Nikon D3200 Reference Manual

DIGITAL CAMERA

Reference Manual

Thank you for your purchase of a Nikon single-lens reflex (SLR) digital camera. To get the most from your camera, please be sure to read all instructions thoroughly and keep them where they will be read by all who use the product.

Symbols and Conventions

To make it easier to find the information you need, the following symbols and conventions 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 references to other pages in this manual.

Menu items, options, and messages displayed in the camera monitor are shown in bold.

Camera Settings

The explanations in this manual assume that default settings are used.

Help

Use the camera’s on-board help feature for help on menu items and other topics. See page 9 for details.

Digitutor

“Digitutor”, a series of “watch and learn” manuals in movie form, is available from the following website: http://www.nikondigitutor.com/index_eng.html

A For Your Safety

Before using the camera for the first time, read the safety instructions in “For Your Safety” (0 ix–xiv).

Where to Find It

Find what you’re looking for from:

The Table of Contents ............ 0 iv Error Messages........................ 0 193

i i

The Q&A Index........................ 0 ii Troubleshooting..................... 0 189

i i

The Index ................................ 0 210

Introduction 0 1

Basic Photography 0 21

Guide Mode 0 27

Q&A Index

Find what you’re looking for using this “question and answer” index.

Taking Photographs

Shooting Modes and Framing Options

Is there a quick and easy way to take snapshots? 22–24 How do I use the g position on the mode dial? 27–30 How do I quickly adjust settings for different scenes? 25–26 Can I adjust shutter speed to freeze or blur motion (mode S)? 55 Can I adjust aperture to blur backgrounds or bring them into focus

(mode A)? How do I make long (“time”) exposures (mode M)? 58 Can I frame photos in the monitor (live view)? 80–87 Can I shoot movies? 88–89

Release Modes

Can I take photos one at a time or in quick succession? 31 How do I take pictures with the self-timer or a remote control? 33 Can I reduce shutter noise in quiet surroundings? (quiet shutter

release)

Focus

Can I choose how the camera focuses? 35–36 Can I choose the focus point? 40

Image Quality and Size

How do I take pictures for printing at large sizes? How can I get more pictures on the memory card?

Exposure

Can I make photos brighter or darker? 63 How do I preserve details in shadows and highlights? 67–68

Using the Flash

Can I set the flash to fire automatically when needed?

How do I avoid “red-eye”?

44–46

47–50How do I keep the flash from firing?

Viewing Photographs

Playback

How do I view photographs on the camera? 97 How do I view more information about a photo? 98–101 Can I view photos in an automatic slide show? 109 Can I view photos on a TV? 122–124 Can I protect photos from accidental deletion? 105

Deletion

How do I delete unwanted photos? 106–108

Retouching Photographs

How do I create retouched copies of photos? 149–165 How do I remove “red-eye”? 151 How do I make JPEG copies of RAW (NEF) photos? 157 Can I overlay two NEF (RAW) photos to make a single image? 155–156 Can I create a copy of a photo that looks like a painting? 160 Can I trim movie footage on the camera or save movie stills? 93–96

Menus and Settings

How do I adjust settings in the information display? 5–6 How do I use the menus? 9–11 How do I display menus in another language? 16, 137 How do I keep the displays from turning off? 140 How do I focus the viewfinder? 20 Can I display a framing grid in the monitor? 85 How do I set the camera clock? 16, 137 How do I format memory cards? 19 How do I restore default settings? 128, 134 Is there any way to stop the camera beeping? 141 How do I get help for a menu or message? 9, 193

Connections

How do I copy photos to a computer? 111–113 How do I print photos? 114–121

Can I print the date of recording on my photos?

Maintenance and Optional Accessories

What memory cards can I use? 177 What lenses can I use? 167 What optional flash units (Speedlights) can I use? 172 What other accessories are available for my camera? What software is available for my camera? What do I do with the supplied eyepiece cap? 34 How do I clean the camera? Where should I take my camera for servicing and repairs?

116, 121,

144

176

179

iii

Q&A Index .................................................................................................................................... ii

For Your Safety .......................................................................................................................... ix

Notices.......................................................................................................................................... xi

Introduction 1

Getting to Know the Camera................................................................................................. 1

The Camera Body ......................................................................................................................1

The Mode Dial.............................................................................................................................3

The Viewfinder............................................................................................................................4

The Information Display..........................................................................................................5

The Command Dial ...................................................................................................................7

Camera Menus............................................................................................................................ 9

Using Camera Menus ............................................................................................................ 10

First Steps ...................................................................................................................................12

Charge the Battery ................................................................................................................. 12

Insert the Battery ....................................................................................................................13

Attach a Lens............................................................................................................................ 14

Basic Setup................................................................................................................................ 16

Insert a Memory Card............................................................................................................18

Format the Memory Card ....................................................................................................19

Adjust Viewfinder Focus ......................................................................................................20

Basic Photography 21

Battery Level and Card Capacity ........................................................................................ 21

“Point-and-Shoot” Photography (i and j Modes)................................................... 22

Creative Photography (Scene Modes) .............................................................................25

k Portrait ..............................................................................................................................25

l Landscape........................................................................................................................ 25

p Child .................................................................................................................................. 25

m Sports ................................................................................................................................ 26

n Close up............................................................................................................................ 26

o Night Portrait..................................................................................................................26

Guide Mode 27

The Guide ...................................................................................................................................27

Guide Mode Menus ............................................................................................................... 28

Using the Guide ...................................................................................................................... 30

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. To prevent possible injury, read all warnings before using

this Nikon product.

❚❚ WARNINGS

Keep the sun out of the frame

Keep the sun well out of the frame when shooting backlit subjects. Sunlight focused into the camera when the sun is in or close to the frame could cause a fire.

Do not look at the sun through the viewfinder

Viewing the sun or other strong light source through the viewfinder could cause permanent visual impairment.

Using the viewfinder diopter adjustment control

When operating the viewfinder diopter adjustment control with your eye to the viewfinder, care should be taken not to put your finger in your eye accidentally.

Turn off immediately in the event of malfunction

Should you notice smoke or an unusual smell coming from the equipment or AC adapter (available separately), unplug the AC adapter and remove the battery immediately, taking care to avoid burns. Continued operation could result in injury. After removing the battery, take the equipment to a Nikon-authorized service center for inspection.

Do not use in the presence of flammable gas

Do not use electronic equipment in the presence of flammable gas, as this could result in explosion or fire.

Keep out of reach of children

Failure to observe this precaution could result in injury. In addition, note that small parts constitute a chocking hazard. Should a child swallow any part of this equipment, consult a physician immediately.

Do not disassemble

Touching the product’s internal parts could result in injury. In the event of malfunction, the product should be repaired only by a qualified technician. Should the product break open as the result of a fall or other accident, remove the battery and/or AC adapter and then take the product to a Nikon-authorized service center for inspection.

Do not place the 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 remain in contact with the camera,

battery, or charger for extended periods while the devices are on or in use

Parts of the device become hot. Leaving the device in direct contact with the skin for extended periods may result in lowtemperature burns.

Do not aim a flash at the operator of a motor

vehicle

Failure to observe this precaution could result in accidents.

Observe caution when using the flash

• Using the camera with the flash in close contact with the skin or other objects could cause burns.

• Using the flash close to the subject’s eyes could cause temporary visual impairment. Particular care should be observed when photographing infants, when the flash should be no less than one meter (39 in.) from the subject.

Avoid contact with liquid crystal

Should the monitor break, care should be taken to avoid injury due to broken glass and to prevent the liquid crystal from the monitor touching the skin or entering the eyes or mouth.

Observe proper precautions when handling

batteries

Batteries may leak or explode if improperly handled. Observe the following precautions when handling batteries for use in this product:

• Use only batteries approved for use in this equipment.

• Do not short or disassemble the battery.

• Be sure the product is off before

replacing the battery. If you are using an AC adapter, be sure it is unplugged.

