Introduction
What part of “entry level” doesn’t Nikon understand? This new, affordable beginner model is packed with advanced features, such as a class-leading 24 megapixels of resolution, and full high-definition 1920 × 1080 movie-making mode, and it includes a nifty Guide mode to lead the most neo of neophytes through the out-of-box basics. And, notably, it has the new SnapBridge facility that allows you to transfer photos from your D3400 camera to your Android or iOS smartphone or tablet—even when the camera is turned off! Nikon has stuffed all those features into a compact body that elevates entry level to a new high.
But, despite its growing feature list, the D3400 retains the ease of use that smoothes the transition for those new to digital photography. For those just dipping their toes into the digital pond, the experience is warm and inviting. The Nikon D3400 isn’t a snapshot camera—it’s a point-and-shoot (if you want to use it in that mode) for the thinking photographer.
But once you’ve confirmed that you made a wise purchase decision, the question comes up, how do I use this thing? All those cool features can be mind numbing to learn, if all you have as a guide is the manual furnished with the camera. Help is on the way. I sincerely believe that this book is your best bet for learning how to use your new camera, and for learning how to use it well.
If you’re a Nikon D3400 owner who’s looking to learn more about how to use this great camera, you’ve probably already explored your options. There are DVDs and online tutorials—but who can learn how to use a camera by sitting in front of a television or computer screen? Do you want to watch a movie or click on HTML links, or do you want to go out and take photos with your camera? Videos are fun, but not the best answer.
There’s always the starter manual furnished with the D3400. The printed version is compact and contains basic information. The full version, a PDF file you must download and read on your phone, tablet, or computer screen, has very little about why you should use particular settings or features. Its organization may make it difficult to find what you need. Multiple cross-references may send you searching back and forth between two or three sections of the book to find what you want to know. The basic manuals are also hobbled by black-and-white line drawings and tiny monochrome pictures that aren’t very good examples of what you can do.
Also available are third-party guides to the D3400, like this one. Many beginners haven’t been happy with some of these guidebooks, which is why I wrote this one. The existing books range from skimpy and illustrated by black-and-white photos to lushly illustrated in full color but too generic to do much good. Photography instruction is useful, but it needs to be related directly to the Nikon D3400 as much as possible.
David Busch’s Nikon D3400 Guide to Digital SLR Photography is aimed at both Nikon and dSLR veterans as well as newcomers to digital photography and digital SLRs. I’ve tried to make this guide different from your other D3400 learn-up options. The roadmap sections use larger, color pictures to show you where all the buttons and dials are, and the explanations of what they do are longer and more comprehensive. I’ve tried to avoid overly general advice, including the two-page checklists on how to take a “sports picture” or a “portrait picture” or a “travel picture.” Instead, you’ll find tips and techniques for using all the features of your Nikon D3400 to take any kind of picture you want. If you want to know where you should stand to take a picture of a quarterback dropping back to unleash a pass, there are plenty of books that will tell you that. This one concentrates on teaching you how to select the best autofocus mode, shutter speed, f/stop, or flash capability to take, say, a great sports picture under any conditions.
This book is not a lame rewriting of the manual that came with the camera. Some folks spend five minutes with a book like this one, spot some information that also appears in the original manual, and decide “Rehash!” without really understanding the differences. Yes, you’ll find information here that is also in the owner’s manual, such as the parameters you can enter when changing your D3400’s operation in the various menus. Basic descriptions—before I dig in and start providing in-depth tips and information—may also be vaguely similar. There are only so many ways you can say, for example, “Hold the shutter release down halfway to lock in exposure.” If you need advice on when and how to use the most important functions, you’ll find the information in this book.
Family Resemblance
If you’ve owned previous models in the Nikon digital camera line, and copies of my books for those cameras, you’re bound to notice a certain family resemblance. Nikon has been very crafty in introducing upgraded cameras that share the best features of the models they replace, while adding new capabilities and options. You benefit in two ways. If you used an earlier Nikon model, including the D3000, D3100, D3200, or D3300 prior to switching to the latest D3400 model, you’ll find that the D3400 has a certain familiarity for you, making it easy to make the transition. There are lots of features and menu choices of the D3400 that are exactly the same as those in the most recent models, or even “big siblings” like the D7200 and D5500. This family resemblance will help level the learning curve for you.
Similarly, when writing books for each new model, I try to retain the easy-to-understand explanations that worked for previous books dedicated to earlier camera models. Instead of re-inventing the wheel (trust me: shutter speeds and f/stops work in pretty much the same way with any camera), I concentrate on expanded descriptions of things readers have told me they want to know more about, a solid helping of fresh sample photos, and lots of details about the latest and greatest new features. Rest assured, this book was written expressly for you, and tailored especially for the D3400.
Who Am I?
After spending years as the world’s most successful unknown author, I’ve become slightly less obscure in the past few years, thanks to a horde of camera guidebooks and other photographically oriented tomes. You may have seen my photography articles in Popular Photography magazine. I’ve also written about 2,000 articles for magazines like Petersen’s PhotoGraphic (which is now defunct through no fault of my own), plus Rangefinder, Professional Photographer, and dozens of other photographic publications. But, first, and foremost, I’m a photojournalist and made my living in the field until I began devoting most of my time to writing books. Although I love writing, I’m happiest when I’m out taking pictures. In recent years, I’ve pulled up stakes and moved my entire office to Florida for the colder months. I am able to divide my time between writing books and photographing the interesting scenery and wildlife among the Keys (as well as the wild life in Key West). You’ll find photos of some of these visual treasures within the pages of this book.
Like all my digital photography books, this one was written by a Nikon devotee with an incurable photography bug. My first Nikon SLR was a venerable Nikon F back in the 1960s, and I’ve owned most of the newer digital models since then, including the new Nikon Df and D5.
Over the years, I’ve worked as a sports photographer for an Ohio newspaper and for an upstate New York college. I’ve operated my own commercial studio and photo lab, cranking out product shots on demand and then printing a few hundred glossy 8 × 10s on a tight deadline for a press kit. I’ve served as a photo-posing instructor for a modeling agency. People have actually paid me to shoot their weddings and immortalize them with portraits. I even prepared press kits and articles on all aspects of photography as a PR consultant for a (formerly) large Rochester, NY, company. My trials and travails with imaging and computer technology have made their way into print in book form an alarming number of times, including a few hundred on scanners, image editing, and photography.
Like you, I love photography for its own merits, and I view technology as just another tool to help me get the images I see in my mind’s eye. But, also like you, I had to master this technology before I could apply it to my work. This book is the result of what I’ve learned, and I hope it will help you master your Nikon D3400 digital SLR, too.
In closing, I’d like to ask a special favor: let me know what you think of this book. If you have any recommendations about how I can make it better, visit my website at www.nikonguides.com, click on the E-Mail Me tab, and send your comments, suggestions on topics that should be explained in more detail, or, especially, any typos. (The latter will be compiled on the Errata page you’ll also find on my website.) I really value your ideas, and appreciate it when you take the time to tell me what you think! Some of the content of the book you hold in your hands came from suggestions I received from readers like yourself. If you found this book especially useful, tell others about it. Visit http://www.amazon.com/dp/1681982307 and leave a positive review. Your feedback is what spurs me to make each one of these books better than the last. I also have a Facebook page called David D. Busch Photography Guides. In addition, you’ll find my equipment recommendations at http://astore.amazon.com/nikonphoto-20. Thanks!