I am an experienced and relatively decent photographer. My work over the last 30 years or so has been with 35 mm. It was a great experience to be able to produce negatives and prints in my downstairs darkroom. When digital imaging became the norm, my methods became obsolete. When I advanced to the digital age, I was left without the creative control that I was accustomed to with my simple manual SLRs. More's the pity. My composition and utilization of light was the same, but I could not quickly adjust to conditions that the DSLR was overly sensitive to. My images were good, but I knew they could be better from a technical perspective. I read the user's manual about 20 times, and used it for reference in many ares, but still, I needed to get a grip on the use of the camera as the manual device I was good with. These videos have solved all those issues for me. I have taken many of the control feature variables and included them in my setup. There is still more to do to customize the thing to my idea of what a manual camera is, but I expect to fix everything now. These videos are just what I needed to be able to comfortably operate my DSLR the way I prefer.
Hi Benjamin, firstly thank you so much for taking the time to comment. It makes me very happy to hear that my videos are helping you to get the most and enjoy your digital DSLR as much as your film camera - a lot has changed over time due to technology, but the principles of controlling light (aperture, shutter and ISO) remain mostly the same. I hope you continue to watch my videos, have fun with your camera and of course capture some amazing images. Best wishes Paul @ Photo Genius.
I've never paid enough attention to the functions, relying on cheat cards which can be problematic on the go and with your dog. You're detailed informative breakdown has me thinking of the functions in a different light lol. I will now pay closer attention and learn not cheat. Thank you for all your help and tutorials and informative routes to know your camera. I subscribed and like each video as I progress through them. I feel I'm back in college where we never had digital in the dark ages lol Thank you Paul. Thank you. Have a good day or night
I want to take a moment to say Thank You. I am exploring my D3400 and your videos are informative and inspirational. Like so many, my default has always been "auto" which has been a self imposed crutch to keep me from expanding my education on this adventure.
Really easy to understand, i now feel confident to shoot in manual mode . Greatly of explaining different features, I'm sold on this channel easily the best I've seen
I love this camera but i hate that it doesnt have an external monitor. I managed to find a program that allows me to see live video while im recording my youtube videos or taking self portrait of myself but i just ending up getting a feel world external monitor. Your videos are so awesome and helped me through getting through the essentials of working with this camera. Thank you so much !!
TL:DR Good video Paul! + some comments :D 1) If you press the I button, you're able to change the Scene more easily/quickly ^.^ You can also retouch a photo by selecting a photo you want to change, press the I button, select retouch and Selective Colour - Credit to RealWorld for making a video about it (else I probably wouldn't have know it by now xD). 2) I actually didn't know that/what that button did :O I've already turned off all the sounds, but knowing you can "dial down" the shutter noise is nice! Neato. 3) Yay, back button focus! I'm such a huge fan of it already, and haven't used the other mode since changing. I disliked the half-button press action, but some people might prefer it over BB focus :) 4) I use the black/dark gray one. I got annoyed by the switching background colour :p 5) Bottom right corner of the info screen shows an estimate of how many photos your card can hold. I never thought I'd fill up 64gigs this fast.. Then again, shooting RAW+Jpeg doesn't help xD I also opted for a dongle to transfer photos; I figured it's less strain on the camera. Also I didn't get a transfer cable in my kit, so I'm stuck with my phone charger cables :p
Hi Paul! I recently bought my first dslr and your videos have been soooo helpful. I remember you referring changing your settings so the camera takes a ‘square’ photo more suitable for Instagram. I’ve went through so many of your videos but can’t seem to find it, could you possibly tell me where to find this setting? Thanks for any help!
I've bought yesterday my first DSLR Nikon D3400 and just found about your channel, thank you for uploading such informative and helpful videos! I think you deserve more views and subscribers!
Paul, I have been benefiting from your free videos for quite some time. I live in India. Please advice...how to review the focus points selected by the camera while running play back.
Hi Paul, thanks for the videos, trying to learn all I can about the D3400, as I have one and it's a brilliant little camera. I notice that in this video, where you discuss black and white photography, your display has grid lines - how do you get these displayed, I can't seem to find any way to do this. Many thanks, Chris
Hi Chris, when using live view mode press the Info button on the trip of the camera to change the display. Hope that helps - thanks for supporting my channel.
