Nikon D2H Owner Manual

The Nikon Guide to Digital Photography

with the

DIGITAL CAMERA

En

Product Documentation

The documentation for this product includes the manuals listed below.
Please be sure to read all instructions thoroughly to get the most from your
cam era.

Quick Start Guide

The Quick Start Guide takes you through the process of unpacking and
set ting up your Nikon digital camera, taking your fi rst photographs, and
trans fer ring them to your computer.

Guide to Digital Photography

The Guide to Digital Photography (this manual) provides complete op er at ing
in struc tions for your camera.

Reference CD
The reference CD contains information on the software provided with the
camera. See the Quick Start Guide for viewing instructions.

CAUTION: Foreign Matter on the Low-Pass Filter

Nikon takes every possible precaution to pre vent foreign matter from com ing into
con tact with the low-pass fi lter during production and ship ping. The D2H, how ev er,
is designed to be used with interchangeable lens es, and for eign matter may enter the
camera when lens es are removed or exchanged. Once inside the camera, this for eign
matter may adhere to the low-pass fi lter, where it may appear in photographs tak en
under cer tain con di tions. To prevent foreign matter from entering the camera, do not
exchange lenses in dusty environments. To pro tect the camera when no lens is in place,
be sure to replace the body cap pro vid ed with the camera, being care ful to fi rst remove
all dust and other foreign matter that may be ad her ing to the body cap.

Should foreign matter fi nd its way onto the low-pass fi lter, clean the low-pass fi lter as
instructed on pages 240–241 of this manual, or have the low-pass fi lter cleaned by
authorized Nikon ser vice per son nel. Pho to graphs affected by the presence of for eign
matter on the low-pass fi lter can be re touched us ing Nikon Capture 4 (available sepa­rately) or the clean image options available in some third-party im ag ing software.

How to Read This Manual

First, be aware of the warnings, cautions, and notices on pages ii–vii.

Next, read “Overview” and “Getting to Know
the Camera” to fa mil iar ize your self with the con­ ven tions used in this man u al and the names of
cam era parts, then set up your cam era as de scribed
in “First Steps.”

Now you are ready to take photographs and play
them back.

Once you have mastered the basics of dig i tal
photography, you can read these sections for
complete in for ma tion on when and how to use
camera controls.

Getting to Know the Camera

Basic Photography

Image Quality and Size

Sensitivity (ISO Equivalency)

Image Adjustment

Choosing a Shooting Mode

Flash Photography

Interval Timer Photography

Overview

First Steps

Basic Playback

White Balance

Focus

Exposure

Refer to these chapters for more on thumbnail play­ back, playback zoom, and photo information…

…on recording and playing voice memos…

…on cam era menus and cus tom settings…

…on connecting to a com put er or TV…

…and on op tion al ac ces so ries, camera care, and
trou ble shoot ing.

Self-Timer Mode

Non-CPU Lenses

Two-Button Reset

More About Playback

Voice Memos

Menu Guide

Connections

Technical Notes

i

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 batteries

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 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.

ii

• 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 tery, 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

Particular care should be tak en to pre vent
infants from putting the bat tery or other
small parts into their mouths.

Removing memory cards

Memory cards may become hot dur­ ing use. Observe due cau tion when
re mov ing memory cards from the
cam era.

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 a fl ash

Using a fl ash close to your sub ject’s eyes
could cause tem po rary 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

Caring for the Camera and Battery

Do not drop

The product may malfunction if sub ject ed to
strong shocks or vi bra tion.

Keep dry

This product is not waterproof, and may
mal func tion if im mersed in wa ter or ex posed
to high levels of hu mid i ty. Rust ing of the
in ter nal mech a nism can cause ir rep a ra ble
dam age.

Avoid sudden changes in tem per a ture

Sud den chang es in tem per a ture, such as oc­ cur when en ter ing or leav ing a heat ed build­ ing on a cold day, can cause con den sa tion
in side the de vice. To prevent con den sa tion,
place the device in a car ry ing case or a plas tic
bag be fore ex pos ing it to sud den chang es in
tem per a ture.

