Mastering the Nikon D3000

Mastering the Nikon D

Mastering the Nikon D3000

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Mastering the Nikon D

Darrell Young - Author

Darrell Young (DigitalDarrell) is an information technology engineer by trade and has been an avid photographer for over  years. He has a rather large family, with his wife and five children, so he has a constantly interesting flow of photographic opportunities. In fact, his entire family uses Nikon cameras to pursue what has become a cohesive family hobby. Darrell delights in using Nikon’s newest digital cameras but if pressed, he will admit to being a “closet” film user too. Living next to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has given him a real concern for, and interest in, nature photography. Darrell loves to write, as you can see in the Resources area of the Nikonians. org community. He joined the community in the year , and his literary contributions led to his invitation to become a Founding Member of the Nikonians Writers Guild.

Mastering the Nikon D

Mastering the Nikon D3000

Darrell Young

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Mastering the Nikon D

Darrell Young (aka Digital Darrell) Editor (Rocky Nook): Gerhard Rossbach Editor (Nikonians): Tom Bone´ Production editor: Joan Dixon Copyeditor: Judy Flynn Layout and type: Jan Martí, Command Z Cover design: Helmut Kraus, www.exclam.de Printer: Friesens Corporation Printed in Canada Front cover photo: Nikon USA Back cover photo: Darrell Young st Edition © Nikonians North America  Rocky Nook Inc.  West Mission Street Ste  Santa Barbara, CA -

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Young, Darrell, Mastering the Nikon D / Darrell Young. -- st ed. p. cm. ISBN ---- (alk. paper) . Nikon digital cameras--Handbooks, manuals, etc. . Single-lens reflex cameras--Handbooks, manuals, etc. . Photography--Digital techniques--Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title. TR.NY  .’--dc  Distributed by O‘Reilly Media  Gravenstein Highway North Sebastopol, CA  All product names and services identified throughout this book are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. They are used throughout this book in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies. No such uses, or the use of any trade name, are intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with the book. No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission of the copyright owner. While reasonable care has been exercised in the preparation of this book, the publisher and authors assume no responsibility or errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. This book is printed on acid-free paper.

This book is dedicated to

This book is dedicated to: My mother, Barbara, who birthed me … My father, Joe, who guided my early life … My wife, Brenda, who puts up with my grouchiness, and feeds me while I’m at the keyboard … My kids, Autumn, David, Emily, Hannah, and Ethan who see the back of Daddy’s head often … My Nikonians editor, Tom Boné, without whose assistance I could not possibly write books … My friends, J. Ramon Palacios and Bo Stahlbrandt, who make it possible to belong to Nikonians.org, the world’s best Nikon User’s Community … And, finally, to Nikon, who makes the world’s best cameras and lenses.

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Table of Contents

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Table of Contents

xiii

Foreword

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Preface

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Examining the Nikon D3000

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Digital Sensor Basics, or Why Does a DSLR Make Better Images? Section  – Initial Camera Configuration External Camera Controls First Use of the Nikon D Initial Camera Setup Formatting the Memory Card I Want to Take Some Pictures Now! Section  – Adjusting the Nikon D’s Settings The Difference Between the Information Screen and Information Edit Menu My Conclusions

      

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2 28    

Nikon Guide Menus – Basic Use Shoot Guide Menu – Basic Use Shoot Menu – Easy Operation Shoot Menu – Advanced Operation My Conclusions

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Guide Menu – Advanced Use

 

Shoot Menu Screen Review Shoot Menu’s More Settings Selection Shoot Menu’s Timers & Remote Control Guide Menu’s View/Delete Selections Guide Menu’s Set up Selections My Conclusions

   

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4 90

Playback Menu

      

Delete Function Playback Folder Display Mode Image Review Rotate Tall Slide Show Printing Pictures without a Computer Section  – PictBridge Printing Section  – Print Set (DPOF) Stop-Motion Movie My Conclusions

   

5 128 Shooting and Information Edit Menus                     

Using the Shooting Menu Using the Information Edit Menu Reset Shooting Options Set Picture Control Image quality Image size White balance ISO sensitivity settings Active D-Lighting Color Spaces Noise reduction Release mode Focus modes AF-Area Modes AF-Assist Metering Built-in flash Flash Compensation Exposure Compensation Flash Modes My Conclusions

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6 178 Setup Menu                         

Reset Setup Options Format Memory Card LCD Brightness Info Display Format Auto Info Display Clean Image Sensor Mirror Lock-Up Video Mode Time Zone and Date Language Image Comment Auto Image Rotation Dust Off Ref Photo Auto Off Timers Self-Timer Delay Remote on Duration Beep Viewfinder Options File Number Sequence Buttons No Memory Card? Date Imprint Active Folder Firmware Version My Conclusions

7 224 Retouch and Recent Settings Menus                 

Section  – Retouch Menu D-Lighting Red-Eye Correction Trim Monochrome Filter Effects Color Balance Small Picture Image Overlay NEF (RAW) Processing Quick Retouch Color Outline Miniature Effect Stop-Motion Movie Before and After Section  – Recent Settings My Conclusions

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8 258 Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length                 

Understanding the Camera’s Aperture How Does the Aperture Work? – An Experiment What Is an Aperture Number? Using Older Lenses with an Aperture Ring Using the Camera’s Aperture Understanding Depth of Field Effect of Focal Length on Depth of Field Understanding the Camera’s Shutter Speed Using the Aperture and Shutter Speed Together for Great Pictures A Little More Exposure Detail General Shutter Speed/Aperture Exposure Rule Aperture and Shutter Speed Chart Focal Length Vibration Reduction (VR) Lenses Focus Motor in the Lens A Simple Warning My Conclusions

9 280 Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram               

Section  – Exposure Metering Systems D Color Matrix II Metering Center-Weighted Metering Spot Metering Section  – Exposure Modes P – Programmed Auto Mode S – Shutter-Priority Auto Mode A – Aperture-Priority Auto Mode M – Manual Mode My Recommendations on Exposure Mode Selection Full AUTO and Scene Modes Why Have Scene Modes? Section  – Histogram Understanding the Histogram (An Overview) My Conclusions

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310 White Balance

326 Multi-CAM 1000 Autofocus

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        

How Does White Balance (WB) Work? Color Temperature Method  – Setting White Balance with the Information Edit Screens Method  – Setting White Balance with the Shooting Menu Mired WB Fine-Tuning Values Measuring Ambient Light and Using PRE Selecting the WB from a Previously Taken Image Auto White Balance Should I Worry about White Balance if I Shoot in RAW Mode? My Conclusions

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                

What is the Multi-CAM  Autofocus Module? AF System Override with Lens Setting Understanding the Focus, AF-Area, and Release Modes Focus Modes in Detail Auto-servo AF mode (AF-A) Single-servo AF mode (AF-S) Continuous-servo AF mode (AF-C) Manual focus (MF) AF-Area Modes in Detail Single-Point AF-Area Mode Dynamic-Area Autofocus Auto-Area Autofocus D-Tracking ( Points) Autofocus Release Modes in Detail Single Frame Mode Continuous Mode Three Additional Release Modes My Conclusions

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12 346 Speedlight Flash Photography         

What is a Guide Number? Using the D’s Flash Settings Shutter Curtain Information Understanding the Flash Modes What is the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)? How Does the D Fit into the CLS Scheme? Selecting a Nikon Speedlight Flash Unit My Conclusions about Flash Conclusion

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Foreword Nikonian Darrell Young, known to us as for many years as Digital Darrell, has consistently been a source of instructional wisdom delivered with a touch of friendly humor. His extensive collection of informative articles has been a valuable resource in the articles knowledge base, Resources at Nikonians. This new work represents yet another progression in the rapid growth of our international community of photographers from all walks of life, recently exceeding , members from nearly  countries, and is a way to further confirm our Nikonians vocation in education, reopening an additional communication channel—books—to our existing more than  interactive forums, The Nikonian eZine, Nikonians Academy Workshops, Nikonians News Blog, Nikonians podcasts, etc. Nikonians has earned a reputation as a friendly, reliable, informative, and passionate Nikon user’s community thanks in great measure to members like our own Digital Darrell, who have taken the time to share the results of their experiences with Nikon imaging equipment, despite the pressures of their day jobs. The Nikonians community has long been known as a welcoming, worldwide home for Nikon users, and Darrell’s specialty in his writing is the ability to share his knowledge in the spirit of a friendly uncle who may be visiting with you in the comfort of your own living room. He understands that many owners of the Nikon D may be just entering into the world of DSLR cameras and he takes time to guide them through some of the basics of photography. Darrell’s easy and friendly approach is appreciated by the increasing number of our community members who have been fortunate enough to acquire the D. We would like to congratulate Darrell for his work on this project, and special thanks goes to Tom Boné, Nikonians Chief Editor who has helped in streamlining the publication process in this, the sixth of the NikoniansPress books, in association with Rocky Nook. Bo Stahlbrandt (bgs) and J. Ramón Palacios (jrp) Nikonians Founders www.nikonians.org

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Preface

Preface I grew up looking at pictures. Ever since I was a baby my mother took hundreds of photographs of our family life, capturing small pieces of time frozen in little negative squares. Today, I can still look back at those images and they awaken memories that would otherwise be forgotten. In , my dear Mom gave me my first Brownie Hawkeye camera, and that little camera ignited a fire in me for taking pictures. I remember my mother’s words of instruction, “Load the film in a dark place, never open the film door until after you rewind, and keep the sun behind you when you shoot”. From that day forward I often carried a camera with me. I took the fuzzy pictures of a -year-old as I hiked up the Roosevelt Mountain in Rockwood, Tennessee, USA, with my brother Steven and my friend named Scott. Every major event of my life has a few frames attached. As an adult, I began photographing my own family, and to this day I’ve been documenting the growth of my five children. From my earliest memories, photography has been a part of my life, and I’ll keep on shooting as long as I am able. The year  was a milestone for me; that’s when I got my first Nikon camera. It was a nearly new Nikon FM, and I reveled in its incredible build, and the unbelievable images it produced. Before then, I had been shooting with Kodak  and  cameras, and although those images have priceless personal value, they would win no contests. I graduated from negatives to transparencies in , as I realized that even sharper and less grainy images could be created in those delightful little two-inch squares. I loved film, and shot a lot of it. I wanted to shoot even more, but the cost of raising kids took precedence over the cost of film and processing. The year  changed everything for me photographically. I had been playing around with a Kodak point-and-shoot digital camera, and I finally got a Nikon Coolpix . While the pictures were fun and easy to make, they did not equal the quality of my mm images, so I viewed digital cameras as only toys. Then Nikon released the  MP D, and Digital Darrell was born. Never before had I shot so many images. With the “free” use of the camera, I took thousands of photographs

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that I would never have considered taking with expensive film, and thus I moved to a new level of photography in the process. Digital cameras can offer an educational course in photography within themselves. My love of digital photography grew, as did my relationship with the world’s premier Nikon User Community, www.Nikonians.org. I came on board as a charter member in late , and after my D arrived I really become involved as a member. I wrote a camera review that J. Ramón Palacios liked, (JRP is one of the co-owners of the Nikonians.org website, along with Bo Stahlbrandt) and he asked me if I’d like to write a few articles for Nikonians.org. At that time, I didn’t even know I was a writer! Thank you, JRP! I practically lived on Nikonians.org, spending hours there each day, first as a moderator, and then as a founding member of the Nikonian Writer’s Guild. JRP asked me to write as often as I could, and he posted my articles for others to read. Wow, did my ego swell! Now, I am privileged to write instructional books for Nikon users. This book is the fifth book I’ve authored in the Mastering the Nikon DSLR series, which is a joint effort between Nikonians Press, Rocky Nook, and myself. Since , I’ve used nearly all of Nikon’s DSLR cameras. All of them were excellent and gave me great images. Now, in , I have the new Nikon D. Since I carry a camera with me everywhere, I love the small size, the large LCD screen, and the new automatic shooting modes. With the video mode I can easily switch from shooting stills to video, and then later I can make wonderful computer presentations, combining music, stills, and video. And of course, the image quality from the camera is simply outstanding. The D is an impressive little camera with many user-friendly features. In addition to the new automatic modes, it can be used in rather complex manual modes; therefore this book should help you to understand it thoroughly. Additional help is available to you at the world’s premier Nikon User’s Community, Nikonians.org. This truly is an International Community of over , Nikon users. Talk about a Nikon resource! As a Nikon user, you are

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probably already a member, but if you’re not, please log on to www.Nikonians.org and become at least a Silver member. Nikonians.org is a goldmine of photographic knowledge for Nikon users and is unmatched by any other resource available. Mastering the Nikon D has a coupon in the back offering  off a Gold Membership at Nikonians.org. The Gold level gives you a lot of benefits, such as a personal blog, a large gallery, access to private forums, personal business cards, photographer’s ID, membership certificate, and your own Nikonians.org email address. If you use the coupon, it will basically pay for the price of this book! I feel greatly privileged to be a Nikonian, to have such knowledgeable and friendly associates, and to help provide yet another, much requested resource in the form of a printed book. I hope you enjoy this book and that you greatly benefit from it, and most of all that you find joy in using your chosen photographic tool … the Nikon D. Keep on capturing time … Digital Darrell (Darrell Young)

Colors and Wording Legend

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Colors and Wording Legend Throughout this book you will be presented with words displayed in two colors along with the use of italics. The two colors are blue and green, and are used as follows. t
The camera’s physical features are in blue. t
Function and settings viewed on an LCD screen are in green. t
Textual prompts given by the camera on a screen are in Italics t
On select occasions, Italics or Bold Italics are used for special emphasis.

Here is an example of the colors and italics in use: Press the Menu button to reach the Setup Menu and then scroll to Format memory card option by pressing the down arrow on the Multi selector. You will see a message reminding you, All images on Memory card will be deleted. OK? Select Yes and then push the OK button.

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Examining the Nikon D

Examining the Nikon D3000

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Examining the Nikon D

Examining the Nikon D3000

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The Nikon D may turn out to be one of the most popular cameras ever made by Nikon. Why do I say that? Well, its predecessor—the Nikon D—was one of Nikon’s best-selling cameras. The D adds more features, including a more powerful autofocus system and the new Nikon Guide Mode for new users. I think in the long run it will outsell the D. Many people are seeing the need for higher image quality for various reasons. Some just want to make big enlargements. Others may want to sell digital images on stock photography websites. A digital single lens reflex (DSLR) is significantly better than a point-and-shoot camera for making sharp, noise-free images. Thus, a lot of people are leaving

the point-and-shoot world and moving into the DSLR universe. Who uses a Nikon D camera? I gave this some thought and arrived at the following user types. See if you recognize yourself in our D Photographer Type list: . A new user of the DSLR camera type . A student photographer learning to use the full power of photography . A photographer on a budget who wants superior images . An experienced photographer who needs a backup camera . A traveling photographer who wants a lightweight DSLR camera . A photographer who wants a camera on their person at all times

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Examining the Nikon D

I’m sure you can come up with even more types of photographers and reasons for using this small, inexpensive yet powerful camera. It certainly is a capable little thing, with robust manual and fully automatic features. In fact, I’m surprised at how many ways you can access the features and functions built into this Nikon. It has the old-style text-based menu system familiar to long-time users of Nikon DSLRs. It also has a new, fully graphical, userassisting Nikon Guide Mode that covers the same features as the text-based menu system plus offers some useful basic training on things like aperture and shutter speed. And finally, it has a shortcut system called the Information screens that can be used as either a graphical or text-based way to edit the camera’s most important functions. We’ll look at all these in detail as we go through this book. I consider myself a number  from my Photographer Type list. I want a camera with me everywhere I go. People have grown accustomed to seeing me with a Nikon bag or camera over my shoulder. I think I’d look strange to many without the omnipresent camera. Are you like that? Do you look at the world around you in wonderment and want to capture those little slices of time called photographs, at any moment or place? The D is so small and light that you can slip it in a briefcase or purse and have it with you for those once-in-a-lifetime shots that make others say, “I wish I had a camera with me!” I’ve used all of Nikon’s DSLR cameras over the last several years, and have noticed a “personality” in each of the

camera types. The Nikon D is no exception. It does its best to allow an experienced photographer to take excellent images, and it’s ready to help an inexperienced photographer “learn the ropes”. The D is a transitional camera for many. It’s a stop on the way to even more powerful Nikons. It is a place for learning to shoot with an interchangeable lens camera for quite a few. Some have come over from the Nikon Coolpix point-andshoot world, having developed the desire for even higher-quality pictures and the ability to use all sorts of lenses for creative control. DSLRs are for those with a “passion” for photography. Let’s briefly explore some interesting information on DSLR camera types, and then we’ll examine the controls on the camera body so that we’ll have a reference point for the rest of this book. Next, we’ll look at the initial setup of the camera for those just opening the box on a new D. Finally, we’ll look into the various menu systems and Information screens, so that you can decide which best fits your needs and then make adjustments to your new camera. We’ll cover each of these briefly here in this first chapter and in great detail in subsequent chapters.

Basic Camera Setup Please note that the first time you turn on the D, it will present you with a series of five setup screens that you must configure. So it is a good idea to continue reading a little of this chapter before proceeding. In the very least, read the following section under the heading Initial Camera Configuration to learn about the choices you must make when you first turn the camera on.

Digital Sensor Basics, or Why Does a DSLR Make Better Images

Digital Sensor Basics, or Why Does a DSLR Make Better Images? Your D’s large-sized sensor can provide an image quality that is unobtainable by even the best point-and-shoot cameras. Many people don’t realize why a DSLR can make such high-quality images, so let me explain. All digital cameras have an imaging sensor that has very tiny, light-gathering points called pixels—an abbreviation of “picture elements” (pix-els). Your D has about . million usable pixels on its sensor in an array , pixels wide and , pixels tall (, x , = ,, pixels, or just over  megapixels). To follow Nikon’s literature, I’ll refer to the megapixel rating of the D as . “effective” megapixels. A point-and-shoot camera has a digital imaging sensor about the size of your little fingernail. Imagine cramming millions of pixels into such a tiny area. Those pixels are so small that they’re not very light sensitive. For a

point-and-shoot camera to make a good picture, especially in lower light levels, the power gain must be turned up on the pixels, which boosts the signal but also increases noise, thereby degrading the image. On the other hand, the Nikon D has an imaging sensor about the size of a postage stamp; . x . mm in size. That’s a big difference! Its pixels are much larger than a point-and-shoot camera’s and thus can gather light much more efficiently. The image quality from your new DSLR is sharper and has better color, contrast, and dynamic range, and its photos can be enlarged more effectively and with higher quality. You’ll be amazed at the difference, and so will your friends and family. So that you can get the best use out of your much more complex DSLR camera, let’s examine the external camera controls and the most important settings for first use of the camera.

User and Reference Manuals The Nikon D comes with two manuals: a -page User’s Manual and a -page Reference Manual. The User’s Manual is a printed booklet that is included in the box. The larger Reference Manual is available as a PDF file on an included CD titled Nikon Reference Manual. You’ll need the free Adobe Reader to view the PDF Reference Manual from the CD. Go to www. adobe.com and look for a download link to the free Adobe Reader, download it, and install it on your computer. D CCD . Megapixel Image Sensor Unit

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Examining the Nikon D

Section 1 – Initial Camera Configuration This chapter is divided into two sections. In section , we’ll look over the camera’s external controls and prepare the camera for first-time use. In section , we’ll briefly examine the menu systems used to adjust the camera’s internal functions. Each menu system will be covered later in this book in full detail. Let’s work our way from the outside of the camera to its internal settings.

the body of the camera. We’ll use these external controls often while working through this book, and you’ll need to become very familiar with what each button does. I’ve counted  buttons,  switches, and  dials on the D. We’ll look at

External Camera Controls Before we move into the configuration of the camera, let’s look in detail at the various dials, switches, and buttons found on

FIG B – Back of camera

FIG A – Front of camera

External Camera Controls

them all in detail. I strongly suggest that you bookmark this place in your book so that you can refer back to these control locations as we study what they each do. In future chapters, I’ll refer to the names and sometimes the numbers of these controls. Each of the control references is numbered in FIG A to FIG C. I have labeled each control with a number that corresponds to the reference numbers in the figures. Here is a list of controls on the camera body’s front (see FIG A): . Flash Mode and Flash Compensation button (two functions) . Self-timer and Fn button (two functions) . Lens Release button Here is a list of controls on the camera’s back (see FIG B): . Playback button . Menu button . Thumbnail/playback zoom out and Help button

. Playback zoom in and Information edit button

. Diopter adjustment control slider (hidden behind rubber eyecup) . AE-L/AF-L button (Auto Exposure lock and Autofocus lock) .Command dial .Multi Selector (very important, learn this) .OK button .Delete button

FIG C – Top of camera

Here is a list of controls on the camera’s top (see FIG C): .Mode dial .Information (info) button .Exposure-compensation and Aperture button (two functions) .Camera On/Off switch .Shutter-release button The most important controls for adjusting the camera are the Multi Selector (), OK button (), Command dial (), and the Menu button (). These will get a lot of use and references throughout this book, so be sure you remember where they’re located.



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

Examining the Nikon D

First Use of the Nikon D3000 You’ve just opened the box and buried under the plastic wrap, wires, manuals, CDs, and warranty registration card you find your new digital camera. What next? Attaching the Lens

One of the powerful things a DSLR like the D can do is use a variety of lenses to achieve various “looks” or perspectives in your images. Most likely you have purchased your D as part of a “kit” that includes an AF-S Nikkor –mm f/..G VR lens. If you bought the camera with no lens, then you can skip this section on attaching the lens. If you’ve never put a lens on a DSLR, please read this carefully so you won’t damage the lens or camera body. Nikon ships the camera without the lens attached. Instead there is a body cap and lens cap that must be removed before you mount the lens to the camera body. In FIG D, you see the camera and lens with both caps still attached (see red arrows). Leave the camera turned off while attaching or removing lenses. I’ve never damaged a Nikon camera’s electronics by leaving the camera on during the

FIG D – Preparing to attach the lens

Dust is a Sensor’s Enemy Before removing the caps, or when switching lenses, blow away any dust you see on the front of the camera or on the rear of the lens so it won’t get inside the camera body and end up on the sensor. If dust gets on your sensor, it can cause spots on your pictures. Always change lenses in a dustfree area when possible.

changing of lenses, but there’s always a first time. Sometimes, in the heat of shooting and quickly changing lenses I forget and just change it with the camera on, so it’s probably not too dangerous. However, I may just have been fortunate. I recommend that you don’t take chances with an expensive camera or lens. Now, let’s remove the caps and prepare to attach the lens to the camera. To remove the camera’s body cap, you’ll press and hold the Lens release button (see FIG E), turn the body cap clockwise until it stops, and then pull the cap straight out. It uses a “bayonet” mount with three ears, just like a lens. The lens cap is just a little plastic see-thru cap that you pull directly off the lens. It’s just pressed on,

First Use of the Nikon D



FIG E – Removing the body and lens caps

not mounted, so you can just pull and twist it until it slides off. It isn’t hard to attach the lens to the camera, and when you’ve done it once, you’ll have no problems in the future. So, let’s mount the lens. The lens attaches to the camera using a Nikon F bayonet-style mount that’s been in production for over  years. Nearly any lens ever made for a Nikon film SLR or DSLR will mount on your D. Isn’t that incredible! In this book, we’ll refer to the AF-S Nikkor –mm f/.-.G VR kit lens most of the time. Notice in FIG F, image , how the lens has a white dot that must line up exactly with a corresponding white dot on the

FIG F – Mounting the lens on the camera

camera body. The lens must be inserted into the front of the camera until the two dots are close together as in FIG F, image . Once the lens is fully inserted into the bayonet mount and the dots are lined up, slowly turn the lens counterclockwise (rotate left) until the white dot on the lens is under the K of the Nikon logo on the front top of the camera. The dot on the lens will then be straight up and just below the Nikon logo. Do not force the lens to turn. If it does not turn easily to the left, please make sure that it has been fully inserted into the body before you start turning it toward the locking position.

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

Examining the Nikon D

When you get the lens’s white dot in the up position, you’ll hear a “snap” as the lens locks to the body. To remove the lens in the future, you’ll have to hold in the Lens Release button (see FIG A, image ), turn the lens clockwise until it stops, and then pull it straight out. Removing the Lens

Here are the steps I use to remove and change a lens quickly, without dropping the camera or lens. Try this method and see if it works for you. If not, simply invent your own way of holding the camera while changing lenses. . Hold the camera body in your left hand with your finger reaching around the front ready to depress the Lens release button. . Press the grip side of the D into your body to stabilize the camera. The camera’s back will be facing the left side of your body. . With your fingers that are holding the camera, press and hold the Lens release button. . Using your right hand, turn the lens clockwise until it stops, then pull it straight out of the camera body. If you’re a left-handed person, this method will still work. Our cameras are designed for right-handed people, so a “lefty” may find this awkward the first few times. I suggest you keep trying to learn it because this method allows you to hold the camera and lens very securely while making lens changes. It would be a shame to drop and break either the lens or camera body.

If this list of steps doesn’t work for you, just lay the camera down on its back, press and hold the Lens release button, rotate the lens to the right, and pull it out of the body. Lens Controls

While examining the lens for later use, you will notice four controls that you’ll need to use (see FIG G). Most Nikkor lenses, and even aftermarket lenses, have the same types of controls. FIG G shows the following four numbered controls that I’ll discuss next: . Focus ring – The focus ring is not often used on a camera with autofocus. However, for things like closeup (macro) shots, it’s sometimes easier to turn off the autofocus and focus manually so that you can control exactly where you want to place the sharpest point of focus. You can use the A/M switch () to turn autofocus on (A) and off (M). Use the Focus ring only when the A/M switch is set to M or you could damage your Nikkor -mm kit lens. Some lenses allow “fine-tuning” of the autofocus, even when the A/M switch is set to A. However, the –mm kit lens

FIG G – Lens A/M and VR switches, focus and zoom rings

First Use of the Nikon D

is not one of them. If the Focus ring feels stiff when set to A, do not turn it by hand. . Zoom ring – This ring is the most used control on the lens. You’ll use it constantly to zoom in and out; from mm to mm and any point in between. The mm setting is a wide-angle setting that allows you to take group portraits or get sweeping landscape shots. The mm setting is a short telephoto position that magnifies the subject slightly, but is very close to what your eye sees as “normal” size for objects in your image. Use the mm setting to pull a subject closer and fill the image frame. We’ll discuss “focal length” in a later chapter. You can use the zoom ring to select the exact focal length—between  and mm—you’ll need to make the best image composition. As you turn the zoom ring, you’ll see the numbers turn with it. The numbers shown on the lens are , , , , and . Each number represents a focal length in millimeters (mm). In FIG F, image , you can see the number  next to a white dot. This means the lens is set to mm. Place any number from  to  next to the dot for a particular focal length position. In between the stamped numbers are other focal lengths. Let’s say you turned the lens half way between  and mm. That is about  or mm, as expected. It’s constantly variable as you turn the Zoom ring.



. A/M switch – Many Nikkor lenses have an A/M switch and a VR On/Off switch on the side. The A/M switch stands for autofocus (A) or manual focus (M). If you would rather manually focus the lens by turning the Focus ring (), you can do so after you move this switch to M. Don’t force the lens to manually focus when in A mode or you will damage it. If you really want to manually focus the lens, simply set the switch to M. This disengages the autofocus motor and the Focus ring will turn freely. . VR On/Off switch – VR stands for “vibration reduction”. If you are using the newest Nikkor -mm kit lens, you’ll notice a big gold VR near the A/M switch. This lens, and others with the VR moniker, is able to compensate for small shaky movements while pictures are being taken, resulting in much sharper images. This doesn’t mean you can wave your camera around like a fire hose and still get sharp images; it means that the lens will try to compensate for natural hand shakiness. It allows you to use slower shutter speeds and still get sharp images. According to how shaky you are while handholding, you may take pictures with shutter speeds up to three stops slower with the -mm kit lens. We’ll discuss what a stop is in the chapter titled Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length, later in this book. Once the lens is mounted you’re almost ready to use the camera. Does your battery have a good charge?

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

Examining the Nikon D

Using VR Lenses on a Tripod There are two types of VR lenses currently on the market: VR and VR II. Your mm kit lens uses standard VR. The more advanced form of VR—called VR II—has algorithms that notice when the camera is very still and disable VR. Why have vibration reduction when the camera isn’t vibrating? According to Nikon, you should be okay when shooting on a tripod with VR II turned on. However, I always flip the switch to off anyway, unless I’m using a shaky tripod. Nikon says that the Nikkor -mm kit lens has standard VR, which should be switched off for tripod use. Check the specs of any new lens you buy to determine if it has standard VR or VR II. VR II adds an additional stop of vibration reduction, so you could handhold up to four stops slower. VR II is found on the more pricey lenses in the Nikkor lineup. An easy way to tell if you have VR or VR II is by how many extra-slow stops you get. If the lens’s sales literature says three stops, it is VR. If four stops, it is VR II.

Charging and Inserting the Battery

If you’re like me, you’ll open the box, put the lens on your camera, insert the battery, and take your first picture. Wouldn’t it be a better idea to wait an hour to charge the battery and only then take the first picture? Sure it would, but I’ve never done that, and I bet you haven’t either. Nikon knows this and doesn’t send out new cameras with dead batteries. Most of the time the battery is not fully charged, but it has enough charge to allow you to do the initial camera setup and then take and review a few pictures. Think about it. How would you test a brand-new battery? You’d charge it and see if it will hold a charge. Nikon doesn’t send batteries that are untested, so most of the time, you can play with your camera for at least a few minutes before charging the battery. I’ve purchased nearly every DSLR model Nikon has made since , and not one of them has come in with a dead battery. When you insert the battery in the included MH- battery charger, you’ll notice that the small LED light—next to the words CHARGE and END—blinks orange while the battery is charging and

FIG H – Charging the battery

First Use of the Nikon D

then changes to continuous orange when the battery is fully charged. FIG H shows the correct way to insert the light gray EN-ELa battery into the charger. When my D arrived, the battery was about  percent charged. I played with the camera for an hour before I charged the battery. However, let me mention one important thing. If you install the battery and it is very low, for example below  percent, it’s a good idea to go ahead and charge it before shooting and reviewing too many pictures. Maybe you can get the initial camera configuration done and test the camera a time or two, but go no further with a seriously low battery. To insert the battery, make sure the camera is turned off, and then open the small door on the bottom of the grip with a fingernail. Insert the battery as shown in FIG I with the Nikon name exactly as shown. The battery has a small lip to prevent it from being inserted in the wrong direction. A white arrow tip painted on the battery should point toward the camera as you insert it.

FIG I – Inserting the battery



Avoid Completely Discharging the Battery

The D uses a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery pack. While this type of battery doesn’t develop the memory effects of the old nickel-cadmium (NiCad) batteries from years past, there can be a problem if you let them get too low. A Li-ion battery should not be used to complete exhaustion. The battery has an internal protection circuit that keeps it from working again if a cell gets below a certain key voltage. If you completely discharge a lithium-ion battery or let it go too long without a refresh charge, the battery may never work again. When your camera’s battery gets down to the  percent level, please recharge it. I don’t let mine go below  percent for any extended use. That said, the optimum situation would be to restrain yourself from turning on the camera until after the battery is fully charged. That’ll give you some time to read this section of the book and even check out the Nikon D User’s and Reference Manuals.

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

Examining the Nikon D

Initial Camera Setup

Language

The first time you turn the camera on, you’ll be presented with five sequential screens as follows: . Language . Time Zone . Date Format . Daylight Saving Time . Date and Time

The D is multilingual, or multinational. It can display its menus in  languages. Various distributors around the world will have the camera preconfigured to some degree, so it will most likely already be configured in the language spoken in your area. Here is a list of the languages available in the D, firmware version .: t
Danish t
German t
English t
Spanish t
Finnish t
French t
Italian t
Dutch t
Norwegian t
Polish t
Portuguese t
Russian t
Swedish t
Traditional Chinese t
Simplified Chinese t
Japanese t
Korean

Following are descriptions of the screens you’ll see and what you’ll need to initially configure. (See the section titled External Camera Controls earlier in this chapter for locations of the controls mentioned.)

FIG  – The Language screen

Here are the steps to select the language you want to use: . Refer to FIG  for the Language menu the camera presents on startup. . Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down until your language is highlighted. . Press the OK button to select your language. The camera will now switch to the next screen in the camera setup series: the Time zone screen.

Initial Camera Setup



Time Zone

Date Format

This is an easy screen to use as long as you can recognize the area of the world in which you live on the small map. Here are the steps to select the correct time zone for your location: . Refer to FIG  for the Time zone screen. You’ll see yellow arrow tips pointing to the left and right on either side of the small black and gray world map. . With the Multi Selector, scroll to the left or right until your location is highlighted in yellow. It’ll show as either a vertical yellow strip or a tiny yellow outline with a red dot. At the top of the screen below the words Time zone, you’ll see the currently selected time zone. Mine is New York, Toronto, Lima, as shown in FIG . . Press the OK button once you’ve positioned the yellow selection strip or outline and your time zone will be locked in place.

The English-speaking world uses various date formats. The Nikon D gives us the ability to choose from the most important ones. There are three date formats you can select (see FIG ): t
Y/M/D = Year/Month/Day (//) t
M/D/Y = Month/Day/Year (//) t
D/M/Y = Day/Month/Year (//)

The camera will now present you with the next screen in the series: the Date format screen.

FIG  – The Time zone screen

Residents in the U.S. usually prefer the middle format: Month/Day/Year. However, you may prefer a different format if you’re from a different English-speaking part of the world. Here are the steps to select the date format of your preference: . Refer to FIG  for the Date format screen. . Using the Multi Selector, scroll up or down to the position of the date format you prefer. . Press the OK button to select the format. Once you have the date format selected, the camera will switch to the Daylight saving time screen.

FIG  – The Date format screen

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

Examining the Nikon D

Daylight Saving Time

Daylight saving time set to On. Why not

Many areas of the United States observe daylight saving time. In the springtime, many American residents set their clocks forward by one hour on a specified day each year. Then in the fall they set it back, leading to the clever saying, “Spring forward, fall back”. To enable automatic daylight saving time, follow these steps: . Refer to FIG  for the Daylight saving time screen. . There are only two selections, On and Off. Choose the one you prefer by scrolling with the Multi Selector and highlighting it. . Press the OK button to select your choice.

let the camera automatically change this value twice per year? Now that you’ve made the daylight saving time decision, the camera will move on to the last screen in the series of five; the Date and time screen.

If you turned daylight saving time on, your D will now automatically “spring forward and fall back”, adjusting your time forward by one hour in the spring and back one hour in the fall. Recommendation: If you live in an area that observes daylight saving time, it’s a good idea to set your camera to make this adjustment automatically. I always leave

FIG  – The Daylight saving time screen

Date and Time

This screen allows you to put in the current date and time zone. It is in year-month-day (Y,M,D) and hour-minutesecond (H,M,S) format. Here are the steps to set the date and time: . Refer to FIG  for the screen you’ll use. . Using the Multi Selector, scroll to the left or right to select the various date and time sections. Scroll up or down to actually set the values for each one. The time values are using a -hour clock, or military time. Use the to -hour time conversion chart to convert to the -hour time you are probably using (for example, : p.m. equals :). . Press the OK button when you’ve finished inputting the date and time.

FIG  – The Date and time screen

Formatting the Memory Card

- to -Hour Time Conversion Chart Here is a - to -hour time conversion chart for your convenience. A.M. Settings: : a.m. = : (midnight) : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : P.M. Settings: : p.m. = : (noon) : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = :

Formatting the Memory Card You’ll need to learn the location of this particular function on the Setup menu— either in the Nikon Guide Mode or the old-style text menu mode—since you’ll be using it frequently. It’s a good idea to use your camera, not your computer, to format the memory card that holds your pictures. That way, the card’s format is customized to the camera. It’s a relatively simple process to format the card. First, let’s look at how the memory card is inserted in the D. To the right of the Multi Selector there’s a small door for the memory card. You’ll find the word “Card” on the door along with three raised lines to help you get some traction on it. With a finger, pull the little door toward you. When you pull it toward the back of the camera, it will pop open as FIG  shows. Insert the card into the card slot in the camera with the label facing toward you. The cut-off corner of the SD/SDHC card will be up when you insert the card. Press it in all the way until you feel it latch. To

Note: There is no : time (midnight). After : comes :.

Now that you have completed the five basic setup screens, your camera is ready to use. Hopefully you have a nice fresh SD or SDHC memory card ready to go. If so, let’s look at how you can format it for first-time use in the camera.



FIG  – Inserting a memory card

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

Examining the Nikon D

remove it, just press in on the end of the card and it will pop out a short distance so that you can grasp it and pull it the rest of the way out. Now that you’ve inserted the card, let’s get it formatted and ready for use. Shown in FIG A and FIG B are the screens involved in formatting a memory card. First we’ll look at the Nikon Guide Mode menu screens to format a memory card. Follow these steps to format a memory card from the Guide menu (see FIG A): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. That will enable the Nikon Guide Mode and its graphical menu screens. . Press the Menu button and you’ll see the Guide menu screen as shown in the leftmost screen in FIG A. . Scroll to the right with the Multi Selector until you’ve selected Set up. . On the next screen—in the middle in FIG A, image —scroll down several times with the Multi Selector until you see that Format memory card is highlighted.

FIG A – Formatting a memory card – Guide mode

. Press the OK button and the Format memory card screen will ask you All images on memory card will be deleted. OK? (see the screen on the right in FIG A). . With the Multi Selector scroll up to the Yes selection. . Press the OK button to start the formatting process. During formatting, a black screen will show displaying the words Formatting memory card. When it is done formatting, the screen will briefly show Formatting complete, and then the camera will switch back to the Set up menu. At this point the camera’s memory card is formatted and ready to accept images. Now let’s see how to format the card using the standard text menu system. These text menus are what most previous Nikon DSLR owners have grown accustomed to. The D is the first camera to use the new Nikon Guide Mode screens.

Formatting the Memory Card



FIG B – Formatting a memory card – Text Menu Mode

In FIG B are the screens to format the memory cards. Make sure that you’ve moved the Mode dial (on the camera’s top) away from the GUIDE selection. Try setting it to one of the P, S, A, or M settings for this formatting operation. Here are the steps: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu screen as shown in FIG B. The icon looks like a little orange wrench. . Scroll to the right once with the Multi Selector to enter the Setup menu, then scroll down and highlight Format memory card. . Press the OK button and the Format memory card screen will ask you, All images on memory card will be deleted. OK?

. Scroll up to the Yes selection with the Multi Selector. . Press the OK button to start the formatting process. During formatting the screen will show Formatting memory card. When the memory card is formatted, the screen will briefly show Formatting complete, and the camera will switch back to the Setup menu. These are the two ways to format a memory card. Use whichever you are most comfortable with. The results are exactly the same, a freshly prepared memory card formatted for the Nikon D.

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

Examining the Nikon D

I Want to Take Some Pictures Now! Auto Mode

You’ve charged the battery, examined all the controls, configured the camera for use, and formatted a memory card. I bet you’d like to take some pictures now, wouldn’t you? Here’s a chance to take an intermission and enjoy your camera for a little while. If you have little or no experience with a DSLR, you can still get great images by setting it to AUTO mode. FIG C shows a powerful setting on your camera’s Mode dial. It has one simple word, AUTO, and a tiny green camera icon. Why don’t you put the camera in AUTO mode and go shoot some images? You’ll need to have images on your memory card to fully work with the settings in this book. In AUTO mode your camera is a powerhouse of intelligence. This mode represents years of experience in designing camera functionality and thousands of stored sample image parameters to help you make great images while using the camera as a point-and-shoot. Like an oversized Nikon Coolpix on steroids, your

D can handle the automatic side of life better than many cameras. The image quality—due to the size of the sensor and processing power of the computerized camera—will simply amaze you and your friends. When in AUTO mode, the camera will adjust itself for the optimum image each time. It will even know when to use flash. While you are reading this book, and learning to be a creative advanced photographer, why not use the AUTO mode for fun times? You won’t have to think about anything except composing a great picture and the camera will do the rest. Once you’ve created some satisfying pictures, come on back and read some more. Take it in stages so as to not become overwhelmed. There’s a lot to learn, but this book will make it easy. Go have some fun and come back when you’re ready.

Intermission

Ah, you’re back! Okay, let’s continue on into the inner workings of your D. Are you ready? FIG C – Auto mode

I Want to Take Some Pictures Now



FIG  – The camera help system

The Built-In Help Button

Diopter Adjustment Control

Nikon knows that a camera as complex as the D might require a little help sometimes. Often, you’ll be out shooting and won’t have this book or a manual with you, so the D gives you an easy solution with the Help button. Notice in FIG , image , that the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button (red arrow) has a small question mark just above it. This marks the button as having a dual function. It is context sensitive. If you are viewing a picture and press the button, the camera will “zoom out”, showing multiple images on the LCD. However, when you are using any of the menu systems in the camera, the same button provides a useful help comment for the selected function or setting. Try it! You’ll need to hold down the Help button to make the help comment stay on the screen. In FIG , image , you can see that I have selected Clean image sensor from the Setup menu. Next, I press and hold the Help button (image ). Finally, in the third image, you see the help screen that shows for the Clean image sensor selection. Any time you have a menu screen on the LCD monitor, you can hold down the Help button and see a helpful commentary on whatever function is highlighted on the menu screen. That’s all there is to it!

I mentioned this control as one of the three switches available on the D. Unfortunately, it is hard to see this switch when looking at the camera directly from the back, as is shown in our external camera control reference figures (FIG A, B, and C). It’s hidden behind the rubber eyecup. In FIG  you can see a much better view of the Diopter adjustment control. It’s a switch that slides up and down. The purpose of this switch is to adjust the camera’s viewfinder sharpness to your eyesight. You can set it so that the image in the viewfinder doesn’t cause you any eyestrain during extended camera use. Here are the steps to set the Diopter adjustment control to your eyesight: . Look through the viewfinder and cause the camera to autofocus on something close by.

FIG  – Diopter adjustment control

1

1



Examining the Nikon D

. Slide the Diopter adjustment control slider all the way to the top. . Now while you are looking through the viewfinder at your focused subject, slide the Diopter adjustment control down, one notch at a time, until the view appears sharpest for your vision. Recommendation: This control is important to adjust for you personally. Each person’s eye focuses differently, especially as we age. I wear trifocals but use the distance-viewing part of my glasses to look through the viewfinder. I find that setting the switch about midway works best for me. My -year-old son seems to prefer a setting closer to the bottom of the slider’s travel. Play with this until you have it set just right for you.

Section 2 – Adjusting the Nikon D3000’s Settings This second section of chapter  is designed to give you an overview of the three user interfaces for adjusting the settings in the Nikon D. We’ll consider three distinct menu systems that allow you to adjust the same basic internal camera features and functions. Nikon made a camera interface for all user types. The three menu systems are as follows: t
Information Screen and Information Edit Menu t
Nikon Guide Mode t
Standard Text-based Menu System

Let’s start by briefly examining each of these interfaces. Later, we’ll cover them in detail as we progress though the book.

The Difference Between the Information Screen and Information Edit Menu Through the course of this book you will be seeing references to the Information screen and the Information edit menu (or Display). The terms may sound similar but the functions of these two D features are not. You may have noticed that unlike other Nikon DSLRs, the D doesn’t have a small rectangular LCD screen positioned on top of the camera between the Shutter release button and Command dial. This missing feature is called the camera’s Control panel. This extra LCD panel has been left off the D in order to make the camera much smaller. Cameras with a Control panel allow you to glance down at the top of the camera for a quick look at basic and advanced camera settings. Since the D has no Control panel LCD display on top of the camera, it instead provides similar data on the Information screen that appears on the back of the camera on the -inch LCD monitor. The main thing to remember is that the Information screen is a “read-only” look at the current camera settings, while the Information edit menu allows you to “edit” or change those same settings. Both provide similar information, but the Information edit menu will be your main portal to changing the most used camera settings. On some occasions you may notice these two items described as either screens or displays. Don’t worry

The Difference Between the Information Screen and Information Edit Menu

t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t




about that. In this case, the terms are interchangeable. The big difference is whether you are looking at the Information screen, or the Information edit menu (or display). These two screens are the first ones I want to show you, because you may find yourself using them more than any others. They are shortcut screens and are very convenient. FIG  shows pictures of both screens. In FIG , image , is the standard Information screen that you see when you turn the camera on, or press the Shutter release button halfway down with nothing showing on the monitor. You can also get to this screen by pressing the Info button to the left and behind the Shutter release button. This is a “read-only” reference screen that gives you a lot of information about how the camera is currently configured. On the Information screen you’ll see these settings: t
Exposure mode t
Which picture control is in use t
Beep on/off t
Battery charge level t
Aperture and shutter speed t
Image quality and size t
White balance t
ISO sensitivity

That’s a lot of information to digest at once. At first it might seem a little overwhelming, but you’ll become familiar with each of these settings as you read this book and use your new camera. In FIG , image , we see the same information presented by the Information edit menu, but this time you can adjust any of these items. This second, lessgraphical screen, gives you the Information edit menu, and is accessible by pressing the Playback zoom in/Information edit button twice. Unfortunately, you cannot get to this screen by pressing the Info button on the camera’s top. You’ll have to use the button on the lower left of the monitor LCD to activate the Information edit menu. Notice how this dual-purpose button has

Information Screen

Information Edit Menu

FIG  – Information screen and Information edit screen

Release mode Focus mode AF-area mode Metering mode Active D-Lighting (ADL) Exposure compensation Flash compensation Flash mode Active AF sensor point

1

1



Examining the Nikon D

a small icon (Information edit button) just above the button with the “magnifying glass with a plus in it” (Playback zoom in button). See FIG B number , earlier in this chapter, to make sure you know which button I’m referring to. You’ll use this button often as you adjust your camera. Anytime the regular Information screen is showing, you can press the Information edit button once to get to the Information edit menu. If any other or no screen is active, you’ll have to press the Information edit button twice. If this is confusing to you, just press the Information edit button multiple times, until the Information edit menu is visible. We’ll consider these screens and all their settings in complete detail in the chapter titled Guide Menu – Advanced

FIG  ¬– Nikon Guide Mode

Information Screen vs. Information Edit Menu Since this can be confusing, I think it is worth repeating: t
The Information screen is a read-only look at the current camera settings. t
The Information edit menu allows you to edit or change those same settings.

Use. For now, I just want you to know where the screens are located and what they are used for. You’ll need to learn about each of the Information edit menu settings if you use the D as more than an automatic point-and-shoot camera. Now, let’s review the Nikon Guide Mode screens.

The Difference Between the Information Screen and Information Edit Menu

Nikon Guide Mode

The Nikon Guide Mode, or Guide menu, screens are Nikon’s newest user interface, first seen on the D. They allow brand-new DSLR users to graphically step through a series of screens, gradually setting up the camera for the type of photography they are about to do. FIG , image , shows the first screen you’ll see when you first access the Nikon Guide Mode. You get to this screen by setting the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE, and then pressing the Menu button on the camera’s back. If the screen doesn’t show GUIDE MENU when you press the Menu button, you don’t have the Mode dial on top set to GUIDE. Here are the steps to use the Guide Mode menus: . When you have the opening Guide Mode screen on your camera as you see in FIG , image , select Shoot and press the OK button. . Now you’ll see the Shoot menu, as shown in FIG , image . You can select Easy operation, Advanced operation, or Timers & remote control. . Select Easy operation, (FIG , image ) and then use the Multi Selector to scroll to the right. Scroll up and down in this Easy operation menu, and you’ll find all sorts of different shooting styles you can select from. You’ll see things like Auto, Distant subjects, Close-ups, and several more styles. Each will configure the camera for a style of shooting without you doing anything else except selecting the style. I chose Auto from the menu in FIG , image .



. Now scroll to the right, and look at the final screen (FIG , image ) so that you can select Start shooting or More settings. . If you select Start shooting, the camera is ready to go. The More settings selection let’s you continue to set up your image style on a more detailed basis that requires a little more knowledge of camera settings. Whenever you see a Start shooting selection, the camera has finished setting up a basic shooting style. You can go ahead and take pictures or customize the selected style with More settings. I suggest that you don’t use the More settings selection until you’ve read the chapter titled Guide Menu – Advanced Use. You’ll need to understand various internal camera settings before you try to adjust them using the More settings menu selection. Browse these menus for a few minutes and start familiarizing yourself with how the camera wants to help guide you. If you examine the Advanced operation menus, you’ll even find some tutorial screens to teach you about things like how to soften backgrounds or freeze motion. For now, I am just introducing you to these menus so that you can play around with them and know where to look for them. The chapters titled Guide Menu – Basic Use and Guide Menu – Advanced Use are devoted to covering each of these Guide menus in full detail. This first chapter just introduces them. But wait, there’s more! Let’s go retro. If you’ve ever used an older Nikon DSLR, you’ll be familiar with the old-style text-based menus.

1

1



Examining the Nikon D

FIG  – Standard text-based menus

Standard Menu System

The standard text-based menu system has been around as long as there have been Nikon DSLR cameras. For many it is very simple to use and preferable. These menus are divided into four different primary parts, as shown in FIG : t
Playback menu t
Shooting menu t
Setup menu t
Retouch menu In previous Nikon DSLRs there was another set of menus called the Custom Settings, but to simplify the D’s operation these have been done away with as a separate menu. What were previously called Custom Settings in other Nikon

DSLRs have been folded into the other menu systems in this camera. The D is truly simpler to configure and operate— once you’ve decided which of the three user interfaces you’ll use: the Information screen and Information edit menu, the

FIG  – The Recent settings menu

My Conclusions

Nikon Guide Mode, or the standard textbased Menu System. There is also a menu in the D called the Recent Settings menu. This is an ordered list of the most recently adjusted camera functions. If you regularly use a certain setting that might be deeply hidden in other menus, it will appear on the Recent Settings menu for immediate access. There is room on this self-created menu for up to  items. So, you’ll have immediate access to the last  items you changed without having to search through the other menus to find the setting. We’ll consider each of the five textbased menus in full detail in later chapters of this book.

My Conclusions You’ve reached the end of the first chapter in your new book. I hope I’ve covered the basics of the camera in enough detail to help you find your way around a little better. Here’s a sample image of a Victorian-era building taken with the D and the Nikkor –mm kit lens. Just look at this camera’s excellent imaging capability! As you progress through the rest of this book, we’ll cover all the parts of your D in full detail. In addition, there are chapters on the basics of photography. This book is not intended to teach you how to take great images—there are plenty of books out there on that subject. This book will help you to understand the basics of how the camera works— how to use things like the histogram and exposure modes for excellent exposures, the aperture and shutter speed for



creative control, the built-in and external Speedlight flash units, and the autofocus system with its related functions to help you capture subjects in motion. With this book and your new Nikon D, you’ll be able to grow as a photographer. This book is designed to go way beyond the User’s and Reference Manuals included with your camera, covering many of the same functions that are listed in the manuals, but in more detail to help you understand when and why you should use each function and control. You will find my personal recommendations to help you use the camera well as you learn to control it completely. If you’ll take the time to read through this book—with your camera in hand— you’ll come away with an advanced knowledge of each of its controls, settings, and functions. You will, indeed, be a “master” of the Nikon D.

Glenmore Mansion, Jefferson City, Tennessee, USA.

1



Nikon Guide Menus – Basic Use

Nikon Guide Menus – Basic Use

2



The Nikon Guide Mode is designed to help a new DSLR camera user make better pictures while they learn how a DSLR works. The D is the first Nikon camera with this brand-new feature.

For instance, by setting the Mode dial on top to GUIDE and selecting Easy operation from the Shoot menu, you can choose nine different styles of photography. You may select a style, like Landscapes or Portraits, and then simply choose Start shooting and go make pictures, or you can customize the style with the More settings selection (described in the next chapter). The Shoot menu also gives you an Advanced operation selection. This mode lets you receive instruction from the camera on things like aperture and shutter speed, with graphics to guide you. It allows you to configure the camera, with instructions, along the way. The Guide menu is designed for new photographers. If you have experience with a Nikon DSLR of any other type, you may be more familiar with the normal text-based menus and not need the guidance the Guide menu offers. Even if you have experience with Nikon DSLRs, you may want to read over this chapter anyway, just to see how this guide system works. If you have no experience with a DSLR, then please do spend some time with this chapter. These menus may help ease your transition into the DSLR world. When I first got my Nikon D, I was amazed that Nikon had given users three separate ways to access the exact same

functionality in the camera. The Guide menu, five text-based menus (Playback, Shooting, Setup, Retouch, and Recent settings), and the Information edit menu. The Guide menu’s basic Shoot menu has two parts: The first is designed for letting a new DSLR user select specific styles of shooting and educate them on aperture and shutter speed. The second part allows the user to configure the camera in a deeper way. This presents a problem for an author because the second part—called More settings—takes the user into configuration of some of the same settings that the text-based menus and graphical Information edit menu also control. If I wrote a chapter on all three of these menu systems separately, I would be repeating the same thing three times because they all adjust the same camera settings. What I chose to do in this chapter is to cover the first part of the Guide menu, which helps a new user get a feel for the camera, and then to pull all the various advanced configuration menus into another chapter. That way, all the settings themselves will be fully explained, along with each user interface to locate those settings. The next chapter will cover the Guide menu’s More settings along with the View/edit and Set up menus. In this chapter, we’ll cover the first part of the Nikon Guide Mode menus. We’ll examine the More settings camera configuration as part of the next chapter, Guide Menu – Advanced Use.

2



Nikon Guide Menus – Basic Use

2

FIG  – GUIDE Mode and the Guide menu opening screen

Now, let’s examine the basic use of the Guide menu. FIG  shows the Mode dial set to GUIDE, and the first Guide menu that will appear when you press the Menu button on the camera’s back, left side. Let’s start by looking at the new Guide menu’s three submenus: t
Shoot – This menu allows you to operate the camera in a very basic or more advanced way. Plus, it let’s you set how fast your D takes pictures and the self timers for remote control of the camera. It has three submenus: Easy operation, Advanced operation, and Timers & remote control. This chapter is devoted to the Easy and Advanced operation menu. The Timers & remote control section is considered in the next chapter. t
View/delete – This menu lets you work with the images you’ve already taken. You can view single photos, groups of photos, or even photos from a specific date. You can do a slide show or even delete images. It’s divided into five sections. We’ll consider this section of the Guide menu in the next chapter. t
Set up – This menu has  sections allowing you to configure what Nikon

feels are the most important functions for a newer DSLR user. You can set things like the image size and quality, the time zone, your language, or imprint dates on your pictures. You can create “print sets” on your camera’s memory card that you can later plug into a PictBridge-enabled printer and print directly. Each of these settings, and many more, are available in the normal text-based or Information edit menus too.

Shoot Guide Menu – Basic Use Before we get deeply into the Guide menu system, I want to reiterate one important detail. There are two sets of More settings menus to which the basic Shoot menu connects. These are the configuration menus that will be considered in the next chapter. The Shoot menu uses a progressive series of screens that stop at one of the screen types shown in FIG A, with a selection called Start shooting at the bottom. The screen will vary in how it looks according to whether you are using the Easy operation or Advanced operation menu. In this chapter, the main points

Shoot Guide Menu – Basic Use

of interest on these screens are the Start shooting menu choices. FIG A shows the three “ready to shoot” ending screens types you’ll see. The first one is from the Easy operation menu, the second is from Advanced operation > Soften backgrounds, and the third is from Advanced operations > Freeze motion (people). There is another one for Freeze motion (vehicles) but it looks the same as Freeze motion (people), other than the title difference. In FIG A, on any of the three menu varieties, you’ll notice that underneath the Start shooting selection is the advanced More settings choice that I’ll cover in the next chapter. I want you to realize that when you notice a menu with Start shooting, as seen in FIG A, you’ve reached a decision point: . I can take pictures now by selecting Start shooting. . I can use the More settings selection to configure the camera on a deeper level. In other words, whenever you see one of these screens, the camera is basically saying to you, “Okay, we’ve reached a point where an inexperienced user can stop playing with the menus and take some pictures”. If you choose the Start shooting selection,

FIG A –Start shooting or More settings selections



you can then take pictures based on your menu selections up to that point. However, if you would like to make more adjustments, or fine-tune your camera configuration, you can choose the More settings selection and you’ll be presented with some lower-level configuration options for specific camera functions. The reason I’m mentioning this before I go into a detailed examination of the various Shoot menus is because they all end up on one of the screen types shown in FIG A. Moving past that point— choosing the More settings selection— requires a little more knowledge about using DSLR cameras than some new users have. We’ll look at both sets of More settings menus—Easy and Advanced—in the next chapter. This chapter will focus on the settings and screens up until you get to a screen containing the More settings selection. I consider everything before the More settings selection to be Guide menu “basic use” and everything after More settings to be Guide menu “advanced use”. That’s why we have two chapters for the Guide menu. In other words, I’ve deliberately divided our consideration of the Guide menu into two separate chapters, based on the More settings selection as a stopping point.

2



2

Nikon Guide Menus – Basic Use

Now, let’s look into the Shoot menu. Please don’t confuse the Nikon Guide Mode’s Shoot menu with the older-style text-based Shooting menu discussed in a later chapter, titled Shooting Menu. The Nikon Guide Mode’s Shoot menu has three sections: t
Easy operation t
Advanced operation t
Timers & remote control We’ll consider Easy and Advanced operation in this chapter and Timers & remote control in the next chapter. Let’s look at the Easy operation menu first.

FIG  –Shoot menu – Easy operation screens

Shoot Menu – Easy Operation The four screens shown in FIG  allow you to select nine different shooting styles (image ). Notice how image  shows the ending menu screen, with Start shooting and More settings, as we discussed previously? Get used to this type of screen being a stopping point for basic Shoot menu adjustments, unless you want to use the advanced More settings choice to drill deeper. You aren’t required to, and really shouldn’t unless you fully understand what each of the More settings menu choices do!

Shoot Menu – Easy Operation

Here are the steps used to select a shooting style from the Easy operation menu (see FIG ). . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the camera’s back. . Select Shoot from the Guide menu and press the OK button (see FIG , image ). . Select Easy operation from the Shoot menu (see FIG , image ) then scroll to the right with the Multi Selector (or press the OK button). . Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down in the Easy operation menu choices and select the style of shooting you want to use for this shooting session (see FIG , image ). See the upcoming list of the nine basic shooting styles for information on what the styles do. . Highlight one of the styles, and scroll to the right with the Multi Selector (or press the OK button). . Highlight the Start shooting selection and press the OK button (see FIG , image ). . Go take pictures with the style you’ve just chosen. If you desire, you can continue to modify the settings using the More settings selection below Start shooting (see FIG , image ). However, it is entirely optional at this time.



The nine basic shooting styles are as follows: . Auto – This automatic mode allows the camera to make basic exposure and focus decisions for you. This should be considered a general-purpose mode for when you are shooting a variety of subjects. This mode is very similar to the AUTO exposure mode selection found on the Mode dial on top of the camera. Basic default camera settings: The camera defaults to the Standard (SD) Picture Control, and Auto-area autofocus. The built-in flash will automatically pop up when needed, and the AF-assist illuminator will shine when autofocus needs a little more light. . No flash – This is a very simple mode. If you select it, the flash is turned off. Be careful in darker areas since you might have camera shake and blur your pictures if there is not enough light for a fast shutter speed. Use this mode when you want to use natural light or where flash isn’t allowed. The camera works as if you had it set to Auto mode (), except that the flash is disabled. . Distant subjects – This mode is especially good for sports—or any distant subject that moves—since it tends to set fast shutter speeds for images with low blur. If you are shooting a basketball, football, or soccer game for your child’s team, this mode is the one you want. You get results from this mode that are

2



2

Nikon Guide Menus – Basic Use

similar to the results you would get if the camera was set to the Sports scene mode on the Mode dial. Basic default camera settings: The camera uses the Standard (SD) Picture Control and seemingly the Single point AF-area mode. This lets you move the autofocus (AF) point around your camera’s viewfinder until you choose one of the  points that best covers the area with the most important focus. This setting is very similar to the Moving subjects selection (). The flash and AF-assist illuminator are disabled in this mode. . Close-ups – If you like to take pictures of things up close, use this mode. It is the equivalent of the Close-up selection on the Mode dial. This is good for “macro” photography, with those special lenses for extreme close-ups, or you can just use your -mm kit lens to get as close as possible. Basic default camera settings: The camera uses the Standard (SD) Picture Control and the Single point AF-area mode. The flash and AF-assist illuminator are automatically used when needed in this mode. . Sleeping faces – This is an unusually named style that is similar to the Child scene mode on the Mode dial. I guess they named it Sleeping faces since young children tend to sleep more. How many parents can resist taking pictures of sleeping babies, for instance? If you want to take pictures of

wiggly awake or sleeping children, use this mode. Basic default camera settings: The camera uses the Standard (SD) Picture Control and the Auto-area AFarea mode. Unlike with the Child scene mode, the flash and AF-assist light are disabled in Sleeping faces, so it won’t wake up those sleepy kids with a burst of light. . Moving subjects – This is also a good mode for sports or any moving subject. When I noticed that this particular selection closely resembled the Distant subjects setting (), I was a little confused. Nikon USA’s technical support department helped with an explanation. It appears that the folks at Nikon wanted to “cover the bases” in the styles of shooting, so they put the same functionality under two headings. To test this, I shot carefully controlled images using both Distant subjects and Moving subjects. Both took the picture with exactly the same settings—shutter speed, aperture, histogram, picture control, and ISO sensitivity. Basic default camera settings: The same as Distant subjects (). . Landscapes – If you are out shooting nature and want those beautiful scenics, or you’re visiting New York City or Tokyo and want a sweeping vista shot of all the skyscrapers—from a distance—choose the Landscapes mode. This mode is for when you want to take

Shoot Menu – Easy Operation

wide shots of non-moving distant subjects with lots of detail. Basic default camera settings: The camera uses the Landscape (LS) Picture Control and Single point AF-area mode. The flash and AFassist light are disabled in this mode. . Portraits – This mode looks for people’s faces in the frame using facial-recognition technology. It also adjusts the camera for smooth-looking and accurate skin tones. Take pictures of individuals and groups of people using this mode. The camera will seek out their faces and automatically focus on them. Basic default camera settings: The camera uses the Portrait (PT) Picture Control and the Auto-area AF-area mode. The flash and AF-assist light are automatically used when needed in this mode. . Night Portrait – This mode is similar to Portraits mode () except that it uses the flash differently. Where the Portraits mode uses normal Fill flash (front-curtain), the Night portrait mode uses Slow sync flash. If the light is truly low, you really should be using a tripod when shooting night portraits. You should also ask your subjects to stand very still. The camera will use a very slow shutter speed to balance the low ambient light with the necessary flash. If you’re trying to handhold the camera using this mode, you’ll have a nicely exposed person because the



flash will light the face well, but since a slow shutter speed is being used, the surroundings may be blurred. Use a tripod, or at the very least brace yourself against something when taking a night portrait. Basic default camera settings: The camera uses the Portrait (PT) Picture Control and the Auto-area AFarea mode. The flash and AF-assist light are automatically used when needed in this mode. The flash uses Slow sync. This mode is discussed in more detail under the chapter titled Speedlight Flash Photography. Use the screens shown in FIG  to select one of the nine modes as your needs change. These modes will cover the usual subjects that you might want to photograph. They are, in a sense, “presets,” which means the camera decides how to best configure itself. You can use the More settings menu to change some of the camera’s basic default settings as your experience with using a DSLR grows. If you decide to do that, just select the More settings menu choice instead of the Start shooting selection (see FIG , image ). Refer to the next chapter for details on how to use the More settings menu. Now, let’s move on into the Advanced operation menu and discover even more powerful ways you can use your camera.

2



Nikon Guide Menus – Basic Use

Shoot Menu – Advanced Operation

2

Where the Easy operation menu takes only four screens to arrive at a basic shooting style, the Advanced operation menu takes six. The reason it uses more screens is that the camera tries to teach its users some basic photography principles as they walk through the advanced menu. FIG  shows the six screens you’ll use to configure the camera. Soften Backgrounds

First we’ll consider the Soften backgrounds selection on the Advanced operation menu. There are two other menu selections that we’ll look at too—the two types of Freeze motion settings. But, first, here’s Soften backgrounds information.

FIG  – Advanced operation – Soften backgrounds

Use these steps to select the Soften backgrounds choice (see FIG ): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the camera’s back. . Select Shoot from the Guide menu and press the OK button (see FIG , image ). . Select Advanced operation from the Shoot menu and then scroll to the right with the Multi Selector, or press the OK button (see FIG , image ). . Select Soften backgrounds from the Advanced operation menu, and then scroll to the right with the Multi Selector, or press the OK button (see FIG , image ).

Shoot Menu – Advanced Operation

. Read the instructional screen found in FIG , image , and then press the OK button. . Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down and select an aperture number, such as F. Once you have the aperture number you want to use, press the OK button (see FIG , image ). . The final screen that allows you to begin taking pictures with your selected aperture now appears. Select the Start shooting choice from the menu and press the OK button (see FIG , image ). Remember that you can use the More settings selection shown in FIG , image  to adjust even more settings. It is optional. Refer to the next chapter for details on how to use the More settings menu. Notice the graphical representation of the aperture blades found in the lens of your camera in the last two screens of FIG ? These aperture blades control the amount of light your lens passes into the camera. The larger the opening, the more light gets in; the smaller the opening, the less light gets into the camera. Let’s also discuss how this aperture setting affects how soft or sharp the background will be in your images.