So glad I found your videos they're very helpful. I got my nikon D3400 just a few days ago and had no idea what I was doing lol. I'm off to Florida soon and it first holiday for my kinds so hopefully I'll be able to get us to my new camera. 👍
Another informative video , I was thinking about purchasing a gorilla pod for the nikon d3 400 , but I'm not sure on which one to buy , any suggestions greatly appreciated .
I bought a nikon d3400 for portrait usage and boudoir photography . What prime lens should i invest in 35mm , 50mm , or 85mm? I'm a completely new to this camera and your videos have helped me alot
Personally I love the 35mm because of its wider field of view. The 50mm and 85mm lenses are great but on the D3400 you would have to step back a fair bit to do full body shots. Thanks for watching.
Hi Paul, Videos are great!! I just purchased the nikon D3400. I will be mostly taking real estate photos. Any recommendations on wider angle lens and camera settings for my photos?
You might want to look at a 10-20mm lens but watch out for distortion. Hiring one before you buy may be a good idea. A good tip is to make sure the camera is position equally between floor and ceiling - that will help minimise distortion and walls that lean.
I view your videos OFTEN....refresher courses.....two questions.....and it many not be in this video but I noticed it yesterday....you set up FOCUS POINTS.....BUT at the lower right hand corner you had a smaller version of the focus points....my camera/3400 doesn't show that.....and 2)....isn't there a way to hit a button, like the ok button and have the 'control panel show? Mine also doesnt do that unless maybe I hit the "i " button.....on most cameras hitting the 'ok' button will bring up the control panel.....?????....thanks in advance....(I have my brothers wedding to attend next week).....
Hi Paul, Loving your videos as always. Was wondering if you could recommend a good (not TOO expensive) mini-pod for travel etc. I am currently using a Nikon d5600 with a 18-140mm lens so is a little too heavy for the tripod I currently have. Tx.
HI there - thanks for watching. Fave mini tripod that will fit in a small bag is the Manfrotto PIXI : amzn.to/2MLpKR8 Best travel tripod (bigger and sturdier) is the Manfrotto BeFree : amzn.to/2wdvjhE
I have d3400, nikor 70_300mm DX VR lens. I came to know that with 1.5 crop, the lens becomes 450mm. Will you please post a video how to make 1.5 crop using d3400 and Nikor VR lenses. Thanks a lot.
The Nikon D3400 also have an app on the phone where you can create an account and turn on the bluetooth from the Camara and phone so all your pictures taken with the Camara will be directly downloaded to your phone Nikon app. 😁
I have an other question for my D3400 - I have the AF-P 18-55VR and the nifty fifty what other lenses should i have to progress for all kind of things (nature, animals landscape, night things can you give me some advice or tips ? Have a nice week my friend.
The next lens you may wish to consider would be a Telephoto lens. Something that starts at 55m or 70mm would be good companion to your existing lenses. Paul 😀
Oke i found this 1 / NIKON 55-200MM f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR or 2 / NIKON AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II I think the first one is much cheaper than the second. Can you confirm that's is a good choice. Have a nice day
This might be a dumb question but on Auto how do you know your picture is focused? Is it true while in viewfinder the small little green dot means it’s focused? I haven’t used my camera in a couple months and I could have sworn green dots popped up instead of red dots. If I take pictures through LV it’ll show green as focused.
When using auto focus - focus is confirmed by the camera beeping (this can be turned off) and also a green dot that appears in the bottom left hand corner of the viewfinder. Your focus points will also briefly turn red top show you where the camera has focused. When using LV mode focus is confirmed boy a beep and also your focus area (square) will turn green. Hope that helps.
There are rumours that a replacement for the Nikon D3400 will be announced in September. It is likely to be the D3500 and improvements will possible include a higher resolution sensor, Expeed 5 image processor and expanded ISO range. As soon as the new camera is released I will be posting details and videos featuring the D3400 replacement.
