Nikon COOLPIX 990 Owner Manual

Contents

The Guide to Digital Photography

with the

COOLPIX 990

DIGITAL CAMERA

Electronic Edition

Product Documentation

First Steps

Basic Photography

Advanced Photography

Playback

Camera Setup

Connections

Technical Notes

Click

to go

Product Documentation

Thank you for your purchase of a COOLPIX 990 digital camera. The documentation for this product includes the manuals listed below. Please be sure to read all instructions thoroughly to get the most from your camera.

Fast Track Guide/For Your Safety

In addition to taking first time users step-by-step through the process of setting up and using the camera, the printed

Fast Track Guide gives a quick overview of camera settings. For Your Safety, printed on the reverse of the Fast Track Guide,

lists warnings and cautions that should be observed when using and storing your camera, together with legal information. Please keep this document where all those who use the camera will read it.

Menu Guide

This printed guide provides an overview of the camera’s menus.

Guide to Digital Photography

The Guide to Digital Photography (this manual, available in both electronic and printed formats) provides detailed information about your camera. The electronic edition features clickable links not available in the printed guide; otherwise the contents of the two manuals are identical. Both are divided into the following chapters:

First Steps

Guides you step-by-step through the process of setting up your camera and taking your first photograph

Basic Photography

Introduces the shooting options available in A-REC mode, a “point-and-shoot” mode that gives you control over flash, focus, and image quality settings, while the camera automatically adjusts other settings for the best results

Advanced Photography

Details the shooting options available in M-REC mode, an advanced shooting mode that gives you complete control over camera settings

Playback

Explains how to view and delete the photographs stored in the camera’s memory

Camera Setup

Details the options available in the SET-UP menus

Connections

Describes how to connect your camera to a television or computer

Technical Notes

Provides information on caring for your camera, camera accessories, specifications, and troubleshooting

Product Documentation

To make it easier to find the information you need, the following symbols and conventions are used:

A table of contents appears on the first page of the

About

electronic Guide to Digital Photography. In addition, each chapter begins with an outline of the topics covered. Click on the heading to open the guide to the indicated chapter or section.

Click the icon at the bottom right corner of each page for an explanation of the symbols and conventions used in this manual.

This icon marks cautions, information that you should read before use to prevent damage to your camera.

This icon marks notes, information that you should read before using your camera.

This icon marks tips, additional information you may find helpful when using your camera.

This icon marks references to other documentation or to another part of this manual.

Product Documentation

Click the icon at the bottom of each page for an explanation of how to use the camera menus.

Click the icon at the bottom of each page for a quick overview of camera menus.

Click the icon at the bottom of each page to view an illustration identifying camera parts.

Blue text indicates a link to another part of the Guide to Digital Photography. To follow the link, click the blue text.

Printing this manual

While this guide is also available in printed format, you may find it convenient to print portions of the electronic edition for ease of reference. The desired pages can be printed using the Print… command in the Adobe Acrobat Reader File menu.

This icon is used throughout these manuals to mark cross references to the Fast Track Guide.

This icon is used throughout these manuals to mark cross references to For Your Safety.

This icon is used throughout these manuals to mark cross references to the Guide to Digital Photography.

Life-Long Learning

As part of Nikon’s “Life-Long Learning” commitment to providing ongoing product support and education, a continuing set of new and updated information is always available on-line at www.nikon-euro.com. Please visit this site to keep up-to-date with the latest in product information, tips, FAQs, and general advice on the subjects of Digital Imaging and Photography.

First Steps

This chapter:

• Introduces you to the parts of the COOLPIX 990 and the camera menus

• Takes you step-by-step through the process of setting up your camera

• Outlines the steps involved in taking photographs and playing them back

First Steps

Getting to Know the COOLPIX 990

Putting Batteries in the Camera

Inserting the Memory Card

Choosing a Language

Setting the Time and Date

Taking a Photograph

Playback and Deletion

Click

to go

Getting to Know the COOLPIX 990

Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with camera controls, displays, and menus.