Keep away from strong mag net ic fi elds

Do not use or store this device in the vi cin i ty
of equip ment that gen er ates strong elec­ tro mag net ic radiation or mag net ic fi elds.
Strong static charg es or the mag net ic fi elds
pro duced by equip ment such as radio trans­ mit ters could in ter fere with the monitor,
dam age data stored on the mem o ry card, or
affect the prod uct’s in ter nal cir cuit ry.

Do not point the lens at strong light sources
for extended periods

Avoid pointing the lens at the sun or other
strong light sources for extended periods
when using or storing the camera. Intense
light may cause deterioration in the image
sensor, producing a white blur effect in
photographs.

Do not touch the shutter curtain

The shutter curtain is extremely thin and
easily damaged. Under no cir cum stanc es
should you exert pres sure on the curtain,
poke it with clean ing tools, or sub ject it to
powerful air cur rents from a blow er. These
actions could scratch, de form, or tear the
curtain.

iv

Handle all mov ing parts with care

Do not ap ply force to the bat tery-cham ber,
card-slot, or con nec tor cov ers. These parts
are es pe cial ly sus cep ti ble to dam age.

Cleaning

• When cleaning the camera body, use a
blow er to remove dust and lint, then wipe
gently with a soft, dry cloth. After using
your camera at the beach or seaside, wipe
off any sand or salt using a cloth lightly
damp ened with pure water and then dry
your camera thoroughly. In rare in stanc es,
static electricity produced by a brush or
cloth may cause the LCD dis plays to light
up or dark en. This does not in di cate a
malfunction, and the dis play will shortly
return to normal.

• When cleaning the lens and mirror, re­ mem ber that these elements are easily
dam aged. Dust and lint should be gen tly
removed with a blower. When using an
aerosol blower, keep the can vertical (tilt­ing the can could result in liquid be ing
sprayed on the mir ror). If you do get a
fi ngerprint or other stain on the lens, ap­ply a small amount of lens cleaner to a soft
cloth and wipe the lens carefully.

• See “Technical Notes: Caring for Your
Cam era” for information on cleaning the
low-pass fi lter ( 240).

Storage

•To prevent mold or mildew, store the cam­ era in a dry, well-ven ti lat ed area. If you
will not be us ing the prod uct for long pe­ ri ods, re move the bat tery to pre vent leak­ age and store the cam era in a plastic bag
con tain ing a des ic cant. Do not, how ev er,
store the cam era case in a plas tic bag, as
this may cause the ma te ri al to de te ri o rate.
Note that des ic cant grad u al ly los es its ca­ pac i ty to ab sorb mois ture and should be
re placed at reg u lar in ter vals.

• Do not store the camera with naph tha or
camphor moth balls, close to equip ment
that pro duc es strong mag net ic fi elds, or in
areas subject to extremes of tem per a ture,
for ex am ple near a space heater or in a
closed ve hi cle on a hot day.

•To prevent mold or mil dew, take the cam­ era out of storage at least once a month.
Turn the camera on and re lease the shut­ ter a few times before putting the cam era
away again.

• Store the battery in a cool, dry place. Re­place the terminal cover before put ting
the battery away.

Notes on the monitor

• The monitor may contain a few pix els that
are always lit or that do not light. This is
a char ac ter is tic com mon to all TFT LCD
monitors and does not in di cate a mal func ­tion. Im ag es re cord ed with the prod uct
will not be af fect ed.

• Images in the mon i tor may be dif fi cult to
see in a bright light.

• Do not apply pressure to the monitor; this
could cause dam age or mal func tion. Dust
or lint on the mon i tor can be re moved
with a blower. Stains can be re moved
by rub bing the surface light ly with a soft
cloth or cham ois leath er.

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

• Replace the monitor cover when trans­ port ing the camera or leaving it un at ­tend ed.

Turn the product off before re mov ing or dis­connecting the power source

Do not unplug the product or re move the
battery while the prod uct is on, or while
im ag es are being recorded or deleted. Forc­ ibly cut ting pow er to the prod uct in these

cir cum stanc es could re sult in loss of data or
in damage to product memory or internal
circuitry. To pre vent an ac ci den tal in ter ­rup tion of pow er, avoid car ry ing the prod uct
from one lo ca tion to an oth er while the AC
adapter is con nect ed.

Batteries

• When you turn the device on, check the
battery-level dis played in the con trol pan el
to de ter mine whether the bat tery needs
to be re placed. The bat tery needs to be
re placed when the battery-level in di ca tor
is fl ash ing.