@@photogenius I was finding a good entry level DSLR for me as I have just started photography...Do you think I should wait for the D3500 or buy the D3400 now...if you have any other good entry level DSLR in your mind please lete know...Thanks for replying...😊
Hey Paul i recently bought a nifty fifty (D version) the NIKON 50mm f/1.8D for my D3400 but i have a problem in manuel mode my photes are dark i can have access to the aperture and receive a message that the lens is not compatible ? Can you help me ? what for settings tu use the nifth fifty Thanx in advance. (Where can I turned the focus mode to mannual it's grey i don't have access to it grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrri cant adjust the aperture....please help Sorry i am still learning
On this lens you have an aperture ring, turn it so the orange 22 lines up with the marker (usually a white dot), next flick the switch on the lens and it should now be working. Depending on the camera you may however have to focus this lens manually. Hope that helps.
Thanx all works fine thanx to you and your videos i keep progressing with this camera is amazing a month ago i was totally lost and know i begin to understand. Great to have find your channel.
Photo Genius but I have the D3400 and still learning so much with it. I am not getting another camera until I feel that I have full knowledge of my 3400
I just bought a Feelworld F6 Plus Monitor and it won't show live shots. It only shows what is on my SD card. I've searched everywhere for how to make sure they're compatible and can't find any answers. I just bought this $229 monitor to be able to shoot video with my Nikon d3400 and so far, it's not working. Help!
I wasn't really loving my D3400 when I bought it to go on vacation. I felt I had to do a lot of fussing to focus each photo. Maybe I'm missing something?
As a Nikon 3400 owner and novice photographer, I really enjoy these videos. Informative, to the point, and clearly explained. Good stuff m8!
Appreciate your feedback, thank you for your support.
I am an experienced and relatively decent photographer. My work over the last 30 years or so has been with 35 mm. It was a great experience to be able to produce negatives and prints in my downstairs darkroom. When digital imaging became the norm, my methods became obsolete. When I advanced to the digital age, I was left without the creative control that I was accustomed to with my simple manual SLRs. More's the pity. My composition and utilization of light was the same, but I could not quickly adjust to conditions that the DSLR was overly sensitive to. My images were good, but I knew they could be better from a technical perspective. I read the user's manual about 20 times, and used it for reference in many ares, but still, I needed to get a grip on the use of the camera as the manual device I was good with. These videos have solved all those issues for me. I have taken many of the control feature variables and included them in my setup. There is still more to do to customize the thing to my idea of what a manual camera is, but I expect to fix everything now. These videos are just what I needed to be able to comfortably operate my DSLR the way I prefer.
Hi Benjamin, firstly thank you so much for taking the time to comment. It makes me very happy to hear that my videos are helping you to get the most and enjoy your digital DSLR as much as your film camera - a lot has changed over time due to technology, but the principles of controlling light (aperture, shutter and ISO) remain mostly the same.
I hope you continue to watch my videos, have fun with your camera and of course capture some amazing images.
Best wishes
Paul @ Photo Genius.
I've never paid enough attention to the functions, relying on cheat cards which can be problematic on the go and with your dog. You're detailed informative breakdown has me thinking of the functions in a different light lol. I will now pay closer attention and learn not cheat. Thank you for all your help and tutorials and informative routes to know your camera. I subscribed and like each video as I progress through them. I feel I'm back in college where we never had digital in the dark ages lol Thank you Paul. Thank you. Have a good day or night
Best instructor on TH-cam. I have learned so much from you in just a few days of getting my Nikon D3500. Thank you!!
Hey Paul. Thankyou for reviewing some cool features on d3400. Love your videos. Keep posting. Appreciate your hard work. Big fan 👍🏻
Thank you very very much 😊
Appreciate your hard work, your tutorials are great for beginners like me. Thumbs up.
I want to take a moment to say Thank You. I am exploring my D3400 and your videos are informative and inspirational. Like so many, my default has always been "auto" which has been a self imposed crutch to keep me from expanding my education on this adventure.
Wow, thanks, I am so glad you are getting more from your D3400 which is a great camera. Thanks for the feedback and support.
@@photogenius You are Love , Sir ❤️
Really easy to understand, i now feel confident to shoot in manual mode .