The lens section is attached to the camera body by a hinge that permits

the lens to be rotated through 270°. For more information, see:

“First Steps: Taking a Picture”

First Steps: Getting to Know the COOLPIX 990

Control panel

MENU button

MONITOR button

Viewfinder

eyepiece

Flash-ready

lamp

Autofocus

lamp

MODE (FUNC 1)

button

LCD

Monitor

Focus mode

(Delete)

button

Shutter-release

button

Mode dial

Image-quality/

Size button

Flash/Sensitivity

(Thumbnail)

button

Exposure compensation

(FUNC 2) button

Command

dial

Multi

selector

Zoom-in (Tele)

button

Zoom-out (Wide)

button

USB/serial

connector

VIDEO

OUT

Memory-card

slot

Eyelet for

camera strap

Battery-

chamber

cover

DC-IN

connector

chamber latch

Battery-

Lens

Tripod socket

Viewfinder

Built-in

flash

Red-eye

reduction

lamp

Photocell

Connector

for external

flash

Diopter-adjust-

ment dial

Click

for more information

Control Panel Through the Viewfinder

Sensitivity (ISO equivalency)

Battery

indicator

Metering

mode

Manual focus

indicator

Shutter-speed/aperture

display (press to

switch between shutter-

speed and aperture)

automatic AF area selection (M-REC)

Focus target (A-REC)/

Center focus area for manual or

First Steps: Getting to Know the COOLPIX 990

Memory-card

indicator

White-balance

indicator

(FUNC. 1/

FUNC. 2)

Exposure

mode

Image size

Image quality

Exposure count display

(shows number of

exposures remaining)

Focus mode

Continuous

Flash mode

Exposure

compensation

indicator

Use this area to frame

photographs at ranges of

less than 90 cm (1 yd)

Click

for more information

Use the diopter-adjustment dial to adjust viewfinder focus.

LCD Monitor

FINE

ISO

1 2 354

+0.7

NONOV

BSS

WB-L AE-L

1/60F2.7

1 Zoom indicator 2 Digital zoom 3 Focus mode/manual focus dis-

tance

4 External flash indicator 5 Flash mode (built-in flash) 6 Battery indicator 7 Image sharpening 8 White-balance program

9 Sensitivity (ISO equivalency) 10 Image adjustment 11 Image size 12 Image quality 13 Number of exposures remain-

ing at current settings 14 Exposure compensation 15 Aperture (f number) 16 Shutter speed

X2.0

ISO

VGA

141617

17 Exposure mode 18 Metering mode 19 Continuous (multi-shot) mode 20 Exposure bracketing indicator 21 Auto-exposure lock 22 White-balance lock 23 Best-shot selection 24 Lens converter indicator 25 Current folder 26 User set number 27 Self-timer indicator 28 Auto-exposure target (spot

metering) 29 Focus areas 30 Exposure display (manual expo-

sure mode) 31 “Date not set” icon

FINE

[

]

Camera Menus

Changes to some settings can be made with the help of menus that appear in the LCD monitor. Separate menus are available for each operating mode:

Mode

Controls

Basic camera setup (e.g., formatting

memory cards, setting time and A-REC, M-REC,

PLAY

SET-UP

date). SET-UP menus for M-REC

and PLAY accessible from SHOOT-

ING and PLAY BACK menus

respectively. Options available

depend on operating mode.

M-REC

PLAY

SHOOTING

PLAY BACK

Advanced shooting options (e.g.,

white balance, metering)

Playback options

Menu operations are performed with the multi selector, the MENU button, and the command dial, as described on the pages that follow.

First Steps: Getting to Know the COOLPIX 990

Viewing the menus

PAGE2

Press the MENU button to display the menu for the current mode.

HITE BALANCE

1 2

• The menu can be hidden by pressing the MENU button when is displayed in the lower left corner of the LCD monitor (to clear the M-REC menu from the monitor when

PAGE2

SELECT SET

button twice: once to display the second page of the M-REC menu, the second time to clear the menu from the screen).

Making a selection

Use the multi selector to make a selection.

First Steps: Getting to Know the COOLPIX 990

is displayed as shown at left, press the MENU

Highlight

menu item

Make selection

1 2

A A

PAGE2

PAGE 2

METERING

SELECT SET

METERING

SELECT SET

Display

options

1 2

A A

METERING

atrix Spot Center-Weighted S

pot AF Area

OFF

SELECT SET

Highlight

option

1 2

A A

OFF

METERING

atrix Spot Center-Weighted S

pot AF Area

SELECT SET

• To go back one step, press the multi selector to the left.