The Soften backgrounds screens can also be used to sharpen the background! Large aperture numbers sharpen the background, while small aperture numbers soften the background. This menu is trying to teach you about a photographic principle called “depth of field”. What depth of field means is how much of the picture is in sharp focus. Is just your subject in sharp focus and the background not in focus, or are the subject and background both in sharp focus? It is the size of the camera’s aperture opening that determines the depth of field. If only your subject is in focus, then the image is said to have shallow depth of field. If the subject and background are in sharp focus, then the picture has deep depth of field. In FIG A you can see the effect of the aperture with a small number (f/.) and a large number (f/). See how the small aperture number causes the background to be soft looking but the large aperture number causes the background to be sharp? I focused on the girl in red in both pictures. The small aperture number softened the background. The large aperture number sharpened the background. In

FIG A – Aperture numbers affect the background sharpness

2



2

Nikon Guide Menus – Basic Use

both pictures my primary subject, the girl in red, is sharp. However, the sharpness of the background varies according to the aperture number value. The first picture in FIG A has shallow depth of field, and the second picture has deep depth of field. In FIG , image  you can see how to select different aperture numbers. For instance, I have selected an aperture called “F”, which is commonly written as f/. This is a medium-sized aperture. FIG , image  asks you to select small values to soften the background. What that means is simply that you will select smaller aperture f/numbers. Here is a list of apertures, running from small values to large. As the f/number gets bigger, the background loses blurriness. Your camera’s -mm kit lens has a maximum aperture size (small number) of f/., which is between f/. and f/: <— Small F/number to large F/number —> f/., f/, f/., f/, f/., f/, f/, f/, f/ In this example, the f/ number is smaller than the f/ number. If you used f/, the background would be much more blurry, than if you used f/. I chose f/, which is a medium aperture. The subject will be in sharp focus and even some of the background at a medium aperture like f/. When you select bigger and bigger aperture f/numbers (f/), farther and farther into the distance the background will get sharper. As you select smaller and

smaller aperture f/numbers (f/.), your distant background will become softer or blurrier. This book has a chapter devoted to understanding how to use the camera’s aperture to control depth of field. For much more detailed information on this subject, please refer to the chapter titled Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length. Later, when you have gained a deeper knowledge of the camera, you can get the same effect from the Aperture-priority exposure mode, or A on the Mode dial. These Soften backgrounds guide screens simply provide a way to help you understand how to later use a more advanced mode in the camera. Freeze Motion (People) and (Vehicles)

While the section on Soften backgrounds was about setting the camera’s aperture to control how sharp or soft the background may be, this section on freezing motion for people and vehicles is about the camera’s shutter speed. There are two menu selections in the Advanced operations menu concerned with stopping motion—Freeze motion (people) and Freeze motion (vehicles). There is no point in having two separate sections for these two menu items. They work identically and are concerned only with the type of action you are trying to freeze. All the screens are the same, except for slightly different text. The textual difference is about how fast the shutter speed should be for the two types of moving subjects. Clearly, a person

Shoot Menu – Advanced Operation

walking along will not require as fast a shutter speed to freeze the motion as a car traveling  mph (. kph). In this section you’ll see the screens (FIG )—and steps to use them—for freezing (or blurring) motion of the two types of subjects, people and vehicles. I chose to use the screens for vehicles instead of people. You can use either set of screens for either type of subjects. It makes absolutely no difference. The only difference in these two menu varieties is the text where it specifies people or vehicles (FIG , images  to ) and the text on maximum shutter speeds to freeze motion (FIG , image ). The two Freeze motion menus have exactly the same effect on the shutter speed, and it does not matter which you use for people, vehicles, or anything else moving quickly. The primary thing you need to remember is that, the faster the subject is moving, the faster the shutter speed

FIG  – Advanced operation – Freeze motion



that’s required to freeze the motion. Otherwise you’ll have blurred motion in your picture—which may be a good thing for some motion! Here are the steps used to set the camera’s shutter speed to the correct value for your subject matter: . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the camera’s back. . Select Shoot from the Guide menu and press the OK button (see FIG , image ). . Select Advanced operation from the Shoot menu, and then scroll to the right with the Multi Selector, or press the OK button (see FIG , image ). . Select Freeze motion (people) or Freeze motion (vehicles) from the Advanced operation menu, then scroll to the right with the Multi Selector, or press the OK button (see FIG , image ).

2



2

Nikon Guide Menus – Basic Use

. Read the instructional screen found in FIG , image , and then press the OK button. . Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down, and then select a shutter speed number, such as /. Once you have the shutter speed you desire, press the OK button (see FIG , image ). Use / and above for people or animals and / and above for fast-moving objects like race cars and airplanes. If the subject looks blurred, you’ll have to increase this value to freeze the subject. You can select up to / to help stop the action. Most fast action will be frozen by a number between / and /. You may have to experiment to find the best

FIG A – Deliberately blurred water motion

shutter speed number since it will vary according to the speed of the subject. You can use a really fast shutter speed, like /, only when there is a lot of available light. . The final screen that allows you to begin taking pictures with your selected shutter speed now appears. Select the Start shooting choice from the menu and press the OK button (see FIG , image ). At this point you could use the More settings selection to make other adjustments (see FIG , image ). I will cover this more advanced use of the Guide menu in the next chapter.

My Conclusions

You can use these Freeze motion screens to freeze or even deliberately blur motion. When you’re taking a picture of a beautiful mountain river cascading over the rocks, you may not want to abruptly stop the water. Most of the time you want beautiful flowing water, like in FIG A. If you used a fast shutter speed, the water would not look like the picture shown. Instead it would be frozen and odd looking. The shutter speed for the small waterfall picture was around / second long. I took this picture from my tripod. You can’t handhold a camera with a shutter speed this slow if you want sharp pictures. You can select shutter speeds from  seconds to / of a second with your D camera (see FIG , image ). Make sure you are using a tripod for any pictures you shoot with a shutter speed shorter than / of a second (/ on the menu), otherwise your whole picture may be blurry from camera movement. I’ll discuss shutter speed in great detail in the chapter of this book titled Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length. In the meantime, experiment with how changing the shutter speed makes your moving subjects look. Later, when you have advanced in using a DSLR camera, you can get the same effect from the Shutter-priority exposure mode, or S on the Mode dial. These Freeze motion guide screens are simply a way to help you understand how to later use a more advanced mode in the camera.



My Conclusions By using the first part of the Guide menu, you can control specific styles of shooting with the Easy operation menu, or you can learn about aperture and shutter speed with the Advanced operation menu. This chapter taught you to use the camera in a basic way, but with even more control than the Scene and AUTO exposure modes provide. The upcoming chapters will take you deeply into advanced configuration of the D. You’ll be able to move out of a basic stance and learn to control your camera. Instead of it making decisions for you, you’ll make decisions for it. Or, you can share the responsibility. The Nikon D is a very flexible camera, designed to allow a new user to get familiar with working a DSLR. It also allows an interested user to get right into the deep parts of the camera and configure it for advanced photography. As I’ve mentioned before, the D is designed to let you grow as a photographer. So, now, let’s move into deeper “Advanced” settings and start growing.

2



Guide Menu – Advanced Use

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

3



The Nikon D is a little unusual in the world of cameras. There are all sorts of settings that can be configured, like Image size and quality, ISO sensitivity, which Picture Control to use, Flash modes, Focus modes, Release modes, AF-area modes, Noise reduction, White balance, Active D-lighting— and the list goes on. That’s not what’s unusual though. What’s a little different is how many ways Nikon has given you to access those settings. There are three distinct user interfaces that allow you to adjust the same camera features. Not all the settings are available from all three user interfaces. The most comprehensive are the olderstyle text-based menus like the Shooting menu—not to be confused with the Guide Mode’s Shoot menu. The easiest to use is the Information edit menu (Quick settings), but it only covers a subset of the entire range of settings, albeit the most important ones. Then there are the advanced sections of the Guide menu, which this chapter will consider. The Nikon Guide Mode menu system is composed of three main menus, as we discussed in the previous chapter. They are as follows: t
Shoot menu t
View/delete menu t
Set up menu The Shoot menu is composed of a series of three menus: . Easy operation . Advanced operation . Timers & remote control

The View/delete menu has five settings concerned with using already taken images. The Set up menu has  settings that are selectively chosen from the most important settings found on other camera menus. The first two choices in the Shoot menu—Easy operation and Advanced operation—are divided into two natural parts; first, an easy part that lets you select a style of shooting (covered in the previous chapter) and second, a more detailed part that lets you select advanced camera functions, which we’ll cover in this chapter. What Nikon has done with the Guide Mode menu system is selectively choose all sorts of settings found all over the camera’s more advanced menu systems, and bring them to one place. This makes it easy for a new DSLR user to learn to operate the camera and gradually exposes them to the more advanced way of using a DSLR, setting things in the older-style Playback, Shooting, Setup, Retouch, and Recent settings menus. Later in this book we will cover each of those more advanced menu systems in detail. This is important, since the Guide menu does not cover all the available settings. Nikon has made it easy for a new user to learn how to take pictures with a DSLR—by giving them a “hand-holding” Guide Mode. The way the Guide menu combines various settings from the other older-style menus makes it difficult to describe in a book without constant repetition of the same bits of information.

3



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

For instance, the Set up menu of the Guide Mode has an Image quality setting. Well, so does the Information edit menu and the older-style Shooting menu. The funny thing is, all three of these menus (user interfaces) simply set the same underlying Image size for the camera. Can you imagine how boring this book would be if I wrote the exact same information in each chapter, as we consider each user interface (menu)? Since it is the same setting being approached from three user interfaces, I’d have to repeat things over and over in different chapters. What I have chosen to do, instead, is to give a basic description of each setting in one place, with a reference to the more detailed information in the primary location for that setting. While I hate to have users referring to other chapters to get detailed information, I think that is preferable to having the book be three times larger than necessary and repeating the same information over and over in different chapters. Since the Guide Mode menu system is a basic system for new users, I will give only brief references to what the more advanced settings do in this chapter. In later chapters, with more advanced user interfaces, I’ll give much more detailed information on the settings and include a reference to them in this chapter. If you see a setting that you really want to learn more about and the information is not detailed enough for you in this chapter, the cross reference will allow you to dig deeper.

By providing three distinct user interfaces to adjust the same settings, Nikon has given you tremendous flexibility. However, you can imagine how difficult it is to condense this information into a book, while still making it readable and not boring from repetition. I appreciate your patience with this process.

Shoot Menu Screen Review Here is a look at the Guide Mode menus contained within the Shoot menu. The first, in FIG A, is for the Easy operation menu. The second, in FIG B, is for the Advanced operation menu. There are a sizable number of screens to get into the Guide Mode’s More settings section, which contains three or six configurable settings, according to which “operation” mode you are using, Easy or Advanced. From this display of screens, you’ll see why I don’t often use the Guide Mode’s Shoot menu for setting options that are more readily accessible under other menus. As we work with the Shoot menu’s More settings choices in this chapter, we’ll start with FIGA, image  or FIG B, image . Otherwise you’d have to repeatedly look at these same screens for each advanced setting we cover. If you get confused about the order of screens, please refer back to this section to understand how to get to the More settings selection. Easy operation –FIG A shows the six screens necessary to go all the way through the Easy operation Guide menu. Normally you’ll stop on the fourth screen

Shoot Menu Screen Review

at the Start shooting selection and go make pictures. That is what we covered in the last chapter. In this chapter, we’ll cover all the screens that come after—the More settings screens. FIG A, image  shows the actual More settings screen for the Auto shooting style when you’re using the Easy operation menu. It is composed of only three settings, while the Advanced operation menu has six (considered next). Here are the steps used to get into the More settings menu for Easy operation: . Set the Mode dial on top the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the camera’s back. . Select Shoot from the Guide Menu and press the OK button (see FIG A, image ). . Select Easy operation from the Shoot menu (see FIG A, image ), then scroll to the right with the Multi Selector (or press the OK button).

FIG A – Shoot menu’s Easy operation menus



. Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down in the Easy operation menu choices and highlight the style of shooting you want to use for this shooting session, and then scroll to the right with the Multi Selector (see FIG A, image ). I chose Auto as an example. . On the informational screen, highlight the More settings selection and scroll to the right with the Multi Selector (see FIG A, image ). FIG A, image  shows the actual More settings screen for the Easy operation menu, with its three available settings— Flash mode, Release mode, and AF-area mode. Image  shows how you can finish after you have modified one of the three settings. You simply scroll to the bottom and select Start shooting. Our primary concern, in this chapter, is for the three settings found in FIG A, image . These are normal camera settings

3



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

that are also available from the other two camera user interfaces, the Shooting menu and Information edit menu. We’ll examine each setting and show how to use all the available interfaces to adjust them. Now, let’s look into the Guide Mode’s Advanced operation screen flow to the More settings section (see FIG B). Advanced operation – FIG B has nine screens for Advanced operation instead of the six screens in Easy operation. That’s because Advanced operation gives you six More settings options instead of just three like the Easy operation menus. The three settings shown in FIG B, image  are exactly the same on both menus, while the other three, shown in FIG B, image , are exclusive to the Advanced operation menu.

FIG B – Shoot menu’s Advanced operation menu

Here are the steps to get to the More settings option for the Advanced operation menu: . Set the Mode dial on top the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the camera’s back. . Select Shoot from the GUIDE MENU and press the OK button (see FIG B, image ). . Select Advanced operation from the Shoot screen’s menu and then scroll to the right with the Multi Selector, or press the OK button (see FIG B, image ). . Select one of the three choices on the Advanced operation menu. As an example, I chose Soften backgrounds. Now scroll to the right with the Multi Selector, or press the OK button (see FIG B, image ).

Shoot Menu Screen Review

. Press the OK button when you see an instructional screen like the one found in FIG B, image . . Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down and select an aperture number, or shutter speed if you chose one of the Freeze motion selections instead of Soften backgrounds. Once you have the option set, press the OK button (see FIG B, image ). . The final screen that allows you to begin taking pictures with your selected setting now appears. Select the More settings choice from the menu and press the OK button (see FIG B, image ). . FIG B, images  and  show the screens that contain the six More settings options that you’ll learn to configure later in this chapter. .FIG B, image  shows how you can start taking pictures once you have configured one or all of the six settings. Simply choose Start shooting from the menu as shown in FIG B, image .



We discussed the screens in FIG B, images  through  in the previous chapter, but now we’ll go further. As mentioned, images  and  in FIG B contain six settings: . Set Picture Control . Exposure comp. . Flash compensation . Flash mode . Release mode . AF-area mode We’ll consider these six choices from the More settings menus in the next section. In review, the more detailed or advanced part of the Guide menu starts with a selection called More settings, as seen in FIG A, image  and FIG B, image . In this chapter I call everything past that selection the More settings menu, although they’re really just a continuation of either the Easy or Advanced operation menus. I think you’ll see why I do it this way as you read the next few sections. Keep a bookmark in this section as you read this chapter since I’ll refer back to FIGs A and B. These will be reference points to finding the choices after reaching the More settings selection.

3



Guide Menu – Advanced Use

Shoot Menu’s More Settings Selection

3

Now let’s switch attention to the actual six items found in the More settings menus. Here is a description of each setting, along with the menu screens used to find and adjust them (see FIG A): . Set Picture Control – (Only available on the Advanced operation menu) Picture Controls are designed to give a certain look to your image. In the example screens in FIG A, you see the last screens in the long series of screens presented previously in FIG B. We are starting on the same screen found in FIG B, image . In FIG A, image , you’ll see the three available Picture Controls listed here: t
SD – Standard: Gives your images a balanced color and contrast that provides nice saturation for landscapes and natural skin color for portraits. Use this control, at first, so that you can learn your camera’s capabilities, and use it as a guide of other “looks.” t
VI – Vivid: Very saturated colors and higher contrast. This control is for people who like their pictures to have a lot of color. Reds and greens will really be saturated, although not entirely realistic. However, many

people love the look. Try it for fun. It is not overpowering, but significantly more “punchy” than the balanced look of the SD control. t
MC – Monochrome: If you love to shoot black and white images, this is the control for you. It provides nice dark blacks, clean whites, and good intermediate grays so that you can experiment with those moody black and white images you crave. Here are the steps to configure your camera for one of the three available Picture Controls: a) Refer to FIG B, and the steps listed below it, to get your camera to the More settings menu in image . This will be the same screen as shown in FIG A, image . b) Referring to FIG A, image , select More settings and then scroll to the right. c) Choose Set Picture Control from the top of the menu shown in FIG A, image , and then scroll to the right. d) Choose one of the actual Picture Controls (SD, VI, or MC) and then press the OK button to select it. (If you’d rather keep the current control, select the little U-shaped arrow in the lower-right corner of FIG A, image . When you

FIG A – Set Picture Control from the Advanced operation menu

Shoot Menu’s More Settings Selection

press the OK button it will let you “Exit without changing settings.”) e) The camera will return to the previous screen. Scroll down to the Start shooting selection, as shown at the bottom of FIG A, image , and press the OK button. Go take pictures! . Exposure comp. – (Only available on the Advanced operation menu) As shown in FIG B, you can use Exposure comp. (compensation) when you want to override the camera’s light meter. If you feel that a picture is too light or too dark, you can force the camera to add or subtract up to five EV steps (stops) of light—in / steps. What that means is that you will select a compensation value, as shown in FIG B, image , in a sequence of steps like ., +/-., +/-., +/- ., +/- ., and so on. When you’re using this function, you’ll see a tiny picture of vegetables that will get brighter or darker as you add or subtract EV values. When you’ve taken your picture after using this setting, please remember to set the Exposure comp. back to . (no compensation), or all the pictures you take will keep the previous compensation setting and over- or underexpose accordingly. I mention this because I



often forget to set it back and six or seven pictures later I notice that my image is too dark or light. Here are the steps to configure your camera for extra or less exposure using the Exposure comp. setting: a) Refer to FIG B, and the steps listed below it, to get your camera to the More settings menu in image . This will be the same screen as shown in FIG B, image . b) Referring to FIG B, image , select More settings and then scroll to the right. c) Choose Exposure comp. from the top of the menu shown in FIG A, image , and then scroll to the right. d) Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down where you see the little up/down arrows with a . between them (FIG B, image ). Once you have selected a compensation value, press the OK button. Remember, . equals no compensation. Scrolling to + (plus) brightens exposure, while scrolling to – (minus) darkens exposure. e) The camera will return to the previous screen. Scroll down to the Start shooting selection, as shown at the bottom of FIG B, image , press the OK button, and go take pictures!

FIG B – Exposure compensation from the Advanced operation menu

3



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

. Flash compensation – (Only available on the Advanced operation menu) As shown in FIG C, Flash compensation is very similar to Exposure comp., discussed previously. You can adjust the output of the camera’s pop up flash, or an external Speedlight inserted in the camera’s hot shoe on top. If the flash is too bright or too dark, simply add or subtract compensation until it looks the way you like. You are limited to adding  extra EV step of brightness, but you can subtract up to  EV steps of light, in / EV steps. Here are the steps to configure your camera for extra or less exposure using the Flash compensation setting: a) Refer to FIG B, and the steps listed below it, to get your camera to the More settings menu in image . This will be the same screen as shown in FIG C, image . b) Referring to FIG C, image , select More settings and then scroll to the right. c) Choose Flash compensation from the menu as shown in FIG C, image , and then scroll to the right. d) Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down where you see the little up/down arrowheads with a . between them (FIG C, image ). Once you have selected a compensation value, press the OK button. Remember, . equals

no compensation. Scrolling to + (plus) brightens exposure, while scrolling to – (minus) darkens exposure. e) The camera will return to the previous screen. Scroll down to the Start shooting selection, as shown at the bottom of FIG C, image , press the OK button, and you’re ready to go take pictures! . Flash mode – (Available from both the Easy and Advanced operation menus). The best thing for me to tell you right now about the Flash modes is that they are rather complex and that the various modes are not available at all camera settings. In some settings, such as Easy operation’s Distant subjects mode, the flash modes are not available at all and the screen is grayed out. Here is a list of all the modes that are available in the camera. Not all will be available from the Guide menus. t
Fill flash (front-curtain sync) t
Rear-curtain sync t
Slow sync t
Red-eye reduction t
Slow sync + red-eye reduction t
Rear curtain + slow sync t
Auto t
Auto + red-eye reduction t
Auto + slow sync t
Auto + slow sync + red-eye reduction t
Off

FIG C – Flash compensation from the Advanced operation menu

Shoot Menu’s More Settings Selection

I will cover these modes in great detail in a later chapter of this book, where you’ll discover what modes are available and how each works. Since this is a chapter for new users about the Guide Mode, for now let me recommend that you use the Advanced operation menu’s Fill flash or Red-eye reduction modes (see FIG D, image , first two selections). Or, if you are using the Easy operation menu, select Auto or Auto + Red-eye reduction mode (see FIG E, image , first two selections). You’ll find the names of each mode in text above the picture in the last screen of each menu. It’s easy to pick the “red-eye reduction” modes by looking for the little eyeball symbol in the icon. If you need more information on these modes, and how to determine when each is available, please refer to the section “Using



the D’s Flash Settings” in chapter , Speedlight Flash Photography. Here are the steps to configure your camera for extra or less exposure using the Flash compensation setting: a) If you’re using Easy operation menus, please refer to FIG A, or B if using the Advanced operation menus. Use the steps listed below them to get your camera to the More settings menu. This will be the same screen as shown in FIGs D or E, image . b) Referring to image  of FIG D (Advanced operation) or E (Easy operation), select More settings, and then scroll to the right. If you are using the Advanced operation menus, you’ll need to pass right by the screen shown in Figure D, image .

FIG D – Flash mode from the Advanced operation menu

3



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

c) Choose Flash mode from the top of the menu shown in FIG D, image  or FIG E, image , and then scroll to the right. d) Select one of the flash modes (see chapter , Speedlight Flash Photography, for detail on the modes). e) The camera will return to the previous screen. Scroll down to the Start shooting selection, press the OK button, and you’re ready to go take flash pictures! . Release mode – (Available from both the Easy and Advanced operation menus). This set of five choices affects how the camera releases its shutter. t
Single frame – One shutter press takes one picture. t
Continuous – One shutter press, held down, fires the camera continuously, for up to three pictures per second. t
Self-timer – When you press the shutter, the camera autofocuses, then beeps and flashes the AF-assist illuminator for  seconds, and then finally takes the picture. During the last couple of seconds the camera beeps and flashes twice as fast. t
Delayed remote – You don’t press the Shutter release manually in this mode. Instead you use the Nikon ML-L Infrared Remote Release shown in FIG H. You can use this little, low-cost,

FIG E – Flash mode from the Easy operation menu

wireless, infrared release from as far away as  feet ( m) and cause the camera to autofocus and take the picture. Be positioned first, because you have only  seconds before the camera fires. The camera’s light will blink for the  seconds just before it takes the picture. t
Quick-response remote – Similar to Delayed remote, except that there is no delay. As soon as you press the button on the little ML-L Infrared Remote, autofocus will happen and the shutter will fire. Here are the steps to configure your camera for using the Release mode settings: a) If you’re using the Easy operation menu, please refer to FIG A, or B if you’re using the Advanced operation menus. Use the steps listed below them to get your camera to the More settings menu. This will be the same screen shown in FIGs F and G, image . b) Referring to image  of FIG F (Advanced operation) or FIG G (Easy operation), select More settings and then scroll to the right. If you are using the Advanced operation menus, you’ll need to pass right by the screen shown in Figure F, image  by selecting Next and scrolling right.

Shoot Menu’s More Settings Selection



3

FIG F – Release mode from the Advanced operation menu

FIG G – Release mode from the Easy operation menu

c) Choose Release mode from the menu shown in FIG F, image  or FIG G, image  and then scroll to the right. d) Select one of the Release modes (see chapter , Shooting Menu, for detail on the modes). e) The camera will return to the previous screen. Scroll down to the Start shooting selection, press the OK button, and you’re ready to go take pictures!

FIG H - Nikon ML-L Infrared Remote Release



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

The Release modes will be covered in much more detail in chapter  of this book titled Shooting Menu. In addition, the first two Release modes—Single frame and Continuous—are featured heavily in chapter  called Multi-CAM  Autofocus. . AF-area mode – (Available from both the Easy and Advanced operation menus). This mode affects how your camera’s autofocus system knows how and where to focus. There are four modes:

t
Single point – This mode allows you to move a single AF Point around the viewfinder with the Multi Selector control. You can use the AF Point to select a certain area of your subject to place the best focus on that place. You can see the selected AF Point move around the  AF Points in the viewfinder when you press the Multi Selector control in any direction. The selected AF Point is the only active

FIG I – AF-area mode from the Advanced operation menu

FIG J – AF-area mode from the Easy operation menu

Shoot Menu’s More Settings Selection

point for autofocus. This is best used for static or slowly moving subjects. t
Dynamic area – The mode works in a similar way to the Single point mode, and it even seems identical when you use it while looking through the viewfinder. The only difference is that the AF Point you are moving around with the Multi Selector is not the only active point for autofocus. The four AF Points surrounding the one you see are also active, even though they don’t light up like the selected point. This mode is good for shooting sports or where the subject will be moving erratically. t
Auto-area – This mode turns your D into a heavy point-andshoot camera. The autofocus is completely handled by the camera. It will flash up various AF Points in the viewfinder as it decides what the most important subject is. It uses facial-recognition technology to find people’s faces in the frame and focus on them with higher priority. Use this mode at parties, or anytime you don’t want to think about autofocus. t
D-tracking ( points) – This mode is similar to Dynamic area, except that all  of the AF Points are active for tracking a subject. You will still only see one AF Point in the viewfinder and can move it around to select a starting point of focus on your subject. However, if the subject moves, the camera will track it across all the  AF Points, using the color and contrast of the subject to keep the camera focused in the right place. Use



this mode for tracking wildlife and at air shows, races, or any event where your subject is moving quickly and you need to have the camera track it and stay focused while it moves. Here are the steps to configure your camera for using the Release mode settings: a) If you’re using the Easy operation menu, please refer to FIG A; if you’re using the Advanced operation menu refer to FIG B. Use the steps listed below them to get your camera to the More settings menu. This will be the same screen as shown in FIGs I or J, image . b) Referring to image  of FIG I (Advanced operation) or J (Easy operation), select More settings and then scroll to the right. If you are using the Advanced operation menus, you’ll need to pass right by the screen shown in Figure I, image  by selecting Next and scrolling right. c) Choose AF-area mode from the menu shown in FIG I, image  or FIG J, image , and then scroll to the right. d) Select one of the AF-area modes (see the chapter entitled Shooting Menu for details on the modes). e) The camera will return to the previous screen. Scroll down to the Start shooting selection, press the OK button, and you’re ready to go take pictures! The AF-area modes will be covered in much greater detail in chapter , titled Shooting Menu. Now, let’s move on to the Shoot menu’s > Timers & remote control menu.

3



Guide Menu – Advanced Use

Shoot Menu’s Timers & Remote Control

3

To make it easier to get to the often-used Release modes, which we discussed in the preceding section, Nikon isolated a portion of the More settings menu in a standalone menu called Timers & remote control. Timers & remote control is an exact duplicate of the Release mode’s final menu screen and lets you select the exact same settings as the latter. Compare FIG  with the final screens in FIG F or G. They are duplicates! Here is a brief recap of the Timer & remote control modes, which are really the Release modes: t
Single frame – One shutter press gives you one picture. t
Continuous – Hold down the shutter button for up to three pictures per second. t
Self-timer – Press the shutter once for a -second delay and the camera takes a picture. The camera beeps and blinks its AF-assist light until the camera fires. t
Delayed remote – Use the ML-L infrared remote, with a -second delay. t
Quick-response remote - Use the ML-L infrared remote, with no delay.

FIG  – Timers & remote control

Here are the steps used to select and use Timers & remote control, a.k.a. Release modes (see FIG ): . Set the Mode dial on top the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the camera’s back. . Select Shoot from the GUIDE MENU and press the OK button (see FIG , image ). . Select Timers & remote control from the Shoot menu (see FIG , image ) and then scroll to the right with the Multi Selector (or press the OK button). . As FIG , image  shows, select one of the Timer & remote control (Release) modes (see chapter , Shooting Menu, for details on the modes). . Press the OK button to select a mode, and you’re ready to go take pictures! (See FIG , image .) We covered these same settings in this chapter’s section “Shoot Menu’s ‘More Settings’ Selection”, under the section called “. Release mode”. These are the Release modes. We will also cover these settings in much more detail in chapter , Shooting Menu.

Guide Menu’s View/Delete Selections

Guide Menu’s View/Delete Selections The View/delete menu is designed for someone who knows very little about operating the external controls on the camera. If you set the Mode dial to GUIDE mode and press the Menu button, you have access to various functions that let you view or delete the pictures you’ve already taken. There are five sections to this menu. Most of them are concerned with viewing pictures in various ways. One helps you delete images, again, in various ways. Many of these functions can also be done by merely pressing the Playback button, the Zoom in or Zoom out button, or the Delete button. The slide show function is also available under the old-style Playback menu. Let’s see how they work. View Single Photos

The View single photos selection of the View/delete menu allows you to duplicate the pressing of the Playback button. If you would rather use multiple menus instead of a single button press, you can use these screens (see FIG ).

FIG  – View single photos



Here are the steps to view a photo or a series of photos already on your camera’s memory card (see FIG ): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select View/delete from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select View single photos, and press the OK button. . The LCD monitor will then display a picture. . View other photos by pressing right or left on the Multi Selector. There is an alternate way to do the same thing. Use external camera controls: . Press the Playback button—found on the top left of the camera’s back. It looks like an arrow pointing right with a rectangle around it. (See chapter , FIG B, number .) . Look at the pictures on the LCD monitor by scrolling back and forth with the Multi Selector. Now, let’s see how to display a group of thumbnails on your camera’s LCD monitor so that you can choose one to view.

3



Guide Menu – Advanced Use

View Multiple Photos

3

In the preceding section, you SAW how to view one picture at a time. This one is for viewing images as thumbnails so that you can see four images at the same time on the small LCD screen. You can scroll up or down with the Multi Selector to view all your images. When you find one you want to see, you can select and view it (see FIG ). Here are the steps to use the View multiple photos menu (see FIG ): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select View/delete from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select View multiple photos, and press the OK button. . The LCD screen will then display four pictures. . View other photo groups by pressing up or down on the Multi Selector. . Select a photo with the Multi Selector and press the OK button to open it to full size. The camera displays four thumbnails as a default, but you can change the number by using the Thumbnail/playback zoom out or Playback zoom in buttons, as found in

FIG  – View multiple photos

chapter , FIG B, numbers  and . They are the last two buttons on the bottom left of the camera’s back and look like magnifying glasses. The top one zooms out to multiple images, and the bottom one zooms in to one image. They will change the number of images shown from as few as  to as many as  tiny thumbnails displayed on the LCD screen. If you zoom in past the  images displayed point, the screen switches to a date display to let you choose a certain date to view images. Here is a rundown on what the Playback zoom in button gives you: . Starts with  images on the screen when you select View multiple photos (see FIG , image ). . One press of the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button shows nine images. . Another press of the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button shows  images. . A final press of the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button switches to a calendar display to choose a specific date from which to view images. Using the Playback zoom in button reverses the process and finally ends up with just one image on screen. Play with this a moment and it will become easy.

Guide Menu’s View/Delete Selections

You can duplicate this functionality without using the menus by following these steps with external camera buttons: . Press the Playback button—found on the top left of the camera’s back. It looks like an arrow pointing right with a rectangle around it. (See chapter , FIG B, number .) . Look at the pictures on the LCD screen by scrolling back and forth with the Multi Selector, or… . Press the Thumbnail/playback zoom out or Playback zoom in buttons to show more than one image or return to one picture— exactly the same way as described for the View multiple photos menu. You can zoom in and out anytime you see a picture on the screen. Learn the external button locations and you’ll view your images much more quickly than stepping through menus. However, those menus are there if you don’t know how to use the buttons or forget. Choose a Date

When you select Choose a date, instead of displaying pictures, the camera shows you a calendar that you can use to view images taken on a specific date. It displays the current month and year and lets you choose a day from the calendar. You can

FIG  – Choose a date



tell that you have pictures available on a certain day because it shows a tiny image thumbnail instead of a gray square (see FIG , image ). Here are the steps to open and use the Choose a date menu (see FIG ): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select View/delete from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select Choose a date, and press the OK button. . The LCD screen will then display a calendar, as shown in FIG , image . . Scroll around the calendar with the Multi Selector, stop on a date that has a picture thumbnail, and then press the OK button to view the image (or series of images). . Or, you can use the small scrolling preview display on the right side of the calendar to select an image to view. Select a date with images, and then press the Thumbnail/Playback zoom out button to jump to the small display (see chapter , FIG B, number  for button location). You can scroll up or down in the display, choose a single image, then press the OK button to view it.

3



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

You can duplicate this functionality without using the menus by following these steps with external camera buttons: . Press the Playback button—found on the top left of the camera’s back. It looks like an arrow pointing right with a rectangle around it. (See chapter , FIG B, number .) . Press the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button four times, and you’ll zoom out to the calendar display. Slow down! There may be a pause between the second and third button press because the camera may have to prepare to view  small thumbnails as it zooms past that screen to the calendar. Now, let’s have some fun and view a slide show! View a Slide Show

The D will allow you to view a slide show directly on your camera’s monitor. It’s a lot of fun when you have a bunch of images. You can let your friends view your pictures or just enjoy them yourself. Start the Slide Show – Here are the steps to start a slide show using the default viewing time (Frame interval) of  seconds per image (see FIG A): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE.

FIG A – View a slide show

. Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select View/delete from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select View a slide show, and scroll to the right with the Multi Selector (or press the OK button). . Select Start from the menu, as shown in FIG A, image . This will display all images found in the current folder, in sequence, with a -second delay. However, you may ask, “What if I want to use a slower or faster timing on my slide show?” Well, you can change that time value with the Frame interval menu selection seen in FIG A, image . Let’s see how (see FIG B): Change the Frame Interval (display time) – These steps will allow you to change the Frame interval to , , , or  seconds (see FIG B): . Refer to the steps for FIG A to get to the first screen shown in FIG B, image . . Scroll down to Frame interval and then scroll to the right with the Multi Selector. . Select a Frame interval value between  and  seconds, and then press the OK button. . The camera will return to the previous screen. Scroll back up to Start, and press the OK button to view your slide show with the new Frame interval setting.

Guide Menu’s View/Delete Selections

Pause, Adjust, and Restart the Slide Show – You’ll notice in FIG B, image , the message Pause—>OK below the Frame interval selection. That’s not a selectable item; it’s just a reminder that you can pause the slide show at any time by pressing the OK button. Once you have a slide show running, just press the OK button and you’ll see the first screen in FIG C being displayed. This first screen in FIG C is the screen that shows when you press the Pause

FIG B – Changing the frame interval (display time)

FIG C – Pause slide show



button. The primary reasons for pausing a

slide show are to change the Frame interval display time or Exit the show. Those items are available from the menu as follows: . Restart – This just continues the slide show on the next image. . Frame interval – This works just like the Frame interval choices mentioned earlier in this section. Fig C, images  through  show a sequence of steps that’s similar to the ones we discussed in the previous section,

3



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

“Change the Frame Interval”. Notice how I changed the interval from  to  seconds in those screens (see the red arrow)? . Exit – This does exactly what it says and exits back to the View/delete menu with View a slide show selected. Now that we’ve fully examined slide shows, let’s see how you can get rid of images you don’t like. Delete Photos

With the exuberance we all display at vigorously taking digital pictures with our cool Nikon cameras, we invariably end up with a few that don’t meet the grade. Delete time! You could just format the memory card, but that would delete everything on it. So, you can use the Delete photos menu to selectively delete certain images. The D gives you several ways to delete a picture, the easiest of which is to just view the unwanted image on the LCD screen and then press the Delete button. It’s located below the OK button on the camera’s back and looks like a garbage can with the lid raised (see chapter , FIG B, number ). However, you may want to delete several images, all pictures from a certain

FIG A – Delete photos

date, or every image in the current memory card folder. The D obliges with the menus shown in FIG A. Here are the steps to make a selection from Delete photos (see FIG A): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select View/delete from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select Delete photos, and scroll to the right with the Multi Selector (or press the OK button). . Select one of the three choices from the menu, as shown in FIG A, image . Let’s look at each of the three deletion methods shown in FIG A, image . First let’s see how to delete one or multiple images from the Delete multiple photos selection. FIG B takes up where FIG A leaves off. To delete one or more images from your memory card’s current folder, follow these steps while referring to FIG B: . Refer to the steps for FIG A to find the screen shown in FIG B, image . This will allow you to start the multiple image deletion process. . Select Delete multiple photos, as shown in FIG B, image .

Guide Menu’s View/Delete Selections

. As shown in FIG B, image  (red arrows), use the Multi Selector to select an image and then use the Thumbnail/Playback zoom out button to add a little trash can icon to the upper-right corner of each image thumbnail that you want to delete (see chapter , FIG B, number  for button location). The button acts like a toggle and turns the trash can on or off with each press. . Once you’ve marked all the images you want to delete, simply press the OK button. The camera will switch to the final deletion screen, so be sure you’ve marked the right images. FIG B, image  shows the final step before image deletion actually occurs. It will show the number of images you’ve marked for deletion just under the Delete? prompt. I previously marked three images with the trash can symbol. . Choose Yes from the Delete? menu and press the OK button. After a moment, the screen will darken, the word Done

FIG B – Delete multiple photos

FIG C – Delete photos by date



will appear briefly, and the camera will return to the previous screen. The selected images are deleted. There are two other ways to delete images from your memory card. The next method is to delete images by date. The camera will segregate the images by date and offer you image deletion by checking off specific dates. Let’s see how (see FIG C). Use these steps to delete images by specific dates (see FIG C): . Refer to the steps for FIG A to find the screen shown in FIG C, image . This will allow you to start the deleteby-date process. . Select Delete photos by date, as shown in FIG C, image , and then scroll to the right with the Multi Selector. . If you have images taken on several dates, you’ll see a screen like the one shown in FIG C, image . It allows you to select specific dates. All images

3



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

under the dates you select will be destroyed. Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down to select individual dates. On each date you want to delete, simply scroll to the right with the Multi Selector, and the camera will place a small check mark in the box to the left of the date. You can also uncheck an already checked date by scrolling to the right again. You can validate the images under a specific date by pressing the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button. This will take you into the actual images for that date only. Once you have validated that you want to delete those images, just press the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button again. . Once you have checked all the dates with images you want to delete, simply press the OK button to continue. The camera will switch to the next screen with a prompt that asks, “Delete all images taken on selected date?” If you are ready to delete, just scroll up to the Yes selection and press the OK button. After a moment, the screen will darken, the word Done will appear briefly, and the camera will return to the View/delete selection on the Guide menu. The selected images are deleted. Finally, there is a way to delete all the images from the current folder of the memory card. Your camera creates a folder called D on its memory card. The only time you’ll see this folder is if you plug the memory card into your computer and use a file browser to examine the card. If you have loaned your card to another person, using a different

camera, the friend’s camera may have created its own folder on the memory card. For instance, I plugged my camera’s card into my wife’s Nikon D and took a couple of pictures. It didn’t write its pictures into the D folder. Instead, the D created its own folder named NCD. Your camera is smart enough to know that you may not want to delete the images taken by the other camera, so it won’t automatically display or delete images from another folder. You can force it to do that by using the Set up menu—which we’ll be discussing next—and selecting Playback folder. This will allow you to select only your current D folder, which is displayed in-camera as simply the D playback folder, or you can select All, which will make the camera display and/or delete every image in every folder if you’d like. We’ll discuss this more in the next section. For now, let’s look at how we can delete all images from the current D folder—or all folders if Playback folder > All is selected. FIG D shows the screens you’ll use. Here are the steps to delete all images from the current memory card folder (see FIG D): . Refer to the steps for FIG A to find the screen shown in FIG D, image . This will allow you to start the Delete all photos process. . Select Delete all photos, as shown in FIG D, image , and then scroll to the right with the Multi Selector. . You’ll now see the Delete all photos screen, with it’s Yes/No selection and the dire warning, “All images will be

Guide Menu’s Set up Selections



3

FIG D – Delete all photos

deleted. OK?” If you are sure and ready to delete all images in the folder, simply choose Yes and press the OK button. . After a moment, the screen will darken, the word Done will appear briefly, and the camera will return to the View/ delete selection on the Guide menu. All images are deleted. You’ve seen every way the Guide menu offers to delete images except one; the Format memory card selection on the Set up menu. Let’s move into those menus next.

configuration with the Guide Mode’s Set up menu. One thing I want to mention again is that you should be careful not to get confused about which menu system we are using. The camera has an older-style menu called the Setup menu. The name is suspiciously similar to the Set up menu found on the Guide menu, isn’t it? In fact, many of the same functions are found on both menus. Let’s start our foray into the Set up menu with a look at Image quality.

Guide Menu’s Set up Selections

Image Quality

The Set up menu is composed of  selected settings. You can set these same settings under one of the other two interfaces, the older-style text-based menus and the Information edit menu. Since the Guide menu is designed for brand-new users, not experienced ones, I am going to limit this section of the book to instructions on how to use the settings and a brief description of what each does. As you move deeper into this book, you’ll start learning about the other user interfaces. I’ll go into much deeper detail about each setting when we discuss those more advanced menus. For now, let’s see how to do some fairly advanced

The “quality” of your image is directly related to what image format or type you use. The Nikon D has two specific image types that can be used alone or together. It supports the following image types: t
NEF (RAW). The NEF stands for Nikon Electronic Format. t
JPEG Fine, Normal, and Basic. t
Combination of NEF and JPEG at the same time. (Same image stored twice, one as a NEF, the other as a JPEG.) FIG  shows the screens used to select a particular Image quality.



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

FIG  – Image quality

Here are the steps to choose your particular image format or quality (see FIG ): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select Image quality from the Set up menu, and press the OK button. . You’ll now be presented with a list of five Image quality selections. If you are unsure how to use the NEF (RAW) quality, it may be a good idea to simply select JPEG fine at this point. The JPEG normal and basic are just lower-quality versions of JPEG fine (higher image compression ratios). If you’re like me, you want the best-quality picture you can get, so JPEG fine is probably the best choice for a new user. We’ll discuss the various image formats and their pros and cons in great detail in the chapter , Shooting Menu. For now, here is the best way to look at Image quality: t
NEF (RAW) is best used by those who have experience, time, and interest in doing extensive image editing on their

personal computers. A RAW image has to be converted to some other type of file, like JPEG fine, TIFF, EPS, PNG, GIF, or some other recognized image format. People shooting RAW are looking for the highest-quality images their camera can create and don’t want the camera imposing anything on the RAW image. That’s why it’s called RAW. People who sell images for money often use the NEF (RAW) format so that they can prepare the image for their client’s needs later. t
JPEG fine is a better format for a beginning photographer because the image is immediately usable without doing conversion or extensive work in the computer. The camera creates an image with everything in place and ready to go. You can take it directly off of your memory card and print it, give to friends, post it on Facebook or Flickr, or send it by email. JPEG is the worldwide industry standard for digital photographs. Now that you’ve decided on a format (Image quality), let’s look into the Image size.

Guide Menu’s Set up Selections

Image Size

There are three image sizes available in the D. Personally, I’ve never used the smaller sizes, but there could be circumstances where they might come in handy. If you just wanted to document something but have no need for high quality, the medium or small size could be used. Most of us will just leave the camera set to L-Large and go take great pictures. The Image size affects the megapixel (MP) size of the image. In effect, you can reduce the megapixel rating by one-half to threequarters, changing from a MP camera to . MP or . MP. Here are the three settings under Image size (see FIG ): t
L (Large) – x – . megapixels t
M (Medium) – x – . megapixels t
S (Small) – x – . megapixels This selection applies only to images captured in JPEG modes. If you are shooting with your D in NEF (RAW) mode, it doesn’t apply and the Image size selection will be grayed out. If you are shooting in NEF (RAW) + JPEG basic mode, it only applies to the JPEG image in the pair. Here’s how to select the size of the image (see FIG ):

FIG  – Image size



. Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select Image size from the Set up menu, and press the OK button. . Choose Large, Medium, or Small (L, M, or S), and then press the OK button. The camera will switch back to the Set up menu, and you’re ready to shoot. Now, let’s look at Active D-Lighting, which helps control the contrast in your image automatically. Active D-Lighting Active D-Lighting tries to extend the “dy-

namic range” in your images so that you can record more detail in dark areas and keep from “blowing out” or “clipping off ” image data in the highlights. We’ll look in depth at controlling the situation where there’s more light than your camera can handle in the chapter , Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram. Basically, the Active D-Lighting setting does two things: . Opens up the shadow detail in an image . Protects the highlight detail from turning pure white

3



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

In effect this lowers the contrast in an image. On a cool overcast day, it may not be necessary to use Active D-Lighting because the contrast is already low. However, on a bright sunny day there is so much light that the contrast can be higher than the camera can capture. That’s when Active D-Lighting comes in handy. The only dangers from using Active D-Lighting all the time is that it tends to take away some of the “snap” (contrast) in an image and can introduce extra noise into the darker areas as the camera reveals image data by turning up the power on darker sections of the frame. Here are the steps to turn Active D-Lighting on or off (see FIG ): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select Active D-Lighting from the Set up menu, and press the OK button. . Choose On or Off, and then press the OK button. The camera will switch back to the Set up menu, and you’re ready to take some pictures. Now, let’s look at the Playback folder, which allows you to select whether your

FIG  – Active D-Lighting

camera displays all images on the memory card or just the current folder. Playback Folder

The Playback folder is normally a folder on your camera’s memory card with a designation of D in the camera’s Set up menu. It contains all the Current images found in this folder. You have two selections under the Playback folder: . Current – This represents the folder you have selected currently, which is the D folder. If you look at the memory card in your computer, you will find a folder called DCIM, and within it you’ll see another folder called D. This is the D folder containing your Current pictures. With Current selected, no other images will be displayed except the ones in the Current folder. . All – If you are using a memory card that has images from another camera on it, they will be in a different folder from your D Current folder. You won’t be able to see any of the images in other folders unless you select All. This selection tells the camera to display any compatible images it finds in any folder on the memory card. I normally leave my camera set to All

Guide Menu’s Set up Selections



3

FIG  – Playback folder

because I might have borrowed a memory card from one of my other cameras and forget that there were images in another folder. Then, since I can’t see the other pictures, I might format the card in the D and lose any other folders. All is a safe selection. If you have All selected, the images in all the folders will show when you are doing image playback on your LCD screen. We’ll talk much more about this in the chapter entitled Playback Menu. Here are the steps to set All or Current under the Playback menu (see FIG ): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select Playback folder from the Set up menu, and press the OK button. . Choose Current or All, and then press the OK button. The camera will switch back to the Set up menu, and you’re ready to take more pictures. Now, let’s look at Print set (DPOF), which allows you create “print orders” that will print your pictures on a

PictBridge-compatible printer without involving your computer. Print Set (DPOF)

Some photographers would rather not use a computer but still be able to print their pictures on a home ink-jet printer or DPOF-compatible print kiosk at the local superstore. If your printer is a PictBridge type, you can simply create print orders that are saved to your computer’s memory card. Then you pull the card out of the camera and insert it into your printer—or a printing kiosk—and the device will ask you if you want to print the print order on the card. This print order allows you to select the number of copies for each image that you want printed. You could select three copies of one image, six copies of another, and just one of an additional image, and the PictBridge-enabled printer or kiosk will obey your print order. It’s really convenient to use. I’ll often take a bunch of pictures, then just sit down with my camera and use Print set (DPOF) to select my favorites for printing. When I insert the memory card into my printer—an Epson PictureMate PM — it puts this on its monitor screen: “DPOF data detected. Do you want



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

to use the DPOF data? Yes/No.” I answer yes and it starts printing my print order. I come back later to a nice pile of pictures. You can have information on the shutter speed, aperture, and date of each image printed right on the lower-right corner of the picture if you’d like—if your printer supports it. Here are the steps to use Print set (DPOF) to create a print order on your camera’s memory card for use in your PictBridge-compatible printer (see FIG A): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button (see FIG A, image ). . Select Print set (DPOF) from the Set up menu, and press the OK button (see FIG A, image ). If it is grayed out, you have no pictures on your memory card. Take some pictures! . Choose Select/set from the Print set (DPOF) menu, and then scroll to the

FIG A – Print set (DPOF) – preparing a print order

right with the Multi Selector (see FIG A, image ). We’ll talk about Deselect all? shortly. . You’ll be presented with the Select/ set screen and a thumbnail listing of the current images on your memory card (see FIG A, image ). You can scroll up or down to see all your images. To select an image and set the printing quantity, highlight it with the small yellow rectangle surrounding the thumbnail. Press and hold the Playback zoom in button to view a larger thumbnail of the image. To set the print quantity on a selected image, hold down the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button and press up or down on the Multi Selector until the number you want appears in the top-right corner of the image, next to a tiny printer symbol (see red arrows in FIG A, image ). Once you have all the images that you want to print prepared with printing quantities, just press the OK button. . Now you’ll see the Data imprint and Imprint date selections on the second

Guide Menu’s Set up Selections



3

FIG B – Print set (DPOF) – deleting a print order

Select/set screen. You can select Data imprint if you want aperture and shut-

ter speed information printed on the lower-right corner of the print. You can also select Imprint date if you want a date there too. To put little checks in the check boxes, as seen in FIG A, image , simply highlight the selection and scroll to the right. You’ll see a check mark appear in the little box. Be sure to scroll back up to the Done selection and press the OK button. I often forget to do this and lose my settings as a result. . Once you have the selections made and press the OK button, you’ll see the screen shown in FIG A, image  briefly show on your camera’s LCD screen. Then it will switch back to the Set up menu, and you’re ready pull out the memory card and insert it into the DPOF-compatible device for printing. Now let’s see what the Deselect all? screen does (see FIG B). This series of screens begin where FIG A, image  leaves off. It allows you to delete any existing print order on the memory card by removing the print quantity markings on all existing images. Here

are the steps to deselect all markings (see FIG B): . Refer to the screens shown in FIG A, images  to , to find the Deselect all? screen. We’ll use the Deselect all? selection instead of the Select/set choice (see FIG B, image ). . On the Deselect all? screen, you’ll see a question with the words, Remove print marking from all images? You have the choice of Yes and No. Choose Yes and then press the OK button to remove the markings (see FIG B, image ). . The camera will briefly display the screen seen in FIG B, image , and then switch back to the Set up menu. You can then create a new print order or go take more pictures. By the way, in case you are curious, DPOF stands for Digital Print Order Format. Now you can impress your friends by telling them that your new D camera will create on-the-fly print orders in the Digital Print Order Format. Then you can show them the large pile of pictures you just printed with very little effort.



Guide Menu – Advanced Use

Format Memory Card

3

This is a function you’ll use often. Today’s memory cards can hold hundreds, if not thousands, of images. However, eventually your card is going to get full and you’ll need to transfer the pictures and format the card. Be careful with this function because it permanently removes all images from the memory card, including any in folders you can’t see (see the section earlier in this chapter on the Playback folder setting). It is better to format the memory card in your camera instead of your computer so the format is customized to your particular D. Here are the steps to format a memory card in your camera (see FIG ). You did transfer all those pictures to your computer’s hard drive, right? . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select Format memory card from the Set up menu, and press the OK button (see FIG , image ). . Choose Yes (or No to back out) from the Format memory card screen, as seen in FIG , image . The format screen will

FIG  – Format memory card

give you a final dire warning, “All images on memory card will be deleted. OK?” Simply select Yes and press the OK button. While the formatting process is taking place, you’ll see a black screen with the words “Formatting memory card.” Once the process is done, it will briefly display “Formatting complete.” and then switch back to the Set up menu. Make sure that you don’t format a memory card with unseen pictures from another camera hiding on it. The best way to make sure of that is to set the camera’s Playback folder selection to All (see the section earlier in this chapter about the Playback folder). LCD Brightness

The LCD brightness setting allows you to control how brightly the LCD screen displays its screens. If you are shooting on a very bright sunny day, it may be helpful to turn the brightness up, or down on a darker day. However, please be aware of one thing. When you have the LCD screen set too brightly, it may fool you into thinking that an image the camera has underexposed is just fine. It is important that you do not depend on the LCD

Guide Menu’s Set up Selections

screen completely to decide whether

an image is exposed well, or not. Learn to use your camera’s Histogram, as discussed in the chapter titled Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram. This little readout will protect you by displaying a visual reading of whether the exposure is good or not. With this knowledge, just set the LCD brightness to a value that makes it comfortable to view your images. I’ll often set mine to - or , according to the brightness level of the ambient light. It’ll fool you though, so be careful. Learn to use your camera’s Histogram! Here are the steps to adjust LCD brightness (see FIG A): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE.

FIG A – LCD brightness



. Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select LCD brightness from the Set up menu, and press the OK button (see FIG A, image ). . There are two selections on the following screen, LCD brightness and Auto dim. I’ll discuss Auto dim in a moment. Select LCD brightness from the menu and scroll to the right with the Multi Selector (see FIG A, image ). . Now you’ll see the actual LCD brightness screen (see FIG A, image ). Notice the  between the yellow up and down arrow tips (see red arrow in image )? Using the Multi Selector, you can scroll up or down here to raise or lower the

3



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

brightness level of the LCD screen. It is adjustable in both directions by three levels (+/- ). Select your preferred setting while watching the graduated bands of black to white vary in brightness. It will help you see when the screen is too dark or light. Up is brighter, down is darker. . Press the OK button when you’ve selected the brightness level you prefer. The camera will switch back to the Set up menu, with your new LCD brightness level set. There is another setting called Auto dim that we need to examine. This function causes the LCD screen to initially display the brightness level you have previously selected using the screens in FIG A. The

FIG B – Auto dim

screen will then gradually dim to a lower brightness level over several seconds. This setting is useful to conserve battery life, but I don’t use it because the battery lasts so long on the D. If I were overly worried about depleting the battery, I’d just buy an extra one to keep with me. Here are the steps to enable or disable Auto dim (see FIG B): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select LCD brightness from the Set up menu, and press the OK button (see FIG B, image ).

Guide Menu’s Set up Selections

. Select Auto dim from the LCD brightness menu and then scroll to the right with the Multi Selector. . The Auto dim screen gives you two menu choices, On or Off. Select your favorite choice and then press the OK button. The camera will then switch back to the Set up menu. Most people will set their camera’s LCD brightness when they first configure it and then forget about it. I leave mine set to . Info Background Color

You can modify the color of the Info screen that you see when you first turn the camera on—if you’re not using the GUIDE MENU. You can also use this Information screen when you press the Info button just behind the Shutter release button. The default color of the Information screen is a teal color (greenish blue) that Nikon calls Green. You can also select Black or Brown for the Info screen color. In

FIG A – Info screen background color samples

FIG B – Setting the Info screen background color



FIG A you’ll find a sample of all three colors—Green, Black, and Brown, in that order. I prefer the black color. Here are the screens and steps to choose your favorite Information screen color (see FIG B): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back left. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select Info background color from the Set up menu, and press the OK button (see FIG B, image ). . Now you’ll see the Info background color screen offering you the three colors. Select Green, Black, or Brown from the menu and then press the OK button. . Press the Info button on the camera’s top near the Shutter release button and make sure you like the color of the Information screen.

3



Guide Menu – Advanced Use

Auto Info Display Auto info display is a setting that allows

3

the Information screen to show whenever you press the Shutter release button halfway down. Normally this screen comes up when you first turn the camera on (except in Guide mode) and when you press the Info or Information edit buttons. If you don’t have the camera configured to show the picture on the LCD screen each time you take one, this screen will show after each picture. Some do not like this screen to appear when they partially press the Shutter release button. Personally, I leave this selection set to Off so that I can tap the Shutter release button to turn off the display and save battery life. Here are the steps to enable or disable Auto info display (see FIG ): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back.

FIG  – Auto info display

FIG  – Video mode

. Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select Auto info display from the Set up menu, and press the OK button (see FIG , image ). . Now you’ll see the Auto info display screen offering you two choices. Select On or Off from the menu and then press the OK button. . Press the Shutter release button partway and make sure the Information screen shows or doesn’t show, per your selection (Off = no show). Video Mode

You can connect your D directly to an old-style non-HD television or a VCR using an audio/visual (AV) cable. You’ll be able to show a slide show on the TV or record a slide show to videotape or DVD. However, before you connect it, you should make sure the camera’s Video mode is configured for your equipment. Most U.S. devices will be NTSC format, while

Guide Menu’s Set up Selections

European equipment requires the PAL format. To determine the correct format, please refer to the instructions for the device to which you want to connect your D. Here are the steps to configure the proper Video mode setting for your D (see FIG ): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select Video mode from the Set up menu, and press the OK button (see FIG , image ). . Now you’ll see the Video mode screen offering you two choices. Select NTSC or PAL from the menu and then press the OK button.

FIG A - Time zone and date setup – main screen

FIG B - Time zone setup



Time Zone and Date

There are several functions to set under the Time zone and date section of the Set up menu. These are probably already configured since they were covered when I explained the initial camera setup. However, let’s briefly examine each function again, in case you want to modify the settings later. Here are the four parts of the Time zone and date configuration: t
Time zone t
Date and time t
Date format t
Daylight saving time As I cover each of the four selections, I won’t include the opening screens in the figures and instead will start with the Time zone and date screen shown in FIG A, image .

3



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

Time zone – FIG B shows the Time zone configuration screen’s world map interface for selecting the area of the world in which you are using the camera. I selected New York (Eastern) time zone. To set the Time zone, use these steps (see FIG B): . Refer to the steps for FIG A and get to the screen shown in FIG A, image  and B, image . We’ll start with the Time zone and date screen. . Select Time zone, and then scroll to the right. . Use the Multi Selector to scroll left or right until your time zone is under the yellow vertical bar (or yellow highlight with a red dot) in the center of the world map screen.

FIG C - Date and time setup

FIG D - Date format setup

. Once you have your Time zone selected, press the OK button to save the setting. Date and time – FIG C shows the Date and time configuration screens. The final screen in the series allows you to select the Year, Month, and Day (Y, M, D) and the Hour, Minute, and Second (H, M, S): . Refer to the steps for FIG A, and get to the screen shown in FIG A, image  and C, image . We’ll start with the Date and time screen. . Select Date and time, and then scroll to the right. . Using the Multi Selector button, scroll left or right until you have selected the value you want to change. Then scroll up or down to actually change the value.

Guide Menu’s Set up Selections

. When you have set the correct date and time, press the OK button to save the settings. Please note that the time setting uses the -hour military-style clock. To set  p.m., you would set the H and M settings to :. I set mine to :: which is equal to : p.m. (and  seconds). Date format – The D gives you three different ways to format the date (see FIG D): t
Y/M/D = Year/Month/Day (//) t
M/D/Y = Month/Day/Year (//) t
D/M/Y = Day/Month/Year (//) Owners of the D in the U.S. will probably use setting  , which matches the MM/DD/YYYY format so familiar to Americans. Other areas of the world can select their favorite date format. To select the Date format setting of your choice, do the following (see FIG D): . Refer to the steps for FIG A and get to the screen shown in FIG A, image  and D, image . We’ll start with the Date format screen. . Select Date format, and then scroll to the right. . Choose the format you like best from the three available formats. . Press the OK button.



 Hour Time Equivalents For your convenience, here is a listing of the -hour time equivalents: A.M. Settings: : a.m. = : (midnight) : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : P.M. Settings: : p.m. = : (noon) : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : Note: There is no : time (midnight). After : comes :.

3



Guide Menu – Advanced Use

3 FIG E - Daylight saving time screens

Daylight saving time – Many areas of the United States use daylight saving time to “spring forward or fall back”. In the spring many American residents set their time forward by one hour on a specified day each year. Then in the fall they set it back, leading to the clever phrase quoted above. To configure the Daylight saving time setting, do the following steps (see FIG E): . Refer to the steps for FIG A and get to the screen shown in FIG A, image  and E, image . We’ll start with the Daylight saving time screen. . Select Daylight saving time, and then scroll to the right. . Select On or Off from the menu. . Press the OK button. If you chose On, your D will automatically “spring forward and fall back”, adjusting your time forward by one hour in the spring and back one hour in the fall of the year. I always leave mine set to On because I want my camera to record an accurate time on each image. Anything that keeps me from having to remember an annual

adjustment is good. My computer adjusts its own time, and my camera can do the same. Language

Nikon is a company that sells cameras and lenses around the world. For that reason, your D can display in up to  languages. In FIG  are the screens used to select your favorite language. The D using firmware version . includes the following languages: t
Danish t
German t
English t
Spanish t
Finnish t
French t
Italian t
Dutch t
Norwegian t
Polish t
Portuguese t
Russian t
Swedish t
Traditional Chinese t
Simplified Chinese t
Japanese t
Korean

Guide Menu’s Set up Selections



3

FIG  - Language selection

Your D should default to the language of the area in which you live (or in which you purchased it). However, you may choose to use a different language from your multilingual camera. Here are the steps to select a language (see FIG ): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select Language from the Set up menu, and press the OK button (see FIG , image ).

. Now you’ll see the Language screen offering you  choices. Select your Language from the menu and then press the OK button. Auto Off Timers

The Auto off timers allow you to control how long the screens stay on when you’re looking at images or configuring a setting and how long the light meter stays on after use. You can adjust these settings using the following chart: Here are the steps to configure Short, Normal, or Long timings (see FIG A): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE.

Auto Off Timers

Short Normal Long Custom

Playback/menus Image review Auto meter-off  seconds  seconds  seconds  seconds  seconds  seconds  seconds  seconds  minute Set each of these times individually (see FIGs B to D).

FIG A – Auto off timers



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

. Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select Auto off timers from the Set up menu, and press the OK button (see FIG A, image ). . Now you’ll see the Auto off timers screen offering you four choices. Select your choice from the menu and then press the OK button. I’d choose Long if I didn’t want to take the time to configure the values using Custom.

FIG B – Auto off timers – Custom – Playback/menus

FIG C – Auto off timers – Custom – Image review

FIG D – Auto off timers – Custom – Auto meter-off

Now, let’s look at the Custom screens, which allow you to configure the timings on an individual basis. There are three sections, and each has its own configurations. Please refer to FIG A so that you can see how to get to the screen with the Custom selection. We’ll start with that screen on each of the next series of screens, one for each Custom setting. Here are the steps to configure each of these timers. We won’t consider all three individually because the same process is used to set each one. Use these steps

Guide Menu’s Set up Selections

to configure any of the three—Playback/ menus, Image review, or Auto meter-off (see FIGs B through D): . Refer to FIG A to see the screen flow to get to the first screen in FIG B through D. . Select Custom from the Auto off timers menu, and scroll to the right (image ). . Select one of the three items that need Custom timing, and scroll to the right (image ). . Select an Auto off timer custom time (image ). I prefer longer timings, except on the Auto meter-off, which I leave at  seconds. I like to leave my Playback/menus and Image review timing set to  minute ( min.) each. That gives me time to configure a menu or look at an image well. . Press the OK button to lock in a timing for that particular function. Now let’s decide whether to let our cameras beep at us. Some like the beep, some don’t mind it, and some can’t stand it (me). No beep for me! Not after that grizzly bear let me know he didn’t appreciate my invading his territory. He’d never have known if I hadn’t left Beep turned on!



Beep

All the little point-and-shoot cameras beep when they have achieved focus. That’s because it takes so long to get them into focus that one feels relief when it finally happens and welcomes the beep. No so with a DSLR! The autofocus system on your D is an advanced one, found on professional-level Nikons only a couple of years ago. It is fast! I don’t like the beep because it merely draws attention to me taking a picture. How can I be sneaky and get that shot of Cousin Billy sneaking another meatball if my camera beeps when I autofocus. You may like it because it offers a level of assurance that autofocus was successful. However, once you’ve seen how quick and accurate the AF system is on the D, I think you’ll tire of the beep. There are several things that will make your D beep: t
Successful autofocus t
The self-timer and delayed remote in action t
The Quick-response mode taking a picture t
Throwing it at a grizzly bear to distract him while you run for your life (not really, I made that up).

3



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

FIG  – Beep, beep, BEEP, etc.

Other than the with self-timer, maybe, I can’t see a good reason to leave Beep on, especially when I am trying to photograph things like noise-sensitive wildlife and meatball-sneaking cousins. Do you get the feeling that I don’t like beeping cameras? If you love to hear the beep, don’t let me influence you. The D is ready to serve your and my personalities without complaint. Here are the steps to enable or disable the beep (see FIG ): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select Beep from the Set up menu, and press the OK button (see FIG , image ). . Now you’ll see the Beep screen offering you two choices, On or Off. Select your choice from the menu and then press the OK button. Guess which one I’d choose!

Date Imprint

We all remember how we could set our film cameras to imprint a little red date in the lower-right corner of our prints. Well, the D does that in a big way. Not only can you put a date visibly on your images, you can imprint date and time, or the number of days between the date the image was taken and another chosen date. Here are the four menu choices and three formats you can imprint on your images—permanently—and in bright red: Date Imprint Format Chart: t
Off – Nothing is imprinted on the image. t
Date – looks like ... t
Date and time – Looks like .. :. t
Date counter – Has several formats: – Number of days: /.. – Years and days: ./.. – Years, months, and days: ../..

Guide Menu’s Set up Selections



3

FIG A - Date imprint

At first, I understood the date/time well enough but had trouble understanding why there’s a date counter. Finally, I started to see a reason for recording the number of years, months, and days between the date an image was taken and another chosen date. An example might be a graduation party. Let’s say my daughter graduated high school on May , , and I took a picture of her with some friends. Several years later, on July , , I take a reunion picture of her and the same friends. Of course, they all want to see how much they’ve changed since the first picture  years and  days earlier, so I put the two images side-by-side. Since they are young and haven’t changed much, the newest image needs a date counter. Here are the formats the counter will imprint on the second picture for the this scenario: May ,  to July ,  t
Number of days: /.. (days/date) t
Years and days: ./.. (years.days/date) t
Years, months, and days: ../.. (years. months.days/date)

Now, I must admit, this is truly an unusual functionality to me, and I’ve been taking pictures since I was a kid back in the late sixties. However, some segment of society must need this exact functionality, and now has it. Maybe police forensic departments or private detectives really need this capability, since the formats recorded are permanently added to the image. The selected date for comparison to the shooting date can be a past or future date. The date format I presented earlier is based on the American MM/DD/YYYY. However, the camera allows you to adjust the date readout to your favorite format under the Set up menu’s Time Zone and Date function. Whatever format you choose under the Setup menu will be shown in the date section of the Date imprint screen. FIGs A through C show the menu screens to set up the Date imprint system. Let’s look at the steps to set up the entire function: . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button.



