dondjbmini

Good morning ladies and gentlemen I am looking at a Nikon D3400 kit with 18-55 and 70-300 lenses this camera is for my daughter she is eleven and has had point and shoot cameras up till now. she has asked for a real camera that she can use for nature , landscapes as well as the usual photos of friends and what ever is going on in her life I was hoping that you may be able to advise weather this would be a good starting camera for her to learn on she is a smart cookie and very tech savvy unlike me

lamontcranston

Many people think the Nikon D3300 camera that was displaced by the D3400 is a better camera. B&H Photo has new D3300's with the 18-55 kit lens on sale for $446.95. That's a great bargain.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1023353-REG/nikon_1532_d3300_dslr_camera_with.html

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

In my opinion, unless money is an issue, the Nikon d3400 is a good camera, but, I would opt for the d7200. The d7200 would last longer without needing an upgrade due to out growing the d3400, plus, you would not be limited on lenses, as the d7200 has an internal focusing motor in the camera. You should be able to pick up a used or refurbished camera for a reasonable price. Happy shooting to your daughter.

Leon S Loc: Minnesota

The D3300 will take beautiful pictures, but she said she wanted to get a real camera. To me that would mean at least the D7100/D7200 or better yet the D200/D300/D700. To me a real camera takes its settings from the outside of the camera, not from a format screen. Those camera come the closest to the operation of a film camera.

67skylark27 Loc: Fort Atkinson, WI

The d3200 or d3300 are great - not much to gain from the 3400 really. The d3200's are readily
available used as people upgrade. I am now at a d5300 and love it.
Pair it with a 35mm 1.8, and a 18-140 zoom for outdoors and that would be a great starter combo.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

The choice of camera depends on whether you are willing to spend a bit more or not. I always feel it is a good idea to buy the best you can afford. Recommendations for the D7200 do make sense since your daughter has already shown that she is serious about photography. The kit lenses that come with the D3400 are decent lenses, covering all the focal lengths she will need at this point. You could look for similar bundles with the D7200. The big thing will be learning to use the camera, but there will be a steep learning curve no matter which model you choose. Digital cameras tend to have a lot of features in common, all the way up to the top levels. It is the differences that determine whether they are entry level, pro-sumer, or pro cameras. It may take a while before she learns how to use ALL features, but when starting out this is part of the fun! As someone else pointed out, with a better body she will be growing into it longer, therefore will not outgrow it too quickly and then want something with more capabilities and more features.

Here is what I suggest you tell her: Before using the camera, read the manual from cover to cover. She will not understand everything, but at least she will get a general idea of what the camera can do. [The manual will come with the camera, but can also be downloaded online before the camera arrives.] Then she should read the manual again with camera in hand so she improves her understanding of the buttons/controls. When she is out taking pictures she can always use the Auto mode at first, but she will want to take the time to learn how to use the other modes as well. Each one of them has its uses depending on the situation. If she has the patience to do it, she could work her way through Program, Shutter-Priority, Aperture-Priority, and Manual, at least a week using each one all the time.

Another thing she ought to understand is the exposure triangle: Aperture - Shutter Speed - ISO. A point and shoot figures these out for you, but when you have a camera on which you can adjust each one, it is important to understand how they interact and work together. Changing one changes the others...

My first DSLR was a D7000 with similar kit lenses. I used it for 5 years before buying a D810. In the meantime I replaced the lenses with faster ones, replaced my tripod with a better one, and bought filters - a circular polarizer and a graduated neutral density. But these changes were only purchased as I learned and KNEW why I wanted them. Keeping a wish list helps with setting priorities. First I have to bide my time until I can justify the expense and find a sale with a good price!

By now your daughter knows that it is the person behind the camera that makes the photos. A better camera will not make her a better photographer, but it WILL allow her more freedom to improve her skills and capture better images! A better tool in good hands will make the job easier.

PS: Just looked at B&H's website, noted that the bundle lens is the 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6 DX VR. It would be a good starter lens as long as she is not wanting to take photos of birds and other far-away subjects. For that she would need a longer focal length lens. Don't be shy of purchasing pre-owned or refurbished as long as it is from a trusted vendor. That is how I purchased the lenses I now have. [Trusted online vendors - B&H, Adorama, Cameta, KEH]. This way you can be confident the lenses are as advertised and will often appear to be like new! Return policies are excellent if not satisfied.]

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Yes - for an 11 year old child, this is a great entry-level choice. Many adults will be challenged by the technical complexity of a DSLR. It can be her camera for easily the next decade. She doesn't need to treat it like delicate stemware, but be sure to note for her which lenses have plastic mounts and cannot be abused by banging around in a backpack, etc.

CO

Nikon eliminated the ultrasonic sensor cleaner in the D3400. All of Nikon's recent DSLR have had that feature. Its built-in flash has only one-half the power of the flash in the D3300. I would look for a new D3300. Amazon has brand new cameras that are sometimes one or two generation behind the current models. If you get the D3400 be sure to get a filtered blower. I purchased the Koh Global Hepa Jet Air II blower. It has a large hepa filter, a one-way check valve, and an anti-static filter. Its bulb is made of medical grade PVC. The rubber bulbs on many blowers can shed fine rubber particles. Adorama Camera has it and you can also order it directly from Koh Global.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

At eleven, I'd suggest a high quality bridge camera. Sixteen to eighteen for a DSLR.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

But she is only 11, and she might want to get action shots. She'll need something tough and fast - D5!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Good choice, but don't rule out refurbished - always my first choice. You get more camera for less money.

Read comparisons and specs, and decide what features are important to you.
(Reviews) https://www.youtube.com/user/TheCameraStoreTV/videos
http://www.cameradecision.com/
http://cameras.reviewed.com/
http://camerasize.com/
http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM
http://snapsort.com/compare
http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras?utm_campaign=internal-link&utm_source=mainmenu&utm_medium=text&ref=mainmenu

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Thanks for that recommendation. Adorama isn't cooperating now, but here's a link.
http://www.kohglobal.com/JetAir.html

B&H says it's discontinued, but maybe that's not the II. Amazon says it's not available.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/607870-REG/Koh_KOHHJA_HEPA_Jet_Air_Dust_Free.html

dckean Loc: Midlothian, scotland

Go ahead and get her the D3400,,its a great learning camera and out performs a lot if the more expensive cropped sensor cameras,;once shes got the hang of the basics,;then go for an upgrade

aschweik Loc: NE Ohio

I got my daughter a 3400 for her 13th birthday this year. It is a good camera, takes excellent photos, and is not complicated. I got it refurbished with the same 2 lenses for $399 (Adorama). No matter what camera you choose, refurbished is the way to go. And you don't want one that's too hard to use or she'll give up using it before she starts. She doesn't need a state of the art camera at 11, and the 3400 will be a good starting point. She can use it for years until someday, if she's still interested, she can upgrade. Maybe someday she'll be posting her photos on here as a new UHH member! Hope she enjoys whatever camera you choose for her!

BuckeyeBilly Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

Almost everybody likes to have a choice and so I'm going to give you one to consider: since your daughter is only 11, size and weight of the camera might make a difference in your selection. With that, you might want to consider the new Canon SL-2. Here is a review of it along with sample photos:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/sl2.htm#spex