• The selection for some menu options is made from a sub-menu. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to select the desired setting from the sub-menu.

• Changes to settings apply as soon as the selection is made.

• In M-REC mode, the view through the lens is visible behind the main menu. Photographs can be taken while the menu is displayed by pressing the shutter-release button.

• In A-REC mode, the view through the lens can be restored by half-pressing the shutter-release button. You can take a picture at any time by pressing the shutterrelease button all the way down. The A-REC menu will be restored when you remove your finger from the shutter-release button.

Using the command dial to make a selection

A icon next to a menu item indicates that the command dial can be used instead of the multi selector to make a selection.

HITE BALANCE

1 2

HITE BALANCE

Stop when

desired option

is displayed

• Changes to settings apply as soon as the selection is made. You can then make further changes to other settings

A A

PAGE2

SELECT SET

Rotate

command dial

A A

PAGE2

SELECT SET

as described above, or use the MENU button to clear the menu from the display.

Multi-page menus

Use the multi selector to move between pages in the M-REC menu, or to access the SET-UP menu from the M-REC and playback menus.

Position

cursor in main

HITE BALANCE

1 2

SHOOTING MENU 1

SHOOTING MENU 2

1 2

First Steps: Getting to Know the COOLPIX 990

Display

selected page

1 2

A A

SELECT SET

PAGE 2

USER SETTING

SELECT SET

OFF

Highlight page

tab

PAGE 2

SELECT SET

Highlight page number (S for

OFF

SELECT SET

SET-UP menu)

• You can also go from Page 1 to Page 2 of the M-REC menu by pressing the MENU button once.

• The SET-UP menu for playback mode can also be accessed from the main playback menu. The SET-UP menu for M-REC can be accessed from the second page of the M-REC menu.

The A-REC Menu

OFF

SET-UP

SELECT SET

Folders Monitor Options Shutter Sound Auto Off Seq. Numbers CF Card Format

Date

Options NIKON

Brightness Hue

OFF

30S 1M 5M 30M

OPTIONS

New Rename Delete

BRIGHTNESS

HUE

NEW L M

NIKON O

RENAME NOV SHOW

DELETE

NOV SHOW

RENAME Q R

SHOW T

DELETE

SHOW

deleting folder?

No Yes

First Steps: Getting to Know the COOLPIX 990

DATE

YMD

2000.01.01 00:00

ON OFF

Reset

CF CARD FORMAT

WARNING! All images will be deleted!

Format

Click

for more information

The M-REC Menu, Page 1 The M-REC Menu, Page 2

hite

Incandescent Fluorescent

loudy

1 2

IMAGE SHARPENING

Auto

High Normal Low Off

HITE BALANCE

PAGE2

SELECT SET

IMAGE ADJUSTMENT

Auto Normal More Contrast Less Contrast Lighten Image Darken Image Black&White

HITE BALANCE

Auto W

hite

Bal Preset Fine Incandescent Fluorescent C

loudy

peedlight

Normal Wide Adapter Telephoto 1 Telephoto 2 Fisheye 1 Fisheye 2

WHITE BALANCE PRESET

Cancel Measure

METERING

atrix

Spot

enter-Weighted

C S

pot AF Area

CONTINUOUS

Single Continuous Multi-shot 16 VGA Sequence Ultra HS Movie

BSS OFF ON

LENS

Click

for more information

RESET ALL

Reset all settings

to default values?

No Reset

0.3 0

– 0.3

Int & Ext Active Int Flash Off

le Power

1 2

SPEEDLIGHT OPT. Variable Power Speedli

ht Cntrl

OFF

USER SETTING

EXPOSURE OPTIONS AE Lock Auto Bracketing Exp +/–

USER SETTING

SELECT SET

FOCUS OPTIONS AF Area Mode Auto Focus Mode Focus Confirmation Distance Units

ZOOM OPTIONS Digital T ele Startup Position Fixed Aperture

OFF ON Reset

OFF ON

0.3 0

– 0.3

Auto M

anual

Off

Continuous AF Single AF

MF ON OFF

m ft

ON OFF

Last Position Wide Tele

OFF ON

First Steps: Getting to Know the COOLPIX 990

The M-REC Set-up Menu

NEW L M

NIKON

BRIGHTNESS

Display Mode

Brightness Hue

DISPLAY MODE ON Review Only Preview Only Monitor Off

HUE

Click

for more information

First Steps: Getting to Know the COOLPIX 990

O P

RENAME NOV SHOW

RENAME Q R

SHOW T

DELETE

deleting folder?