3

Guide Menu – Advanced Use

. Select Date imprint from the menu, and then scroll to the right (see FIG A, image ). . Choose one of the four choices (Off, Date, Date and time, or Date counter). The first three are simple (see FIG A, image ). If you choose Off, Date, or Date and time, just press the OK button and

FIG B - Choosing the comparison date

FIG C - Choosing a display option (format)

skip the rest of these steps. However, if you choose Date counter, you’ll have to choose a comparison date and a final display format. The next step starts that process. . You’ve chosen Date counter, so scroll to the right to set the date and format (see FIG B, image ).

Guide Menu’s Set up Selections

. On the Date counter screen you’ll need to choose the comparison date first. Scroll down to Choose date, and then scroll to the right (see FIG B, image ). . You’ll find a list that contains either a previously entered date or just a line of dashes (see FIG B, image ). Choose one of the date positions and scroll to the right to change or set the date. (If an acceptable date is already there from doing this previously, just choose it and press the OK button). . You’ll now see the Set date screen for the date position you chose on the previous screen (–). Modify this date so that it matches the date you want to compare with your shooting date (see FIG B, image ). It can be a past or future date. Set the date and then press the OK button, and the camera will return to the Choose date screen. .Press the OK button on the date you just modified, and the camera will return to the Date counter screen. You need to select a Display option, next. .Scroll down to the Display options line and then scroll to the right (see FIG C, image ). .You’ll now see the Display options screen. Choose one of the three formats (see FIG C, second image). Your choices are Number of days, Years and days, and Years, months, and days. Choose one and then press the OK button.



.At the bottom of the Date counter screen, you’ll see the chosen comparison date and below that the format that will be written on the image (see FIG C, image , bottom half of screen). The format shows after the  icon and the small white triangle and looks like one of the formats in the date imprint format chart listed previously. .Take your picture. I realize that this is a somewhat complex-looking function. However, if you will study how the Date counter formats work and use this function regularly, it will become easy to understand. I normally don’t use this functionality myself since I don’t want bright-red characters written permanently on my images. The EXIF data inside the digital image contains dates and times in case I need to know that information. However, you may love having a date imprinted on your images—a lot of people do. Or, you might have a scientific, forensic, or surveillance purpose for some of these functions. They work easily and well. Nikon gives us a lot of choices with this little camera.

3



Guide Menu – Advanced Use

No Memory Card?

3

This setting defaults to locking the shutter when you try to take an image without a memory card inserted in the camera. By enabling it, you can take pictures without a memory card, but you can’t save them anywhere unless you’re using Nikon Camera Control Pro  software to send pictures directly to your computer. The software is not included with the D. FIG  shows the screens used to configure No memory card? Here are the selections in No memory card?: t
LOCK – Release locked – If you choose this default setting, your camera will refuse to release the shutter when there is no memory card present. t
OK – Enable release – Use this setting if you want to use the optional Nikon Camera Control Pro  software to send images from the camera directly to the computer.

FIG  – No memory card?

Here are the steps to configure No memory card? (see FIG ): . Set the Mode dial on top of the camera to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Select Set up from the GUIDE MENU, and then press the OK button. . Select No memory card? from the menu, and then scroll to the right (see FIG , image ). . Select Release locked or Enable release from the menu. . Press the OK button. There’s no point in setting anything but Released locked unless you are using Nikon Camera Control Pro  software to control the camera. In that case, the camera feeds pictures to your computer, not a memory card. Otherwise, with it enabled you can shoot pictures but can’t save them.

My Conclusions



My Conclusions The new Guide Mode in the Nikon D gives a new photographer a place to start in the DSLR world. The Guide menu will be useful until the photographer advances into the more detailed settings in the other two user interfaces. We’ll now move into a new chapter and our first detailed look at the older-style menus. Much of what we’ll discuss will seem familiar since they’re just a different interface into the same camera settings. I think you’ll learn to like the brevity of the older-style menus for camera configuration. Pay special attention to the settings found under the Information edit menu since it uses only two screens to set the most important camera functions. We’ll start with the Playback menu in the next chapter, and then progress through the Shooting menu, Setup menu, and Retouch menu. Lots of new stuff ahead!

3



Playback Menu

Playback Menu

4

Delete Function

The Nikon D has a sharp -inch (. cm) LCD screen with , dots of resolution. It can display images with excellent resolution and allows you to zoom in to check their clarity. Everything you need to control your camera’s image playback is concentrated in a series of menu selections. They’re found under the first menu in the camera, called the Playback menu (see FIG ). We’ll examine the eight functions of the Playback menu in the following sections.

FIG  – Playback menu main screen

Note When using these older-style menus, please make sure that the Mode dial on top of the camera is not set to GUIDE. You won’t be able to access the regular menus with the Menu button if it is.



Delete Function The Delete function allows you to selectively delete individual images from a group of images in a single folder or multiple folders on your camera’s SD memory card. It also allows you to clear all folders of images without deleting the folders. This is sort of like formatting a card but affecting only images. The Delete menu selection has a close relationship with the next selection, Playback folder. The process for deleting images is affected by how you have the Playback folder configured. In other words, be sure you understand that the D might delete more images than you expect if you have Playback folder set to All. There are three parts to the Delete menu selection: t
Selected t
Select date t
All

4



Playback Menu

Selected – FIG A shows the menu

4

screens you’ll use to control the Delete function for Selected images. Here are the steps to delete selected images: . Press the Menu button and select the Playback menu (top menu). . Select Delete from the Playback menu, and scroll to the right. . Choose Selected from the Delete screen, and scroll to the right. . Use the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button to select each image you want to delete (see Chapter , FIG B, number  for button location). A trash can icon will appear in the upper-right corner of each image marked for deletion (see FIG A, image , red arrows).

FIG A – Delete menu screens for selected images

. Press the OK button. The “Delete?” warning screen will appear (see FIG A, image ). The number of images you have selected for deletion will be listed like this: “Delete? NN images. Yes/No”. . Scroll up to Yes and press the OK button. An hourglass will appear briefly, and then “Done” will flash on the monitor. Then the camera returns to the main screen of the Playback menu. Notice in image  of FIG A that there is a display of tiny images with numbers in their lower-right corners. These numbers run in a sequence from  to however many images you have in your current image folder, or the entire

Delete Function

memory card. The number of images shown will vary according to how you have the Playback folder settings configured. (See the next section of this chapter.) If you have the Playback folder set to Current (factory default), the camera will show you only the images found in your current playback folder. If you have the Playback folder set to All instead, it will display all the images it can find in all the folders on your camera’s SD memory card. I leave mine set to All. The camera will delete only images that you’ve selected; they will be marked with the trash can icon (see FIG A, image , red arrows).

FIG B – Delete menu screens for selected dates



Selected date – You can also delete

images by choosing a date or dates. All images taken within your chosen dates will be deleted. (Be careful!) FIG B shows the menu screens used to delete all images under various dates. Using the Select date method is simple. When you preview your images for deletion, you won’t be shown a list of all the images as you would for the Selected option. Instead, on the Select date screen (see FIG B, image ), you’ll see a list of dates with a single representative image following each date. Notice how there’s a check box to the left of each date (see FIG B, image , red arrow)? You’ll check this check box by scrolling up or down to the date of your choice with the Multi Selector,

4



4

Playback Menu

and then scrolling to the right, where you see a tiny black arrow and the word Set. This “sets” the check box to give the camera permission to delete all images it finds with the date(s) you’ve checked. If the single tiny representative image next to the date is insufficient to help you remember which images are under that date, you can confirm the images you want to delete by viewing them. Press the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button and the camera will show you the images under that date. If you want to examine an image more closely than what the list shows, you can use the Playback zoom in button to temporarily zoom in on individual images (see Chapter , FIG B, numbers  and  for location of these two buttons). Here are the steps to delete all images under a single date or multiple dates (see FIG B): . Press the Menu button and select the Playback menu (top menu). . Select Delete from the Playback menu, and scroll to the right. . Choose Selected date from the Delete screen, and scroll to the right. . Scroll right with the Multi Selector on each date you want to delete. A check mark will appear in the box next to each date you select. Remember that

FIG C – Delete menu screens for deleting all images

all images under the dates you select will be deleted permanently! . Press the OK button. The Delete all images taken on selected date? warning screen will appear (see FIG B, image ). . Scroll up to Yes and press the OK button. An hourglass will appear briefly, and then the word Done will flash on the monitor. Then the camera returns to the main screen of the Playback menu. Next, we’ll look at how to delete all images, either images in the current folder or every image on the memory card. Read this carefully because you might otherwise delete more images than you intend. All – FIG C shows the Playback menu screens used to delete all images. This selection works like a card format, except that it will not delete folders— only images. Here are the steps to delete all images. Did I mention that you must be very careful with this function? Please understand that this deletion function works differently according to how you have the Playback folder set. Please read the next section in this chapter before using this function! . Press the Menu button and select the Playback menu (top menu).

Delete Function

. Select Delete from the Playback menu, and scroll to the right. . Choose All from the Delete screen, and scroll to the right. . If you have the Playback folder set to Current, the camera will delete only images in the current folder, and the a warning screen will ask, All images will be deleted. OK? (see FIG C, image ). However, if you have the Playback folder set to All, the warning will ask, All images in all folders will be deleted. OK? (See next section for information on the Playback folder selection.) . Scroll up to Yes and press the OK button. An hourglass will appear briefly, and then the word Done will flash on the monitor. Then the camera returns to the main screen of the Playback menu. Quick Image Deletion: You can also delete a single image by displaying it on the monitor with the Playback button and then pressing the Delete button (trash can icon) below the Multi Selector. A red exclamation point with the question Delete? will pop up over the image. Press the Delete button again to delete the image. A fast way to do this is to simply display the image and press the Delete button twice quickly. Protecting an Image from Deletion: This is a very easy process and will prevent an important image from being accidentally deleted—except by formatting the memory card. Here’s how to prevent an image from being deleted: . Display the image in the normal way, by pressing the Playback button. . Press the AE-L/AF-L (protect) button, and the image will be marked for



protection. The AE-L/AF-L button to the right of the viewfinder eyepiece doubles as an image protect button, as signified by a small key symbol to the left of the button. You’ll see a small key symbol surrounded by a rectangle appear on the top left of the protected image on the LCD screen. Now, this image cannot be deleted by normal camera functions. It will be deleted if you format the memory card. Recovering Deleted Images: If you accidentally delete an image or a group of images—or even format the entire memory card and then realize with great pain that you didn’t really mean to—all is not lost. Simply remove the memory card from your camera immediately and do not use it again until you can run image recovery software on it. Deleting or formatting doesn’t permanently remove the images from the card. It merely marks them as deleted and removes the references to them in the memory card’s File Allocation Table (FAT). The images are still there and can usually be recovered as long as you don’t write any new data to the card before trying to recover them. As a digital photographer, you’ll need to have a good image recovery program on your computer at all times. Sooner or later you’ll make a mistake or have problems with a card and will need to recover images. Many of the better brands of memory cards include recovery software either on the card itself or on a separate CD that comes with the card. Make sure you install the software on your computer before formatting the brand-new memory card!

4



Playback Menu

Playback Folder

4

The Playback folder setting is used to allow your camera to display images for you during preview and slide shows. You can have the D show you images only in the Current image folder (usually D) or in All the folders on the memory card. If you regularly use your memory card in multiple cameras as I do and sometimes forget to transfer images, adjusting the Playback folder setting is a good idea. I use a Ds, D, and D on a fairly regular basis. Often, I’ll grab an -gigabyte card out of one of the cameras and stick it in another for a few shots. If I’m not careful, later I’ll transfer the images from one camera and forget that I have more folders on the SD memory card created by the other camera. It’s usually only after I have formatted the card that I remember the other folders and images on my D’s memory card. The D comes to my rescue with its Playback folder > All function. Let’s look at how the Playback folder function works by first looking at the menu screens in FIG .

FIG  – Playback folder menu screens

Here are the two selections you can choose from: t
Current (default) t
All Current – This is the most limited play-

back mode available. Whatever Playback folder your camera is using currently will be displayed during playback. No other images or folders will be displayed. All – By selecting All, your camera will obligingly show you every image it can find in all the folders on the memory card. This maximum flexibility setting has saved me several times when I thought to check my camera for images before I formatted the card and found that I had other images on the card besides D images. During playback, or before deletion, the D will display images from other Nikons you’ve used with the current memory card. Each camera usually creates its own unique folders, and the other folders do not report that they are there except by showing a reduced image capacity. When you select All, the D intelligently displays its own images and any other Nikon images on the card.

Display Mode

Here are the steps used to select Current or All (see FIG ): . Press the Menu button and select the Playback menu (top menu). . Select Playback folder from the Playback menu, and scroll to the right. . Choose Current or All from the Playback folder screen. . Press the OK button. The camera will switch back to the main Playback menu screen with the current folder name displayed after Playback folder if Current is selected or ALL displayed if All is selected (see FIG , image ). Recommendation: I leave my D set to the Playback folder > All setting because I want to be sure I can see every image on the memory card. This helps me to avoid being worried about losing images as a result of my own mistakes. One day it may get to the point that memory cards are big enough to leave months of picture taking in various folders as another form of image backup. I’d like to be able to see all those images without switching folders.

Display Mode This selection allows you to customize how the D displays all the histogram and Data screens for each image. If you

FIG A – Display mode menu screens



want to see a lot of information on each image, you can select it here. Or, if you would rather take a minimalist approach to image information, turn off some of the screens. If you turn off certain screens, the camera still records the information for each image, such as lens used, shutter speed, and aperture. However, with no Data screens selected, you’ll see only two screens. One is the main image view, and the other is a summary screen with a luminance histogram and basic shooting information. I haven’t found a way to turn this summary screen off. You get to the screens by scrolling with the Multi Selector in the opposite direction from viewing images. I can scroll through my images by pressing left or right on the Multi Selector. Then I can move through the Data screens by scrolling up or down with the Multi Selector. Here are the steps to select the Detailed photo info screens (see FIG A): . Press the Menu button and select the Playback menu (top menu). . Select Display mode from the Playback menu, and scroll to the right. . Select your combination of screens from the list on the Detailed photo info screen. You’ll highlight a line such as RGB histogram and place a check mark in

4



Playback Menu

the little box by scrolling right toward the black arrow tip. Check as many as you’d like (see FIG A, image ). . Scroll back up to Done at the top of the list (see FIG A, image ). . Press the OK button to make the selected photo info screens active.

4

Here are the selections found in Display mode > Detailed photo information and a description of what each does: t
Highlights t
RGB histogram t
Data When you make changes to these selections, make sure you scroll up to the word Done and press the OK button to save your setting. I keep forgetting to do this when I make changes (see FIG A, image ). Highlights – If you put a check mark next to the Highlights selection, as shown in FIG B, you’ll turn on what I call the “blinky” mode of the camera. The D uses the Highlights screen to view the image with special emphasis on any areas that might be overexposed. It looks very similar to the normal viewing screen except that there is only information

FIG B – Highlights – Display mode menu screens

about Highlights on the new screen. You’ll see the word Highlights in the lower-left portion of the camera monitor, just above the words “NIKON D” (see FIG B, image , red arrow). You can leave this screen selected as your normal viewing screen if you want. If you turn the camera off and back on when this screen is selected, it will remember and return to this screen instead of the regular image viewing screen. You can get to the normal viewing screen, or the image summary screen, by scrolling up or down with the Multi Selector. What does the Highlights screen do? When Highlights is enabled and any part of the image is overexposed, the overexposed part will blink an alternating white and black, indicating that it has lost detail. You will need to use exposure compensation or manually control the camera to contain the exposure within the dynamic range of the camera’s sensor. FIG C shows how an image looks when an area has been overexposed. It shows one image on both sides of the “blink” from white to black to white: The image on the left is showing the white blink, and the one on the right is

Display Mode



FIG C - Highlights “blinky” mode in action

4

FIG D – RGB histogram - Display mode menu screens

showing the black blink. “Blinky” mode! The image in this figure is a picture of a bright window blind in a darkened room. See how the overexposed area turns black as the blink happens (see the red arrow). The blinking white to black to white indicates that the black blink section of the image has lost all detail, or has “blown out”. If you examine the histogram for the image, you’ll see that it’s cut off, or “clipped”, on the right side. Current software cannot usually recover any image detail from the blown-out sections. The exposure has exceeded the range of the sensor and the image has become completely overexposed in the black blink

area. All previous detail in the image has gone to pure white. (See Histogram information in the chapter titled Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram.) Highlights mode is a nice way to allow your camera to warn you when you have surpassed what its sensor can capture and you’re losing image data. RGB histogram – I like this feature! It allows me to view, not just a basic luminance histogram, which is a combination of all three color channels, but all three color histograms and a luminance histogram in one screen (see FIG D).



4

Playback Menu

Each color channel, red, green, and blue (or RGB), is displayed with its own small histogram. This is quite useful because it is possible to overexpose, or “blow out”, only one color channel, as happens most often with the red channel in my case. You can view the luminance histogram on top in white and the three RGB color histograms below it (see FIG D, image , right side). When you examine the RGB Histogram screen, you’ll see that each of the RGB color channel histograms is different. Red will look different from blue, for instance. The luminance histogram on top always seems to resemble the

FIG E – Data – Display mode menu screens

green channel histogram very closely. It makes me wonder if the white luminance histogram is basically just a copy of the green channel histogram with a bit of minor influence from the other two channels. The luminance and green histograms are not absolutely identical, but they are very close, so it appears that green colors influence the luminance histogram more than the other two (red and blue). Data – Checking this setting will give you three additional image data screens to scroll though. The data found on these screens is quite detailed and includes the following information (see FIG E, red numbers identify the screens):

Display Mode

t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t


t
t
t


t


Image Data Screen  Light meter in use (Matrix, Spot, or Center-weighted) Shutter speed and aperture (e.g., /, F) Exposure mode (P,S,A,M) and ISO (i.e.,  or Lo ) Exposure compensation (+/- EV) Lens focal length (e.g., mm) Lens overview (e.g., -mm f/. – .) AF/VR (i.e., AF / VR-On) Flash Mode and compensation (e.g., Built-in, TTL, +.) Image Data Screen  White balance (Auto, , ) Color space (sRGB, AdobeRGB) Picture control detail (Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape) Picture control fine-tuning (Quick adjust, Sharpening, Contrast, Brightness, Saturation, Hue)

FIG F – Two playback information display screens

t
t
t


t




Image Data Screen  Noise reduction (e.g., Long exp., High ISO, Norm) Active D-Lighting (Auto Extra high, High, Normal, Low, Off ) Retouching (D-Lighting, Red-eye correction, Trim, Monochrome, Filter effects, Color balance, Small picture) Comment (Up to  characters attached to each image)

That’s a lot of screens to scroll through, but they provide a great deal of information on the image. Look how far we’ve come from the old film days of writing some date information on the lower-right of the image, permanently marking it, or between the frames on the pro-level cameras. In fact, there are seven screens just brimming with data, if you enable all the Display modes. Or, you can get by with the main image display and one summary display, with a single luminance histogram (see FIG F). Complex control at your fingertips!

4



4

Playback Menu

Recommendation: I always leave the Highlights and RGB histogram settings turned on. I want to be sure I’m not accidentally “blowing out” important sections of my image. The Highlights “blinky mode” always warns me when my images have overexposed sections, thereby allowing me to adjust my exposure quickly. The RGB histogram setting is also very important to me. It allows me to see all the color channels, just in case one of them is being clipped off on the light or dark side. It also allows me to see how well I am keeping my exposure balanced for light and dark. Remember to see the detailed Histogram information in the chapter titled Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram. The three Data screens are not terribly important to me since the D has the summary screen shown in FIG F, image , with the most important exposure information displayed. Also, by having the Data screens enabled, I have to scroll through three more screens to get to my RGB histogram screen. So, my recommendation is to enable only the Highlights and RGB histogram screens. If you really feel the need to examine a large amount of extra image data, then enable the Data screens too.

FIG  – Image review menu screens

Image Review The factory default for the D is to display the just-taken image on the monitor for several seconds. You can adjust this value from  seconds to  minutes using the Setup menu or Guide menu and enabling Auto off timers > Custom > Image review. FIG  shows how to turn Image review on or off. There are two Image review settings: t
On – Shows a picture on the monitor after each shutter release (default). t
Off – Monitor stays off when you take pictures. Here are the steps to select whether Image review is on or off: . Press the Menu button and select the Playback menu (top menu). . Select Image review from the Playback menu, and scroll to the right. . Select On or Off from the list. . Press the OK button. Most of us will leave this function set to On, otherwise the only way to view an image after taking it is to press the Playback button. The battery life will be affected if you review images constantly and for longer periods of time than the default

Rotate Tall

 seconds. However, with the low power consumption of the camera overall, you’ll find that your battery lasts long enough for a full day of shooting in most instances. I carry one extra battery, just in case, because I am a world-class image chimper. Recommendation: I don’t want to waste hard drive space by storing lots of almost good images, so I delete many images right after I take them. I have to review them to know whether I want to keep them or not! So, I leave the Image review selection set to On. In fact, I set the Image review time to  minute in the Setup menu’s Auto off timers selection. That way I can look at my images for extended periods of time, and maybe show them to others too. The battery lasts a long time on the D, and I carry a spare, so I am ready to “chimp” with the best of them.

Chimping Defined “Chimping” means reviewing images on the monitor after each shot. The word is derived from the words “check image preview”, which then was shortened to “chimping”. I guess people think you look like a monkey if you review each image while voicing your “ooohs” and “aaahs”. Well, I do it anyway!

FIG  – Rotate tall menu screens



Rotate Tall When you shoot an image as a vertical (or portrait image) by turning your camera sideways, the image is recorded to the card as a horizontal image lying on its side. If you chimp the image—view it immediately after taking it—Nikon assumes that you’ll still be holding the camera in the rotated position, so the image is left lying on its side in portrait mode. Later, when you’re reviewing the images as a group and are using the D’s Playback functionality, the image will be displayed as an upright vertical image that is quite a bit smaller in size so that it will fit on the horizontal monitor. If you would rather that the camera leave the image in a horizontal view, forcing you to turn the camera sideways to view it normally, you’ll need to turn Rotate tall to Off. The default is On. Here are the two available settings (see FIG ): t
On (default) – When you take a vertical image, the D will rotate it so that you don’t have to turn your camera to view it naturally in later playback. This sizes the image so that it fits in the normal horizontal frame of the monitor. The image will be a bit smaller than

4



Playback Menu

normal to view. When you first view (chimp) the image after taking it, the camera does not rotate it because it assumes you are still holding the camera in a vertical orientation. t
Off – Vertical images are left in a horizontal direction, so you’ll need to turn the camera to view it as it was taken. This provides a slightly larger view of the image.

4

Here are the steps to select whether Rotate tall is on or off (see FIG ): . Press the Menu button and select the Playback menu (top menu). . Select Rotate tall from the Playback menu, and scroll to the right. . Select On or Off from the list. . Press the OK button. Recommendation: I leave Rotate tall set to On since I can zoom in if I want more detail. This allows me to view a vertical image in its natural vertical orientation without rotating my camera during playback. Some would prefer not to display the vertical image in a horizontal direction because it gets so much smaller. You’ll need to turn this on and off to see which you prefer.

FIG  – Slide show menu screens

Slide Show I used to do slide shows back in the old film days. I’d set up my screen, warm up my projector, load my slides, and watch everyone fall asleep by the hundredth slide. For that reason, I hadn’t been using the slide show functionality of my camera. However, all that has changed recently. Now, instead of hauling out a slide projector and a box of slides, you can just plug your D into the closest television. The camera has a cool A/V port (V-OUT) on the left side under a plastic flap that will plug into a TV’s RCA jacks if you buy a cable for it. If you prefer, you can just set your camera up on a table and have a few friends gather around for a slide show. It’s very fast and simple to start one. As shown in FIG , it’s easy to simply select the Slide show setting from the Playback menu, scroll right, and select Start. The slide show will commence immediately and have a default display time of  seconds per image. Here are the steps to set up a slide show: . Press the Menu button and select the Playback menu (top menu).

Slide Show

. Select Slide show from the Playback menu, and scroll to the right. . Select Start or Frame interval from the list. If you select Frame interval, you’ll have additional choices as shown in FIG A. . Press the OK button. The following two settings are available under Slide show: t
Start - This starts the slide show. t
Frame interval - This setting controls the amount of time in seconds each image displays. You’ll need to change the display time to a value from  to  seconds. The default value is s, or  seconds. FIG A shows the menu screens to make the change. As shown in FIG A, you can select from the following settings: t
s –  seconds (default) t
s –  seconds t
s –  seconds t
s –  seconds To start the slide show, select the frame interval as shown in FIG , and this time, the show will run at your new chosen speed.

FIG A – Slide show frame interval menu screens



Recommendation: I usually set my slide show Frame interval (display time) to three seconds. If the images are especially beautiful, I might set it to five seconds. I’ve found that two seconds are not quite enough and five or ten seconds may be too long. I wish we had a four second setting, but three seems to work well, most of the time. There are several keys that will affect how the images display during the slide show: t
Skip back/skip ahead – During the slide show you can go back to the previous image for another -second viewing by simply pressing left on the Multi Selector. You can also see the next image with no delay by pressing right on the Multi Selector. This is just a quick way to skip images or review previous images without stopping the slide show. t
View additional photo info – While the slide show is running, you can press up or down on the Multi Selector to view the additional Data screens. This is dependent on how you have your D’s Display mode setting configured (see the previous section) for Highlights, RGB histogram, and Data. If

4



Playback Menu

any of these screens are available, they can be used during the slide show. t
Pause slide show – During the slide show you may need to pause, change the image display time, or even exit. By pressing the OK button, you can pause the slide show. You are then presented with the menu shown in FIG B.

4

Using this menu screen, you can select from the following three settings: t
Restart – Pressing the OK button or scrolling to the right on the Multi Selector continues the slide show from the image following the one last viewed. t
Frame interval – Scrolling to the right with the Multi Selector takes you to the screen that allows you to change the display time to one of four values. You can choose , , , or  seconds. After choosing a new Frame interval setting, you’ll have to select Restart to continue where you left off in the slide show (see FIG B, image ). t
Exit – This does what it says—exits the slide show.

FIG B – Slide show Pause menu screens

Exit to playback menu – If you want to quickly exit the slide show, simply press the Menu button and you’ll jump directly back to the Playback menu with no items selected. Exit to playback mode – By pressing the Playback button (the right-arrow key, with a rectangle around it, on the top rear left of the D), you’ll stop the slide show and change to normal full-frame or thumbnail image view of the last image seen in the show. This exits the show on the last image viewed. Exit to shooting mode – Pressing the Shutter release button halfway down stops the slide show. The camera is now in “shooting mode”, meaning that it is ready to take some pictures. Using any of the buttons mentioned in the preceding list affects the slide show in the ways listed. Learn to use this function well and you’ll find yourself displaying slide shows frequently.

Printing Pictures without a Computer

Printing Pictures without a Computer PictBridge and Print Set (DPOF) Printing The Nikon D camera has the ability to print pictures directly to a PictBridge-compatible printer using a USB cable. It can also create “print sets” that can be written to a memory card, which is then inserted into a Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) compatible printer for direct memory card printing. Here these two methods are briefly described: PictBridge – PictBridge allows you to connect your camera directly to a compatible printer and print any or all the images on the card without having to involve a computer in any way. Your D comes with a special USB cable that has a very small end that fits the D—see FIG —and a normal big USB end that plugs into the compatible printer’s PictBridge port. This is the same cable that you use to transfer images from the camera to a computer. To make things more confusing, PictBridge has a menu item called Print (DPOF), which works a lot like Print

FIG  – USB port on D and included cable



set (DPOF) but with fewer features. Just

remember, Print (DPOF) and Print set (DPOF) are not one and the same. Print set (DPOF) – Another way you can print images that involves the D and a compatible printer is to use Digital Print Order Format (DPOF). You can print to any device that supports DPOF. You’ll create a print order, right on the D, that saves out to the memory card using the Print set (DPOF) menu. This print order allows a DPOF-compatible printer or service to print the images directly from your memory card. All you have to do is insert the memory card, select Print from the printer, and wait for your pictures to print. This is not a difficult process and is quite fun and satisfying. In researching printers that will support all the Nikon D’s features, like borders, cropping, multiple prints, and DPOF compatibility, I spent considerable time reading about printers on the Internet. Some mentioned being PictBridge compatible. Some mentioned DPOF and others didn’t. Few manufacturers had real information on their websites to let me know how many features they support in my camera.

4



4

Playback Menu

After a couple of hours of frustration, I decided to call some printer manufacturers and simply ask them some questions. Since I’ve been using an Epson R for several years and always loved its output, I decided to call Epson first. I didn’t have to call anyone else! I got a technical person who had real knowledge of cameras and printers. He was kind enough to talk with me about the different features in the camera and which Epson printer I could buy to use all of them. I wanted a portable x inch (x cm) printer that supported my camera. He suggested the Epson PictureMate Dash Personal Photo Lab. I had already read about this printer in several ratings and reviews, and it had one of the highest print quality ratings out there. I spent about  minutes on the phone with Epson’s tech and ordered the printer immediately. In FIG A is a picture of my D plugged into this tiny little x inch printer (on the left). The little thing looks like a lunch box (on the right) when closed and opens up into a printer that indeed gives

FIG A – Epson PictureMate Dash and my D

A Note for RAW Shooters If you are a RAW shooter, the PictBridge process won’t benefit you. Not all printers can handle printing from RAW files, so Nikon chose to limit PictBridge and DPOF printing to JPEG files in the D. Also, you won’t be able to use the PictBridge screens unless your D is plugged into a compatible PictBridge printer.

me images that look just like the ones I’ve been getting from local labs. With this printer I don’t even need a computer to print as often as I’d like. I can even get a battery for the printer if I want to go out on safari and print on the spot. Epson makes another version of this printer called the Epson PictureMate Zoom that includes a CD-ROM burner. With that printer you wouldn’t even need a computer to print x prints and back up your images to CD. Now, let’s look in detail at how I used the PictBridge option and my Epson PictureMate Dash to print without a computer.

Section  – PictBridge Printing

Section 1 – PictBridge Printing The PictBridge printing system has its own set of menus, which are not generally available from anywhere in the camera. The only way you can get to the PictBridge playback menu is to plug the camera into a PictBridge-compatible printer. Only then will the menus for printing be available by pressing the OK button or the Menu button. At first I thought it odd that Nikon chose to put image printing functions in the Playback menu. Then I thought about it and realized that printing is a permanent form of image playback. You play (print) the images to your printer and then “chimp” (view) them without battery power! Basic Single-Image PictBridge Printing

Let’s just jump right in to printing pictures directly from your camera to a compatible

FIG B – Initial D PictBridge screens

FIG C – Press OK to enter Setup



PictBridge printer. All you have to do is go out and shoot some images and then come in and plug your camera into the printer. Make sure the printer is turned on! Nikon says to turn the D off before you plug the transfer cable into the camera. When you first turn the camera on you’ll see a series of screens like those shown in FIG B. As shown in FIG B, image , the first screen you’ll see contains the PictBridge logo, which looks like a couple of stretched water droplets. Next you’ll be presented with the PictBridge playback screen and a JPEG image found on your memory card. You’ll notice in FIG B, image , how the PictBridge playback screen has the droplet logo in the upperleft corner, letting you know that the screen is not a normal Playback screen. Next I’ll explain how to get a picture or pictures printed once you’ve gotten to this point. In FIG C you’ll find a series of

4



Playback Menu

screens used to select pictures and send them to the printer for printing. Here are the steps you’ll use to print your pictures: . Turn your camera off. . Connect the USB transfer cable to the already turned on PictBridge printer and then to the camera. . Turn the camera on.

4

FIG D – Select a page size for the print

FIG E – Select the number of copies to print

FIG F – Select border or borderless for the print

. You’ll be presented with the PictBridge logo screen and then the first image in the PictBridge playback menu (see FIG C). Scroll through your pictures with the Multi Selector until you find an image you’d like to print. . Press the OK button (see the red arrow in FIG C, image ) and you’ll move to the printing Setup screen (see FIG C, image ).

Section  – PictBridge Printing

. Continuing with the screen seen in FIG C, image , select Page size from the list (see FIG D, image ) and match it to the paper size in your printer (image ). Mine is only a x printer; yours may have other sizes available. . Now, select the number of copies (No. of copies) you’d like to have of this print (see FIG E). You can select from  to  prints. . If you’d like your print with or without a border, make a choice between Print with border and No border (see FIG F). Of course, if your printer does not support printing with borders, this option

FIG G – Select time stamp for the print

FIG H – Select cropping for the print



will be grayed out. You can also select Printer default if you want to leave it up to the printer to decide. . Next, select whether you want a time stamp in the lower-right corner of the picture. Select Print time stamp or No time stamp (see FIG G). .Finally, you must choose whether you want to crop the print or not: – Crop: If you select Crop, you’ll use the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button to select the area of the crop (see Chapter , FIG B, numbers  and  for button locations). You can move the yellow crop frame around

4



4

Playback Menu

with the Multi Selector. If you need to zoom back out, you’ll use the Playback zoom in button (see FIG H, image ). Press the OK button to select the crop. – No Crop: If you don’t want to crop, just select No cropping, and press the OK button. .Once you’ve made all your selections, scroll back up to the Start printing line and press the OK button (see FIG H, image ). Your printer will now print your picture. FIG H, image , shows the D screen you’ll see while the print is flowing to the printer. Immediately thereafter the printing starts. Multiple-Print PictBridge Printing

The basic single-print method is for when you want to select a single image and print one or more copies of it. The following alternate PictBridge methods are also available: . Print select . Select date . Print (DPOF) . Index print

FIG  – Print select printing screens

Let’s discuss each of them in detail. Note: You won’t be able to see these screens unless your camera is plugged into a PictBridge printer. Print select

This method is for when you want to print more than one image at a time. You can choose from many images, set the number of prints for each, and then set borders and time stamp information. Here are the steps to configure Print select: . Turn your camera off. . Connect the USB transfer cable to the already turned on PictBridge printer and then to the camera. . Turn to the camera on. . As shown in FIG , you’ll see a JPEG image after the PictBridge logo finishes displaying. Since we’re interested in printing more than one picture, you’ll not press the OK button for the Setup option at this time as the PictBridge playback screen suggests—notice the big red X I added to the screen?

Section  – PictBridge Printing

Instead, press the Menu button. That will display the PictBridge menu with Print select as the top choice. Choose Print select and scroll to the right (see FIG A). . The Print select screen will appear (see FIG A, image ). It contains the JPEG files available on your camera’s memory card. Scroll around with the Multi Selector. To select images for printing, follow these steps: a) Highlight an image. b) Hold down the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button and scroll up with the Multi Selector to increase the number of prints for this image, up

FIG A – Print select screens

FIG B – Printing setup screen – Select page size



to  prints per picture. Notice in FIG A, image , how a couple of the images have  or  and a small printer symbol (see the red arrow)? The numbers mean that the camera will print that quantity of pictures for each marked image. c) Repeat steps a and b for each additional image you want to print. d) Press the OK button when all images are prepared. . The camera will now switch to the printing Setup screen. You’ll need to choose a page size that fits your desired image (see FIG B). Mine is x in. Yours may have more choices.

4



Playback Menu

. Do you want a border on this image? If so, scroll down and select Border and then scroll to the right (see FIG C). Select Print with border or No border. Press the OK button to select and return to the setup screen. . Now, choose Time stamp. This will add the date to the printed picture in the lower-right corner. Select from Print

4

FIG C – Choosing the border style

FIG D – Choosing whether to add a time stamp

time stamp or No time stamp (see FIG

D). Press the OK button to return to the print Setup screen. . To print the pictures, scroll up to Start printing, and press the OK button (see FIG B, image ). Your images will now print, with a variable number of copies of each picture per your selections.

Section  – PictBridge Printing

Select date

You can select a date or multiple dates and print all images within those dates. FIG  shows the opening screens for printing by date. Here are the steps to print all images by date(s): . Turn your camera off. . Connect the USB transfer cable to the already turned on PictBridge printer and then to the camera. . Turn the camera on. . As shown in FIG , you’ll see a JPEG image after the PictBridge logo finishes displaying. Since we’re interested in printing more than one picture, you won’t press the OK button for the Setup

FIG  – PictBridge print by date

FIG A – Choosing a date or dates to print



option at this time as the PictBridge playback screen suggests (I added a red X in figure  as a reminder). Instead, you’ll press the Menu button. That will display the PictBridge menu with Select date as the second choice from the top. Choose Select date and scroll to the right (see FIG A). . To choose dates, simply scroll down through the list and put a check mark next to each date with images you want to print (see FIG A, image , red arrow). You set the check mark in the little box by scrolling to the right on each line. If you want to examine a date to see what photos you took, you can use the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button

4



Playback Menu

to toggle a view of the images under a certain date. It’s a toggle, so pressing it opens and closes a detailed image display. Press the OK button when you have finished selecting the image dates. . The camera will now switch to the printing Setup screen. You’ll need to choose a page size that fits your

4

FIG B – Printing setup screen – Select page size

FIG C – Choosing a border style

desired image (see FIG B). I selected x in., but your printer may have more paper sizes. . Do you want a border on this image? If so, scroll down and select Border and then scroll to the right (see FIG C). Select Print with border or No border. Press the OK button to select and return to the setup screen.

Section  – PictBridge Printing

. Now, choose Time stamp. This will add the date to the printed picture in the lower-right corner. Select from Print time stamp or No time stamp (see FIG D). Press the OK button to select and return to the print Setup screen. . To print the pictures, scroll up to Start printing, and press the OK button. Your images will now print, with a variable



number of copies of each picture per your selections. FIG E, image , shows the D screen you’ll see while the print is flowing to the printer. Immediately thereafter the printing starts.

4

FIG D – Choosing whether to print a time stamp

FIG E – Printing the picture



Playback Menu

Print (DPOF):

4

This function is not Print set (DPOF) which is discussed in Section  below, but it’s rather similar. If you have created a print order and saved it to your camera’s memory card, this function will give you the choice of printing the existing Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) selection. I haven’t found a way to make more than one print order at a time with the D. Section , Print set (DPOF), will include full details on how to create a print order. This section just tells how to print it. If there is no print order already created, this method acts like the Print select function discussed previously. Here are

the steps to print an existing print order from your memory card: . Turn your camera off. . Connect the USB transfer cable to the already turned on PictBridge printer and then to the camera. . Turn the camera on. . As shown in FIG , you’ll see a JPEG image after the PictBridge logo finishes displaying. Since we’re interested in printing more than one picture, you’ll not press the OK button for the Setup option at this time as the PictBridge playback screen suggests (again, my big red X is a reminder). Instead, you’ll press the Menu button. That will display

FIG  – Printing the existing DPOF with PictBridge?

FIG A – Validating or changing the existing print order

Section  – PictBridge Printing

the PictBridge menu with Print (DPOF) as the third choice from the top. Choose Print (DPOF) and scroll to the right (see FIG A). . The screen will now present an existing print order from your memory card (see FIG A). If there are no existing print orders, the images will have no quantity numbers in their upper-right corners (see the red arrow in FIG A, image ) and you can proceed to add some. You can change the quantity on any image by selecting it, holding down the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button, and pressing up on the Multi Selector. This adds to the number of

FIG B – Printing setup screen

FIG C – Choosing a border style



prints for the selected image. You can reduce the amount by pressing down on the Multi Selector. Press the OK button when you have examined and modified or approved the print order. . The camera will now switch to the printing Setup screen. You’ll need to choose a page size that fits your desired image (see FIG B). I chose x in. since my printer only prints that size. Yours may display and print other sizes. . Do you want a border on this image? If so, scroll down and select Border and then scroll to the right (see FIG C). Select Print with border or No border.

4



Playback Menu

Press the OK button to select and return to the Setup screen. . Now, choose Time stamp. This will add the date to the printed picture in the lower-right corner (see FIG D). Select Print time stamp or No time stamp. Press the OK button to select and return to the print Setup screen.

4

FIG D – Choosing whether to print a time stamp

FIG E – Printing the picture

. To print the pictures, scroll up to Start printing, and press the OK button. Your images will now print, with a variable number of copies of each picture per your selections. FIG E, image , shows the D screen you’ll see while the print is flowing to the printer. Immediately thereafter the printing starts.

Section  – PictBridge Printing

Index print

When you select this type of printing, the camera will find up to the first  JPEG images on your memory card and make an index print containing thumbnails of each of them. If the paper size will not contain all the thumbnails, it will print multiple pages. This is basically the same as the old contact sheet of yesteryear. Here are the steps to create an index print for your JPEG images: . Turn your camera off. . Connect the USB transfer cable to the already turned on PictBridge printer and then to the camera. . Turn the camera on. . As shown in FIG , you’ll see a JPEG image after the PictBridge logo finishes displaying. Since we’re interested in printing an index print, you’ll not press the OK button for the Setup option at this

FIG  – Making an index print

FIG A – Printing setup screen



time as the PictBridge playback screen suggests (see the big red X). Instead, you’ll press the Menu button. That will display the PictBridge menu with Index print as the last choice on the list. Choose Index print and scroll to the right (see FIG A). . You’ll now be presented with the first  JPEG images found on your camera’s memory card (see FIG A). You can’t do anything with the images except scroll through them, nor can you select more than . Press the OK button when you are ready. . The camera will now switch to the printing Setup screen. You’ll need to choose a page size that fits your desired image (see FIG B). Since my printer only does x in., I chose that size. You may have more sizes available. . Do you want a border on this image? If so, scroll down and select Border and

4



Playback Menu

then scroll to the right (see FIG C). Select Print with border or No border. Press the OK button to select and return to the Setup screen. . Now, choose Time stamp. This will add the date to the printed picture in the lower-right corner (see FIG D). Select from Print time stamp or No time

4

FIG B – Printing Setup screen – Select page size

FIG C – Choosing a border style

FIG D – Choosing whether to print a time stamp

stamp. Press the OK button to select and

return to the print Setup screen. . To print the Index print(s), scroll up to Start printing, and press the OK button. The printer will now output one or more Index print pages containing small-sized images in a grid pattern as you would see on a contact sheet (see FIG F).

Section  – PictBridge Printing

In FIG F you can see a x Index print, as printed on my little Epson PictureMate Dash. Even a print this small can contain  thumbnail images. I took a picture of a picture to capture this Index print for the book. Oh, and try to ignore the subject matter; these are just family and friend snapshots. The D gets handed around my family quite a bit. As a matter of fact, I don’t think I took one of the images on the index print. Everyone loves to use the D—especially the kids—since they

FIG E – Printing the picture

FIG F – Sample -x--inch (-x--cm) index print



can set a Scene or Guide mode and shoot lots of images without thinking about camera settings. My -year-old son once took  images of his face. It’s a good thing the D doesn’t use film! That’s about all there is to PictBridge printing directly from camera to printer. Now let’s see how you can use the D to create a print order, store it on the camera’s memory card, and print directly from the memory card without attaching the camera or computer to the printer.

4



Playback Menu

Section 2 – Print Set (DPOF)

4

For printing with Print Set DPOF you do not have to connect the printer to anything. All you have to do is insert a memory card that contains a digital print order on it and the printer will detect the order and offer to fill it. Since my printer is an Epson PictureMate Dash, I’ll have to use its screens to do the final DPOF print. Your printer’s screens and methods may vary, but I doubt they’ll be any more difficult than the Epson’s. These steps will allow you to print your order on your DPOF-compatible printer: . Press the Menu button and select the first menu on the list, the Playback menu (see FIG ). . Scroll down and select Print set (DPOF) and then scroll to the right (see FIG ). . If you don’t have any existing print orders on the memory card, please skip this step and go directly to step . Otherwise, if you have an existing print order that you no longer want, you’ll need to choose Deselect all? from the list and then scroll to the right (see FIG A, image ). The next screen will

FIG A – Deselecting an existing print order

FIG  – Print set (DPOF)

ask you, Remove print marking from all images? And you are given a Yes or No option. Choose Yes and press the OK button. If there are previously marked images, the brief message Marking removed from all images will flash in the screen, and the screen will return to the Playback menu. Otherwise, no message will appear and it will just return to the menu. . Since you’re going to create a new print order and save it to the memory card, you’ll choose Select/set from the Print set (DPOF) screen, then scroll to the right (see FIG B, image ). . Now you’ll see the Select/set screen with all the JPEG images on your memory card (see FIG B, image ).

Section  – Print Set (DPOF)

You’ll need to choose images with the Multi Selector. Once you have an image highlighted, hold down the Thumbnail/ playback zoom out button and scroll up with the Multi Selector. This changes the number of prints ordered for that particular image (see FIG B, image , red arrow). You can select from  to  prints for each image you highlight. Each print you choose will be marked with a tiny printer icon and a number of prints value. Once you have scrolled through your images—highlighting and incrementing print amounts—just press the OK button. . This next screen allows you to add data imprints to each of the images in the

FIG B – Choosing images and print amounts



print order (see FIG B, image ). You can add data or the date: – Data imprint: This prints the shutter speed and aperture on each print in the order. – Imprint date: This causes a date to be added to each print in the order. You put check marks in the tiny boxes by highlighting the line and scrolling right on the word Set. I selected Imprint date but not Data imprint in FIG B, image . When you have completed your choices, scroll up to Done and press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with a screen telling you that the print order is complete, as you see in FIG B, image .

4



4

Playback Menu

At this point your print order has been saved to the memory card and you’ll need to go insert the card into the printer’s SD memory card slot. FIG C shows the screens I see at this point on my Epson PictureMate Dash printer. Your printer’s screens may vary. However, since your printer is PictBridge/DPOF compatible, you’ll find something very similar, especially if you choose to buy an Epson PictureMate Dash or Zoom, like mine! FIG C shows the print order fulfillment screens, in sequence. As these screens appeared, I followed the prompts and ended up with my selected four prints within a few minutes. I am not going to discuss what I did during the print confirmation process since that may vary on your printer.

FIG C – Print order fulfillment screens

I had absolutely no interest in printing directly from my camera to a PictBridge printer until I wrote this chapter and saw how fun and easy it is. Printer costs are reasonable, so you might want to pick up a PictBridge compatible one. Just look for the PictBridge logo on the printer’s packaging or body. Thank you Nikon for giving us this easy method for making nice prints!

Look for the Folder on Your Memory Card While examining my camera’s SD memory card in my computer, I noticed that after I created a print order, my D created a folder on its memory card called MISC. In the folder was a file named AUTPRINT. MRK. This is the current Print order for Print set (DPOF).

My Conclusions



FIG  – Playing stop-motion movies

Stop-Motion Movie

My Conclusions

Stop-motion movies are created under the Retouch menu but displayed under the Playback menu. We’ll consider why and how to create a Stop-motion movie in this book’s chapter titled Retouch and Recent Settings Menus. For now, let’s examine how to display a Stop-motion movie that you’ve already created. If this Playback menu item is grayed out, there are no movies on your camera’s memory card. Here are the steps to select an existing movie and play it back (see FIG ): . Press the Menu button and select the Playback menu (top menu). . Select Stop-motion movie from the Playback menu, and scroll to the right. . Choose one of the movies displayed on the screen. I have two showing in FIG , image . . Press the OK button when you have a movie selected and it will play on your LCD monitor or your TV if the camera is hooked up to it with an A/V cable.

I remember the old days when to “play back” some images, you’d have to find the old shoebox full of pictures or open an album and flip pages. Sometimes I miss photo albums. I’m going to run down to the superstore right now and buy several albums. Then I’ll use PictBridge to print some actual images to put into those albums. Have you printed any images today? In the meantime I’ll use the playback features of my D to impress my friends with my images and my really cool camera! Now, let’s move onto the next series of menu items, found in the Shooting menu.

4



Shooting and Information Edit Menus

Shooting and Information Edit Menus

5



The Shooting and Information edit menus are like fraternal twins. They have almost, but not quite, the same settings. This chapter will focus on the Shooting menu, but I’ll discuss the Information edit menu when the two share functionality. Any extra functionality in the Information edit menu will be considered at the end of this chapter. The Shooting menu has  settings, while the Information edit menu has . At the beginning of each section, I’ll mention whether the setting applies to just the Shooting menu or to both. As you use your camera, you’ll find that the Information edit menu is very convenient and easy to use, so I strongly suggest that you learn it well. Some of the shared camera settings are also found under the Guide Mode’s Set up menu, as discussed in previous chapters. Three user interfaces, same settings! Since we’ve covered the Guide menu in great detail previously, we’ll now focus only on the Shooting menu and the Information edit menu. Here are the settings you’ll learn about in this chapter. There are a total of  of them. We’ll use both interfaces to modify them, when available: The following advanced configuration settings are covered in this chapter: t
Reset shooting options t
Set Picture Control t
Image quality t
Image size t
White balance

t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t


ISO sensitivity Active D-Lighting Color space Noise reduction Release mode Focus mode AF-area mode AF-assist Metering Built-in flash Flash modes Flash compensation Exposure compensation

Now, let’s take a look at each setting, learn what it does, and see how you can use the two user interfaces to access it. To save a lot of repetition, I’m going to show how to access each of the two menus here at the beginning of the chapter. As we progress through later parts of this chapter, I’ll simply say something like, “Use the Shooting menu” or “Use the Information edit menu”. When you read references like that, simply refer to one, or both, of the next two sections to see how to access the particular user interface. Doing it this way will save a lot of needless repetition when I have to describe how to use the two menus. If you’re like me, you’ll learn to favor one over the others. Nikon makes it easy for this camera to fit varying personalities.

5



Shooting and Information Edit Menus

Using the Shooting Menu

5

Here are the steps to open and use the various settings on the Shooting menu. . Make sure the Mode dial on top of the camera is not set to GUIDE. . Press the Menu button on the left side of the camera’s back. . Using the Multi Selector, scroll down the available menus and you’ll see the Shooting menu, which is the second from the top and is represented by a small green camera icon. There are several other menus available below and above the Shooting menu. We discuss them in other chapters. . Scroll to the right with the Multi Selector and you’ll be able to access any of the  items on the Shooting menu by scrolling up or down. In my sample

FIG  - Shooting menu

shown in FIG , I have selected the Image quality setting out of the  available settings. . Once you select one of the  options, simply scroll to the right with the Multi Selector and you’ll open one or sometimes two screens with additional settings. We’ll be using all these screens as we go through this chapter. As we progress, we’ll first use the Shooting menu to talk about the settings, then the Information edit menu if it allows changing the setting too. At the end of the chapter, you’ll see a few functions only found on the Information edit menu.

Using the Information Edit Menu

Using the Information Edit Menu The Information edit menu is my favorite for setting many camera options. The purpose of this shortcut (or “Quick Settings” menu, as Nikon calls it) is to allow you to quickly change the most important settings without digging around in lots of places. The most critical camera settings are all in one place! Here are the steps to open and use the Information edit menu (see FIG ). . Press the Information edit button until you see the Information edit menu, shown in FIG , image . You may have to press it twice from many screens since a single press opens the readonly Information screen shown when you first turn the camera on. The Information edit button is on back of the camera on the bottom left. It shares its functions with the Playback zoom in button, and is context sensitive. You’ll see a tiny figure just above the button. If you’re still confused about its location, refer to chapter , FIG B, number . . Make sure that the yellow highlight rectangle is positioned on the setting

FIG  – Information edit menu



you want to adjust. In FIG , image , the Image quality setting is selected. You’ll see the name of each setting at the top left of the Information edit menu. Use the Multi Selector to scroll until you locate the setting you want to modify. . Press the OK button and you’ll be presented with the second Information edit menu. It has a list of selections for the setting you have chosen. Choose a selection by scrolling up or down with the Multi Selector and highlighting your choice (see FIG , image ). . Press the OK button to choose your selection. The camera will return to the main Information edit menu and show your choice. I use these screens to set the  available settings. These settings are the most useful and most often changed options in the camera. I think you’ll use these two screens often. Now, let’s talk about the individual settings on each menu.

5



Shooting and Information Edit Menus

Reset Shooting Options This particular setting is exclusive to the Shooting menu. It is designed to cancel out all your changes and set the camera back to factory settings for the Shooting menu only. FIG  shows the screens and settings for using this option. There are only two options in this operation: t
Yes t
No

5

These are the steps to reset the shooting options: . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” a few pages back if you’re not sure how). . Select Reset shooting options—the first selection on the menu (see FIG , image ).

FIG  - Reset shooting options

. Scroll to the right with the Multi Selector. . Choose Yes from the menu (see FIG , image ). Choosing No simply returns to the Shooting menu main screen. . Press the OK Button, and you’re done. Once you’ve selected Yes, the Shooting menu is returned to factory default settings. If you choose No, nothing happens except a return to the Shooting menu. I only use this setting when I am about to sell my camera or give it to someone since it erases all my personal setting preferences. You’ll probably use this setting only once or twice in all the time you own the camera.

Set Picture Control

Set Picture Control Picture Controls are special preset selec-

tions that affect how your image appears. This function has the same effect as using different types of film in the olden days (pre-). We’ll first look at how to use the controls, then what they accomplish. This setting is available only on the Shooting menu. It doesn’t show up on the Information edit menu. Shooting menu – FIG  shows how to access the Picture Controls from the Shooting menu. You use the three screens to select a particular Picture Control and even “fine-tune” it to your own standards. Here are the steps: . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” a few pages back if you’re not sure how). . Use the Multi Selector to scroll to Set Picture Control, and then scroll to the right. If the selection is grayed out, please set the camera’s Mode dial to P, S, A, or M. You can’t adjust picture controls when using the Scene modes on the Mode dial. . Select one of the Picture Controls from the menu. I’ve selected Vivid in FIG . If you want, you can modify the control to have different sharpening, contrast, saturation, or hue and then scroll to



the right for the fine-tuning screen (see FIG , image ). You can use the Multi Selector to move around and modify the settings. Otherwise, go directly to step . . Press the OK button to make the selected control active. The two-letter abbreviation for the control will show on the Shooting menu. (See FIG , image .) To the right of Set Picture Control you’ll see VI. What are Picture Controls used for? – Let’s examine what Picture Controls do and how we can use them with the D. This flexible image control system was designed by Nikon to allow you to customize how you create images. There are six different Picture Controls in your camera. If you used to shoot film, this is sort of like having six different film types available at all times. Here is a list of the controls: t
SD - Standard t
NL - Neutral t
VI - Vivid t
MC - Monochrome t
PT - Portrait t
LS - Landscape The Scene modes and Guide Mode both use one of these Picture Controls to give

FIG  – Accessing Picture Controls from the Shooting menu

5



5

Shooting and Information Edit Menus

your images a certain look. You can use them yourself for a similar look—while controlling other features of the camera personally. These controls all make the image look a different way, with different levels of color saturation, contrast, hue, and sharpening. The camera always has one of the controls selected. You can use the automatic functions of the camera—like the Scene and Guide modes—and it will select one for you. Or, you can use one of the P, S, A, or M settings on the Mode dial and you can select which one you want to use. We’ll discuss the more advanced exposure modes, called P, S, A, M, in this book’s chapter titled Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram. Here is a list of the six Picture Controls and how they work: t
Standard – This is the most balanced picture control. It is not too colorful or too “contrasty”, but it does provide a great look. If I were to compare this control to a certain film, I would say it looks most like Fuji Provia. It has medium contrast and saturation. I wouldn’t consider this a portrait mode but would tend to use it when I wanted natural and realistic colors in nature or indoor settings. t
Neutral – This is for individuals wanting an image that will be easier to postprocess later in the computer. It has a somewhat extended dynamic range, so it can capture more shadow and highlight detail. If you used Fuji NPS in the past, you’ll notice that this has a

somewhat similar look. It can be used for portraits or nature and has lower contrast for ease of working on the image in-computer. If you are forced to shoot in extremely bright conditions with high contrast—such as on a bright sunny day—this control works well to try to tame some of that deep contrast. t
Vivid – Are you a hard-core nature shooter who loved Fuji Velvia? Do you regularly add a little saturation to your colors? Do you boost contrast to get that “snap” needed for great nature images? If so, here’s your picture control! This is an “in your face” deep-saturation, high-contrast, and make-it-green-blue-and-beautiful picture control. Are the colors extremely accurate? Well, were they accurate with Velvia slide film? No! However, if you want beautiful nature shots, this will do it. Be careful shooting Vivid on a sunny day because it tends to increase contrast to higher levels. You’ll get deep, dark blacks and very saturated greens, reds, and blues with this control. If you are shooting on a low-contrast overcast day, this mode will add contrast for you. t
Monochrome – Have you wanted to experiment with black and white pictures? This picture control makes pretty decent straight black-andwhite images, with nice blacks and clean whites. In addition, you can tone the images with different tints. The old-style Sepia (warm reddish) and Cyanotype (cool bluish) are available. Nikon also provides other tints for

Set Picture Control

your experimentation, including Red, Yellow, Green, Blue Green, Blue, Purple, and Red Purple. The normal black-andwhite mode looks like Kodak Plus-X film to me but has slightly less black. It is hard to fully imitate the effect of silver-based film with a digital sensor. However, this control gives you a good starting point for deepening the blacks and brightening the whites so that it can look the way you want it to appear. t
Portrait – Nikon says that this control is “for skin with natural texture and a rounded feel”. I’ve taken numerous images with this Portrait control and shot the same images with the Neutral control. The results are very similar. I’m sure that Nikon has included some software enhancements specifically for skin tones in this control, so I’d recommend it for shooting portraits. The results from this control look a bit like smooth Kodak Portra film to me. Photos of individuals and groups of people will benefit when you use this mode because the skin tones will be more accurate and smooth looking. t
Landscape – This control “produces vibrant landscape and cityscapes”, according to Nikon. That sounds like the Vivid control to me. I shot a series of images using both the Landscape and Vivid controls and got similar results. Compared to the Vivid control, the Landscape control seemed to have very slightly less saturation in the reds and a tiny bit more saturation in the greens while blues stayed about the same. It could be that Nikon has created the Landscape



control to be similar but not quite as drastic as the Vivid control. There was so little difference between the two that you would have to compare them sideby-side to notice. Maybe this control is meant to be a tiny bit more natural than the supersaturated Vivid control. It will certainly improve the looks of your landscape images. I’d say the look of this control is somewhere between Fuji Provia and Velvia. Great saturation and contrast with emphasis on the greens of natural settings. Each of these controls is fully configurable. You can fine-tune them and the camera will remember your changes. On image  of FIG , notice how the Vivid control has an asterisk after it. It looks like this: VI* Vivid*. I added a couple of levels of sharpening to Vivid as an experiment. It shows the asterisk to remind me that the default values of the control have been changed. Any control that you’ve fine-tuned stays the way you set it until you change it back to the normal factory settings. Once you have returned it back to the factory settings using the Quick adjust menu, the asterisk will disappear (see FIG , image ).

Which Picture Control Should I Use? Good question! It really boils down to whether you are a person who likes to shoot in RAW (.nef) mode and later postprocess the images into their final form or whether you simply enjoy taking great pictures in JPEG mode and will use them immediately.

5



5

Shooting and Information Edit Menus

Personally, I am a post-processing kind of guy. I use the Neutral control most of the time since I’m shooting in RAW mode and want to get extra dynamic range from lower contrast for later computer enhancement. I realize that by shooting in Neutral I’m not going to create images with immediate “snap” or deep color saturation. However, I’ve found that I can make superior images later in Nikon Capture NX when I use Neutral. I boost the color until it matches what I remember and raise the contrast until it is just right to my eyes. It’s extra work, of course, but deeply satisfying when I create a great-looking image. For me, digital imaging is a two-part process. First, shoot the RAW picture, and then, finish it in Capture NX. Since I’m shooting in RAW mode, it really makes no difference what Picture Control I’m using since the RAW file is completely changeable, after the fact, in my computer. I find that when I’ve shot in Neutral, Capture NX displays it as a low-contrast, lowsaturation image so that I can easily see the effects I am trying to achieve when I make modifications. If you are allergic to computers or have no interest in post-processing, then you should carefully match the Picture Control to the type of images you are shooting. If you’re shooting portraits of people, you may want to use the Neutral or Portrait controls. For scenics, landscapes, and indoor events, you might want to use Landscape, Vivid, Standard, or even Neutral if you are conservative. This is especially important if you are shooting in JPEG mode because you can only slightly

modify a JPEG later without causing problems from image recompression losses. Ask yourself, “When I shot film, what type was it?” Did you shoot Kodak Gold negative film? Then you should probably use the Standard control. Did you shoot Velvia slide film? Then go for Vivid or Landscape. Was your imaging mostly pictures of people—using negative film? In that case, Portrait or even Neutral might work best. Nikon has given us a nice series of Picture Controls as a base for creativity. Learn to use the Picture Controls and your images will look the way you want them to.

Image quality The “quality” of your image is directly related to what image format or type you use. The Nikon D has two specific image formats that can be used alone or together. They are NEF and JPEG. NEF stands for Nikon Electronic Format, while JPEG stands for “Joint Photographic Experts Group”. Both the Shooting and the Information edit menus allow you to change the Image quality setting. First, FIG A shows how you can select Image quality from the Shooting menu. Then in FIG B, you’ll see how to do this from the Information edit menu. The camera supports the following image types: t
NEF (RAW) t
JPEG fine, normal, and basic t
Combination of NEF and JPEG basic at the same time (same image stored twice, one as a NEF, the other as a JPEG basic)

Image quality



FIG A - Image quality Shooting menu screens

5 FIG B - Information edit menu – Image quality

Shooting menu: Here are the steps to

use these Shooting menu screens. . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how). . Use the Multi Selector to select Image quality, and then scroll to the right. . Select one of the quality levels from the menu. I’ve selected JPEG fine in FIG A, image . . Press the OK button to choose your favorite image quality level. We’ll discuss the image quality differences in an upcoming section. You can also Image quality from the Information edit menu (see FIG B).

Follow these steps to do the selection: . Use the Information edit menu (refer to the section under “Using the Information edit or Quick Settings Menu” earlier in this chapter if you are unsure how). . Make sure the yellow highlight rectangle is positioned in the Image quality field, as shown in FIG B (Where it says FINE in the left-hand image). . Press the OK button to move into the next screen. . You’ll be presented with the second Image quality screen. It has the list of selections mentioned previously. Select your favorite Image quality level. Note: You’ll also notice that the camera



5

Shooting and Information Edit Menus

gives you a couple of useful pieces of information. Just to the left of the list of Image quality selections, you’ll see information on the approximate image file size (MB = megabytes) and the number of images your camera’s memory card can hold for the current Image quality selection. FIG B, image  informs us that the average image size for the FINE quality is . megabytes and that the memory card will hold approximately  more images at that size. My memory card was almost full. . Once you’ve made your selection, press the OK button. The camera will return to the main Information edit menu with your choice showing in the Image quality field. For quick changes, I always use the Information edit menus. For more deliberate changes, I use the Shooting menu. I rarely use the Guide menu. You may be different. It’s cool that Nikon gives us a choice. To me, it reflects the dual nature of the D. It’s designed to work well for new or advanced DSLR users. Let’s look at each of these image quality formats and see which you might want to use regularly. Following this section is a special supplement called Image Format Pros and Cons. This special section will go beyond just how to turn the different formats on and off and explain why you might want to use a particular format over another. It will cover details you should know as a digital photographer.

NEF (RAW) Format – This Nikon proprietary format stores raw image data directly to the camera’s memory card in files and can easily be recognized because the file name ends with .nef. This is not an image format used in day-to-day graphical work (like JPEG) and the image is not yet really even a usable image. Instead, it’s a base storage format used to store images for conversion to another format like JPEG, TIFF, or EPS. Other than initial compression, it stores all available image data and can be easily manipulated later. You must use conversion software, such as the included Nikon Software Suite (on CD) with Nikon ViewNX, Nikon Capture NX, Adobe Lightroom, or Adobe Photoshop to later change your NEF format RAW file into a format like TIFF or JPEG. There are also several after-market RAW conversion applications available, such as Bibble, Capture One, and PhaseOne. Before you go out shooting in the NEF RAW format, why not install your conversion software of choice so that you’ll be able to view, adjust, and save the images to another format when you return? You may not be able to view NEF files directly on your computer unless you have RAW conversion software installed. Some operating systems provide a downloadable “patch” or “codec” that lets you at least see NEF files as small thumbnails. Do a Google search on these specific words and you’ll find Microsoft patches for NEF file viewing: “Microsoft raw thumbnail viewer download” and “NEF codec download”. You’ll be able to

Image quality

download codecs that Microsoft operating systems can use to display small NEF file thumbnails when you view a folder containing them. At the time I was writing this book, I could only find codes for -bit Windows XP and Vista. There should be one available for Microsoft Windows  by the time this book is in your hands, or maybe it will natively work with the NEF format. There are also third-party companies, such as Ardfry Imaging, LLC, that offer various - and -bit codecs for a small fee (www.ardfry.com). I bought the Ardfry version for my computer. If you’re running -bit Windows Vista or Windows , you may want to check out the Ardfry Imaging site or do a little research to see what else is currently available for viewing NEF files as thumbnails in Windows or on a Mac. The Nikon CD that’s included “in the box” contains the Nikon Software Suite for both Macintosh and Windows computers. It provides Nikon ViewNX, which can be used to examine your NEF (RAW) files in detail and convert them to other formats. It also has Nikon Transfer, a program that helps you get your images off of the camera and onto your computer. I really like Nikon Transfer since it helps me transfer pictures to my computer and leave them on my memory card too. Then if I take more pictures on the same memory card, Nikon Transfer will transfer only the new ones when I reconnect to the computer. In a sense, Nikon Transfer acts like a one-way, memorycard-to-computer synchronizer. As



memory cards get bigger and bigger, I can see a time when I’ll keep several months of images on my camera’s card and transfer the newest ones I take to the computer. I shot about  gigabytes of pictures last year. I just saw an ad for a  gigabyte memory card, so it looks like that time is drawing near. Nikon ViewNX RAW conversion software is supplied free with the D, while Nikon Capture NX requires a separate purchase. Capture NX has become my favorite conversion software packages, along with Adobe Photoshop. I use ViewNX to look at my images because it has an excellent browser-type interface and then push them to Capture NX for final post-processing. If I need to remove an ugly spot in the sky from the edge of an otherwise spotless image or a blemish from a person’s face, I’ll use Photoshop’s Clone and Healing tools. JPEG Format – As shown in FIGs A and B, the D has three JPEG modes. Each one affects the final quality of the image. Let’s look at each mode in detail: t
JPEG fine (Compression approximately :) t
JPEG normal (Compression approximately :) t
JPEG basic (Compression approximately :) Each of the JPEG modes provides a certain level of “lossy” image compression. Lossy means that JPEG throws away image data. The human eye compensates for small color changes quite well, so the

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JPEG compression algorithm works great for viewing by humans. A useful thing about JPEG is that one can vary the file size of the image (via compression) without affecting quality too badly. JPEG fine (or fine quality JPEG) uses a : compression ratio, so there is a large difference in the file size; the JPEG fine file can be as small as  percent of the original size. In this mode an image can be compressed down to as little as  or  megabytes without significant loss of image quality. If you decide to shoot in JPEG, this mode will give you the best quality JPEG your camera can produce. Where a RAW setting only allows - images on an -gigabyte memory card, the JPEG fine setting raises that to over  files. JPEG normal (or normal quality JPEG) uses an : compression ratio. This makes the D image file about . megabytes. The image quality is still very acceptable in this mode, so if you are just shooting at a party for an average x printed image size, this mode will allow you to make lots of images. An -gigabyte card will hold over , JPEG normal image files. JPEG basic (or basic quality JPEG) uses a : compression ratio, so the D’s image file size drops to about . megabytes. Remember, these are full-size files. If you are shooting for the Web or just want to document an area well, this mode has sufficient quality. My D tells me it can store a whopping + JPEG basic files on my -gigabyte SD card.

