Nikon D200 Owner Manual

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About This Manual

The topics in this manual are arranged in order from easy to advanced.

These chapters cover all you need to know for

simple, “point-and-shoot” photography

Introduction (page 1)

Learn the names of camera parts and ready the camera for use.

Tutorial: Photography and Playback (page 17)

The basic operations involved in taking photographs and playing them back.

Reference: More on Photography (page 26)

Play with exposure and explore the creative possibilities of some of the camera’s more advanced settings.

Reference: More on Playback (page 98)

Learn more about camera playback, transferring photographs to a computer, and printing photographs.

Setup: Basic Camera Settings (page 115)

Basic camera setup, including formatting memory cards and setting the camera clock.

Setup: Shooting, Playback, and Custom Settings (page 124)

Read this chapter for more information on Custom Settings and on shooting and playback options.

Technical Notes (page 173)

Read this chapter for information on camera speciﬁ cations, accessories, and troubleshooting.

Read these chapters for a complete descrip-

tion of all aspects of camera operation

Trademark Information

Macintosh, Mac OS, and QuickTime are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. CompactFlash is a trademark of SanDisk Corporation. Lexar Media is a trademark of Lexar Media Corporation. Microdrive is a trademark of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies in the United States and other countries. Adobe and Acrobat are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Inc. PictBridge is a trademark. All other trade names mentioned in this manual or the other documentation provided with your Nikon product are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Introduction

Tutorial

Reference

Setup

Technical Notes

Photography and Playback

For Your Safety

To prevent damage to your Nikon product or injury to yourself or to others, read the following safety precautions in their entirety before using this equipment. Keep these safety instructions where all those who use the product will read them.

The consequences that could result from failure to observe the precautions listed in this section are indicated by the following symbol:

This icon marks warnings, information that should be read before using this Nikon product to prevent possible injury.

WARNINGS

Do not look at the sun through the view ﬁ nder

Viewing the sun or other strong light source through the viewﬁ nder could cause per ma nent visual im pair ment.

Turn oﬀ immediately in the event of malfunction

Should you notice smoke or an un usu al smell coming from the equip ment or from the AC adapt er (avail able sep a rate ly), unplug the AC adapt er and re move the battery im me di ate ly, taking care to avoid burns. Con tin ued op er a tion could re sult in injury. After re mov ing the bat tery, take the equip ment to a Nikon-au tho rized service cen ter for in spec tion.

Do not use in the presence of ﬂ am ma ble gas

Do not use electronic equip ment in the presence of ﬂ ammable gas, as this could result in ex plo sion or ﬁ re.

Do not place strap around the neck of an infant

or child

Placing the camera strap around the neck of an infant or child could result in strangulation.

Do not disassemble

Touching the product’s internal parts could result in injury. In the event of a malfunction, the prod uct should be re paired only by a qualiﬁ ed tech ni cian. Should the product break open as the re sult of a fall or other ac ci dent, re move the battery and/or AC adapt er and then take the prod uct to a Nikon-au tho rized ser vice cen ter for in spec tion.

Observe proper precautions when han dling bat-

teries

Batteries may leak or explode if im prop er ly handled. Observe the fol low ing pre cau tions when handling bat ter ies for use in this product:

• Be sure the product is oﬀ before re plac ing the battery. If you are using an AC adapter, be sure it is un plugged.

• Use only batteries approved for use in this equipment. Do not mix old and new batteries or batteries of diﬀ erent types.

• Do not at tempt to insert the battery upside down or back wards.

• Do not short or disassemble the bat tery.

• Do not expose the battery to ﬂ ame or to excessive heat.

• Do not immerse in or expose to wa ter.

• Replace the terminal cover when transporting the battery. Do not transport or store with metal objects such as neck lac es or hair pins.

• Batteries are prone to leakage when fully discharged. To avoid damage to the prod uct, be sure to remove the battery when no charge re mains.

