View single post by Robert
 Posted: Tue Nov 7th, 2017 06:36
Robert



Joined: Sun Apr 1st, 2012
Location: South Lakeland, UK
Posts: 4066
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With the D3100-D3400 the Auto mode does just what it says. It's fully automatic. For most of the time, for me, that's fine - wonderful even. Nikon's fully auto mode usually produces excellent images.

On the rare occasions I need something more, I find these cameras extremely frustrating. Almost all settings have to be made through the menu system, with which I am far from familiar. With my D200's, D300S and D3 I can access all the vital exposure controls without resorting to the menu hierarchy. BUT that comes at a cost.

The D3xxx range is an interchangeable lens body aimed at people who prefer to be insulated from the technical aspects of photography. I bought mine so I could photograph at reasonable quality in my workshop/garage to document car building without exposing my more expensive cameras to the rigours of grinding and welding with no worries. It has also doubled as a 'family' camera so my son can get into photography without having to understand the technical side, which sends him to sleep! LOL He still managed to get soil or something into the pentaprism, which together with some bashing, seems to have killed the AF.

You may consider getting something like a D200 or D300 both of which produce excellent images and are perfect for photographing bugs, these days they can be had for really cheap prices and represent a cost effective entry to photography where you have control. Close up photography benefits from manual settings, you need to manually control the aperture and focus particularly, that's key to maximising depth of focus and controlling sharpness.



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Robert.