Which camera is better choice - Nikon D3400 vs Nikon 5300? Or other suggestions... (Page 3): Christine, many times asking questions such as yours elicits lots of different answers...

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Christine, many times asking questions such as yours elicits lots of different answers and although excellent they can contribute even more to your confusion. I am not very familiar with the entry cameras you are mentioning here since I have never used them so I cannot make any comments on them.
The 7000 series of cameras from Nikon are very good and their AF is excellent. Those cameras in the second hand market have an excellent price and I am pretty sure they will fulfill your needs.
The 70-300 VR lens has very good quality and you certainly can use it often for many "macro" shots but if indeed you are into macro photography an old 105 f2.8 non VR lens from Nikon with camera on a tripod should do a very good job with macro photography while doubling as an excellent portrait lens.
I have shot macro shots with the 70-300 VR but the macro lens is hard to beat and the prices in the second hand market are very attractive. Tamron also has a very good 90mm f2.8 macro but the price could be very similar to the Nikon lens.
Good luck with your choice.

truckster Loc: Tampa Bay Area

cwilletts wrote:

Hi - I have been reading and comparing DSLRs until... (show quote)

I also have a 3300 and love this camera, but if mine was stolen (just the body and one lens not all my other lenses) I would have my hand forced and I would opt for a Nikon refurbished 7200.

Djedi

cwilletts wrote:

I love to shoot sporting events, of course, friends and interesting people, architecture when traveling on vacation. I don't shoot many videos but would like the ease of transferring pictures from camera to online. Right now, quick autofocus is what I need.

Christine

Christine:
First off, go used. You can get a great deal on a gently used D7100 body without or with lenses. Right now you can find one example on ebay #282419114940. The only problem with that deal is that the longer lens is a Nikkor AF 55-200 VR, which is OK, but not as well regarded as the new AF-P 70-300 VR Nikkor. I purchased a gray market 70-300 on ebay for just over $200 and it is fabulously sharp. Just make sure you get the VR version since it is hard to hand-hold a 300mm lens without shaking. On the D7100 you will not be able to turn VR off, but take my word for it, it won't matter. But that lens won't work on a D7000, so it must be at least the D7100 or D7200.

Ricinus Loc: Leduc Alberta

Seeing as I just upgraded to one- D7100..

Mike

sloscheider Loc: Minnesota

The D5500 body is selling for $600 right now at B&H

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1111429-REG/nikon_1544_d5500_dslr_camera_body.html

dandi Loc: near Seattle, WA

I would go with D5300/D5500. Why? Better autofocus. D5300/5500 has 39 focus points vs 11 in D3400, it might be helpful when you shoot sport events. And of course articulating screen, it’s a big plus.
D5500 also has touchscreen. D5500/5300 also can do bracketing. All these cameras will give you excellent image quality.

Djedi

dandi wrote:

I would go with D5300/D5500. Why? Better autofocus. D5300/5500 has 39 focus points vs 11 in D3400, it might be helpful when you shoot sport events. And of course articulating screen, it’s a big plus.
D5500 also has touchscreen. D5500/5300 also can do bracketing. All these cameras will give you excellent image quality.

Only thing is- the D5500/5300 cannot use the older auto-focus lenses since those lenses do not have an internal focus motor and nor do those cameras.
D7XXX all are compatible with older AF lenses. Just in case that matters to you.

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

GPS Phil wrote:

Take a good look at a refurb. D7100. It falls real close to your price range, and is a huge step up. One of Nikons best!

Phil

The D3400 does have one advantage if you like to distribute your images via your cellphone. The D3400 does that better.

dandi Loc: near Seattle, WA

Djedi wrote:

Only thing is- the D5500/5300 cannot use the older auto-focus lenses since those lenses do not have an internal focus motor and nor do those cameras.
D7XXX all are compatible with older AF lenses. Just in case that matters to you.

But D5xxx and D3xxx can use Non-ai lenses that D7xxx can't use. For D7xxx they need to be converted to Ai. I like using Nikon vintage manual focus lenses on my D5100.

viscountdriver Loc: East Kent UK

[quote=tomcat]Don't get the 3400. I got one for my wife and traded it back in after 1 shooting session. Could not tolerate the skimpy menu system and lack of buttons because I shoot with the big brothers, D750 and D500.[/quote
That is not a sensible statement. It depends entirely what you want from photography. For some folk the D3400 is entirely the right camera.It produces excellent shots with the minimum of effort and is a great stepstone to a more complicated camera and a god learning curve.
If you are a photographer who's spare time is nothing but photography get a more advanced camera but don't knock those for whom the D3400 is ample.
Read Ken Rockwell but I expect you don't think much of him.

Djedi

dandi wrote:

But D5xxx and D3xxx can use Non-ai lenses that D7xxx can't use. For D7xxx they need to be converted to Ai. I like using Nikon vintage manual focus lenses on my D5100.

Not to generalize, but the OP seems more interested in getting the most versatile camera to do what she wants to do, efficiently. I'm not sure old "S" lenses fit into that category.
Not to mention that anyone playing with those would probably not need to ask her question.

dandi Loc: near Seattle, WA

Djedi wrote:

Not to generalize, but the OP seems more interested in getting the most versatile camera to do what she wants to do, efficiently. I'm not sure old "S" lenses fit into that category.
Not to mention that anyone playing with those would probably not need to ask her question.

I agree, but you were the one who mentioned "older auto-focus lenses".

MtnMan Loc: ID

GPS Phil wrote:

Take a good look at a refurb. D7100. It falls real close to your price range, and is a huge step up. One of Nikons best!

Phil

I much prefer the D5300 over any D7xxx. I don't get the "step up". I consider the D5300 the step up with a better control system (active info screen vs. randomly placed buttons with unreadable green screen), articulated LCD, included GPS and wireless, and 1/2 the weight and price. They take the same images.

MtnMan Loc: ID

[quote=viscountdriver][quote=tomcat]Don't get the 3400. I got one for my wife and traded it back in after 1 shooting session. Could not tolerate the skimpy menu system and lack of buttons because I shoot with the big brothers, D750 and D500.[/quote
That is not a sensible statement. It depends entirely what you want from photography. For some folk the D3400 is entirely the right camera.It produces excellent shots with the minimum of effort and is a great stepstone to a more complicated camera and a god learning curve.
If you are a photographer who's spare time is nothing but photography get a more advanced camera but don't knock those for whom the D3400 is ample.
Read Ken Rockwell but I expect you don't think much of him.[/quote]

I would get the D3300 over the D3400 because they eliminated sensor cleaner on the D3400.

Djedi

Well, yes. Touche'.
And the thought did come to me while I was writing the last response, but I have used older AF lenses without much loss of convenience. But "S" lenses take a bit more experience, thought, and effort than most "faint of heart" or light in experience will want to invest in each photo.