• Do not attempt to insert the battery upside down or backwards.

• Do not expose the batter y to flame or to excessive heat.

• Do not immerse in or expose to water.

• Replace the terminal cover when

transporting the battery. transport or store the battery with metal objects such as necklaces or hairpins.

• Batteries are prone to leakage when fully discharged. To a void damag e to the product, be sure to remove the battery when no charge remains.

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

Do not

• The battery may be hot immediately after use or when the product has been used on battery power for an extended period.

Before removing the battery turn the camera off and allow the battery to cool.

• Discontinue use immediately should you notice any changes in the battery, such as discoloration or deformation.

Observe proper precautions when handling the

charger

• Keep dry. Failure to observe this precaution could result in fire or electric shock.

• Do not short the charger terminals. Failure to observe this precaution could result in overheating and damage to the charger.

• Dust on or near the metal parts of the plug should be removed with a dry cloth. Continued use could result in fire.

• Do not go near the charger during thunderstorms. Failure to observe this precaution could result in electric shock.

• Do not handle the plug or charger with wet hands. Failure to observe this precaution could result in electric shock.

• Do not use with travel converters or adapters designed to convert from one voltage to another or with DC-to-AC inverters. Failure to observe this precaution could damage the product or cause overheating or fire.

Use appropriate cables

When connecting cables to the input and output jacks, use only the cables provided or sold by Nikon for the purpose to maintain compliance with product regulations.

CD-ROMs

CD-ROMs containing software or manuals should not be played back on audio CD equipment. Playing CD-ROMs on an audio CD player could cause hearing loss or damage the equipment.

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 specifications of the hardware and software described in these manuals at any time and without prior notice.

Notice for Customers in Canada

CAN ICES-3 B / NMB-3 B

Notices for Customers in Europe

CAUTION

RISK OF EXPLOSION IF BATTERY IS REPLACED BY AN INCORRECT TYPE. BATTERIES ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTIONS.

This symbol indicates that electrical and electronic equipment 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.

• Separate collection and recycling helps conserve natural resources and prevent negative consequences for human health and the environment that might result from incorrect disposal.

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

• 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).

This symbol on the battery indicates that the battery is to be collected separately.

The following apply only to users in European countries:

• All batteries, whether marked with this symbol or not, are 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.

DISPOSE OF USED

Notices for Customers in the U.S.A.

The Battery Charger

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS—SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS DANGER—TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, CAREFULLY FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS

For connection to a supply not in the U.S.A., use an attachment plug adapter of the proper configuration for the power outlet if needed. This power unit is intended to be correctly oriented in a vertical or floor mount position.

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.

CAUTIONS

Modifications

The FCC requires the user be notified that any changes or modifications 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. 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

may 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

D3200

Using other

xii

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 certified 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 certificates, 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, woodcuts, 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.

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 files 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 refill it with images containing no private information (for example, pictures of empty sky). Be sure to also replace any pictures selected for preset manual (0 72). Care should be taken to avoid injury when physically destroying data storage devices.

AVC Patent Portfolio License

THIS PRODUCT IS LICENSED UNDER THE AVC PATENT PORTFOLIO LICENSE FOR THE PERSONAL AND NON-

COMMERCIAL USE OF A CONSUMER TO (i) ENCODE VIDEO IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AVC STANDARD (“AVC VIDEO”) AND/OR (ii) DECODE AVC VIDEO THAT WAS ENCODED BY A CONSUMER ENGAGED IN A PERSONAL AND NON-COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY AND/OR WAS OBTAINED FROM A VIDEO PROVIDER LICENSED TO PROVIDE AVC VIDEO.

NO LICENSE IS GRANTED OR SHALL BE IMPLIED FOR ANY OTHER USE. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY BE

OBTAINED FROM MPEG LA, L.L.C.

SEE http://www.mpegla.com

xiii

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 chargers, batteries, AC adapters, and flash accessories) certified by Nikon specifically for use with this Nikon digital camera are engineered and proven to operate within the operational and safety requirements of this electronic circuitry.

The use of non-Nikon electronic accessories could damage the camera and may void your Nikon warranty. The use of third-party rechargeable Li-ion batteries not bearing the Nikon holographic seal shown at 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 a local authorized Nikon dealer.

D Use Only Nikon Brand Accessories

Only Nikon brand accessories certified by Nikon specifically for use with your Nikon digital camera are engineered and proven to operate within its operational and safety requirements. THE USE OF NON-NIKON ACCESSORIES COULD DAMAGE YOUR CAMERA AND MAY VOID YOUR NIKON WARRANTY.

D Servicing the Camera and Accessories

The camera is a precision device and requires regular servicing. Nikon recommends that the camera be inspected by the original retailer or a Nikon-authorized service representative once every one to two years, and that it be serviced once every three to five years (note that fees apply to these services). Frequent inspection and servicing are particularly recommended if the camera is used professionally. Any accessories regularly used with the camera, such as lenses or optional flash units, should be included when the camera is inspected or serviced.

A Before Taking Important Pictures

Before taking pictures on important occasions (such as at weddings or before taking the camera on a trip), take a test shot to ensure that the camera is functioning normally. Nikon will not be held liable for damages or lost profits that may result from product malfunction.

A Life-Long Learning

As part of Nikon’s “Life-Long Learning” commitment to ongoing product support and education, continually-updated information is available on-line at the following sites:

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

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

• For users in Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East: http://www.nikon-asia.com/

Visit these sites to keep up-to-date with the latest product information, tips, answers to frequently-asked questions (FAQs), and general advice on digital imaging and photography. Additional information may be available from the Nikon representative in your area. See the following URL for contact information: http://imaging.nikon.com/

xiv

Introduction

Getting to Know the Camera

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

The Camera Body

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 Mode dial...................................3

2 Eyelet for camera strap 3 R

(information) button

4 E/N button

Exposure compensation

Adjusting aperture............57

Flash compensation..........66

5 Shutter-release button.........24

6 Power switch.............................2

7 Movie-record button ............88

8 AF-assist illuminator .............37

Self-timer lamp ......................33

Red-eye reduction lamp ......49

9 Infrared receiver (front)........33

10 Body cap 11 CPU contacts

.... 6, 85

12 Built-in flash ........................... 47

13 M/ Y button

Flash mode......................... 47

Flash compensation......... 66

14 Speaker .................................... 92

...64

15 Focal plane mark (E) .......... 43

16 Eyelet for camera strap

17 Microphone............................ 88

18 Connector cover 19 Fn button

Using the Fn button....8, 143

20 Mounting mark...................... 14

21 Lens release button .............. 15

22 Mirror .....................................182

23 Lens mount............................. 43

24 Accessory shoe cover .........172

15 16

25 Accessory shoe (for optional

flash units) .........................172

26 Connector for external

microphone

27 USB and A/V connector

Connecting to a

computer .......................112

Connecting to a printer

..........................................114

Connecting to a TV .........122

28 HDMI mini-pin connector

..............................................123

29 Accessory terminal..............177

................91, 177

The Camera Body (Continued)

1 Viewfinder eyepiece............. 34

2 Rubber eyecup

3 Infrared receiver (rear).........33

4 Monitor

Viewing settings...................5

Live view ............................. 80

Full-frame playback.......... 97

5 K button

Playback.............................. 97

6 G button

Menu..............................9, 125

7 X button

Playback zoom in............ 104

8 W/Q button

Thumbnails.......................102

Playback zoom out......... 104

Help.........................................9

9 P (information edit) button

...................................................5

10 Tripod s ocke t 11 Diopter adjustment

control .................................. 20

12 A/L button

13 Command dial ......................... 7

14 a button

15 Multi selector .........................10

16 Memory card slot cover....... 18

17 J (OK) button....................... 10

18 I/E/# button

Using the A (L) button

...................................41, 143

Protecting photographs

from deletion................105

Live view..............................80

Movie ...................................88

Release mode

Self-timer ............................33

Remote control.................. 33

.....................31

15 16 17

19 Memory card access lamp

.........................................18, 23

20 Power connector cover for

optional power connector

..............................................178

21 Battery-chamber cover latch

................................................13

22 Battery-chamber cover........13

23 O button

Deleting pictures during

playback .........................106

24 Battery latch.............................13

A The Power Switch

Rotate the power switch as shown to turn the camera on.