• Ready a spare bat tery and keep it ful ly
charged when tak ing pho to graphs on im­ por tant oc ca sions. De pend ing on your lo­ ca tion, you may fi nd it diffi cult to pur chase
re place ment bat ter ies on short notice.

• On cold days, the capacity of bat ter ies
tends to de crease. Be sure the battery is
fully charged before tak ing pho to graphs
out side in cold weath er. Keep a spare
bat tery in a warm place and ex change the
two as nec es sary. Once warmed, a cold
bat tery may re cov er some of its charge.

• Should the bat tery ter mi nals be come dirty,
wipe them off with a clean, dry cloth be­ fore use.

• After removing the battery from the cam­ era, be sure to replace the ter mi nal cov er.

Memory cards

•Turn the pow er off before in sert ing or
re mov ing mem o ry cards. In sert ing or
re mov ing cards with the pow er on could
ren der them un us able.

• Insert mem o ry cards as
shown in the il lus tra tion
at right. In sert ing cards
up side down or back­ wards could dam age the
cam era or the card.

v

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.

Notice 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 different from that to which
the receiver is connected.

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

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

• While every effort 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).

D2H
Tested To Comply
With FCC Standards

FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE

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.: [phone]

vi

Notice for customers in Canada

CAUTION

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

ATTENTION

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

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.

• 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.

Trademark Information

Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, Mac OS, Pow er Macintosh, and PowerBook are reg is tered trade marks of Apple
Computer, Inc. Power Mac, iMac, and iBook are trade marks of Ap ple Com put er, Inc. Microsoft and Win dows are
reg is tered trade marks of Microsoft Corporation. Pentium is a trade mark of Intel Cor po ra tion. CompactFlash is a
trade mark of SanDisk Cor po ra tion. Microdrive is a registered trademark of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies in
the United States and/or other countries. Lexar Me dia is a trade mark of Lexar Me dia Cor po ra tion. All oth er trade
names men tioned in this man u al or the oth er doc u men ta tion pro vid ed with your Nikon prod uct are trade marks or
reg is tered trade marks of their re spec tive holders.

vii

Table of Contents

For Your Safety................................................................................................. ii

Caring for the Camera and Battery ................................................................ iv

Notices .............................................................................................................. vi

Introduction....................................................................................................... 1

Overview .......................................................................................................... 2

Getting to Know the Camera.......................................................................... 3

First Steps ......................................................................................................... 15

Step 1—Attach the Camera Strap .................................................................... 16

Step 2—Insert the Battery ................................................................................ 17

Step 3—Choose a Language............................................................................ 18

Step 4—Set the Time and Date ........................................................................ 19

Step 5—Attach a Lens...................................................................................... 20

Step 6—Insert a Memory Card......................................................................... 22

Tutorial............................................................................................................... 25

Basic Photography ........................................................................................... 26

Step 1—Ready the Camera .............................................................................. 27

Step 2—Adjust Camera Settings ...................................................................... 29

Step 3—Frame a Photograph ........................................................................... 31

Step 4—Focus.................................................................................................. 32

Step 5—Check Exposure.................................................................................. 33

Step 6—Take the Photograph .......................................................................... 34

Basic Playback .................................................................................................. 35

Taking Photographs .......................................................................................... 37

Using Camera Menus....................................................................................... 39

Image Quality and Size.................................................................................... 41

Image Quality .................................................................................................. 41

Image Size ....................................................................................................... 44

Sensitivity (ISO Equivalency)............................................................................ 48

White Balance .................................................................................................. 51

Fine-Tuning White Balance ............................................................................... 54

Choosing a Color Temperature......................................................................... 56

Preset White Balance........................................................................................ 57

Image Adjustment ........................................................................................... 65

Making Edges More Distinct: Image Sharpening............................................ 65

Adjusting Contrast: Tone Compensation........................................................ 66

Suiting Colors to a Workfl ow: Color Mode ..................................................... 67

Controlling Color: Hue Adjustment................................................................ 69

Choosing a Shooting Mode............................................................................. 70

Focus ................................................................................................................. 72

Focus Mode ..................................................................................................... 72

Focus Area Selection ........................................................................................ 74

Autofocus........................................................................................................ 76