• When the battery is not in use, at tach the terminal cover and store in a cool place.

• Immediately after use, or when the prod uct is used on battery power for an ex tend ed period, the bat tery may become hot. Before re mov ing the bat tery, turn the camera oﬀ and al low the battery to cool.

• Discontinue use immediately should you notice any changes in the bat ter y, such as dis col or a tion or de for ma tion.

Use appropriate cables

When connecting cables to the in put and output jacks, use only the ca bles pro vid ed or sold by Nikon for the pur pose, to main tain com pli ance with prod uct reg u la tions.

Keep out of reach of children

Failure to observe this precaution could result in injury.

CD-ROMs

The CD-ROMs on which the soft ware and manuals are dis trib ut ed should not be played back on audio CD equip ment. Playing CD-ROMs on an audio CD play er could cause hear ing loss or dam age the equip ment.

Observe caution when using the ﬂ ash

• Do not operate the ﬂ ash with the ﬂ ash window touching a person or object. Failure to observe this precaution could result in burns or ﬁ re.

• Using the ﬂ ash close to your sub ject’s eyes could cause tem po rar y vi su al im pair ment. Par tic u lar care should be observed if pho to graph ing in fants, when the ﬂ ash should be no less than one meter (39˝) from the sub ject.

When using the viewﬁ nder

When operating the diopter ad just ment control with your eye to the viewﬁ nder, care should be tak en not to put your ﬁ n ger in your eye ac ci den tal ly.

Avoid contact with liquid crystal

Should the monitor break, care should be tak en to avoid injury due to bro ken glass and to pre vent liq uid crystal from the mon i tor touch ing the skin or en ter ing the eyes or mouth.

iii

Notices

• No part of the manuals included with this product may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form, by any means, without Nikon’s prior written permission.

• Nikon reserves the right to change the speciﬁ cations of the hardware and software described in these manuals at any time and without prior notice.

Notices for Customers in the U.S.A.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Radio Frequency Interference Statement

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment oﬀ and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit diﬀ erent from that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/ television technician for help.

Notice for Customers in Canada

CAUTION

This class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference Causing Equipment Regulations.

• Nikon will not be held liable for any damages resulting from the use of this product.

• While every eﬀ ort has been made to ensure that the information in these manuals is accurate and complete, we would appreciate it were you to bring any errors or omissions to the attention of the Nikon representative in your area (address provided separately).

CAUTIONS

Modiﬁ cations

The FCC requires the user to be notiﬁ ed that any changes or modiﬁ cations made to this device that are not expressly approved by Nikon Corporation may void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Interface Cables

Use the interface cables sold or provided by Nikon for your equipment. Using other interface cables may exceed the limits of Class B Part 15 of the FCC rules.

Notice for Customers in the State of California WARNING: Handling the cord on this product

will expose you to lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after

handling.

Nikon Inc., 1300 Walt Whitman Road, Melville, New York 11747-3064, U.S.A. Tel.: 631-547-4200

ATTENTION

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.

D200

Symbol for Separate Collection in European Countries

This symbol indicates that this product is to be collected separately.

The following apply only to users in European countries:

• This product is designated for separate collection at an appropriate collection point. Do not dispose of as household waste.

• For more information, contact the retailer or the local authorities in charge of waste management.

Notice Concerning Prohibition of Copying or Reproduction

Note that simply being in possession of material that has been digitally copied or reproduced by means of a scanner, digital camera or other device may be punishable by law.

• Items prohibited by law from being copied or reproduced

Do not copy or reproduce paper money, coins, securities, government bonds, or local government bonds, even if such copies or reproductions are stamped “Sample.”

The copying or reproduction of paper money, coins, or securities which are circulated in a foreign country is prohibited.

Unless the prior permission of the government has been obtained, the copying or reproduction of unused postage stamps or post cards issued by the government is prohibited.

The copying or reproduction of stamps issued by the government and of certiﬁ ed documents stipulated by law is prohibited.