Greatly of explaining different features, I'm sold on this channel easily the best I've seen
after searching a lot at last i could find a perfect answer to my queries. being novice i really learned a lot. thanks .
Enjoyed your earlier video on essential tips. and this one also is AWESOME! THANKS FOR THIS!
Sir You have provided me the Best Tutorial about this amazing camera. Maza aa gia. Is video se mere dil mein is camera ki ziada jagha bn gai he ❤️
great video very informative,
Another great tutorial. Thanks Paul. Have never tried black and white. Will give it a go. 😊👍🏼
Thanks for watching. I hope you get some great B&W images.
Paul 😊
thanks for the great tips, just purchased a D3500 and I really appreciate your video
No problem, thank you for watching.
I love this camera but i hate that it doesnt have an external monitor. I managed to find a program that allows me to see live video while im recording my youtube videos or taking self portrait of myself but i just ending up getting a feel world external monitor. Your videos are so awesome and helped me through getting through the essentials of working with this camera. Thank you so much !!
Thank you for watching.
Hey, this is indeed very helpful. Thanks a lot! 😉
I also prefer Using Black amd White.. for me it looks sharp and awesome...
Thank you so much for watching.
TL:DR
Good video Paul! + some comments :D
1) If you press the I button, you're able to change the Scene more easily/quickly ^.^
You can also retouch a photo by selecting a photo you want to change, press the I button, select retouch and Selective Colour - Credit to RealWorld for making a video about it (else I probably wouldn't have know it by now xD).
2) I actually didn't know that/what that button did :O I've already turned off all the sounds, but knowing you can "dial down" the shutter noise is nice! Neato.
3) Yay, back button focus! I'm such a huge fan of it already, and haven't used the other mode since changing. I disliked the half-button press action, but some people might prefer it over BB focus :)
4) I use the black/dark gray one. I got annoyed by the switching background colour :p
5) Bottom right corner of the info screen shows an estimate of how many photos your card can hold.
I never thought I'd fill up 64gigs this fast.. Then again, shooting RAW+Jpeg doesn't help xD
I also opted for a dongle to transfer photos; I figured it's less strain on the camera. Also I didn't get a transfer cable in my kit, so I'm stuck with my phone charger cables :p
Thanks for watching and commenting :)
Thank you for this!!! Loving my Nikon D3400 even more! (Bought one- secondhand! 😀)
The D3400 is a great camera - thanks for watching.
You are amazing! Thsnk you for your experience share!
Thanks very much for watching and commenting.
Very Helpful! Greetings from Canada 🇨🇦 !
Thanks for watching!! Would love to visit Canada one day.
Yet another great informative video. Thank you.
Thanks
Hi Paul! I recently bought my first dslr and your videos have been soooo helpful. I remember you referring changing your settings so the camera takes a ‘square’ photo more suitable for Instagram. I’ve went through so many of your videos but can’t seem to find it, could you possibly tell me where to find this setting? Thanks for any help!
Thanks For Putting This Content Out! Really Helpful
You are very welcome, thanks for watching.
This video is really useful for me
Thanks for the interesting tips.we expect more from u
You are welcome - I will try and live up to your expectations! 😊😊
Nice info.
Thanks
Thank you.
Is it possible to take photos while recording videos? And if it is, let me know how.. Thanks a lot in advance! Keep up good work!
Very helpful thank you sir
You are welcome.
Your great, thanks and greetings from Holland.
Many thanks for watchi! Greetings from Brisbane 😀
I've bought yesterday my first DSLR Nikon D3400 and just found about your channel, thank you for uploading such informative and helpful videos! I think you deserve more views and subscribers!
Thank you that is so kind, of course I would love more subscribers and views so please share my videos and thanks for your support.
Great tips
Thanks
Paul, I have been benefiting from your free videos for quite some time. I live in India. Please advice...how to review the focus points selected by the camera while running play back.
Love your videos
Thank you very much.
Wow awesome i've learned alot
Thank you.
you saved my life !!
Wow - happy to have been of assistance!
Thank you for watching.
Hi Paul, thanks for the videos, trying to learn all I can about the D3400, as I have one and it's a brilliant little camera. I notice that in this video, where you discuss black and white photography, your display has grid lines - how do you get these displayed, I can't seem to find any way to do this.
