have a camera, or just spend your time peeping pixels and complaining that nobody entertains you enough. Once again, post some results or you continue to look like a rube

Bipod

The zuchini will go in RAW mode...it shouldn't affect the flavor.

Since I'm apparently not getting through: a photograph is not a disk file.
Understand? It's an object: a print.

Having a letter from George Washington is not the same thing as
having an e-mail from George Washington, right? And someone who
collects letters probably doesn't collect e-mails. Well, I make and
collect prints.

Some people are particular about how their work is viewed. If you
aren't, that's fine. Any old computer monitor will do for your work--
or a photocopy

Sorry if people who diagree with you are "trolls", "rubes", or whatever.
But you know, sometimes people do just disagree -- and that's OK.

If insteads of insults, you would say what's really bothering you, then
we might get somewhere. Perhaps this is the only place you can
show your work and I'm spoiling the party? Perhaps the approval
of other people is very important to you?---I don't know. You tell me.

Ah...I see you posted several photos of a Pileated Woodpecker.
(Is that a woodpecker with piles? ).
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-550853-1.html
Now I get it: you are another nature photographer. Well I'm for that.

But I'm not going to lie to you and say those are good photos.
(Though no doubt it took time and skill to get them.)

But I think you already know that, thanks to my first post on this
thread. So pride of authorship explains your whole outburst.

Frankly, they look like counter-intelligence surveillance photos:

2:46 pm subject WOODPECKER observed in tree.
(covert photo #1).

3:02 pm WOODPECKER apparently servicing dead drop
located in knot hole, north side of trunk (covert photo #2).

4:15 pm WOODPECKER returned to nest. Surveillance
terminated pending further orders.

I thought the point of nature photography was to look natural.

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

See, now that is funny!!!! I get it. I appreciate your humor. I will rent a dark room set up and continue my surveillance.

From my investigation per "All About Birds":

Pileated woodpeckers have been observed to move to another site if any eggs have fallen out of the nest–a rare habit in birds.

Below find attached additional surveillance sourced from allaboutbirds.org

Good day to you!!!!
.
.

2:10pm could not get subject to pose in a natural state but was able to capture candid

Bipod

Now that one I really like! It's well composed and the bird is doing something striking: lift-off!
The tree bark gives us a sense of the enviroment (and something to look at besides bird and bokah).
Great nature photo! It must of taken a thousand hours to get that shot.

racerrich3 Loc: Los Angeles, Ca.

catching up on a few past emails. yes it should work on the D3400 as it works great on my D3300. :-)