Combined NEF and JPEG shooting (two images at once) - Some shooters use a clever storage mode whereby the D takes two images at the same time. NEF (RAW) + JPEG basic is what it’s called (or RAW+B). The camera makes a RAW (NEF) file and a JPEG file each time you press the Shutter release button. My camera’s storage drops to about  images on its  GB memory card because it’s storing a NEF and a basic JPEG file at the same time for each picture taken. You can see this format’s selection at the top of the second image in both FIGs A and B. You can use the RAW file to store all the image data and later to post-process it into a masterpiece, or you can just use the JPEG file immediately and later work on the RAW file for high-quality purposes. There’s no need to go into any detail about these modes other than what we’ve already discussed. The images from the NEF (RAW) + JPEG basic mode has the same features as their individual modes. In other words, the NEF (RAW) file works in an NEF + JPEG just like an NEF (RAW) file if you were using the stand-alone NEF (RAW) mode. The JPEG in an NEF + JPEG mode works just like a stand-alone JPEG shot without a NEF (RAW) file. Now, let’s consider which of these formats might become your favorite and the benefits each might bring to your photography.

Image quality

Image Format Pros and Cons

There are many discussions in Internet camera forums on image formats and which is the best. To decide which format you may frequently use, why not examine the pros and cons of each? This special section is designed to do just that. We’ll examine the two formats available in the D: NEF (RAW), and JPEG. Nikon Electronic Format — NEF (RAW)

I am a NEF (RAW) photographer about  percent of the time. I think of a RAW file as I thought of my slides and negatives a few years ago. It’s my original image file that must be saved and protected. Here are a couple of things to consider when you’re deciding whether to use the RAW format: t
You must post-process and convert every image you shoot into a TIFF or JPEG (or other viewable format). t
There is no industry-standard RAW image format, and Nikon has the option of changing the NEF (RAW) format each time it comes out with a new camera. And it usually does! Other than those drawbacks, along with many others, I shoot NEF (RAW) for maximum image quality. It is important that you understand something very different about NEF (RAW) files. They’re not really images— yet. Basically, a RAW file is composed of black-and-white sensor data and camera setting information markers. The RAW file is saved in a form that must be converted to another image type to be used in print or on the Web.



When you take a picture in RAW, the camera records the image data from the sensor and stores markers for how the camera’s color, sharpening, contrast, saturation, and so on are set, but it does not apply the camera setting information to the image. Your computer’s post-processing software will display the image on the screen using the settings you initially set in your D. However, they are applied only in a temporary manner for your computer viewing pleasure. If you don’t like the white balance you selected at the time you took the picture, simply apply a new white balance and the image will look just as if you had used the new white balance setting when you first took the picture. If you had low sharpening set in-camera and change it to higher sharpening in-computer, the image will look just as it would have looked had you used higher in-camera sharpening when you took the image. You can change sharpening levels in the Picture Control you have selected. This is quite powerful! Virtually no camera settings are applied to a RAW file in a permanent way. That means you can change the image to completely different settings and it will be just as if you had used those settings when you first took the picture. This allows a lot of flexibility later. If you shot the image initially using the Standard Picture Control and now want to use the Vivid Picture Control, all you have to do is change the image to the Vivid Picture Control before the final conversion and it will be as if you used the Vivid Picture Control when you first took the picture. Complete flexibility!

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The Pros and Cons of NEF (RAW) Format NEF (RAW) Pros

5

t
This format allows the manipulation of image data to achieve the highest quality image available from the camera. t
All original detail stays in the image for future processing needs. t
No conversions, sharpening, sizing, or color rebalancing will be performed by the camera. Your images are untouched and pure! t
You can convert NEF (RAW) files to any of the other image formats by using your computer’s much more powerful processor instead of the camera processor. t
You have much more control over the final look of the image, since you, not the camera, are making decisions as to the final appearance of the image. t
This is -bit format for maximum image data. NEF (RAW) Cons t
Not often compatible with the publishing industry, except by conversion to another format. t
Requires post-processing by special proprietary software as provided by the camera manufacturer or third-party software programmers. t
Larger file sizes (so you must have large storage media). t
No accepted industry-standard RAW format. Each camera manufacturer has its own proprietary format. Adobe has a RAW format called DNG (Digital Negative) that might become an industry standard. We’ll see! t
Industry standard for printing is -bit files, not -bit files.

NEF (RAW) is generally used by individuals concerned with maximum image quality and who have time to convert the image in the computer after taking it with the camera. A conversion to JPEG sets image markers permanently, while a conversion to TIFF sets the markers but allows you to modify the image later. Unfortunately, TIFF images are very large in size. JPEG Format

Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) is used by individuals who want excellent image quality but have little time or interest in post-processing or converting images to another format. They want to use the image immediately when it comes out of the camera, with no major adjustments. The JPEG format applies whatever camera settings you have chosen to the image when it is taken. It comes out of the camera ready to use—as long as you have exposed it properly and have all the other settings set in the best way for the image. Since JPEG is a “lossy” format, you cannot modify and save it more than a time or two before ruining the image from compression losses. However, since there is no post-processing required later, this format allows much quicker usage of the image. A person shooting a large quantity of images, or someone who doesn’t have the time to convert RAW images, will usually use JPEG. That encompasses a lot of photographers.

Image quality

While a nature photographer might want to use RAW because they have more time for processing images and wringing the last drop of quality out of them, an event or journalist photographer may not have the time or interest in processing images, so they’ll use JPEG. Here are the pros and cons of using JPEG mode.

The Pros and Cons of JPEG Mode JPEG Pros t
Maximum number of images on camera card and later in computer hard drive storage t
Fastest writes from camera memory buffer to memory card storage t
Absolute compatibility with everything and everybody in imaging t
Uses the industry printing standard of  bits t
High-quality first use images t
No special software needed to use the image right out of the camera (no postprocessing) t
Immediate use on websites with minimal processing t
Easy transfer across Internet, and as e-mail attachments

JPEG Cons t
JPEG is a “lossy” format, which means that it permanently throws away image data from compression algorithm losses as you select higher levels of compression (fine, normal, basic). t
You cannot use JPEG to manipulate an image more than once or twice before it degrades to an unusable state. Every time you modify and resave a JPEG image, it loses more data.



Final Image Format Ramblings

Which format do I prefer? Why, RAW, of course! But, it does require a bit of a commitment to shoot in this format. The D is simply an image-capturing device, and you are the image manipulator. You decide the final format, compression ratios, sizes, color balances, picture controls, and so on. In RAW mode, you have the absolute best image your camera can produce. It is not modified by the D and is ready for your personal touch. No camera processing allowed! If you get nothing else from this chapter section, remember this... by letting your camera process the images in any way, it is modifying or throwing away image data. There is only a finite amount of data for each image that can be stored on your camera, and later on the computer. With JPEG mode, your camera is optimizing the image according to the assumptions recorded in its memory. Data is being thrown away permanently, in varying amounts. If you want to keep virtually all the image data that was recorded in the image, you must store your originals in RAW format, otherwise you’ll never again be able to access that original data to change how it looks. RAW format is the closest thing to a film negative or a transparency that your digital camera can make. That’s important if you’d like to use the image later for modification. If you’re a photographer who’s concerned with maximum quality, you should probably shoot and store your images in RAW format. Later, when you have the urge to

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make another JPEG masterpiece out of the original RAW image file, you will have all of your original data intact for the highest quality. If you’re concerned that the RAW format may change too much—over time—to be readable by future generations, then you might want to convert your images into TIFF, DNG, or JPEG files. TIFF is best if you want to modify them later. I often save a TIFF version of my best files just in case RAW changes too much in the future. I’m not overly concerned, though, since I can still open my  NEF (RAW) files from my old Nikon D in Nikon Capture NX. Why not do a little more research on this subject and decide which you like best?

FIG A – Image size selection

FIG B – Information edit menu – Image size

Image size Most people leave the image size set to Large (L) so they can use the maximum quality the camera can create. However, there may be circumstances where a smaller image is just right. We’ll talk more about this after we look into the camera’s Image size configuration. Image size is available from the Shooting and Information edit menus. There are three settings available under Image size: t
L (Large) – x – . megapixels t
M (Medium) – x – . megapixels t
S (Small) – x – . megapixels First, let’s discuss the Shooting menu method (see FIG A).

Image size

This menu selection applies only to images captured in the JPEG modes. If you are shooting with your D in NEF + JPEG mode, it applies only to the JPEG image in the pair. Here’s how to select the size of the image in the Shooting menu (see FIG A): . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how). . Choose Image size, and then scroll right. . Choose the size of the image—usually Large is best. . Press the OK button. The Image size settings are also found in the Information edit menu (see FIG B). The following steps will help you set or verify the image size using the Information edit menu: . Use the Information edit menu (refer to the section under “Using the Information edit or Quick Settings Menu” earlier in this chapter if you are unsure how). . Make sure the yellow highlight rectangle is positioned in the Image size field. . Press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with the second Image size screen, which has the list of image size selections mentioned previously. Using the Multi Selector, scroll up or down in the list and make your choice. You’ll also notice that the camera gives you a couple of useful pieces of information. To the left of the list of Image size selections, you’ll see information on the approximate image file size (MB) and the number of images your camera’s memory card can hold for the current selection, as seen in FIG B, image .



. Once you’ve made your selection, press the OK button. The camera returns to the main Information edit menu with your choice showing in the Image size field. I’ve been playing around with these settings for the fun of it. I’m certainly not interested in using my  MP camera as a . MP or a . MP camera. I suppose there may be some reasons to reduce the MP rating of the camera, but not for me. If I set the image quality to JPEG basic and image size to Small, my D will capture about , images (. k) on an -gigabyte card. The images are small, . MP in size and compressed to about . megabytes, but there are a large number of them. If I were to set off to walk completely around the earth and I had only one -gigabyte SD card to take with me, well, my D will give me nearly , images on the one card, so I could at least document my trip very well. Recommendation: If you are shooting basic images that you’ll use only in email messages or on a website, the smaller image sizes will work fine. Otherwise, leave your camera set to Large because there is little reason—for most of us— to reduce the image size and lower the resulting output quality. To make a great large print of an image requires as much size and resolution as possible. Why not experiment with these settings and see if you can tell a difference between an image used on the Web and one used in a small x print. If you have only a very smallcapacity memory card, the smaller image size may be all you need until you can get a larger card.

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White balance White balance (WB) basically let’s you bal-

5

ance your camera to the light available when you are taking pictures. Whites will then look white, and other colors will be natural looking. An entire chapter of this book has been devoted to this subject. Please read the chapter titled White Balance for detailed information on this very important process. I won’t cover much more than how to change the settings in this chapter. The Shooting and Information edit menus both allow you to adjust the White balance settings. Let’s look at how to set the white balance with the two available menus. First, refer to FIG A for the Shooting menu screens needed to set the modes. Here are the steps used to set the white balance using the Shooting menu (see FIG A): . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu”

earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how). . Choose White balance, and then scroll to the right (see FIG A, image ). . Select a White balance setting, such as Auto, from the menu (see FIG A, image ). Until you read the chapter titled White Balance, why not leave the camera configured to Auto. If you decide to change the Fluorescent settings, you’ll have to configure another set of screens: – Fluorescent WB settings: Since fluorescent light comes in various color temperatures, from sodium vapor to mercury vapor, you will see an additional screen just before the fine-tuning screen. It will appear between the second and third screens in FIG A. It’s a screen giving you seven types of fluorescent lighting to choose from. Once you’ve made a fluorescent selection, just scroll to the right and the

FIG A – White balance selection and fine-tuning screens

FIG B – Fluorescent White balance choices

White balance

fine-tuning screen will appear. If you aren’t familiar with fluorescent types, you may have to experiment a bit. I recommend just doing a PRE ambient light measurement under Fluorescent. The seven Fluorescent choices are as follows (see FIG B, image ): a) Sodium-vapor lamps b) Warm-white fl. c) White fluorescent d) Cool-white fl. e) Day white fluorescent f) Daylight fluorescent g) High temp. mercury-vapor . Normally, you won’t use the third screen (see FIG A, image ) because it is involved in fine-tuning the White balance, so that your camera will deviate from factory settings. Only use this screen after you have become proficient in using the White balance settings and fully understand what each does. . Press the OK button while in the finetuning screen. If you accidentally move the small black cursor from its position in the middle of the color box (see FIG A, image ), simply use the Multi



Selector to move it back to the middle

before pressing the OK button. If you feel like experimenting, you won’t hurt anything. You can simply move the cursor back to the center when done. You can also use the Information edit menu to set the white balance. FIG C shows the screens used to select the Auto WB setting. Use these steps to configure White balance with the Information edit menu screens: . Use the Information edit menu (refer to the section under “Using the Information edit or Quick Settings Menu” earlier in this chapter if you are unsure how). . Make sure that the yellow highlighted rectangle is positioned in the White balance (WB) field. . Press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with the second White balance screen. It has a list of WB selections. Highlight the WB setting you want to use for the current ambient light and use the Multi Selector to select it. Maybe Auto is the best choice for now?

FIG C – Information edit menu’s White balance selection

5



Shooting and Information Edit Menus

. Press the OK button to confirm your selection. The camera returns to the main Information edit menu with your choice showing after the WB setting. You can select from a total of eight white balance settings with the camera controls. I’ve given you only the basics here, so please be sure to read the chapter titled White Balance for more detailed information. These are the eight white balance modes:

White Balance Modes

5

Auto White Balance, -K Incandescent, K

Fluorescent, K

Direct Sunlight, K

Flash, K

Cloudy, K

Shade, K PRE (Preset Manual), used to measure the White balance (WB) for the actual ambient light. If no measurement is taken, the value used is whatever was last stored in the camera WB memory.

Recommendation: For general shooting, Auto is generally sufficient. However, if you want the images to match each other in color, it’s important to use a preset white balance mode like Sunlight or Flash. If you’re really critical about your images, the PRE ambient light measurement method is best. Make it one of your priorities, as a digital photographer, to learn how to use your camera’s White balance settings.

ISO sensitivity settings The ISO sensitivity setting allows you to change your camera’s base light sensitivity so that you can take pictures in low or high light levels. You can let the camera decide when to change the ISO—using Auto ISO sensitivity mode—or you can do it yourself manually. After learning how to set the ISO sensitivity settings, you’ll find a section called “When and Why Should I Use Auto ISO sensitivity?” It goes beyond just how to set Auto ISO sensitivity mode and explains the reasons you may or may not want to use it with your style of photography. An ISO number, such as , , or , represents an agreed-upon sensitivity for the image-capturing sensor. Virtually everywhere one goes in the world, all camera ISO numbers will mean the same thing. With that fact established, camera bodies and lenses can be designed to take advantage of the ISO sensitivity ranges they will have to deal with. Standards are good! In the D, the ISO numbers are sensitivity equivalents. To make it very simple, ISO “sensitivity” is the digital

ISO sensitivity settings

equivalent of film speed. As the ISO sensitivity number gets higher, the camera needs less light for each exposure. A high ISO setting allows faster shutter speeds and smaller apertures, at the expense of greater noise in the image. The camera allows access to the ISO sensitivity settings through both the Shooting and Information edit menus. We’ll examine the Information edit menu first, this time, since it is limited to just changing the basic ISO sensitivity, while the Shooting menu allows you to adjust some other functions in addition to just setting the ISO level. FIG A shows the Information edit menus to select an ISO sensitivity level. Follow these steps to make the ISO sensitivity selection from the Information edit menu: . Use the Information edit menu (refer to the section under “Using the Information edit or Quick Settings Menu” earlier in this chapter if you are unsure how). . Make sure the yellow highlight rectangle is positioned in the ISO field (see FIG A, image ). . Press the OK button.



. You’ll be presented with the second ISO sensitivity screen. It has a list of ISO sensitivity selections. Choose the ISO you want to use by highlighting it with the Multi Selector (see FIG A, image ). . Press the OK button. The camera returns to the main Information edit menu with your choice showing in the ISO field. Next, let’s look at the Shooting menu screens for setting ISO sensitivity. FIG B shows the three screens used to change the camera’s ISO. Notice in FIG B, image  that there’s a scrollable list of ISO sensitivity values— although they can’t all be seen in the figure, they range from  ISO to Hi  (~ ISO). The “normal” ISO range for the camera is  to  ISO, with a boost to  (Hi ) when needed. Here’s how to select ISO sensitivity from the list of available ISO numbers: . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how). . Choose ISO sensitivity settings, and then scroll right (see FIG B, image ).

FIG A – Information edit menu—selecting an ISO sensitivity level

5



5

Shooting and Information Edit Menus

. Choose ISO sensitivity, and then scroll right (see FIG B, image ). . Choose an ISO sensitivity number between  and Hi  (). There is also an Auto selection at the very top of the list as shown in FIG B, image . This selection is grayed out unless you are using the Auto setting (little green camera icon) or one of the Scene modes from the Mode dial on top. Auto works as the name infers and lets the camera decide which is the best ISO sensitivity in those modes only. This is not the same as the Auto ISO sensitivity setting shown in FIG C. . Press the OK button to confirm your ISO sensitivity selection. See FIG B, image , where I’ve selected  ISO. (Hi  does not show in the figure because it is the last selection and did not fit on the screen.) Scroll down one more place from what is shown in image  to get to the Hi  setting. The minimum ISO sensitivity setting for the camera is  ISO. You can adjust the camera in its  to  (Hi ) ISO range in  EV steps.

FIG B – Shooting menu screens to set ISO

Now, let’s see how to set the Auto ISO sensitivity function so that your camera can work automatically when you don’t have time to fool with changing ISO settings. We’ll talk more about how it works after we learn to set it. We are still using the Shooting menu to control the function. Recommendation: I often use  or  ISO because I appreciate the smoothness and lack of noise those settings provide. As a stock shooter, I want to avoid noise in all of my images, so I go with the lowest ISO my camera allows if the light is bright enough. ISO  is a stop faster, so it provides a little more speed for handholding the camera. My most critical work is always done on a tripod, so I don’t worry about slow shutter speeds as often as a “handholder” would. I can just detect the smallest amounts of noise showing up in images at ISO  when I underexpose by as little as / stop. You’ll have to test your images and discover your noise tolerance level. I am an anti-noise fanatic. You may not be.

ISO sensitivity settings

ISO Sensitivity Auto Control

You may have noticed in FIG C, image  that there is another setting available— Auto ISO sensitivity—which defaults to off. This setting is used to allow the camera to control the ISO sensitivity according to the light levels sensed by the camera meter. FIG C shows the Shooting menu screens used to enable Auto ISO sensitivity. To enable Auto ISO sensitivity, do the following: . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how). . Choose ISO sensitivity settings, and then scroll to the right (see FIG C, image ). . Choose Auto ISO sensitivity, and then scroll to the right (see FIG C, image ). . Select On (see FIG C, image ). . Press the OK button.

Once you’ve turned Auto ISO sensitivity on, you should set two values, according to how you shoot: t
Max. sensitivity t
Min. shutter spd. Maximum sensitivity (Max. sensitivity)– This setting is a safeguard for your image quality because it allows you to control how high the ISO will go when you shoot. If you would prefer that Auto ISO sensitivity not exceed a certain ISO number, simply select a Max. sensitivity value from the list shown in FIG D, image . To select the maximum ISO sensitivity that your camera can use while in Auto ISO sensitivity, simply follow these steps: . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how).

FIG C – Shooting menu screens to set Auto ISO sensitivity

FIG D – Auto ISO maximum sensitivity settings



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. Choose ISO sensitivity settings, and then scroll to the right (see FIG D, image ). . Choose Max. sensitivity, and then scroll right (see FIG D, image ). . Select the maximum ISO sensitivity that you want the camera to use. I often use ISO  (see FIG D, image ). . Press the OK button.

5

You’ll note that there are only five available settings: t
 t
 t
 t
 t
Hi  Whichever one of these settings you choose will be the maximum ISO the camera will use to get a good exposure when the light drops. To protect the image from excessive noise, it won’t exceed this ISO level. Once again, you’ll have to determine your personal noiselevel tolerance to select one of these settings. The higher the ISO sensitivity, the higher the potential noise level.

ISO Settings and Noise In testing the Nikon D for noise, I find that it makes entirely usable images, with relatively low noise, all the way up to ISO . However, being noise sensitive, I do not often set Auto ISO sensitivity higher than ISO . I will leave it set to ISO  most of the time for best image quality. If you are an event shooter who must get the image no matter what, then open the ISO maximum up to its highest levels. The camera will use them only when it can’t get the shot otherwise.

Minimum shutter speed (Min. shutter spd) – Since shutter speed controls how sharp an image can be, due to camera shake and subject movement, you’ll need some control over the minimum shutter speed allowed while Auto ISO sensitivity is turned on. See FIG E for a list of shutter speeds. You can select a shutter speed from the list to set the minimum shutter speed the camera will allow when the light diminishes. In P – Programmed auto and A – Aperture priority modes on the Mode dial, the camera will not go below the Min. shutter spd setting unless the Max. sensitivity setting still won’t give you a good exposure. In other words, in P or A mode, if you get into low light and try to take pictures, the camera will try to keep the ISO sensitivity as low as possible until the shutter speed drops to your selected Min. sensitivity setting. Once it hits the selected lowest shutter speed value—like the /s shown in FIG E, image —the ISO sensitivity will begin to rise up to your selected Max. sensitivity value, like the  ISO shown in FIG E, image . If the camera still doesn’t have enough light for a good exposure, it won’t keep raising the ISO sensitivity since you’ve artificially limited it with the Max. sensitivity selection. Instead, the camera will now go below your selected Min. shutter spd by dropping below the /s shown in FIG E, image . Be careful, because if the light gets that low, your camera can go all the way down to a shutter speed of  seconds to get a good exposure. You better be on a tripod and have a static subject at shutter speeds that low. Look at the Min. shutter spd value as the lowest “safe” speed after which you’ll

ISO sensitivity settings



FIG E – Auto ISO minimum shutter speed

put your camera on a tripod. Most people can handhold a camera down to about /s if they are careful, and maybe /s if they’re extra careful and brace themselves. Below that, it’s blur city for your images. It’s even worse with lenses longer than the mm setting for your kit lens. Camera movement is greatly magnified with telephoto lenses. For fun, let’s listen to the camera talk to itself while you take pictures in low light with Auto ISO sensitivity enabled (referring to the settings in FIG E).

Nikon D Thinking “Okay, Auto ISO is on! The light is dropping and my current / shutter speed and  ISO sensitivity won’t let me make a good exposure. I’ll slow the shutter speed to the minimum of /s, as my owner specified in my Min. shutter spd setting. More pictures are incoming, and the light is still dropping! I can’t go any lower on the shutter speed for now because my owner has instructed me to keep the Min. shutter spd at /s. I’ll have to start raising the ISO sensitivity. Here come more pictures, and whew, it’s getting dark. I’ve raised the ISO sensitivity to the Max. sensitivity level of  ISO, which is as high as I am allowed to go. I have no choice now but to go below the /s Min. shutter speed my owner has specified. I hope I’m on a tripod!”

In the S – Shutter Priority or M – Manual exposure mode, you are in control of the shutter speed, so this value doesn’t apply. The available minimum shutter speeds run from  second to / second. Only part of the list shows in FIG E, image . Here are the steps: . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how). . Choose ISO sensitivity settings, and then scroll right. . Choose Min. shutter spd, and then scroll right. . Select a minimum shutter speed, keeping in mind that most people have problems handholding a camera below / second. You can choose between  second and /s. . Click the OK button. When you have enabled Auto ISO sensitivity, the Information screen will blink ISO-A next to the picture control, beep, and battery symbols—and the viewfinder will blink ISO AUTO. The blinking is a reminder to turn Auto ISO sensitivity off when not needed so that you don’t get unnecessarily noisy images.

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Note When you enable Auto ISO sensitivity, it might be a good idea to also enable Noise reduction. This is especially true if you leave the camera set to ISO values above . Otherwise, you may have excessive noise when the light drops. Noise reduction will be discussed later in this chapter.

5

When and why should I use Auto ISO sensitivity? How much automation do you need to produce consistently excellent images? Let’s explore how and when automatic self-adjusting ISO might improve or degrade your images. What is this feature all about? When and why should you use it? Are there any compromises in image quality in this mode? Normally, you will set your camera to a particular ISO number, such as  or , and shoot your images. As the light diminishes (or in the deep shade), you might increase the ISO sensitivity to allow the handheld camera to continue making images. If you are in circumstances in which you absolutely must get the shot, Auto ISO sensitivity will work nicely. Here are a few scenarios. Scenario : Let’s say you are a photojournalist and you’re shooting flash pictures of a famous politician or celebrity as he quickly disembarks from his airplane, walks into the terminal, and departs in a

limousine. Under those circumstances, you will have little time to check your ISO settings or shutter speeds and will be shooting in widely varying light conditions. Scenario : You are a wedding photographer in a church that does not allow the use of flash. As you follow the bride from the dark inner rooms of the church out into the lobby and finally up to the altar, your light conditions will be varying constantly. You have no time to deal with the fluctuations in light by changing your ISO since things are moving too quickly. Scenario : You are at a party, and you want some pictures. You want to use flash, but the built-in pop up flash may not be powerful enough to reach across the room at low ISO settings. You really don’t want to be bothered with camera configuration at this time, but you still want some well-exposed images. Light levels will vary as you move around the room, talking, laughing, and snapping pictures. These scenarios represent excellent environments for Auto ISO sensitivity. The camera will use your normal settings, such as your normal ISO, shutter speed, and aperture until the light will not allow those settings to provide an accurate exposure. Only then will the camera raise or lower the ISO value to keep functioning within the shutter/aperture parameters you have set.

ISO sensitivity settings

Look at Auto ISO sensitivity as a failsafe for times when you must get the shot but have little time to deal with camera settings, or when you don’t want to vary the shutter/aperture settings but still want to be assured of a well-exposed image. Recommendation: Unless you are a private detective shooting handheld telephoto images from your car or a photojournalist or sports photographer who must get the shot every time regardless of maximum quality, I personally would not recommend leaving your camera set to Auto ISO sensitivity. Use it only when you really need to get the shot under any circumstances. Of course, if, due to lack of experience, you are unsure of how to use the “correct” ISO for the light level, don’t be afraid to experiment with this mode. At the very worst, all you might get are noisier-than-normal images. However, it may not be a good idea to depend on this mode over the long term because noisy images are not very desirable. On the other hand, when I go out on the Internet and read blogs, I find that some people use Auto ISO sensitivity on a daily basis. This is one of those highly personal settings. I don’t use it since I just manually turn up the ISO when the light gets low or use a powerful flash unit to light up the subject. However, I’m not a private detective.



Note: Auto ISO sensitivity is available only when you have the Mode dial set to P, S, A, or M mode. It grays out when you’re using the Scene modes because the camera then controls the ISO sensitivity. Th e Drawbacks to Auto ISO Sensitivity - Are there any drawbacks to using Auto ISO sensitivity? Maybe. It really depends on how widely varying the light conditions will be when you are shooting. Most of the time your camera will maintain normal ISO range settings in Auto ISO sensitivity mode, so your images will be their normal low-noise, sharp masterpieces. Just be aware that Auto ISO sensitivity can and will push your camera’s ISO into a range that causes noisier images when light levels drop, if you’ve set the ISO Max. sensitivity to high levels. Use it with this understanding and you’ll do fine. The default maximum Auto ISO sensitivity setting is  ISO, unless you’ve set the maximum to a lower number. Make sure you understand this or you might get some noisy images. Auto ISO sensitivity is yet another feature in our powerful Nikon cameras. Maybe not everyone needs this “fail-safe” feature, but for those who do, it must be there. I will use it myself in circumstances where getting the shot is the most important thing and where light levels may get too low for normal ISO image making. Even if you think you might only use it from time to time, do learn how to use it for those times. Experiment with Auto ISO sensitivity. It’s fun and can be useful.

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Active D-Lighting

5

Often the range of light around our image’s subject is broader than our D’s sensor can capture. Where the D might be able to capture  to  EV steps of light—its maximum dynamic range—the light out in the world on a bright summer day might equal  EV steps in range. The contrast between bright and dark can be too high for the imaging sensor to capture all the light without losing detail in either the bright areas or dark areas. Since the camera cannot capture the full range of light, and most people use the histogram to expose for the highlights, some of the image detail will be lost in shadow. The D allows you to “D-Light” the image and bring out additional shadow detail to lower the image contrast. Later, in the chapter titled Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram, we’ll look deeper into how the dynamic range of the image sensor works and ways to control it. There are two types of D-Lighting available in the D. One is Active D-Lighting, and the other is called just D-Lighting. This section is about Active D-Lighting only. This dynamic range

FIG A – Active D-Lighting Information edit menu

extending process happens when you take a picture and while it is being processed by the camera, so it is considered an active process. The other form—called just D-Lighting—is available under the Retouch menu and is for manually working with images after they have been taken and written to the memory card. We’ll look into the Retouch menu and after-thefact D-Lighting in a later chapter titled Retouch and Recent Settings Menus. There are two ways to select Active D-Lighting: using the Shooting menu and using the Information edit menu. Active D-Lighting has these two settings. Refer to FIGs A and B for the steps to choose a setting: t
On t
Off (no Active D-Lighting) Use these steps to configure Active D-Lighting via the Information edit menu (see FIG A): . Use the Information edit menu (refer to the section “Using the Information edit or Quick Settings Menu” earlier in this chapter if you are unsure how). . Make sure the yellow highlight rectangle is positioned in the Active D-Lighting (ADL) field.

Active D-Lighting

. Press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with the second Active D-Lighting screen. It has two selections—On or Off. Choose one of them. . Press the OK button. The camera returns to the main Information edit menu showing your choice at the end of the Active D-Lighting field. Here’s how to select Active D-Lighting using the Shooting menu (see FIG B): . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how). . Select Active D-Lighting, and then scroll right. . Select On or Off. . Press the OK button.



If you are familiar with Nikon Capture NX, you may know how D-Lighting works because it’s an available function in that software. You can use it to bring up “lost” shadow detail, at the expense of adding noise in the darker image information that’s recovered. Active D-Lighting will bring out some detail in areas of your image that are hidden in shadow due to excessive image contrast. Plus, if there are extremely bright areas, it tries to tone those down a little. FIG C shows two images; the first without and the second with Active D-Lighting. Notice how image  has very little shadow detail inside the bell, and on top where the sunlight hits the bell, it is washed out (see red arrows). Then notice that after Active D-Lighting does its job in

Figure B – Active D-Lighting Shooting menu screens

FIG C – Example Active D-Lighting images: On and Off

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

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image , the inside of the bell has some nice detail and the spot hit by the sun is toned down significantly. Also notice how image , which has received Active D-Lighting treatment, is lower in contrast overall. Even the clouds in the background have more detail. If you examine these images carefully, you’ll come to understand that Active D-Lighting lowers the contrast of the image and extends the dynamic range so that there is more detail in both shadow and highlights. Keep in mind that lowering the contrast like this takes away “snap” from the image, so colors are not as strong looking and the pleasing contrast our eye expects is lower. Experiment with Active D-Lighting and see if it helps or hinders your photography. Using the Fn Button to Turn Active D-Lighting On and Off – Within the Setup menu there’s a way to assign the Active D-Lighting function to the Fn button. You can then hold down the Fn button and turn the Command dial while looking at the Information screen to see the change to On or Off. I’ll describe this in more detail in the chapter Setup Menu. You can assign various functions to the Fn button, and this may be a good choice if you use Active D-Lighting a lot. If not, just use the Information edit menu or Shooting menu to adjust it, as described in this section. Recommendation: I like Active D-Lighting when I’m shooting JPEG images on bright sunny days because it tends to expand the dynamic range of the image. It not only opens up the shadow details, it also protects the highlights so they don’t “blow out” as quickly. If you’re shooting on a sunny day, using Active

D-Lighting may improve your images

because there is so much contrast. You’ll need to experiment with Active D-Lighting and see if you like it. It has the effect of lowering contrast, and many people do not like lower-contrast images. Also, anytime you recover lost detail from shadows, there will be extra noise in the areas recovered. So watch for noise! Note: Active D-Lighting is not available when you’re using the Scene modes. You can use that functionality only when the Mode dial is set to one of the P, S, A, or M modes.

Color Spaces Color spaces are an interesting and important part of digital photography. They help your images fit into a much broader range of imaging devices. Software, printers, monitors, and other devices recognize what Color space is attached to your image and use it, along with other color profiles, to help balance the image to the correct output colors for the device in use. The two available Color space settings in your camera each have a different gamut, or range, of color. The Color space setting is available only from the Shooting menu. The Information edit menu and Guide menu have no Color space selection. Here’s how to select your favorite color space (see FIG ): . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how). . Select Color space, and then scroll to the right.

Color Spaces

. Select the color space that you want to use, keeping in mind that Adobe RGB has a larger color range but that most home and kiosk printers like sRGB better. Highlight one of them with the Multi Selector. . Press the OK button to choose your favorite Color space setting. The Nikon D camera uses these two Color space settings: t
sRGB t
Adobe RGB Adobe RGB uses colors from a broader

selection of the total color range. It has a wider gamut. If you are taking images that might later be printed in a book or magazine, Adobe RGB is the best color space selection to use because it is the industry-wide standard for conversion to CYMK offset presses. If you are shooting and printing images for yourself on a home ink-jet printer or taking them down to the local drugstore, sRGB may be the best choice. If you are a RAW shooter and regularly post-process your images in your computer, you should use Adobe RGB. You will then

FIG  – Shooting menu Color space screens



Technical Information on Color Spaces To get technical for a moment, Adobe RGB contains about  percent of the CIELAB color space, while sRGB only has  percent. CIELAB color space is designed to approximate the color range of human vision. Adobe RGB gives your images access to significantly higher levels of cyans (bluish) and greens. That’s what “wider gamut” means.

have a wider gamut of colors to work with and can make your images the best they can be. Later, you can convert your carefully crafted images to print with a good color profile and get great results from ink-jet printers and other printing devices. So, here’s a rough guide: t
Many JPEG shooters use sRGB. t
Many RAW shooters use Adobe RGB. This is not a hard-and-fast rule, but many people use these settings according to their style of shooting. I shoot RAW, so I use Adobe RGB. If you are shooting for money (such as for stock imaging), most clients expect that you’ll be using Adobe RGB. It has more colors, so it’s the quality standard.

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Recommendation: I personally use Adobe RGB since I shoot a lot of nature with a wide range of color. I want color as accurate as my camera will give me. Adobe RGB has a wider range of colors, or gamut, so it can be more accurate when a wide range of colors is present in my image’s subject. There are some drawbacks to using Adobe RGB, though. The sRGB color space is widely used in printing and display devices. If you try to print directly to some ink-jet printers using the Adobe RGB color space, the colors may not be as brilliant as with sRGB. If you aren’t going to modify your images out-of-camera but just take them directly to print, you may want to use sRGB. If you shoot JPEGs only for computer display, it might be better to stay with sRGB for everyday shooting.

Noise reduction Nikon knows its image sensors well and feels that images taken at exposures longer than  seconds may exhibit more noise than is acceptable for normal use. Two settings are provided for Noise reduction (NR), as shown in FIG A; On or Off. Only the Shooting menu allows access to this setting.

FIG A – Noise reduction screens

Here are the steps used to turn NR on or off (see FIG A): . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how). . Select Noise reduction, and then scroll to the right. . Select On or Off. . Press the OK button. The two choices for Noise reduction are as follows: t
On t
Off On – When you select On and the exposure goes over  seconds—or you’ve set ISO sensitivity to greater than  ISO—the D will take two exposures with the exact same time for each. The first exposure is the normal picture-taking exposure. The second is a black frame subtraction exposure, in which an image is made for the same length of time as the first one but with the shutter closed. The noise in the second (black frame) image is examined and subtracted from the original image. It’s really quite effective and beats having to blur the image to get rid of noise.

Noise reduction

I’ve taken exposures of  seconds and had perfectly usable results (see FIG B). The only drawback is that the exposure time is doubled because two exposures are taken, one right after the other. You won’t hear the second exposure since the shutter does not open for it. Instead, it will simply take twice as long as a normal exposure without NR. When the second black frame exposure is being taken, the words Job nr will blink in the lower-left portion of the viewfinder. During this second exposure, while Job nr is flashing, you cannot use the camera. It acts like it’s locked up, so don’t panic! If you turn it off while Job nr is flashing, the camera still keeps the image; it just doesn’t do any noise reduction on it. If Noise reduction is on, the frame advance rate in Continuous release mode will slow down and the capacity of the in-camera memory buffer will drop.



Off – If you select Off, then of course there will be no noise reduction with long exposures. However, even if Off is selected, the camera will force another type of Noise reduction whenever you select an ISO sensitivity above  ISO. This type of NR evidently is not the black frame subtraction method since the exposure time is not affected. Instead, the camera uses normal “blurring” noise reduction and will lower the sharpness of the image somewhat to reduce noise. Recommendation: I always leave Noise reduction turned on. I’ve found that the black frame subtraction method it uses gives me much higher-quality images with long exposures. FIG B is an example image of a lightning shot taken with the shutter open for  seconds to give time for a lightning flash. It has no appreciable noise.

FIG B – Example of a long exposure with noise reduction

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Release mode

5

The Release modes encompass five different ways of allowing the D to release its shutter and take a picture. These settings are available under the Shooting and Information edit menus. First we’ll look at the Information edit menu and steps to select a Release mode (see FIG A). . Use the Information edit menu (refer to the section under “Using the Information Edit Menu” earlier in this chapter if you are unsure how). . Make sure the yellow highlight rectangle is positioned in the Release mode field. . Press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with the second Release mode screen. Choose one of the five choices.

. Press the OK button. The camera returns to the main Information edit menu showing your choice in the Release mode field. Next let’s examine the Shooting menu and steps to select a Release mode (see FIG B): . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how). . Select Release mode, and then scroll to the right. . Select one of the five Release modes. . Press the OK button. We’ll discuss how you may best use the first two of the five Release modes in a later chapter of this book, Multi-CAM

FIG A– Information edit menu Release mode settings

FIG B – Shooting menu Release mode settings

Release mode

 Autofocus. Here are the five ways to release the shutter—the five Release modes in summary: t
Single frame – One press of the Shutter release button takes one picture. This is the mode that we all use for landscapes, snapshots, and one-at-a-time pictures. t
Continuous – One Shutter release button press, held down, fires the camera continuously for up to three pictures per second. It’s best used when you’re taking pictures of moving subjects like sports, races, or wildlife. This mode allows your camera to fire several frames in sequence to capture multiple views of your subject over a short period of time. This mode causes the camera to make that ever so cool “chika-chikachika” sound that makes point-andshoot camera users jealous. t
Self-timer – When you press the Shutter release button, the camera counts down  seconds—merrily beeping— and then takes the picture. During the last couple of seconds the camera beeps twice as fast. This time-out interval gives you time to run and join the group of people you’re photographing. The self-timer defaults to  seconds, but you can vary that time from  to  seconds. You’ll use the Setup menu >

FIG C - Nikon ML-L Wireless Remote Control (Infrared)



Self-timer delay setting to change the de-

lay time. This setting is also good to reduce camera shake for sharper pictures when using a tripod. t
Delayed remote – You don’t press the shutter manually in this mode. Instead you use the ML-L Wireless Remote Control to fire the shutter (see FIG C). Once you have your subject prepared, press the button on the ML-L remote and the shutter will fire after a -second delay. During the -second countdown the camera will beep and flash the AF-assist illuminator. t
Quick release – This mode works like the Delayed remote mode, with no Shutter release button press. You use the ML-L remote device to release the shutter. As soon as you press the MLL remote’s button, the camera takes a picture. There is no delay! After the picture has been successfully taken, the camera beeps and blinks once. Recommendation: These five release modes all have distinct uses. I use Single frame and Continuous release modes frequently. I rarely use the Self-timer, but I do use the -second Delayed remote function when taking nature pictures from a tripod. This helps me get really sharp pictures by not shaking the camera with a manual press of the Shutter release button. The -second countdown gives my tripod time to stop shaking before the shutter releases. If you buy yourself one of these little ML-L remote control units, you’ll probably use it often. They’re fairly inexpensive!

5



Shooting and Information Edit Menus

Obviously, the most important of these modes are the first two, and the chapter Multi-CAM  Autofocus discusses them in detail.

Focus modes Focus modes are used to let your camera

5

work with different types of subjects. Some of your pictures will be of static, nonmoving subjects like mountains and trees. Others will be of subjects that are moving quickly, like a flying bird or a race car. Then you may be taking pictures of erratically moving subjects like people at a party. Your autofocus system has to deal with all types of subjects and the way they move.

FIG A – Shooting menu Focus modes

FIG B – Information Edit Menu Focus Modes

The chapter in this book called MultiCAM  Autofocus goes into great detail on how the Focus modes work, so I won’t do more in this chapter than briefly cover how to adjust them and provide some basics on how to use them. Refer to the chapter Multi-CAM  Autofocus for deep detail on Focus mode usage. You can select Focus modes in both the Shooting and Information edit menus. First, let’s look at the Shooting menu screens (see FIG A). Here are the steps to set the Focus mode with the Shooting menu: . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how).

Focus modes

. Select Focus mode, and then scroll to the right. . Select one of the four Focus modes. . Press the OK button. Now, let’s examine the Information edit menu for the same functions (see FIG B). Here are the steps to set the Focus mode with the Information edit menu: . Use the Information edit menu (refer to the section under “Using the Information edit menu” earlier in this chapter if you are unsure how). . Make sure the yellow highlight rectangle is positioned in the Focus mode field. . Press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with the second Focus mode screen. Choose one of the four choices. . Press the OK button. The camera returns to the main Information edit menu showing your choice in the Focus mode field. Here are the four Focus modes in the D and what they each do: t
AF-A, or Auto-servo AF – This is another type of automatic mode that the camera offers an inexperienced or experienced user. If your subject is static, the AF-A mode emulates the AF-S mode mentioned next. When you press the Shutter release button halfway down, it locks autofocus on the subject and waits for you to finish the button press to take the picture. If the subject suddenly starts moving, the camera stops emulating the AF-S mode and switches to AF-C mode emulation instead. That means the



camera will try to follow the subject as it moves, updating the focus as needed. t
AF-S, or Single-servo AF – This mode is best used on static subjects, or those barely moving. Once you press the Shutter release button halfway down, it locks focus on the subject and waits for you to finish the button press to take the picture. If the subject moves, your focus is out-of-date and you must release and reapply the Shutter release button halfway down to re-establish a good focus. t
AF-C, or Continuous-servo AF – This mode never locks the focus on your subject. It is continuously updating itself. For this reason, you can use this mode for either static or moving subjects. However, with a static subject, the D may focus on an area you did not intend as it experiences camera movement. This mode is best for sports, or rapidly moving subjects, so that the camera can keep the focus on the subject as it moves. t
MF, or Manual focus – Old-fashioned MF! You do the focusing and the camera obeys your wishes. It does not attempt to autofocus for you and unlocks the Focus ring on your lens so that you can safely do critical focusing yourself. This mode is best used when the camera might have a hard time determining where the subject is, such as when it’s a similar color to the background, or when you are taking close up (macro) pictures. AF-S and AF-C are only available in Exposure modes P, S, A, and M.

5



5

Shooting and Information Edit Menus

Recommendation: I leave my camera set to AF-A (Auto-servo AF) most of the time these days. This mode is very handy since it senses whether the subject is static or moving and adjusts the focus accordingly. The other modes can be used when you want complete control over how the focus works. I’ll sometimes use the MF (Manual focus) mode when I need complete control over where I want to place the focus. I find myself using the MF mode often when I am shooting landscapes and want to place the focus one-third of the way into the scene for best hyperfocal control (near to far maximum sharpness). You’ll probably find AF-A to be the most useful function most of the time. You’ll use them all at various times, I’m sure.

FIG A – Shooting menu AF-area modes

FIG B – Information edit menu AF-area modes

AF-Area Modes The AF-area modes are designed to give you control over how many AF Points are in use at one time and offer various ways to track subject movement. The chapter titled Multi-CAM  Autofocus goes into much more detail on the use of these functions. Let’s examine how to set each of the focus area modes and briefly examine why we might use each one. First, let’s consider the Shooting menu screens and steps to use the AF-Area modes; then we’ll look at the Information edit menu for the same functions (see FIG A). Here are the steps to use the Shooting menu to choose an AF-area mode (see FIG A):

AF-Area Modes

. Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” a few pages back if you’re not sure how). . Select AF-area mode, and then scroll to the right. . Select one of the four AF-area modes. . Press the OK button. Here are the steps to use the Information edit menu to choose an AF-area mode (see FIG B): . Use the Information edit menu (refer to the section under “Using the Information edit menu” earlier in this chapter if you are unsure how). . Make sure the yellow highlight rectangle is positioned in the AF-area mode field. . Press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with the second AF-area mode screen. Choose one of the four choices. . Press the OK button. The camera returns to the main Information edit menu showing your choice in the AF-area mode field. Here are the four AF-area modes in the Nikon D, and how each works: t
Single point – This mode uses a single AF Point out of the array of  AF Points to acquire a good focus. Usually, the center AF Point is the one that provides focus information. You can select which AF Point causes autofocus with the Multi Selector. You may move the AF Point around the viewfinder if a secondary AF Point better fits your image composition.



t
Dynamic-area – This mode is best used when your subject is moving. Instead of a single AF sensor used alone for autofocus, up to four AF Points surrounding the one you have selected with the Multi Selector are also active. This allows your camera to do some basic subject tracking. When you look into the viewfinder, you won’t see anything that helps you know you’re in that mode. The viewfinder screen looks just as it does when the camera is in Single-point AF mode. You still just see the one bracket surrounding a small square AF Point, and you can move it around among the  AF Points with the Multi Selector. However, there is a difference that is not visible. The three or four points surrounding your selected AF Point are also actively seeking to focus on your subject, three if your selected AF Point is on the edge of the viewfinder and four if not. This mode is good for people-based sports where you are following subjects in the viewfinder as they run across a field. t
Auto-area – This autofocus mode turns the D into an expensive point-and-shoot camera. Use it when you have little time to adjust your camera but would still like to get great images. The AF module decides what the subject is and selects the AF Points it thinks work best. It will display the AF Points it has selected briefly, in red, and the camera will beep once to signify accurate focus (if Beep is enabled). Usually, it will select the closest and brightest subject, with special emphasis on human faces.

5



Shooting and Information Edit Menus

t
D-tracking ( points) – This mode is designed for action shooters. Images of fast action sports, moving animals, auto races, and air shows will all benefit from the camera’s ability to track a subject. You’ll select your subject by using one of the AF Points. If the subject moves, the camera will hand off the AF responsibility to other sensors. All  AF Points are active and ready to take over autofocus functionality if you lose your subject under the selected AF Point.

5

Recommendation: Each of these AF-area modes is useful for a different type of photography. I leave my camera set to Single point AF most of the time since I do a lot of nature work. When I am shooting a wedding or event, I’ll most often use Single point and switch to Auto-area for the reception. When I am shooting a really fastmoving object that I’d like to follow (pan) in my viewfinder, I will use D-tracking ( points). The least-used mode on my camera is the Dynamic area mode. I seem to use it only when I am doing macro shots of small creatures like ants on a flower. Learn to use all these modes because you’ll need each one at some point.

FIG  – AF-Assist Illuminator On or Off

AF-Assist This is a handy function in some ways and an aggravation in others. It is handy when it is dark and I am trying to focus on something. The camera will shine its little, but very bright, AF-assist illuminator on my subject up to nearly  feet ( m) away. That’s a good thing. The bad thing is that the AF-assist illuminator immediately lets people know when I am trying t o sneak a picture. It seems I do that pretty often, and invariably they will notice me taking their picture because the little light shines on them. Fortunately, when I’m feeling really sneaky, I can turn the light off for a while. The AF-assist illuminator is located on the front of the camera just next to and below the Shutter release button. The function that controls it is available only on the Shooting menu. Here are the steps to turn the little AF-assist illuminator On or Off (see FIG ): . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how).

Metering

. Select AF-assist, and then scroll to the right. . Select On or Off. . Press the OK button. There are some times when the AF-assist illuminator will not come on: t
When you are using Continuous-servo autofocus (AF-C). t
In several of the Scene modes such as Landscape and Sports. t
When you are using the AF-area modes Single point, Dynamic area, and D-tracking and are not using the center AF Point. Recommendation: I find that I often need the little AF-assist illuminator. It makes a difference when the subject is not well lit. For that reason, I leave it turned on. Remember, if you want the light to come on, you’ll have to use the center AF Point to do the autofocus. Of course, I’ll turn it off, along with the beep, when I’m at a party and want to take sneaky shots of people so that I can get natural expressions while they’re enjoying themselves.

FIG A – Shooting menu Metering modes



Metering There are three light meter types built into your camera. Each has a specific purpose. I’ll briefly discuss the purpose and how to select each meter. However, the chapter titled Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram goes into much more detail on the use of these three meters. You can select the light meter type from both the Shooting menu and the Information edit menu. Here are the steps to select one of the meter types from the Shooting menu (see FIG A): . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how). . Select Metering, and then scroll to the right. . Select Matrix, Center-weighted, or Spot. . Press the OK button. Now, let’s see the screens and steps for the Information edit menu (see FIG B). . Use the Information edit menu (refer to the section under “Using the Information Edit Menu” earlier in this chapter if you are unsure how).

5



Shooting and Information Edit Menus

. Make sure the yellow highlight rectangle is positioned in the Metering field. . Press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with the second Metering screen. Choose one of the three metering types. In FIG B, I added the red numbers next to each: Number  is the Matrix meter, number  is the Center-weighted meter, and number  is the Spot meter. . Press the OK button. The camera returns to the main Information edit menu showing the symbol of your choice in the Metering field.

5

Here’s how each meter works: t
Matrix – The meter examines four critical areas of each picture. It compares the levels of brightness in various parts of the scene to determine the total range of EV values. It then notices the color of the subject and surroundings. If you are using a G or D lens with a CPU chip—like the AF-S Nikkor mm kit lens—it also determines how far away your lens is focused so that it can figure the distance to your subject. Finally, it looks at the compositional elements of the subject. Once it has all that information, it compares your

FIG B – Information edit menu Metering modes

image to tens of thousands of image characteristics in its image database, makes complex evaluations, and comes up with an exposure value that is usually very accurate, even in complex lighting situations. t
Center-weighted – This meter examines the entire frame, but concentrates  percent of the metering into a circle in the middle of the frame. The other  percent of the frame, the part outside of the circle, provides the rest of the metering. You can see a circle in the middle of your camera’s viewfinder. Use that as an approximate size for the area that has  percent of the meter’s attention. t
Spot – This meter evaluates only a tiny bit of the frame, so it is indeed a “spot” meter. Since the spot is surrounding the currently active AF Point, you can move the Spot meter around the viewfinder within the  AF Points by pressing the Multi Selector in various directions. The light meter is active only under that one tiny AF Point. Recommendation: I use the Matrix metering system  percent of the time. However, I do use Spot metering when I want to be very critical about exposing

Built-in flash

a certain area of my subject properly. If you leave your camera set to Matrix, you’ll do very well. This is a very accurate meter type. Remember to use your camera’s histogram to validate the exposure of important pictures.

Built-in flash The D has a pop up Speedlight flash unit. It’s easy to use; you can press the little Flash Mode button to open it manually or use AUTO modes and it will open when needed automatically. It will light up your subject out to  or  feet with normal ISO sensitivity like  or  ISO, and even farther with higher ISO values. The flash has two modes; TTL and Manual. TTL (Through The Lens) uses the camera’s light meter to determine a correct exposure, while Manual allows you to control the exposure from full power to / power.

FIG A – Built-in flash modes - TTL

FIG B – Built-in flash modes - Manual



Here is how to select TTL from the Shooting menu. These choices are not available from the Information edit menu (see FIG A). . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how). . Select Built-in flash, and then scroll to the right. . Select TTL from the menu for Through The Lens flash metering. This lets the camera decide when the flash exposure is correct. . Press the OK button. Here is how to select Manual from the Shooting menu (see FIG B). . Use the Shooting menu (see the section under “Using the Shooting Menu” earlier in this chapter if you’re not sure how).

5



5

Shooting and Information Edit Menus

. Select Built-in flash, and then scroll to the right (see FIG B, image ). . Select Manual from the Built-in flash screen, and scroll to the right (see FIG B, image ). . Select the flash power that best fits your manual flash needs, from Full to / power. The camera makes no exposure decisions about the light from the flash and simply records the exposure. You are responsible for figuring the correct distance and power to get the best exposure. Manual mode is not for beginners in this case. . Press the OK button to choose the flash power. Recommendation: I leave my camera configured for TTL flash most of the time. The only time I would consider using Manual flash is when I use the camera to trigger a larger flash unit with an electronic sensor that sees the small flash and fires the bigger one. I set the camera at minimal flash power like / to keep from influencing the exposure of the subject too much. I’ve done this with my studio monolights. Otherwise, the camera does a very good job in exposing correctly with the TTL setting.

FIG A – Information edit menu Flash compensation

Flash Compensation Normally, the TTL flash system performs well. Sometimes, though, you may feel that the pop up or hot-shoe-mounted flash unit is putting out too much or not enough light. This can happen with highly reflective subjects or extremely dark subjects. Nikon has designed a Flash compensation system that allows you to finetune the automatic flash output for special subjects. It is available only on the Information edit menu, or you can use external camera controls to adjust it. We’ll look at both methods. Here are the screens and steps to set Flash compensation with the Information edit menu (see FIG A). . Use the Information edit menu (refer to the section under “Using the Information Edit Menu” earlier in this chapter if you are unsure how). . Make sure the yellow highlight rectangle is positioned in the Flash compensation field (see FIG A, image , red arrow). . Press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with the second Flash compensation screen. Notice the

Flash Compensation

red arrow in FIG A, image . This is the place that you actually set the Flash compensation. You’ll use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down and set the compensation value. I have selected +. EV step in FIG A, image . You can select between -. EV and +. EV. The increments are in / EV steps. So, if you want to get to +. EV, you’ll scroll with the Multi Selector through these values: +., +., +., and +.. Select your compensation value. . Press the OK button. The camera returns to the main Information edit menu showing the symbol of your choice in the Flash compensation field. Be sure to set it back to . when you have taken all your compensated pictures! Now, let’s look at how you can use external camera controls. If you will look at the front of your camera, you’ll notice the Flash Mode/Flash compensation button. It is between the Nikon and D logos on the right side of the prism housing (see Chapter , FIG A, number  for button location). The Flash compensation button has an arrow shaped like a lightning bolt on it, with a +/- compensation rectangle just above it. We can use this button along with the Exposure compensation button (see Chapter , FIG C, number  for button location) to set Flash compensation. You’ll hold both buttons down together, while turning the Command dial, and you’ll see the Information screen shown in FIG B.



FIG B – External control Flash compensation

Notice in FIG B that the Information screen shows Flash compensation at the top of the screen. Also notice that at the other end of the red arrow there is a +. Flash compensation value dialed into the camera. Here are the steps to achieve this two-handed, multi-finger operation. . Press the Flash Mode/Flash compensation button and you’ll notice the Information screen show Flash mode at the top. Now, while still holding the Flash Mode/Flash compensation button, press the Exposure compensation button. . The Information screen will now say Flash compensation as you see in FIG B. While holding down the two buttons, use your thumb to turn the Command dial, and you’ll see the Flash compensation value change. Select the EV value that you want to use. . Let go of the buttons and take your pictures. Be sure to return the Flash compensation value back to . when you are done. It won’t return automatically.

5



Shooting and Information Edit Menus

FIG A – Information edit menu exposure compensation

Exposure Compensation

5

When you learn to use the histogram well, you’ll sometimes find yourself in disagreement with the exposure choices the light meter makes. You may want to tweak the exposure a little to make the image lighter or darker. The exposure compensation (Exposure comp.) functions and controls allow you to do that. You can use the Information edit menu or external camera controls to set Exposure compensation. Let’s see how both works. Here are the steps you can use to set an Exposure comp. value with the Information edit menu (see FIG A): . Use the Information edit menu (refer to the section under “Using the Information edit or Quick Settings Menu” earlier in this chapter if you are unsure how). . Make sure the yellow highlight rectangle is positioned in the Exposure comp. field (see FIG A, image , red arrow). . Press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with the second Exposure comp. screen. Notice the red arrow in FIG A, image . This is the

place that you actually set the exposure compensation. You’ll use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down and set the compensation value. I have selected +. EV step in FIG A, image . You can select between -. EV and +. EV. The increments are in / EV steps. So, if you wanted to get to +. EV, you’ll scroll with the Multi Selector through these values: +., +., +., and +.. Select your compensation value. . Press the OK button. The camera returns to the main Information edit menu showing the symbol of your choice in the Exposure comp. field. Be sure to set it back to . when you have taken all your compensated pictures! Now, let’s look at how you can use external camera controls. If you will look at the top of your camera, you’ll notice the Exposure compensation/Aperture button. It is just behind the Shutter release button next to the Info button (see Chapter , FIG C, number  for button location). It has a +/- compensation rectangle on its face. You’ll hold the Exposure

Flash Modes



Flash Modes

FIG B – External control exposure compensation

compensation button down while turn-

ing the Command dial, and you’ll see the Information screen in FIG B. Notice in FIG B that the Information screen shows Exposure comp. at the top of the screen. Also notice that at the other end of the red arrow there is a +. Exposure compensation value dialed into the camera. Here are the steps to configure this operation: . Press the Exposure compensation/Aperture button and you’ll notice the Information screen show Exposure comp. at the top. Now, while still holding the Exposure compensation/Aperture button use your thumb to turn the Command dial, and you’ll see the Exposure comp. value change. Select the EV value that you want to use. . Let go of the button and take your pictures. Be sure to return the Exposure comp. value back to . when you are done. It won’t return automatically.

The Flash modes are a rather complex subject since there are  various mode combinations, and they’re not all available at the same time. There is a combination of modes that are available for each P, S, A, M setting on the Mode dial. In addition, the various Scene modes allow different combinations of Flash modes. In this chapter, we’ll look at how to set just the Flash mode. In the chapter titled Speedlight Flash Photography in the section “Understanding the Flash Modes”, we’ll go into great detail about how each mode works and how you may benefit from it. You can use the Information edit menu or external camera controls to accomplish Flash mode changes. First, let’s look at the Information edit menu method. Here are the steps you can use to set a Flash mode value with the Information edit menu (see FIG A): . Use the Information edit menu (refer to the section under “Using the Information Edit Menu” earlier in this chapter if you are unsure how). . Make sure the yellow highlight rectangle is positioned in the Flash mode field (see FIG A, image , red arrow). . Press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with the second Flash mode screen. Notice the red arrow in FIG A, image . This is the place where you actually set the Flash mode.

5



Shooting and Information Edit Menus

FIG A – Information edit menu Flash modes

5

You’ll use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down and select one of the modes. I have selected normal front-curtain flash with red-eye reduction in FIG A, image . Select a Flash mode. . Press the OK button. The camera returns to the main Information edit menu showing the symbol of your choice in the Flash mode field. FIG B – External control Flash mode

Now, let’s look at how you can use external camera controls. If you will look at the front of your camera, you’ll notice the Flash Mode/Flash compensation button. It is between the Nikon and D logos on the right side of the prism housing (see Chapter , FIG A, number  for button location). The flash button has an arrow shaped like a lightning bolt on it, with a +/- compensation rectangle just above it. You’ll hold this button down while turning the Command dial, and you’ll see the Information screen shown in FIG B. Notice in FIG B that the Information screen shows Flash mode at the top of the screen. Also notice at the other end of the red arrow that there is a lightning bolt and an eye symbol, which represents

front-curtain red-eye reduction Flash mode. Here are the steps to configure this operation: . Press the Flash Mode/Flash compensation button and you’ll notice the Information screen show Flash mode at the top. Now, while still holding the Flash Mode/Flash compensation button, use your thumb to turn the Command dial, and you’ll see the Flash mode value change. Select the particular Flash mode that you want to use. See the chapter titled Speedlight Flash Photography to learn more about how the various Flash modes work. . Let go of the button and take your flash pictures.

My Conclusions



My Conclusions Using the D’s Shooting menu allows you a great deal of flexibility in how your camera operates. Learn to use each of these settings by adjusting them often. Take full advantage of that power! The Information edit menu provides a quick adjustment point for critical camera functions and is the easiest menu to use. Congratulations! Now that you’ve fully configured your D’s Shooting menu, let’s move on to the Setup menu. The settings there allow you to configure the basics of how your camera physically operates. Learn this menu well too!

5



Setup Menu

Setup Menu

6

Reset Setup Options

The Setup menu in the Nikon D consists of a series of basic camera settings not directly related to taking pictures. They cover things like the LCD brightness, the camera’s Firmware version, the default Language, and the image File number sequence. You’ll be able to set your camera’s Time zone and date, Format memory card, set Viewfinder options, and modify several other functions. The icon for the Setup menu looks like a wrench. When you press the Menu button, it’s the third menu down the menu tree on the left. See FIG  for a look at the Setup menu location. Make sure the camera’s Mode dial is not set to GUIDE or you won’t be able to use the older-style Setup menu. Please do

FIG  – The Setup menu

FIG  – Reset setup options



not confuse this menu with the Guide Mode’s Setup menu. In this chapter, we’ll examine each setting in detail. Let’s start with the first menu option, Reset setup options.

Reset Setup Options This is a simple function you might use if you sell your camera or if you just want to partially start over with the Setup menu options. It basically just resets the Setup menu to factory default values. It does not reset all of them, however. Not affected by Reset setup options are the Video mode, Time zone and date, Language, and Active folder settings. Here are the steps to cause a Setup menu reset (see FIG ): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Reset setup options, and then scroll to the right. . Select Yes or No from the menu. . Press the OK button and the reset will occur. If you ever want to start fresh with most of the Setup menu options, simply use this function. Personally, I rarely use it.

6



Setup Menu

Format Memory Card

6

You’ll need to learn the location of this particular function on the Setup menu since you’ll be using it frequently. It is a good idea to use your camera—not your computer—to format the memory card that holds your pictures. That way, the card’s format is customized to the camera. It’s a relatively simple process to format the card. FIG  shows the screens involved. You’ll see four screens when formatting an SD/SDHC memory card. You’ll make selections from only two of them, as shown in FIG . Here are the steps: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Format memory card, and then scroll to the right. . Select Yes from the screen with the big red exclamation point and the words All images on memory card will be deleted. OK? . Press the OK button. Once you press the OK button, you’ll see the next two screens in quick succession. One says Formatting memory card and the next says Formatting complete. Then the camera switches back to the Setup menu’s

FIG  – Formatting a memory card

first screen. The card is now formatted, and you are ready take lots of pictures.

LCD Brightness The LCD brightness selection is more important than many people realize. If you set the LCD too dim, you’ll have trouble seeing your images in bright light. If you set it too bright, you might allow some images to be underexposed, thinking that they look fine on the LCD, unless you check the histogram. If the LCD is too bright, even a seriously underexposed image may look OK on the screen. There are two settings available within the LCD brightness menu (see FIG A): t
LCD brightness t
Auto dim LCD brightness – You can select from seven levels of brightness, from - to +, as shown in FIG A. Here are the available values: -, -, -, , +, +, + Here are the steps to adjust the brightness: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu (wrench icon).

LCD Brightness

. Select LCD brightness, and then scroll to the right (see FIG A, image ). . Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down through the values (- to +). You’ll see the screen brighten or dim according to which direction you scroll. Using the bars with varying levels of brightness, as shown in FIG , image , adjust the brightness until you can barely make out a distinction between the last two dark bars on the left. . Press the OK button once you’ve found the value you like best. Recommendation: The camera defaults to  (zero), which is right in the middle, yet the resulting LCD screen is quite bright. I feel that  is a little too bright and makes my images look like they are exposed more brightly than they are when I see them later in the computer. Recently, I’ve been using - on my camera. That seems bright enough for outdoor use but doesn’t make my images appear overly bright.