AF Area Mode.................................................................................................. 76

viii

Manual Focus .................................................................................................. 83

Exposure ........................................................................................................... 84

Metering.......................................................................................................... 84

Exposure Mode................................................................................................ 85

Autoexposure Lock .......................................................................................... 95

Exposure Compensation................................................................................... 97

Bracketing ....................................................................................................... 98

Flash Photography ........................................................................................... 106

The Creative Lighting System ........................................................................... 106

D-TTL Flash Control.......................................................................................... 110

Compatible Speedlights ................................................................................... 111

Flash Sync Modes............................................................................................. 113

Flash Contacts and Indicators........................................................................... 117

Interval Timer Photography ............................................................................ 118

Self-Timer Mode............................................................................................... 123

Non-CPU Lenses ............................................................................................... 124

Two-Button Reset............................................................................................. 128

More About Playback ....................................................................................... 129

Single-Image Playback...................................................................................... 130

Photo Information............................................................................................ 132

Viewing Multiple Images: Thumbnail Playback.................................................. 134

Taking a Closer Look: Playback Zoom ............................................................... 136

Protecting Photographs from Deletion.............................................................. 137

Deleting Individual Photographs....................................................................... 138

Voice Memos..................................................................................................... 139

Recording Voice Memos................................................................................... 140

Voice Memo Recording Options....................................................................... 142

Playing Voice Memos ....................................................................................... 144

Voice Memo Playback Options ......................................................................... 145

Menu Guide....................................................................................................... 147

The Playback Menu.......................................................................................... 148

Delete.............................................................................................................. 148

Playback Folder ................................................................................................ 150

Slide Show....................................................................................................... 151

Hide Image ...................................................................................................... 154

Print Set........................................................................................................... 156

Display Mode................................................................................................... 159

Image Review .................................................................................................. 159

After Delete ..................................................................................................... 160

The Shooting Menu ......................................................................................... 161

Shooting Menu Bank ....................................................................................... 162

Reset Shooting Menu....................................................................................... 164

Active Folder.................................................................................................... 165

ix

File Name......................................................................................................... 166

Image Quality .................................................................................................. 167

Image Size ....................................................................................................... 167

Raw Compression ............................................................................................ 167

White Balance.................................................................................................. 167

ISO .................................................................................................................. 168

Image Sharpening............................................................................................ 168

Tone Compensation ......................................................................................... 168

Color Mode ..................................................................................................... 168

Hue Adjustment............................................................................................... 169

Interval Timer Shooting .................................................................................... 169

Non-CPU Lens Data ......................................................................................... 169

Custom Settings ............................................................................................... 170

The Setup Menu............................................................................................... 206

Format............................................................................................................. 207

LCD Brightness ................................................................................................ 208

Mirror Lock-up................................................................................................. 208

Video Mode..................................................................................................... 209

Language......................................................................................................... 209

Date ................................................................................................................ 209

Image Comment.............................................................................................. 210

Auto Image Rotation........................................................................................ 211

Voice Memo .................................................................................................... 212

Voice Memo Protect......................................................................................... 212

Voice Memo Button......................................................................................... 212

Audio Output .................................................................................................. 212

USB ................................................................................................................. 213

Dust Off Ref Photo........................................................................................... 214

Battery Info...................................................................................................... 216

Wireless LAN.................................................................................................... 217

Firmware Version ............................................................................................. 219

Connections....................................................................................................... 221

Television Playback .......................................................................................... 222

Connecting to a Computer.............................................................................. 223

Technical Notes.................................................................................................. 227

Optional Accessories........................................................................................ 228

Lenses for the D2H .......................................................................................... 228

Other Accessories............................................................................................. 231

Caring for the Camera..................................................................................... 237

Troubleshooting............................................................................................... 242

Specifi cations ................................................................................................... 245

Index .................................................................................................................. 250

x

Overview

Introduction

Getting Started

This chapter is divided into the following sections:

Overview

Read this section for a description of how this
man u al is organized and for an ex pla na tion of the
symbols and conventions used.

Getting to Know the Camera

Bookmark this section and refer to it for informa­tion on the names and func tions of camera parts.

First Steps

This section details the steps required to ready the
camera for use: inserting the battery and memory
card, attaching a lens and cam era strap, and set­ting the date, time, and lan guage.