No Yes

SHOW

Options

NIKON

OPTIONS

New Rename Delete

DELETE

NOV SHOW

NTSC PAL

SET-UP

Folders Monitor Options Controls Auto Off Seq. Numbers CF Card Format

Shutter Sound Shot Confirm Lamp Date Video Mode Language

D E F J

DATE

OFF

30S 1M 5M 30M

ON OFF

Reset

CF CARD FORMAT

Memorize Func.1 Func.2

MEMORIZE Mode

Done

FUNC. 1

Mode

White Balance Metering

FUNC. 2

Mode

White Balance Metering

YMD

2000.01.01 00:00

WARNING! All images will be deleted!

Format

The Playback Menu The Playback Set-up Menu

DELETE

Brightness Hue

OFF

30S 1M 5M 30M

SET

PLAY BACK MENU

Delete Folders Slide Show Protect Hide Image Print Set Set-up

OFF

SELECT

SET

DELETE

Selected Images

All Images Folder Print Set

FOLDERS Options All Folders

NIKON NOV

(Pause ➞ )

ERASE ALL IMAGES

Erasing all images ( excluded)

No Yes

DELETE

NOV SHOW

SLIDE SHOW

Start Frame Intvl

OPTIONS

New Rename Delete

Monitor Options

Shutter Sound Auto Off CF Card Format Date Video Mode

Language

OFF

SET-UP

SELECT

CF CARD FORMAT

WARNING! All images will be deleted!

Format

BRIGHTNESS

HUE

First Steps: Getting to Know the COOLPIX 990

PRINT SET

Done Info

Date

HIDE IMAGE

PROTECT

D E F

NTSC PAL

DATE

YMD

2000.01.01 00:00

Click

for more information

Putting Batteries in the Camera

Turn the camera off

Turn the mode dial to the off position. If the camera is on a tripod, remove the tripod before proceeding to the next step.

Open the battery-chamber cover

Firmly pressing the button in the center of the latch, slide the latch to the open position ( ), then open the battery-chamber cover as shown at right.

Insert the batteries

Insert four LR6 (AA) batteries with the + and – poles oriented as shown in the label inside of the battery-chamber cover.

The batteries can be removed without affecting photographs stored on the camera’s memory card. All M-REC settings except date and language will, however, be reset.

Close and latch the battery-chamber cover

Close the battery-chamber cover and, keeping the cover

held firmly closed by pressing it where labeled “▼Push,”

return the latch to the locked position ( ). To prevent the batteries from falling out of the camera during operation, confirm that the cover is latched.

Check the battery level

Turn the mode dial to A-REC and check the battery level in the control panel.

Batteries fully charged

Low battery

Replace the batteries as soon as possible.

Batteries exhausted

No photographs can be taken until the batteries have been replaced.

First Steps: Putting Batteries in the Camera

The camera’s clock-calendar is powered by a separate rechargeable battery. When you put batteries in your camera for the first time or after a long period of storage, wait a few hours for the clock battery to recharge before removing the main batteries.

For more information on:

Battery types approved for use in your camera

Safe storage and handling of batteries

Extending battery life

The MONITOR button

While alkaline batteries are suitable for use in the COOLPIX 990, battery life can be extended by using high-capacity lithium or nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries.

The following techniques can be used to extend battery life:

• Turn the LCD monitor off whenever possible (see right). Turning the monitor off eliminates the single biggest draw on battery power.

• If the batteries become exhausted, try turning the camera off and warming the batteries gently, for example in an inside pocket. The batteries may recover sufficient charge for a few extra shots with the monitor turned off.

• Use the AC adapter (available separately) when the camera is connected to a computer, when playing images back, or when using the slide-show option.

In M-REC mode, power consumption is also affected by the options in the FOCUS OPTIONS > Autofocus Mode and the SET-UP > Monitor

Options > Display Mode sub-menus (see table below).