FIG A – LCD brightness settings

FIG B – Auto dim setting



If you choose to set your camera to a level higher than , just be sure you check the histogram frequently to validate your exposures. Otherwise, you may find that you are allowing the camera to slightly underexpose your images. The D has an excellent exposure meter, but it is not perfect and needs your help sometimes. Letting your LCD screen run too brightly might mask those times that it needs help. Use your histogram! Auto dim - This is a battery-saving feature that gradually dims the LCD screen. You won’t notice it unless you’re watching for it. The easiest way to see it is to press the Info or Information edit button once and view the Information screen. As you watch, the monitor will dim over a period of a few seconds to a lower light level. It cuts the brightness down by only a few percentage points, so it is not highly apparent. If you use a control, such as the OK button or the Multi Selector, the screen will revert to full brightness.

6



Setup Menu

The screens used to enable or disable Auto dim are shown in FIG B. These steps are useful for configuring Auto dim: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select LCD brightness, and then scroll to the right. . Select Auto dim, and scroll to the right again. . Select On or Off from the list. . Press the OK button.

6

Recommendation: Honestly, I don’t worry much about the battery running down on my D. I have a spare battery. The camera seems to use little power, and a battery will last all day long. I leave this setting set at Off. However, if you don’t have a spare battery, you might want to leave it set to On until you get one.

FIG A – Graphic vs. Classic black Information screen

FIG B – Graphic Information screen color schemes

Info Display Format The D is all about customizable variety. You can change the Information screen between the very graphical Graphic setting to the somewhat less graphical Classic setting. The Classic format makes the Information screen look more like the Information edit menu. See FIG A for a look at the two formats side by side. You can also change the look of your display based on whether you are using the P, S, A, and M modes or the Auto or Scene modes. These are found on the Mode dial on top of the camera. Each has a Setup menu setting to choose between Graphic or Classic. They both work the same way. We’ll discuss how after we review the different color schemes. Interestingly, you can also choose between several different color schemes. FIG B shows the choices for the Graphic format, which are Green, Black, and Brown.

Info Display Format

For the Classic format, you can choose Blue, Black, or Orange (see FIG C). FIGs D and E show the screens and steps used to change between the two formats. Here are the steps used to change the format: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Info display format, and then scroll to the right.



. Select Auto/scene modes or P, S, A, and M modes, and then scroll to the right (see FIG D or E, image ). . Select Classic or Graphic from the list, then scroll to the right. I showed only the screens from the Graphic selection since Classic works exactly the same way (see FIG D or E, image ). . Choose one of the color schemes from the list of three colors (see FIG D or E, image ). . Press the OK button.

FIG C – Classic Information screen color schemes

6

FIG D – Setting a color scheme for the display modes Auto/scenes modes > Graphic > Black background color format



6

Setup Menu

FIG E – Setting a color scheme for the P, S, A, and M modes > Graphic > Black background color format

Recommendation: The Graphic > Black scheme looks best to me. However, if I get tired of that scheme, the D offers several others. Use the settings to experiment with the colors and graphical styles and see which you prefer. You can always change it to a different scheme later.

Auto Info Display This function allows you to view the Information screen when you press the Shutter release button halfway down. It displays the screen that would appear if you pressed the Info button. Many like to refer to camera settings without having to press the Info or Information edit button. The Auto info display may be a good idea since the D has no top control

panel LCD like the larger DSLR cameras in Nikon’s lineup. The control panel LCD added to the width of the camera significantly because the Mode dial had to be placed somewhere else. On the D, the Mode dial is where the control panel LCD is placed on the Nikon D or Ds, for instance. Since it has no control panel LCD, the D can be significantly smaller in size. However, it is useful to look down at something like the control panel LCD when you want to change the camera settings. On the D, the rear LCD screen is all we have, so it must do the work of a control panel LCD by displaying images and menus plus allow us to view and change camera settings like the control panel on a larger camera would.

Auto Info Display

The “smallness” of the D has its advantages and disadvantages. This Auto info display option on the Setup menu allows you change when the Information screen displays. With Auto info display turned on, the Information screen will be there whenever you press the Shutter release button halfway down. You can also get to the screen at any time by pressing the Info or Information edit button. The factory default is On. This setting can also be configured to display the Information screen or not in Auto/scene modes and P, S, A, and M modes (see FIGs A and B). Now let’s look at the steps to configure this setting: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Auto info display, and then scroll to the right. . Select Auto/scene modes or P, S, A, and M modes, and then scroll to the right. . Select On or Off from the list. . Press the OK button.

FIG A – Auto info display – Auto/scene modes

FIG B – Auto info display – P, S, A, and M modes



Recommendation: Nikon recommends this: “Choose On if you find yourself frequently referring to the information display during shooting”. For many users, I agree for this setting. However, I personally keep it set to Off. Why? Well, as I’ve used Nikon DSLRs over the years, I’ve learned to tap the shutter release button slightly to turn off the rear LCD screen. It is unnerving to me to have the Information screen appear. I tend to shut off the camera unnecessarily just to get the screen to go off. You see, I use long display timeouts on all the LCD screen displays. I don’t think using long display time-out settings and enabling this setting is a good idea because batteries don’t stay charged forever. The D has a very long battery life, but I don’t want to drain it unnecessarily. I can get to the Information screen by pressing the Info button. However, many new DSLR users may indeed want the Information screen to pop up often. If that describes you, then leave this set to On.

6



Setup Menu

Clean Image Sensor

6

Dust is everywhere, and eventually it will get on your camera’s imaging sensor. Fortunately, the D provides sensor cleaning by vibrating the low-pass filter in front of the sensor. These high-frequency vibrations will dislodge most dust and make it fall off the filter so you won’t see it as spots on your pictures. The low-pass filter is directly in front of the imaging sensor, so dust should never really get on the sensor itself. However, if you go to the beach, where sand is blowing in the wind, and change your lenses a few times, you might develop a dust problem. Here are the options for cleaning the camera’s sensor (see FIG A): t
Clean now t
Clean at startup/shutdown Clean now – This option allows you to

clean the sensor anytime you choose. If you detect a dust spot, or just get nervous because you are in a dusty environment

FIG A – The Clean now screens

FIG B – Clean sensor at startup and shutdown

with your D, you can simply select Clean now and the camera will execute a cleaning cycle. Here are the steps (see FIG A): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Clean image sensor, and then scroll to the right (see FIG A, image ). . To execute the cleaning function, select Clean now, as shown in FIG A, image . . Press the OK button. The graphical Image Sensor Cleaning screen will display for a couple of seconds and then the cleaning is complete (see FIG A, image ). Clean at - For preventive dust control,

many users will set their cameras to clean the sensor at startup and shutdown. There are four selections for startup/ shutdown cleaning (see FIG B): t
Startup t
Shutdown t
Startup & shutdown t
Cleaning off

Mirror Lock-Up

These settings are all self-explanatory. I find it interesting that I do not detect any serious startup or shutdown delay because of the cleaning cycle. I can turn my camera on and immediately take a picture, even though it’s in the middle of about a -second cleaning cycle. Taking a picture or pressing any button seems to interrupt the cycle. Let’s select Startup & shutdown as an example. This is the mode I recommend. If you prefer a different one, just use the following steps and substitute your choice: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Clean image sensor, and then scroll to the right. . Select Clean at, and scroll to the right. . Select one of the choices (Startup, Shutdown, Startup & shutdown, or Cleaning off). . Press the OK button.



may end up only shaking the dust from one part of the sensor to another. It’s a lot like putting grains of salt in your palm and shaking your palm left and right while it’s facing the ceiling. The grain of salt may just move from one side of your palm to another. If you turn your palm  degrees—like shaking someone’s hand— and then vibrate it, the grain of salt has a better chance of falling off your palm. Recommendation: As mentioned previously, I use the Clean at > Startup & shutdown setting on my D. In the months I’ve been using the D, I have yet to see a dust spot. It’s important to keep dust off of your camera as much as possible, especially when changing lenses, and this camera’s extra cleaning method seems to make a big difference compared to older digital Nikons I’ve used. When I’m really concerned about cleaning the sensor, I use the Clean now method.

Mirror Lock-Up FIG A, image  shows a picture of the graphical Image Sensor Cleaning screen that appears during a cleaning cycle. You’ll see it when you turn the camera on or off if you have Clean at > Startup & shutdown selected. Nikon suggests that you have the camera base down when you use these modes to clean the sensor. Checking with Nikon technical support, I found the reason for that guidance. Those highfrequency vibrations will indeed dislodge most dust particles, but if the camera is not positioned with the base down, you

If the high-frequency vibration method of cleaning your D’s sensor does not dislodge some stickier-than-normal dust, you may have to clean your sensor more aggressively. In many cases all that’s needed is a dust blower to remove the dust with a puff of air. I remember having to do this with my Nikon D in , and I was always afraid I might ruin the shutter if I did it incorrectly. With the D, I had to hold the shutter open in bulb mode with one hand while I blew off the sensor with the other.

6



Setup Menu

FIG  – Mirror lock-up for cleaning screens

6

The D helps out by providing this Mirror lock-up function for cleaning mode so that you can blow a stubborn piece of dust off the low-pass filter. Using this function, it is much safer to blow off the sensor, and you can use both hands. FIG  shows the three screens you’ll use to select this mode for manual sensor cleaning. Here are the steps to move the mirror and shutter out of the way for cleaning: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Mirror lock-up, and then scroll to the right. . Next, select Start. Then press the OK button. . When the camera has locked the mirror and shutter in an open position and exposed the low-pass filter in front of the sensor, you’ll see the screen on the right in FIG  with the following message: When shutter button is pressed, the mirror lifts and shutter opens. To lower mirror, turn camera off. . Remove the lens, if you haven’t already done so. . Press the Shutter release button fully, as you would if you were taking a picture. . The camera now raises the mirror and retracts the shutter. When you look

FIG A – Giottos Rocket-Air blower

inside the front of the camera, you’ll see the bluish-looking low-pass filter in front of the sensor. Carefully insert the tip of a blower, without touching the sensor, and blow off the dust with a few puffs of air. . To close the shutter and lower the mirror, turn the D off. You’ll need a good-quality, professional sensor-cleaning blower such as my favorite, the Giottos Rocket-Air blower with its long red tip for easy insertion (see FIG A). I bought mine from the Nikonians Pro Shop (www.PhotoProShop.com). Make sure you have a fresh battery in the camera because that’s what holds the shutter open for cleaning. It must be above a  percent charge or the camera will gray out the menu selection, refusing to allow you to start the process. Special Note On Sensor Cleaning - If even an air blower fails to remove stubborn dust or pollen, you will have to either have your sensor professionally

Video Mode

cleaned or do it yourself. Nikon states that you will void your warranty if you touch the low-pass filter. However, many people still wet- or brush-clean their D’s sensor. I’ve done it to various Nikons in the past, although I’ll never admit it! Critical Information on Wet-Cleaning Your Sensor - The Nikon D has a special tin-oxide coating on the lowpass filter that is designed to make it harder for dust to stick to its surface. Unfortunately, the fluids that have been used for several years to clean sensors may adversely affect this coating. You must purchase the correct cleaning fluid to wet-clean the low-pass filter. It is called Eclipse E, and it is said to be safe for cleaning the filter without damaging the tin-oxide coating. If all of this makes you nervous, send your camera off to Nikon for approved cleaning or use a professional service. Fortunately, a few puffs of air will often remove dust too stubborn for the highfrequency vibration methods to remove.

FIG  – Video mode selection screens



Recommendation: It helps to have the proper tools, such as the Giottos Rocket-Air blower from the Nikonians PhotoProShop.com. I’ve used other blower types, but this one is the best and doesn’t cost too much. It has a special check valve that allows air to blow out of the nozzle but not suck back in because that might draw dust into the blower’s squeeze bulb and you’d later blow it right back onto the sensor. It pulls air back into the bulb from the opposite end, not through the nozzle. It’s an excellent design, with a strong air blast.

Video Mode If you plan on connecting your D to a video device, you’ll need to be sure you use the correct Video mode to communicate with the device. This is not about playing a video from your D; it has no video mode. However, you can interface the camera with a device like a DVD player or TV and play back the pictures for viewing. There are two Video mode settings available in the D: t
NTSC t
PAL

6



Setup Menu

Here are the steps used to set the Video mode (see FIG ): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Video mode, and then scroll to the right. . Select NTSC or PAL (probably NTSC) from the menu. . Press the OK button to set the mode and return to the Setup menu.

6

You’ll need to refer to the manual of your television, DVD player, or other device to determine what video input it uses. This is the mode you’ll use with the V-out port on the side of the D. You can purchase a Nikon EG-D video cable from your camera dealer that allows you to do slide shows on your TV or to record a DVD. Recommendation: Users in the U.S. will usually choose NTSC because that is the most common video format in the United States. In many European countries, the PAL format is more prominent. Please do check your video device’s manual to see what format it uses. Or, you could simply plug it in and see if it works. If you don’t see a picture with NTSC selected, try PAL instead. Nothing will burst into flames if you are using the wrong setting.

FIG A – Time zone setup

Time Zone and Date There are several functions to set under the Time zone and date section of the Setup menu: t
Time zone t
Date and time t
Date format t
Daylight saving time Time zone – FIG A shows the Time zone configuration screens. You’ll use a familiar world map interface to select the area of the world in which you are using the camera. Since I live in the eastern half of the United States, I selected the New York, Toronto, Lima (Eastern) time zone. To set the time zone, follow these steps (see FIG A): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Time zone and date, and then scroll to the right (see FIG A, image ). . Select Time zone, and then scroll to the right (see FIG A, image ). . Use the Multi Selector to scroll left or right until your time zone is under the yellow vertical bar—or yellow outline with a red dot—in the center of the world map screen (see FIG A, image ). . Once you have your time zone selected, press the OK button to save the setting.

Time Zone and Date



FIG B – Date and time setup

 Hour Time Equivalents Date and time – FIG B shows the

three Date and time configuration screens. The final screen in the series allows you to select the year, month, and day (Y, M, D) and the hour, minute, and second (H, M, S): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Time zone and date, and then scroll to the right. . Select Date and time, and then scroll to the right. . Using the Multi Selector, scroll left or right until you have selected the value you want to change. Then scroll up or down to actually change the value. . When you have set the correct date and time, press the OK button to save the settings. Please note that the time setting uses the -hour military-style clock. To set  p.m., for example, you would set H and M to :. I set mine to : a.m. in FIG B, image . For your convenience, here is a listing of the -hour time equivalents:

For your convenience, here is a -hour time equivalents chart: A.M. Settings: : a.m. = : (midnight) : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : : a.m. = : P.M. Settings: : p.m. = : (noon) : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : : p.m. = : Note: There is no : time (midnight). After : comes :.

6



Setup Menu

Date format – The D gives you

three different ways to format the date (see FIG C): . Y/M/D = Year/Month/Day (//) . M/D/Y = Month/Day/Year (//) . D/M/Y = Day/Month/Year (//)

6

United States D owners will probably use the M/D/Y setting, which matches the MM/DD/YYYY format so familiar to Americans. People in other areas of the world can select their favorite date format. To select the date format of your choice, do the following (see FIG C): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Time zone and date, and then scroll to the right (see FIG C, image ). . Select Date format, and then scroll to the right (see FIG C, image ).

FIG C – Date format setup

FIG D – Daylight saving time screens

. Choose the format you like best from the three available formats (see FIG C, image ). . Press the OK button. Daylight saving time - Many areas of the

United States observe daylight saving time. In the spring, most U.S. residents set their clocks forward by one hour on a specified day each year. Then in the fall they set it back one hour, leading to the clever saying, “spring forward, fall back”. To enable or disable Daylight saving time, do the following (see FIG D): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Time zone and date, and then scroll to the right (see FIG D, image ). . Select Daylight saving time, and then scroll to the right (see FIG D, image ). . Select On or Off from the menu (see FIG D, image ). . Press the OK button.

Language

If you selected On, your D will now automatically “spring forward and fall back”, adjusting your time forward by one hour in the spring and back one hour in the fall. Recommendation: I always leave mine set to On because I want my camera to record an accurate time in the EXIF metadata of each image. Anything that keeps me from having to remember an annual adjustment is appreciated. My computer adjusts its own time, and now my camera can do the same.

Language Nikon is a company that sells cameras and lenses around the world. For that reason, your D can display its menus and prompts in one of  languages. FIG  shows the screens you can use to select the language used by your camera. The following Language settings are included with the D using firmware version .: t
Danish t
German t
English t
Spanish t
Finnish

FIG  – Language selection screens

t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t




French Italian Dutch Norwegian Polish Portuguese Russian Swedish Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese Japanese Korean

Your D’s Language setting should default to the language of the area in which you purchased the camera. However, you may choose to use a different language on your multilingual camera. Here are the steps to select a language (see FIG ): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Language, and then scroll to the right (see FIG , image ). . Choose your favorite language from the list of . You might have to scroll up or down in the menu to find yours (see FIG , image ). . Press the OK button.

6



Setup Menu

Image Comment

6

This is a useful setting that you can use to attach a comment to each image you shoot. I attach the words Copyright Darrell Young to my images. Unfortunately, Nikon does not include the copyright symbol © in the list of numbers and letters or I would include that in my copyright notice. Here are the steps to create an Image comment that attaches to each of your images (see FIG ): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Image comment, and then scroll to the right (see FIG , image ). . Select the Input comment line and scroll to the right (see FIG , image ). . In the next screen, you’ll see a series of symbols, numbers, and letters on top, and a line of tiny dashes at the bottom (see FIG , image ). To create a new comment, scroll back and forth within the comment line with the Command dial. When you have the small gray cursor positioned over a character, you

FIG  – Image comment setup screens

.

. .

.

can delete it with the garbage can Delete button. To insert a new character, position the yellow cursor in the character list above and press the Playback zoom in button. Whatever character is under the yellow cursor will appear on the name line below, at the position of the gray cursor. If a character is already under the gray cursor, it will be pushed to the right. Limit your comment to  characters. Press the OK button when you have completed the new comment, and the camera will return to the previous menu. Scroll down to the Attach comment selection. Scroll to the right one time to “Set” the check box. You’ll see the little check box receive a check on the left of the line (see the red arrows in FIG , images  and ). Finally, scroll up to the Done menu selection, and then press the OK button (see FIG , image ).

Auto Image Rotation

I keep forgetting to finish the process with the Done selection and usually lose my comment. Make sure you complete the process or any comment you arduously entered will simply disappear! Your comment will be added internally to the metadata of new images. It will not show on the image itself.

Auto Image Rotation This function is concerned with how a vertical image displays on the back of your camera, and later in software. Horizontal images are not affected by this setting. The D has a direction-sensing device so that it knows how the camera is oriented while you are taking a picture. According to how you have Auto image rotation set and how you hold your D’s handgrip, the camera will display vertical images as upright portrait images with the top of the image at the top of the LCD screen, or in a horizontal direction with the top to the left or right. FIG  shows the two screens used to set the Auto image rotation function. There are two selections: t
On t
Off

FIG  – Auto image rotation setup screens



On - With Auto image rotation set to On, the D will automatically record

the direction or orientation of an image within the image itself. In other words, it records, as part of the image’s metadata, whether you were holding your camera horizontally or vertically—handgrip down or handgrip up. It saves the orientation information with the image so that it will display correctly in computer software. It will display in the correct orientation on your camera’s LCD screen only if you have the Playback menu > Rotate tall function set to On. Many people do not fully understand that Auto image rotation and Rotate tall work together in how the image displays on the D’s monitor. Auto image rotation lets the image “speak” for itself as to orientation, while Rotate tall lets the camera “listen” to the image and display it in the proper orientation. Later, in your computer, the image will display with the correct orientation if you’ve set Auto image rotation to On. Otherwise, it may display with a vertical image lying on its side when viewed in the computer. Off - If Auto image rotation is set to Off, the camera does not record orientation information with the image. The vertical

6



Setup Menu

image will be displayed as a horizontal image lying on its side in computer software and on the camera’s LCD screen. The top of the image will be on the left or right according to how you held the handgrip, up or down. Here are the steps to enable Auto image rotation (see FIG ): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Auto image rotation, and then scroll to the right (see FIG , image ). . Select On or Off from the menu (see FIG , image ). . Press the OK button.

6

If you are shooting in Continuous release mode, the way you’re holding the camera for the first shot sets the direction the images are displayed, even if you change direction while shooting. Remember, if you have Auto image rotation set to Off, the camera does not record orientation information for the image, so no matter how you have the Playback Menu > Rotate tall option set, the image still will be displayed in a horizontal direction. Plus, your computer will probably display your vertical images as horizontals. Recommendation: The manual states that you might want to choose Off if you are “taking photographs with the lens pointing up or down”. However, I have tested it carefully, and the D seems quite good at determining when you have the camera held horizontally or vertically, even when you do have the lens pointed up or down. Test this for yourself and

determine which you would prefer. I want all my images to have orientation information stored within them so I won’t have to manually rotate dozens of images after an extensive shoot. I leave mine set to On and I’ve had no problems.

Dust Off Ref Photo You may go out and do an extensive shoot only to return and find that some dust spots have appeared in the worst possible place in your images. If you then create an image Dust off ref (reference) photo, you can use it to remove the dust spots from your existing images and afterward go clean the sensor for the next shooting session. Here’s how it works. When you use the instructions that follow to create the Dust off ref photo, you will be shooting a blank, unfocused picture of a pure white or gray background. The dust spots in the image will then be readily apparent to Nikon Capture NX software. When you load the image to be cleaned into Capture NX along with the Dust off ref photo, the camera will use it to remove the spots in your production image. Remember that you take the Dust off ref photo after you’ve taken your other images. It needs to identify where in the frame the dust spots exist so that they can be removed from your real images. The position and amount of dust on the low-pass filter may change. It’s recommended that you take Dust off ref photos regularly and use one that was taken within a day of the photograph you wish to clean up.

Dust Off Ref Photo

Finding a Subject for the Dust Off Ref Photo – First, select a “featureless” subject to photograph for the reference photo. The key here is to use a material that has no graininess, such as brightwhite, slick plastic or a white card. I tried using plain white sheets of paper held up to a bright window, but the resulting reference photo was unsatisfactory to Capture NX. It gave me a message that my reference photo was “too dusty” when I tried to use it. After some experimentation, I finally settled on three different subjects that seem to work well: t
A slide-viewing light table with the light turned on t
A computer monitor screen with a blank white word processor document displayed t
A plain white card in the same bright light in which the subject resides All of these provided enough light and “featurelessness” to satisfy both my camera and Capture NX. The key is to photograph something fairly bright, but not too bright. You may need to experiment with different subjects if you have no light table or computer.

FIG  – Dust-off reference photo preparation



Now, let’s prepare the camera for the actual reference photo (see FIG ): . Press the Menu button on the back of your D. . Select the Setup menu and scroll down until you find the Dust Off ref photo menu selection (see FIG , image ). . Once there, scroll to the right and you will find the Start selection (see FIG , image ). There is also a Clean sensor, then start selection. Since we’re removing dust on current pictures, we won’t use this setting. It might remove the dust bunny that is imprinted on the last  images you just shot! It’s best to clean the sensor after getting a good dust off reference photo. . After you have selected Start, your camera is ready to take the reference image. You will find the word rEF in the viewfinder. This simply means that the camera is ready to create the Dust Off ref photo. . Once the camera is ready, hold the lens about  inches ( cm) away from the blank subject. The camera will not try to autofocus during the process, which is good because you want the lens at infinity anyway. We are not trying to take a viewable picture; we’re just creating

6



6

Setup Menu

an image that shows where the dust is on the sensor. Focus is not important, and neither is minor camera shake. If you try to take the picture and the subject is not bright enough, or if it’s too bright, you’ll see the screen in FIG A. . If you’re having problems with too much brightness, use a gray surface instead of white. Most of the time this error is caused by insufficient light though. . If you don’t see the screen in FIG A and the shutter fires, you have successfully created a Dust Off ref photo. The Information screen will now appear with a label in the top left announcing Data acquired (see FIG B, red arrow). A -megabyte file is created on your camera’s image card with a filename ending in .ndf instead of the normal .nef or .jpg (for example, DSC_.ndf). This

FIG A – Exposure settings are not appropriate warning

NDF file is basically a small database of the millions of clean pixels in your imaging sensor, and a few dirty ones. You cannot display the NDF file on your computer. It will not open in Capture NX or any other graphics program that I tried. Where to Store the Reference Photo

Copy the Dust Off ref photo’s NDF file from your camera’s memory card to the computer folder containing the NEF (RAW) images that have dust spots on them and for which you created this dust off reference photo. Later, when you are ready to post-process your NEF (RAW) images for dust spot removal, you’ll have a reference photo with a picture of the dust only so that a program like Nikon Capture NX can automatically remove it for you.

FIG B – Successful dust-off reference photo notice

Auto Off Timers



Auto Off Timers

LONG – Long

The camera has timers for various things that display on the screen, such as Image review. It also has to time important things like when to shut the light meter off after you’ve used it and how long the menus stay on the LCD screen. Nikon has combined three separate timed functions under one Setup menu selection. Here is a list of the three specific things that must be timed: t
Playback/menu t
Image review t
Auto meter-off

t
Playback/menus get  seconds delay. t
Image review gets  seconds delay. t
Auto meter-off gets  minute delay.

You can set these timed functions to one of four different settings, as shown in the following timed functions chart: SHORT – Short

t
Playback/menus get  seconds delay. t
Image review gets  seconds delay. t
Auto meter-off get  seconds delay. NORM – Normal

t
Playback/menus get  seconds delay. t
Image review gets  seconds delay. t
Auto meter-off get  seconds delay.

Custom

t
Playback/menus can be delayed from  seconds to  minutes. t
Image review can be delayed from  seconds to  minutes. t
Auto meter-off can be delayed from  seconds to  minutes. FIGs A to D show the menu screens used to configure the Auto off timers selection. The screens in FIG A allow you to select one of the preset values like Short or Long, and the screens in FIGs B to D let you set Custom time-outs. Here are the steps to set Auto off timers: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Auto off timers from the menu, and then scroll to the right. . Choose Short, Normal, Long, or Custom from the menu.

FIG A - Auto off timers – Presets Short, Normal, and Long

6



Setup Menu

. Please refer to the timed functions chart and FIGs A to D for potential settings—FIGs B to D are continuations of FIG A. If you chose anything besides Custom, the camera has default values that it will use, as previously listed. If you chose Custom, carefully review the various timing values and select a value for each of the three functions, Playback/menus in FIG B, Image review in FIG C, and Auto meter-off in FIG D. . Press the OK button for the presets Short, Normal or Long (see FIG A). If you’re using the Custom selection, scroll up to Done first and then press

6 FIG B – Custom Playback/menus time-out settings

FIG C – Custom Image review time-out settings

FIG D – Custom Auto meter-off time-out settings

the OK button. I usually forget to scroll up to Done and thereby do not save my settings when I am using Custom (see FIGS B to D, image ). Recommendation: This is a highly personal series of settings. I tend to like the longer time-out settings since I want to view my images or set configurations on menus without constantly having to wake up the camera. I do not worry about battery life with this camera since it will last all day, easily. A battery isn’t cheap, but having a spare is a good way to remove worries about long time-outs. I use the Custom timers and generally have

Self-Timer Delay

time-outs set to minutes, not seconds. If you don’t want to take the time to configure the Custom timers, simply review the timed functions chart listed previously and select one of the preset values instead.

Self-Timer Delay When you set the camera’s self-timer for group shots or self-portraits, do you find yourself running like a wild person trying to get in position before the camera fires? Have you ever knocked anyone or anything down or tripped and made a fool of yourself in the process? Well, those problems are solved with the D’s adjustable self-timer delay. Whether you are shooting a group shot or just using the self-timer as a cheap remote release, it’s good to be able to



adjust the self-timer up to  seconds or down to . At the maximum  seconds you have enough time to calmly walk at least  or  feet from the camera, position yourself, and smile. Once you set the self-timer time-out, you can use the Information edit > Release mode setting to start the operation. FIG A shows the menu screens to set Selftimer delay. Here are the steps to set the Self-timer delay: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Self-timer delay from the menu, and then scroll to the right. . Choose s, s, s, or s from the menu. . Press the OK button.

6

FIG A – Self-timer delay

FIG B – Information edit menu’s self-timer release mode



Setup Menu

FIG C – Shooting menu’s self-timer release mode

Be sure to review the Information edit and Shooting menu Release mode sections (see FIGs B and C). Whatever value you put in Self-timer delay for the time-out will be the value that executes with the Information edit/Shooting menu > Release mode > Self-timer choice.

6

Note: You cannot use the Guide Mode’s Shoot menu > Timers & remote control selection for the Self-timer delay value. The Guide menu’s self-timer mode defaults to  seconds, no matter what Self-timer delay setting you select here. Recommendation: I use the self-timer from time to time for group shots that I want to be in. Otherwise, I use it only to release the shutter without touching the camera, for extra sharp shots from a tripod. I find that the -second Self-timer delay setting allows any tripod vibrations to die down after I’ve pressed the Shutter release button.

Remote on Duration This is an interesting function that controls how long the camera will wait for you to press the button on your ML-L Infrared Remote when using either Delayed remote or Quick-response remote Release mode. The D will hold the camera in a ready state for a time delay of between  and  minutes, as set in Remote on duration. During that period the camera stays prepared to take a picture, leaving the exposure meter active, until the Remote on duration times out. If the time-out occurs, the camera will switch back to the previous Release mode, like Single or Continuous, and will not respond to the ML-L Infrared Remote’s button press until you put it back into the Delayed or Quick-response mode. Here are the Remote on duration delay times: t
m –  min. t
m –  min. t
m –  min. t
m -  min.

Remote on Duration

In FIG A, images  and , you can see the Delayed and Quick-response modes as the last two entries on the list. These are the Information edit menus for the Release modes. Delayed remote fires -seconds after you press the ML-L infrared remote’s button (FIG A, image ). Quick-response remote fires instantly upon pressing the button on your infrared remote (FIG A, image ). See the section “Release mode” in the chapter titled Shooting and Information Edit Menus for how to select these modes. The Remote on duration setting affects how long these two Release modes stay active before switching back to Single or Continuous mode. It will automatically switch back to whatever mode you had selected previously.



Here are the steps to configure Remote on duration using the Setup menu (see FIG B): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Remote on duration, and then scroll to the right. . Select the time-out delay period from  to  minutes. . Press the OK button. Recommendation: At first, I was leaving the Remote on duration delay time set to  min. However, recently I have been leaving it on  min. I wish there was a -minute setting because  minute is not quite enough time in some instances, especially where there is a large group involved.

6 FIG A – Information edit menu’s Remote on duration

FIG B – Setup menu’s Remote on duration



Setup Menu

Beep The camera can beep at you when certain events occur. You’ll find an upcoming list with several things that cause the camera to beep. I don’t particularly like the beep because it usually draws attention to me taking a picture when I’d rather it didn’t. However, you may like it because it offers an audible assurance that autofocus or other events were successful. There are several things that will make your D beep: t
Successful autofocus t
The self-timer and delayed remote in action t
The Quick-response remote mode taking a picture

6

Here are the Setup menu steps used to enable or disable Beep (see FIG ): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Beep, and then scroll to the right. . Select either On or Off from the menu. . Press the OK button.

FIG  – Setup menu’s Beep On or Off

Recommendation: Other than when using the self-timer, I can’t see a good reason to leave Beep on, especially when I am trying to photograph things like noise-sensitive wildlife. I don’t like beeping cameras. If you like the beep, don’t let me influence you. The D is ready to serve both your personality and mine without complaint.

Viewfinder Options There are two Viewfinder options available for this Setup menu choice: t
Viewfinder grid t
Rangefinder Let’s consider each one: Viewfinder grid – Back a few years ago, the mm film Nikon D (F) was released with a viewfinder grid display and I was hooked. Through the years, as I bought more professional cameras, I was sometimes chagrined to find that they didn’t have the “on-demand” gridlines that I had grown to love. With the D, you have the viewfinder gridlines!

Viewfinder Options



FIG A – Viewfinder options - Viewfinder grid display

FIG B – Viewfinder options – Rangefinder

I use these gridlines to avoid tilted horizons. If you turn Viewfinder grid on, I doubt you’ll turn it back off. The nice thing is that you can turn it on and off at will. Here are the Setup menu steps used to configure Viewfinder grid (see FIG A): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Viewfinder options from the menu, and then scroll to the right. . Select Viewfinder grid from the menu, and then scroll to the right. . Select On or Off from the menu. . Press the OK button.

Recommendation: I dearly love these gridlines! They help me keep horizons level and pay attention to the overall level of my images. I use them to line up with edges when I shoot buildings, trees, or other tall objects. I also use them when I’m concerned about using the rule of thirds in an image—where you place your subject at a / viewfinder junction point for better composition. They’re a very useful feature in the D. Try them yourself and see if you agree. Rangefinder – This is an unusual little function that helps those who want to manually focus their lenses. Here are the Setup menu steps to select the function (see FIG B: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Viewfinder options, and then scroll to the right.

6



Setup Menu

. Select Rangefinder, and then scroll to the right. . Select On or Off from the list. . Press the OK button.

6

What is this function designed to do? Provide you with an old-fashioned rangefinder in a more modern form. Manual focus assist! Most AF lenses have an A/M switch (or M/A - A) on the side. If you leave it in A – autofocus mode (or M/A), the lens works like a normal autofocus lens. However, if you switch it to M – manual focus mode, the autofocus motor disengages and you can manually focus the lens—if you can find the focus ring on today’s lenses. What the function does is provide an additional autofocus indicator so that you can see if the lens is in focus, and if not, just how far out of focus it is. You may have noticed the little round green indicator on the lower left of your camera’s viewfinder. It is a “good focus” indicator

FIG C – Viewfinder view of the Rangefinder

and comes on when your subject is in focus. In addition, with Custom setting a set to On, you will have a sliding scale in the lower middle portion of the viewfinder. It looks a little like the +/- exposure indicator when you are using M or Manual on the Mode dial. In FIG C I’ve taken the bottom part of a D viewfinder and made a closeup of the focus indicator area with each of its six indications. Has Good Focus (FIG C, image ) – You’ll see double lines just below the  in the middle of the viewfinder. This signifies that the image is in focus. You’ll also see the round green good focus indicator on the lower-left corner light up. This is the one you want to see before taking the picture. If you don’t want to memorize what all the patterns mean, at least memorize this one. Make sure you have the double lines below the  and the little green light (see red arrows) and your images should be in focus.

File Number Sequence

Focus Point Slightly Behind Subject (FIG C, image ) – You’ll see three lines and a right-pointing arrow to the right of the . The D is focused just behind the subject. The round green good focus indicator on the lower-left corner will be flickering or off. Focus Point Slightly in Front of Subject (FIG C, image ) – You’ll see three lines and a left-pointing arrow to the left of the . The D is focused just in front of the subject. The round green good focus indicator on the lower-left corner will be flickering or off. Focus Point Well Behind Subject (FIG C, image ) – You’ll see six lines and a right-pointing arrow to the right of the . The D is focused way behind the subject. The round green good focus indicator on the lower-left corner will be off too. Focus Point Well in Front of Subject (FIG C, image ) – You’ll see six lines and a left-pointing arrow to the left of the . The D is focused way in front of the subject. The round green good focus indicator on the lower-left corner will also be off. Camera Cannot Autofocus on the Subject (FIG C, image ) – You’ll see six lines and an arrow to the left and right, with no . The subject contrast is not sufficient for the autofocus system to find the subject and focus on it. The round green good focus indicator on the lowerleft corner will be off. Recommendation: I sometimes like to manually focus the lens, such as when I’m shooting a close-up macro shot. I leave Rangefinder set to On all the time because



it does nothing until you put the lens into M – manual focus mode. I tried this out with an old manual focus Series-E Nikkor mm f/. lens and the green good focus indicator worked when I found the proper focus manually, but the Rangefinder didn’t. The D was very unhappy with the old “non-CPU” lens mounted on the camera and kept a showing an F-- error in the viewfinder, even when I had the lens stopped down to its smallest aperture. It seems clear that Nikon doesn’t want us using old manual focus lenses on the D. However, we can switch our autofocus lenses to manual focus mode and focus manually all we’d like.

File Number Sequence This setting allows your camera to keep count of the image numbers in a running sequence from  to . After , it rolls back over to . Or, you can cause it to reset the image number to  when you format or insert a new memory card. Here are the three settings —On, Off, and Reset— and an explanation of how they work: t
On – Image file numbers start at  and continue running in a series until you exceed , at which time the image numbers roll over to  again. If you exceed  images during a shoot, the D will create a brandnew folder on the same memory card and start numbering the new images in order starting from  in the new folder.

6



Setup Menu

FIG  - File number sequence

6

t
Off – Whenever you format or insert a new memory card, the number sequence starts over at . If you exceed  images in a single folder, the D creates a new folder and starts counting images at  again. t
Reset – This works in a similar way to the On setting. However, it is not a true running total to  solution since the image number is dependent on the folder in use. The D simply takes the last number it finds in the current folder and adds  to it, up to . If you switch to an empty folder, the numbering starts over at . Here are the Setup menu steps used to configure File number sequence (see FIG ): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select File number sequence, and then scroll to the right. . Select On, Off, or Reset from the menu. . Press the OK button.

Special Note on Image Numbering On page  of the D Reference manual (CD) you will find a description of an unusual situation that few of us will ever see. Each time you exceed  images on a memory card, the D will create a new folder. If you ever exceed  folders, with  images in each, on a memory card—what a large card that would have to be—and your current folder () has  images, or an image is numbered , your D will stop responding to Shutter release button presses. If this situation occurs, set File number sequence to Reset, and format or insert a new memory card. What I think Nikon means by this strange-sounding warning is clearly that you should never let a folder number go as high as  and then shoot over  images, or let the D’s running total of images exceed  while writing to a folder numbered . Basically, just keep your folder numbers less than  if you are going to shoot more than  images that day or your number sequence is about to exceed . You may have to read this paragraph  times to fully understand this warning. I did!

Buttons

Buttons There are two buttons on the D that have easy programmability. That means you can change what they do. The buttons I am speaking of are the Self-timer/Fn button and the AE-L/AF-L button. We’ll examine how to program these two buttons and the many choices you have for their functionality. First, let’s look at the Fn button and all the things you can assign to it: Fn button – The Fn button—also known as the Func., Function, or FN button in much Nikon literature—is a multipurpose programmable button for your use. There are seven specific functions from which you can select. The Fn button will then assume the particular function you’ve chosen until you decide to change it. It’s a shortcut to your favorite camera adjustments and may save you time by not having to scroll through several screens to set a frequently used function from the seven available.

FIG A – Programming the Fn button



The Self-timer/Fn button is located just in front of the D label on the front of the camera (see chapter , FIG A, number  for location). Here are the steps used to configure the Self-timer/ Fn button (see FIG A). We’ll refer to it simply as the Fn button for the rest of this section: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Buttons, and then scroll to the right. . Select FN button from the menu, and then scroll to the right. . Select one of the seven choices from the menu (only six are showing in FIG A, image ). . Press the OK button. Here is the list of the seven Fn button selections and how to use them: t
Self-timer – Press the Fn button to toggle the Self-timer on and off. Whatever value you have set in Setup menu > Selftimer delay will be the amount of time

6



6

Setup Menu

delay used by the self-timer. When you press the Fn button, you’ll see the Release mode field of the Information screen toggle between whatever mode you started with and the self-timer, plus the label at the top of the Information screen will say Self-timer shooting. Use this function for a really fast way to set the self-timer if you use it often. t
Release mode – Press and hold the Fn button while rotating the Command dial. You’ll see the Release modes scroll by on the top right of the Information screen. You can select any of them, including Single, Continuous, Self-timer, Delayed, and Quick-response remote. See the section “Release Mode” in the chapter titled Shooting and Information Edit Menus for details on each of these Release modes. The label at the top of the Information screen will say Release mode. t
Image quality/size – Press and hold the Fn button while rotating the Command dial. Each click-turn of the dial will present you with different image quality and size settings on the Information screen. You can scroll through all the image qualities, like (JPEG) FINE, NORM, BASIC, RAW, and RAW+B, and each of the Large, Medium and Small image size settings. See the sections “Image Quality” and “Image Size” in the chapter titled Shooting and Information Edit Menus for details on each of these

image quality and size settings. The label at the top of the Information screen will say Image quality/size. t
ISO sensitivity – Press and hold the Fn button while rotating the Command dial. Each click-turn of the dial will present you with different ISO sensitivities from ISO  to ISO Hi  (). You’ll see the ISO value changing in the Information screen’s ISO field. The normal range of ISO sensitivity is  to . Be careful of ISO sensitivities above ISO  since extra noise may make your images look grainy. See the section “ISO Sensitivity Settings” in the chapter titled Shooting and Information Edit Menus for details. The label at the top of the Information screen will say ISO sensitivity. t
White balance – Press and hold the Fn button while rotating the Command dial. Each click-turn of the dial will present you with a different White balance symbol. You’ll see the value changing in the Information screen’s WB field. You’ll need to familiarize yourself with each of the symbols shown in the White balance screen. See the section “Setting White Balance with the Information Edit Screens” in the chapter titled White Balance for details on each WB icon’s meaning. The label at the top of the Information screen will say White balance. Remember, each of these WB symbols represents a preset color temperature

Buttons

(image tint), with the final one called PRE containing the last ambient light WB reading you’ve made with a white or gray card. t
Active D-Lighting – Press and hold the Fn button while rotating the Command dial. Each click-turn of the dial will toggle ADL ON or ADL OFF. Active DLighting (ADL) will lower the image contrast, so that more detail is found in darker areas, and protect the image’s highlights too. Be careful to not underexpose images with ADL turned on since extra noise may make the darker areas of your images look grainy. See the section “Active D-Lighting” in the chapter titled Shooting and Information Edit Menus for details. The label at the top of the Information screen will say Active D-Lighting. t
Set Framing Grid – Press and hold the Fn button while rotating the Command dial. Each click-turn of the dial will toggle the viewfinder grid lines on and off. See the description of the function Viewfinder grid in the section “Viewfinder Options” earlier in this chapter for details. When you use the Fn button/Command dial pair to change the value, you won’t see anything on the Information screen. Instead, you’ll need to have your camera up to your eye and be looking through the viewfinder in order to see the grid lines come and go.



Recommendation: Personally, I assign the Release mode function in Buttons > Fn button. To me, this is a shortcut way to quickly change between Single and Continuous Release modes when I have to switch between a static or moving subject. ISO sensitivity is another function that I find useful, and you may too if you like to control the camera’s ISO values. Set your camera to each of these Fn button assignments, use them, and see which you prefer. Once again, Nikon has given us a flexible choice! AE-L/AF-L – This is another somewhat programmable button on your D, with the exception that the available functions all have something to do with either exposure or autofocus. The AE-L/ AF-L button is just to the right of the viewfinder’s eyepiece on the D (see chapter , FIG B, number  for location).

6



Setup Menu

Here are the steps used to program the AE-L/AF-L button (see FIG B): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Buttons, and then scroll to the right. . Select AE-L/AF-L from the menu, and then scroll to the right. . Select one of the five choices from the menu. . Press the OK button.

6

Here is a list of the functions you can select and what each does. Whichever of these you select will be assigned to the AE-L/AF-L button until you change it to something else: t
AE/AF lock – Enabling this function causes AE (exposure) and AF (focus) to lock on the last meter and autofocus system reading while the AE-L/AF-L button is held down. t
AE lock only – This allows you to lock AE (exposure) on the last meter reading when you hold down the AE-L/AF-L button.

FIG B – Assigning the AE-L/AF-L button

t
AF lock only – When set, this function locks the AF system (focus) on the last autofocus reading while you hold down the AE-L/AF-L button. t
AE lock (hold) – This allows you to lock AE (exposure) on the last meter reading when you press the AE-L/AF-L button once. To release the lock hold, press it again. If the meter goes off, it will also release the lock hold on the exposure. t
AF-ON – Some people don’t want to use the Shutter release button for autofocus. They’d rather the Shutter release button only release the shutter. This function is for those individuals. You can separate the autofocus and shutter release by assigning autofocus to the AE-L/AF-L button. Once this is set, the AE-L/AF-L button must be pressed to make the camera autofocus. The Shutter release button will only release the shutter. Either one of the buttons will cause the meter to become active.

Buttons

Recommendation: Personally, I choose the AE lock only selection. I want to be able to lock my exposure but leave AF (autofocus) active so that I can meter from one area of the subject and then recompose for the picture. Of course, you may be interested in one of the other four functions. Play with this a bit—using this book—until you feel comfortable with this setting. If you will do that, you’ll be rewarded with a camera that works the way you want it to work. Now, let’s consider an alternate way to use the AE lock function. Instead of using the AE-L/AF-L button, you can choose to let the Shutter release button lock the exposure instead. Here are the screens and steps (see FIG C): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select Buttons, and then scroll to the right. . Select AE lock from the menu, and then scroll to the right. . Select On or Off from the menu. . Press the OK button.

FIG C – AE lock with the Shutter release button



Here’s how this alternate form of AE lock works and why you might want to use it: AE lock – This function works the same way AE lock only works. The only difference is that you use the Shutter release button to cause auto exposure lock instead of the AE-L/AF-L button. This stand-alone AE lock function allows you to lock AE (exposure) on the last meter reading when you hold down the Shutter release button halfway. Recommendation: I normally prefer to use the AE lock only function assigned to the AE-L/AF-L button instead of AE lock assigned to the Shutter release button. That way I don’t have to remember to change the Shutter release button back to normal exposure afterward. I leave my camera’s AE-L/AF-L button set to AE lock only all the time. Then, when I want to lock the exposure, I can simply press the AE-L/AF-L button. When would it be good to assign AE lock to the Shutter release button? Well, if you have AF-ON assigned to the AE-L/ AF-L button, you would have no way to use that button for AE lock at all. So in that case, you might want to assign AE lock to the Shutter release button instead.

6



Setup Menu

No Memory Card?

6

This setting defaults to locking the shutter when you try to take an image without a memory card inserted in the camera. When it’s enabled you can take pictures without a memory card, but you can’t save them anywhere. Why did Nikon give you a way to take pictures without saving them to a memory card? Well, you can control your camera in a studio environment with an optional software package called Nikon Camera Control Pro  while hooked up to your computer via a USB cable. This software will send each picture you take directly to your computer. It’s not included with the D. Here are the steps used to configure No memory card? (see FIG ): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu. . Select No memory card? from the menu, and then scroll to the right. . Select Release locked or Enable release from the menu. (If you don’t have the Camera Control Pro software, choose Release locked.) . Press the OK button.

FIG  – No memory card?

Here are the two selections in No memory card? and how they work: LOCK – Release locked – This default setting causes your camera to refuse to release the shutter when there is no memory card present. OK – Enable release – Use this setting if you want to use the optional Nikon Camera Control Pro  software to send images from the camera directly to the computer. Recommendation: There’s no point in setting anything but Released locked unless you are using Nikon Camera Control Pro  software to control the camera. In that case, the camera feeds pictures to your computer, not a memory card. With it enabled, you can shoot pictures but can’t save them. What’s the point in that?

Date Imprint

Date Imprint Remember how we could set our cameras to imprint a little red date in the lowerright corner of our prints? Well, the D does that, in a big way. Not only can you put a date visibly on your images, you can also imprint date and time or the number of days between the date the image was taken and another chosen date. There are four menu choices and three formats you can insert on your images— permanently—in bright red. Date Imprint Format Chart:

t
Off – Nothing imprinted on the image t
Date – looks like .. t
Date and time – looks like .. : t
Date counter – has several formats: – Number of days/date: /.. – Years and days/date: ./.. – Years, months, and days: ../.. I understood the date/time setting well enough but had trouble understanding why there’s a date counter. Finally, I started to see a reason for recording the number of years, months, and days between the date an image was taken and another chosen date. An example might be a graduation party. Let’s say my daughter graduated high school on May , , and I took a picture of her with some friends. Several years later, on July , , I take a reunion picture of her and the same friends. Of course, they all want to see how much



they’ve changed since the first picture  years,  months, and  days earlier, so I put the two images side by side. Since they are young and haven’t changed much, the newest image needs a date counter. Here are the formats the counter will imprint on the second picture for this scenario: May ,  to July , 

t
Number of days: /.. (days/date) t
Years and days: ./.. (years.days/date) t
Years, months, and days: ../.. (years.months.days/date) Now, I must admit, this is truly an unusual functionality to me, and I’ve been taking pictures since I was a kid back in the late sixties. However, some segment of society must need this exact functionality, and now has it. Maybe police forensics departments or private detectives really need this capability, since the formats recorded are permanently added to the image. The “selected date” for comparison to the shooting date can be a past or future date. The date format I presented is based on the American MM/DD/YYYY. However, the camera allows you to adjust the date readout to your favorite format under the Setup menu’s > Time Zone and Date function. Whatever format you choose under the Time Zone and Date will be shown in the date section of the date imprint. FIG A shows the menu screens to get to the Date imprint system. In FIG B are the screens used to choose a Date imprint

6



Setup Menu

format along with a comparison date. Selecting Date or Date and time is a simple process, while configuring Date counter is a bit more complex. Let’s look at the steps to set up all three of the choices (see FIGs A and B): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup menu.

FIG A – Date imprint

6

FIG B – Choosing the comparison date

. Select Date imprint from the menu, and then scroll to the right. . Choose one of the four options (Off, Date, Date and time, or Date Counter). The first three are simple. If you choose Off, Date, or Date and time, just press the OK button and skip steps  through . However, if you choose Date counter,

Date Imprint

. .

.

.

you’ll have to choose a comparison date and a final display format. The next step starts that process. You’ve chosen Date counter, so scroll to the right to set the date and format. On the Date counter screen you’ll need to choose the comparison date first. Scroll down to Choose date, and then scroll to the right (see FIG B, image ). You’ll find a list that contains either a previously entered date or just a line of dashes (see FIG B, image ). Choose one of the date positions and scroll to the right to change or set the date. (If an acceptable date is already there from doing this previously, just choose it and press the OK button). You’ll now see the Set date screen for the date position you chose on the previous screen (images  to ). Modify this date so that it matches the date you want to compare with your shooting date (see FIG B, image ). It can be a past or future date. Press the OK button, and the camera will return to the Choose date screen.

FIG C – Choosing a display option (format)



. Press the OK button on the date you just modified, and the camera will return to the Date counter screen. You need to select a Display options setting next. . Scroll down to the Display options line and then scroll to the right (see FIG C, image ). .You’ll now see the Display options screen. Choose one of the three formats (see FIG C, image ). Your choices are Number of days, Years and days, and Years, months, and days. Choose one and then press the OK button. .At the bottom of the Date counter screen, you’ll see the chosen comparison date, and below that the format that will be written on the image (see FIG C, image , bottom half of screen). The format shows after the  icon and looks like one of the formats in the Date Imprint Format Chart presented previously. I realize that this is a somewhat complex-looking function. However, if you will study how the Date counter formats work, and use it regularly, it will become easy to understand.

6



Setup Menu

Recommendation: I normally don’t use this functionality myself since I don’t want bright red characters written permanently on my images. The EXIF data inside the digital image contains dates and times in case I need to know that information. However, you may love having a date imprinted on your images—a lot of people do. Or, you might have a scientific, forensic, or surveillance purpose for some of these functions. They work easily and well. Nikon gives us a lot of choices with this little camera.

Active Folder

6

The camera creates a folder on your memory card with a name of D. This folder can contain up to  images. If you feel that you might shoot more than  images on the current memory card, you might want to create a new folder, such as DRY (my initials plus ) or FLDR. Whatever name you can think up that uses only five of the characters available in the naming screen will work. Folder names are limited to five characters within the camera but show up as eight-digit names on the SD memory card. If you examine the contents of the memory card in your computer, you’ll notice that the folder names are preceded by a three-digit number. So your folder D will look like this: D. If your folder ever contains  images, the camera will create a new folder with the same name, except it will increment the digits it added to the front of the name.

So a folder named D that gets to  images will cause the camera to automatically create a new folder named D. Interestingly, the D treats any new folders it creates as an extension of the first folder. This allows you to continue shooting a certain style of images and have them stay in the correct folder. If you create and select a new folder, the D will do the same with it. Even though there may be more than one folder in the series, the camera treats them like they are one big folder. This is a good way to isolate certain types of images on a long photographic outing. Maybe you’ll put landscapes in a folder called LAND and people shots in PPL . The D will then create folders called LAND and PPL_. Notice how the people folder has an underscore between the L and ? If you do not use all five characters, leaving a space, the camera will add an underscore to the blank character location. If you exceed  images in any of the folders, it will create the next one automatically (LAND and PPL_). To you, using the camera, the folders’ numbers won’t seem to change, since you’ll only see the last five characters. The camera will not tell you that you’ve exceeded  images and that new images are going into a new folder. To you it will just seem as if there is one folder. The camera uses the numbers it adds to the beginning of the folder name to track the series of extra folders it creates when you exceed  images in each folder.

Active Folder

Select folder: Let’s see the steps to

select an existing folder (see FIG A). . Press the Menu button and select Setup menu. . Choose Active folder, and then scroll right. . Choose Select Folder, and then scroll right. . You’ll see the available folders displayed in a list that looks like this: – D – AAAA – LAND – PPL_ (You may only have one folder named D. I created the ones shown in FIG A as examples—other than the one named D. If you have more than one, choose one of them to make it active. The currently active one will be at the top of the list.) . Press the OK button.

FIG A – Selecting an active folder

FIG B – Creating a new folder



All images will now be saved to the latest folder selected until you change it to another. You can tell at a glance which folder is active by looking at the Setup menu’s > Active folder line. To the right of the words Active folder, you’ll see the fivecharacter name of the current folder (See FIG A, image , D). Notice how you don’t see the extra three numeric characters in the folder name—you see D instead of D. The camera keeps track of the numeric progression of folders that exceed  images and considers all folders with the last five digits matching as a single big folder, even though there might actually be several cameracreated folders in the series. New: Now let’s consider how we might create new folder names. As shown in FIG B, to create a new folder, do the following: . Press the Menu button and select Setup menu. . Select Active folder, then scroll to the right.

6



Setup Menu

. Now scroll down and select New, then scroll to the right. You’ll see a screen that allows you to create a new folder name. To insert a new character, position the yellow cursor in the character list above, using the Multi Selector, and then press the Playback zoom in button to add the character to the name. Whatever character is under the yellow cursor will appear on the name line below, at the position of the gray cursor. If a character is already under the gray cursor, it will be pushed to the right. If it’s at the end of the line and you try to overwrite it, the new character will replace the old. Use the Command dial to scroll back and forth within the old name. When you have the small gray cursor positioned over a character,

6

FIG C – Renaming an existing folder

you can delete it with the garbage can Delete button. The name limit is five characters. (See chapter , FIG B for control locations.) . Press the OK button when you’ve completed the new name. I named mine NEW. Once you have created a new folder, it will automatically become the current folder. Rename: If you decide to change the name of a particular folder, you can do it by following these steps (see FIG C): . Press the Menu button and select Setup menu. . Select Active folder, then scroll to the right.

Active Folder

. Scroll down and select Rename, then scroll to the right. . Select a folder name to modify, and then scroll right. . Use the Command dial to scroll back and forth within the existing name. When you have the small gray cursor positioned over an existing character, you can delete it with the garbage can Delete button. To insert a new character, highlight it with the yellow cursor in the character list above and press the Playback zoom in button. Whatever character is under the yellow cursor will appear on the name line below, at the position of the gray cursor. If a character is already under the gray cursor, it will be pushed to the right. If it’s at the end of the line and you try to overwrite it, the new character will replace the old. Please limit the name to a maximum of five characters. I renamed NEW to OLD. (See chapter , FIG B for control locations.) . Press the OK button when you’ve completed the new name. If you rename a folder, the camera will look at your memory card and see if there are any other folders in the series— e.g., D, D, D, etc. If it finds other folders with the last

FIG D – Deleting an existing folder



five digits matching, it will rename all of them to the new name you created in the preceding steps except for the leading three numbers, which will maintain the sequence. Remember, the D considers these camera-created folders as one folder. If you try to give an existing folder a name that already exists, the D will flash up a warning when you press the OK button to save the name. The warning will inform you, Folder with selected name already exists. Choose another name. Delete: Now, let see how to delete all empty folders from the SD card. Use the following steps to delete the empty folders (see FIG D): . Press the Menu button and select Setup menu. . Select Active folder, then scroll to the right. . Scroll down and select Delete, then scroll to the right. . You’ll be presented with the Delete screen asking you, Empty folders will be deleted. OK? . Scroll up to Yes and press the OK button. . You’ll see a message flash up briefly saying Folder(s) deleted.

6



Setup Menu

Remember, when you do a delete operation, it will remove all folders with nothing in them. Be careful not to use this function if you have a series of folders you use regularly and want them to stay in place. There is no way that I’ve found to delete just one folder. It’s all the “empty” folders or none. If there are no empty folders, nothing happens.

Firmware Version

6

This is a simple informational screen that informs you of which version of the Nikon D’s internal software (firmware) your camera is running. The firmware was included with my D from the factory because a firmware update was not yet available at the time this book was published. The two screens to see the firmware version are shown in FIG . Follow these steps to see your camera’s firmware version: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Setup Menu. . Select Firmware version, and then scroll to the right. . View the Firmware version screen. My camera currently has firmware version . in both A and B positions.

FIG  – Firmware version selection screens

When a firmware update becomes available and you install it, this is the screen you’ll use to validate that the firmware update was successful. Firmware Updates – If you want to check for a firmware update on any Nikon digital camera, you can go to this web page on the NikonTech website. It lists virtually all the camera firmware updates that are available from Nikon— you’ll need to look for the DSLR link, or just scroll down the web page until you find the D section. If there is no new firmware yet, you’ll see No firmware updates available. http://support.nikontech.com/app/ answers/detail/a_id/ If by the time this book is published that Internet address has changed, you can always go to the Nikon website in your part of the globe and start a search under technical support for “firmware updates”.

My Conclusions



My Conclusions Now that you have your D fully set up, you’re ready to take a large number of premium images. The next chapter is about the Retouch menu and the last menu in the D— Recent Settings. The Retouch menu is designed to help you adjust images you’ve already taken, in-camera, without having to resort to using your computer. The Recent Settings menu displays items you’ve changed recently. The Retouch menu lets you work on images you have taken while they are still on the memory card. You can shoot RAW images and convert them to JPEGs or do other operations that normally would be done in a computer. The Retouch menu was designed for those who don’t like to use computers or just want to make a quick adjustment to an image or two. Any adjustments made are not destructive to the original image since the camera creates a brand-new image with the adjustments. Let’s go find out how to use the D’s built-in image adjustment functions.

6



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

7

Section  –Retouch Menu

Many people would like to take pictures without using a computer to finish them. Some may not mind using the computer, but may want to be able to give pictures to friends by swapping memory cards. The D, with its chameleon-like user interface, is designed to allow you to adjust your pictures while they are still in the camera. The Retouch menu gives you tools to control the look of your pictures without post-processing them with a computer. You can adjust image contrast, add filter effects, change the color balance, and reduce the size of or crop a picture. You can convert pictures to black and white, do color outlines, overlay two pictures, and even convert a RAW image into a JPEG. The cool thing is that you do all this in the camera, not on the computer. This chapter covers the last two menu systems in the Nikon D: the Retouch menu and the Recent Settings menu. There are two sections: Section  – The Retouch menu consists of  in-camera image adjustments that allow you to do things to the image that normally would be done in a graphics program on your computer. If you don’t particularly like using a computer and you’re not very good with graphics programs but you still want to shoot RAW images, the Retouch menu will be of great help to you. Section  – Recent Settings is a list of the  menu items you’ve changed most recently from the Playback, Shooting, and Setup menus. If you’ve made a recent camera adjustment, it will appear here.



Section 1 – Retouch Menu With the Retouch menu, you can adjust images you’ve already taken and that are still on your camera’s memory card, in various ways. FIG  shows the Retouch menu. There are two ways to access the Retouch menu: t
Press the Menu button and select the fourth menu down from the top, the Retouch menu. t
Use the Playback button to review an image, and then press the OK button while the image is showing on the LCD screen. Either method will allow you to get to the tools you can use to modify an existing image in various ways. Let’s start at the top of the Retouch menu and examine each item on it. We’ll primarily use the Menu button access method for the discussion of the settings in this chapter, although we will consider the Playback button/OK method for one function called

FIG  – Retouch menu

7



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

Before and after. Just remember that you

can also adjust an image by pressing the Playback button and then the OK button for Retouch menu operations. The access methods work pretty much the same, so you should experiment to see which method you prefer.

D-Lighting D-Lighting allows you to reduce the shad-

7

ows and even reign in the highlights a bit. You’ll see the effect immediately upon using it. If an image is a little dark or the shadows are too dense, you can bring out detail with D-Lighting. This function is not the same as Active D-Lighting, which is applied at the time an image is made (see the section “Active D-Lighting” in the chapter titled Guide Menu – Advanced Use). D-Lighting is an after-the-fact application of similar technology. D-Lighting doesn’t just brighten or darken an image. It lowers the overall image contrast, which will help some images but may not benefit others. It is primarily used to bring out detail from slightly underexposed images or from images in which the contrast is too high for the dynamic range between light and

FIG  – High selected for D-Lighting

dark areas. If you are shooting on a bright sunny day, the light values between light and dark may be twice what the sensor can record. If you have exposed for the highlights, you can recover detail in some of the darker shadow areas. In a sense, D-Lighting is a quick form of high dynamic range (HDR) imaging. It has a similar effect although not as pronounced, with the addition of more noise in the image than with real HDR imaging. If you like the effects D-Lighting brings to an image, you can save the image and the D will create a copy of it on the memory card. Your original is safe. The steps to D-Light an image are as follows (see FIG ): . Press the Menu button and select the Retouch menu. . Select D-Lighting and then scroll right. . Select the image you want to modify with the Multi Selector and then click the OK button. . Choose the amount of D-Lighting you want for the selected image using the Multi Selector to scroll up or down. You’ll choose from Low, Normal, or High. (High was selected in FIG , image .)

Red-Eye Correction



where D-Lighting is applied. It is a quite powerful functionality. One of the only drawbacks of using D-Lighting is that it adds noise to the darker areas of the image as darker detail is lightened.

FIG A – Retouched image symbol

. When the image on the right looks the way you want it to look, press the OK button to save the new file under a new file number. The D will display a brief message that says Image saved and then switch to displaying the new file in full-screen playback mode. The new file will include an icon that looks like a little paintbrush in a rectangle (see FIG A, red arrow). This signifies that this image is a duplicate with adjustments. The original is untouched! D-Lighting always lowers the image contrast (opens shadows). As I mentioned earlier, you can’t use it to simply brighten or darken an image because it will always lower the contrast too. However, this gives you a nice level of control in adjusting the contrast of an image in-camera. If you choose to experiment more deeply with D-Lighting, why not buy a copy of Nikon Capture NX and use its D-Lighting function in your computer. You’ll have a larger screen to work with and much more control over how and

Note: If you see a tiny yellow box with an x in it on the center of a picture in the image selection screen, that simply means you can’t use the D-Lighting function on that particular image. It has been adjusted in-camera already and is most likely a modified copy of a previous image.

Red-Eye Correction Red-eye correction is a convenient way to

remove those aggravating red pupils that sometimes occur in a flash picture. The camera will locate the red pupils and color them black. It’s quite effective! If you used flash to create the picture, the Red-eye correction function will work only if it can detect red-eye. Sometimes, if the person’s face is too small in the image, the D cannot find the red-eye, even though you can see that it’s there. If it can’t detect red-eye in the image, it will not open the red-eye system but will, instead, briefly display a screen informing you that the camera was Unable to detect red-eye in selected image. If flash was not used, the D will put a tiny yellow x in a box in the center of the thumbnail, meaning that you cannot select it. If you still try to select it, the D will tersely inform you, Cannot select this file.

7



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

FIG  – Red-eye correction screens

7

The steps to execute the Red-eye correction function on an image are as follows: . Press the Menu button and select the Retouch menu. . Select Red-eye correction and then scroll right (see FIG , image ). . Use the Multi Selector to select the image you want to modify (see FIG , image ). You can’t select images that have a little yellow x on them since they were taken without flash. . Press the OK button and the Red-eye correction routines will execute. You’ll see an hourglass on your screen for several seconds. . After Red-eye correction is done, you can zoom in on the image and see how well it worked (see FIG , image ). . Press the OK button to save the file under a new file number. I really like this Red-eye correction function! If I’m shooting flash pictures at an event, I’ll invariably get a few images with red-eye in the series. Since red-eye can make a person look angry or evil, I tend to want to remove it. This function makes it easy.

Trim The Trim function allows you to crop an image in-camera and/or change the aspect ratio of the trimmed section and then save the file as a new image. Your original image is not modified. “Trim” is merely another word for cropping the image. You can trim up to six crop levels deep, the smallest of which crops a xpixel section out of the ,x,pixel image (in the : aspect ratio). You can crop a section from anywhere in the image by moving the yellow trim frame around with the Multi Selector. Here are the six crop-levels for a D default : aspect ratio image: t
x t
x t
x t
x t
x t
x Also, here are the aspect ratios you can select: t
: t
: t
: t
: (square) t
: (fits an HD screen)

Trim



FIG  – Trim screens

These aspect ratios are controlled by the Command dial. When you have the image and the yellow crop rectangle showing, just turn the Command dial. Here are the steps to trim an image in the D: . Press the Menu button and select the Retouch menu. . Select the Trim function and then scroll right (see FIG , image ). . Select the image you want to modify and press the OK button (see FIG , image ). . You’ll be presented with a screen that has a crop outline shown in yellow. Using the normal zoom buttons (Thumbnail/playback zoom out and Playback zoom in), you can zoom in for a deeper crop or zoom out for a lesser crop. Zoom until you find your best crop position. Move the yellow trim frame with the Multi Selector until it is exactly positioned in the image. See chapter , FIG B for button locations. . Select the aspect ratio of the crop by rotating the Command dial. See where the red arrows point in FIG , image  and image . They show that I changed from a : to

a : ratio with the Command dial. Notice how the yellow frame changed in size according to the new ratio between the images. You can increase the crop area with the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button. . Once you have the aspect ratio set and the crop correctly sized, press the OK button to save the trimmed image under a new file number. You can see the final cropped file in FIG , image . Notice the little retouch symbol on the top left of the image (red arrow). I haven’t found a way to turn the yellow box upright so that I can make a vertical crop out of the center of a horizontal image. However, for a basic horizontal or square crop, it does a good job. The closest I can come to a vertical crop is the : ratio, which makes a square image. Remember that these functions are for convenience and quick “in-the-field” use. If you are serious about post-processing—or have many images to modify—it’s much easier to accomplish this type of work in-computer with a good graphics package.

