Nikon D3400 Pro Reviews

The Nikon D3400 has plenty going for it, with a beautifully compact body, a decent AF system, huge battery life and reliable image quality. It is, however, a familiar case of it currently being priced well above a number of older but better-specified alternatives, from mirrorless models from rival manufacturers to Nikon's alternative DSLRs.

The Nikon D3400 is a solid entry-level SLR camera with wireless transfer capability and a Guide Mode to help you get better shots.

Although the D3400 only received a modest update it still hold its own as one of the better beginner DSLRs on the market. The camera still features a 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor that offers fantastic Raw performance and punchy, yet pleasing JPEGs. The kit lenses have seen an upgrade to their focus motors which makes for much faster focusing times in Live-View and during video capture. The AF system is reliable, but it's very sparse in coverage and has difficulty tracking subjects like small children. More advanced shooters will be disappointed by the control layout, which still doesn't allow for much growth as a photographer. The camera also lacks a touch or articulating screen that would make better use of the D3400's features. That being said the D3400 still performs very well and produces quality photos.

Designed to be an entry-level, easy to use DSLR the D3400 features built-in Bluetooth (but not Wi-Fi) and unfortunately, there are limitations including the inability to shoot remotely, and the camera has less connectivity than the D3300. For those looking for DSLR image quality then noise performance is very good and better than much of the competition at this price point. Focus and shutter response are both fast when using the optical viewfinder, becoming much slower when using liveview. The kit lens performs reasonably well, and is quite compact, but to get the best results, a prime lens, such as the 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 is recommended. If you want a Digital SLR that is can instantly share photos to your smartphone, then the Nikon D3400 offers great image quality and good value for money. If you can live without the instant connection, and want to remotely control your camera then there are other options available.

While the extended battery life and Snapbridge support are both nice additions to the new Nikon D3400, it doesn't really offer anything that the previous D300 model did, either in terms of features or design. Indeed, the new model actually offers fewer Special Effects (10 rather than the previous 13) and also sacrifices both the connector for an optional cable release or GPS unit and the external microphone socket to make way for the Bluetooth connectivity. The biggest improvements in our view are the new 18-55m AF-D VR kit lens, which really speeds up Live View and movie shooting, and the much more aggressive price-tag, which makes it more appealing to smartphone upgraders.