Power

Autofocus modeDisplay mode

consumption

Continuous AF

High

On/Preview Only

Single AF

Review Only N.A.

Monitor Off N.A.

* Single autofocus is used while Review Only or Monitor Off are in

effect.

Low

The MONITOR button controls the LCD monitor. Press the button to cycle through monitor settings as shown below.

Monitor on,

settings hidden

Press

Monitor on,

settings displayed

Monitor off

Press

For more information on:

Connecting to a computer

Playback

Autofocus mode

Focus options

First Steps: Putting Batteries in the Camera

Display mode

Inserting the Memory Card

OFF

SET-UP

Folders Monitor Options Shutter Sound Auto Off Seq. Numbers CF Card Format Date

SELECT SET

Turn the camera off

Turn the mode dial to the off position.

Insert the memory card

Open the card-slot cover (1) and insert the card (2) oriented as shown in

the ▲ INSERT label on the underside

of the cover, sliding it in until it is firmly in place at the back of the slot and the eject button pops up (3).

Close the card-slot cover

Fold the eject button back into position (4) and close the card-slot cover (5). If the button is not folded over when the cover is closed, closing the cover may partially eject the card, causing errors in recording photographs or during playback.

Formatting memory cards

Memory cards must be formatted for use in the COOLPIX 990 before they can be used. To format the memory card:

Select A-REC

Highlight CF

Press

Folders Monitor Options Shutter Sound Auto Off Seq. Numbers CF Card Format

Date

OFF

SET-UP

SELECT SET

Press

A-REC setup menu displayed

Card Format

CF CARD FORMAT

WARNING! All images will be deleted! No Format

OFF

SELECT SET

Confirmation dialog displayed. Press multi selector down to highlight Format, then press to right to format card. Do not turn camera off or remove card until “FORMATTING” message has disappeared from display. All data on card will be permanently deleted.

Removing memory cards

First Steps: Inserting the Memory Card

For more information on:

Safe handling of memory cards

Approved memory cards

Reading memory cards with a computer

Memory cards can be removed without loss of data when the camera is off. To remove memory cards, turn the camera off and open the card-slot cover. Stand the eject button up (6) and press it down (7) to eject the card.

Choosing a Language

OFF

SET-UP

Monitor Options Shutter Sound Auto Off

Date Video Mode

CF Card Format

Language

SELECT

SET

OFF

LANGUAGE

SELECT

SET

Monitor Options Shutter Sound Auto Off

Date Video Mode

CF Card Format

Language

D E F J

OFF

LANGUAGE

SELECT

SET

Monitor Options Shutter Sound Auto Off

Date Video Mode

CF Card Format

Language

D E F J

Choose a language from the LANGUAGE sub-menu

The language in which menus and messages are displayed can be set using the Language sub-menu.

Turn the mode dial to PLAY

Press the MENU button

The playback menu will be displayed (the appearance of the menu will vary depending on the language currently selected).

PLAY BACK MENU

Delete

Folders Slide Show Protect Hide Image Print Set

Set-up

Display the SET-UP menu

Highlight

Set-up

Press

SELECT

OFF

PLAY BACK MENU

Delete

Folders Slide Show Protect Hide Image Print Set

Set-up

OFF

Monitor Options

Shutter Sound Auto Off CF Card Format Date Video Mode

Language

OFF

SELECT

SET-UP

SELECT

SET

First Steps: Choosing a Language

Highlight

Language

Press

Highlight

option

The languages available in the Language sub-menu are:

D German (Deutsch)

E English F French (Français)

J Japanese

Press

Setting the Time and Date

OFF

SET-UP

Monitor Options Shutter Sound Auto Off

Date Video Mode

CF Card Format

Language

SELECT

SET

OFF

DATE

2000.01.01

00:00

YMD

SELECT S ET

Display the DATE menu

Turn the mode dial to PLAY

Press the MENU button

The playback menu will be displayed.