Rotate the power switch as shown to turn the camera off.

A The Microphone and Speaker

Do not place the microphone or speaker in close proximity to magnetic devices. Failure to observe this precaution could affect the data recorded on the magnetic devices.

The Mode Dial

The camera offers a choice of the following shooting modes and g mode:

P, S, A, and M Modes

Select these modes for full control over camera settings.

• P— Programmed auto (0 54)

g Mode (0 27)

Take and view pictures and adjust settings with the help of an on-screen guide.

Auto Modes

Select these modes for simple, point-and-shoot photography.

• i Auto (0 22) • j Auto (flash off ) (0 22)

Scene Modes

The camera automatically optimizes settings to suit the scene selected with the mode dial. Match your selection to the scene being photographed.

• k Port rait (0 25)

• l Landscape (0 25)

• p Child (0 25)

• m Sports (0 26)

• n Close up (0 26)

• o Night portrait (0 26)

• S —Shutter-priority auto (0 55)

• A— Aperture-priority auto (0 56)

• M—Manual (0 57)

A Scene Auto Selector (Live View)

Selecting live view in i or j mode enables automatic scene selection (“scene auto selector”; 0 85) when autofocus is used.

The Viewfinder

2 3

6 8411597

1 Focus points........................... 40

2 Focus indicator ................23, 42

3 Autoexposure (AE) lock

indicator............................... 61

4 Shutter speed ..................55, 57

5 Aperture (f-number) ......56, 57

6 Battery indicator ................... 21

7 Number of exposures

remaining ...........................21

Number of shots remaining

before memory buffer

fills .........................................32

White balance recording

indicator...............................72

Exposure compensation value

................................................63

Flash compensation

value......................................65

ISO sensitivity......................... 51

8 “K” (appears when memory

remains for over 1000

exposures) ........................... 21

1210

9 Flash-ready indicator............24

10 Flexible program

indicator ...............................54

11 Exposure indicator ................57

Exposure compensation

display...................................64

Electronic rangefinder........142

12 Flash compensation

indicator ...............................65

13 Exposure compensation

indicator ...............................63

14 Auto ISO sensitivity

indicator .............................129

15 Warning indicator................193

1514

D The Viewfinder

The response time and brightness of the viewfinder display may vary with temperature.

The Information Display

Camera settings can be viewed and adjusted in the information display. make changes to settings. selector and press J to view options for the highlighted item.

Press the P button once to view settings, and again to

Highlight items using the multi

2 3

4 5

1 Shooting mode

2 Aperture (f-number) ......56, 57

3 Shutter speed ..................55, 57

4 Shutter-speed display ............6

5 Aperture display ......................6

6 Auto-area AF indicator.........38

7 Eye-Fi connection

8 Manual flash indicator....... 132

9 Print date indicator............. 144

16 17 19

i auto/

j auto (flash off) ..............22

Scene modes ......................25

Guide mode ........................27

P, S, A, and M modes...........53

3D-tracking indicator............38

Focus point..............................40

indicator............................. 148

Flash compensation indicator

for optional flash units ...175

148 9 10 11 12 13

10 Auto ISO sensitivity

indicator.............................129

11 Active D-Lighting .................. 67

12 Picture Control....................... 76

13 “Beep” indicator ..................141

14 Battery indicator ................... 21

GPS connection indicator

16 Help icon ...............................193

17 Exposure indicator................ 57

Exposure compensation

indicator............................... 64

18 Number of exposures

remaining ............................ 21

White balance recording

indicator............................... 72

19 “K” (appears when memory

remains for over 1000

exposures)........................... 21

..147

P button

23 24 25

26 27 28

222120

20 Flash mode ............................. 48

21 Flash compensation .............65

22 Exposure compensation...... 63

23 Image quality ......................... 44

24 Image size ............................... 46

25 White balance ........................ 69

26 ISO sensitivity......................... 51

27 Release mode......................... 31

28 Focus mode ..................... 35, 81

29 AF-area mode.................. 38, 82

30 Metering.................................. 60

A Hiding Shooting Information

To turn the monitor off, press the R button. while the shutter-release button is pressed or if no operations are performed for about 8 s (for information on choosing how long the monitor stays on, see Auto off timers on page

140). The information display can be restored by pressing the R button again.

Note that the monitor turns off automatically

R button Information display Monitor off

A Rotating the Camera

When the camera is rotated 90 °, shooting information rotates to match camera orientation.

A The Shutter-Speed and Aperture Displays

These displays provide visual indications of shutter speed and aperture.

Fast shutter speed, large aperture

(low f-number).

While the mode dial is rotated, this display is replaced by an image of the mode dial.

Slow shutter speed, small aperture

(high f-number).

A See Also

For information on choosing a design for the information display, see Info display format (0 134). For information on choosing whether information is displayed when the shutterrelease button is pressed; see Auto info display (0 136). For information on the indicators displayed in live view, see page 84.

The Command Dial

The command dial can be used with other controls to adjust a variety of settings when shooting information is displayed in the monitor.

M (Y) button

Fn button

Choose a combination of aperture and shutter speed (mode P; 0 54).

Choose a shutter speed (mode S or M; 0 55, 57).

Choose an aperture (mode A; 0 56).

E (N) button

Mode dial

Command dial

Mode P Command dial Information display

Mode S or M Command dial Information display

Choose an aperture (mode M; 0 57).

Mode A Command dial

Information display

Mode M E (N) button Command dial Information display

Set exposure compensation (mode P, S, or A; 0 63).

Mode P, S, or A

Choose a flash mode (0 49).

Adjust flash compensation (mode P, S, A, or M; 0 65).

E (N) button Command dial Information display

M (Y) button Command dial Information display

P, S, A, or M M (Y) button E (N) button Command dial Information display

The role of the Fn button can be selected using the

Buttons > Assign Fn button option in the setup menu (0 143), allowing the following settings to be adjusted by pressing the Fn button and rotating the command dial:

Image quality/size (0 44) ISO sensitivity (0 51 )

Fn button Command dial

White balance (0 69) Active D-Lighting (0 67)

Camera Menus

Most shooting, playback, and setup options can be accessed from the camera menus. menus, press the G button.

To view the

Ta bs

Choose from the following menus:

D: Playback (0 125) • N: Retouch (0 149)

•

C: Shooting (0 127) • m: Recent settings (0 166)

•

B: Setup (0 133)

Slider shows position in current menu.

Current settings are shown by icons.

Menu options

Options in current menu.

If a d icon is displayed at the bottom left corner of the monitor, help can be displayed by pressing the W (Q) button. A description of the currently selected option or menu will be displayed while the button is pressed. Press 1 or 3 to scroll through the display.

G button

W (Q) button

A Guide Mode

To display the on-screen guide, rotate the mode dial to g (0 27).

Using Camera Menus

The multi selector and J button are used to navigate the camera menus.

Move cursor up

J button: select highlighted item

Cancel and return to

previous menu

Select highlighted item or display sub-menu

Move cursor down

Follow the steps below to navigate the menus.

1 Display the menus.

Press the G button to display the menus.

2 Highlight the icon for the current menu.

Press 4 to highlight the icon for the current menu.

G button

3 Select a menu.

Press 1 or 3 to select the desired menu.

4 Position the cursor in the selected menu.

Press 2 to position the cursor in the selected menu.

5 Highlight a menu item.

Press 1 or 3 to highlight a menu item.

6 Display options.

Press 2 to display options for the selected menu item.

7 Highlight an option.

Press 1 or 3 to highlight an option.