2

Getting to Know the

Camera

3–14

First Steps

15–24

1

Overview

About This Manual

Thank you for your purchase of a Nikon D2H single-lens refl ex (SLR) digital
camera with interchangeable lenses. This manual has been written to help

Introduction—Overview

you enjoy taking pictures with your Nikon digital camera. Read this manual
thoroughly before use, and keep it handy when using the product.

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.

Take Te st Shots

Before taking pictures on important occasions (for example, at weddings or be fore
tak ing the cam era with you on a trip), take a test shot to ensure that the camera is
func tion ing normally. Nikon will not be held liable for damages or lost profi ts that may
result from product malfunction.

Life-Long Learning

As part of Nikon’s “Life-Long Learning” commitment to ongoing prod uct sup port and
ed u ca tion, con tin u al ly-updated information is avail able on-line at the following sites:

• For users in the U.S.A.: http://www.nikonusa.com/

• For users in Europe: http://www.europe-nikon.com/support

• For users in Asia, Oceania, the Middle East, and Africa: http://www.nikon-asia.com/
Visit these sites to keep up-to-date with the latest product in for ma tion, tips, an swers
to fre quent ly-asked ques tions (FAQs), and gen er al advice on digital imaging and pho­ tog ra phy. Ad di tion al information may be available from the Nikon rep re sen ta tive in
your area. See the URL below for contact in for ma tion:
http://nikonimaging.com/

Replacing This Manual

Should you lose this manual, replacements can be ordered, for a fee, from any au tho ­rized Nikon service representative.

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.

2

Getting to Know the Camera

Camera Controls and Displays

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.

Camera Body

Bracketing (
button: 98, 103

Metering selector:

Metering selector
lock button: 84

Exposure mode (
Format ( ) button: 23

)

84

) button: 85

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

Mode dial lock
release:

Mode dial:

70

Eyelet for
camera
strap:
16

Flash sync
mode (
button: 114

Command lock ( )
button: 94

The control panel backlights (LCD illuminators) will light while the power switch is held
in the position, allowing the display to be read in the dark. After the power switch
is released, the illuminator will remain lit while the camera exposure meters are active
or until the shutter is re leased.

70

)

Focal plane mark
(

LCD Illuminators

Accessory shoe:

117

): 83

Diopter
adjustment
knob: 31

Power switch: 27

Shutter-release
button: 32, 34

Exposure
compensation
(

) button:

97

Eyelet for
camera
strap:
16

Top control
panel:

6

3

Camera Body (continued)

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

Depth-of-fi eld preview button:

85

Sub-command dial:

12

FUNC. button:

201

Sub-command
dial for vertical
shooting:

12

Ambient light sensor: 51, 57

Self-timer lamp:

Flash sync terminal:

10-pin remote terminal:
Audio / video (A / V) connector

(under cover):
Housings for fl ash
sync and 10-pin re­mote terminal caps
(on inside of cover)
DC-in connector
(under cover): 231

USB connector (under cover):

224

Lens release button:

Focus-mode selector: 72

Battery cover latch:

123

117

235

222

21

17

Connector for
optional WT-1/
WT-1A wireless
LAN adapter
(under cover):

217

Shutter-release
button for vertical
shooting: 31

Vertical shooting shutter­release button lock

4

Tripod socket

Eyepiece shutter lever: 31

Delete (
138
Format ( ) button: 23

Playback ( )
button: 130

Monitor:
35, 237

Menu (
button: 39

Thumbnail ( )
button: 134

Protect ( )
button: 137

Enter ( )
button: 40
Playback zoom
( ) button:
136

Speaker:

) button: 35,

16,

)

145

Rear control
panel:

8

Sensitivity (ISO)
button: 49

Image quality / size
(QUAL) button: 43

White balance (WB)
button: 53

Viewfi nder eyepiece:

AE / AF lock (
button: 80, 95

Microphone (

Microphone: 140

)

AF-ON ( ) button for vertical
shooting: 73

31, 232

AF-ON (

Main command dial
for vertical shooting:

12

) button: 140

)button:

73

Main command
dial:

12

Multi selector:

14

Focus selector
lock:

Memory card
access lamp:

22, 24

AF-area mode
selector:

Memory card
slot cover:

22

Card-slot cover
release button
(under cover):

22

74

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

76

The Speaker and Microphone

Do not bring magnetic devices, such as microdrive cards, close to the built-in speaker
or microphone.