PLAY BACK MENU

Delete

Folders Slide Show Protect Hide Image Print Set

Set-up

Display the SET-UP menu

Highlight

Set-up

Press

SELECT

OFF

PLAY BACK MENU

Delete

Folders Slide Show Protect Hide Image Print Set

Set-up

OFF

Monitor Options

Shutter Sound Auto Off CF Card Format Date Video Mode

Language

OFF

SELECT

SET-UP

SET

SELECT

SET

Highlight

Date

Press

Any photographs taken before the time and date have been set will have a time stamp of “2000/01/01 0:00”. Until you have set the time and date, a flashing clock icon will be displayed in the top right corner of the LCD monitor when the camera is set to A-REC or M-REC.

The clock-calendar is powered by a separate, rechargeable battery, which is charged as necessary when the main batteries are installed. If the camera has been stored with the main batteries removed for a long period of time, the clock may need to be reset. Once the main batteries have been reinserted, the clock battery will recharge in several hours, during which time the batteries should be left in the camera.

First Steps: Setting the Time and Date

Set the time and date using the multi selector

Highlight

DATE

YMD

2000.01.01 00:00

SELECT SET

OFF

desired item

Edit selected

DATE

YMD

2000.02.01 00:00

SELECT SET

OFF

item

Exit the DATE menu

To set the time and date to the values displayed, highlight YMD and press the multi selector to the right.

2000. 04. 24 20: 16

OFF

DATE

YMD

SELECT

SET

• To change the order in which the year, month, and day are displayed, highlight YMD and

To exit without changing the time and date, press the MENU button.

press the multi selector up or down to cycle through settings in the following order:

YMD

DMY

First Steps: Setting the Time and Date

MDY

Taking a Photograph

The COOLPIX 990 offers two shooting modes, A-REC and M-REC. In A-REC, the majority of camera settings are controlled by the camera in response to lighting conditions and focus distance, producing the best possible results. M-REC allows you greater control over such settings as shutter speed, aperture, and white balance.

A-REC

you can control

• Optical and digital zoom

• Flash settings

• Focus mode (autofocus, macroclose-up, infinity, selftimer)

• Image size and quality

• Exposure compensation

the camera controls

• Shutter speed

• Aperture

• Focus distance (in autofocus and macroclose-up modes)

• Exposure metering

• White balance

• Contrast

• Sharpness

First Steps: Taking a Photograph

M-REC

All settings listed above, as well as:

• Focus area

• Focus distance (manual focus)

• Sensitivity (ISO equivalency)

• Advance rate (single frame, continuous, video)

• Best-shot selection for sharper, clearer photographs

• Other settings

Depending on the exposure mode selected, the camera can control any or all of shutter speed, aperture, and focus distance in response to other settings made by the user

1/60

2.7

NORMAL

This section outlines the basic steps involved in taking a pho-

1/60

2.7

NORMAL

tograph in A-REC mode.

Remove the lens cap

Remove the lens cap as shown below.

Lift latch and

remove cap

Turn the mode dial to A-REC

After a short pause, a beep will sound and current settings will be displayed in the LCD monitor and the control panel.

Check the number of exposures remaining

The control panel and LCD monitor show the number of exposures remaining at current settings for image quality and size.

NORMAL

[

2.7

1/60

]

Number of exposures remaining

When this number reaches zero, you will need to insert a new memory card or delete some pictures before you will be able to take more photographs. It may be possible to record more photographs at a different image quality or size.

The MONITOR button

First Steps: Taking a Photograph

NORMAL

[

1/60

2.7

For more information on:

Deleting photographs

Image quality and size

The monitor button controls the LCD monitor. Press the button to cycle through monitor settings as shown below.

Monitor on,

settings hidden

]

Monitor on,

settings displayed

Press

Monitor off

Press

Adjust camera settings

When the mode dial is turned to A-REC, the following settings will return to their default values:

Setting

Flash mode

Default

Auto

Flash fires automatically when lighting is poor

Description

Camera focuses automati-

Focus mode

Autofocus

cally at distances over 30 cm (1 ft)

Before taking a photograph, you can make changes to these settings using the camera buttons and command dial.

OperationButton Controls

Flash mode

Press

Focus mode

First Steps: Taking a Photograph

Photographs compressed

Image quality

Normal

for best balance between file size and image quality

Photographs are 2048 ×

Image size

Exposure

compensation

These settings apply the first time you turn the camera on. Image quality and size are not restored to default settings the next time the mode dial is turned to A-REC (an image-quality setting of HI becomes FINE in A-REC).