8 Select the highlighted item.

Press J to select the highlighted item. To exit without making a selection, press the G button.

Note the following:

• Menu items that are displayed in gray are not currently available.

• While pressing 2 generally has the same effect as pressing J, there are some

cases in which selection can only be made by pressing J.

• To exit the menus and return to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button

halfway (0 24).

First Steps

Charge the Battery

The camera is powered by an EN-EL14 rechargeable Li-ion battery (supplied). To maximize shooting time, charge the battery in the supplied MH-24 battery charger before use. when no charge remains.

A The Plug Adapter

Depending on the country or region of purchase, a plug adapter may be supplied with the charger. The shape of the adapter varies with the country or region of purchase. If a plug adapter is supplied, raise the wall plug and connect the plug adapter as shown at right, making sure the plug is fully inserted. Attempting to forcibly remove the plug adapter could damage the product.

1 Remove the terminal cover.

2 Insert the battery.

About 1 hour and 30 minutes are required to fully recharge the battery

Remove the terminal cover from the battery.

Insert the battery as shown in the illustration on the charger.

D Charging the Battery

Charge the battery indoors at ambient temperatures between 5–35°C (41–95°F). The battery will not charge if its temperature is below 0 °C (32 °F) or above 60 °C (140 °F).

3 Plug the charger in.

The CHARGE lamp will flash slowly while the battery charges.

D During Charging

Do not move the charger or touch the battery during charging. Failure to observe this precaution could in very rare instances result in the charger showing that charging is complete when the battery is only partially charged. Remove and reinsert the battery to begin charging again.

4 Remove the battery when charging is complete.

Charging is complete when the CHARGE lamp stops flashing. Unplug the charger and remove the battery.

Battery

charging

Charging complete

Insert the Battery

1 Turn the camera off.

A Inserting and Removing Batteries

Always turn the camera off before inserting or removing batteries.

2 Open the battery-chamber cover.

Unlatch (q) and open (w) the battery-chamber cover.

3 Insert the battery.

Insert the battery in the orientation shown (e), using the battery to keep the orange battery latch pressed to one side. in place when the battery is fully inserted.

The latch locks the battery

4 Close the battery-chamber cover.

A Removing the Battery

Turn the camera off and open the battery-chamber cover. Press the battery latch in the direction shown by the arrow to release the battery and then remove the battery by hand.

Battery latch

D The Battery and Charger

Read and follow the warnings and cautions on pages ix–x and 184–186 of this manual. Do not use the battery at ambient temperatures below 0°C/32 °F or above 40°C/104°F; failure to observe this precaution could damage the battery or impair its performance. Capacity may be reduced and charging times may increase at battery temperatures from 0°C/32°F to 15°C/59°F and from 45°C/113°F to 60°C/140°F. If the CHARGE lamp flashes quickly (about eight times a second) during charging, confirm that the temperature is in the correct range and then unplug the charger and remove and reinsert the battery. If the problem persists, cease use immediately and take battery and charger to your retailer or a Nikon-authorized service representative.

Do not attempt to charge a fully-charged battery. Failure to observe this precaution will result in reduced battery performance.

Use the charger with compatible batteries only. Unplug when not in use.

Attach a Lens

Care should be taken to prevent dust from entering the camera when the lens is removed. DX NIKKOR 18–55mm f/3.5–5.6G VR II.

The lens generally used in this manual for illustrative purposes is an AF-S

Focal length mark Mounting mark

Focal length scale

Retractable lens barrel button (0 15)

Lens cap

Focus ring (0 42, 87)

Zoom ring (0 24)

1 Turn the camera off.

2 Remove the rear lens cap and the

camera body cap.

3 Attach the lens.

Keeping the mounting mark on the lens aligned with the mounting mark on the camera body, position the lens in the camera’s bayonet mount (q). Being careful not to press the lensrelease button, rotate the lens counter-clockwise until it clicks into place (w).

CPU contacts

A-M mode switch (see below)

Vibration reduction ON/OFF switch (0 205)

(0 168)

Rear lens cap

Slide the A-M mode switch to A (autofocus; if the lens has an M/A-M mode switch, select M/A for autofocus with manual override).

If the lens has a vibration reduction (VR) switch, select ON to reduce the effects of vibration (0 205).

A Lenses with Retractable Lens Barrel Buttons

Before using the camera, unlock and extend the zoom ring. Keeping the retractable lens barrel button pressed (q), rotate the zoom ring as shown (w).

Retractable lens barrel

button

Pictures can not be taken when the lens is retracted; if an error message is displayed as a result of the camera having been turned on with the lens retracted, rotate the zoom ring until the message is no longer displayed.

D Autofocus

Autofocus is supported with only AF-S and AF-I lenses, which are equipped with autofocus motors. Autofocus is not available with other AF lenses (0 167).

D CPU Lenses with Aperture Rings

In the case of CPU lenses equipped with an aperture ring (0 168), lock aperture at the minimum setting (highest f-number).

A Detaching the Lens

Be sure the camera is off when removing or exchanging lenses. To remove the lens, press and hold the lens release button (q) while turning the lens clockwise (w). After removing the lens, replace the lens caps and camera body cap.

A Retracting Lenses with Retractable Lens Barrel Buttons

To retract the lens when the camera is not in use, hold the retractable lens barrel button (q) and rotate the zoom ring to the “L” (lock) position as shown (w). Retract the lens before removing it from the camera, and be careful not to press the retractable lens barrel button when attaching or removing the lens.

Basic Setup

A language-selection dialog will be displayed the first time the camera is turned on. Choose a language and set the time and date. Photographs can not be taken until you have set the time and date.

1 Turn the camera on.

A language-selection dialog will be displayed.

2 Select a language.

Press 1 or 3 to highlight the desired language and press J.

3 Choose a time zone.

A time-zone selection dialog will be displayed. Press 4 or 2 to highlight the local time zone (the UTC field shows the difference between the selected time zone and Coordinated Universal Time, or UTC, in hours) and press J.

4 Choose a date format.

Press 1 or 3 to choose the order in which the year, month, and day will be displayed. to proceed to the next step.

Press J

5 Turn daylight saving time on or off.

Daylight saving time options will be displayed. Daylight saving time is off by default; if daylight saving time is in effect in the local time zone, press 1 to highlight On and press J.

6 Set the date and time.

The dialog shown at right will be displayed. Press 4 or 2 to se le ct an i te m, 1 or 3 to change. Press J to set the clock and exit to shooting mode.

A The Clock Battery

The camera clock is powered by an independent, rechargeable power source, which is charged as necessary when the main battery is installed or the camera is powered by an optional EP-5A power connector and EH-5b AC adapter (0 178). Three days of charging will power the clock for about a month. If a message warning that the clock is not set is displayed when the camera is turned on, the clock battery is exhausted and the clock has been reset. Set the clock to the correct time and date.

A The Camera Clock

The camera clock is less accurate than most watches and household clocks. Check the clock regularly against more accurate time pieces and reset as necessary.

A The Setup Menu

Language and date/time settings can be changed at any time using the Language (0 137) and Time zone and date (0 137) options in the setup menu.

Insert a Memory Card

The camera stores pictures on Secure Digital (SD) memory cards (available separately; 0 177).

1 Turn the camera off.

A Inserting and Removing Memory Cards

Always turn the camera off before inserting or removing memory cards.

2 Open the card slot cover.

Slide the card slot cover out (q) and open the card slot (w).

3 Insert the memory card.

Ho ldin g the m emor y c ard as s hown at ri ght, slid e it in until it clicks into place. access lamp will light for a few seconds. the memory card slot cover.

D Inserting Memory Cards

Inserting memor y cards upside down or backwards could damage the camera or the card. Check to be sure the card is in the correct orientation.

If this is the first time the memory card will be used in the camera or the card has been formatted in another device, format the card as described on page 19.