Disposing of Data Storage Devices

Please note that deleting images or formatting memory cards or other data storage devices does not completely erase the original image data. Deleted ﬁ les can sometimes be recovered from discarded storage devices using commercially available software, potentially resulting in the malicious use of personal image data. Ensuring the privacy of such data is the user’s responsibility.

Before discarding a data storage device or transferring ownership to another person, erase all data using commercial deletion software, or format the device and then completely reﬁ ll it with images containing no private information (for example, pictures of empty sky). Be sure to also replace any pictures selected for preset white balance. Care should be taken to avoid injury or damage to property when physically destroying data storage devices.

• Cautions on certain copies and reproductions

The government has issued cautions on copies or reproductions of securities issued by private companies (shares, bills, checks, gift certiﬁ cates, etc.), commuter passes, or coupon tickets, except when a minimum of necessary copies are to be provided for business use by a company. Also, do not copy or reproduce passports issued by the government, licenses issued by public agencies and private groups, ID cards, and tickets, such as passes and meal coupons.

• Comply with copyright notices

The copying or reproduction of copyrighted creative works such as books, music, paintings, woodcut prints, maps, drawings, movies, and photographs is governed by national and international copyright laws. Do not use this product for the purpose of making illegal copies or to infringe copyright laws.

Introduction

............................................................................................................

Tutorial:

Photography and Playback

....................................................................

1 17

Reference

................................................................................................................

2 23

Reference:

Introduction

Thank you for your purchase of a Nikon D200 single-lens reﬂ ex (SLR) digital camera with interchangeable lenses. This manual has been written to help you enjoy taking pictures with your Nikon digital camera. Read this manual thoroughly before use, and keep it handy when using the product. The documentation for this product also includes the manuals listed below. Please be sure to read all instructions thoroughly to get the most from the cam era.

• Quick Start Guide: The Quick Start Guide takes you through the process of un-

packing and set ting up your Nikon digital camera, taking your ﬁ rst photographs, and trans fer ring them to your computer.

• Software manual (on CD): The software manual contains information on using

the software provided with your camera. For information on view ing the software manual, see the Quick Start Guide.

To make it easier to ﬁ nd the information you need, the following sym bols and con ven tions are used:

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

This icon marks notes, information that should be read before using the camera.

This icon marks settings that can be adjusted using camera menus.

Lens

An AF-S DX 18–70 mm f/3.5–4.5G ED lens is used in this manual for illustrative purposes. The parts of the lens are shown below.

Zoom ring Mounting index: 8

This icon marks tips, additional information that may be helpful when using the camera.

This icon indicates that more information is available elsewhere in this manual or in the Quick Start Guide.

This icon marks settings that can be ﬁ ne-tuned from the Custom Set tings menu.

CPU contacts: 176Focal length scale

Introduction

Focus ring:

60 A-M mode switch: 60

Getting to Know the Camera

Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with camera controls and displays. You may ﬁ nd it helpful to bookmark this section and refer to it as you read through the rest of the manual.

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

Camera Body

Accessory shoe: 180

Built-in ﬂ ash:

Lens release button:

Focus-mode selector:

19, 51

Flash pop-up button:

(ﬂ ash sync mode) button: 78 [ Flash compensation: 80]

Flash sync terminal:

180

Eyelet for camera

strap:

10-pin remote terminal: 182

Connector cover: 106

Video connector: 106

DC-IN connector for optional

EH-6 AC adapter:

USB connector:

108, 111

181

AF-assist illuminator: 58

[Self-timer lamp: 83]

[Red-eye reduction lamp: 77]

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

Sub-command dial:

Eyelet for camera strap: 9

Depth-of-ﬁ eld preview button:

FUNC. button:

Battery-chamber cover:

Battery-chamber cover latch:

Shutter-release button: 20

QUAL (image quality/size)

button: 29, 32

[ ● (reset) button: 97]