Full

±0EV

1536 pixels in size

No exposure compensation performed

For more information on:

Using the flash

Focus mode

Image quality and size

Exposure compensation

Press

Autofocus

Image quality

FINE

Press

NORMAL

BASIC

Image size

Press while turn-

ing command dial

Full ⇔ XGA ⇔

VGA ⇔ 3:2

Exposure

compensation

Press while turn-

ing command dial

The icons shown above are displayed in the control panel.

(–2.0 EV to +2.0 EV in

increments of 0.3 EV)

Ready the camera

To reduce blurring caused by camera shake, hold the camera firmly in both hands. Photographs can be framed in the LCD monitor (A) or the viewfinder (B).

Frame photographs in the monitor when:

• you are using macro close-up

• you are using digital zoom

• you are using a lens converter

• image size is set to 3 : 2

• you want direct confirmation of camera settings or the view through the lens

Frame photographs in the viewfinder when:

• you want to save power by turning the monitor off

• bright ambient lighting conditions make it difficult to see the display in the monitor

First Steps: Taking a Photograph

When framing photographs in the viewfinder at ranges of 90 cm (1 yd) or less, use the smaller of the two frames in the viewfinder display (the area shaded in purple in the illustration at right).

Keep your fingers and other objects away from the lens and flash window when taking photographs.

When framing photographs in the LCD monitor, you can

NORMAL

take advantage of the rotating lens section to hold the camera at almost any angle. You can even rotate the lens to point at yourself and frame self-portraits in the monitor, as shown below (in this case, all indicators are hidden and the monitor shows a mirror image of what will appear in the final photograph).

Select your subject

Frame the photograph using the zoom buttons.

Button Operation Function

Zoom camera out

(zoom position shown in LCD

monitor)

Press

1/60F2.7

Zoom camera in

Press

1/60F2.7

Enter digital zoom mode

X2.0

NORMAL

[

]

NORMAL

[

]

First Steps: Taking a Photograph

For more information on:

Macro close-up

Optical and digital zoom

Lens converters

Image size

Hold for

2s at

maximum

optical

zoom

position

NORMAL

[

]

1/60F2.7

Digital zoom ratio can be adjusted using and buttons. Press button at minimum digital zoom ratio to return to optical zoom.

Focus

In A-REC, the camera focuses on the center of the frame, shown by the focus target in the viewfinder. Before taking a photograph, press the shutter-release button halfway to initiate autofocus, and check the status of the autofocus lamp (green) and the flash lamp (red) next to the viewfinder.

Take the photograph

To take a photograph, press the shutterrelease button all the way down. A beep will sound to let you know that a photograph has been taken, and the green AF lamp will blink slowly while the image is saved to the memory card.

MeaningLamp

First Steps: Taking a Photograph

Glows steadily

Flashes rapidly

AF lamp

Glows steadily Flash will fire when photograph is

Blinks

Flash lamp

Off

Subject in focus

Camera unable to focus using autofocus. Use focus lock to focus on another subject at same distance, then recompose photograph.

taken

Flash charging. Remove finger briefly from shutter-release button, then try again.

Flash not required or flash set to “off”

For more information on:

Autofocus

Focus lock

Focus area

Using the flash

Check the results

After a photograph has been taken, the autofocus lamp will blink and an hourglass icon ( ) will be displayed in the LCD monitor while the photograph is recorded. Before the photograph is transferred to the memory card, it will be displayed briefly in the LCD monitor.

▼ ▼

Press to delete

photograph

Press to pause display for 20 s.

Press again to record photograph,

or press ( ) to delete as

shown at left. Photograph re-

corded automatically after 20 s.

Turn the camera off

When you have finished using the camera, be sure to turn the mode dial to OFF. To avoid wasting batteries, check that the camera is off before putting it away.

Replace the lens cap

Replace the lens cap as shown below.

First Steps: Taking a Photograph

Lift latch and

replace cap

DELETE

erase images?

No Ye s

OFF

SELECT

Delete dialog displayed. Press multi selector up or down to highlight option, press to right to select.