5

The Top Control Panel

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

1

2

3

4

5

6

9

10

11

7

8

14

15

16

17

12

13

18

19

20

21

22

6

1 Shutter speed ................... 85, 93, 94

Exposure compensation value ....... 97

Number of shots in bracketing

sequence ...................................... 98

Number of intervals for

interval timer photography ......... 120

Focal length (non-CPU lens) ........ 126

Sensitivity (ISO equivalency) .......... 49

2 Shutter-speed lock icon................. 94

3 Flexible program indicator............. 87

4 Exposure mode............................. 85

5 Memory card indicator.................. 23

6 Focus area .........................74, 78–79

AF-area mode............................... 76

7 Flash sync mode ......................... 113

8 Number of exposures

remaining ............................... 28, 47

Number of shots remaining

before memory buffer fi lls............. 71

Capture mode indicator.............. 225

9 Aperture stop indicator................. 91

10 Aperture (f/-number) .................... 90

Aperture (number of stops)........... 85

Bracketing increment............ 99, 103

Number of shots per interval....... 120

Maximum aperture

(non-CPU lens)............................ 127

PC mode indicator ...................... 225

11 Battery indicator ........................... 27

12 Frame count ................................. 23

13 “K” (appears when memory remains

for over 1000 exposures) .............. 47

14 FV lock indicator ......................... 108

15 Sync indicator ..................... 115, 194

16 Clock battery indicator.......... 19, 239

17 Exposure compensation indicator.. 97

18 Interval timer indicator................ 120

19 Aperture lock icon ........................ 94

20 Image comment indicator........... 210

21 Exposure bracketing indicator ....... 99

White-balance bracketing

indicator ..................................... 103

22 Electronic analog exposure

display .......................................... 92

Exposure compensation ................ 97

Bracketing progress indicator

...................................100–102, 105

PC mode indicator ...................... 225

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

7

The Rear Control Panel

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

1

2

3

8

9

4

5

6

7

10

11

12

13

8

1 Custom settings bank ................. 173

2 “Remaining” indicator............ 28, 47

3 Shooting menu settings bank ..... 162

4 Sensitivity (ISO) indicator ............... 49

Auto sensitivity indicator............. 183

5 Sensitivity ..................................... 49

Sensitivity (high gain) .................... 49

Number of exposures

remaining ............................... 28, 47

Length of voice memo ................ 141

White balance fi ne-tuning ............ 55

White balance preset number ....... 57

Color temperature ........................ 56

PC mode indicator ...................... 225

6 “K” (appears when memory remains

for over 1000 exposures) .............. 47

Color temperature indicator.......... 56

7 Image quality................................ 43

8 Image size .................................... 45

9 White-balance bracketing

indicator ..................................... 103

10 Voice memo recording indicator

(shooting mode) ......................... 141

11 Voice memo status indicator ....... 141

12 Voice memo recording mode ...... 141

13 White balance mode..................... 51

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

9

The Viewfi nder Display

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

1

21

22

2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

16 17 18 19 20

10 11

12

13

23

24
25
26
27

14 15

10

1 8-mm (0.31˝) reference circle for

center-weighted metering............. 84

2 Focus brackets (focus areas) .......... 74

Spot metering targets ................... 84

3 Focus indicator ............................. 32

4 Metering ...................................... 84

5 Bracketing indicator.....100–102, 105

6 Autoexposure (AE) lock................. 95

7 Shutter-speed lock icon................. 94

8 Shutter speed ..........................85–93

9 Aperture lock icon ........................ 94

10 Aperture (f/-number) .................... 90

Aperture (number of stops)........... 95

11 Exposure mode............................. 85

12 Exposure compensation indicator.. 97

13 Frame count ................................. 23

Number of exposures

remaining ............................... 28, 47

Number of shots remaining

before memory buffer fi lls............. 71

Exposure compensation value ....... 97

PC mode indicator ...................... 225

14 “K” (appears when memory remains

for over 1000 exposures) .............. 47

15 Flash-ready indicator................... 117

16 Battery indicator ........................... 27

17 FV lock indicator ......................... 108

18 Sync indicator ..................... 115, 194

