What makes a photograph interesting? Which point all successful photographers have in common !! The answer is simple – Two things can make a photograph interesting. First is the MOMENT & 2nd the COMPOSITION. A good picture may have both or either of the two. So to get an exciting image I don’t need the best gear or powerful computer for post processing. The Nikon D3300 is a decent camera to begin with for those who love photography.
Look & Feel
The D3300 is small DSLR and very easy to carry around. The poly-carbonate lightweight body is strong enough to withstand the pressure of average use. The standard kit comes with a AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II lens. It has Retractable lens barrel which makes it very compact. The Camera itself is almost like its predecessor Nikon D3200 with some few changes. The top panel has speaker next to the mode dial. On the back the position of right sided buttons have been rearranged.
Due to small size of the camera my hand was covering all buttons on the back. Occasionally this caused unwanted setting changes while using the camera – little annoying.
Connectivity
The camera has all the basic connectivity options nothing special. No WiFi or GPS. The accessory terminal port which is located above the external microphone connector can be used to add GPS or Wireless Remote Controller unit. There is an Infrared receiver at the front of the camera which works in combination with optional ML-L3 remote control.
Auto-Focus Performance
Nikon D3300 comes with a 11 point autofocus system out of which only the center point is cross type. In real world the camera performs well in good lighting condition. In an overcast day it faces difficulty in focusing in subject lacking contrast. The focusing speed is average which is ok for the beginners but not for advance amature.
Image Quality
The D3300 can capture image in jpeg as well as 12bit compressed RAW format. It doesn’t have uncompressed or loss-less compressed RAW option. To get the maximum quality I usually shot in RAW. At 100% even with Nikon’s best lenses the images can be little soft compared to higher end Nikon DX cameras. But this is not a limiting factor for creating decent image. And in sunny environment you will hardly notice it. Overall I’m pleased with the camera in terms of image quality. The following examples show how images look even at 100% zoom –
ISO Performance & Exposure Tolerance
Even though Nikon D3300 is an entry level model Nikon incorporated ISO as high as 25600. The base ISO extends from 100 to 12800. The noise performance at ISO 100 to 400 is very good. Since its a 24 Megapixel camera and we don’t regularly make poster size print, noise will not be an issue even at high ISO of 1600. The color fidelity is more than acceptable.
Read Full Review Here – Nikon D3300 Dynamic Range & ISO Performance Test
Like all recent Nikon cameras D3300 has the ability to capture huge amount of data when it comes to dynamic range. As a result you can recover highlight and shadow details even from an poorly exposed RAW file. In following examples watch the histogram of the original image and image processed in RAW software. It clearly shows the immense capability the Nikon D3300 sensor holds.
Sample Images
Conclusion
In photography its the Man behind the machine that makes the image. With camera like Nikon D3300 its possible to create beautiful images easily. And for beginners and casual shooter it has more to offer than they need.