The D3300 is the baby camera of Nikon’s DSLR series. It is designed to be someone’s first DSLR. However, I actually prefer this camera in most situations. It is noticeably smaller than Nikon’s higher tier cameras, but is new enough to match several of the more expensive cameras in resolution. Its thin main body allows the handle to sink more deeply inward, giving a more secure grip. It is also light enough to shoot from the hip, from the shoulder, etc (which make for great candids). Most of the other Nikons use two wheels to control aperture and shutter speed (as well as other options), but the D3300 consolidates these options into a single wheel, thus requiring much smaller hand movements when shooting. Its software also comes with a guide mode that walks new users through camera adjustments, but also comes in useful when there’s not enough time to set everything manually. The D3300 is a fantastically designed camera as a first DSLR, which also makes it a great general purpose camera as well.
