Nikon D3400

The Nikon D3400 is a DSLR released in 2016, built around an APS-C sensor and the Nikon F DX mount. You compose through an optical viewfinder, and at 445 grams the body is easy to carry on a day out.

That combination suits photographers who mainly shoot stills rather than video. Bluetooth is built in, and there is no Wi-Fi.

Owning one means accepting a fixed, non-touch screen and video that stops at Full HD. In return you get a straightforward stills camera with a battery rated for 1200 shots.

The D3400's 24.2 megapixel APS-C sensor, paired with the Expeed 4 processor, is its strongest asset. Files carry enough resolution for cropping down when a subject sat too far away. That sensor work underpins a good Optics score of 65.

Sensitivity spans ISO 100 to 25600, giving a wide range of settings for dim rooms and dusk. The 1/4000 second top shutter speed is quick enough for most daylight work.

Speed and focus are where the compromises sit. Burst shooting runs at up to 5 frames per second, and the autofocus system offers 11 points. Those are modest figures next to the sensor specification. Overall the camera lands around the middle of cameras in our database for Optics.

There is no stabilisation in the body, so shake control falls to the lens, a faster shutter speed or steady technique. Framing happens through a pentamirror optical viewfinder, which shows the scene directly.

Video tops out at Full HD rather than 4K, and that ceiling is the main reason for the modest score of 56. Full HD suits phone, tablet and most computer screens, but projects destined for a large 4K television will feel the limit.

The highest frame rate offered is 60 fps, enough for smooth motion in everyday clips. Footage records as MOV files. Maximum resolution and maximum frame rate are separate limits, and a combined Full HD 60 fps mode is not specified.

There is no built-in timelapse mode, so interval sequences call for an external trigger or frames taken one by one and assembled afterwards. For casual and family clips the basics are covered; for more ambitious projects, the resolution ceiling is the main thing to weigh.

The fixed 3-inch LCD carries 921,000 dots, detailed enough for checking focus when you review a shot. There is no touch control, and the screen does not tilt or swing out for waist-level or overhead framing.

Live view lets you compose on the screen instead of the viewfinder, which helps for tripod shots. Bluetooth is built in, while Wi-Fi is absent.

Lighting options are generous, with a built-in flash plus support for an external unit when you need more power. The modest score of 54 reflects the gaps elsewhere: no touch screen and no weather sealing, so this is a camera for everyday conditions rather than rough weather.

A single SD, SDHC or SDXC slot handles all storage, which keeps things simple. There is no second card for a busy day, so carry enough capacity for a whole shoot.

The EN-EL14a battery carries a rating of 1200 shots. That figure is a specification rather than a promise of endurance, since real-world run time depends on how you shoot.

There is no USB charging, so the battery recharges in its own charger and a spare becomes worthwhile if you travel or shoot across several days. That gap, along with the single slot, is what holds the score down to a modest 45.