I have a group of favorite SLR cameras, which are the ones I usually recommend, but if you ask me for a single almost "absolute" recommendation for a photographer who is starting out in the SLR world, I will answer you « Nikon D3300«, a camera whose functions and characteristics have only evolved over time, and whose price, paradoxically and fortunately, has only gone down ?
THAT FIRST LOVE
I opened my eyes to photography with a Nikon D60. A camera that was very basic, without frills or frills. It did not have LiveView, with it you could not look at what you were framing on the screen, to look live and shoot you had to place your eye on the viewfinder. It had no more than 10 megapixels, 3 scant focus points, and extra features like Wi-Fi, let's not even talk about it. Even so, I'm talking about many years ago, with what it offered it was already a great camera, worth the 750 Euros it cost at that time. I started my journey in the SLR world with it, and although my needs evolved and I ended up moving on to more professional cameras, to this day I not only keep my D60 with great affection, but also use it regularly. Its small dimensions and low weight make it very easy to handle and transport.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE NIKON D3300
Over time, the Nikon D60 was replaced by the Nikon D3000, the same camera but with a changed name and evolved features. After a few years, it changes its name in turn and is renamed D3100, and again, the change entails important additions in terms of functionality. After a while, it took another leap again, renamed D3200, until it landed today in what we know as D3300 .
As I was saying, every time this camera changed its name, Nikon expanded its functionality, making it more contemporary, more useful and adding extras.
When I look at the features of the current Nikon D3300 compared to my D60, the evolution was tremendous:
- 24 megapixel resolution. When I tried the 10-megapixel D60 years ago I remember being blown away.
- High definition video recording (1080 at 60fps). The Nikon D60 did not have video directly. If you wanted video in addition to photos, you had to carry a video camera in your backpack.
- Live View, functionality that allows you to frame while looking through the camera's own screen and shoot by seeing what you are photographing live from the screen. The D60 obviously didn't have this. The screen only served to look at the photos once they had been shot.
- The D3300 comes equipped with a long-lasting battery, lasting around 700 shots. The D60's battery lasts considerably less.
And so I could continue with each of the features of the camera, ISO sensitivity (better photos at night), focus points (better autofocus), weight, sensor, Wi-Fi connectivity, connection to the mobile phone, etc.
Ultimately, if the Nikon D60 was a great camera, the D3300 is a 10x great camera.
D3300: GREAT CAMERA, SMALL PRICE
When it comes to buying a camera or recommending one to someone, I have a habit of avoiding the "latest thing" on the market. Normally when manufacturers launch a new model on the market, they usually place it at a relatively high price, leaving the immediately previous model at a much more affordable price. As there is little difference in terms of functionality between one model and the next, my recommendation is always to buy the immediately previous model.
Using this rule of thumb, the Nikon D3200, which is the immediate predecessor model to the D3300, should be my top recommendation. This was the case for a long time, until the price of the Nikon D3300 began to drop. As I write these lines, on Amazon, my favorite store, the Nikon D3200costs N/Awhile the D3300 (top model)is in about N/A right now (both with lens included). The close price difference between the two models makes the D3300 my most recommended camera at the moment. The difference in performance more than makes up for that slight difference in price. Also, when I compare again the difference in performance between my old D60 and the current D3300 together with the price that the first one cost me (750 Euros) compared to the current price of the D3300 ( N/A) I laugh ?
PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN WITH THE D3300
Photos are never the product of a camera, but of the photographer behind it. Still, it's reassuring to know that the camera you've chosen, used properly, is capable of producing impressive photographic results. This is the case of the Nikon D3300. Below is a small selection of photographs taken with this camera, mostly by amateurs.
If you like this camera, remember that you have the Nikon D3200 by N/Aapproximately or, by a slight difference, the superior model the D3300. If you ask me my recommendation right now I would recommend the D3300 , for me it is the absolute best DSLR for the hobbyist and beginner photographer right now.
