I haven't used Nikon, so I can't say anything specific about it. But I think he's good enough. This camera has everything you need for creative shooting in manual mode.

A mirrorless camera is more convenient and smaller in size. If possible, I recommend buying a full-matrix (FF) camera. Your camera now has a matrix with a 1.5 crop factor.

By shooting modes. It is necessary to master the manual mode. It's actually not difficult at all. It is important to understand which setting is responsible for what and what it gives for photography. I was just about to make a post or several (as it goes in size) on the topic of manual settings. This is what separates the camera from the phone.
In the settings, it is important to understand the physics of the process.
Also, if you buy a new camera, pay attention to the presence of the Live View mode. This greatly simplifies manual adjustments - you can immediately see the result on the display.