Many thanks, Chris
Hi Chris, when using live view mode press the Info button on the trip of the camera to change the display.
Hope that helps - thanks for supporting my channel.
So glad I found your videos they're very helpful. I got my nikon D3400 just a few days ago and had no idea what I was doing lol. I'm off to Florida soon and it first holiday for my kinds so hopefully I'll be able to get us to my new camera. 👍
Love Florida!! have a great holiday and keep practising and having fun with your new camera.
Best wishes 😊
Thank q sir
You are very welcome, thanks for watching.
Thanks for the info!
Could you please let me know if there's a windscreen I can buy for my Nikon D3400 built in mic?
Another informative video , I was thinking about purchasing a gorilla pod for the nikon d3 400 , but I'm not sure on which one to buy , any suggestions greatly appreciated .
I guess it is each to there own but why would viewers give these videos thumbs down
Hey Paul, another great video! I was wondering if you could do one exclusively on night/low light photography with this camera. Thank you!
A night photography video is coming soon.
Thanks for watching.
Hi great video - can I ask you a question please
I bought a nikon d3400 for portrait usage and boudoir photography . What prime lens should i invest in 35mm , 50mm , or 85mm? I'm a completely new to this camera and your videos have helped me alot
Personally I love the 35mm because of its wider field of view. The 50mm and 85mm lenses are great but on the D3400 you would have to step back a fair bit to do full body shots.
Thanks for watching.
@@photogenius thank you for the reply
Great video, can u please make a video expaining fps in DSLR
I will certainly consider it - thanks for the suggestion.
😊
Hi Paul, Videos are great!! I just purchased the nikon D3400. I will be mostly taking real estate photos. Any recommendations on wider angle lens and camera settings for my photos?
You might want to look at a 10-20mm lens but watch out for distortion. Hiring one before you buy may be a good idea.
A good tip is to make sure the camera is position equally between floor and ceiling - that will help minimise distortion and walls that lean.
I view your videos OFTEN....refresher courses.....two questions.....and it many not be in this video but I noticed it yesterday....you set up FOCUS POINTS.....BUT at the lower right hand corner you had a smaller version of the focus points....my camera/3400 doesn't show that.....and 2)....isn't there a way to hit a button, like the ok button and have the 'control panel show? Mine also doesnt do that unless maybe I hit the "i " button.....on most cameras hitting the 'ok' button will bring up the control panel.....?????....thanks in advance....(I have my brothers wedding to attend next week).....
For Videography, 18-55mm or 50mm is the best?
Both are fine - but the 50mm will give you a shallow depth of field.
Hi Paul, Loving your videos as always. Was wondering if you could recommend a good (not TOO expensive) mini-pod for travel etc. I am currently using a Nikon d5600 with a 18-140mm lens so is a little too heavy for the tripod I currently have. Tx.
HI there - thanks for watching.
Fave mini tripod that will fit in a small bag is the Manfrotto PIXI : amzn.to/2MLpKR8
Best travel tripod (bigger and sturdier) is the Manfrotto BeFree : amzn.to/2wdvjhE
Thank you.
Hey Paul I am a new photographer, I like your videos. One question please.... how I can transfer my videos from my card to my iPad? Thank you
Easy, watch my video : th-cam.com/video/difhKOI12R8/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for watching and supporting my channel.
I have d3400, nikor 70_300mm DX VR lens.
I came to know that with 1.5 crop, the lens becomes 450mm.
Will you please post a video how to make 1.5 crop using d3400 and Nikor VR lenses.
Thanks a lot.
Thanks for watching - I am considering a video on the crop factor in the near future.
My d3400 display has a grid pattern I can’t remove from back screen. Can you help
The Nikon D3400 also have an app on the phone where you can create an account and turn on the bluetooth from the Camara and phone so all your pictures taken with the Camara will be directly downloaded to your phone Nikon app. 😁
Hi Paul, my D5100, are the tips the same for that model, or is it too old?
very similar with the D5100 - tips should work fine.