7



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

Monochrome The Monochrome functions in the D are fun to play with and can make some interesting images. You can convert a normal color image into a black and white, or you can create a monochrome image with two types of tones: warm (sepia) and cool (cyanotype). You can choose from three different types of monochrome (see FIG , image , image , and image ): t
Black-and-white t
Sepia t
Cyanotype

7

Here are the steps to create a monochrome image from one of your existing color images on the camera’s memory card: . Press the Menu button and select the Retouch menu. . Select Monochrome and then scroll right (see FIG , image ). . Select a monochrome tone (Black-andwhite, Sepia, or Cyanotype) and then scroll to the right (see FIG , image ).

FIG  – Monochrome selection screens

. Select the image you want to modify with the Multi Selector (see FIG , image ). . The last three images of FIG  show the three monochrome types. Each can be made darker or lighter to change the saturation of the image tint. Use the Multi Selector to change the saturation by scrolling up or down. . Press the OK button to save the new image under a new file number or the Playback button to cancel (see FIG , images , , and ). If you save the image, you’ll be presented with an image converted and toned to the tint you selected. You’ll see the retouch symbol in the upper-left corner of the new image. Recommendation: Use the Retouch menu > Monochrome function to convert a color picture to one of three types of monochrome. It’s easy and effective. However, if you are serious about making black-and-white images with the D, why not use the MC–Monochrome setting under Shooting menu > Set Picture Control

Filter Effects

(see the section “Set Picture Control” in the chapter titled Shooting Menu). MC-Monochrome allows you to shoot initially with various levels of tinting— far exceeding the basic conversion and three tints of the Retouch menu’s version.

Filter Effects The D allows you to add seven filter effects to any previously taken image. You can intensify the image colors in various ways and add starburst effects to points of light. In addition to changing colors and adding starbursts, you can soften an image for a pleasing “soft-filter” portrait effect (three levels). Here is a list of the effects that are available: t
Skylight t
Warm filter t
Red intensifier t
Green intensifier t
Blue intensifier t
Cross screen (starburst filter) t
Soft

FIG A – The screens for the Skylight effect



Skylight – This effect is rather mild and

removes the bluish tint caused by atmospheric diffraction in distant scenes. Basically, by using this you will make the image slightly less blue. It is rather hard to see any difference. Here’s how to set the Skylight effect (see FIG A): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Retouch menu. . Select Filter effects and scroll right (see FIG A, image ). . Select Skylight and scroll to the right (see FIG A, image ). . Choose an image with the Multi Selector and press the OK button (see FIG A, image ). . The image appears with the Skylight effect added (see FIG A, image ). . Press the OK button to save the image under a new filename, or press the Playback button to cancel. You’ll see an hourglass appear, then the screens shown in FIG A, images  and  in quick succession.

7



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

Warm filter – This effect adds red to the

image to make it appear a little warmer. In fact, it adds a mild red cast to the image. Here’s how to set the Warm filter effect (see FIG B): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Retouch menu. . Select Filter effects and scroll right (see FIG B, image ). . Select Warm filter and scroll to the right (see FIG B, image ).

7

FIG B – The screens for the Warm filter effect

FIG C – The screens for the Red intensifier effect

. Choose an image with the Multi Selector and press the OK button (see FIG B, image ). . The image appears with the Warm filter effect added (see FIG B, image ). . Press the OK button to save the image under a new filename, or press the Playback button to cancel. You’ll see an hourglass appear, then the screens shown in FIG B, images  and  in quick succession.

Filter Effects

Red intensifier – This effect intensifies

the reds in an image and also adds a red cast. It can be controlled by making an initial selection and then, when the image is onscreen, increasing or reducing the effect by using the Multi Selector to scroll up or down. Even though it doesn’t tell you, there are three levels of intensity. Scroll up for maximum effect and down for minimum effect. Here’s how to set the Red intensifier effect (see FIG C): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Retouch menu. . Select Filter effects and scroll right (see FIG C, image ). . Select Red intensifier and scroll to the right (see FIG C, image ). . Choose an image with the Multi Selector and press the OK button (see FIG C, image ). . The image appears with the Red intensifier effect added. Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down to add or subtract color saturation to the red color— called Darker or Lighter (see FIG C, image ).

FIG D – The screens for the Green intensifier effect



. Press the OK button to save the image under a new filename, or press the Playback button to cancel. You’ll see an hourglass appear, then the screens shown in FIG C, images  and  in quick succession. Green intensifier – This effect intensi-

fies the greens in an image and also adds a green cast. It can be controlled by making an initial selection and then, when the image is onscreen, increasing or reducing the effect by using the Multi Selector to scroll up or down. There are three levels of intensity. Scroll up for maximum effect and down for minimum effect. Here’s how to set the Green intensifier effect (see FIG D): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Retouch menu. . Select Filter effects and scroll right (see FIG D, image ). . Select Green intensifier and scroll to the right (see FIG D, image ). . Choose an image with the Multi Selector and press the OK button (see FIG D, image ).

7



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

. The image appears with the Green intensifier effect added. Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down to add or subtract color saturation to the green color—called Darker or Lighter (see FIG D, image ). . Press the OK button to save the image under a new filename, or press the Playback button to cancel. You’ll see an hourglass appear, then the screens shown in FIG D, images  and  in quick succession. Blue intensifier - This effect intensifies

7

the blues in an image and also adds a blue cast. It can be controlled by making an initial selection and then, when the image is onscreen, increasing or reducing the effect by using the Multi Selector to scroll up or down. There are three levels of intensity. Scroll up for maximum effect and down for minimum effect. Here’s how to set the Blue intensifier effect (see FIG E): . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Retouch menu. . Select Filter effects and scroll right (see FIG E, image ).

FIG E – The screens for the Blue intensifier effect

. Select Blue intensifier and scroll to the right (see FIG E, image ). . Choose an image with the Multi Selector and press the OK button (see FIG E, image ). . The image appears with the Blue intensifier effect added. Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down to add or subtract color saturation to the blue color—called Darker or Lighter (see FIG E, image ). . Press the OK button to save the image under a new filename, or press the Playback button to cancel. You’ll see an hourglass appear, then the screens shown in FIG E, images  and  in quick succession. Cross screen – This effect is designed to

work like a cross-screen filter and adds a starburst (rays) effect to any points of light (see FIG F). There are four different adjustments to this effect, along with Confirm and Save options. To create the starburst rays effect, do the following: . Press the Menu button and scroll to the Retouch menu.

Filter Effects

. Select Filter effects and scroll right (see FIG F, image ). . Select Cross screen and scroll to the right (see FIG F, image ). . Choose an image with the Multi Selector and press the OK button (see FIG F, image ). Now we’ll switch to FIG G, which is a continuation of FIG F. . Select a Number of points value (, , or ) for the Cross screen’s star effect



using the two screens shown in FIG G. Scroll to the right on the number (shows a  in FIG G, image ), and you’ll have a choice of , , or  (image ). Choose the number of rays you want. . Select a Filter amount value with the two screens in FIG H. This affects the brightness of the light sources. More Xxs means brighter lights.

FIG F – The screens for the Cross screen effect

7 FIG G – The Number of points screens for the Cross screen effect

FIG H – The Filter amount screens for the Cross screen effect



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

FIG I – The Filter angle screens for the Cross screen effect

FIG J – The Length of points screens for the Cross screen effect

7

FIG K – The Confirm screen for the Cross screen effect

. Select a value for Filter angle (ray clockwise rotation) with the two screens in FIG I. . Select a value for Length of points (longer rays) with the two screens in FIG J. You won’t see any effect on the

actual rays yet since you haven’t confirmed the changes. That happens in the next step. . Select Confirm to see the effect. This is like an update button. You can repeat the confirm step multiple times, modifying the settings, then confirming each time, until you have the effect just the way you want it to look. In this example, I set Filter angle to , and then I confirmed the effect (FIG K). You can finally see the cumulative effects after the Confirm selection is made. .Select Save and then press the OK button. The full-sized image appears in normal playback mode (FIG L).

Filter Effects



FIG L – The Save and Playback screens for the Cross screen effect

FIG M – The screens for the Soft effect

Soft – If you’ve ever wanted to make

one of those “dreamy” effect shots of a lovely lady, like they used to do in the s Star Trek shows, the D has the filter for you. The Soft effect filter softens the image and adds a misty effect. If you are doing portraits of an older individual, or someone with skin problems, this filter will provide a nicer portrait effect. There are three levels to the softening effect—Low, Normal, and High. FIG M shows all three, but the dreamy, misty look will be easier to see when you have the camera in your hand.

Here are the steps to select the Soft filter effect (see FIG M): . Press the Menu button and select the Retouch menu. . Select Filter effects and scroll right. . Select Soft and scroll to the right. . Choose an image with the Multi Selector and press the OK button (see FIG M, image ). . A side-by-side comparison of the image then appears with the Normal setting applied. Scroll down to set Low and up to set High. See FIG M, images , , and , where all three effects are shown. . Press the OK button to save the image under a new filename, or press the Playback button to cancel.

7



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

FIG N – The Soft effect – Off and High

7

FIG N shows four larger images that hopefully allow you to see the Soft effect a little better. The Soft effect isn’t applied to the first image, and the next three show the effect at Low, Normal, and High settings. The Soft effect images are not just blurry—there’s a sharper image beneath the blurriness. It looks sort of like how a picture might look if you breathed on the lens and then quickly took a picture. It’s soft and sharp at the same time, if that makes any sense. You’ll have to see this effect on a computer screen or in a print to fully see what I mean. Recommendation: The Low setting provides a nice effect. However, the dreaminess increases with each level. I think that High is too blurry, but it may

work well for high-contrast subjects. The level you use will be very much a personal decision and may vary based on the subject.

Color Balance The Color balance function allows you to change the color of your image after the fact. You might just want to warm things up a bit by adding a touch of red, or cool things down with a touch of blue. Or, you could get creative and easily add various color casts to the image for special effects. You’ll see what I mean when you try it. The Color balance menu screens are shown in FIG . Following are the steps used to adjust the picture: . Press the Menu button and select the Retouch menu.

Color Balance

. Select Color balance and then scroll right. . Select the image you want to modify with the Multi Selector, and then press the OK button. You’ll see a screen with a series of histograms on the right and a small color selection box on the bottom left (see where the red arrow is pointing in image  of FIG ). . Use the Multi Selector to move the tiny black indicator square in the center of the color box toward whatever color



tint you’d like to use. Watch the histograms as they display the changing color relationships between the red, green, and blue color channels. You can see the color changes as they are applied to the small version of your image in the upper-left corner of the screen (see FIG A). . Press the OK button to save the new image under a new file number or the Playback button to cancel.

FIG  – The Color balance retouch screens

7

FIG A – Four Color balance tint variations



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

Small Picture If you want to convert an existing image on your camera’s memory card to a smaller-than-normal size, you can use this function. This is handy when you want to send someone an image over the Internet, display it on a TV or web page, or give someone a small version that can’t be easily enlarged and printed. There are three levels of “smallness” available in the Small picture setting (in pixels): t
x t
x t
x

Here are the steps to make use of the Small picture reduction function: . Press the Menu button and select the Retouch menu. . Select Small picture and then scroll right (see FIG ). . Select Choose size and then scroll to the right. . Select one of the three sizes and then press the OK button. As you can see in FIG , image , I selected x. . The camera returns to the Small picture screen. . Now choose Select image and then scroll to the right (see FIG A, image).

FIG  – The Choose size screens for the Small picture option

7

FIG A – The Select image screens for the Small picture option

Image Overlay

. Use the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button and the Multi Selector to select one or more images to convert to a smaller size. You’ll see a tiny resize box appear in the upper-right corner of the selected images (see where the red arrow is pointing in FIG A, image ). . When you have selected all the images you want to resize, press the OK button. . A screen with the question Create small picture? appears and gives you a Yes/No choice. Choose Yes and press the OK button (see FIG A, image ). .You’ll see an hourglass for a few seconds, and then Image saved appears on the screen. .Next, the newly converted images display in normal playback mode. If you selected multiple images to convert, the playback screen will be showing the last image in the series. Scroll backwards to see all of them. You’ll be able to identify the images converted to small size by the large gray border, the retouch symbol in the upper-left corner, and the small size (e.g., x) listing in the lower-right corner (see FIG A, image ). You cannot zoom into the smaller files the way you can the normal sized ones. Now that you have made the small size conversion, you can plug your memory card into a computer and transfer the smaller files for whatever use you have for them.



Image Overlay Image overlay allows you to overlay two ex-

isting images from your camera’s memory card and then save the overlaid image as a brand-new image with a different image number. Your original images are protected. You can also vary the lightness/ darkness (gain) on each image before overlaying them. According to Nikon, images overlaid in this way are “noticeably better than overlays created in an imaging application”. This particular function only works with NEF (RAW) files. You won’t even be able to see JPEGs in the image selection screen. You’ll need to use multiple screens to overlay the two images. Here’s the procedure: . Press the Menu button and select the Retouch menu. . Select Image overlay and then scroll to the right (see FIG , image ). . You’ll now see the screen that allows you to select the two images you’ll be overlaying. The yellow selection box should be surrounding the Image  area, with the word RAW in a small box (see FIG , image ). . Press the OK button and you will be presented with the NEF (RAW) images on your camera’s memory card (see FIG , image ). If there aren’t any, the camera won’t display anything.

7



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

FIG  – Overlaying two images – selecting the first image

7 FIG A – Overlaying two images – selecting the second image

. Scroll through the available NEF (RAW) images and then press the OK button to select the first image. The image selection screen will appear again. Your selected image will be in the Image  position (see FIG , image ). . Move the yellow selection box to the Image  area with the Multi Selector (see FIG A, image ).

. Press the OK button and you’ll be presented with a display of the NEF (RAW) images on the memory card. . Select a different image this time, unless you want to overlay the same image. Press the OK button to select your second image. The image you select will become the second image in the overlay. You’ll see an unadjusted preview of

Image Overlay



FIG B – Overlaying two images – changing image gain

FIG C – Overlaying two images – previewing and saving the overlay

the overlaid images in the Preview box (see FIG A, image ). . You now have the two images you are going to overlay in their respective Image  and Image  boxes (see FIG B). .You’ll need to select and change the gain on each image (if you want to add this step). Gain affects the image brightness. Notice that below each image, there is an X followed by a number (see where the red arrows are pointing in FIG B). These are gain settings. Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down. You’ll see that you can scroll up to X . or down to X .. While you are scrolling the X-gain numbers, pay attention to what is happening in the Preview box to the far right. As you increase the gain in one of the images, it gets lighter in the preview box. If you decrease

the gain, that image in the preview box gets darker. Use the X-gain function on both Image  and Image  until you have the Preview image looking just the way you want it to look. Use the gain to balance each image’s brightness until they look natural together. .Scroll the yellow selection box to the Preview area. You have two selections available, Overlay and Save (see FIG B, image ). Now, use FIG C as a guide. If you select Overlay and press the OK button, the camera will overlay the image and show you a somewhat larger version of it. You can preview before selecting Overlay by pressing the Playback zoom in button. If you don’t like the looks of the image and want to readjust the gain, simply press the

7



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

FIG D – Overlaying two images – saving the overlay

Thumbnail/playback zoom out button and

the main overlay configuration screen will reappear. The word Preview will have been replaced with Overlay. If you press the OK button (Save) when using the screen in image  of FIG C, please skip step  (next) since the save will take place immediately. (See chapter , FIG B for the locations of the camera controls.)

7

.Once you are happy with the overlaid image, simply scroll to the Save menu item in the new Preview/Overlay section and press the OK button (see FIG D). You’ll see an hourglass, then a screen that says Image saved. The final image will now show with a new image number in normal playback mode. This is the second way to save an overlaid image, only this one does it without an overlay preview.

NEF (RAW) Processing Without using your computer, you can process a RAW file into a JPEG, right in the camera. Why is this different from just shooting an NEF (RAW) + JPEG basic at the same time? (See the section “Image Quality” in the chapter titled Shooting Menu for more details.)

Well, when you shoot a JPEG, all settings are applied to the image immediately—and irreversibly. NEF (RAW) processing gives you an opportunity to take an existing NEF (RAW) file, which has no permanent settings applied, and use it to create whatever type of JPEG you want. It’s an after-the-fact, or postprocessing, method, that Nikon has given us. Conversion from NEF to JPEG with your settings! You can apply the following settings to your new JPEG: t
Image quality t
Image size t
White balance t
Exposure compensation t
Picture Control Let’s look at the screens and steps involved with converting from NEF (RAW) to JPEG in-camera: . Press the Menu button and select the Retouch menu. . Select NEF (RAW) processing and then scroll to the right (see FIG , image ). . Select a RAW image from the list with the Multi Selector, and then press the OK button (see FIG , image ).

NEF (RAW) Processing



FIG  – The NEF (RAW) processing screens

FIG A – The Image quality screens

7 FIG B – The Image size screens

. Select one of the Image quality settings—Fine, Norm, or Basic—from the Image quality selection (see FIG A). Fine gives you the best possible quality in a JPEG image. Select the setting you want to use, and then press the OK button to return to the main NEF (RAW) processing configuration screen.

. Select one of the Image size settings—L (large, x), M (medium, x), or S (small, x)—from the Image size selections (see FIG B). L (large) gives you the biggest possible size in a JPEG image at . megapixels. Select the setting you want to use, and then press the OK button to return to the main NEF (RAW) processing configuration screen.



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

. Select one of the White balance settings for your new JPEG (see FIG C). You can choose from Auto, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Direct sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, or PRE (preset manual from a previous ambient light white balance reading). Please review the section “White Balance” in the chapter titled Shooting Menu for detailed information on each of these selections. As you scroll through the list of settings, you’ll be able to see the color temperature of the image change. Select the setting you want to use, and then press the OK button to return to the main NEF (RAW) processing configuration screen. You can modify the colors of the individual white balance settings for this image by scrolling to the right and changing the value in the color adjustment box.

7 FIG C – The White balance screens

Figure D – The Exposure compensation screens

You’ll see your fine-tuning adjustment change the color temperature of the image. Modifying the color balance of a particular White balance setting is entirely optional. Most have no need to change it and leave the little black square in the middle of the color adjustment box (see FIG C, image ). . Now you have an opportunity to lighten or darken the image by selecting an Exposure compensation value of +/-  stops in either direction (see FIG D). Scroll up or down the list with the Multi Selector and stop when the image looks just right. Then press the OK button to return to the main NEF (RAW) processing configuration screen. As you can see in FIG D, image , I’ve selected + EV steps of Exposure compensation, considerably lightening the image.

NEF (RAW) Processing

. Now you can apply a Nikon Picture Control from the list shown. See the section “Set Picture Control” in the chapter titled Shooting Menu and the subheading for detailed information on these settings. These controls make changes to how the image looks. You can make it more “contrasty”, give it greater or lesser color saturation, or even change it to monochrome. Choose from SD-Standard, NL-Neutral, VI-Vivid, MC-Monochrome, PTPortrait, or LS-Landscape (see FIG E). When the image looks just right, press the OK button to return to the main NEF (RAW) processing configuration screen.



. Now, scroll down to the EXE menu selection and press the OK button (see FIG F). The hourglass will show for a few seconds while the new JPEG is being created with your carefully crafted settings, Image saved will show briefly on the screen, and the new JPEG will be shown in a normal playback screen. This is a convenient way to create specialized JPEG images from NEF (RAW) files without using a computer. How much longer will it be until our cameras come with a keyboard, monitor, and mouse ports? They are computerized after all!

7 FIG E – The Set Picture Control screens

FIG F – Saving the new JPEG



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

FIG  – The Quick retouch screens

Quick Retouch

7

If you want to simply adjust an image so that all parameters are within viewable range, that’s the purpose of this Quick retouch function. It creates a new copy of an existing image with “enhanced saturation and contrast”. D-Lighting is automatically applied to your old image and the new image is supposed to look better. You can scroll up and down in the preview screen to see the range of enhancements that can be applied when the new image is created. Here are the steps: . Press the Menu button and select the Retouch menu. . Select Quick retouch and scroll to the right. . You’ll be presented with the images on your SD memory card that are eligible for a quick retouch. . Use the Multi Selector to scroll to an image you want to retouch, and press the OK button to select it. . Use the Multi Selector to scroll up or down, selecting High, Normal, or Low. You can preview the effect of your changes on the image by looking at the before and after images (see FIG , image ). I chose Normal.

. Press the OK button when you’re satisfied with the look (see the red arrow in image ). The new image will be created and shown to you in the playback window.

Color Outline Have you ever wanted to convert one of your images to a cartoon or a line drawing? This retouch setting is fun to use, providing an interesting outline effect on the distinct lines or color changes in your image. FIG  shows an original image and the image after Color outline was applied. You can convert the image to a color outline, open it in Photoshop, and use the fill functions to add cartoon colors between the lines. Or you can postprocess it into a fine-art line tracing. This is an unusual functionality and shows the direction that our highly computerized cameras are going. They have computer power built in, so why not make use of that power in new and fun ways? Here are the steps used to set Color outline (FIG A): . Press the Menu button and select the Retouch menu.

Color Outline



FIG  – Color outline – original and conversion

7 FIG A – Color outline setup

. Select Color outline and scroll to the right. . Choose an image from the list of thumbnails (see FIG A, image ). Press the OK button and the conversion to outline form will take place.

. Press the OK button (red arrow) again to save or the Playback button to cancel (see FIG A, image ). This setting gives us the opportunity to be creative and have some fun with our images. I’m going to use Color outline often!



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

Miniature Effect This is a unusual new effect that allows you to create a reverse diorama. A diorama is a small D model made to look like the real thing. You may have seen a city diorama, where there are tiny detailed houses and cars, and even people figures. A diorama is often used to make a lowbudget movie when the cost would be too high to use real parts. The reason that I call it a reverse diorama is that the camera takes an image that you have shot and uses a very narrow band of sharpness with very shallow depth of field to make it appear to be a diorama when it is actually real. In FIG  is a sample Miniature effect image I took while overlooking a train depot from a bridge over the tracks. It’s best to shoot this type of image from on high so that it looks like a real miniature (see).

7

FIG  – Miniature effect reverse diorama

The camera added lots of extra saturation to the image to make the train cars look unreal. Notice how there is a band of sharpness running horizontally across the middle of the image? That very shallow depth of field in a full-sized image makes it look fake. We normally would see depth of field that narrow only when shooting a close-up or macro shot. Here are steps to create your own Miniature effect reverse diorama (see FIG A): . Press the Menu button and select the Retouch menu. . Select Miniature effect and scroll to the right (see FIG A, image ). . Choose an image shot from above that would make a good reverse diorama and press the OK button (see FIG A, image ). . Notice the red arrow in FIG A, image ? It is pointing at the yellow outline

Stop-Motion Movie



FIG A – Miniature effect implemented

of the horizontal band of sharpness. You can move this up or down on the screen until you’ve found the optimum place to put the sharpness. Everything receding from the band gets gradually blurrier. If you are shooting a vertical image, the band will be reversed—vertical instead of horizontal. Move the band until it is positioned where you think best, then press the OK button (Save). . You will now see the new Miniature effect image in a normal playback screen (see FIG A, image ). It is saved under a brand new file number on your memory card.

Stop-Motion Movie Stop-motion is an animation technique used for moving inanimate objects a short distance between frames so that when all the frames are replayed, the object seems to move on its own. The way it works is similar to a normal movie except the frame rate is a lot slower. Where a normal video records and is played back at  frames per second, a stop-motion movie can be created at frame rates from  to  frames per second, with a limitation of  frames in a segment. I suppose you could make a full-length animation movie by assembling  frame segments into a larger group.

7



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

FIG  – Assembling a stop-motion movie

FIG A – Selecting a frame size

7

FIG B – Selecting a frame rate

FIG C – Selecting the first and last frames

Stop-Motion Movie

FIG  shows the initial screens you use to assemble the stop-motion frames into a short movie. Here are the steps: . Shoot a series of controlled images in sequence. You can shoot up to  images to include in the movie. Make sure they are still on the camera’s memory card. . Press the Menu button and select the Retouch menu. . Select Stop-motion movie and scroll to the right. . Select Frame size from the menu and scroll to the right. Choose one of the frame sizes (x, x, or x) and press the OK button (see FIG A). . Select Frame rate from the menu and scroll to the right. Choose a frame rate from one of the available rates (, , , or  fps) and press the OK button (see FIG B). . Select Create movie to select the first and last frame in the stop-motion movie. If you choose the last image first and the first image last, the movie will play backwards. You can see the Starting image screen in Figure C, image  and the End image screen in image  (see red arrows). Select the start and end frames. . Choose to edit or save the selected image order. If you choose Edit, when you are done, select Save and press the OK button (see FIG D). . There are four ways to edit a movie, as shown in FIG E. Each of them merely lets you change the order of things within a not-yet-saved movie. If you choose Starting or End image, you can



FIG D – Editing or saving the movie

FIG E – Edit menu functions

move that image forward or backward in the movie’s total frames, thereby shortening or lengthening the movie. Middle image is a little different. You can use it to remove frames from the middle of the movie, one frame at a time. After selecting Middle image, use the Multi Selector to scroll left or right within the frames of your movie. To remove (or re-add) a frame, simply press the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button. A small check mark will appear or disappear on the top left of the frame you have highlighted as you press the Thumbnail/playback zoom out button. If the check mark is removed, that frame is deleted from the movie.

7



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

. You’ll now see the Create movie menu from which you can choose Save, Preview, Frame rate, or Edit (see FIG F). t
Save – If you select Save, you’ll see a screen that says Creating stopmotion movie. Once it has finished, your new movie will be displayed in a playback screen. Press the OK button to view the movie. t
Preview – If you select Preview, you’ll see a different screen with the words Creating preview as the movie is assembled. Then the preview movie will play immediately. Afterward, the Create movie screen reappears. t
Frame rate – If you choose Frame rate, you can change the number of frames per second that will display in your

7 FIG F – Final Save/Edit screen

FIG G – Movie being created and ready to be played

stop-motion movie. Your choices are , , , or  frames per second. t
Edit – Choosing Edit takes you to the Edit screen (see FIG E). You can choose to edit the Starting, Middle, or End image. Editing the Starting image allows you to change which image begins the series. Editing Middle images allows you to deselect any of the images in the middle with the Multi Selector, thereby removing them from the movie. Editing the End image allows you to select a different final image for the movie. Everything between the first and last image that has not been deselected will play when you press Preview, or you can choose Save to save it for later playing.

Before and After

The screen shown in FIG E appears if you select Edit in the screen shown in FIG D. This is a screen that allows you to modify things during the creation of the movie. Nikon also gives you a final chance to preview or save your image if you select Save, as shown in FIG F, image , while image  shows the final Create movie Save/ Edit screen. You can use this screen to make last-minute tweaks and changes to the format of the movie, and then you can preview it and do the final save. .Now, select Save and press the OK button. You’ll see two final screens, one of which is the movie being created and then the actual movie itself, ready to be played (see FIG G). .Once you’ve saved your movie, you can play it at any time on your camera (see FIG G, image , red arrow) or your TV via the V-Out connector, or you can transfer it to your computer for playing there. At  fps, it can resemble a really fast slide show, while at  fps it is almost a very short full movie.

FIG  – Before and after screens



Before and After Now that you’ve learned to use all these new tools for image adjustment, you may find yourself wanting to view an original image and its retouched image side by side. You can enjoy a before and after view of the two images. This particular side-by-side comparison function is not available on the Retouch menu by selecting it directly. The only way to get to it is to view an original version of an image that has been retouched, or the retouched version itself in the normal playback window, and then press the OK button. One of the menu selections you’ll find is Before and after, which is at the bottom of the available selections (see FIG , image ). Let’s look at what the Before and after function does for us. Here are the steps (see FIG ): . Using the normal image playback system, find an image that has been retouched. You can tell when you’ve found one because it will have a small square in the upper-left corner with a brush and pallet.

7



Retouch and Recent Settings Menus

. Press the OK button to open up the special retouch image menu. . Scroll down until you find the Before and after selection, and then press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with an informational side-by-side view of the original and retouched image so that you can compare them.

7

If you happen to be looking at an image that was created from an overlay, then it has two source files. It will show one of the originals along with the retouched version. You can select the first original and then scroll up or down with the Multi Selector to see the other original. The side-by-side comparison will not work if the original has been deleted from the memory card. If the original image has multiple retouched versions, you will see tiny up or down arrows at the top or bottom of the second comparison window (see FIG , image ). You can scroll up or down with the Multi Selector to see all the retouched versions that came from the original image.

Section 2 – Recent Settings The Recent Settings menu is very simple. It is a menu that remembers the last  distinct changes you’ve made to your D camera’s settings. Each setting you changed is stored in a temporary menu called Recent Settings (see FIG ). If you change something in your camera that is not already on the Recent Settings menu, it will be added to the menu; if there is no room left, it will replace the oldest (or least recent) change. This can be a convenient way to find something you’ve changed recently but have trouble remembering where it is on the main menu systems. FIG  shows only seven of the most recent changes. As you scroll down in the menu, you’ll find up to  total. If you’ve not made  changes, then there will be fewer than  on the menu. Check this menu for functions you change a lot, and I’m sure you’ll find the functions there.

FIG  – Recent settings menu

My Conclusions



My Conclusions Whew! The D is surely a complicated little beast. I guess that’s the price of putting advanced functionality in a small DSLR body. Complex as it is though, it’s not very hard to use. In fact, due to its small size, it’s a great “carry-with-meeverywhere” camera. This chapter marks the end of the chapters devoted to step-by-step configuration of the camera, and now we’ll move into more advanced usage of the camera. We’ll discuss some photography basics for those who may be moving into the DSLR world for the first time. Then we’ll tie all these hundreds of functions together in several chapters discussing the application of the various settings. My goal is to help you master your camera, not just in the sense of knowing how to change a setting, or how to use that setting, but instead how to use the entire camera and its lenses to create the best photographs you’ve ever made. By becoming an owner of this powerful little DSLR camera, you’ve moved into the world of passionate photographers. Your images clearly mean more to you than the average person since you invested in superior equipment with advanced capability. Now when you show a beautiful image that you’ve made to friends or family you’ll be able to say, “It didn’t just turn out this way. I intentionally made this picture look this way”.

7



Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length

Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length

8

Understanding the Camera’s Aperture

With its excellent Guide Mode, the Nikon D allow s you to take great pictures without understanding how the aperture and shutter speed works. You can simply select either aperture priority or shutter priority or just go fully automatic and the camera has you covered. So why have I included a chapter devoted to this subject? Many D owners are interested in going beyond basic photography. Previously, they might have been using a camera with fewer features or even a point-and-shoot model. The D is a more powerful camera in that it provides a much finer degree of control over the final look of the image. You don’t have to learn the information in this chapter to take great pictures with the D, but you’ll make yourself a better photographer if you do. Even if you feel that you understand the concepts well enough, why not do a quick review? Maybe you’ll learn something helpful. The relationship between the aperture and shutter speed seems to be a difficult thing to understand for quite a few photographers. Yet, it’s one of the most important concepts to understand since it affects how an image looks in a major way. You can achieve certain effects by understanding the shutter speed and aperture relationship that you would have a hard time achieving in any other way. In this chapter, we’ll look at the aperture and shutter speed settings in a comprehensive way. Then, we’ll explore how the relationship between the two settings changes the appearance of an image. Finally, we’ll consider how the



various focal lengths of your kit lens change the perspective of the image.

Understanding the Camera’s Aperture You’ve probably read about or seen what’s called a pinhole camera. A few years back many people liked to experiment with them for fun and education. All one needed was a box or tube, a piece of film, and a pinhole to use instead of a lens. The concept involves going into a darkroom, fastening a piece of film on an inside wall of a light-tight box, and pricking a tiny pinhole in the opposite wall of the box. This will later allow light to shine through the pinhole onto the film on the opposite side. To use the pinhole camera, you temporarily cover the pinhole, take the box out into the sunlight, place it in front of an interesting scene, uncover the pinhole, and leave for a while. When you return, you cover the pinhole, go into the darkroom, cut the box open, and develop the film. If your pinhole was the right size for the amount of time the light was shining on the film through the pinhole, then you’ll have a nice image taken in a very basic way. If you guessed wrong about the amount of time you let the light shine through the pinhole onto the film, the image will be either over- or underexposed. It seems a lot easier to use your D instead of a pinhole camera, doesn’t it? While it might be fun to use a pinhole camera a few times, it certainly wouldn’t allow you to take the wide range of beautiful images you’ve been getting from your complex digital camera.

8



Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length

However, the D works in a similar way. The difference is variability. You can vary the size of the “pinhole” with the D. With the pinhole camera, if you wanted to leave the box out in the sun for a longer period, you’d make a very small pinhole so only a little light shines on the film. If you wanted to leave the box out in the sun for a shorter period, you’d make the pinhole bigger so that more light would hit the film. That’s the concept of an aperture. It’s basically a variably sized pinhole, and you or the camera can choose that size. Instead of a hole in a box with film taped to one wall, you have a light-tight camera “box” that has a lens with aperture blades that allow you to vary the size of the pinhole. Instead of shining light on a piece of film, you have a digital sensor.

8

FIG  - Aperture variability

FIG  shows a sample of lenses with the aperture blades set to various aperture sizes. You are looking at the business end of the lens, which would normally be pointed at the subject. If you look at the front of your lens, with the lens cap off, you’ll see the actual maximum aperture of your camera. Hold your D so that you can look from the front of your lens from about half an arm’s length away. Make sure something bright is behind the eyepiece on the back of the camera. You can actually see through the front of your lens, right through the rear eyepiece of the camera. It’s sort of like the time you looked through a pair of binoculars backwards when you were a child. Everything was small and distant, but you could see things. The hole you see behind the glass of the lens is the biggest opening—or

What Is an Aperture Number

largest pinhole—that your D can use with the particular lens mounted on the camera. Basically, the opening in the lens is your camera’s “aperture”.

How Does the Aperture Work? – An Experiment Go to an area bright enough that your D will not need to use the pop-up Speedlight flash. It’s best, for this experiment, that you go outside so that there’s a lot of light. Set your camera’s Mode dial on top to AUTO (with the green camera icon). Now, I want you to take a picture of your face from an arm’s length away. You can keep the picture as an example of how you look while concentrating. While you take the picture, pay careful attention to the aperture opening you saw earlier. If the light is bright enough, you will see the D do something quite interesting. At the moment the picture is taken, the camera meters the light and adjusts the aperture size by moving a series of blades to form the aperture opening (see FIG ). You will see the aperture size change very briefly as the picture is being taken. If there’s a lot of light outside, the opening will appear to get darker and smaller very briefly.

FIG A - Shutter speed and aperture settings



This aperture opening can be changed from large to small so that the amount of light passing through the lens can be accurately adjusted for a correct exposure. The size of the opening chosen by either you in a manual mode or the camera in automatic modes is referred to with an aperture number.

What Is an Aperture Number? If you look through the eyepiece of your D, you can see the shutter speed and aperture setting shown on the lower-left side of the viewfinder screen (see FIG A, image , red arrows). You’ll see something like  f or  f. displayed. The number on the left is the shutter speed, and on the right is the aperture setting. You’ll also see these same characters displayed in the middle of the Information screen (see FIG A, image , red arrows). In FIG A you’ll see the two different screen views; the first shows the viewfinder screen and the second shows the Information screen. Both show settings of /s at f/.. We’ll look at the shutter speed in the next major section of this chapter. For now, let’s examine the aperture

8



Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length

numbering system. This system has evolved through many generations to standardize on what we now commonly refer to as f-stops or f-numbers. The f comes from terms such as focal length and focal ratio. The usual method for referring to a specific aperture setting like the one in FIG A is f/. or F.. If you bought the “kit” version of the Nikon D, you will have received the AF-S Nikkor -mm f/.-.G VR zoom lens with your camera body. You may have chosen a different lens or already had some lenses when you bought your D. However, for this chapter we’ll assume that the -mm is the lens on your camera. Let’s talk about aperture numbers for that lens. There are specialty lenses out there with aperture settings outside the normal range you are most likely to use. Most of us will have lenses with apertures that run from about f/. to f/. The AF-S Nikkor -mm f/.-. has a range of aperture openings varying between f/. to f/, although it can actually go all the way down to f/ when fully zoomed out. What does this mean?

8

FIG B - Aperture settings f/., f/., and f/

Since it is easier to understand this by seeing an example, let’s look at some aperture openings. In FIG B you’ll see a mm f/. lens set to a large aperture of f/., a medium aperture of f/., and a small aperture of f/. The aperture number works backwards from what many expect. A big number means a small aperture opening. A small number means a big aperture opening. Notice in FIG B how f/. is a big hole compared to f/’s small hole. The big aperture opening of f/. allows a lot of light into the camera, while the small aperture opening of f/ passes less light in.

Using Older Lenses with an Aperture Ring Moving from a large aperture opening to a smaller aperture opening is called “stopping down”. The word “stop” comes from the time when we had aperture rings on virtually all our lenses instead of only a few. As you turned the aperture ring, you would feel a click, or a stopping point, for each aperture setting. Moving the ring one stop meant moving between these click points by one click. In older lenses,

Using the Camera’s Aperture

each click stop is equal to  EV (Exposure Value). of light transmission—and would modify the brightness by either half or double, according to the direction you turned the ring. Newer manual-use lenses generally have finer control with / and  EV click stops as well. In FIG C, image , you can see the aperture adjustment ring on my AF Nikkor -mm f/-. lens, which is designed for use on old and new cameras. In image , the large arrow points to the aperture ring, while the small arrow points to the ring lock. FIG C, image , shows a G Nikkor lens (like your -mm kit lens), which has no external aperture ring. Most lenses produced today are G-type lenses with no aperture adjustment rings since we use the Command dial to adjust aperture. If you have an older lens with an aperture ring, you need to set and lock it to its smallest aperture, like f/, if you want to adjust the aperture using the Command dial. If you don’t lock it to the smallest aperture setting on the lens, your D will not be able to meter properly. Look at your lens, and if it doesn’t have an aperture adjustment ring, as shown



in image  of FIG C, you don’t have to worry about locking it. Yours probably doesn’t have an external aperture adjustment ring, as in FIG C, image . Now, let’s get back to aperture information.

Using the Camera’s Aperture The amount of light entering the camera is measured in stops, or EV steps. An aperture opening of f/ is one “stop” down from aperture opening f/.. An aperture of f/ lets in one stop ( EV step) less light than f/., which simply means that f/ transmits one half as much light as f/.. So,  EV step (or one stop) is simply a value with one half or twice as much light as the previous step. It’s according to which direction you are changing the aperture opening. One stop up allows in twice as much light. One stop down reduces the light by half. FIG B shows the lens “stopping down” from f/. to f/., then to f/. With the -mm kit lens, the aperture can only be smaller than f/ when it is zoomed out past the lens’s wideangle setting. At mm, it can go down to f/, at mm to f/, and at  mm or longer down to f/. This will vary for

FIG C - Manual aperture ring with lock, and G lens with no aperture ring

8



Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length

F-Stops The F-Stops for your AF-S Nikkor -mm f/.-. Lens When you “stop down” from a large aperture to a smaller aperture, you do so in EV steps, or stops. Here is an aperture number list of f-stops for the AF-S Nikkor mm f/.-. lens in / EV steps. In / EV step (/ of a full stop) changing from a big aperture (large opening) to small aperture (small opening): t
f/., f/, f/., f/, f/., f/., f/., f/, f/, f/, f/, f/, f/, f/, f/, f/, f/, f/, f/, f/, f/

The Basic Rule on Apertures The basic thing to learn and remember about the aperture on your Nikon D is that the aperture controls the amount of light (how much) entering the lens during an exposure. In an upcoming section I’ll also discuss the shutter speed, which allows you to control the other side of the issue; how long the light is allowed to enter the camera.

8

each lens you put on the camera. The “normal” aperture range for most lenses you’ll use runs from f/. to f/. The lens has apertures smaller than f/ because the longer the focal length, or millimeter (mm) setting you zoom a lens to, the farther the light has to travel to get to the sensor. There is a considerable amount of “light falloff ” as the lens length increases.

Each step in the aperture number list lets in either less light or more light, according to which direction you are moving in the list. When you are using A–Aperture priority or M–Manual exposure mode, as discussed the chapter Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram, you’ll be able to control the aperture with the Command dial on your camera. Remember that you can buy other lenses that will have a larger maximum aperture, such as Nikon’s professionallevel AF-S Nikkor -mm f/. lens. They cost more than the D itself, often significantly more. What do you get for your money? A bigger maximum aperture that lets in more light for low-light shooting, along with premium lens glass and a more robust lens build (much less plastic).

Understanding Depth of Field Depth of field (DOF) is one of those things that confuses a lot of new DSLR users. Yet, it is very important! The aperture opening controls the depth of field, or range of sharp focus (depth of focus) in your images. I’m going to attempt to explain this concept with pictures. Let’s say you are taking a picture of a friend who is standing  feet ( meters) away from you. About  feet behind your friend is another person. There is also a third person standing about  feet behind the second person. Three people total, each about  feet apart, with the friend in front (see FIG ).

Understanding Depth of Field



FIG  - Three kids at f/. aperture – shallow depth of field

You are shooting with a mm f/. lens. You focus on your friend’s face, the young lady in red, and take a picture. It looks like the image in FIG . Notice in the picture in FIG  that your friend (in red) is sharp since the focus is on her face. The girl standing behind her, to the right, is not in focus, nor is the young lad even farther away to the left. This is the result of shooting with a big aperture. An aperture of f/. is a big opening in the aperture blades of your lens. A large aperture opening causes the depth of field, or zone of sharp focus, to be shallow. Only the girl in front is in focus at f/.. Not much else is in focus, so there is very little depth of field. The depth of field in this picture is rather shallow, probably something like . feet (.m).

So what would happen if we made the aperture opening smaller, or “stopped down”, to a medium aperture like f/? The picture in FIG A shows what that will do to the depth of field. In FIG , the camera is focused on the young lady in front, and at the large aperture opening of f/. the others were out of focus. In FIG A, without changing the focus in any way, you adjusted your aperture (stopped down) to f/. Something changed! Notice, in FIG A, how the girl in front still looks sharp, but now the girl to the right looks sharp too. You focused your camera on the girl in front, but now the girl to the right is in the zone of sharp focus, even though you didn’t change your focus point on the first girl’s face. The depth of field, or zone of sharp focus,

8



Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length

FIG A – Three kids at f/ aperture – medium depth of field

8

FIG B - Three kids at f/ aperture – deep depth of field

Effect of Focal Length on Depth of Field

now extends past the girl in front and covers the girl in back. It got deeper. However, notice that the boy to the left is still not in focus. The background is not in focus either. The depth of field is deeper, but it’s still not deep enough to cover all your subjects. This image is the result of a medium aperture opening (f/), not large (f/.) and not small (f/). Now, let’s consider what happens if we “stop down,” or close the aperture to a small opening like f/. Aha! Now everything in the picture is sharp. In FIG B, you can see that an aperture as small as f/ makes it easy to get sharp focus. Remember, you focused on the girl in front in all these pictures. At first only the girl in red was in focus

Apertures In Review F/. is an aperture number. An aperture is simply an opening in your lens controlled by blades. It lets light come in through the lens to expose your D’s sensor. You normally can’t see the aperture when you look in the front of your lens since your D allows you to focus with the aperture blades wide open and out of the way. The aperture closes down to its selected setting when you fully press the shutter release button to take your picture. Basic exposure rule: Aperture = How much light passes through your lens. Shutter speed = How long the light passes through your lens.



(f/.), and as the aperture got smaller, more and more of the surroundings came into sharp focus (f/ and f/). So, depth of field is simply the zone of sharp focus. It extends in front of and behind your focused subject and gets deeper in both directions, toward the camera and away from it, as you “stop down” your lens. If you set your camera to A–Aperture priority or M–Manual mode, you can adjust this powerful functionality to control what is in focus in your pictures.

Effect of Focal Length on Depth of Field One other issue to consider is how the focal length of a lens affects depth of field. When you use a wide-angle zoom setting on your D’s lens—such as an  mm—you have significantly more depth of field available. A wide-angle lens is considered a “short” focal length. The shorter the focal length, the greater the potential depth of field. If you are using a “longer” lens, such as a short telephoto setting of  mm, which reaches out and pulls a subject in closer, the depth of field that’s available will be considerably more shallow. Longer lenses, because they compress perspective, have a smaller zone of sharp focus. So, if you are interested in maximum depth of field, use the shortest focal length that will cover the subject. Now, let’s move on to a detailed discussion of the shutter speed and how it works.

8



Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length

The Low Down on Fast Lenses You may have heard of a certain lens being a “fast lens” or heard a lens disparagingly called a “slow” lens. Fast or slow means how large the maximum aperture size is. A fast lens will have a large maximum aperture like f/., f/., or f/., while a slower lens might have a maximum aperture of f/., f/, or f/.. In the lens world, the larger the maximum aperture, the faster the lens and greater the cost. The AF-S Nikkor -mm f/.-. kit lens included with the D is a mediumspeed lens.

Understanding the Camera’s Shutter Speed

8

While the camera’s aperture is concerned with how much light gets to the image sensor, the shutter speed is concerned with how long the light shines on the sensor. What does shutter speed do for an image? It allows you to control movement. A fast shutter speed stops action, while a slow shutter speed blurs movement. In FIG , we see a small waterfall. The water in the “Fast Shutter” image looks agitated and frozen. It was taken using

FIG  - Fast and slow shutter speeds compared

Available Shutter Speeds for your D Here is a list of the shutter speeds available in your D (fastest speed is / of a second, slowest speed is  seconds). / EV step (/ of a full stop), changing from fast shutter speed to a slow shutter speed (s = second): /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /s, /.s, /s, /.s, /.s, s, .s, .s, s, .s, s, s, s, s, s, s, s, s, s, s, s

a shutter speed of / of a second (/s). Now look at the “Slow Shutter” picture. The water seems to be flowing and has a smooth, more natural appearance. It was taken using a half of a second (/s) shutter speed. I was shooting from a tripod when I took these pictures, so the rock looks about the same in both images. The slower shutter speed is more

Understanding the Camera’s Shutter Speed



FIG A - Handheld at / of a second. Use a tripod instead!

appropriate for this type of image. It makes the water look more natural and appear to be flowing, which is what your eye expects. Sometimes, we want to blur movement, sometimes we want to freeze it, according to our subject. Primarily, we use shutter speed to control movement, including camera shake. If you try to handhold your camera at shutter speeds below /s, you may get images that look like the one in FIG A, taken with a shutter speed of /s. If you want sharp pictures when you are handholding a camera, you must keep the shutter speed above a minimum number that varies with the steadiness of a person. Most people can handhold a camera and create a relatively sharp image at / of a second (/s). Some can’t! You’ll have to try it yourself to see

what your limit is. Below those speeds, you must do this: t
Hold your elbows against your body with your camera at your eye, stand with one foot in front of the other, and several inches apart. (You are steadying yourself.) t
Brace yourself against something like a tree or post. t
Use a tripod or monopod. Using a tripod is the preferable method of dealing with slow shutter speed camera shake. This is especially true when using telephoto lenses, which magnify camera shake greatly while pulling in distant subjects. If you are taking pictures of a car race, birds flying, or people moving quickly, you’ll need to use a faster shutter speed to stop the action. FIG B shows a young

8



Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length

FIG B - Fast shutter speed stops action! (Image © by Kristian Sekulic.)

8

woman leaping gracefully into the air. There is no blur or apparent movement in the woman’s image. This was accomplished by using a fast shutter speed of at least /s. If you plan to shoot sports or anything with quickly moving subjects, you’ll need to control the shutter speed. If you set your camera’s Mode dial to Shutterpriority auto (S) or Manual (M) mode, you can adjust this powerful functionality to control movement in your pictures. When you are using Shutter-priority auto or Manual exposure mode, you’ll control the shutter speed by turning the Command dial. Shutter speed is controlled by turning the Command dial alone, while aperture is controlled by turning the Command dial

while holding down the Exposure compensation button. These issues are discussed more fully in the chapter Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram. In this chapter, you’re just learning about how aperture and shutter speed relate to each other. Later we’ll talk about how to use the camera controls in greater detail.

Shutter Speed in Review A camera’s shutter speed is primarily used to keep a moving subject sharp (jumping woman) or to allow it to show motion blur (flowing water). Handholding a camera at slow shutter speeds can lead to blurry pictures. Use a tripod for the sharpest images!

Using the Aperture and Shutter Speed Together for Great Pictures



FIG C - Flying bird stopped with fast shutter speed.

Using the Aperture and Shutter Speed Together for Great Pictures While the camera’s aperture is concerned with how much light gets to the image sensor, the shutter speed is concerned with how long the light shines on the sensor. You must understand how to control both depth of field (aperture) and subject movement (shutter speed) in your pictures. Which is most important? That varies with the type of subject you are shooting. Let’s say you are taking a picture of a bird flying through the air (see FIG C) and you want the entire bird to be in sharp focus, including its eye, body, and both wings if possible. You need enough depth of field to be able to focus on the bird’s eye while still getting the rest of him in the zone of sharp focus. You could set a small aperture, which you know will give you a nice deep depth of field so that the whole bird is in focus. However, when

you use a small aperture for deep depth of field, the opening the aperture blades form is rather small, and not much light gets into the camera. So, to compensate you’ll need to let the light come in for a longer time period, which means using a slower shutter speed. Unfortunately, a slow shutter speed means the bird will blur as it flies through the air. You’ve got yourself a real quandary! How can you balance your need for stopping action (a fast shutter speed) with your need to keep all parts of your subject in focus (a small aperture)? Great question! Let’s find an answer. Now, let’s say you are taking a picture of a beautiful scenic view of the mountains. You need deep depth of field to cover the distance from up close to out past the mountain ridges, which requires using a small aperture. You also want to keep the wind from blowing the tree

8



8

Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length

limbs and blurring them, so you want a faster shutter speed. This quandary is what makes photography a learned skill. We are always balancing our need for depth of field with our need to stop motion. When there’s a lot of light, as on a bright sunny day, there may be enough light to have a small aperture and a fast shutter speed, which gives us deep depth of field and stop motion capability. However, if there is less light on our subject, we can’t have both. We can artificially make our cameras more sensitive to light by raising the ISO sensitivity setting of the sensor. In the old days we called it “film speed”. That can be helpful, but when we take our camera much above the native ISO sensitivity ( ISO), we start introducing digital artifacts called noise into our picture. We had the same results with very high speed films and we called it “grain”. High ISO sensitivity can create so much noise that our image is no longer very nice. So, higher ISO sensitivity is only used in an emergency when the shot must be acquired at all costs. What we have to learn to do is to balance your shutter speed and aperture according to the most important thing we are trying to accomplish. What do you think is more important in our flying bird example (FIG C)? Should every part of the bird be in critical focus, or do we want to stop the motion of the bird flying through the air? Clearly, if the bird is blurry from movement, it doesn’t matter if we have good focus and depth of field, does it? In the bird example, therefore, the most important thing is a fast shutter speed. We have to use whatever shutter speed will stop the bird’s movement, even

if we have to sacrifice some of our depth of field. In other words, we’ll need to open the aperture to let enough light in so that we can limit the time the light comes in. We need a fast shutter speed because that limits the time and can stop action. In our mountain scene example, the mountain is not moving very fast, is it? So, the most important thing in that picture is that we have as much depth of field as possible. We want everything from the foreground all the way out to the far distance to be in good focus. We have to use a small aperture for depth of field— letting in less light—which means our shutter speed must be slower to let the light come in longer. We still want a shutter speed fast enough to keep the limbs from blowing, but that’s not as important overall as the deep depth of field. So that you can enjoy your pictures, they must be exposed properly in the first place. So you’ll have to learn how to balance aperture and shutter speed to get a proper exposure while still capturing the image in the best way for the subject. Let’s discuss how a correct exposure is made by using a combination of aperture and shutter speed. We’ll use an imaginary scale of light called “units”. In FIG  you see a test image with three exposures of the same subject. The first exposure is underexposed (too dark), the second exposure is just right, and the third exposure is overexposed (too light). The picture with  units is correctly exposed, while the other two are not. How can we get a good “ unit” exposure and make sure we have good depth of field and movement control? We put our camera in Manual exposure mode and focus on the scene. The light

Using the Aperture and Shutter Speed Together for Great Pictures



FIG  - Imaginary units of light

meter reports that to get  units of light, we need a shutter speed of /s at an aperture of f/. Now think about this a minute. At f/, a big aperture, we will have very little depth of field. For sure, the limbs blowing in the wind will be stopped since the shutter speed is so fast at /s, but the depth of field will be so shallow that our mountains in the distance will not be in focus. Let me show you a series of exposure amounts that all give us exactly  of our imaginary “units” of light. t
Exposure amount : /s at f/ t
Exposure amount : /s at f/ t
Exposure amount : /s at f/ t
Exposure amount : /s at f/ Our light meter tells us that our current setting (/s at f) gives us a good exposure, but we want more depth of field for a good distant focus. What can we do? We can select one of the other exposure amounts in our list, with a better aperture for our needs. Which is best? Well, exposure amount  (aperture f/) will not work because the depth of field is too shallow. Exposure amount  (aperture f/) is better but only marginally so. Exposure amount  (aperture f/) is getting much better, but since our distance is so great, it still may not provide deep enough depth of field to

reach all the way out to infinity while keeping the foreground sharp too. It looks like our solution is to use exposure amount  (aperture f/), which gives us a good aperture for deep depth of field, and should cover our scene well. However, the shutter speed is so slow at / of a second that we will blur the image from camera movement if we try to handhold the camera while taking the picture. What’s our solution? One of the following: t
Go ahead and use exposure amount  (aperture f/) because it provides good depth of field. However, at / of a second, it’s hard to get a sharp image due to camera shake, so you’ll have to be very careful and brace yourself. t
Put your camera on a tripod and use the best value—exposure amount , (aperture f/)—to keep the image sharp from foreground to distant mountains. It is nearly impossible to get a sharp handheld image at a shutter speed of / of a second, so we must use a tripod at speeds this slow! (See FIG A.) The whole point of inventing this imaginary “ units of light” exposure system is to show you that you can arrive at a correct exposure using combinations of different aperture and shutter speed settings. In the real world, there are no “units” of

8



Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length

light, just a correct or incorrect exposure. Our imaginary “ units of light” simply represents a correct exposure. A setting of /s at f/ gives the image a correct exposure. /s at f/ provides exactly the same amount of light for a great exposure, and /s at f/ is best for the mountain scene because the f/ aperture gives so much depth of field and deep focus from foreground to infinity.

A Little More Exposure Detail

8

Let’s play with our exposure amounts for a bit until this makes sense. I’ll explain why /s at f/ and /s at f/ are exactly the same amount of exposure, and why either one will give a “ unit” wellexposed picture, like the second image in FIG . Here’s why I used the imaginary units of light—to represent how light or exposure is cut in half or doubled by either the aperture or shutter speed. If /s at f/ lets in  units of light, how many units would /s at f/ let in? Remember, when the aperture number gets bigger, the aperture opening gets smaller. Since f/ is one half the aperture size of f/, it will let in only one half as much light. Therefore, /s at f/ would then give us only  units of light—or half of what’s needed—and our exposure would be dark, as in FIG ’s underexposed “ unit” picture. t
/s at f/ =  units t
/s at f/ =  units (aperture is half the size, so lets in half as much light) The exposure above uses the same shutter speed, but the second exposure has an aperture half the size and lets in only  units or, half as much light. How

can we compensate so that we get back to  units of light without changing our aperture? We’ll have to change the shutter speed too! Since we’ve cut our light in half by using a smaller aperture opening, what would happen if we held the smaller aperture open for twice as long? Aha! Holding the half-sized f/ aperture open for twice as long—/ of a second—gives us exactly the same amount of light as an aperture opening of f/ at / of a second. / of a second is twice as much time as / of a second. So, /s at f/ is half the light let into the camera for double the time, an equivalent exposure. t
/s at f/ =  units t
/s at f/ =  units (aperture half sized, shutter speed twice the time) In other words, we’ve changed it so that our shutter speed is twice as long. Why? Since the aperture is half the size, we must allow more time for the light to come into the camera by increasing the length of time the shutter is open. We double the time the shutter is open, putting light through the half-sized f/ aperture for twice as long. That gives us our imaginary  units of light, or a correct exposure.

General Shutter Speed/Aperture Exposure Rule To arrive at a similar exposure equivalency, you have to first use the light meter to get a correct exposure reading. Then you think about what the aperture/shutter speed combination will give you. Do you need a faster shutter speed to control motion? Do you need a smaller aperture

Aperture and Shutter Speed Chart

to have more depth of field? Only you can make those decisions. The camera just suggests a combination that will give you a correct exposure, nothing more, unless you are using Auto exposure mode or one of the Scene modes, which makes the camera decide for you. Here’s a general rule for those using exposure modes A, S, or M (on the Mode dial): . Get an accurate meter reading. (Use the camera’s histogram readout too.) . Decide whether you need an aperture or shutter speed that differs from what the meter recommends. You might want more or less depth of field (aperture) or want to stop or blur motion (shutter speed). . Let’s say the camera suggested /s at f/ for a good exposure, but you want a faster shutter speed to stop action. If you select a shutter speed one step faster, or /s, which cuts the exposure to the sensor by half, you must open the aperture to let in more light. In other words, if you set the shutter speed one step higher (removes light), you’ll need to open the aperture one step larger too (adds light). So if your original exposure was /s at f/ and you select /s instead, simply open the aperture to f/. and you get the same amount of exposure. That is, by increasing your shutter speed by one step, you cut the time the light comes into the camera by half, so there is only half as much light that gets to the sensor. To compensate, you open the aperture to twice the previous size so that twice as



much light shines on the sensor. You have the exact same exposure with a different combination of aperture/ shutter speed: /s at f/ equals /s at f/.. . Likewise, if you wanted more depth of field than the metered amount of /s at f/ would allow, you could close the aperture to the smaller size of f/ (stop down). The aperture f/ lets in exactly half as much light as f/. So, your exposure is exactly one half of the suggested good exposure. To compensate, you could use the slower shutter speed of /s, which lets light in twice as long. You are again giving the camera exactly the amount of light that it needs to make a good exposure but have more depth of field. In other words, if you close the aperture by one step (removes light), you’ll need to slow the shutter speed by one step (adds light). F/ at /s equals f/ at /s. The two considerations are how much and how long. Use your aperture to control how much light gets onto the sensor. Use your shutter speed to control how long the light gets to the sensor. Balance the two for a correct exposure!

Aperture and Shutter Speed Chart In FIG A you’ll find an aperture and shutter speed equivalency chart that you can use to figure out how the relationships we’ve discussed work, but in a more visual way. To use the chart, you simply select a certain aperture and shutter speed

8



Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length

combination. For instance, let’s use /s at f/.. Notice on the chart that the gold-colored f-stops run from f/. to f/. Put your finger on the f/. position (.). Just below there you’ll see the shutter speed of /s (). Put your finger on the shutter speed of . Move it to the left one space to , or /s. You’ll notice that above the  is a gold . The  represents f/. Now this is important— f. at /s is exactly the same exposure as f/ at /s. If you follow this out to the end of the chart, you’ll see that f/. at /s is equal to f/ at /s. Also, f/ at /s is equal to f/. at /s. Any of the numbers along the top (f-stops) of the chart matched with the number below (shutter speed) is exactly the same exposure. To make this clearer, I am going to list several exposures that are exactly the same and bring the same amount of light into the camera: t
/s at f/. t
/s at f/ t
/s at f/. t
/s at f/

8

FIG A - Aperture and shutter speed equivalency chart

As long as you keep your finger in the same row of shutter speeds, the aperture’s in the preceding list will give you an equivalent exposure. Let’s switch to a new row of shutter speeds. Find the f/. f-stop and look down the column until you find /s (). Using the same logic as before, here are more exposures that provide exactly the same amount of light to the camera’s sensor: t
/s at f/. t
/s at f/ t
/s at f/. t
/s at f/ If you play with this chart for a while, you will begin to see how flexible your camera is in giving you so many choices of apertures and shutter speeds. Now you can choose just the right aperture for the best depth of field in your image. Or, you can choose just the right shutter speed to stop action or allow blurred movement in your picture. By using this chart and exercising your new knowledge while taking pictures, you’ll soon become comfortable with the

Focal Length

ideas expressed in this chapter. You’ll have control of your camera in its manual modes and much finer control over how your images “turn out”. In fact, no one will be able to say, “That one turned out well”. You’ll be able to look at them and say, “It didn’t just happen by chance, I did that intentionally!”

Focal Length Your camera most likely was shipped with an -mm kit lens. This small zoom lens is quite sharp and easy to use. It is considered a wide-angle to short telephoto lens length. What I mean by that is that its focal lengths range from wide angle ( mm) to short telephoto ( mm). Let’s look at a couple of pictures to see the effects of focal length on the image.



In FIG , you see an image taken with the -mm kit lens at  mm. This “wide-angle” setting has lots of depth of field, so the scenic image is in good focus from near to far. You’ll use this  mm focal length often when you are taking pictures of beautiful landscapes and groups of people. Now, in FIG A you see an image taken at the opposite end of the -mm lens’s focal length. This “longer”  mm lens setting narrows down the amount of the scene your lens can see. The image in FIG A was taken at the same spot as the image in FIG , but notice at how much less “field of view” the  mm setting in FIG A is seen. It pulls the view in closer to you, or magnifies it.

8

FIG  - Shooting at  mm – Wide-angle focal length



Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length

FIG A - Shooting at  mm – Short telephoto focal length

8

The width and height of the area the lens can see is called “field of view”. In other words, a wide-angle lens has a wide field of view, while a telephoto lens has a narrow field of view. FIG  shows a wideangle field of view, while FIG A shows a short telephoto’s narrower field of view. You can purchase lenses for your D that vary from as (super) wide as  mm to as long as  mm (or more). The wider and/or longer lenses cost a lot more money. You can even buy lenses that see slightly behind themselves. I’m not kidding! If you want to take a picture of a deer out in a field, you may want to get a longer telephoto lens. Nikon makes an inexpensive lens that matches the next step up in focal length from your kit lens. It’s the AF-S Nikkor -mm f/-. ED lens. This will let you reach out and

pull in more distant subjects, for shooting sports from the bleachers or taking a picture of the moon.

Vibration Reduction (VR) Lenses Your -mm VR kit lens should have what’s called VR, or vibration reduction. If so, there is a switch on the side of the lens with VR On/Off above it. (We discussed this, with pictures, in chapter .) Leave this turned on when you’re handholding your camera because it will cut down on vibrations and make your picture significantly sharper. You don’t need VR when you are using a tripod, so it’s best to turn it off, unless your tripod is old and wobbly. VR lenses are really nice to use because they allow you to handhold your camera at slower shutter speeds than normal. Many new lenses in the Nikkor lineup are

My Conclusions

now equipped with VR. Buy one of those if you can; you’ll get better images as a result. Here’s a list of lens manufacturer’s reduced vibration code names: t
Nikon VR – Vibration Reduction t
Sigma OS – Optical Stabilizer t
Tamron VC – Vibration Compensation

Focus Motor in the Lens Since the Nikon D does not have a motor in the body that will cause a lens to autofocus, like some older and larger Nikons, you’ll need to be sure any new lenses you buy have the “AF-S Nikkor” name. AF-S stands for Autofocus–Silent wave motor and means that the lens is equipped with an internal autofocus motor, so your camera doesn’t have to have one itself. Here is a list of in-lens motor brands and their code names: t
Nikon AF-S – Autofocus-Silent wave t
Sigma HSM – Hypersonic Motor t
Tamron BIM – Built In Motor

A Simple Warning Besides much better image quality, owning new and exciting lenses is one of the major reasons to buy a Nikon DSLR camera. Sometimes I go online and look at (and desire intensely) lenses just for the fun of it. But be forewarned, as this desire can get out of hand! Warning: Owning a Nikon DSLR may cause you to develop a certain “sickness” that few recover from. In fact, the condition is quite pleasurable due to the sensations it causes in the human brain, so few ever really seek a way to recover from it. What is this malady? It’s called NAS (Nikon Acquisition Syndrome). If you



ever experience the persistent desire to own every lens ever made by Nikon, you’ll realize, too late of course, that you’ve come down with NAS. You may never recover! The only real treatment for it is buying new Nikon equipment. Since , I haven’t recovered from NAS and don’t particularly want to either!

My Conclusions The relationship between aperture and shutter speed—and how each changes the picture—is rather difficult for many to understand. If you don’t quite get it yet, put your camera in Manual mode and reread the information in this chapter while adjusting your camera’s aperture and shutter speed. Focus on something that has a consistent level of ambient light and see if you can get a correct exposure with different apertures and shutter speeds. This is sort of like learning to ride a bicycle. You cannot understand it until suddenly you do. Keep studying this subject because it will make you a better photographer, more able to control your camera for the best image results. Obviously, this book can only review this subject since it is not a tutorial on exposure. Instead, it is a tutorial on the Nikon D. I’d like to see you use the D very effectively and enjoyably. You have a very flexible camera, and you are a passionate photographer. Learning to effectively use the aperture, shutter speed, and focal length in combination will only increase your enjoyment.