The memory card

Front

Memory card access lamp

A Removing Memory Cards

After confirming that the memory card access lamp is off, turn the camera off, open the memory card slot cover, and press the card in to eject it (q). The card can then be removed by hand (w).

A The Write Protect Switch

SD memory cards are equipped with a write protect switch to prevent accidental loss of data. When this switch is in the “lock” position, the memory card can not be formatted and photos can not be deleted or recorded (a beep will sound if you attempt to release the shutter). To unlock the memory card, slide the switch to the “write” position.

Write-protect switch

Format the Memory Card

Memory cards must be formatted before first use or after being formatted in other devices.

Format the card as described below.

D Formatting Memory Cards

Formatting memory cards permanently deletes any data they may contain. Be sure t o copy any photographs and other data you wish to keep to a computer before proceeding (0 111).

1 Turn the camera on.

2 Display format options.

Press the G button to display the menus. Highlight Format memor y card in the setup menu and press 2. using the menus, see page 9.

For more information on

G button

3 Highlight Ye s .

To exit without formatting the memory card, highlight No and press J.

4 Press J.

The message at right will be displayed while the card is formatted.

memory card or remove or disconnect the power source until formatting is complete.

D Memory Cards

• Memory cards may be hot after use. Observe due caution when removing memory cards from the camera.

• Turn the power off before inserting or removing memory cards. Do not remove memory cards from the camera, turn the camera off, or remove or disconnect the power source during formatting or while data are being recorded, deleted, or copied to a computer. Failure to observe these precautions could result in loss of data or in damage to the camera or card.

• Do not touch the card terminals with your fingers or metal objects.

• Do not bend, drop, or subject to strong physical shocks.

• Do not apply force to the card casing. Failure to observe this precaution could damage

the card.

• Do not expose to water, heat, high levels of humidity, or direct sunlight.

• Do not format memory cards in a computer.

Do not remove the

Adjust Viewfinder Focus

The camera is equipped with diopter adjustment to accommodate individual differences in vision. framing pictures in the viewfinder.

Check that the display in the viewfinder is in focus before

1 Remove the lens cap.

2 Turn the camera on.

3 Focus the viewfinder.

Rotate the diopter adjustment control until the viewfinder display and focus point are in sharp

When operating the control with your eye

focus. to the viewfinder, be careful not to put your fingers or fingernails in your eye.

Focus point

A Adjusting Viewfinder Focus

If you are unable to focus the viewfinder as described above, select single-servo autofocus (AF-S; 0 35), single-point AF (c; 0 38), and the center focus point (0 40), and then frame a high-contrast subject in the center focus point and press the shutter-release button halfway to focus the camera. With the camera in focus, use the diopter adjustment control to bring the subject into clear focus in the viewfinder. If necessary, viewfinder focus can be further adjusted using optional corrective lenses (0 176).

Basic Photography

Battery Level and Card Capacity

Before shooting, check the battery level and number of exposures remaining.

1 Turn the camera on.

2 Check the battery level.

Check the battery level in the information display (if the battery is low, a warning will also be displayed in the viewfinder). If the monitor is off, press the P button to view the information display; if the monitor does not turn on, the battery is exhausted and must be recharged.

Information display Viewfinder Description

L K

H d

(flashes)

— Battery fully charged. — Battery partially discharged.

Low battery. Ready fully-charged spare battery or prepare to charge battery.

(flashes)

Battery exhausted; shutter release disabled. exchange battery.

3 Check the number of exposures remaining.

The information display and viewfinder show the number of photographs that can be taken at current settings (values over 1,000 are rounded down to the nearest hundred; e.g., values between 1,200 and 1,299 are shown as 1.2 K). If a warning is displayed stating that there is not enough memory for additional photographs, insert another memory card (0 18) or delete some photos (0 106).

Charge or

“Point-and-Shoot” Photography (i and j Modes)

This section describes how to take photographs in i and j modes, automatic “point-and-shoot” modes in which the majority of settings are controlled by the camera in response to shooting conditions.

1 Turn the camera on.

Remove the lens cap and turn the camera on. The information display will appear in the monitor.

2 Select i or j mode.

To shoot where use of a flash is prohibited, photograph infants, or capture natural lighting under low light, select auto (flash off) mode by rotating the mode dial to j. the dial to i (auto).

Otherwise, rotate

3 Ready the camera.

When framing photographs in the viewfinder, hold the handgrip in your right hand and cradle the camera body or lens with your left. 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. orientation, hold the camera as shown at right.

In j mode, shutter speeds slow when lighting is poor; use of a tripod is recommended.

When framing photographs in portrait (tall)

Keep your

4 Frame the photograph.

Frame a photograph in the viewfinder with the main subject in at least one of the 11 focus points.

Mode dial

Focus point

5 Press the shutter-release button halfway.

Press the shutter-release button halfway to

The camera will select the focus points

focus. automatically. may pop up and the AF-assist illuminator may light.

If the subject is poorly lit, the flash

6 Check the indicators in the viewfinder.

When the focus operation is complete, the selected focus points will be briefly highlighted, a beep will sound (a beep may not sound if the subject is moving), and the in-focus indicator (I) will appear in the viewfinder.

In-focus indicator Description

I Subject in focus.

I (flashes)

While the shutter-release button is pressed halfway, the number of exposures that can be stored in the memory buffer (“t”; 0 32) will be displayed in the viewfinder.

Camera unable to focus using autofocus. See page 36.

In-focus indicator

7 Shoot.

Smoothly press the shutter-release button the rest of the way down to release the shutter and record the photograph. lamp will light and the photograph will be displayed in the monitor for a few seconds (the photo will automatically clear from the display when the shutter-release button is pressed halfway).

or disconnect the power source until the lamp has gone out and recording is complete.

Do not eject the memory card or remove

The memory card access

Memory card access

lamp

Buffer

capacit y

A Image Sensor Cleaning

The camera vibrates the low-pass filter covering the image sensor to remove dust when the camera is turned on or off (0 180).

A The Shutter-Release Button

The camera has a two-stage shutter-release button. release button is pressed halfway. To take the photograph, press the shutter-release button the rest of the way down.

The camera focuses when the shutter-

A The Standby Timer

The viewfinder and information display will turn off if no operations are performed for about 8 seconds, reducing the drain on the battery. Press the shutter-release button halfway to reactivate the display. The length of time before the standby timer expires automatically can be selected using the Auto off timers option in the setup menu (0 140).

Exposure meters on Exposure meters off Exposure meters on

Focus: press halfway Shoot: press all the way down

A The Built-in Flash

If additional lighting is required for correct exposure in i mode, the built-in flash will pop up automatically when the shutter-release button is pressed halfway (0 47). If the flash is raised, photographs can only be taken when the flash-ready indicator (M) is displayed. If the flash-ready indicator is not displayed, the flash is charging; remove your finger briefly from the shutter-release button and try again.

To save battery power when the flash is not in use, return it to its closed position by pressing it gently downward till the latch clicks into place.

A Using a Zoom Lens

Use the zoom ring to zoom in on the subject so that it fills a larger area of the frame, or zoom out to increase the area visible in the final photograph (select longer focal lengths on the lens focal length scale to zoom in, shorter focal lengths to zoom out). If the lens is equipped with a retractable lens barrel button (0 15), press and hold the button while rotating the zoom ring until the lens is released and a warning message is no longer displayed, and then adjust zoom using the zoom ring.

Zoom in

Zoom out

Zoom ring

Creative Photography (Scene Modes)

The camera offers a choice of “scene” modes. Choosing a scene mode automatically optimizes settings to suit the selected scene, making creative photography as simple as selecting a mode, framing a picture, and shooting as described on pages 22–24.

The following scenes can be selected with the mode dial:

kPortr ait

Use for portraits with soft, natural-looking skin tones. If the subject is far from the background or a telephoto lens is used, background details will be softened to lend the composition a sense of depth.

lLandscape

Use for vivid landscape shots in daylight. The built-in flash and AF-assist illuminator turn off; use of a tripod is recommended to prevent blur when lighting is poor.