19 Aperture stop indicator ................. 85

20 Electronic analog exposure display

.................................................... 92

Exposure compensation ................ 97

21 Voice memo status indicator ....... 141

22 White-balance bracketing

indicator ..................................... 103

23 White-balance mode .................... 51

24 Image size .................................... 45

25 Image quality................................ 43

26 Sensitivity (ISO) indicator............... 49

Auto sensitivity indicator............. 183

27 Sensitivity (ISO equivalency) .......... 49

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

11

The Command Dials

The main- and sub-command dials are used alone or in combination with

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

other controls to adjust a variety of settings. For ease of access when taking
photographs in tall (portrait) orientation, dials that duplicate the functions
of the main and sub-command dials have been placed close to the shutter­release button for vertical shooting (

Bracketing
button

Flash sync
mode button

Command
lock button

Image quality and size

4).

Sub-command dial

Exposure
mode button

Exposure
com pen sa tion
button

Main command dial

Image

quality / size

button

Sensitivity

button

White

balance

button

Set image qual i ty (

Choose an image size ( 45).

White balance

Choose a white balance setting (

Fine-tune white balance / choose a color
temperature / choose a white balance preset
( 55).

Sensitivity (ISO equivalency)

Set sensitivity (ISO equivalency;

12

43).

53).

49).

Exposure

Choose the exposure mode ( 86–93).

Choose a com bi na tion of aperture and
shutter speed (exposure mode P; 86).

Choose a shutter speed (exposure mode S
or M; 88, 92).

Choose an aperture (exposure mode A or

90, 92).

M;

Set exposure com pen sa tion ( 97).

Shutter speed lock (exposure mode S or
M; 94).

Aperture lock (exposure mode A or M;

94).

Activate or cancel bracketing / select num­ber of shots in bracketing sequence (
98, 103).

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

Flash settings

Select bracketing exposure increment (
99, 103).

Choose a fl ash sync mode for optional
Speedlight (

114).

13

The Multi Selector

The multi selector is used for the following operations:

Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera

Menu navigation

Move highlight bar up ( 39).

Shooting

Select focus area above current focus area (

Full-frame playback

Display previous image ( 132).

Thumbnail playback

Highlight thumbnail above current thumbnail ( 134).

Menu navigation

Cancel and return to pre­vious menu ( 40).

Shooting

Select focus area to left
of current focus area (

74).

Full-frame playback

Display previous page of
photo information (

132).

Thumbnail playback

Highlight thumbnail to
left of current thumbnail
( 134).

The Multi Selector

The button can also be used to select items highlighted in the camera menus. There
may be some cases in which the operations listed on this page do not apply.

Menu navigation

Move highlight bar down
( 39).

Shooting

Select focus area below
current focus area (

74).

Full-frame playback

Display next image (

132).

Thumbnail playback

Highlight thumbnail
below current thumbnail
( 134).

74).

Menu navigation

Select highlighted item
( 40).

Shooting

Select center focus area
( 74).

Playback

Change number of im­ages displayed ( 134).

Menu navigation

Select highlighted item or
display sub-menu ( 39).

Shooting

Select focus area to right
of current focus area (

74).

Full-frame playback

Display next page of pho­to information ( 132).

Thumbnail playback

Highlight thumbnail to
right of current thumbnail
( 134).

14

First Steps

Getting the Camera Ready for Use

Before using your camera for the fi rst time, complete the following steps:

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

Attach the Camera Strap 16

Insert the Battery 17

To learn more about batteries and alternative power sources, see:

•Technical Notes: Optional Accessories .........................

• Caring for the Camera and Battery............................. iv–v

Choose a Language 18

Set the Time and Date 19

For information on changing the clock battery, see:

•Technical Notes: Caring for your camera .....................

Attach a Lens 20–21

To learn more about the lenses available for the D2H, see:

•Technical Notes: Optional Accessories .........................

Insert a Memory Card 22–24

To learn more about compatible memory cards, see:

•Technical Notes: Approved Memory Cards .................. 236

For more information on formatting memory cards, see:

• The Setup Menu: Formatting Memory Cards .............. 207

231

239

228–230

Introduction—First Steps

15

1

SCSCSCS

C

C

S

C

L

A
/

V
O
U

T

DC

I

N

S

A
/
V

O

U
T

DC

IN

A
/

V
O
U

T

DC

I

N

Step 1—Attach the Camera Strap

Attach the camera strap securely to the two eyelets on the camera body as

Introduction—First Steps

shown below.