Mode dial lock

release:

170

11 Tripod socket

(exposure mode)

button: 62

[ (format) button:

14]

Power switch: 17 [Illuminator switch: 5]

(exposure compensation) button: 72 [ ● (reset) button: 97]

Control panel:

WB (white balance)

button: 35–44

(focal plane mark): 60

ISO (ISO sensitivity) button: 33Mode dial: 26

Camera Body (continued)

Viewﬁ nder eyepiece cup

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

button: 43, 73

button:

[ ? (help) button:

Viewﬁ nder eyepiece:

83, 90, 181

(delete) button: 22, 105

[ (format) button: 14]

(bracketing)

(playback)

22, 98

(menu)

button: 24

(thumbnail)

button: 102

(protect )

button: 104

24]

(enter) button: 24

[ (playback zoom)

button: 103]

Monitor: 9, 116, 184

Multi selector

The multi selector is used for menu navigation and to control the display of photo information during playback.

View more photo info

Move cursor up

Diopter adjustment control:

16, 181

Metering selector: 61

(AE / AF lock) button:

56, 70

AF-area mode selector: 54

Card slot cover latch: 14

Playback ( 98) Menu navigation ( 24)

Main command

170

dial:

(AF-ON)

button: 52

Focus selector lock: 53

Memory card slot cover: 14

Memory card access lamp:

View previous photo

Return to previous menu

Cancel

View more photo info

Move cursor down

View next photo

Display sub-menu

Make selection

Change number of

images displayed

Make selection

Control Panel

1 Color temperature indicator ........................38

2 Shutter speed ..............................................62–69

Exposure compensation value ..................72

Flash compensation value ............................80

ISO sensitivity ........................................................33

White balance ﬁ ne-tuning, color

temperature, or preset number ....... 37–42

Number of shots in bracketing

sequence .................................................................73

Number of intervals ..........................................91

Focal length (non-CPU lens) ........................94

3 Flash sync indicator ...........................................79

4 Flexible program indicator ...........................63

5 Exposure mode ....................................................62

6 “Clock not set” indicator ..............................117

7 Image size ...............................................................32

18 Flash compensation indicator ....................80

19 Exposure compensation indicator ..........72

20 ISO sensitivity indicator ..................................33

21 Flash value (FV) lock ..........................................81

8 Image quality ........................................................28

9 Focus area ...............................................................53

AF-area mode .......................................................54

10 White balance mode ........................................35

11 Number of exposures remaining .............17

Number of shots remaining

before memory buﬀ er ﬁ lls ............................27

PC mode indicator ..........................................108

Preset white balance recording

indicator ...................................................................40

12 “K” (appears when memory remains for

over 1000 exposures) .........................................7

13 Battery indicator ..................................................17

14 Flash sync mode .................................................77

15 “Beep” indicator .................................................158

16 Aperture (f/-number) ..............................62–69

Aperture (number of stops) .................67, 69

Bracketing increment ..............................43, 73

Number of shots per interval ......................91

Maximum aperture (non-CPU lens) ........95

PC connection indicator .............................108

17 Aperture stop indicator ..........................67, 69

22 Image comment indicator .........................118

23 Wide-frame focus area indicator ...............56

24 Custom menu bank .......................................146

25 Shooting menu bank ....................................125

26 Bracketing indicator ..................................43, 73

27 Electronic analog exposure display ........69

Exposure compensation ................................72

Bracketing progress indicator .............43, 73

PC connection indicator .............................108

28 GPS connection indicator .............................96

29 Multiple exposure indicator .........................87

30 Interval timer indicator ...................................91

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

The LCD Illuminator

Holding the power switch in the position activates the exposure meters and the control panel backlight (LCD illuminator), allowing the display to be read in the dark. After the power switch is released, the illuminator will remain active while the camera exposure meters are active or until the shutter is released.