Mode dial

pChild

Use for snapshots of children. Clothing and background details are vividly rendered, while skin tones remain soft and natural.

mSports

nClose up

o Night Portrait

Fast shutter speeds freeze motion for dynamic sports shots in which the main subject stands out clearly. The built-in flash and AF-assist illuminator turn off.

Use for close-up shots of flowers, insects, and other small objects (a macro lens can be used to focus at very close ranges). Use of a tripod is recommended to prevent blur.

Use for a natural balance between the main subject and the background in portraits taken under low light. Use of a tripod is recommended to prevent blur.

Guide Mode

The Guide

Guide mode gives access to a variety of frequently-used and useful functions. is rotated to g.

Choose from the following items:

Take pictures. View and/or delete pictures. Change camera settings.

The top level of the guide is displayed when the mode dial

Battery indicator (0 21)

Number of exposures remaining (0 21)

Shooting mode: A guide mode indicator appears on the shooting mode icon.

Shoot View/delete Set up

Guide Mode Menus

To access these menus, highlight Shoot, View/delete, or Set up and press J.

❚❚ Shoot

Easy operation Advanced operation

No flash Bring more into focus

Distant subjects

Close-ups Freeze motion (vehicles)

Sleeping faces Show water flowing

Moving subjects

Landscapes

Portraits Take bright photos

Night portrait

* Affects other Advanced operation items. To restore default settings, turn the camera off

and then on again.

Auto

Soften backgrounds

Freeze motion (people)

Capture reds in sunsets

Take dar k (low key)

photos

Reduce blur

Adjust aperture.

Select a shutter speed.

Adjust white balance to vividly capture

the colors in sunsets.

Adjust exposure compensation to take bright (high key) or dark (low key) photos.

Adjust auto ISO sensitivity control for poorly lit subjects or telephoto lenses.

“Start Shooting”

“More Settings”

Highlight an option and press J.

• Use the viewfinder

• Use live view

• Shoot movies

If More settings is displayed, you can highlight this option and press 2 to access the following settings (the settings available vary with the shooting option selected):

• Flash settings > Flash mode

• Flash settings > Flash

compensation

• Release mode

• ISO sensitivity settings >

Auto ISO sensitivity control

• Set Picture Control

• Exposure compensation

• White balance

ISO sensitivity

❚❚ View/Delete

View single photos

View multiple photos

Choose a date

View a slide show

Delete photos

❚❚ Set Up

Image quality Image size Auto off timers Print date Display and sound settings

Monitor brightness Info background color Auto info display Beep

Movie settings

Frame size/frame rate Movie quality Microphone Flicker reduction

* Only available when compatible Eye-Fi memory card is inserted (0 148).

Changes to Image quality, Image size, Auto off timers, Print date, Playback

folder, Playback display options, all Display and sound settings options, and all Movie settings options except Flicker reduction apply in guide mode only and are

not reflected in other shooting modes.

Output settings

HDMI

Video mode Playback folder Playback display options DPOF print order Clock and language

Time zone and date

Language Format memory card Eye-Fi upload Slot empty release lock

A Guide Mode

Guide mode is reset to Easy operation > Auto when the mode dial is rotated to another setting or the camera is turned off.

Using the Guide

The following operations can be performed while the guide is displayed:

To Use Description

Return to top

level of guide

Turn monitor

Highlight a

G button

Press G to turn the monitor on or return to the top level of the guide.

Press 4 or 2 to highlight a menu.

Press 1 or 3 to highlight options in the menus.

Highlight

options

Select

highlighted

menu or option

Return to

display

View help

W (Q) button

Press 1, 3, 4, or 2 to highlight options in displays like that shown at right.

Press J to select the highlighted menu or option.

Press 4 to return to the previous display.

To cancel and return to the previous display from displays like that shown at right, highlight & and press J.

If a d icon is displayed at the bottom left corner of the monitor, help can be displayed by pressing the W (Q) button. the currently selected option will be displayed while the button is pressed. Press 1 or 3 to scroll through the display.

A description of

d (help) icon

More on Photography (All Modes)

Release Mode

Choose from the following release modes:

Mode Description

Single frame: Camera takes one photograph each time shutter-release button is pressed.

Continuous: While shutter-release button is held down, camera records up to 4 frames

per second. Self-timer: Use self-timer for self-portraits or to reduce blurring caused by camera shake

(0 33). Delayed remote: Shutter is released 2 s after shutter-release button on optional ML-L3

(0 177) remote control is pressed (0 33). Quick-response remote: Shutter is released when shutter-release button on optional ML-L3

(0 177) remote control is pressed (0 33). Quiet shutter release: As for single frame, except that mirror does not click back into place while shutter-release button is fully pressed, allowing user to control timing of click

made by mirror, which is also quieter than in single frame mode. Also, beep does not sound when camera focuses, keeping noise to a minimum in quiet surroundings.

1 Press I (E/#).

A list of release mode options will be displayed.

2 Choose a release mode.

Highlight a release mode and press J to return to the information display. taken immediately.

Photographs can be

I (E/#) button

A The Memory Buffer

The camera is equipped with a memory buffer for temporary storage, allowing shooting to continue while photographs are being saved to the memory card. Up to 100 photographs can be taken in succession; note, however, that frame rate will drop when the buffer is full.

While photographs are being recorded to the memory card, the memory card access lamp will light (0 2). Depending on the number of the images in the buffer, recording may take from a few seconds to a few minutes. Do not remove the memory card or remove or disconnect

the power source until the access lamp has gone out. If the camera is switched off while data

remain in the buffer, the power will not turn off until all images in the buffer have been recorded. If the battery is exhausted while images remain in the buffer, the shutter release will be disabled and the images transferred to the memory card.

A Continuous Release Mode

Continuous release mode (I) can not be used with the built-in flash; rotate the mode dial to j (0 22) or turn the flash off (0 47–49). For information on the number of photographs that can be taken in a single burst, see page 188.

A Buffer Size

The approximate number of images that can be stored in the memory buffer at current settings is shown in the viewfinder exposure-count display while the shutter-release button is pressed. The illustration shows the display when space remains in the buffer for about 19 pictures.

A The Information Display

The release mode can also be selected using the Release mode option in the information display (0 5).

Self-Timer and Remote Control Modes

The self-timer and optional ML-L3 remote control (0 177) allow the photographer to be at a distance from the camera when a photo is taken.

1 Mount the camera on a tripod.

Mount the camera on a tripod or place the camera on a stable, level surface.

2 Select a release mode.

Select E (self-timer), " (delayed remote), or # (quick-response remote) mode (0 31; note that if no operations are performed for about a minute after a remote control mode is selected, the camera will automatically return to single frame, continuous, or quiet shutter-release mode).

3 Frame the photograph.

Remote control mode: Check focus by pressing the shutter-release button halfway.

No photograph will be taken even if the button is pressed all the way down.

4 Take the photograph.

Self-timer mode: Press the shutter-release button

halfway to focus, and then press the button the rest of the way down. start to flash and a beep will begin to sound. seconds before the photo is taken, the lamp will stop flashing and the beeping will become more rapid. released ten seconds after the timer starts.

The self-timer lamp will

I (E/#) button

Two

The shutter will be

Remote control mode: From a distance of 5 m (16 ft) or less, aim the transmitter on the ML-L3 at either of the infrared receivers on the camera (0 1, 2) and press the ML-L3 shutter-release button. timer lamp will light for about two seconds before the shutter is released. timer lamp will flash after the shutter has been released.

Note that the timer may not start or a photograph may not be taken if the camera is unable to focus or in other situations in which the shutter can not be released. Turning the camera off cancels self-timer and remote control release modes and restores single frame, continuous, or quiet shutter-release mode.

In delayed remote mode, the self-

In quick-response remote mode, the self-

D Before Using the Remote Control

Before using the remote control for the first time, remove the clear plastic battery-insulator sheet.

