Recommendations most welcome!

[John J Gold]

Ai yi yi! I'm hoping once I get the D3400 body and these two lenses I'll be set for a while....

 

[Derrel]

Thanks for the tip! I'm looking at the D3400 almost exclusively and from the chart you provided (if I'm looking at it right) the lens I bought is compatible with no issues. Beginner's (read "Dumb") luck!

Geez, buying a DSLR is more like building a computer than anything else I've done

The problem is that Nikon compatibility is not as good as Canon.
Canon made a hard break back in the 80s when they changed mounts. And from what I understand, any EF lens can be used on any EF camera.
Nikon still uses the 1950s F mount, BUT it is all the other connections to the camera that have changed MANY times, and make the compatibility one of "it depends" on which lens and which camera.

When I look at a Nikon lens, I have to look at that chart to see if it will work with my camera.

EXCEPT that Canon EF-R (S for Short Registration distance) lenses will NOT work on Canon FF models, or even the earliest model(s) of Canon APS-C cameras,despite the APS-C sensor being used in the Canon D 30, D60,and 10 D Models, IMMSMC...with ALL Nikon APS-C or ALL NIKON FX bodies, the Nikon DX lenses will mount,and shoot...maybe with only partial coverage on the FX sensor area, but that beats being un-able to use an EF-R lens on a FF Canon body,or the earlier APS-C Canon models, at least from my POV.

Nikon has stayed with the F-mount since 1959...

 

[ac12]

Thanks for the tip! I'm looking at the D3400 almost exclusively and from the chart you provided (if I'm looking at it right) the lens I bought is compatible with no issues. Beginner's (read "Dumb") luck!

Geez, buying a DSLR is more like building a computer than anything else I've done

The problem is that Nikon compatibility is not as good as Canon.
Canon made a hard break back in the 80s when they changed mounts. And from what I understand, any EF lens can be used on any EF camera.
Nikon still uses the 1950s F mount, BUT it is all the other connections to the camera that have changed MANY times, and make the compatibility one of "it depends" on which lens and which camera.

When I look at a Nikon lens, I have to look at that chart to see if it will work with my camera.

EXCEPT that Canon EF-S (S for Short Registration distance) lenses will NOT work on Canon FF models, or even the earliest model(s) of Canon APS-C cameras,despite the APS-C sensor being used in the Canon D 30, D60,and 10 D Models, IMMSMC...with ALL Nikon APS-C or ALL NIKON FX bodies, the Nikon DX lenses will mount,and shoot...maybe with only partial coverage on the FX sensor area, but that beats being un-able to use an EF-S lens on a FF Canon body,at least from my POV.

Nikon has stayed with the F-mount since 1959...

Ha, so Canon fumbled the ball as well.

 

[Derrel]

60 years' worth of cameras and lenses...and you check a compatability chart occasionally? LOL?

 

[ac12]

60 years' worth of cameras and lenses...and you check a compatability chart occasionally? LOL?

It wasn't that bad, because I only had a few cameras and lenses. And GAS only got bad recently.

With the film cameras it was easy.

My first Nikon cameras (Nikkormat FTn and Nikon F2) were pre-AI, so pre-AI lenses or AI with the ears.
If it had the coupling prong, it worked.​

Digital was when things got complicated.

• My D70 was when I had to first look at the charts to determine which of the older film era lenses I could use on the D70; no pre-AI lenses. Limiting myself to older AF and AF-D lenses minimized the compatibility problem. Besides, the bigger AF-S lenses were beyond my budget. After 13 years, the D70 died and was replaced with the D7200.

• With the D7200, again, no pre-AI lenses.
  The major reason that I got the D7200 was the internal focusing motor to drive the AF and AF-D lenses.
  And then came more new types of lenses. Here was where I first ran into a new lens that I could not use, AF-P. I cannot turn off the VR with the D7200, so I can't use it on a tripod. And that was not a restriction that I could live with, so no AF-P.

• Now that I'm thinking about FX/FF, I get to do it again, with a 3rd dSLR.

 

[John J Gold]

Well I ordered my D3400 today. Got it from KEH with an AF-P 18-55mm VR both for $287. My 70-300mm VR (refurb) from Adorama.com will be here Thursday. ($149)

The camera body and 18-55 lens are both used E+.

Am considering this flash from Amazon. Several people have confirmed that it is compatible with the D3400.

If all goes well, I should have my initial setup within my original budget.

Thanks to all of you for your amazing help with my first DSLR purchase!

 

[Designer]

Am considering this flash from Amazon.

The price is attractive!

I noticed this note:

Note: Flash does not work on TTL mode.

You probably don't need it, but it is handy in some situations.

Have fun!

 

[dunfly]

Missed out on the D5300 but got the 70-300 VR lens. Found a few good deals on a D3400 with the standard 18-55mm VR lens.

-Used D3400 $297+shipping
-Refurb-black only-$349

I admit I'm a little nervous about buying a used camera although the seller has a high feedback rating Going to sleep on it. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be.

Here's one I saw on Amazon for mid- to high $300s. Can't remember if it is $359 or $389.
https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-D3400-Digital-Camera-18-55mm/dp/B0727RH23G

check back at Adorama. I saw they had another D5300 in stock at $329. Don't wait though.

https://www.adorama.com/inkd5300bkr.html

 

[John J Gold]

Missed out on the D5300 but got the 70-300 VR lens. Found a few good deals on a D3400 with the standard 18-55mm VR lens.
-Used D3400 $297+shipping
-Refurb-black only-$349

I admit I'm a little nervous about buying a used camera although the seller has a high feedback rating Going to sleep on it. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be.

Here's one I saw on Amazon for mid- to high $300s. Can't remember if it is $359 or $389.
https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-D3400-Digital-Camera-18-55mm/dp/B0727RH23G

check back at Adorama. I saw they had another D5300 in stock at $329. Don't wait though.

https://www.adorama.com/inkd5300bkr.html

.
Thanks but I pretty much sold myself on the D3400. I got the body and the 18-55mm VR lens for $287. With free shipping.

Still have to invest in about $100 in accessories. Found a pretty nice camera bag for $23 and a bundle with 2 extra batteries, dual charger, 12V adapter and cable, plus a 64GB Class 10 card for $43 (It's an "also bought with..." add-on)

I don't (as of this moment) have a lot of need for the remote shutter in the flash bundle but the price difference is extremely negligible - $35 vs $33.

Battery Bundle
Flash Bundle
Large Camera Bag

 

[Derrel]

All sounds good!

 

[Designer]

Those little IR remotes are handy, if nothing else. A month ago I bought three of them because they are so cheap.

 

[Derrel]

TTL flash is nice, but AUTO-Thyristor flash shooting (The S1 and S2 settings on the flash) involves selecting aperture setting 1, or aperture 2, based on the ISO level in use,and has a 50-or-so year history of working well...one aperture is usually f/4 at ISO level of 200 to 400, and the other is usually two or three stops smaller ( f /8 or maybe f/11 at ISO 400). The actual aperture values to Use/Set for the lens will be given in the instructions for the flash,and usually are indicated on the flash itself also. This is a very good method of flash exposure control,and pre-dates TtL Flash by many years...

 

[ac12]

Those little IR remotes are handy, if nothing else. A month ago I bought three of them because they are so cheap.

Only if you have access to the IR sensor.
If the sensor is in the front of the camera (for selfies), then you have to reach over the camera and point the remote back at the camera to make it work. That was a problem that I had with the D70, and the key reason I got the D70S was the wired remote, so I did not have to hassle with reaching over the camera to use the IR remote.