The Viewﬁ nder Display

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

1 Framing grid (displayed when On is

selected for Custom Setting d2 (Grid

Display) ................................................................158

2 8-mm (0.31-in.) reference circle for cen-

ter-weighted metering ...................................61

3 “No memory card” warning * ......................... 7

4 Battery indicator * ...............................................17

5 Black-and-white indicator * ..........................45

6 Normal-frame focus brackets

(focus areas) ...................................................53, 55

7 Wide-frame focus brackets

(focus areas) ...........................................................55

8 Focus indicator .....................................................20

9 Metering ...................................................................61

10 Autoexposure (AE) lock ..................................70

11 Shutter speed ..............................................62–69

12 Aperture (f/-number) ..............................62–69

Aperture (number of stops) .................67, 69

13 Exposure mode ....................................................62

* Can be hidden with Custom Setting d3 ( 158).

When the battery is totally exhausted, the display in the viewﬁ nder will dim. The viewﬁ nder

display will return to normal when a fullycharged battery is inserted.

119 10

20 21 24

16 17

14 Flash compensation indicator ....................80

15 Exposure compensation indicator ..........72

16 ISO sensitivity ........................................................33

17 Number of exposures remaining .............17

Number of shots remaining

before memory buﬀ er ﬁ lls ............................27

Preset white balance recording

indicator ...................................................................40

Exposure compensation value ..................72

Flash compensation value ............................80

PC connection indicator .............................108

18 Flash-ready indicator ........................................79

19 Flash value (FV) lock ..........................................81

20 Flash sync indicator ...........................................79

21 Aperture stop indicator ..........................67, 69

22 Electronic analog exposure display ........69

Exposure compensation ................................72

23 Auto sensitivity indicator ............................153

24 “K” (appears when memory remains for

over 1000 exposures) .........................................7

Advanced Focusing Screen Display

When the background is bright, the active focus area ( 53) is highlighted in black. When the background is dark, the active focus area is highlighted brieﬂ y in red as needed to establish contrast with the background (“Vari-Brite” focus areas), making it easier to identify the selected focus area. The viewﬁ nder is also equipped with on-demand grid lines. When On is selected for Custom Setting d2 (Grid display; 158), a reference grid is superimposed over the display in the viewﬁ nder. This grid is a useful aid when composing landscape shots or when tilting or shifting a PC Nikkor lens.

Owing to the characteristics of this type of viewﬁ nder display, you may notice ﬁ ne lines radiating outwards from the selected focus area, or that the display in the viewﬁ nder turns red when the selected focus area is highlighted. These phenomena are normal and do not indicate a malfunction.

The Viewﬁ nder Display

The focus-area and grid-line displays in the viewﬁ nder (advanced focusing screen display) tend to brighten at high temperatures and to darken and exhibit slower response times at low temperatures. The other displays in the viewﬁ nder tend to darken at high temperatures and exhibit slower response times at low temperatures. All displays will return to normal at room temperature.

Large-Capacity Memory Cards

When enough mem o ry re mains on the memory card to record a thou sand or more pic tures at cur rent set tings, the num ber of exposures re main ing will be shown in thou sands, round ed down to the near est hun dred (e.g., if there is room for ap prox i mate ly 1,260 ex po sures, the ex po sure count dis play will show 1.2 K).

Camera Oﬀ Display/No Memory Card

If the camera is turned oﬀ with a battery and memory card inserted, the number of exposures remaining will be displayed in the control panel. If no memory card is inserted, the control panel will show and a icon will be displayed in the viewﬁ nder.

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

First Steps

Attaching a Lens

Care should be taken to prevent dust from entering the camera when the lens

Introduction—First Steps

is removed.

After conﬁ rming that the camera is oﬀ , remove

the rear lens cap and camera body cap.

Keep ing the mounting index on the lens

aligned with the mounting index on the cam era body, position the lens in the cam era’s bayonet mount. Being careful not to press the lens-release button, ro tate the lens counter-clockwise until it clicks into place.