A Cover the Viewfinder

When taking photos without your eye to the viewfinder, remove the DK-20 rubber eyecup (q) and insert the supplied DK-5 eyepiece cap as shown (w). This prevents light entering via the viewfinder interfering with exposure. Hold the camera firmly when removing the rubber eyecup.

DK-20 rubber eyecup DK-5 eyepiece cap

q w

D Using the Built-in Flash

Before taking a photograph with the flash in P, S, A, or M modes, press the M (Y) button to raise the flash and wait for the M indicator to be displayed in the viewfinder (0 24).

will be interrupted if the flash is raised while a remote control mode is in effect or after the self-timer has started. If the flash is required, the camera will only respond to the ML-L3 shutter-release button once the flash has charged. In auto or scene modes in which the flash pops up automatically, the flash will begin charging when a remote control mode is selected; once the flash is charged, it will automatically pop up and fire when required.

In flash modes that support red-eye reduction, the red-eye reduction lamp will light for about one second before the shutter is released in quick-response remote mode. In delayed remote mode, the self-timer lamp will light for two seconds, followed by the red-eye reduction lamp which lights for one second before the shutter is released.

A See Also

For information on choosing the duration of the self-timer and the number of shots taken, see the Self-timer option in the setup menu (0 141). For information on choosing how long the camera will wait for a signal from the remote, see the Remote on duration option in the setup menu (0 141). For information on controlling the beeps that sound when the self-timer and remote control are used, see the Beep option in the setup menu (0 141).

Shooting

Focus

This section describes the focus options available when photographs are framed in the viewfinder. below). or use focus lock to focus to recompose photographs after focusing (0 40).

The user can also select the focus point for automatic or manual focus (0 42)

Focus Mode

Choose from the following focus modes. Note that AF-S and AF-C are available only in modes P, S, A, and M.

Option Description

Auto-servo

AF-A

Single-servo AFFor stationary subjects. Focus locks when shutter-release button is

AF-S

Continuous-

AF-C

servo AF

MF Manual focus Focus manually (0 42).

1 Place the cursor in the information display.

If shooting information is not displayed in the monitor, press the P button. P button again to place the cursor in the information display.

Focus can be adjusted automatically or manually (see “Focus Mode,”

Camera automatically selects single-servo autofocus if subject is stationary, continuous-servo autofocus if subject is moving. Shutter can only be released if camera is able to focus.

pressed halfway. Shutter can only be released if camera is able to focus. For moving subjects. Camera focuses continuously while shutterrelease button is pressed halfway. Shutter can only be released if camera is able to focus.

Press the

2 Display focus-mode options.

Highlight the current focus mode in the information display and press J.

3 Choose a focus mode.

Highlight a focus mode and press J. To re tur n to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway.

P button

Information display

A Predictive Focus Tracking

In AF-C mode or when continuous-servo autofocus is selected in AF-A mode, the camera will initiate predictive focus tracking if the subject moves toward the camera while the shutterrelease button is pressed halfway. This allows the camera to track focus while attempting to predict where the subject will be when the shutter is released.

D Continuous-servo Autofocus

In AF-C mode or when continuous-servo autofocus is selected in AF-A mode, the camera gives higher priority to focus response (has a wider focus range) than in AF-S mode, and the shutter may be released before the in-focus indicator is displayed.

A Getting Good Results with Autofocus

Autofocus does not perform well under the conditions listed below. The shutter release may be disabled if the camera is unable to focus under these conditions, or the in-focus indicator (I) may be displayed and the camera may sound a beep, allowing the shutter to be released even when the subject is not in focus. In these cases, focus manually (0 42) or use focus lock

(0 40) to focus on another subject at the same distance and then recompose the photograph.

There is little or no contrast between the subject and the background.

Example: Subject is the same color as the background.

The focus point contains objects at different distances from the camera.

Example: Subject is inside a cage.

The subject is dominated by regular geometric patterns.

Example: Blinds or a row of windows in a skyscraper.

The focus point contains areas of sharply contrasting brightness.

Example: Subject is half in the shade.

Background objects appear larger than the subject.

Example: A building is in the frame behind the subject.

The subject contains many fine details.

Example: A field of flowers or other subjects that are small or lack variation in brightness.

D The AF-Assist Illuminator

If the subject is poorly lit, the AF-assist illuminator will light automatically to assist the autofocus operation when the shutterrelease button is pressed halfway. The AF-assist illuminator will not light:

• In live view or during movie recording

• During manual focus or if live view is off and continuous-servo

autofocus is selected (AF-C selected for focus mode, or continuous-servo AF selected in AF-A focus mode)

• If the center focus point is not selected in c (Single-point AF), d (Dynamic-area AF), or f (3D-tracking (11 points)) AF-area mode (0 38, 40)

• In shooting modes in which the AF-assist illuminator can not be used (0 187)

• If Off has been selected for the Built-in AF-assist illuminator option in the shooting

menu (0 131)

The illuminator has a range of about 0.5–3.0 m (1 ft 8 in.–9 ft 10 in.); when using the illuminator, use a lens with a focal length of 18–200 mm and remove the lens hood. The AFassist illuminator will turn off automatically to protect the lamp after a period of continuous use. Normal function will resume after a brief pause. Note that the illuminator may become hot when used multiple times in quick succession.

AF-assist illuminator

A See Also

For information on focusing in live view, see page 81. The Beep option in the setup menu (0 141) can be used to turn the beep speaker on or off.

AF-Area Mode

Choose how the focus point for autofocus is selected. Note that d (Dynamic-area AF) and f (3D-tracking (11 points)) are not available when AF-S is selected for

focus mode.

Option Description

c Single-point AF

d Dynamic-area AF

3D-tracking

(11 points)

e Auto-area AF Camera automatically detects subject and selects focus point.

User selects focus point using multi selector (0 40); camera focuses on subject in selected focus point only. Use with stationary subjects. In AF-A and AF-C focus modes, user selects focus point using multi selector (0 40), but camera will focus based on information from surrounding focus points if subject briefly leaves selected point. Use with erratically moving subjects. In AF-A and AF-C focus modes, user selects focus point using multi selector (0 40). If subject moves after camera has focused, camera uses 3Dtracking to select new focus point and keep focus locked on original subject while shutter-release button is pressed halfway. If subject leaves viewfinder, remove your finger from shutter-release button and recompose photograph with subject in selected focus point.

1 Place the cursor in the information display.

If shooting information is not displayed in the monitor, press the P button. P button again to place the cursor in the information display.

Press the

2 Display AF-area mode options.

Highlight the current AF-area mode in the information display and press J.

P button

Information display

3 Choose an AF-area mode.

Highlight one of the following options and press

To return to shooting mode, press the shutter-

J. release button halfway.

A AF-Area Mode

The AF-area mode used when photographs are framed in the viewfinder can also be selected using the AF-area mode > Viewfinder option in the shooting menu (0 127). AF-area mode selections made in shooting modes other than P, S, A, or M are reset when another shooting mode is selected.

A 3D-tracking (11 Points)

When the shutter-release button is pressed halfway, the colors in the area surrounding the focus point are stored in the camera. Consequently 3D-tracking may not produce the desired results with subjects that are the same color as the background.

A See Also

For information on the AF-area modes available in live view, see page 82.

Focus Point Selection

In manual focus mode or when autofocus is combined with AF-area modes other than e (Auto-area AF), you can choose from 11 focus points, making it possible to compose photographs with the main subject almost anywhere in the frame.

1 Choose an AF-area mode other than e

(Auto-area AF;

0 38).

2 Select the focus point.

Use the multi selector to select the focus point in the viewfinder or information display while the exposure meters are on. center focus point.

Press J to select the

Focus point

Focus Lock

Focus lock can be used to change the composition after focusing in AF-A, AF-S, and AF-C focus modes (0 35), making it possible to focus on a subject that will not be in a focus point in the final composition. (0 36), focus lock can also be used to recompose the photograph after focusing on another object at the same distance as your original subject. effective when an option other than e (Auto-area AF) is selected for AF-area mode (0 38).