• Select Ye s to delete photograph

• Select No to save photograph and

SET

return to shooting mode

While photographs are being recorded to the memory card, the autofocus lamp will blink, and a flashing card icon will be displayed in the LCD monitor when the camera returns to shooting mode. Although additional pictures can be taken while the camera saves earlier photos to the card, you should not eject the memory card, remove the batteries, or unplug the AC adapter (available separately) until the lamp has stopped blinking and the icon has disappeared from the monitor. Removing the card or cutting power while recording is in progress could result in loss of data.

Playback and Deletion

2000.04.252000.04.25

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Single-image playback

Photographs stored on the memory card can be played back for review or deletion.

Turn the mode dial to PLAY

The most recent photograph in memory will be displayed in the LCD monitor.

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The MONITOR button

The monitor button controls the LCD monitor. Press the button to cycle through monitor settings as shown below.

Monitor on,

photo info hidden

Press

Monitor on,

photo info displayed

Press

( )

OperationButton Function

View additional infor-

mation on current

Rotate

View other photo-

graphs in memory one

Press up or left to

view earlier images,

down or right to

at a time (hold down

to scroll rapidly to

desired frame number)

view later images

Zoom in on current

photograph (use multi

Press

selector to view other

areas of image)

Cancel zoom

Press

Select current photo

Press

for deletion

Start or stop movie

Press

playback

First Steps: Playback and Deletion

photo

Press

Monitor off

Thumbnail playback Deleting photographs

252000.04.25

100NIK100NIKONON

( )

OperationButton Function

Press once to display

menu of nine thumbnail

images, twice to display

four thumbnail images,

Press

a third time to return

to single-image play-

back

Scroll through thumb-

Rotate

nails page by page

Highlight thumbnail.

Use ( ) button

Press up, left,

down, or right

to view highlighted

thumbnail at full size.

Select highlighted

Press

thumbnail for deletion

Single-image

playback

.04.

4:20

ORMAL

DELETE

erase images?

No Yes

OFF

[

SELECT

0005.JPG

]

5/5

Press ( )

Delete dialog displayed. Press multi selector up or down to highlight option, press to right to select.

• Select Ye s to delete photograph

• Select No to save photograph and

SET

Thumbnail

playback

button

return to shooting mode

First Steps: Playback and Deletion

Basic Photography

These topics are covered in the sections that follow.

This chapter covers operations that can be performed using the camera’s dials and buttons in A-REC mode. A-REC mode is a simple, “point-and-shoot” mode in which the majority of settings are made automatically by the camera to produce the best results. The user controls the following settings directly by means of the camera’s buttons and dials:

• optical and digital zoom

• flash settings

• focus-mode settings

• image quality and size

• exposure compensation

In addition, you can also perform the following operations in A-REC mode:

• focus lock

• delay shutter release using the self-timer

• review and delete photographs as they are taken

Basic Photography

Optical and Digital Zoom

Using the Flash

Focus

Using the Self-Timer

Image Quality and Size

Exposure Compensation

Reviewing Photographs

Click

to go

Optical and Digital Zoom

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X2.0X2.0

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The COOLPIX 990 is equipped with motor-driven, ×3 optical

zoom linked to the viewfinder. By changing the area visible in the viewfinder (the “field of view”), zoom helps you establish the right balance between subject and background. A wide field of view is suitable for group portraits or landscapes, a narrow field of view for close-ups or long-range photography.

Digital zoom can be used to further enlarge photographs elec-

tronically by up to ×4.0. Note that zooming in on a subject

tends to decrease the amount of light entering the camera, resulting in slower shutter speeds, while simultaneously decreasing the apparent distance between the subject and the background. Zooming out has the opposite effect.

Optical Zoom

Photos can be framed in the viewfinder or LCD monitor using the zoom buttons.

Indicator in LCD monitor displays amount of zoom while either

Zoom inZoom out

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button is pressed

[

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Digital Zoom

At the maximum optical zoom position, holding the button down for two seconds triggers digital zoom.

Maximum optical

zoom position

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[

]

Hold for two

seconds

AF lamp blinks slowly

to show that photos

can not be accurately

framed in viewfinder

Zoom factor displayed

in LCD monitor

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[

1/60F2.7

While digital zoom is in effect, the zoom factor increases each

time the button is pressed, to a maximum of ×4.0. Press-

ing the button decreases the zoom factor. To restore optical zoom, press the button until the digital zoom indicator disappears.

Basic Photography: Optical and Digital Zoom

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