Detaching Lenses

Be sure the camera is oﬀ when removing or exchanging lenses. To remove the lens, press and hold the lens-release button while turning the lens clockwise.

Aperture Ring

If the lens is equipped with an aperture ring, lock aperture at the minimum setting (highest f/-number). See the lens manual for details.

Mounting

index

Attaching the Camera Strap

Attach the strap as shown below.

The Monitor Cover

A clear plastic cover (the BM-6 LCD monitor cover) is provided with the camera to keep the monitor clean and protect it when the camera is not in use. To attach the cover, insert the projection on the top of the cover into the matching indentation above the camera monitor (햲), then press the bottom of the cover until it clicks into place (햳).

To remove the cover, hold the camera ﬁ rmly and pull the bottom of the cover gently outwards as shown at right.

Introduction—First Steps

Charging and Inserting the Battery

The supplied EN-EL3e battery is not charged at shipment. Charge the battery using the supplied MH-18a quick charger as described below.

Introduction—First Steps

Charge the battery

1.1 Connect the power cord to the charger and

plug it in.

1.2 Place the battery in the charger. The CHARGE lamp will blink as the battery charges. About two and a quarter hours are required for an exhausted battery to fully charge.

1.3 Charging is complete when the CHARGE lamp stops blinking. Remove the battery from the charger and unplug the charger.

The Battery and Charger

Read and follow the warnings and cautions on pages ii–iii and 187–188 of this manual, together with any warnings and instructions provided by the battery manufacturer. Use

only EN-EL3e batteries. The D200 is not compatible with the EN-EL3 or EN-EL3a batteries available for D100, D70-series, or D50 cameras or with the MS-D70 CR2 battery holder.

Do not use the battery at ambient temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F) or above 40 °C (104 °F). During charging, the tem per a ture should be in the vi cin i ty of 5–35 °C (41–95 °F). Note that the battery may become hot during use; wait for the battery to cool before charging. Failure to observe these precautions could damage the battery, impair its performance, or prevent it from charging normally.

The supplied power cable is intended solely for use with the MH-18a and is for domestic use only. It may be necessary to purchase another cable for use abroad; consult with a local Nikon-authorized retailer or service representative. Unplug the charger when not in use.

Insert the battery

2.1 After conﬁ rming that the camera is oﬀ , open

the battery chamber cover.

2.2 Insert a fully charged battery as shown at right. Close the battery chamber cover.

EN-EL3e Rechargeable Li-ion Batteries

The EN-EL3e shares information with compatible devices, enabling the battery charge state to be shown in six levels in the control panel and as a percentage in the setup menu Battery Info display ( 123), together with battery life and the number of pictures taken since the battery was last charged.

Use Only Nikon Brand Electronic Accessories

Nikon cameras are designed to the highest standards and include complex electronic circuitry. Only Nikon brand electronic accessories (including lenses, Speedlights, battery chargers, batteries, and AC adapters) certiﬁ ed by Nikon speciﬁ cally for use with this Nikon digital camera are engineered and proven to operate within the operational and safety requirements of this electronic circuitry.

HE USE OF NON-NIKON ELECTRONIC ACCESSORIES COULD DAMAGE THE CAM-

ERA AND MAY VOID YOUR NIKON WARRANTY. The use of third-party

rechargeable Li-ion batteries not bearing the Nikon holographic seal (see right) could interfere with normal operation of the camera or result in the batteries overheating, igniting, rupturing, or leaking.

For more information about Nikon brand accessories, contact an authorized Nikon dealer.

Removing the Battery

Turn the camera oﬀ before removing the battery. Replace the terminal cover when the battery is not in use.

Introduction—First Steps

Basic Setup

The language option in the setup menu is automatically highlighted the ﬁ rst time menus are displayed. Choose a language and set the time and date.

Introduction—First Steps

Turn camera on and press button.

Select language.

Highlight World Time.