The Monitor Cover

A clear plastic cover (the BM-3 LCD monitor cover) is
pro vid ed with the cam era to keep the monitor clean,
and to pro tect the mon i tor when the camera is not in
use or when you are trans port ing the camera. To re­ move the mon i tor cover, hold the cam era fi rmly, take
the cover by its edges, and pull the bot tom of the cover
gen tly out wards as shown at right (). Once the cover
is un latched, you can move it slightly away from the
mon i tor and then remove it as shown ().

To replace the cover for shooting or stor age, insert the
two projections on the top of the cover into the match­ ing in den ta tions above the camera monitor (), then
press the bot tom of the cover un til you hear it click into
place ().

EN-EL4 Batteries ( 17)

EN-EL4 rechargeable Li-ion batteries can provide compatible devices with information
on battery charge state, enabling the MH-21 Quick Charger to display the current
charge level and charge the battery appropriately. When the EN-EL4 is inserted in the
camera, the battery charge state is shown in six levels. Detailed information on bat­tery charge, battery life, and the number of pictures taken since the battery was last
charged can be viewed using the Battery info option in the setup menu ( 216).

16

Step 2—Insert the Battery

The D2H is powered by a rechargeable Nikon EN-EL4 Li-ion battery (provided).

.1 Charge the battery

2

The EN-EL4 is not fully charged at ship ment. To max i mize shoot ing
time, charge the battery in the supplied MH-21 quick charger before
use (see the MH-21 instruction manual for details). About 100 minutes
are required to fully recharge the battery when no charge remains.

.2 Turn the camera off

2

Turn the cam era off before inserting or re­ mov ing bat ter ies.

.3 Remove the bat tery-chamber cover

2

Turn the bat tery-chamber cover latch to the
open po si tion ( ) and remove the bat tery­cham ber cov er.

.4 Attach the battery cover to the battery

2

The battery can be charged with the cover
attached. See the instructions provided
with the EN-EL4 for details.

.5 In sert the bat tery

2

In sert the battery as shown at right.

.6 Latch the battery-cham ber cover

2

To prevent the battery from being dis lodged
during operation, be sure the cover is se­curely latched.

Removing the Battery

Before removing the battery, turn the camera off and rotate the bat tery-chamber cover
latch to the open po si tion ( ).

Camera Off Display

If a battery and memory card are inserted, the frame
count and num ber of ex po sures remaining will be dis­played even when the camera is off (with some memory
cards, it may be necessary to turn the camera on to view
the frame count and number of exposures remaining).

17

2

Introduction—First Steps

3

Step 3—Choose a Language

Introduction—First Steps

Camera menus and messages can be displayed in your choice of German,
English, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Japanese.

.1

3

Turn camera on.

.3

3

Display SET UP menu.

.5

3

Highlight Language.

.7

3

Highlight option.

SET UP

Format
LCD brightness
Mirror lock-up
Video mode
Date
Language
Image comment
Auto image rotation

SET UP

Format
LCD brightness
Mirror lock-up
Video mode
Date

Language

Image comment
Auto image rotation

SET UP

Language

De

Deutsch

En

English
Español

Es

Français

Fr

中文（简体）

中

日

日本語

.2

3

SHOOTING MENU

Shooting menu bank
Reset shooting menu

Active folder

File name
Image quality
Image size
Raw compression
White bal.

Display menus (if option is highlight-

ed, press multi selector to left until

icon at left of menu is selected).

.4

Format

LCD brightness
Mirror lock-up
Video mode
Date
Language
Image comment
Auto image rotation

Language

De

Deutsch

En

English
Español

Es

Français

Fr

中

中文（简体）

日

日本語

Display options.

OFF

En

OFF

ON

OFF

En

OFF

ON

3

0

Position cursor in SET UP menu.

.6

3

0

.8

3

OK

Return to SET UP menu.

Format
LCD brightness
Mirror lock-up
Video mode
Date

Language

Image comment
Auto image rotation

SET UP

SET UP

SET UP

100

DSC

NORM

ON

OFF

En

OFF
ON

OFF

En

OFF
ON

A

A

0

OK

0

18