8



Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

9

Section  –Exposure Metering Systems

The Nikon D is chock-full of metering and exposure modes. If you want to leave the Nikon Guide Mode behind and venture into self-controlled photography, you’ll need to study this chapter. We’ll consider how the exposure metering system and modes work. We’ll look at how each of three different light meter types is best used. We’ll examine the various modes of shooting your camera can use, including several Scene modes for when you want the camera to do most of the work while you enjoy shooting. And, finally, we’ll look in detail at how the histogram works on the Nikon D. The histogram is a new feature to those who are coming over from film shooting. This little readout gives you great control over metering and will help you make the most accurate exposures you’ve ever made. It is very important that you understand the histogram, so we’ll look at it in detail. This chapter is divided into three parts: . The Exposure Metering Systems – Matrix, Spot, and Center-weighted. . The Exposure Modes P, S, A, and M: Programmed auto, Shutter-priority auto, Aperture-priority auto, and Manual, plus the six Scene modes that give a new user command of a certain style of shooting. . The Histogram – How to read it and better control your exposures. Let’s get started by looking into the three exposure metering systems.



Section 1 – Exposure Metering Systems The basis for the Nikon D’s exposure meter is a -segment RGB sensor that meters a wide area of the frame. If you took your camera apart, the metering sensor would look like what you see in FIG . When used with a G or D Nikkor lens containing a CPU, the camera can set exposure based on the distribution of brightness, color, distance, and composition. Most people leave their camera set to Matrix metering and enjoy excellent results. Let’s look more closely at each of the Nikon D’s exposure metering systems.

FIG  – -segment RGB sensor

9



Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

FIG  – Information edit metering screens

The metering mode controls on the Information edit menu of the Nikon D are shown in FIG  (the red numbers are mine). FIG , image  shows the first Information edit menu, found by pressing the Information edit button twice (see chapter , FIG B, number  for the location of the information edit button). Select the Metering screen as shown in FIG , image , and then select one of the three Metering modes (see my red numbers -). As shown in FIG , image , the top mode () is Matrix metering. The next one down is () Center-weighted metering. And the last in the selections is () Spot metering. Let’s consider each of these modes and how they work.

9

3D Color Matrix II Metering The Nikon D contains the D Color Matrix II metering system that’s one of the most powerful and accurate automatic exposure meters in any camera today. How does Matrix metering work? Through complex mathematical formulas, there are characteristics for many thousands of images stored in the camera. These characteristics are used, along with proprietary Nikon software and complex evaluative computations, to analyze the image appearing in your viewfinder. The meter is then set to provide very accurate exposure for the greatest majority of your images. A simple example of this might be a picture where the horizon runs through the middle of the image. The sky above is bright, and the earth below is much dimmer. This image is evaluated and compared to hundreds of similar images in the camera’s database, and a meter setting is automatically input for you. The meter examines four critical areas of each picture. It compares the levels of brightness in various parts of the scene to determine the total range of EV values. It then notices the color of the subject

Center-Weighted Metering



FIG  – D Color Matrix II metering

and surroundings. If you are using a G or D lens with a CPU chip—like the AF-S Nikkor -mm kit lens—it also determines how far away your lens is focused so that it can figure the distance to your subject. Finally, it looks at the compositional elements of the subject. Once it has all that information, it compares your image to tens of thousands of image characteristics in its image database, makes complex evaluations, and comes up with an exposure value that is usually very accurate, even in complex lighting situations. FIG  shows how to select the Matrix metering mode. Here are the steps to select the Matrix metering mode (see FIG , and for the location of the controls, chapter , FIG B): . Press the Information edit button twice to get to the Information edit menu. . Use the Multi Selector to scroll to Metering (FIG , image ). . Press the OK button. . Scroll to the top item in the list, or Matrix metering mode (FIG , image ). . Press the OK button to select it.

Center-Weighted Metering If you’re a bit old-fashioned, having been raised on a classic center-weighted meter and still prefer that type, the D’s exposure meter can be transformed into a center-weighted meter. Here are the steps to select Centerweighted metering mode (see FIG , and for the location of the controls, chapter , FIG B): . Press the < i> Information edit button twice to get to the Information edit menu. . Use the Multi Selector to scroll to Metering (FIG , image ). . Press the OK button. . Scroll to the second item in the list for the Center-weighted metering mode (FIG , image ). . Press the OK button to select it. The Center-weighted meter in the D is a pretty simple concept, really. It meters the entire frame but concentrates  percent of the metering in a circular area in the middle of the frame. The other  percent of the frame outside the circle provides the rest of the metering. You can see a circle in the middle of

9



Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

FIG  – Center-weighted metering

Spot Metering

FIG A – Approximate center-weighted metering circle (Red)

9

your camera’s viewfinder. Use that as an approximate size for the area that has  percent of the meter’s attention. In FIG A I have colored in red the approximate area for the most sensitive part of the Center-weighted meter. The part of your subject that’s in the center of your D’s viewfinder influences the meter more than whatever is seen toward the edges of the frame. Do your best metering with the circle in the middle of the viewfinder when in Center-weighted mode. You can’t move the Center-weighted meter area around the viewfinder as you can with the Spot meter. It is always within the circle in the center of the viewfinder.

Often no other meter but a spot meter will do. In situations where you must get an accurate exposure of a very small section of the frame or you must get multiple meter readings from various small areas, the D can, once again, be adjusted to fit your needs. Here are the steps to select Spot metering mode (see FIG , and for the location of the controls, chapter , FIG B): . Press the Information edit button twice to get to the Information edit menu. . Use the Multi Selector to scroll to Metering (FIG , image ). . Press the OK button. . Scroll to the third item in the list for the Spot metering mode (FIG , image ). . Press the OK button to select it. The D’s Spot meter consists of a tiny circle surrounding the currently active and moveable autofocus (AF) point if you are using single or continuous AF focus modes (AF-S, or AF-C). In Auto-area (AF-A) focus mode, the Spot meter is

Spot Metering



FIG  – Spot metering

FIG A – Viewfinder view of the Spot meter area

metering from the center AF Point only and does not move when other AF Points are automatically selected. If you are going to use the Spot meter effectively, you might want to set your D to AF-S or AF-C modes! (See the chapter titled Shooting Menu for more information on selecting and using the autofocus modes AF-A, AF-S, and AF-C.) The Spot meter evaluates only a tiny bit of the frame, so it is indeed a “spot” meter. Since the spot is surrounding the currently active AF Point, you can move the Spot meter around the viewfinder within the  AF Points by pressing the Multi Selector in various directions.

How big is the spot the meter uses? Well, the Spot meter barely surrounds the currently selected AF Point in your viewfinder. It is fairly close to the size of the little brackets that appear around the active AF Point when you slightly press the Shutter release button. FIG A shows the small area in red. Remember that you can move this spot around with the currently selected AF Point if you have the camera set to AF-area modes Singlepoint or Dynamic-area. (See the chapter titled Shooting Menu for more information on selecting and using the AF-area modes Single-point and Dynamic-area with the Information edit menu. You can also set the AF-area modes using the Shooting menu.

Feel Confident when Using the Spot Meter When your D is in Spot meter mode and you move the AF point to some small section of your subject, you can rest assured that you’re getting a true spot reading.

9



9

Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

In fact, you can use the Spot meter to determine an approximate EV range of light values in the entire image. You can do this by taking separate meter readings from the lightest spot in the frame and the darkest spot. If this value exceeds  or  stops difference, you’ve got to decide which part of your subject is most important to you and meter only for that part. The critical part of your subject is going to be improperly exposed otherwise. On an overcast day, you can usually get by with no worries because the light values within the range are often within the recording capability of the sensor. On a bright sunny day, the range of light exceeds what your sensor can record by as much as two times, often as much as  stops total, while your sensor can record a maximum of only  or  stops! Don’t let the numbers make you nervous. Just remember that Spot metering is often a trade-off. You trade the highly specific ability to ensure that a certain portion of an image is “spot-on” for the ability of the camera’s multiple “averaging” skills to generally get the correct exposure throughout the frame. The choice is yours, depending on the shooting situation. If you spot meter the face of a person standing in the sun and take a picture, the shadows around that person will contain little or no data. The shadows will be underexposed and look like solid black. Then, if you spot meter from the shadows

instead and then take the picture, the person’s face is likely to “blow out” to solid white. We’ll discuss this in more detail later in this chapter in the section about the Histogram. Use the Spot meter to get specific meter readings of small areas on and around your subject, make some exposure decisions yourself, and your subject should be well exposed. Just remember that the spot meter evaluates only for the small area that it sees, so it cannot adjust the camera for anything except that one tiny area. Some practice is required to learn how to use Spot metering well, but it is a very professional way to make images. Note: The camera does not store multiple spot meter readings in any way. It’s up to you to make those individual readings, interpret them, and then figure out what you want to do with the exposure.

Which Metering Mode would I Use? Most of the time, I’ll leave my camera set to Matrix metering. I use the Spot metering mode only when I am using flash to get the best reading from my subject, or when I need to meter a difficult subject with a range of light wider than my sensor can contain. I haven’t used Center-weighted metering since back in the film days and look at it as an old-fashioned system. However, there are those that love the oldstyle Center-weighted meter. It’s there if you want it.

Section  –Exposure Modes

Section 2 – Exposure Modes My first Nikon was an FM back in . I remember that camera with fondness because I had it when I got really serious about photography. It’s hard for me to imagine that it has been so many years since I last used my FM! Things were simpler back then. Now that I think about it, I remember my grandma saying something similar about her Brownie Hawkeye. When I say simple, I mean that the FM had a basic Center-weighted light meter, a manual exposure dial, and manual aperture settings. I had to decide how to create the image in all aspects. It was a camera with only one mode—M, or Manual. Later on, I bought a Nikon FE and was amazed to use its A mode, or Aperturepriority. I could set the aperture manually and the camera would adjust the shutter speed for me. Luxury! The FE had two modes, M–Manual, and A–Aperture-priority. A few more years went by and I bought a Nikon F. This camera was loaded with features and was much more complex. It had four different modes, including the two I was used to—M and A—and two new modes, S–Shutter-priority, and P–Programmed auto. I had to learn even more stuff ! The F was my first P, S, A, M camera. Does this sound anything like your progression? If you are over , maybe



so; if not, you may just be getting into the digital photography DSLR realm with your D, and I ought to stop reminiscing and get to the point. The point is that today’s cameras are amazingly complex compared to cameras from only a few years ago. Let’s examine how we can use that flexibility for our benefit. The D is also a P, S, A, M camera. That’s the abbreviated progression of primary modes on the Mode dial that allow you to control the camera’s shutter speed and aperture yourself. In addition, the D has several Scene modes, and a fully AUTO mode for when you just want to take good pictures without thinking about exposure. There is just one control on the D to set the AUTO, Scene, or P, S, A, M modes. It is a convenient dial called the Mode dial (see FIG ). Now, let’s discuss each Exposure mode in detail.

9 FIG  – Mode dial for exposure modes



Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

FIG  – Mode dial set to Programmed auto mode, or P mode

9

P – Programmed Auto Mode

Get Down, Grandpa!

Programmed auto mode (P) is designed for

You’re shooting at a family party and suddenly you see a perfect shot of Grandpa dancing on the dinner table and Grandma standing on the floor behind him with her hand over her mouth. You, being a well-trained photographer, glance down at your camera and realize that the f/ aperture showing on the Information screen won’t give you enough depth of field to focus on Grandpa and still have a sharp image of Grandma, who by this time is tugging at Grandpa’s pant leg. With only seconds to spare you turn your camera’s Command dial to the left. The D realizes that it is being called upon to leave snapshot mode and give you some control. As shown in FIG A (red arrow), it puts a small P with an asterisk next to it on the Information screen (P*) to let you know it realizes that you are taking over control of the aperture. Since you are turning the dial to the left, it obligingly starts cranking down the aperture. A few clicks to the left and your aperture is set to f/. As soon as the D detected that you were turning the command dial, it started adjusting the shutter speed to match the new aperture. With only milliseconds before Grandma starts dragging Grandpa off the

those times that you just want to shoot pictures and not think much about camera settings but still want emergency control when needed. The camera takes care of the shutter speed and aperture for you, and uses your selected exposure meter type to create the best pictures it can without being a human. FIG  shows the Mode dial set to P–Programmed auto mode and the Information screen. It is called Programmed auto because it uses an internal software program built into the D. It tries its best to create optimal images in most situations. However, this is considered by most to be a “snapshot” mode. P mode can handle a wide variety of situations well, but I personally wouldn’t depend on it for my important shooting. At a party, where I want some nice snapshots, it’s great. I don’t want to think about the camera then, just enjoying the party. P mode to me is P for Party. P mode actually comes in two parts. Programmed auto and Flexible program. Flexible program works similarly to A– Aperture-priority mode. Why do I say that? Let me explain.

P – Programmed Auto Mode

dinner table, you get the camera to your eye, compose, press the shutter, and the D starts grabbing frames. Since you were using Continuous release mode—at three frames per second—the camera shoots several pictures in the few seconds it takes Grandma to get Grandpa down from the table. What you did, in my imaginary scenario, was invoke the Flexible program mode (P*) in your D. How? As soon as you turned the Command dial, the D left normal P mode and switched to Flexible program. Prior to turning the Command dial, the D was happily controlling both shutter speed and aperture for you. When you turned the dial, the D immediately switched to Flexible program mode and allowed you to have control over the aperture, while the camera maintained control of only the shutter speed. In effect, the D allowed you to exercise your knowledge of photography very quickly and only assisted you from that point. When you enter P*–Flexible program mode, you control the aperture and the D controls the shutter speed, unlike normal P mode, which controls them both. In P* mode, if you turn the Command dial to the left, the aperture gets smaller. Turn

FIG A – Flexible Program mode P* on the Information screen



it to the right and the aperture gets larger. Nikon gave you control of the aperture in P*-Flexible program mode only. Can you see why I say that Flexible program mode acts like A–Aperture-priority mode?

The Trick to Getting Out of P* Mode Once you’ve entered P*–Flexible program mode, you have to turn the Command dial back the same number of clicks to get back into normal P mode. This has a strange side effect. If you have your D in P mode and turn the Command dial to the right, the D goes into P* mode and starts counting clicks to the right. To get back into normal P mode, you have to turn the Command dial back to the left that same number of clicks (up to  clicks). The reason I know that the D is actually counting clicks is that I counted it counting clicks. Here’s what I did. I set my D to P mode and got into a darker area where it was at maximum aperture. I then started cranking the Command dial to the right, which should increase the aperture. Since I was already at maximum aperture, the D could not increase the aperture size, so it just sat there counting clicks instead. In order for me to get back into normal P mode, and out of Flexible program, I had to turn back to the left the exact number of clicks I turned to the right (up to  clicks). I am telling you this just in case you do what I did. Then you’ll already know that the D will let you out of P*–Flexible program mode only when you return to the original position on the dial. Another way to get out of the Flexible program mode is to turn the camera off or turn the Mode dial. Once you have left P* mode, the Information screen will simply show a P without the asterisk, as is shown in FIG , image .

9



Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

FIG  – Mode dial set to Shutter-priority auto mode, or S mode

S – Shutter-Priority Auto Mode Shutter-priority auto is for those who need

9

to control their camera’s shutter speed while allowing the camera to maintain the correct aperture for the available light. FIG  shows the Mode dial set to S for Shutter-priority auto mode. If you find yourself shooting action, you’ll want to keep the shutter speed high enough to capture an image without excessive blurring. Shooting sports, air shows, auto races, or anything with subjects moving quickly requires careful control of the shutter. Sometimes, too, you might want to set your shutter speed to a very slow setting for special effects or time exposures. If the light changes drastically and the D cannot maintain a correct exposure, it will inform you by replacing the normal aperture reading on the Information screen with either Hi or Lo. They mean what they imply. Hi means there is too much light for a good exposure. Lo means there is not enough light for a good exposure.

To change the shutter speed, simply rotate the Command dial to any value from  seconds to / of a second. Turn the wheel to the right for faster shutter speeds and to the left for slower. The camera will adjust your aperture to maintain a correct exposure and will warn you when it can’t.

A – Aperture-Priority Auto Mode Nature, macro shooters, and anyone concerned with careful control of depth of field will often leave their D set to Aperture-priority auto (A) mode. FIG  shows the Mode dial set to Aperture-priority auto mode. A–Aperture-priority auto mode lets you control the aperture while the D takes care of the shutter speed for optimal exposures. To select an aperture, you’ll use the Command dial. Turn the wheel to the right for a smaller aperture and to the left for a larger one. The minimum and maximum aperture settings are controlled by the mechanical minimum and maximum aperture sizes available within the lens you’ve mounted

M – Manual Mode



FIG  – Mode dial set to Aperture-priority auto mode, or A mode

on the camera. Most “consumer” lenses run from f/. to f/. More pricey “pro” style lenses may have apertures as large as f/., but they generally start at f/. and end at f/ or f/. The aperture directly controls the amount of depth of field in an image. Depth of field is an extremely important concept for photographers to understand. Simply put, it allows you to control the range or depth of sharp focus in your images. If you are focused on a person’s face, will the person standing behind him also be in focus? Depth of field controls that! See the chapter titled Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length for deeper information on depth of field.

M – Manual Mode Manual mode takes a big step backward to

days of old. It gives you complete control of your camera’s shutter and aperture so that you can make all the exposure decisions, with suggestions from the exposure meter. FIG , image  shows the Mode dial set to Manual mode (M). Also, in FIG , image , notice the electronic analog exposure display. This display is found when you press the Info button on top of the camera or the camera’s Information edit button (once). On the LCD screen you’ll see a plus sign + on the left, a minus sign - on the right, and a  in the center. Each dot on the scale represents / EV step, and

9 FIG  – Mode dial set to Manual and -. EV underexposure



9

Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

each line represents  EV step for a total of  EV steps overexposed and  underexposed. You’ll see a miniature version of the same scale at the bottom of the viewfinder when you look through the eyepiece. When you’re metering your subject, a bar will extend from the zero in the center toward the plus side to indicate overexposure, or toward the minus side to indicate underexposure (see FIG , image ). You can gauge the amount of over- or underexposure by the number of dots and lines the bar passes as it heads toward one side or the other. The goal in Manual mode is to make the bar disappear. In FIG , image , the bar is indicating  / EV or . EV steps (stops) underexposure. You’ll adjust the aperture by holding down the Exposure compensation/Aperture button while turning the Command dial (see chapter , FIG C, number  and FIG B, number  for the location of the controls). The shutter speed is adjusted simply by turning the Command dial alone. When in Manual mode, you have control over aperture for depth of field and shutter speed for motion control. If your subject needs a little more depth of field, just make the aperture smaller, but be sure to slow down the shutter speed too, or your image may be underexposed. If you suddenly need a faster shutter speed, then set it faster, but be sure to open the aperture to compensate. The point is, you are in complete control of the camera and must make decisions for both the shutter speed and aperture. The camera makes suggestions

with its meter, but you make the final decision about how the exposure will look. Manual mode is for taking your time and enjoying your photography. It gives you the most control of how the image looks but also expects you to have a higher level of knowledge to get correct exposures. Aperture, shutter speed, depth of field, and lens use are discussed in more detail in the chapter titled Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Focal Length.

My Recommendations on Exposure Mode Selection As a nature photographer, I am mostly concerned with getting a sharp image with deep depth of field in most cases. About  percent of the time, my camera is set to A–Aperture-priority and f/. I started using this mode back in about  when I bought my Nikon FE and have stayed with it since. My style of shooting requires it. However, were I a sports or action shooter, I would have my camera set to S–Shutter-priority most often. That would allow me to control the speed of the shutter and capture those fast-moving people and objects without a lot of blur. The camera will control the aperture so that I only have to concentrate on which shutter speed best fits my subject’s movement. I use the other two modes, M-Manual and P-Programmed auto, only for special occasions. M-Manual mode is for when I have time to just enjoy my photography. When I want to control the camera absolutely,

Full AUTO and Scene Modes

I’ll go to manual. I also use Manual mode when I am shooting events like a wedding indoors with my external Nikon SB- flash providing the main light. I’ll often select /s at f/ and keep my subject within  feet of the flash. This lets the flash unit control the exposure. I probably use P-Programmed auto mode least of all. I might use it when I’m at a party and just want to take nice pictures for my own use. I’ll let the camera make most of the decisions by using P mode while still having the ability to quickly jump into P*-Flexible program mode when events call for a little more aperture control.

Full AUTO and Scene Modes Some people have recently switched from using a point-and-shoot camera, to a more powerful DSLR like the Nikon D. Most point-and-shoot cameras have a completely automatic mode and some scene modes, representing common photographic opportunities. If you have come over from the pointand-shoot world, you might enjoy using the AUTO or Scene modes on your D for quick snapshots while learning the



more advanced uses of the P, S, A, and M modes when you are shooting slowly. Let’s look into how these extra modes work. AUTO Exposure Mode

The AUTO mode is for those times when you want to get the picture with no thought as to how the camera works. The setting for AUTO mode is found on the Command dial located on the top of your camera (see FIG A). About all you need be concerned with in AUTO mode is how well the image is composed and whether the battery is fully charged. When in AUTO mode, the D becomes a big point-and-shoot camera, like a heavy Coolpix. Many of its internal modes go to auto too. For instance, here is a list of important camera features that go into automatic: t
White balance t
Picture Control t
Meter type t
Built-in Flash mode In effect, you relinquish control of the camera’s functions for a “guarantee” of some sort of picture being provided. In

9 FIG A – Full AUTO exposure mode



Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

most cases, the D will provide its normal excellent images when you’ve selected AUTO. However, in difficult circumstances, the camera is free to turn up the ISO sensitivity to get a picture even at the expense of image quality. If an alien spaceship lands in the local superstore parking lot, I might be convinced to use AUTO since I am going to get a picture no matter what. I don’t have to think about anything except framing the subject and pressing the shutter release. If you want to loan your camera to your grandmother and she has no interest in how cameras work, the D will happily make nice images for her in AUTO mode. While you are learning to use the more advanced functions of the camera, you too might benefit from using this mode for a while. You’ll usually get better pictures when you control the camera, but the D has some awfully nice software for when you don’t want to take control yet.

9 FIG B – Portrait Scene mode

Portrait Scene Mode

The Portrait mode is best used when you are taking pictures of people or static subjects. The icon for this mode looks like a lady wearing a fancy hat (see FIG B). The camera tends to emphasize shallow depth of field (large apertures) so that only your subject is in sharp focus. That is a more flattering way to focus attention on your subject while trying to blur out the background as much as possible. It also tries to make skin tones look soft and natural looking. It uses face recognition technology along with Auto AF-area mode, so that it can locate faces for group pictures. To control the color in the scene, it uses the Portrait Picture Control (PT), which emphasizes accurate, natural skin tones. It automatically adjusts sharpening and contrast to fit the subject. If you are taking pictures of adult friends, alone or in small groups, use this mode.

Full AUTO and Scene Modes



FIG C – Landscape Scene mode

Landscape Scene Mode

If you are spending a day in the mountains, you’ll want to use the Landscape mode a lot. Its icon looks like a couple of mountain peaks with a square around them (see FIG C). Landscapes are usually best photographed on a tripod at small apertures so that the entire scenic view is nice and sharp. Whether or not you’re using a tripod, the Landscape mode will emphasize smaller apertures for more depth of field. Be careful when the light gets low because the small aperture will lead to slow shutter speeds and the resulting camera shake for blurry pictures. When the light gets dim, please use a tripod. The D makes colors vivid for daylight

shots in Landscape mode. Greens, blues, and reds will have extra saturation for a beautiful colorful look. Autumn scenery and summer foliage will really look great. To control the color in the scene, it uses the Landscape Picture Control (LS) for vivid colors and good contrast. The D automatically adjusts sharpening, contrast, and saturation to fit the scene. The camera gives you control over which AF point you’d like to use to establish primary focus. You can use the Multi Selector to move the AF point around the viewfinder. This gives you control over the best point of focus and the best exposure. The Built-in flash and the small AF-assist illuminator on the camera’s front are disabled while this mode is in use.

9



Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

FIG D – Child Scene mode

Child Scene Mode

Auto AF-area mode, which uses face recog-

This mode is designed for those times when you’re taking pictures of cute but wiggly children. Its icon looks like a child wearing a cap and with arms raised (see FIG D). Child mode tries to make skin tones soft and natural looking while boosting the colors in clothing and backgrounds. Since kids move around a lot, the camera tries to keep the shutter speed a little faster to capture the movement, if light allows. It seems to try to balance between medium shutter speeds and apertures so that there will be sufficient depth of field to capture those cute little faces from front to back. The autofocus system uses the

nition technology to find the little faces in your picture and focus on them. To control the color in the scene, it uses the Standard Picture Control (SD), with resulting higher saturation in the colors. The camera automatically adjusts sharpening, contrast, and saturation to fit the picture.

9 FIG E – Sports Scene mode

Sports Scene Mode

Since sporting events usually have people and other subjects moving at a rapid pace, this mode emphasizes fast shutter speeds. Its icon is a person in full running motion (see FIG E). Since you certainly don’t want slow shutter speeds at a car race or air show,

Full AUTO and Scene Modes



FIG F – Close Up Scene mode

the camera will attempt to use the fastest shutter speed that the light will allow and will open up the aperture to keep the exposure reasonable. It will also tend to raise the ISO sensitivity of the camera’s sensor to help capture movement when the light starts falling. Expect somewhat shallow depth of field in Sports mode since the emphasis is on faster shutter speeds. To control the color in the scene, it uses the Standard Picture Control (SD) for deeper color saturation. The D automatically adjusts sharpening, contrast, and saturation to fit the subject matter. The Built-in flash and AF-assist illuminator are turned off.

Close Up Scene Mode

Another name for the Close up mode might be flower mode or even macro mode. Its icon is a flower (see FIG F). It’s designed to let you to take closeup pictures of flowers, insects, and various other small items. Since close-up images have rather shallow depth of field at all times, the camera uses small apertures when light allows, hopefully giving enough depth of field to give your subject a chance for sharp focus. To control the color in the scene, it uses the Standard Picture Control (SD). This gives deeper color saturation since your subjects will often be natural and will benefit from better color. The camera automatically adjusts contrast and adds + sharpening over a normal SD Picture Control. It is highly preferable that you use a tripod when in Close up mode. The shutter speeds will be slower, which could cause blurry pictures from camera shake in low light. Plus, you’ll want a lot of control over what part of the subject is in focus. Using a tripod helps make sharper pictures. It’s simply hard to hold a camera still when you’re focusing very closely!

9



Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

FIG G – Night Portrait Scene mode

Night Portrait Scene Mode

9

This is a difficult mode for a camera. Its icon looks like a small man with a star on the right of his head, surrounded by a square frame (see FIG G). If you are shooting handheld at night, it’s best to try to balance the shutter speed and aperture so that the shutter stays fast enough to handhold the shot while the aperture is open as much as possible to let in dim light. The Night Portrait mode seems to emphasize large apertures more than faster shutter speeds, for the simple reason that there is so little light at night the aperture needs to be large to capture the scene. When flash is used, the camera switches the flash mode automatically to slow mode. That means the camera uses the flash to light the subject but leaves the shutter open for a longer period than needed for normal flash so that the background will have time to get good exposure. This can mean very beautiful images when a sunset or dusk picture is taken. The sky and background can still have enough light to add a lovely look to the

picture, and there is proper exposure for the person in the portrait from the flash. There’s one problem to be aware of though. When slow mode flash is used, it is really better to have the camera on a tripod or brace yourself carefully. Also, ask your subject not to move. If the ambient light is low, the slow shutter speed can cause an effect called ghosting. The subject is properly exposed by the flash, but camera movement from the still open shutter can cause a ghosting or secondary picture of the subject that is blurred. The camera is trying its best to balance the picture for a good exposure of the person, while still allowing some light from the background to record in the picture. You should keep the camera very still when using this mode in low light. Of course, you should always keep the camera still when shooting in any type of low light. Tripods are good! You do have one, don’t you? To control the color in the scene, Night portrait mode uses the Portrait Picture Control (PT). That makes sense because the night portrait involves people in low light. The D automatically adjusts sharpening and contrast to fit the portrait.

Section  –Histogram

Why Have Scene Modes? These modes are considered “Creative Photography Modes” by Nikon. In fact, they allow an inexperienced photographer to emulate the camera settings they might be inclined to use if they had more experience. A new photographer will have access to a level of photographic experience built into the camera that will help them make good images. Later, as their own experience grows, they can use the P, S, A, and M modes to get more creative control over the image. Since the Nikon D has the specifications for tens of thousands of images stored in its Matrix metering system, I wouldn’t be surprised if the camera used a subset of stored image types more closely matching each of these Scene modes. That might hold true in Matrix metering mode. I have no way to prove this, so don’t quote me on it! If you choose to use Scene modes, do so with the understanding that you can learn to control the image to a finer degree with the P, S, A, and M modes. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the more powerful features of the D. You can always fall back on the Scene modes if you feel uncomfortable. With the P, S, A, M, AUTO, Guide, and Scene modes, Nikon has given us the best of both worlds in one camera. Full or partial automation or complete manual control. What flexibility!



Section 3 – Histogram Back in the “good old” film days we had no histogram, so we had to depend on our experience and light meter to get a good exposure. Since we couldn’t see the exposure until after we had left the scene, we measured our success by the number of “good” images we were able to create. With the exposure meter/histogram combination found in the D, and the ability to zoom into our images with the high-resolution monitor on the back of our cameras, the success rate we can experience is very much higher than ever before. Many do not realize it, but the histogram can be as important, or even more so, than the exposure meter. The meter sets the camera up for the exposure, and the histogram visually verifies that the exposure is a good one. If your exposure meter stopped working, you could still get perfect exposures using only the histogram. In fact, I gauge my efforts more by how the histogram looks than anything else. The exposure meter and histogram work together to make sure you get excellent results from your photographic efforts. In FIG  is a picture of the D’s histogram screens (with your author’s smiling mug). The screen on the left is

9



Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

FIG  – Two D histogram screens

a basic informational screen with only a luminance histogram shown in white. You can always access it on your camera by scrolling up or down with the Multi Selector during image review. The second histogram screen in FIG  is actually a series of histograms. On the upper right is a white-colored luminance histogram. Next is the red channel, then the green channel, and at the bottom is the blue channel (RGB = red, green, blue). When you look closely at the top white luminance histogram, notice how it looks very similar to the green channel histogram. That’s because the human eye is more sensitive to green light than red or blue. Doesn’t it make sense to give us a histogram that helps us accurately meter the light that our eyes perceive best? Let’s discuss the use of a histogram in detail.

9

Understanding the Histogram (An Overview) Using the histogram screens on your D’s image-viewing LCD screen will guarantee you a much higher percentage of well-exposed images. It is well worth it to understand the histogram, and it’s not overly complicated. I’ll try to cover this feature with enough detail to give you a working knowledge of how to use the histogram to make better pictures. If you are deeply interested in the histogram, there is much research material available on the Internet. In this section I’ll cover only a small amount of the information that is actually available, but you will gain enough knowledge to improve your technique immediately.

Understanding the Histogram (An Overview)



FIG  – Basic histogram

Light Range

The D’s sensor can record only a certain range of light values. It seems able to record about  or  usable EV steps. Unfortunately, many of the higher-contrast subjects we shoot can contain over  steps of light values. This is quite a bit more than you can capture in a single exposure. It’s important to understand how your camera records light so that you can better control how the image is captured. Look at FIG  closely. The gray rectangular area is a representation of an in-camera histogram. Examine it carefully! Think about it for a minute before reading on. The histogram basically is a graph that represents the maximum range of light values your camera can capture, in  steps ( = pure black, and  = pure white). In the middle of the histogram

are the mid-range values that represent middle colors like grays, light browns, and greens. The values from just above  and just below  contain detail. The actual histogram graph looks like a mountain peak, or a series of peaks, and the more of a particular color, the taller the peak. In some cases the graph will be rounder on top, spiked, or flattened. The left side of the histogram represents the maximum dark values that your camera can record. The right side represents the maximum white values your camera can capture. On either end of the histogram the light values contain no detail. They are either completely black or completely white. The top of the histogram (top of mountain peaks) represents the amount of individual colors, a value you cannot easily control in-camera, so it is for your

9



Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

FIG  – Three Histograms – underexposed, correct, overexposed

9

information only. You can influence the height of the peaks by using various Nikon Picture Controls from the Shooting menu, which have different levels of color saturation. For instance, the Vivid Picture Control (VI) deeply saturates colors and contrast and may make taller or wider peaks. Or you could use the Neutral Picture Control (NL), which tends to lessen color saturation and contrast and may narrow or lower the histogram peaks. In any case, you should not concern yourself a great deal with the height of the peaks. The major concern is how far left and right they extend. We are mostly concerned with the left and right side values of the histogram since we have plenty of control over those (dark versus light). So, basically, the histogram’s left to right directions are related to the darkness and lightness of the image, while the up and down directions (valleys and peaks) have to do with color information. I repeated this for emphasis!

The left (dark) to right (light) directions are very important for your picture taking. If the image is too dark, the histogram will show that by clipping off the light values on the left, or if it’s too light, by clipping on the right. This will become easier to understand as we look at wellexposed and poorly exposed images. In FIG  you can see the three histograms next to each other. Does this make more sense? See how the underexposed Nikon camera histogram is all the way to the left of the histogram window and is clipped mid-peak? Then note the wellexposed landscape histogram and how both edges just touch the edges of the histogram window. Finally, see how the overexposed landscape image’s histogram is crammed and clipped on the right. If you allow the histogram “mountain peak” to be cut off on the left or the right, the image will lose detail in the area it is clipped.

Understanding the Histogram (An Overview)



FIG  – Normal histogram mountain peak shape

Image and Histogram Shape

Look at the image in FIG . It is well exposed, with no serious problems. The entire light range of this particular image fits within the histogram window, which means that it is not too light or too dark and will take very little or no adjustment to view or print. It contains no more than a few stops of light range. Look at the left side of the histogram graph in FIG . See how it doesn’t cram itself against the dark value side. In other words, the dark values are not clipped off on the left. This means that the camera recorded all the dark values in this image, with no loss of shadow detail. Then look at the right side of the histogram graph and note that it is not completely against the right side, although quite close. The image contains all the light values available. Everything

in between is exposed quite well, with full detail. A histogram does not have to cover the entire window for the exposure to be fine. When there is a very limited range of light, the histogram may be rather narrow. The image in FIG  is a relatively low-contrast image with smooth graduations of tone, so it makes a nice smooth mountain peak histogram graph. This will not occur every time because most images contain quite a bit more color information. Each prominent color will be represented with its own peak on the histogram graph. The most prominent colors will have higher peaks, while the less prominent will have lower or no peaks. You can’t often see the peaks since they overlap. The luminance histogram in FIG , image  is an example of

9



Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

FIG  – Histogram for an underexposed image

9

overlapped RGB peaks. You can see the individual RGB peaks in FIG , image . As we progress into images with more color or light information, you’ll see that the histogram looks quite different. Look at FIG . This is from an image that far exceeds the range of the D’s digital sensor. Notice that, overall, this image is dark and underexposed looking. The histogram in FIG  is crammed to the left—the dark or black side—effectively being clipped off there. There are no gradual climbs as on a mountain range, from valley to peak and back to valley. Instead, the image shows up on the left side in mid-peak. It is “clipped”. This is an underexposed image, and the histogram reflects that well.

The most important thing to understand when you see a histogram like the one in FIG , with part of the peak and valley clipped off on the left, is that some or all of the image is underexposed. Now look at a similar image in FIG . In this image, a larger aperture was used and more light was allowed in. You can now see more detail. However, once again, the range of light is too great for the sensor, so it is now clipped off on the right—the light or white side. The dark side graph value is not clipped; instead, the graph extends to the left dark side edge but stops there. The image in FIG  shows more detail, but it is not professional looking and will win no awards. The range of light is simply too great to be recorded fully.

Understanding the Histogram (An Overview)



FIG  – Histogram for an overexposed image

Many of the cloud details are overly light, and that can be seen by the histogram’s clipping on the right side. The most important thing to remember with this image’s histogram is that when you see a histogram graph that is crammed all the way to the right and clipped, some or all of the image is too light. Overall, a great deal of the image in FIG  is recorded as pure white and is gone permanently (it is “blown out”). It is important that you try to center the histogram without either edge being clipped off. This is not always possible because the range of light is often too great and the sensor or histogram window can’t contain it. If you center the histogram, your images will be better exposed. If you take a picture and the histogram graph is shifted way left or

right, you can then retake it, exposing in the direction of the opposite light value. That’s one reason it’s important to learn how to use the exposure modes like P, S, A, and M. These modes give you control over how an image is formed. The camera’s automatic modes can only average light values, while you can use your powerful brain to figure things out and make even better exposures. If there’s too much light to allow centering the histogram, you must decide which part of the image is more important, the side with the light values or the side with the dark values. Does that make sense? You must expose for the highlights or you will lose detail in the light areas. Which is more important, the dark areas or the light areas?

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

Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

How the Eye Reacts to Light Values

9

The D camera with its imaging sensor and glass lenses is only a weak imitation of our marvelously designed eye and brain combination. There are very few situations in which our eyes cannot adjust to the available light range and we can’t see well. So, as photographers, we are always seeking ways to record even a small portion of what our eyes and minds can see. Since our brain tends to know that shadows are black, and expects that, it is usually better to expose for the highlights. If you see dark shadows, that seems normal. We’re simply not used to seeing light that’s so bright that all detail is lost. An image exposed for the dark values will look very weird because most highlight detail will be burned out. Your eye can see a huge range of light in comparison to your digital sensor. The only time you will ever see light values that are so bright that detail is lost is when you are looking directly at an overwhelmingly bright light, like the sun. So, in a worst-case scenario, expose the image so that the right side of the histogram graph just touches the right side of the histogram window and the image will look more normal. Since the beginning of photography, we have always fought with being able to record only a limited range of light. But with the digital camera and its histogram, we can now see a visual representation of the light values and can immediately approve of the image, reshoot it with emphasis on lighter or darker values, or see that we must use a filter to hold back

light from overly bright areas. We can even use multiple-exposure high dynamic range (HDR) imaging and later combine the images in-computer. Do a Google search on “HDR imaging”. You’ll find a lot of information that may help you. Computer Adjustment of Images

Looking at the image in FIG , taken in midday overhead sunshine, you see an example of a range of light that is too great to be captured by a digital sensor but is exposed in such a way that we can get a usable photo later. Notice how the dark values are clipped off and dark detail is lost. But, look to the right side of the histogram and notice how the light values are not clipped off. So the camera recorded all the light values but lost some dark values. Since our eye sees this as normal, this image looks okay. If you were standing there looking at the cabin yourself, your eye would be able to see much more detail in the front porch area. But, the camera just can’t record that much light range. If you want to get a bit more detail in the shadows than this image seems to contain, you can do it. One way is by using the Active D-Lighting (ADL) functionality built into your camera. It tries to pull out detail in the shadows while reigning in detail in the highlights. However, it cannot handle extreme light range situations that are better handled in-computer. So you would use the histogram to get the best possible exposure—exposing for the highlights—and then adjust the image later in the computer.

Understanding the Histogram (An Overview)



FIG  – Cabin picture with correct exposure but dark shadows

We are now entering the realm of postprocessing, or in-computer image manipulation. Look at the image in FIG . It is the exact same image as the one in FIG , but it has been adjusted in Photoshop to cram more image detail into the histogram by compressing the mid-range values. How this computer post-processing was done is outside the scope of this book, but it is not very hard. Buy a program like Nikon Capture NX, Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Lightroom, or any other fine graphics program designed for photographers. Your digital camera and your computer make up a powerful imaging combination, a digital darkroom, where you are in control from start to finish, from clicking the shutter to printing the image.

But, let’s continue with histogram exploration. Notice in FIG how the histogram edge is just touching the highlight side of the histogram window? The greater apparent detail in this image is the result of compressing the mid-range of the light values a bit in the computer. If you compress or make the mid-range light values smaller, that will tend to pull the dark values toward the light side and the light values toward the dark side. You will then have more apparent detail in your image. It’s like cutting a section out of the middle of a garden hose. If you pull both of the cut ends together, the other two ends of the hose will move toward the middle and the hose will be shorter overall. If you compress or remove the mid-range of the histogram, both ends of the graph will move toward the middle.

9



Exposure Metering System, Exposure Modes, and Histogram

FIG  – Post-processed cabin picture with correct exposure and lightened shadows

9

If one of the ends of the graph is beyond the edge of the histogram window, or is clipped off, it will be less so when the mid-range is compressed. We are simply trying to make the histogram fit into the frame of its window. If we have to cut out some of the middle to bring both ends into the window, well, there is usually plenty in the middle to cut out, so the image rarely suffers. Remember, this is being done outside of the camera, in a computer. You can’t really control the in-camera histogram to compress values—other than in a limited way with the Active D-Lighting function— but, you need to be aware that it can be done in the computer. Then you can expose accordingly with your camera’s histogram. Later you can use your digital darkroom to post-process the image in your computer.

In fact, now that the mid-range values have been compressed, the image in FIG  more closely resembles what our eye normally sees, so it looks more normal to us. Many do not realize it, but a RAW digital image contains an adjustable range of light. With a RAW image, you can use software controls in Capture NX, Photoshop, or even the basic Nikon ViewNX software included with the D to select from the range of light within the big RAW image file. It’s like moving the histogram window to the left or right over all that wide range of raw image data. You select a final resting place for the histogram window, capture the underlying RAW data, and then your image is ready for use. This is a serious oversimplification of the process, but I hope this makes it

My Conclusions

more understandable. In reality, the digital sensor records a wider range of light than you can use in one image. While you might be able to use about five stops of light range in a normal image, the digital sensor is recording probably about seven stops of light range. You just can’t get all of that range into the final image. It is there in the RAW file as a selectable range. I prefer to think of it as a built-in bracket since it works the same way. This bracketed light range within the image is present to a very limited degree in JPEGs and a bit more so in TIFF images, but it is the most pronounced in pure RAW images. That is why many choose to shoot in RAW mode instead of JPEG or TIFF.

My Conclusions The Nikon D has the Multi Selector that can be pressed right or left to scroll through the images you have already taken. You can also press the Multi Selector up or down to scroll through the various informational modes, such as the histogram screen. When you take a picture of an important subject, find the histogram view of your image. If you can’t find the screen with multiple histograms, as shown in FIG , choose Display mode from the Playback menu and select RGB histogram. Your camera meter should be used to get the initial exposure only. Then you can look at the histogram and see if the image’s light range is contained within the limited range of the sensor. If it is clipped off to the right or the left, you may want to add or subtract light with the camera’s +/- EV Exposure compensation button or use your manual modes. Expose



for the highlights with your histogram. Let your light meter get you close, then fine-tune with the histogram. There are also other LCD viewing modes that you can use along with the histogram graph, such as the Highlights (blinky blinky) mode for blown-out highlights (choose Display mode from the Playback menu and select Highlights). What this does is cause your image to blink from light to dark in the blown-out highlight areas. This is a rough representation of a highlight-value-clipped histogram and is quite useful for quick shooting. Using your camera’s light meter, histogram, and the Highlight blown-out blinky mode together is a very powerful method to control your exposures. If you master this method, you will have a very fine degree of control over where you place your image’s light ranges. This is sort of like using the famous blackand-white Ansel Adams Zone System, but it is represented visually on the LCD of your D. The manipulation of the histogram levels in-computer is a detailed study in itself. It’s part of having a digital darkroom. Learn to use your computer to tweak your images and you’ll be able to produce superior results most of the time. Even more important, learn to use your histogram to capture a nice image in the first place! Your histogram is simply a graph that lets you see at a glance how well your image’s light values were captured by your camera. Too far left and the image is too dark, too far right and the image is too light. Learn to use the histogram well and your images are bound to improve!

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

White Balance

White Balance

How Does White Balance (WB) Work

The human eye and brain can adjust to virtually any lighting situation. Let’s say you’re reading a book with an oldfashioned incandescent light bulb in your lamp. You probably won’t notice that the normally white pages of your book have a warm orange tint. Your brain adjusts your color perception so that the pages of the book look white to you. If you take your book outside and sit under a tree in the shade, the color of the light is now a cool bluish, yet your eyes keep on perceiving the pages as white. Every light source has a different color. If you’re taking pictures in direct sunlight and suddenly a cloud’s shadow covers your subject, there is a difference in the color of the light. This is referred to as the color temperature of the light. Your brain adjusts automatically to different color temperatures and you perceive everything with normal colors, no matter what the light source. Unfortunately, a camera does not have the power of your brain. The Nikon D has an AUTO white balance setting that does its best to adjust to the current lighting color temperature, and most of the time it does a good job. However, sometimes it needs a little help, especially when you want very consistent color in your pictures. It will significantly benefit your photography to understand how the white balance features of your camera operate. Let’s consider them in detail. To save a lot of extra text, I’ll most often refer to white balance by its abbreviation, WB.



How Does White Balance (WB) Work? Normally, the WB settings are used to adjust the camera so that whites are truly white and other colors are accurate under whatever light source you are shooting. You can also use the White balance controls to deliberately introduce color casts into your image for interesting special effects. Camera WB color temperatures are exactly backwards from the Kelvin scale we learned in school for star temperatures. Remember that a red giant star is “cool” while a blue/white star is “hot”. The WB color temperatures are backwards because the camera’s WB system is adding color to make up for a deficit of color in the original light of the subject. For instance, under a fluorescent light, there is a deficit of blue, which makes the image appear greenish yellow. When blue is added by the camera, the image is balanced to a more normal appearance. Normal camera WB under Fluorescent light may be about  K. Another example might be shooting on a cloudy, overcast day. The ambient light could cause the image to look bluish if left unadjusted. The WB control in your camera sees the “cool” color temperature and adds some red to “warm” the colors a bit. Normal camera WB on a cloudy, overcast day might be about  K. Just remember that we use the real Kelvin temperature range in reverse, and that warm colors are considered reddish while blue colors are cool. Even though this is backwards from what we were

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

White Balance

taught in school, it fits our situation better. Blue seems cool while red seems warm to photographers! Just don’t let your astronomer friends convince you otherwise. We will discuss these options from the standpoint of the Nikon D’s camera controls and how they deal with WB.

WB Simplified Understanding WB in a simplified way is simply realizing that light has a range of colors that go from cool to warm. We can adjust our cameras to use the available light in an accurate, neutral, “balanced” way that matches the actual light source, or we can allow a color cast to enter the image by unbalancing the settings.

Color Temperature The WB range can vary from a very cool  K to a very warm  K by using various preset White balance settings. We’ll examine how shortly. FIG  shows a picture adjusted manually in Photoshop to three WB settings:  K,  K, and , K. Notice how the  K image is much bluer, or cooler, than the , K image. The  K image is about right for the picture’s actual daylight. The , K image is much too warm. In the “good old days” of film usage, many of us used daylight-balanced film and an A filter to warm up our subjects. Or maybe we added a filter to put in some blue on a foggy day to make the image feel cold and foreboding.

You can get the same results with the hard-coded WB settings built in to the D. These settings are presented with generic names to put you in the ballpark. Just because you can use the Cloudy setting does not necessarily mean that if you see clouds, it’s the one you need to use. To achieve the same effect as daylight film and a warming filter, simply select the Cloudy white balance setting while shooting in normal daylight. This sets the D to balance at about  K, and makes nice warm-looking images. If you want to really warm the image up, set the controls to Shade, which sets the camera to  K. On the other hand, if you want to make an image appear cool or bluish, try using the Fluorescent ( K) or Incandescent ( K) settings in normal daylight. Remember, the color temperature shifts from “cool” values to “warm” values. In AUTO WB mode, the D can record your images with any color temperature from  K (very cool or bluish) to  K (very warm or reddish) and any major value in between. You can manually select between  K and  K by using the various preset WB values included in the camera’s menus. There’s no need to carry various film emulsions or filters to deal with light color range. The D has very easyto-use color temperature controls and a full range of color temperature selections available.

Color Temperature



FIG  - Same image with different WB settings

There are two ways of setting the WB on the D: t
Manually set a WB preset by selecting options from the White balance setting on the Information edit menu (method ) or the White balance setting on the Shooting menu screens (method ). t
Manually set WB using the PRE function, measuring the actual ambient light color temperature with a gray or white card under the light source for your subject. We’ll consider each of these methods in the following sections since you may prefer to use different methods according to the time you have to shoot and the color accuracy you want. Most critical photographers will use the second way to set WB; the PRE measurement function. We’ll discuss the PRE function in the section “Measuring Ambient Light and Using PRE” later in this chapter.

Note on Manual WB Settings You can manually choose or adjust the white balance values only if you are using one of the P, S, A, M modes on the Mode dial. These stand for Programmed auto, Shutter-priority, Aperture-priority, and Manual. Since you take full or partial control over the camera when you use these modes, it makes sense that they would allow you to control WB also. The other modes allow the camera to take control, so it decides what white balance the image needs—which works fine most of the time.

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

White Balance

FIG  – The WB Information edit screens

Method 1 – Setting White Balance with the Information Edit Screens Sometimes you might want to manually choose WB settings. The D allows you to change the WB by using either the Information edit menus or the internal Shooting menu. The Shooting menu gives you more control over things like finetuning the white balance. We’ll look at both methods in this chapter. First, let’s examine the Information edit menu method, which is very easy. Here’s how to set the WB by using the Information edit menu (see FIG ): . Press the Information edit button until you see the Information edit menu. . Make sure the yellow highlighted rectangle is positioned in the White balance (WB) field. . Press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with the second White balance screen. It has a list of WB selections, as shown in the box at right. . Choose one of the White balance settings from the list. . Press the OK button. The camera will return to the main Information edit menu with your selection showing in the WB setting.

White Balance Modes AUTO White Balance, K. Incandescent, K.

Fluorescent, K.

Direct Sunlight, K.

Flash, K.

Cloudy, K.

Shade, K. PRE (Preset Manual), used to measure the White balance (WB) for the actual ambient light. If no measurement is taken, the value used is whatever was last stored in camera WB memory.

Method  – Setting White Balance with the Information Edit Screens

Note on Flourescent WB Settings You’ll notice in the screen on the right in FIG  that the Fluorescent symbol has a  after it. This is because I had previously selected the fourth type of fluorescent lighting available within the WB preset settings when I was using the Shooting menu WB screens. There are actually seven different Fluorescent WB presets available, but you can’t access them from the Information edit menus. For now, just realize that the WB presets you can choose from the Information edit menus must be configured using the Shooting menu screens. We’ll discuss this in the next section

You’ll need to think about the type of light source in which you are shooting images. You’ll also want to recognize the individual symbols and what they mean. The symbols are fairly self-explanatory. Here is a list of what each WB setting represents and when to use it: t
AUTO – The camera automatically selects the color temperature that its software routines determine will make neutral colored images under the light source in use. t
Incandescent – The camera adds color to remove the strong orange color cast of an incandescent light source. This type of light is output by the old-style light bulbs that we all used to use in house lamps. t
Fluorescent – We’ve all seen the long fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling fixtures of most office buildings. Now we are using smaller coiled versions instead of the hot incandescent bulbs in our lamps at home. These bulbs vary their



light color according to the type of “vapor” fluorescing inside. That’s why the D gives you seven different types to choose from. You’ll have to experiment with the seven settings visually when under fluorescent bulbs since their color can vary so much. I usually do a PRE ambient light reading when faced with shooting under fluorescents. Often, many fluorescent lights will make your images look a sickly green color without accurate white balancing. t
Direct sunlight – Use this setting when you are out shooting on a nice sunny day and your subject is directly in the sunshine. As the day goes into evening, the sunlight’s color temperature tends to warm up to the “golden hour” right before sunset, when everything takes on that golden glow that makes us all feel good. Most people enjoy looking at warm golden-colored low-sun pictures, so allowing the variance to take place without changing from the Direct sunlight setting is often a good thing. t
Flash – Use this setting when you are shooting with a flash unit and it is the main source of light. The Flash WB setting is very close to the Direct sunlight setting in color temperature since humans so much enjoy that color range visually. It is slightly warmer. t
Cloudy – On those cool, overcast days, your images will have a mild blue tint that might make the subject appear cold. Often, it is a good idea to “warm up” the subject by using the Cloudy setting. Be careful not to use this just because you see some clouds in the

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

White Balance

sky. The Cloudy setting is there to warm your images on cool overcast days. If you use the Cloudy setting in sunshine, especially toward the hour before sunset, your images may be too warm looking. t
Shade – When your subject is completely in the shade on a sunny day, not being hit by the direct sunlight, the blue sky above provides most of the color temperature. Strangely enough, a subject photographed in the shade can have an excess of blue and look cold, even though the surrounding light in the sunshine is very warm. Use it when you need it, but be careful—if you use this in the sunshine, your images will look like the third image (, K) in FIG , a few pages back. t
PRE – As mentioned elsewhere in this chapter, this setting gives you whatever is stored in the WB memory area from your last PRE WB ambient light reading.

Recommendation: Why not just leave the camera in AUTO WB mode? Well, you may not get consistent color from image to image due to changes made by the camera in AUTO WB mode. If you want a certain consistent color balance in your images, you can select one of the preset WB settings. For instance, let’s say that you are shooting on a cloudy day and you want to make the images have the same color. You could select the Cloudy WB setting and all your images will have  K as the base color temperature. Or, you might be shooting in bright sunlight and want to use the Direct sunlight WB setting. If you’re shooting lots of images under a certain type of light and use the corresponding WB setting, you’ll later have excellent consistency when they are viewed side by side. Otherwise, when the camera is left on AUTO WB, each image may have a slightly different color balance, and you’ll be forced to do a lot of extra work later to rebalance the images. This is especially important when you are shooting a series of images that must be viewed together. It’s not so important when the images are viewed individually. If an image is a stand-alone image—with no strong relationship to its mates— then AUTO WB may work just fine. When I’m just out shooting for the fun of it, I use AUTO WB mode. However, if I’m shooting serious stock images, I will choose a preset WB or use the PRE method to get an ambient light reading. We’ll discuss the PRE method later in this chapter.

Method  – Setting White Balance with the Shooting Menu

Method 2 – Setting White Balance with the Shooting Menu This method is similar to method , but you use the camera’s Shooting menu screens to select the WB range instead of using the Information edit menus and Command dial. In FIG  are the screens used to set the WB selection in your D’s Shooting menu. Normally, you’ll use only the first two screens to set one of the preset WB values such as Cloudy, Shade, or Direct sunlight; then you’ll just press the OK button on the final screen, without changing anything. Here are the steps used to select a WB setting: . Press the Menu button and select the Shooting menu. . Select White balance and then scroll to the right. . Select one of the preset values, such as Direct Sunlight, Flash, or Cloudy, and then scroll to the right. FIG , image  shows AUTO WB selected.

FIG  – Setting the WB with the Shooting menu



Special Note on the Fluorescent WB Settings Since fluorescent light comes in all sorts of color temperatures, from sodium-vapor to mercury-vapor, you’ll see an additional screen just before the fine-tuning screen. It will appear between screens two and three in FIG . It’s a screen giving you seven types of fluorescent lighting to choose from. The Fluorescent choices are as follows: t
Sodium-vapor lamps t
Warm-white fluorescent t
White fluorescent t
Cool-white fluorescent t
Day white fluorescent t
Daylight fluorescent t
High temp. mercury-vapor

10

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

White Balance

FIG A – Fluorescent white balance choices

Once you’ve chosen a Fluorescent type, just scroll to the right and the fine-tuning screen will appear. If you don’t know your Fluorescent types, you may have to experiment a bit. I recommend just doing a PRE ambient light measurement under Fluorescent! We’ll discuss how shortly. . The fine-tuning screen will now appear (see FIG A, image ). Unless you want to fine-tune the preset, just press the OK button immediately without moving the little square from its center position.

That’s all there is to selecting a preset WB from within the Shooting menu system. The only difference in doing it this way is that you can fine-tune the color temperature values in the screen on the right in FIG . If you decide to fine-tune a WB preset, an asterisk will appear next to the Shooting menu’s WB symbol for that preset. You’ll see this symbol on the main Shooting menu screen to the right of the symbol for the WB preset. (Refer to the preceding section, on method , for a listing of what each symbol means.) Once you have configured the various WB presets, you can select from them with the Information edit menu to save time.

Mired WB Fine-Tuning Values

Mired WB Fine-Tuning Values One method for measuring color temperatures is to use micro reciprocal degrees, commonly referred to by the abbreviation mired. You may enjoy studying this color temperature measurement. Why? Simply because Nikon makes the WB fine-tuning adjustment in mired values. Mired is merely a way of expressing a very fine color temperature measurement. With the D, you don’t have to understand this fully to use it since you are given a visual aid to help make choices. If you choose to fine-tune any of the color temperature settings after you have selected one of the preset WB values, the last menu screen in FIG  allows you to do so by mired clicks. Each press of the Multi Selector is equal to five mired values, in the four color directions. Up is green (G), down is magenta (M), left is blue (B), and right is amber (A). If you aren’t familiar with fine-tuning the preset’s default color temperature, or if you don’t want to change it (most won’t), then simply press the OK button without moving the little square from the center (see the third screen in FIG ). If you’ve accidentally moved it, simply move it back with the Multi Selector until it’s in the middle again, then press the OK button, which will select the preset WB value you wanted to use without modifying its default value. However, if you feel that one of the D’s preset WB values is not exactly



A Brief Technical Foray Color temperature is a characteristic of visible light and is determined by comparing the subject’s color with that of an ideal black-body radiator. The color temperature, measured in K (Kelvin) or mired (micro-reciprocal degrees Kelvin), is the temperature at which a heated black-body radiator matches the color of the light source of the subject. In-depth information is available by looking up Planck’s Law and Wien’s Displacement Law. Now back to easy-to-understand stuff !

what you would like it to be, you can experimentally fine-tune the color temperature in mired values for that preset by adjusting it along the horizontal or vertical color directions. Recommendation: I normally use method  because it allows me to select a preset WB value without accidentally modifying the settings of its default color temperature and doesn’t require that I use the menus. I find that method  is much faster than using the Shooting menu. Since I am using the Information edit menu, it takes only seconds to set the values. I can’t do a PRE measurement of the ambient light with method , but I can select a previously set PRE setting. Let’s consider how a PRE measurement is done since it gives you very accurate WB under the current source of light.

10

10



White Balance

Measuring Ambient Light and Using PRE This method allows you to measure ambient light values and set the camera’s WB accordingly. It’s not hard to learn and is very accurate since it’s an actual throughthe-lens (TTL) measurement of the Kelvin temperature of the source light. You’ll need a white or neutral gray card to accomplish this measurement (either color will work). Use white when the light is really dim. FIG B shows the Shooting menu screens used to take a PRE ambient WB reading. Here’s how to use the PRE White balance measurement method (see FIG B): . Press the Menu button and select the Shooting menu. . Select White balance from the Shooting menu and then scroll to the right (FIG B, image ). . Scroll to the bottom of the list with the Multi Selector until PRE – Preset manual is selected, then scroll to the right (FIG B, image ).

. Select Measure from the list, and scroll to the right (FIG B, image ). . On the next screen, you’ll see the question Overwrite existing preset data? (FIG B, image ). Select Yes. This overwrites the last PRE reading you may have made. . Press the OK button, and you’ll be presented with a screen that says, Take photo of a white or gray object filling viewfinder under lighting for shooting (FIG B, image ). (Note: If you wait a moment, the camera will switch to an information screen with PRE flashing in the lower-right corner. Either of these screens will work for this reading operation.) . Point the camera lens at a white or neutral gray card and take a picture. The object is not to focus on this card, so get to within  inches ( cm) when you take the picture. Make sure a shadow from the lens does not show in the picture or it may change the reading slightly.

FIG B - Shooting menu screens used to take a PRE ambient WB reading.

Measuring Ambient Light and Using PRE

. Press the Shutter release button and take a picture. This is not really a usable picture—instead the camera takes a reading of the light source from your white or gray card. . You’ll know that the reading was successful because Data acquired will appear at the top of the screen (see FIG B, image ). If the camera did not get a successful reading—as shown in FIG B, image  with a good Data acquired notice—you’ll see the screen shown in FIG C instead. If you get the Unable to measure… screen, the light is simply too low to make the reading. Use one of the preset WB settings instead. Once you have a successful ambient light PRE reading, the camera will continue to use the measurement until you

FIG C –PRE WB reading not successful



change it. If you forget—which I often do—you’ll later find yourself getting strangely colored pictures when shooting under a different light source. Just remember to change back to AUTO WB for general shooting. Recommendation: The PRE measurement is very sensitive because it’s using the light coming through the lens to set the WB. Unless you’re measuring in extremely low light, it will virtually always be successful. In fact, I have never yet had the camera tell me that it wasn’t successful in any normal level of light. Be sure that you’re using a correct white or gray card (or something comparable) to take the reading or you may have some weird color casts as a result. When I am shooting under most indoor forms of light, I will often use the PRE method and take a measurement. I don’t want to be bothered with trying to figure out what type of lighting is used where I’m taking pictures. A PRE reading solves that completely!

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

White Balance

Selecting the WB from a Previously Taken Image It’s easy to select a white balance value from an image you’ve already taken. A previous image’s WB value can be applied to the new image you are about to take. This may come in handy when you are shooting in the same place frequently and can use an image shot at a previous time as a reference. FIG  shows the six screens used to recall the white balance from an image already taken and stored on your camera’s memory card. Follow these steps to get the white balance from an image: . Press the Menu button and select the Shooting menu. . Select White balance and scroll to the right (FIG , image ). . Scroll to the bottom of the list with the Multi Selector until PRE – Preset manual is selected; then scroll to the right (FIG , image ). . Select Use photo from the list, and scroll to the right (FIG , image ).

. If a current image shows and it’s the correct image, select This image and press the OK button. Skip steps  and . Otherwise, choose Select image and scroll to the right (FIG , image ). . Select the folder that contains the image you want to use. Most of the time it will simply be D (FIG , image ). Scroll to the right. You’ll now be presented with a list of images from which to choose. . Highlight one of the images by scrolling to it and pressing the OK button (FIG , image ). . The camera will return to the main Shooting menu screen with PRE after the White balance setting. You are now ready to take new images using the WB from an existing image. Recommendation: We’ve considered two ways to use the PRE method to select a WB setting. If you’ll experiment with these methods a time or two, it will become easy for you. It is especially important to learn how to make PRE

FIG  – Screens used to recover a WB setting from an image

Auto White Balance

ambient light measurements. Buy yourself a small gray card from a photo shop or online; the card should be white on one side and gray on the other. They don’t cost much and will allow you to make professional images with no colors casts unless you deliberately introduce one.

Auto White Balance Auto white balance works pretty well in the D. As the camera’s RGB meter senses colors, it does its best to balance to any whites or mid-range grays it can find in the image. However, the color may vary a little on each shot. If you shoot only in AUTO WB mode, your camera considers each image a new WB problem and solves it without reference to the last image taken. Therefore, there may be variance in the color balance of each image with AUTO WB. FIG  shows the Information edit menus used to set auto WB. These are the steps used to set the camera to auto WB: . Press the Information edit button until you see the Information edit menu.

FIG  – Selecting auto white balance



. Make sure the yellow highlight rectangle is positioned in the White balance (WB) field. . Press the OK button. . You’ll be presented with the second White balance screen. It has a list of WB selections. The selection we are concerned with is the AUTO setting at the top of the list. If AUTO is not currently selected, use the Multi Selector to select it. . Press the OK button. The camera will return to the main Information edit menu with AUTO showing after the WB setting. In this chapter, you’ve come to understand how white balance works, when you might want to use preset WB values like Flash and Cloudy, and how to measure for PRE ambient light settings. Now that you have this knowledge, you can make decisions about when it’s best to use AUTO WB and when it’s better to use a preset WB or PRE ambient light reading. Use these features often so that you’ll remember how to use them when you really need them.

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

White Balance

Should I Worry about White Balance if I Shoot in RAW Mode? The quick answer is no, but that may not be the best answer. When you take a picture using RAW mode (creating NEF files), the sensor image data has no WB, sharpening, or color saturation information applied. Instead, the information about your camera settings is stored as “markers” along with the raw black and white sensor data. Color information is applied permanently to the image only when you post-process the image in your computer—or in-camera with the Retouch menu—and save the image in another format, like JPEG, TIFF, or EPS. When you open an image in Nikon Capture NX or another RAW conversion program, the camera settings are applied to the sensor data in a temporary way so that you can view the image on your computer screen. If you don’t like the color balance or any other setting you used in-camera, you simply change it in the conversion software and the image looks as if you used the new settings when you took the picture. That is why so many photographers shoot RAW (.NEF) images. You can completely change the WB settings later in your computer, with no bad effects on the image. I personally shoot all my important work in RAW. Does that mean I am not concerned about my WB settings since I shoot RAW

most of the time? No. As mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, the human brain can quickly adjust to an image’s colors and perceive them as normal— even when they are not—which is one of the dangers of not using correct WB. Since an unbalanced image on-screen is not compared to another correctly balanced image side by side, there is a danger that your brain may accept the slightly incorrect camera settings as normal and your image will be saved with a color cast. Use your WB correctly at all times and you’ll make better images. You’ll do less post camera work if the WB is correct in the first place. As RAW shooters, we already have a lot of post-processing work to do on our images. Why add WB corrections to the workflow? Additionally, you might decide to switch to JPEG mode in the middle of a shoot, and if you are not accustomed to using your WB controls, you’ll be in trouble. When you shoot JPEGs, your camera will apply the WB information directly to the image and save it on your card— permanently. Be safe and always use good WB technique!