Highlight Time Zone.

Select local time zone.

* UTC ﬁ eld shows time diﬀ erence between selected time zone and Coordinated Universal

Time (UTC), in hours.

Display language menu.

Return to setup menu.

Display options.

Display map of world time zones.

Return to WORLD TIME menu.

Highlight Date.

† If daylight saving time is in eﬀ ect in local time zone, highlight Daylight Saving Time

and press multi selector right. Press multi selector down to highlight On and press multi selector right. Time will automatically be advanced one hour.

†

Display DATE menu.

Press multi selector left or right to select item, up or down to change.

Introduction—First Steps

Return to WORLD TIME menu.

Display options.

Return to WORLD TIME menu.

Using Camera Menus

The language option is only highlighted automatically the ﬁ rst time menus are displayed. See “Using Camera Menus” ( 24–25) for information on normal menu operation.

Highlight Date Format.

Choose order in which date is displayed.

Return to setup menu.

Inserting Memory Cards

Photographs are stored on CompactFlash memory cards (available separately).

Insert a memory card

Introduction—First Steps

1.1 Turn the camera oﬀ before inserting or re- moving memory cards. Unlatch (햲) and open (햳) the memory card cover.

1.2 Insert the card as shown at right. The eject

Front

button will pop up and the memory card access lamp will light for about a second. Close the memory card slot cover.

Inserting Memory Cards

Conﬁ rm that the memory card is in the orientation shown. Attempting to insert cards upside down or backward could damage the camera or card. Do not use force.

Format the memory card

Formatting memory cards permanently deletes all photographs and other

Direction of

insertion

Terminals

Front

data they may contain. Be sure all data you wish to keep have been copied to another storage device before formatting the card.

2.1

Turn camera on and press (

and ) buttons simultaneously for

about 2 seconds until blinks in

control panel and viewﬁ nder.

* Press any other button to exit without formatting memory card.

2.2

Press buttons again. * Do not turn camera oﬀ or remove battery or memory card until formatting is complete and control panel shows

number of exposures remaining.

Removing Memory Cards

1 Conﬁ rm that the access lamp is oﬀ .

2 Turn the camera oﬀ and open the memory card slot cover.

3 Press the eject button to partially eject the card (햲). The

card can then be removed by hand (햳). Do not push on the memory card while pressing the eject button. Failure to observe this precaution could damage the camera or memory card.

Illustrations

In illustrations throughout this manual, indicators in the control panel and viewﬁ nder relevant to the explanation in the accompanying text are shown in black. Indicators not mentioned in the text are shown in gray.

Introduction—First Steps

Adjusting Viewﬁ nder Focus

Photographs are framed in the viewﬁ nder. Before shooting, make sure that the display in the viewﬁ nder is in clear focus.

Introduction—First Steps

Remove the lens cap and turn the camera on.

Rotate the diopter adjustment control until the

focus brackets are displayed in sharp focus when the shutter-release button is pressed halfway. When operating the diopter adjustment control with your eye to the viewﬁ nder, be careful not to put your ﬁ ngers or ﬁ ngernails in your eye.

Focus

brackets

Auto Meter-Oﬀ

At default settings, the viewﬁ nder display and the aperture and shutter-speed indicators in the control panel will turn oﬀ if no operations are performed for about six seconds (auto meter-oﬀ ), reducing the drain on the battery. Press the shutter-release button halfway to reactivate the display.

Tutorial:

Photography and Playback

Basic Photography

This section describes how to take pictures at default settings.

Tu rn the camera on

1.1 Remove the lens cap and turn the camera

on. The control panel will turn on and the display in the viewﬁ nder will light. The monitor remains oﬀ during shooting.

1.2 Check the battery level in the viewﬁ nder or control panel.

Control

View-

panel

ﬁ nder Description

— Battery fully charged.

— Battery partially discharged.

Low battery. Ready fully-charged spare battery.

