Photography News 06

Camera review

27

ISO performance

The Expeed 4 processor in the D3300 offers a top native setting of ISO 12,800 and an expanded setting of ISO 25,600. With no Adobe Lightroom update yet available for the D3300 images, we assessed ISO performance in Raw files converted in the ViewNX 2 software that came in the box. Close examination reveals noise as low as ISO 400, especially in the shadows, and by 800 there’s noticeable uniform grain across the image. At this level, it doesn’t impact too much, but that changes at ISO 1600, where detail starts to diminish. This is the highest setting I’d use without thinking twice; from here detail loss and noise get progressively worse. Obvious banding shows itself at ISO 6400, and the top two settings aren’t worth considering.

ISO 100

ISO 200

ISO 400

ISO 800

ISO 1600

ISO 3200

ISO 6400

ISO 12,800

ISO 25,600

matter? Probably not unless you’re likely to subject it to rough treatment. It’s perfectly sturdy in the hand, and the big advantage is that it’s extremely light – great in this respect as a backup body, because it can sit in your bag without weighing you down. The body is small, but the grip’s nicely shaped and comfortable to hold – I can’t quite get my little finger on the bottom, but it didn’t bother me while using it. There is a distinct lack of buttons across the body when compared with some more advanced models, and if you’re used to plenty of direct access, you might find yourself searching at times. There’s an exposure compensation button behind the shutter release, and a drive mode selector button on the back. Of course, there’s a command dial, but only one, so in aperture- or shutter-priority mode this controls your main setting, while in manual mode, you need to hold the exposure compensation button to change the aperture. Essentially, that’s it for direct access though. There’s a single programmable button on the left of the body, which can be set to control one of image quality, ISO, white-balance or Active D-Lighting. And this shows the kind of control limitations you come across, because you can’t, for example, have direct access to ISO and white-balance simultaneously. The only other customisable button is the AE-L/ AF-L – this is restricted to variations on exposure and focus lock combinations, although AF-ON can be assigned to it, instead of the shutter release. The second level of control is the ‘i’ menu, which includes functions such as AF mode, AF area, metering, white-balance, flash compensation and ISO. For more, such as Active D-Lighting, Picture Control and noise reduction, you have to go through the main menu. Limitations in handling aside, the controls are nice to use – the buttons are positive, and don’t have the cheap, plasticky feel that you sometimes come across at this kind of price point. Nikon is resisting the trend for touch screens, but in this case I think it would have been genuinely useful – since the menus are necessary to use the camera, touch functionality may well have sped things up.

24megapixels, EXPEED4 processor, a top ISOof 25,600 and 5fps…There’s no getting away fromthe fact that £500 seems a bargain for this kind of performance

LEFT The Nikon D3300 has a whole raft of features to play with including creative modes like this Toy Camera effect.

The verdict

the D3300 has a lot going for it by any photographer’s standards.

use – it’s perfectly well laid out and easy to use, but if you’re used to more advanced cameras, it’s frustrating. Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of the D3300 is its size. It’s incredibly light, and very compact – in fact, its weight is similar to some compact system cameras, so if you’re considering going mirrorless to lighten the load, this entry-level camera might also be worth considering. Alternatively, if you want a backup body on a budget, then this won’t take up much room in your bag or weigh you down, while you can still use it with your existing Nikon lenses and be sure of image quality that matches your main camera. It may be listed under entry-level cameras, but there’s no denying that

Camera technology advances at such a rate that the entry-level cameras of today are using the technology of the advanced and professional cameras of yesterday. The D3300 is a case in point – 24 megapixels, EXPEED 4, a top ISO of 25,600 and 5fps shooting is a spec list that rivals the D7000, which was until just a few months ago Nikon’s top DX model. There’s no getting away from the fact that £500 seems a bargain for this kind of performance. That said, there are compromises. The 11-point AF system is relatively simple, and it’s not enough if you’re shooting action, despite the reasonable continuous shooting speed. The handling is limiting too, with few direct access buttons meaning regular menus

NIKOND3300

23/25

FEATURES

Impressive specs for this level HANDLING 19/25 Minimal direct access can be frustrating PERFORMANCE 22/25 Generally excellent images VALUE FOR MONEY 24/25 A bargain for its capabilities

OVERALL

88/100

PROS Resolution, small and light, price CONS Handling, simple AF system Worth considering for its price to performance ratio

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Issue 6 | Photography News

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