My Conclusions

Using a White/Neutral Gray Card When measuring WB with a gray or white card, keep in mind that your camera does not need to focus on the card. In PRE mode, it will not focus anyway because it is only trying to read light values, not take a picture. The important thing is to put your lens close enough to the card to prevent it from seeing anything other than the card. For most lenses, three or four inches (about  cm) away from the card is about right. Also, be careful that the source light is not casting a shadow from the lens onto the card in a way that lets your lens see some of the shadow. This will make the measurement less accurate. Ensuring that your source light does not make a glare on the card is a little harder to do since the card has a matte surface, but it still can be done. You may want to hold the card at a slight angle to the source light if it is particularly bright and might cause glare. Finally, when the light is dim, use the white side of the card since it has more reflectivity. This may prevent a bad reading in low light (see FIG C). The gray card may be more accurate for color balancing, but it might be a little dark for a good measurement in dim light. If you are shooting in normal light, the gray card is best for balancing. I doubt it makes a lot of difference, however; you might want to experiment in normal light with your camera and see which you prefer.



My Conclusions With the simple tips in the preceding section and some practical use while shooting pictures, you can become a D white balance expert. Learn to use the color temperature features of your camera to make superior images. You’ll be able to capture accurate colors or make pictures with intentional color casts reflecting how you feel about the image. Practice a bit and you’ll find it easy to remember how to set your WB in the field.

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

Multi-CAM  Autofocus

Multi-CAM 1000 Autofocus

11

What is the Multi-CAM  Autofocus Module

The first autofocus camera I owned was a “pro-level” film SLR back in the late s. I remember shooting a football game and trying to get the autofocus (AF) to stay locked on my chosen subject. Often it would lose the subject and the lens would rack in and out as it tried to recover. Then, when it found the subject, it was probably the wrong one. And that was on a pro-level camera! I’m not complaining—just remembering. Back then autofocus was almost a novelty. There were few AF lenses and even fewer cameras with AF. The majority of my lenses were lovely, single focal length manual-focus primes. Those times are mostly gone. The autofocus in the Nikon D is so far advanced in comparison to those early days of AF that it’s like comparing one of today’s cars with a car from the s. Most American cars from the ’s were big, heavy, slow, and not extremely safe or comfortable. Today’s cars are smaller, lighter, and faster, and are computer controlled for comfort and safety. The AF system in the Nikon D is, likewise, very advanced and feature rich. I wrote this chapter to help you get the most use out of a somewhat complex but powerful system. Let’s examine each aspect of the AF system in detail. (I’ll use the abbreviation AF instead of autofocus in most places.)

What is the Multi-CAM 1000 Autofocus Module? Inside your Nikon D is a Multi-CAM  autofocus module. Basically, the AF module examines the scene under



your selected AF focus point and uses advanced technology to obtain a correct focus. There are several ways that manufacturers can choose to put autofocus in a camera: t
Active AF – Either ultrasonic sound waves or an infrared beam is sent out to find the subject. When the return reflection is detected, the time lapse is measured and autofocus distance is calculated from that delay. This is sort of like the old submarine movies where the sub is “pinging” the surroundings looking for an object in the water. t
Passive AF – The autofocus system simply does an analysis of whatever it sees in its view. It can then use phase detection or contrast detection to find the subject and focus on it. If it’s too dark, sometimes a passive system will get a little more active and shine a nice infrared beam on the subject to help in its analysis (camera dependant). t
Contrast detection AF – The autofocus system detects intensity differences between pixels next to each other on the camera’s sensor. This is a very slow but accurate method of autofocus. It doesn’t work very well in dim light when contrast is quite low. Many point-and-shoot cameras use this mode, which explains why they take so long to focus. t
Phase detection AF – (D default) – Remember how you used to use a split-prism viewfinder screen in your film camera back in the “good old days”? Well, that is rather similar to how phase detection AF works. The

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

Multi-CAM  Autofocus

incoming image is split into two beams with a beam splitter and they are compared. In a sense, the camera is doing what you used to do with your own eye, bringing two split images together in the split-prism circle. Few of today’s cameras have a split-prism viewfinder for human use because AF is handled automatically by the camera.

11

The Nikon D uses the last method—phase detection—as the normal method of autofocus. The D’s MultiCAM  has a -pixel RGB sensor. With so many contrast-sensing elements in the AF system, it will autofocus in low to high light levels and at high speeds. So, the Multi-CAM  AF module is basically a flexible, multimode autofocus system designed to assist or replace your eye in getting a good focus on your lens’ subject. As we proceed through this chapter, I’m going to call it by the simpler name, AF module. The AF module has four AF-area modes: t
Single-point AF t
Dynamic-area AF t
Auto-area AF t
D-tracking ( points)

t
t
t
t


It also has four Focus modes: AF-A, or Auto-servo AF-S, or Single-servo AF-C, or Continuous-servo MF, or Manual focus

What’s the difference? Basically, think of the AF-area modes as where the AF module focuses and the Focus modes as how it focuses.

Finally, the camera has two Release modes that affect how the shutter release works after autofocus occurs. While not directly related to autofocus, we’ll consider them in this chapter to tie them in with using the AF module. Here are the two release modes: t
Single frame (one picture for each press of the Shutter release button) t
Continuous (up to three pictures per second when the Shutter release button is held down) The Release modes allow you to control how fast or how often a picture is taken. This is the image frame rate, or frames per second (FPS). We’ll look at how the image frame rate works in relation to the AF system. The frame rate used to be controlled by the “motor-drive” speed in days gone by. Basically, the Release modes (Single frame and Continuous) determine how fast the camera takes pictures, one at a time or in continuous bursts, at up to  FPS. With the mode selections we’ll discuss, you’ll be able to select whether the AF module uses one or several of its  AF Points to find your subject. You’ll also select whether the camera grabs the focus and “locks” on a static subject, or whether it continuously seeks new focus if your subject is moving—and how fast, in frames per second, it works to capture the images. You can turn autofocus off completely with the MF selection in the Focus mode section of the Information edit menu or Shooting menu and simply use manual focus. This will be useful when you are taking an extreme close-up picture with

Understanding the Focus, AF-Area, and Release Modes

a macro lens. There is so little depth of field in a close-up that it’s often easier to manually focus the lens. You can then select the exact area that you want in focus, which may only be a few millimeters at macro ranges. On the other hand, you may just want to take manual control of your camera in all its aspects. The D will cooperate!

AF System Override with Lens Setting If you’d like, you can use the A-M switch (or M/A–M switch) found on many AF Nikkor lenses to set the lens to M for manual focus (MF) and override the AF system completely. If the AF Nikkor lens supports “autofocus with manual priority,” you can use the AF module to obtain primary focus and then fine-tune it manually. The AF-S Nikkor -mm kit lens does not support any form of manual focus with the AF module turned on, unless you flip the A-M switch on the side of the lens to M (manual focus). Now, let’s consider the various features of the Multi-CAM  AF module in detail.

FIG  – Select AF points with the Multi Selector



Understanding the Focus, AF-Area, and Release Modes The D has distinct modes for how and when to focus. We’ll examine each of those modes as a starting point for better understanding of how autofocus works with the Multi-CAM  AF module. We’ll tie together information about the Focus, AF-area, and Release modes since they work together to acquire and maintain good focus on your subject. In fact, this chapter goes deeper than merely looking at the AF module alone since other related camera functions— like the Release modes—affect how the AF system performs. All this information is available in the D reference manual (on CD), but it’s spread out in so many places that it’s hard to connect it all together. This chapter is designed to help you bring the information together in a way that will assist you in remembering how to use it. To get started in our examination of the autofocus system, let’s examine a basic control you will use to select combinations of the  AF Points in the D viewfinder. In the image on the left in FIG , the red arrow points at one of the 

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

11

Multi-CAM  Autofocus

available AF Points, while the image on the right shows the Multi Selector. In three of the focus modes, you‘ll move the AF Point around the viewfinder with the Multi Selector (FIG ). You can select which of the  AF Points are best used to focus on your subject in three of the four focus modes: Single-point, Dynamic-area, and D-tracking. In Autoarea focus mode, the camera completely controls all  AF Points and decides which to use on its own. If you want to use the D like a point-and-shoot camera, select Auto-area mode. If you look at the camera’s viewfinder, you’ll notice the  tiny squares that represent the AF Points. Surrounding one of them (except in Auto-area mode), you’ll see a larger bracket that represents your selected AF Point. You can move this larger bracket around with the Multi Selector in all AF-area modes except Auto-area. Now, let’s start examining how autofocus works in the D.

AF Point with Cross-Type Sensor One of the  AF points on the D is a “cross-type” sensor, which means that it will initiate focus in a horizontal or vertical direction. The center AF point is the only cross-type sensor. The other  AF points are sensitive only in a horizontal direction.

Focus Modes in Detail The focus modes allow you to control how autofocus works with static and moving subjects. They allow your camera to “lock” focus on a subject that is not moving or is moving very slowly. They also allow your camera to “follow” focus on an actively moving subject. As mentioned previously, here are the four focus modes in the D: t
AF-A, or Auto-servo AF t
AF-S, or Single-servo AF t
AF-C, or Continuous-servo AF t
MF, or Manual focus Please note that AF-S and AF-C are available only in exposure modes P, S, A, and M. Let’s consider each of the Focus modes to see when and how you might use them best.

Auto-servo AF mode (AF-A) This mode is best for a less-experienced user or someone who doesn’t want to be bothered with selecting AF modes (see FIG A). Here’s how the mode works: t
Subject is not moving: The camera sees a static subject so it uses Singleservo AF (AF-S) mode automatically. Focus is static on the subject and does not continue updating. However, in my experience it is not really “locked” as when you are using normal AF-S mode.

Auto-servo AF mode (AF-A)

t
Subject is moving: The D uses Continuous-servo AF (AF-C), and as long as the subject is moving, the camera keeps seeking the best focus. The camera automatically selects Single-servo autofocus (AF-S) when the subject is stationary and Continuousservo autofocus (AF-C) when the subject is moving. Beware of one thing! Anytime AF-C is in use, the camera may allow you to release the shutter even though the subject is not in good focus. This is called release priority, and it simply means that the camera gives priority to shutter response and may release the shutter without the green focus indicator light being on in the viewfinder. It tries to focus if possible, but it will still take the pictures even if not all of them are fully focused. This applies only to Continuous-servo (AF-C) mode. I have done some tests in AF-A mode and here’s what I found: When I focus on a static subject, the focus seems to lock onto the subject. However, if I move the camera to a different subject, the D

FIG A – AF-A focus mode



will switch to AF-C mode and start autofocusing again. So, the focus only appears to be locked. It’s not really locked, as in AF-S mode where you have to tap the Shutter release button to get a refocus. If the subject, or your camera, moves and a different focus plane is required (near to far), the camera will refocus. When I focus on a moving subject, the camera will often hesitate to fire the shutter while there is no clear focus, but it sometimes seems to be a bit unsure and will fire anyway. Maybe it is switching rapidly between AF-S and AF-C modes as it detects movement from a previously static subject? I think the point of AF-A mode is that the camera detects subject movement, or the lack thereof, when you first press the Shutter release button to focus. However, the camera seems to be able to detect movement in a subject that was previously static but now moving and then switches to AF-C mode. I can’t find any verification of this, but my own observations seem to bear it out. Try it yourself and see what you think.

11



Multi-CAM  Autofocus

Single-servo AF mode (AF-S)

11

Now, let’s look at the AF-S focus mode. This mode is for shooting images in a leisurely manner—when you have time to slow down and choose your subject carefully, and it’s not likely to move. Landscape photography comes to mind for AF-S mode. FIG B shows the AF-S focus mode screens. Here’s how the mode works: t
Subject is not moving: When you press the Shutter release button halfway down, the AF module quickly locks the focus on your subject and waits for you to fire the shutter. If you don’t release pressure on the Shutter release button and refocus and your subject starts moving, the focus will be obsolete and useless. If the subject is moving intermittently, once you have focus lock, take the picture quickly. AF-S mode is perfect for stationary subjects or in some cases even very slowly moving subjects. The shutter will not release unless the little green dot in-focus indicator is on in the viewfinder.

FIG B – AF-S focus mode

t
Subject is regularly moving: This will require a little more work on your part. Since the AF system locks the focus on your subject, if it moves even slightly, the focus may no longer be good. You’ll have to lift your finger off of the Shutter release button and reapply pressure halfway down to refocus. If the subject continues moving, you’ll need to press the Shutter release button halfway down, over and over, to keep the focus accurate. If your subject never stops moving, is moving erratically, or stops only briefly, Single-servo AF (AF-S) may not be the best mode to use. Continuous-servo AF (AF-C) is better because it never locks focus and you can better follow movement. You could also use Auto-servo AF (AF-A) since it will automatically switch to Continuous-servo AF (AF-C) if the subject moves. It is best to use AF-S mode only with static subjects such as beautiful mountain scenes. Mountains don’t move very fast!

Continuous-servo AF mode (AF-C)

Continuous-servo AF mode (AF-C) What mode should I use at an air show, car race, or sporting event? AF-C, or Continuous-servo mode! FIG C shows the AF-C focus mode screens. t
Subject is not moving: When the subject is standing still, Continuous-servo AF acts a lot like Single-servo AF, with the exception that the focus never locks. If you move the camera, you may hear your lens chattering a little as the autofocus motor makes minute adjustments in the focus position. Since it never locks in this mode, you’ll need to be careful that you don’t accidentally move the AF Point off of the subject or it may focus on something in the background instead. t
Subject is moving across the viewfi nder: If your subject moves from left to right or up and down in the viewfinder, you will need to keep your AF sensor on the subject if you are using Singlepoint AF mode. If you are using the area modes—Dynamic-area AF, Auto-area AF, or D-tracking—your camera will have the ability to track the subject across a few or all of the  AF Points. We’ll cover this in more detail in the upcoming section “AF-Area Modes in Detail”.

FIG C – AF-C focus mode



t
Subject is moving toward or away from the camera: If your subject is coming toward you, another automatic function of the camera kicks in. It is called predictive focus tracking, and it figures out how far the subject will move before the shutter fires. Once you’ve pressed the Shutter release button all the way down, predictive focus tracking moves the lens elements slightly to correspond to where the subject should be when the shutter fires a few milliseconds later. In other words, if the subject is moving toward you, it focuses slightly in front of your subject so that the camera has time to move the mirror up and get the shutter blades out of the way. It usually takes less than  second for the camera to respond to the Shutter release button being pressed when it is focused on a subject. Let’s talk about practical use of these functions: t
First example: If you are shooting an air show, for instance, in a few milliseconds a fast-moving airplane can move enough to slightly change the focus area by the time the shutter opens.

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

11

Multi-CAM  Autofocus

If you press the Shutter release button while the camera is focused on a moving aircraft, the mirror moves up and the shutter starts opening. That takes a only a split second in the D. In the time it takes for the camera to respond to your press of the Shutter release button, the airplane has moved slightly, which throws the autofocus off. The camera’s computer predicts where the airplane will be when the image is actually exposed and adjusts the focus accordingly. t
Second example: Let’s say you are playing in a ball game and you throw the ball to a running player. You would have to throw the ball slightly in front of the receiving player so that he and the ball arrive in the same place at the same time. Predictive focus tracking does something like that for you so that you don’t have to focus your camera in front of your subject and wait a few milliseconds for it to arrive. That would be a bit hard to time! Predictive Focus Tracking Tips: Lens movement, especially with long lenses, can be misinterpreted by the camera as subject movement. Predictive focus tracking, in that case, is seeing your camera movement while simultaneously trying to track your subject. You can drive your camera crazy by attempting to handhold a long lens. Use a vibration reduction (VR) lens or a tripod for best results. Nikon says that there are special algorithms in predictive focus tracking that notice sideways or up and down movement

and shuts this process down. So, predictive focus tracking is not activated by the D for sideways or up and down subject movement or panning.

Manual focus (MF) There are times when you want to take complete control of your camera. Autofocus may be unnecessary during those times, so you can turn it off. FIG D shows the MF focus mode screens. Manual focus works best when extra accuracy is needed, such as with macro shots. Some lenses have a physical A/M or M/A-M switch that lets you switch to MF (M) without using the manual focus (MF) mode setting in the camera. If you have the AF-S Nikkor -mm kit lens, it has the A/M switch (A=autofocus, M=manual focus). With Manual focus, you are completely responsible for focusing the camera. Autofocus is turned off. Some older AF Nikkor lenses will still work on the D but will require you to focus manually because the camera body does not have a focus motor and requires lenses that have one built in. I’ve tried using older “non-CPU” AI and AI-S manual focus lenses on my D, but the shutter refuses to release with one mounted, except when using the M or Manual exposure mode. Stick with AF-S lenses for best results. If you choose to use a non-AF-S lens, such as a regular AF lens with no focus motor built into it, your D should still work with the lens. However, even though the AF lens is an autofocus lens, it depends on the



camera body to do the autofocusing. Since the D has no autofocus motor built into the body, it cannot focus with an older AF lens. You must use an AF-S lens, which does have a motor built into the lens itself. Here is a list of lens technology abbreviations for Nikon and major aftermarket lenses with built-in motors that will work with your camera: t
Nikon — AF-S t
Sigma — HSM t
Tamron — BIM t
Tokina — built-in motor (new technology for Tokina, so the name may change) The camera will assist you in manually focusing with nearly any lens that will mount on it. It uses the round, green “good focus” viewfinder indicator when you’ve correctly focused the lens. That’s important since it is harder to do fine manual focus on a viewfinder screen with no split prism, like the D’s viewfinder.

FIG D – MF focus mode

Recommendation: Personally, I use Focus mode AF-S most of the time because I most often shoot static nature subjects. If you’re shooting active events with moving subjects, AF-S will probably not work well for you and you should use AF-C mode. AF-A mode is an in-between mode that tries its best to deal with difficult subjects, often static but sometimes moving. If I were a newer photographer, I would leave my camera set to AF-A mode. It works rather well. However, I look at AF-A as I do any of the automatic camera functions. It is convenient, but I use it only when I need convenience. If I am doing critical work, I want full control and will generally turn off any automatic modes. For general everyday shooting, though, it’s AF-A all the way!

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

11

Multi-CAM  Autofocus

AF-Area Modes in Detail

Single-Point AF-Area Mode

The AF-area modes are designed to give you control over how many AF Points are in use at one time and offer various ways to track subject movement. Let’s carefully examine each of the focus area modes. Here are the four AF-area modes in the Nikon D: t
Single-point AF t
Dynamic-area AF t
Auto-area AF t
D-tracking ( points)

This mode uses a single AF Point out of the array of  AF Points to acquire a good focus. Usually, the center AF Point is the one that provides focus information. You can control which AF Point provides focus information with the Multi Selector. You may move the AF Point around the viewfinder if a secondary AF Point better fits your image composition. FIG  shows the Single-point AF-area selection screens. Here is a common problem with Singlepoint AF. If two people are standing next to each other, with a gap in the middle, the single center AF Point will be examining the space between the two subjects. That will lead to a nice sharp picture of the background, with your friends out of focus. You can do one of three things to overcome this problem: t
One: You could get the focus first by pointing the center AF Point at the face of one of the subjects, press the Shutter release button halfway to get focus, and then hold it down while recomposing the image. When you have recomposed the shot, you’ll press the Shutter release button the rest of the way and take the picture. This is called the “focus and recompose” method. t
Two: Using the Multi Selector, you can move the AF Point selector bracket around in the viewfinder until one of the other AF Points covers the subject. You can compose the picture first by

Each of the AF-area modes has both an Information edit menu, Shooting menu, and Guide menu entry. You can use any of these to change modes, although strangely enough, using the Guide menu is much more complex. The Information edit menu or Shooting menu are simpler to use since there are significantly fewer steps. The Guide menu takes a hand-holding approach to setting various functions; it takes quite a few more screens to accomplish tasks that can be done with just two Information edit menus. The Guide menu system and Shooting menu are well covered in other chapters of this book, so we’ll use the Information edit menu instead. I think you’ll prefer those once you see how much easier they are to use. I know I do! Now, let’s look into the four AF-Area modes in more detail. First, we’ll examine Single-point AF-area mode.

Single-Point AF-Area Mode



11

FIG  – Single-point AF-area mode – Information edit menus

centering it however you’d like, then use the Multi Selector to move the single AF Point among the  AF Points until it rests on the face of one of the subjects. Then you’ll press the Shutter release button halfway down to get good focus and the rest of the way down to take the picture. t
Th ree: You can use Auto-area AF with its ability to find the nearest subject, especially a human face, and focus on it. Any of these methods will solve the problem of having a perfectly focused background with out-of-focus subjects caused by the center AF Point concentrating on the background between them. Many of us will use Single-point AF mode. It works particularly well for static or slowly moving subjects. When I’m out shooting beautiful nature images or at an event like a wedding, I’ll often use the combination of Single-point area mode, Single-servo focus mode (AF-S), and Single frame release mode (S).

Here’s a practical example of using Single-point AF-area mode effectively: If a subject is not moving—like a tree or a standing person—then Single-point area mode with Single frame release mode will allow you to acquire focus. Once the focus is acquired, the AF module will “lock” focus on the subject, and it will not change. If the subject moves, your chosen focus point may no longer be perfect and you’ll need to recompose while letting go of and then pressing the Shutter release button halfway again. Often, if the subject is moving very slowly or sporadically, I’ll not even use Continuous release mode but will leave it in Single frame release mode. I’ll tap the Shutter release button halfway to acquire focus when the subject moves and tap it again as needed. When I’m ready, I simply press the Shutter release button the rest of the way down and I’ve got the shot. Now, let’s move on to Dynamic-area AF and see what benefits it brings us.



Multi-CAM  Autofocus

Dynamic-Area Autofocus

11

This mode is best used when your subject is moving. Instead of a single AF Point used alone for autofocus, several sensors surrounding the one you have selected with the Multi Selector are also active. FIG  shows the Dynamic-area AF selection screens. Once you’ve selected Dynamic-area AF, your camera has the capability to do some basic subject tracking. When you look into the viewfinder, you won’t see anything that helps you know you’re in that mode. The viewfinder screen looks just as it does when the camera is in Single-point AF mode. You still just see the one big bracket surrounding a small square AF Point, and you can move it around among the  AF Points with the Multi Selector. However, there is a difference that is not visible.

FIG  – Dynamic-area mode – Information edit menus

In Single-point AF mode, you are truly using a single AF Point to get autofocus. Even though Dynamic-area AF looks the same, there are, in fact, up to five AF Points being used. Imagine a cross-shaped pattern of AF Points, with the big-bracketed one in the center. You are still selecting a single AF Point to start the autofocus in this mode. However, if the subject moves a bit and the selected AF Point is no longer on the subject, the AF Points surrounding the selected AF Point will start providing autofocus services. They will take over when needed to keep the focus accurate. FIG A provides a look at the otherwise invisible cross-shaped pattern that can be moved around the viewfinder with the Multi Selector. Notice how you lose one AF Point in the pattern when you move to the edge of the viewfinder in any direction. The

Dynamic-Area Autofocus

only time you’ll have five active AF Points seeking a subject is when the selected AF Point is directly in the middle of the viewfinder. On the edges, only four AF Points are active. The image on the left in FIG A shows the right-edge pattern, while the image in the middle shows the center pattern. The left, top, and bottom pattern will also lose an AF Point from the pattern, as shown by the top pattern in the third image in FIG A. They will all resemble a T instead of a plus-sign shape. Can you see how flexible the Dynamicarea AF mode could be? Maybe you’re doing some macro shots of a honey bee on a flower and it’s moving around the blossom. The extra AF Points allow you to track the bee around the small area without moving the camera. Or, you might be following a running person with your lens (panning) during a football game. You’re using the extra AF Points to stay with the



subject without losing the focus, even if your main AF Point leaves the subject briefly. We’ll talk more about focus tracking with all  AF Points later in this chapter by considering another pattern called D-tracking ( points). That mode allows your D to use all its AF Points for tracking and to pay attention to the color and brightness of the subject to improve tracking accuracy with many subjects.

Important Note on AF Modes Please use AF-A and AF-C focus modes when using Dynamic-area AF-area mode. If you use AF-S focus mode, you’ll cancel out the “Dynamic-ness” of the Dynamicarea AF-area mode. AF-S forces your camera to use one AF point only, so the dynamic use of the surrounding AF points is canceled.

FIG A – Various AF sensor point patterns in Dynamic-area AF

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

Multi-CAM  Autofocus

Auto-Area Autofocus Auto-area autofocus mode turns the D

11

into an expensive point-and-shoot camera. Use this mode when you have no time to adjust your camera but would still like to get great images. The AF module decides what the subject is and selects the AF Points it thinks work best. FIG  shows the Auto-area AF selection screens. When you use this mode, you’ll notice how the camera itself selects various AF Points as it examines the entire view its lens finds. Usually, it will select the closest and brightest subject, with special emphasis on human faces. When you press the Shutter release button halfway down, the camera will use multiple AF Points when autofocusing. It will briefly flash all the AF Points it is currently using, in red, on the viewfinder. Try it! If you are using a D or G lens, there is “facial recognition technology” built into this mode. Since most of us will be using Auto-area AF only when we want to

FIG  – Auto-area mode – Information edit menus

shoot for fun—at a party, for example— a human subject that is closest to the camera is the most likely subject anyway. Your D can usually detect a human face and not focus on the foreground or background instead. Facial recognition technology has come a long way in the last few years. Nikon has given you a great tool for taking sharp pictures of people when you use Auto-area AF mode. If you’re shooting non-human subjects, just pay careful attention to what the camera considers to be the subject. Usually, it will select what you want it to select. However, if you are focusing on an object in the middle distance and the camera notices a brighter and closer object between you and your subject, it may very well choose the closer object. Using this mode means that you must keep watch on what the camera thinks the subject is and move slightly if it won’t focus where you want it to focus.

D-Tracking ( Points) Autofocus

3D-Tracking (11 Points) Autofocus This mode is designed for action shooters. Images of action sports, moving animals, auto races, and air shows will all benefit from the camera’s ability to track a subject. You’ll select your subject by using one of the AF Points. If the subject moves, the camera will hand off the AF responsibility to other points. As you pan your camera with the moving subject and it moves across the viewfinder, the adjacent points will take over. You can see this progression because the D displays which AF Point is active at any given moment. FIG  shows the D-Tracking AF selection screens. An easy way to see how this works is to select D-tracking from the Information edit menu. This mode is available only if you have AF-A or AF-C focus mode active. If you have AF-S selected, D-tracking will completely disappear from the Information edit menu. When I had D tracking AF-area mode selected and changed



the focus mode to AF-S, the camera automatically switched to Dynamic-area mode. Remember, AF-S Focus mode is designed for non-action shooting so it limits you to using one AF Point. Select D-tracking ( points) and then focus on a static subject. Slowly move your camera away from the subject. You’ll be able to see the tracking happen as the AF Point in use changes to a different one. It is quite fascinating to see how this happens, especially when you’re focusing on a moving subject. Here’s a practical example of use: Let’s imagine that you are photographing a bird perched in a tree but you want some shots of it in flight. You are patiently waiting for it to fly. You have D-tracking selected with all  AF Points active so that the camera will track the bird instantly when it starts flying. You’ve already established focus with the sensor you selected using the Multi Selector and are holding the Shutter release button

FIG  – D-Tracking AF-area mode – Information edit menus

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

11

Multi-CAM  Autofocus

halfway down to maintain focus. You’ve also previously set the Release mode to Continuous so that you can fire off rapid bursts of images (up to three per second). Suddenly, and faster than you can react, the bird takes to flight. By the time you can get the camera moving, the bird has moved to the left in the viewfinder, and the focus tracking system has reacted by instantly switching away from the primary AF Point you established focus with and now uses other AF Points within the  to maintain focus on the bird. You press the Shutter release button all the way down, and the images start pouring into your camera’s memory card. You are panning with the bird, firing bursts, until it moves out of range. You’ve got the shot, yet again! Nikon states that the camera uses color and brightness information to track your moving subject when you use D-tracking ( points). Here is a direct quote from a Nikon website: “When using D-tracking ( points) mode, the camera uses your subject’s color and brightness information to keep it in sharp focus as you change the composition.”

Recommendation: I use Single-point AF most of the time since my static subjects call for it. However, when I am shooting images of things like moving wildlife, I’ll switch immediately to D-tracking ( points). I use Dynamic-area AF when I’m shooting macro shots, primarily. I even use Auto-area AF at parties and events. I recommend that you use all these AF-area modes as your needs vary. Don’t be afraid to learn them well. It will definitely improve your photography if you learn when to switch between them. Another thing to test for yourself is whether or not any particular mode is fast enough for you. Anytime the camera has to process more data, or “think” deeper thoughts, it will take a little more time to obtain a good focus. This is especially true in the Auto-area mode because all the AF Points are active. We’ve covered the Focus and AF-area modes pretty well, so now let’s move on to the Release modes.



11

FIG  – Single frame release mode

Release Modes in Detail

Single Frame Mode

The D has five Release modes, which determine how many and how quickly images can be taken. We’re concerned with only the first two in this chapter on autofocus: t
Single frame t
Continuous t
Self-timer t
Delayed remote t
Quick-response remote

FIG  shows the screens for Single frame Release mode. This is the simplest frame rate because it takes a single picture each time you fully depress the Shutter release button. No speed here! This is for those shooting a few frames at a time. Nature shooters will often use this mode since they are more concerned with correct depth of field and excellent composition than speed. If you aren’t shooting rapidly moving subjects, then this Release mode makes the most sense. One press of the Shutter release button = one picture.

In the good-old-film-days, the first two release modes would have been called “motor-drive” settings because they are concerned with how fast the camera is allowed to take pictures. I’ve already talked about these modes to some degree earlier in this chapter in the discussion of the AF-area modes. However, let’s look at each of the Release modes in greater detail now. We are primarily concerned with Single frame and Continuous modes, since this chapter is on autofocus and its relationship with these Release modes.



Multi-CAM  Autofocus

11

FIG  – Continuous release mode

Continuous Mode FIG  shows the Information edit menu for Continuous Release mode. This high-speed mode is designed for when you want to take a lot of images in a short period of time. The camera will attempt to capture up to three frames per second every time you hold the Shutter release button down. If light is low and shutter speeds are slower, it may not be able to reach maximum speed. This is a great mode for action shooters who want to get as many frames as possible so they can select the best ones for later use. Think about it: In about  seconds you can fire off up to  frames— if the camera’s shutter speed allows it. If you like to hold down the Shutter release button and get lots of pictures, your camera is happy to oblige! Recommendation: You may be required to use both of these modes at one time or another. I usually have my camera set to Single frame Release mode since trees and mountains are not known to move around quickly. However, sometimes I’m shooting an event that requires mashing the Shutter release button and

hoping for some great shots. I like to shoot birds in flight and even bigger birds at air shows. In those situations, I’ll set my camera to Continuous Release mode and fire away. Learn to use both modes for best camera control.

Three Additional Release Modes While there are three more release modes available, this is a special chapter to bring together information related to effectively using the Multi-CAM  Autofocus system. We will not cover Self-timer, Delayed remote, or Quick-response remote in this chapter. These are covered thoroughly in other chapters of this book.

My Conclusions

My Conclusions I’ve followed the development of the Nikon autofocus systems since back in the late s. My first camera with autofocus was the Nikon F professional film SLR. Through many years I’ve experienced each new level of autofocus released by Nikon. It’s gotten better and better with each new generation! The current Multi-CAM  AF module within the D is a real pleasure to use. This AF system was found only in Nikon’s semi-pro and pro cameras just a few years ago. Now, it has worked its way into the D too. The D’s autofocus system is very powerful, especially in comparison to its predecessor, the D. I’m particularly impressed with the superior facial recognition and subject tracking capabilities in this fine camera. Great job, Nikon! The AF system is still necessarily complex, though. If you’ll spend some time with this chapter with camera in hand for testing the modes, you should come away with a much greater understanding of the D’s AF module. You’ll better understand how you can adapt your camera to work best for your style of photography. I must admit that, even after writing multiple books on Nikon cameras, I still have to refer to the manual from time to time when trying to remember the differences between the Focus modes, AF-Area modes, and Release modes. That’s one of the reasons I wrote this special chapter, pulling it all together. It is a complex and interrelated technology. The main



advice I can give you—if you happen to get confused—is to identify what type of mode you are dealing with in the first place. Then, come back to this book and reread the corresponding section over again. After a while, it will make more and more sense. As you use your camera regularly, these modes will become second nature to you. Enjoy your D’s excellent MultiCAM  Autofocus system!

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

Speedlight Flash Photography

Speedlight Flash Photography

12

What is a Guide Number

Light is the photographer’s friend! Knowing how to control light is the primary thing that separates excellent from not-so-excellent photographers. On beautiful balmy summer evenings, the light wraps around the land and gives us that so-called “golden hour” look we crave. However, some days are rainy and some are dark and gloomy. As photographers we want to take pictures. We don’t want to stop just because the sun won’t cooperate. We need light that we can take with us. We need it to be available quickly. We need a Speedlight! Your D has a built-in Speedlight. The little pop-up unit that’s always with the camera is a Nikon Speedlight flash. That’s the Nikon name for its flash units, large and small. From the tiny pop-up to the SB-—excellent for the D— and on up to the flagship SB- flash, you have several choices. You can even create a wireless array of flashes using your camera, a “commander” unit, and several Speedlight flash units. These types of setups are called the Nikon Creative Lighting System, abbreviated CLS. We’ll look at CLS later in the chapter. First, let’s examine some general flash information and how the D uses flash. How can you determine just which flash will work best for your style of shooting? Will the pop-up flash be enough with its limitations in range, or do you need more power to reach out and



light up more distant subjects? How does one rate the power output of a flash unit? This chapter contains information that will help you make a good choice in flash units. First, we’ll look at how to rate the power output of a flash by examining the guide number.

What is a Guide Number? The guide number (GN) for a flash unit measures how well it can light a subject at a specific ISO sensitivity and with a precise angle of view (wide-angle vs. telephoto lens). To put it simply, a higher guide number means the flash is more powerful, all other things being equal. Be careful when you are deciding on an external flash unit to use, whether it is a genuine Nikon Speedlight or an aftermarket unit. Simply comparing the GN is not enough. You must understand the settings the GN is based upon. Many larger hot-shoe-mounted flash units have zoom capability, sort of like your lens, and will be able to light up subjects farther away when zoomed out. However, imagine buying a flash unit from a manufacturer who publishes the GN based on a longer zoom position and then comparing it to a different flash unit based on a shorter zoom position. The GN rating on the flash that is zoomed out would seem to be higher than the same unit when not zoomed out. But unless you are comparing flash unit guide numbers with exactly the same settings, it is truly like comparing apples and oranges.

12



12

Speedlight Flash Photography

For instance, to get an exact comparison of guide numbers, you’d have to know the following: t
Distance from flash head to the subject t
Aperture f-stop number in use on the camera t
ISO sensitivity of your camera’s image sensor t
Angle-of-view setting on the flash’s zoom head t
Actual angle of view your lens provides (should match flash head) t
Temperature of ambient air In reality, the camera has little to do with figuring the GN other than providing an aperture f-stop number, lens zoom setting, and ISO sensitivity. So, how can you decide what GN is best without whipping out a scientific calculator? Just look at the flash unit advertisement to see what the GN is based on. Here are the most important figures: t
Flash “zoom” angle of view setting (e.g.,  mm or  mm, etc.) t
ISO sensitivity If you see a unit advertised as GN , just realize that this is not enough information to make a decision. In this instance, the number  is the GN. It represents the number of feet from flash head to subject ( feet). In countries that use the metric system, an equivalent GN is , and that represents the number of meters from flash head to subject ( meters). That number by itself is simply incomplete. Don’t buy a flash unit based solely on a GN like  or  or . Here’s why:

Think about this for a second. Let’s say I were a manufacturer who was desperate to sell you a flash unit. I might stretch things a little bit. I might say my superduper flash unit has a GN of  (feet) or  (meters), hoping you won’t ask about the settings I used to figure the number. Here is a comparison of two flash units with a so-called “comparable” guide number: Super-Duper Flash Unit GN Information t
GN  () t
 mm zoom-head setting t
ISO  sensitivity Nikon SB- Flash Unit GN Information (real values) t
GN of  () t
 mm zoom-head setting t
ISO  sensitivity Both of these flash units have the same GN listed, so which one is really more powerful? The Nikon SB- (see FIG ) will literally blow away the Super-Duper unit because its guide number is based on a much wider zoom-head setting and a lower ISO sensitivity. Yet the Super-Duper manufacturer lists the same GN! The Super-Duper unit must have its zoom head set to  mm, a much narrower beam, and have twice the camera ISO sensitivity to equal the Nikon SB- unit. Mr. Super-Duper is hoping you’ll not check the fine print at the bottom of the advertisement so you’ll think that his much-less-powerful unit equals the Nikon SB-. Surprisingly,

What is a Guide Number

there are flash unit manufacturers who will do exactly what I am describing. What can you learn from this? The actual GN itself is not enough to make a decision on which flash unit to use. You must know what the GN is based upon in order to make an informed decision. Take your time when buying a flash unit. You’re safe in sticking with Nikon’s Speedlights because the ratings are well known and they’re designed to support all the features of your D. There are also excellent aftermarket flash units available from manufacturers like Vivitar, Sigma, Sunpak, Metz, Braun/Leitz, and others. Examine the underlying settings and not just the guide number itself. What the GN is based on is as important as the actual number. The GN of the D’s pop-up Speedlight is  (feet) or  (meters) at ISO . The SB- Speedlight is  (feet) or  (meters) at ISO .

FIG  – Pop-up flash unit and the Nikon SB-



Technical Information on GNs For the technically inclined among us, the GN is based on a specific formula: GN = distance × f/number. It is based on the inverse-square law, which states that doubling the GN requires four times more flash power. So, a flash with a GN of  is four times more powerful than a flash with a GN of . The guide number represents an exposure constant for a flash unit. For example, a GN of  feet at ISO  means that a subject  feet away can be completely illuminated with an aperture of f/ ( =  × ) using a sensitivity of ISO . For the same guide number and an aperture of f/, the light source should be  feet from the subject ( =  × ). Fortunately, your camera and flash combination are capable of figuring the correct values for you when you use TTL mode.

12



Speedlight Flash Photography

Using the D3000’s Flash Settings

12

The Flash mode settings allow you to control how the camera’s pop-up flash—or a hot-shoe-mounted Speedlight—works while using various exposure modes. Here are the five basic Flash modes: t
Front-curtain sync (Normal) or Fill Flash t
Rear-curtain sync t
Slow sync t
Red-eye reduction t
Off The Nikon D has a total of  different Flash mode combinations. These are created out of the five available Flash modes. First are the stand-alone major modes (–), then the combination modes (–), and finally Off (). . Fill flash (front-curtain sync) . Rear-curtain sync . Slow sync . Red-eye reduction . Slow sync + red-eye reduction . Rear curtain + slow sync . Auto . Auto + red-eye reduction . Auto + slow sync .Auto + slow sync + red-eye reduction .Off This is a bit complicated, but don’t worry about it. I’ll discuss how they work and tell you how you can get to each mode. All the different versions of flash are not available in all Exposure or Scene modes. Each mode has particular flash settings that work and others that don’t. I’ll list those in sequence after I discuss

what each flash setting does. First, though, I need to cover some important information about the Nikon D’s shutter and how it relates to using flash.

Shutter Curtain Information Before we go into a deeper discussion about the Flash modes, let me interject some related information that may help you understand flash better. To fully know what’s happening when the flash fires, you must understand a little bit about the shutter curtains in your camera. Your D exposes the sensor to light for specific periods of time. This is your shutter speed. The exposure is handled by two moving objects called curtains. The D has two shutter curtains. One gets out of the way of the sensor to start the exposure, and the other replaces it to stop the exposure. The first one is called the front curtain and the second one is known as the rear curtain. In this context, front and rear are not important as indicators of position but as indicators of which moves first and which moves second. The flash must fire when the first, or front, curtain is fully open and before the second, or rear, curtain starts closing. The time between the front curtain opening and the rear curtain closing is the actual shutter speed. The whole sensor must be uncovered when the flash fires. If the shutter speed is too fast, the rear curtain will closely follow the front curtain and partially block the sensor when the flash fires.

Understanding the Flash Modes

That’s why the shutter speed is limited to a maximum of / of a second on the D. Faster than that and the sensor is always partially covered by one of the shutter curtains. If the flash fires while one of the curtains covers part of the sensor, then that part of the sensor would not get a proper exposure from the flash and there would be an underexposed black band in your image. The whole point of all these Flash modes is to determine at what point during shutter curtain movement the flash fires, and whether it’s the main source of light or some ambient light is mixed in. Keep this information in mind as we discuss the Flash modes.

Understanding the Flash Modes You’ll use the Information (Info) and Information edit menu to access the following Flash modes. You can also do this in a more limited way using the Guide menu (see the chapter titled Guide Menu – Advanced Use). However, in this chapter, we are approaching the flash system from a lower level than the Guide menu system. This chapter is for those users who want a deeper understanding of the Flash modes and are willing to learn to use the Mode dial and Information screens.

FIG A – Selecting Fill flash (front-curtain sync)



Here is a list of the Flash modes mentioned previously, along with what each does: . Fill flash (front-curtain sync) – Available only in Exposure modes P, S, A, M. See FIG A. In Front-curtain sync (fill flash), the camera tries its best to balance the light if you’re using a lens that has a CPU in it—like the AF-S Nikkor -mm kit lens. Older non-CPU lenses don’t give the camera and flash subject distance information, so the exposure cannot be as accurate. A CPU lens, like a AF-S Nikkor G or D lens, balances ambient light and light from the flash equally and works to make the light look very natural. If you use this correctly outdoors, it will be hard to tell that you were using flash, except for the catch light in your subject’s eyes and the lack of damaging shadows. The flash simply “fills” in some extra light without overpowering the ambient light. In a situation where there is very little ambient light, the camera will use only the flash to get a correct exposure. It balances with ambient light only if there is enough ambient light to balance with in the first place. Pretty smart little camera, I say! There is a side effect to using this mode with slow shutter speeds. Fill flash simply

12



12

Speedlight Flash Photography

causes the flash to fire as soon as the front shutter curtain is out of the way and before the rear shutter curtain starts closing. If there is some ambient light and the shutter speed is long— like / second—and the subject is moving, you may see a well-exposed subject with a blurry trail in front of it. The flash correctly exposes the subject as soon as the front curtain gets out of the way, but the ambient light continues exposing the subject before the rear curtain closes, and since it is moving, you may see a ghostlike blur before or in front of the well-exposed moving subject in the picture. This can be seen at shutter speeds as fast as / of a second if ambient light is strong enough and the subject is moving. . Rear-curtain sync – Available only in Exposure modes S and M. See FIG B. This is the reverse of Front-curtain sync. The flash waits to fire just before the rear curtain starts to close. The

FIG B – Selecting Rear-curtain sync

Figure C – Selecting Slow sync

entire shutter speed time is just ending when the flash fires. This causes a ghosting effect for moving subjects in higher ambient light with slow shutter speeds. You press the Shutter release button, the front curtain opens, ambient light starts hitting the sensor, and the subject starts being recorded. As the shutter is about to close, the flash fires, exposing the subject at its current position. The moving subject was fully exposed by the flash at the end of the shutter speed time, so the ambient light had time to register the subject before the flash fired, thereby making a blurred ghost behind or after the wellexposed subject. . Slow sync – Available only in Exposure modes P and A. See FIG C. The flash unit lets the camera use ambient light to make a good exposure and then fires the flash to add some extra light, rounding out the shadows or better exposing a foreground subject. Use

Understanding the Flash Modes

this mode in people shots outdoors or where you want ambient light to provide the primary exposure and the flash to provide more exposure in one area. This is closely related to Fill flash, except that the ambient light is more important to the camera than the light from the flash. Be careful when using this mode indoors since it will expose for ambient light and only assist with some flash light. You can get some terrible ghosting and blurred handheld shots when using Slow sync indoors or even outdoors if the light is low. Ambient light rules in this mode! . Red-eye reduction – Available only in Exposure modes P, S, A, and M. See FIG D. This is not really a flash mode; just part of one. It simply means that the Focus assist illuminator shines brightly in the face of your subject—for one second— before the flash fires using normal Fill flash mode. It is hoped that the bright AFassist illuminator will cause your subject’s

FIG D – Selecting Red-eye reduction

FIG E – Selecting Slow sync + Red-eye reduction



pupils to contract somewhat and reduce the red-eye effect. It acts like you are using Fill flash (Front-curtain sync) mode otherwise. Often the Focus assist illuminator will be seen twice: once during focus for whatever time it takes the camera to get an accurate focus, then again for the -second Red-eye reduction time. To the subject, it will seem like the focus light is flashing at them, then the main flash fires. Some may be fooled by the Focus assist illuminator and think the flash has already occurred, so it may be a good idea to warn subjects to keep looking at the camera until the main flash fires. . Slow sync + red-eye reduction – Available only in Exposure modes P and A. See FIG E. This works the same way as Slow sync except that the Focus assist illuminator shines for one second before the flash fires. This let’s you take pictures with an emphasis on ambient light while preventing the extra flash exposure from causing red-eye.

12



12

Speedlight Flash Photography

. Rear-curtain + slow sync – Available only in Exposure modes P and A. See FIG F. This is a combination of this list’s items  and . Please refer to those items for details. This mode is good to use for ambient light exposures where you still need a bit of flash to expose a close-up subject. The icon for this mode looks like a lightning bolt and the word Slow. However, the Information and Information edit menus will display Slow and Rear when this mode is selected (see FIG F). . Auto – Available only in Scene modes Auto, Portrait, Child, and Close-up. See

FIG F – Selecting Rear-curtain + slow sync

FIG G – Selecting Auto

FIG H – Selecting Auto + Red-eye Reduction

FIG G. This mode simply lets the camera decide when you need to use flash instead of you pressing the flash button. Otherwise, it uses Fill flash mode to make the exposure. . Auto + red-eye reduction –Available only in Scene modes Auto, Portrait, Child, and Close up. See FIG H. This mode simply lets the camera decide when you need to use flash instead of you pressing the flash button. It also shines the Focus assist illuminator into your subject’s eyes, for one second, to reduce red-eye. Otherwise, it uses Fill flash mode to make the exposure.

Understanding the Flash Modes

. Auto + slow sync – Available only in Night portrait Scene mode. See FIG I. This mode lets your camera decide when the light is low enough that it needs to use some flash to light a closeup subject while a night portrait is being made. Otherwise, it uses Slow sync to get background details exposed by ambient light (see mode list items  and ). .Auto + slow sync + red-eye reduction – Available only in Night portrait Scene mode. See FIG J. This mode lets your camera decide when the light is low

enough that it needs to use some flash to light a close-up subject while a night portrait is being made. It also shines the Focus assist illuminator into your subject’s eyes to reduce red-eye. Otherwise, it uses Slow sync to get background details exposed by ambient light (see mode list items , , and ). .Off – Available only in Scene modes Auto, Portrait, Child, Close up, and Night portrait (see FIG K). For this mode, you turn the flash Off by using the Information edit menus.

Figure I – Selecting Auto + slow sync

FIG J – Selecting Auto + slow sync + red-eye reduction

FIG K – Selecting Flash Off with Info screens



12



Speedlight Flash Photography

12 Figure L – Selecting Flash Off with the Mode dial

You can also use the Off selection on the Mode dial to turn the flash off completely (see where the red arrow is pointing in FIG L). Primarily, you should select the Exposure or Scene mode in which you plan to take pictures and only then select a flash mode. It’s hard to keep up with what’s actually available at which time. After choosing the Exposure or Scene mode, check the Information edit menu to see what flash modes are available.

Recommendation: I mostly use the Fill flash (front-curtain sync) and Slow sync flash modes. My normal flash is Fill flash, and the Slow sync is what I use when I want ambient to rule. In a sense, I tend to use Slow sync as a way to add fill flash instead of using the Fill flash (front-curtain sync) mode. I think calling the Front-curtain sync mode by the name Fill flash is not a great idea. It used to be called “balanced fill flash mode”, so I suspect that’s where Fill flash comes from. Now, let’s look at a very powerful flash method you might want to experiment with called Nikon Creative Lighting System, or CLS for short. This is a professional lighting system that your D can use.

What is the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)? CLS is an advanced wireless lighting technology that allows you to use your imagination in designing “creative” lighting arrangements. No wires are used since the remote flash units are controlled by a central “commander”.

Sample image taken by J. Ramón Palacios of Nikonians.org using Nikon CLS

How Does the D Fit into the CLS Scheme

You can use the commander mode built into a hot-shoe-mounted commander device such as the SB- and SB- Speedlights, or you can use the dedicated SU- Commander Unit. You can easily experiment with setups and flash output. There is no need to figure complex lighting ratios when you can control your flash banks right from the commander unit and see the results immediately. CLS simplifies the use of multiple flash unit setups for portraiture, interiors, nature, or any situation where several Speedlights need to work in unison. You can simply position the flash units where you’d like them to be and let CLS automatically figure the “correct” exposure, or you can change the lighting ratios directly from the commander mode menu of the hot-shoe-mounted commander unit.

Nikon’s Creative Lighting System is world class in power and not too difficult to use. The Nikon D, a commander unit, and extra Speedlight flashes are all you need to create a simple CLS setup.

How Does the D3000 Fit into the CLS Scheme? The Nikon D camera requires the separate purchase of a hot-shoe-mounted commander unit to control a CLS layout. FIG  shows the most powerful wireless infrared commander unit for the D, the SU-. You can use the SU- commander unit, or an SB- or SB- Speedlight flash in commander mode, to control up to several banks of an unlimited number of external Nikon Speedlight flash units. With the SU- commander unit, you can control up to three banks of flashes. With the SB- or SB- flash units,

FIG H - Nikon ML-L Infrared Remote Release

FIG  – SU- wireless Speedlight commander unit



12



12

Speedlight Flash Photography

you can control up to two banks of flashes. Nikon makes the powerful SB- and SB- flash units, along with its slightly less-powerful SB- brother, and several other smaller Speedlight units, such as the SB- or SB-R. Only the SB- cannot be used in the CLS layout. It is a stand-alone, low-cost flash for personal use only. The powerful SB- is no longer available new since the SB- replaced it. However, you may be able to find a good used one on various Internet auction sites. Some people prefer the SB- over the SB-. However, having used both units, I prefer the newer SB-. I like the button/switch arrangement and beam width control much better. The two units are close to the same level of power, but the SB- seems to outperform the SB- for me. The Nikon D is happy to let you arrange professional lighting setups using these very portable Speedlights as a commander or slaves in the Creative Lighting System. How CLS works is beyond the scope of this book, but I wanted to give you a preview of a powerful Nikon lighting system that you can use to make a small studio in your home. Many of us use the D to create images for sale on stock image websites. You might want to do the same!

Selecting a Nikon Speedlight Flash Unit Nikon makes several Speedlight units that work very well with the Nikon D. I personally have used the SB, SB-, SB-, and SB- units

with the D. There are also the RC flash units (SB-R), which are designed to be used in small groups, such as for a ring-light arrangement. SB- – Nikon’s Flagship Flash and Commander Unit

I really enjoy using the Nikon SB- Speedlight unit (see FIG ). It’s very powerful and easy to use in the CLS arrangement because it has external controls for setting remote mode. It can also be used as a CLS commander when needed. SB- – Flash and Commander Unit

As mentioned previously, the SB- is no longer a production unit and has been replaced by the SB-. However, SB- flash units are still available on the Internet. The SB- Speedlight unit (see FIG ) is close to the power of the SB- and has the ability to be a CLS commander too. The controls are less easy to use than the SB-, though. I’ve used these successfully for several years. SB- – Flash and CLS Slave Unit

The Nikon SB- Speedlight unit is the low-cost flash for users on a budget (see FIG ). It’s about one stop less powerful than the SB-/ units and costs considerably less. Buying several of these won’t set you back much and will allow you to set up a great CLS system with your D if you purchase the SU-, SB-, or SB- to use as a commander unit. The SB- can only work as a slave in a CLS layout. It cannot be used as a controlling commander unit, like its big brothers the SB- and SB-. Slave only!

Selecting a Nikon Speedlight Flash Unit



If you are just getting started in CLS, these might be your best investments for your flash banks. SB-R – CLS Slave Unit

FIG  – SB- Speedlight

Then there are the SB-R Speedlight units (see FIG ). These are primarily designed to use in special arrangements on brackets that Nikon created for them. You’ll see these Speedlights in use if you watch many crime dramas on TV because the investigators often use them for close-up flashes of crime scene evidence. They are also just CLS slave units with no commander capability. SB- – Personal Flash Unit (Not CLS Compatible)

FIG  – SB- Speedlight

Finally, there is the humble little SB- flash unit (see FIG ). It can be used only as a personal unit because it will not work with Nikon CLS. However, I always have one of these little low-cost units with me. They make a perfect companion to the D for general flash shooting.

FIG  – SB- Speedlight

FIG  – SB-R Speedlight

FIG  – SB- Speedlight in the D’s hot shoe

12



Speedlight Flash Photography

My Conclusions about Flash

12

Nikon has given D users an amazing number of flash mode choices and flash unit types. You can do things with your camera that people only dreamed of doing a few years ago. Experiment with these flash modes and see which ones you will use most often. The Nikon D and a separate commander unit gives you control over the world-class Nikon Creative Lighting System. It is the envy of many other camera brand manufacturers and users. Rocky Nook and NikoniansPress has an excellent book dedicated to this subject. Check Amazon.com and book stores for the title (see FIG ).

FIG  – The Nikon Creative Lighting System by Mike Hagen

The book is called The Nikon Creative Lighting System: Using the SB-, SB-, SB-, and RC Flashes, and it was written by fellow Nikonian Mike Hagen. Mike’s book is an excellent resource for increasing your knowledge of the Nikon CLS system. My book covers CLS only in relation to the Nikon D camera. Mike’s book goes into great detail on using Nikon cameras to control all the major flash units that Nikon currently makes. With these two books and some practice, you can become a Nikon Creative Lighting System expert! I also suggest that you find a good book on lighting techniques and study it well. You’ll have to learn how to control shadows and reflections. Plus, you’ll have to understand something about lighting ratios so that you can recognize a well-lit CLS image when you see one. Buy a couple of light stands and some cheap white flash umbrellas and set up some portrait sessions with your family, or even some product shots. With the Nikon D and even one extra Speedlight, you can create some very impressive images with much less work than ever before. The really nice thing is that the Nikon Creative Lighting System, executed by your Nikon D and a commander unit along with external Speedlight flashes, will allow you to shoot without worrying about detailed exposure issues. Instead, you can concentrate on creating greatlooking images.

Conclusion



12

FIG  – Single-flash Nikon CLS compared to direct flash

Conclusion Well, we’ve reached the end of Mastering the Nikon D. I want to personally thank you for purchasing this book. I truly hope that it has been helpful to you. Be sure to use the coupon in the back to get one-half off a Nikonians.org Gold membership. I would love to be able to communicate with you. My personal website is found at www.YoungImaging.com. It has a Contact link that will allow you to send me an

email. Feel free to ask any questions you might have about your new D. It is quite a complex little camera. You can find me on Facebook under the new fan site called Mastering Your Nikon Camera. Do a Facebook search for “Mastering Nikon” and the site will show up first. Become a fan! Also, I tweet at @ DigitalDarrell. Once again, thank you, and Keep on capturing time …



Credits for Chapter Opening Images

Credits for Chapter Opening Images Chapter 

Chapter 

Darrell Young (DigitalDarrell) Glenmore Mansion Nikon D and AF-S Nikkor -mm f/.-.G VR Lens Darrell’s Description: A Victorian mansion on a beautiful summer day, taken with the Nikon D and -mm kit lens. Camera info: Lens at mm – / sec – f/ - ISO  – Auto WB – Handheld – Matrix metering.

Ethan Young (DigitalEthan) My Friend’s Eye Nikon D and AF-S Nikkor -mm f/.-.G VR Ethan’s Description: My friend wanted an extra-cool picture taken of her, so I took this one. I zoomed all the way out on my lens and got in close. Camera info: Lens at mm – / sec – f/ – ISO  – Auto WB – Close up mode – Handheld with VR on – Matrix metering.

Chapter  Darrell Young (DigitalDarrell)  World’s Fair Sunsphere Nikon D and Sigma - F. EX DC HSM Macro lens Darrell’s Description: The Sunsphere is a -foot tall hexagonal steel truss structure used as the symbol of the  World’s Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. This picture was taken on the World’s Fair site, which is now a public park and convention center. Camera info: Lens at mm – / sec – f/ – ISO  – Auto WB – Handheld – Matrix metering.

Chapter  Darrell Young (DigitalDarrell) Railroad Yard in Knoxville, TN, USA Nikon D and AF-S Nikkor -mm f/.-.G VR Darrell’s Description: An active railroad yard behind the Smoky Mountain Railway Museum on a beautiful late summer day. Taken with the Nikon D and -mm kit lens. Camera info: Lens at mm / sec – f/ – ISO  – Auto WB - Handheld – Matrix metering.

Credits for Chapter Opening Images



Chapter 

Chapter 

Darrell Young (DigitalDarrell) Russian Matryoshka Nested Babushka Dolls Nikon D and AF-S Nikkor -mm f/.-.G VR Darrell’s Description: I wanted to test the Nikon D in a production studio environment, so I set up these babushka dolls in a light tent. I used two moonlights and a reflector to create and control the light. Since this was a test of the camera and lens, the kit lens seemed appropriate, so it was used. The camera/lens combo performed very well. Camera info: Lens at mm – / sec. – f/ – ISO  – Manual exposure mode – Aperture priority mode – Exposure compensation +.EV – Handheld with VR on.

Darrell Young (DigitalDarrell) Railroad Yard as a D Miniature Effect Nikon D and Sigma - F. EX DC HSM Macro lens Darrell’s Description: This is an actual railroad yard in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA as rendered by the Nikon D’s “Miniature Effect” function. The band of sharpness in the middle of the image with almost no depth of field, and intense color saturation, make this look like a diorama (artificial railroad yard miniature). Camera info: Lens at mm – / sec – f/ – ISO  – Auto WB - Handheld – Matrix metering.

Chapter  Chapter  Darrell Young (DigitalDarrell) Restored Agfa Isolette II folding camera from the s Nikon D and Sigma - F. EX DC HSM Macro lens Darrell’s Description: I thought it would be cool to take a picture of a ’s deluxe folding camera with a  deluxe digital camera. Technology marches on. Photography is still photography, although much easier to accomplish today. Camera info: Lens at mm – / sec – f/ – ISO  – Matrix metering

Ethan Young (DigitalEthan) Outline of Girls Nikon D and AF-S Nikkor -mm f/.-.G VR Ethan’s Description: As I was taking pictures of my two sisters and their friend Jessica, I decided to try the Color Outline function on my D. This feature takes a normal color picture and makes a line drawing out of it. I now do this all the time. Camera info: Lens at mm – / sec – f/ – ISO  – Auto WB – AUTO Scene mode – Handheld – Matrix metering.

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Credits for Chapter Opening Images

Chapter 

Chapter 

Ethan Young (DigitalEthan) Cloudy Autumn Mountain on the Blue Ridge Parkway Nikon D and AF-S Nikkor -mm f/.–.G VR Ethan’s Description: A beautiful autumn scene with a cloud rolling over the top of a mountain on Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, USA. Camera info: Lens at mm – / sec – f/. – ISO  – Auto WB – On tripod – Matrix metering.

Ethan Young (DigitalEthan) Blue Ridge Parkway in Autumn Nikon D and AF-S Nikkor -mm f/.-.G VR Ethan’s Description: An interesting tree on the Blue Ridge Parkway in autumn in North Carolina, USA. Camera info: Lens at mm – / sec – f/. – ISO  – Auto WB – Handheld – Matrix metering.

Chapter  Chapter  Darrell Young (DigitalDarrell) The Emporium Building Nikon D and Sigma -mm F. EX DC HSM Macro lens Darrell’s Description: The Emporium Building is one of the historic buildings in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA’s “Old City” area. These old buildings have been repurposed as office buildings or condominiums, often with popular restaurants on the street level. Camera info: Lens at mm – / sec – f/ – ISO  – Auto WB – Handheld – Matrix metering.

Jessica Hearron (Newlywed) My Friends – Emily and Hannah Nikon D and AF-S Nikkor -mm f/.-.G VR Jessica’s Description: My friends wanted me to take some pictures of them for Facebook, so we found a nice tree to use as a background, and I used the AUTO mode on the Mode dial so I’d be sure and get good pictures. The camera used pop up flash to add fill lighting, since the sun was behind the tree and the picture would have been too dark otherwise. Camera info: Lens at mm – / sec – f/. – ISO  – Auto WB – Handheld – Matrix metering.

Credits for Chapter Opening Images

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Index Symbols

B

D Color Matrix II Metering  D-tracking ( points) 

Basic default camera settings  Battery  Charging and Inserting  Beep ,  Body cap  Built-in flash 

A Active D-Lighting , ,  Active Folder  Advanced Operation  AF-area mode , ,  Auto-area  Dynamic area  Single point  AF-area modes  D-tracking ( points)  Auto-area AF  Dynamic-area AF  Single-point AF  AF-Assist  Ambient Light (measuring)  Aperture  Aperture Number  Aperture-Priority Auto Mode  Aperture Ring  Auto-area AF  AUTO Exposure Mode  Autofocus Modes  Active AF  Contrast detection AF  Passive AF  Phase detection AF  Auto Image Rotation  Auto Info Display ,  Auto Off Timers  Auto-servo AF mode (AF-A)  Auto White Balance 

C Center-Weighted Metering  Child Scene Mode  Clean Image Sensor  Close Up Scene Mode  Color Outline  Color Space  Continuous-servo AF mode (AF-C) 

D Date Imprint ,  Default camera settings  Delayed remote  Delete  Depth of Field  Diopter Adjustment Control  Display Mode ,  Dust Off Ref Photo  Dynamic-area AF 

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Index

E

H

Exposure comp  Exposure Metering  D Color Matrix II Metering  Center-Weighted Metering  Spot Metering  Exposure Modes  A - Aperture-Priority Auto Mode  AUTO Exposure Mode  Child Scene Mode  Close Up Scene Mode  Landscape Scene Mode  M - Manual Mode  Night Portrait Scene Mode  Portrait Scene Mode  P - Programmed Auto Mode  Sports Scene Mode  S - Shutter-Priority Auto Mode 

Help Button  Histogram  Histogram Shape 

I Image Comment  Image Data  Image Quality ,  Image Review  Image Size  Info Background Color  Info Display Format  Information edit menu  Information screen  Initial Camera Configuration 

J F File Number Sequence  Firmware Version  Flash compensation  Flash mode  Flash Modes  Focal Length  Focus mode  Format Memory Card ,  Freeze Motion 

G Guide menu  Guide Menu  Advanced Use  Guide Number 

JPEG Format 

L Landscape Scene Mode  Language ,  LCD Brightness ,  Lens  Attaching or removing  Light Range  Light Values 

Index

M

Q

Manual focus (MF)  Manual Mode  Menu button  Metering  Miniature Effect  Mired WB Fine-Tuning  Mirror Lock-Up  Multi-CAM  Autofocus 

Quick-response remote  Quick Retouch 

N NEF (RAW) Format  NEF (RAW) Processing  Night Portrait Scene Mode  Nikon Guide Menu  No Memory Card? , 

P PictBridge  Playback Folder ,  Playback menu  Delete  Quick Image Deletion  Display Mode ,  RGB histogram  Image Review  Playback Folder  Print Set  Print Set (DPOF)  Rotate Tall  Slide Show  Portrait Scene Mode  Printing  Print Set  Print Set (DPOF) ,  Programmed Auto Mode 

R Recent Settings  Release mode  Release Modes  Additional Release Modes  Continuous Mode  Single Frame Mode  Remote on Duration  Reset Setup Options  Retouch Menu  Before and After  Color Balance  Color Outline  D-Lighting  Active D-Lighting  Filter Effects  Image Overlay  Miniature Effect  Monochrome  NEF (RAW) Processing  Quick Retouch  Red-Eye Correction  Small Picture  Stop-Motion Movie  Trim  RGB histogram  Rotate Tall 

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Index

S SB-  SB-  SB-  SB-  SB-R  Self-timer  Self-Timer Delay  Sensor  Set Picture Control  Setup menu  Active Folder  Auto Image Rotation  Auto Info Display  Beep  Buttons  Clean Image Sensor  Date Imprint  Dust Off Ref Photo  File Number Sequence  Firmware Version  Format Memory Card  Image Comment  Info Display Format  Language  LCD Brightness  Mirror Lock-Up  No Memory Card?  Remote on Duration  Reset Setup Options  Self-Timer Delay  Time Zone and Date  Viewfinder Options 

Set up Selections  Active D-Lighting  Auto Info Display  Auto Off Timers  Beep  Date Imprint  Format Memory Card  Image Quality  Image Size  Info Background Color  Language  LCD Brightness  No Memory Card?  Playback Folder  Print Set (DPOF)  Time Zone and Date  Video Mode  Shoot Guide Menu  Advanced Operation  Freeze Motion  Soften Backgrounds  Shooting menu  Active D-Lighting  AF-Area Mode  AF-Assist  Built-in flash  TTL  Color Space  Focus mode  Image quality  JPEG Format  NEF (RAW) Format  Image size  ISO sensitivity settings  Metering  Center-weighted metering  Matrix metering  Spot metering 

Index

Noise reduction  Release mode  Reset Shooting Options  Set Picture Control  Landscape  Monochrome  Neutral  Portrait  Standard  Vivid  White balance  Shutter Curtain  Shutter-Priority Auto Mode  Shutter Speed  Single-point AF  Single-servo AF mode (AF-S)  Slide Show ,  Soften Backgrounds  Speedlight  Speedlight Flash Photography  Sports Scene Mode  Spot Metering  Stop-Motion Movie 

T Timers & Remote Control Continuous  Delayed remote  Quick-response remote  Self-timer  Single frame  Time Zone and Date ,  TTL 

V Vibration Reduction  Video Mode  View/Delete Selections  Choose a Date  Delete Photos  View a Slide Show  View Multiple Photos  View Single Photos  Viewfinder Options 

W White balance  White Balance Modes  AUTO  Cloudy  Direct sunlight  Flash  Fluorescent  Incandescent  Shade 

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