(blinks) (blinks)

Battery level is not displayed when camera is powered by optional AC adapter.

Shutter-release disabled. Change battery.

Tutorial—Basic Photography

1.3 The exposure count displays in the control panel and viewﬁ nder show the number of photographs that can be stored on the memory card. Check the number of exposures remaining.

If there is not enough memory to store additional photographs at current settings, the display will ﬂ ash as shown at right. No further pictures can be taken until the memory card has been replaced or pictures have been deleted.

Adjust camera settings

This tutorial describes how to take photographs at the default settings listed in the table below, using a type G or D lens. See the “Reference” section for information on when and how to change settings from their default values.

Control panel

Exposure

Tutorial—Basic Photography

mode

Image size

Image

quality

Focus area

Option Default Description

Image

quality

Image

size

ISO

sensitivity

White

balance

Exposure

mode

Focus

area

(JPEG Normal)

(Programmed auto)

Center focus area Camera focuses on subject in center focus area. 53

NORM

(Large)

100

(Auto)

White balance

Balance between image quality and ﬁ le size is ideal for snapshots.

Images are 3,872 × 2,592 pixels in size. 32

ISO sensitivity (digital equivalent of ﬁ lm speed) set to value roughly equivalent to ISO 100. White balance automatically adjusted for natural coloration under most types of lighting. Built-in exposure program automatically adjusts shutter speed and aperture for optimal exposure in most situations.

Viewﬁ nder

ISO sensitivity

28–

33–

35–

62–

2.1 Press the mode-dial lock release (햲) while turning the mode dial (햳) to S (single frame). At this setting, the camera will take one photograph each time the shutter-release button is pressed.

2.2 Rotate the AF-area mode selector until it clicks into place pointing to (single-area AF). At this setting, the camera will focus on

the subject in the focus area selected by the user.

2.3 Rotate the focus-mode selector until it clicks into place pointing to S (single-servo autofocus). At this setting, the camera will focus automatically when the shutter-release button is pressed halfway. Pictures can only be taken when the camera is in focus.

2.4 Rotate the metering selector to (matrix metering). Matrix metering uses information from all areas of the frame to determine exposure, producing optimal results for the entire frame. A icon appears in the viewﬁ nder.

Frame a photograph

3.1 Hold the camera as shown.

Holding the Camera

Hold the handgrip in your right hand and cradle the cam era body or lens with your left. Keep your elbows propped lightly against your torso for support and place one foot half a pace ahead of the other to keep your upper body stable.

3.2 Frame a photo in the viewﬁ nder with the main subject positioned in the center focus area.

Tutorial—Basic Photography

Focus

area

Focus

Press the shutter-release button halfway to focus. If the camera is able to focus on the subject in the center focus area, a beep will sound and the in-focus indicator (●) will appear in the viewﬁ nder (if the focus indicator blinks, the camera was unable to focus using autofocus). Focus will lock while

Tutorial—Basic Photography

the shutter-release button is pressed halfway.

If the subject is dark, the AF-assist illuminator may light to assist the focus operation.

Check exposure

In exposure mode P (programmed auto), the camera automatically sets shutter speed and aperture when the shutter-release button is pressed halfway. Before shooting, check the shutterspeed and aperture indicators in the viewﬁ nder. If the photo would be under- or over-exposed at current settings, one of the following indicators will be displayed.

Indicator Description

Photo will be overexposed. Use optional Neutral Density (ND) ﬁ lter. Photo will be underexposed. Use ﬂ ash or raise ISO sensitivity.

The Shutter-Release Button

The camera has a two stage shutter-release button. The camera focuses when the button is pressed halfway; focus locks until the button is released. To take the picture, press the shutter-release button the rest of the way down.

Lock focus Take

photograph

+ 191 hidden pages

Nikon D200 Owner Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

About This Manual

For Your Safety

Notices

Table of Contents

Introduction

Getting to Know the Camera

First Steps

Basic Photography