Nikon D3300 Digital Field Guide

Chapter 1: Exploring the Nikon D3300

The 3000 series of cameras are the smallest dSLRs in the Nikon lineup. The D3300 body was redesigned using the monocoque structure, which first appeared in the D5300. The design allows the camera to be smaller and lighter than the D3200 while gaining a stronger structural integrity.

Because these cameras are much more compact than the Nikon professional series cameras, by necessity they have fewer buttons with which to change the myriad combinations of settings. That being said, the D3300 does have its fair share of buttons and dials, many of which have more than one function depending on the way the camera is programmed and which mode the camera is in. It’s important to become familiar with the camera and all of its buttons and dials first, so that you can quickly change the necessary settings to adapt to your shooting environment.

Knowing where the buttons are and what they do allows you to change your settings without taking your eye from the viewfinder so you don’t miss a shot.

Key Components of the D3300

As I mentioned previously, the D3300 doesn’t have the multitudes of buttons and dials that some of the other Nikon camera models do, so the few controls the camera does have are very important. Most of them perform numerous duties depending on the camera mode, so understanding how each control functions is key to controlling your camera ...