I have an other question for my D3400 - I have the AF-P 18-55VR and the nifty fifty what other lenses should i have to progress for all kind of things (nature, animals landscape, night things can you give me some advice or tips ?
Have a nice week my friend.
The next lens you may wish to consider would be a Telephoto lens. Something that starts at 55m or 70mm would be good companion to your existing lenses.
Paul 😀
Oke i found this
1 / NIKON 55-200MM f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR
or
2 / NIKON AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
I think the first one is much cheaper than the second. Can you confirm that's is a good choice.
Have a nice day
The first one is a good option as it will complement the 18-55 you already own.
Good video👌
Thank you 😊
This might be a dumb question but on Auto how do you know your picture is focused? Is it true while in viewfinder the small little green dot means it’s focused? I haven’t used my camera in a couple months and I could have sworn green dots popped up instead of red dots. If I take pictures through LV it’ll show green as focused.
When you hear that beep, it is focused.
When using auto focus - focus is confirmed by the camera beeping (this can be turned off) and also a green dot that appears in the bottom left hand corner of the viewfinder. Your focus points will also briefly turn red top show you where the camera has focused.
When using LV mode focus is confirmed boy a beep and also your focus area (square) will turn green.
Hope that helps.
Yes 😀
Photo Genius thanks so much!!
Can I use Auto focus setting up a manual lens??? PlZ tell me
If the lens is manual only then AF will not work.
When will the Nikon d3500 come out?
There are rumours that a replacement for the Nikon D3400 will be announced in September. It is likely to be the D3500 and improvements will possible include a higher resolution sensor, Expeed 5 image processor and expanded ISO range.
As soon as the new camera is released I will be posting details and videos featuring the D3400 replacement.
@@photogenius I was finding a good entry level DSLR for me as I have just started photography...Do you think I should wait for the D3500 or buy the D3400 now...if you have any other good entry level DSLR in your mind please lete know...Thanks for replying...😊
Please let me know*
Keep checking my channel for new videos and updates.
D3500 is anounced
Hey Paul i recently bought a nifty fifty (D version) the NIKON 50mm f/1.8D for my D3400 but i have a problem in manuel mode my photes are dark i can have access to the aperture and receive a message that the lens is not compatible ? Can you help me ? what for settings tu use the nifth fifty Thanx in advance.
(Where can I turned the focus mode to mannual it's grey i don't have access to it grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrri cant adjust the aperture....please help
Sorry i am still learning
On this lens you have an aperture ring, turn it so the orange 22 lines up with the marker (usually a white dot), next flick the switch on the lens and it should now be working. Depending on the camera you may however have to focus this lens manually.
Hope that helps.
Thanx all works fine thanx to you and your videos i keep progressing with this camera is amazing a month ago i was totally lost and know i begin to understand.
Great to have find your channel.
Thanks.
Can you believe that Nikon just came out with a D3500 Model ? I cannot believe it.
It's been expected, some minor updates.
Photo Genius but I have the D3400 and still learning so much with it. I am not getting another camera until I feel that I have full knowledge of my 3400
Is the Nikon d3400 still worth it in 2020?
Absolutely, a great camera 👍
Great! I’m getting my first one next weekend
Hmm. Says Set Picture Control is not available at current settings. I think I need to reset the camera to factory settings.
Nope. Had to take it off Auto Mode first.
Glad you found it - Thanks for watching.
Sir i have canon 1300D now I want to change my camera so can you suggest me which one i buy nikon 7000D or canon 80D?
As you are already familiar with the Canon I would definitely recommend the Canon 80D. I have one myself and it is a great camera.
I just bought a Feelworld F6 Plus Monitor and it won't show live shots. It only shows what is on my SD card. I've searched everywhere for how to make sure they're compatible and can't find any answers. I just bought this $229 monitor to be able to shoot video with my Nikon d3400 and so far, it's not working. Help!
I wasn't really loving my D3400 when I bought it to go on vacation. I felt I had to do a lot of fussing to focus each photo. Maybe I'm missing something?
Take a drink every time he blinks!
Nikon's choice to remove external mic audio from the D3400 was a BIG MISTAKE !!
The Nick on prices have really dropped on Amazon.
Is it just me or does he not blink