If the camera is unable to focus using autofocus

Focus lock is most

1 Focus.

Position the subject in the selected focus point and press the shutter-release button halfway to initiate focus. (I) appears in the viewfinder.

Check that the in-focus indicator

2 Lock focus.

AF-A and AF-C focus modes: With the shutter-release

button pressed halfway (q), press the A (L) button (w) to lock both focus and exposure (an AE-L icon will be displayed in the viewfinder;

Focus will remain locked while the A (L)

0 61). button is pressed, even if you later remove your finger from the shutter-release button.

AF-S focus mode: Focus will lock automatically when the in-focus indicator appears, and remain locked until you remove your finger from the shutterrelease button. above).

Focus can also be locked by pressing the A (L) button (see

Shutter-release button

A (L) button

3 Recompose the photograph and shoot.

Focus will remain locked between shots if you keep the shutter-release button pressed halfway (AF-S) or keep the A (L) button pressed, allowing several photographs in succession to be taken at the same focus setting.

Do not change the distance between the camera and the subject while focus lock is in effect.

If the subject moves, focus again at the new distance.

A The A (L) Button

The Buttons > Assign AE-L/AF-L button option in the setup menu (0 143) controls the behavior of the A (L) button.

Manual Focus

Manual focus can be used when you are not using an AF-S or AF-I lens or when autofocus does not produce the desired results (0 36).

1 Set the lens focus-mode switch.

If the lens is equipped with an A-M or M/A-M mode switch, slide the switch to M.

A-M

mode switch

2 Focus.

To focus manually, adjust the lens focus ring until the

image displayed on the clear matte field in the viewfinder is in focus. when the image is not in focus.

Photographs can be taken at any time, even

❚❚ The Electronic Rangefinder

If the lens has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or faster, the viewfinder focus indicator can be used to confirm whether the subject in the selected focus point is in focus (the focus point can be selected from any of the 11 focus points). positioning the subject in the selected focus point, press the shutter-release button halfway and rotate the lens focus ring until the in-focus indicator (I) is displayed. page 36, the in-focus indicator may sometimes be displayed when the subject is not in focus; confirm focus in the viewfinder before shooting.

After

Note that with the subjects listed on

M/A-M

mode switch

A Selecting Manual Focus with the Camera

If the lens supports M/A (autofocus with manual override), manual focus can also be selected by setting the camera focus mode to MF (manual focus; 0 35). Focus can then be adjusted manually, regardless of the mode selected with the lens.

A Focal Plane Position

To determine the distance between your subject and the camera, measure from the focal plane mark on the camera body. The distance between the lens mounting flange and the focal plane is 46.5 mm (1.83 in.).

46.5 mm

Focal plane mar

A The Exposure Indicator

If desired, the exposure indicator can be used to determine whether the focus point for manual focus is in front of or behind the subject (0 142).

Image Quality and Size

Together, image quality and size determine how much space each photograph occupies on the memory card. sizes but also require more memory, meaning that fewer such images can be stored on the memory card (0 188).

Image Quality

Choose a file format and compression ratio (image quality).

Option File type Description

NEF (RAW) +

JPEG fine

NEF (RAW) NEF

JPEG fine

JPEG normal Record JPEG images at a compression ratio of roughly 1 : 8 (normal quality).

JPEG basic Record JPEG images at a compression ratio of roughly 1 : 16 (basic quality).

NEF/

Two images are recorded: one NEF (RAW) image and one fine-quality JPEG

JPEG

image. Raw 12-bit data from the image sensor are saved directly to the memory card. Settings such as white balance and contrast can be adjusted after shooting. Record JPEG images at a compression ratio of roughly 1 : 4 (fine quality).

JPEG

1 Place the cursor in the information display.

If shooting information is not displayed in the monitor, press the P button. P button again to place the cursor in the information display.

Larger, higher quality images can be printed at larger

Press the

2 Display image quality options.

Highlight the current image quality in the information display and press J.

3 Choose a file type.

Highlight an option and press J. To re t u rn to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway.

P button

Information display

A NEF (RAW) Images

Note that the option selected for image size does not affect the size of NEF (RAW) or NEF (RAW)+JPEG images. Print date (0 144) is not available at image quality settings of NEF (RAW) or NEF (RAW)+JPEG.

NEF (RAW) images can be viewed on the camera or using software such as Capture NX 2 (available separately; 0 176) or ViewNX 2 (available on the supplied ViewNX 2 CD). JPEG copies of NEF (RAW) images can be created using the NEF (RAW) processing option in the retouch menu (0 157).

A NEF (RAW) + JPEG Fine

When photographs taken at NEF (RAW) + JPEG fine are viewed on the camera, only the JPEG image will be displayed. When photographs taken at these settings are deleted, both NEF and JPEG images will be deleted.

A The Shooting Menu

Image quality can also be adjusted using the Image quality option in the shooting menu (0 127).

A The Fn Button

Image quality and size can also be adjusted by pressing the Fn button and rotating the command dial (0 143).

Image Size

Image size is measured in pixels. Choose from the following options:

Image size Size (pixels) Print size (cm/in.)

# Large 6,016 × 4,000 50.9 × 33.9/20.1 × 13.3 $ Medium 4,512 × 3,000 38.2 × 25.4/15 × 10 % Small 3,008 × 2,000 25.5 × 16.9/10 × 6.7

* Approximate size when printed at 300 dpi. Print size in inches equals image size in pixels

divided by printer resolution in dots per inch (dpi; 1 inch= approximately 2.54 cm).

1 Place the cursor in the information display.

If shooting information is not displayed in

Press the

the monitor, press the P button. P button again to place the cursor in the

information display.

P button

2 Display image size options.

Highlight the current image size in the information display and press J.

3 Choose an image size.

Highlight an option and press J. To re t u rn to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway.

A The Shooting Menu

Image size can also be adjusted using the Image size option in the shooting menu (0 127).

Information display

A The Fn Button

Image quality and size can also be adjusted by pressing the Fn button and rotating the command dial (0 143).

Using the Built-in Flash

The camera supports a variety of flash modes for photographing poorly lit or backlit subjects.

❚❚ Using the Built-in Flash: i, k, p, n, and o Modes

1 Choose a flash mode (0 48).

2 Take pictures.

The flash will pop up as required when the shutter-release button is pressed halfway, and fire when a photograph is taken.

not pop up automatically, by hand. damage the flash.

Failure to observe this precaution could

DO NOT attempt to raise it

❚❚ Using the Built-in Flash: P, S, A, and M Modes

1 Raise the flash.

Press the M (Y) button to raise the flash.

2 Choose a flash mode (0 48).

If the flash does

3 Take pictures.

The flash will fire whenever a picture is taken.

A Lowering the Built-in Flash

To save power when the flash is not in use, press it gently downward until the latch clicks into place.

M (Y) button

Flash Mode

The flash modes available vary with shooting mode:

i, k, p, n o

No Auto NYr Auto slow sync +red-eye

NYo Auto +red-eye reduction Nr Auto slow sync

j Flash off j Flash off

P, A S, M

N Fill flash N Fill flash

NY Red-eye reduction NY Red-eye reduction

NYp Slow sync +red-eye Nq Rear-curtain sync

Np Slow sync

Nq*Rear-curtain +slow sync

* p appears in information display when setting is complete.

1 Place the cursor in the information display.

If shooting information is not displayed in the monitor, press the P button. P button again to place the cursor in the information display.

Press the

P button Information display

2 Display flash mode options.

Highlight the current flash mode in the information display and press J.

3 Choose a flash mode.

Highlight a mode and press J. To re t u rn to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway.

A Flash Modes

The flash modes listed on the previous page may combine one or more of the following settings, as shown by the flash mode icon:

• AUTO (auto flash): When lighting is poor or subject is back lit, flash pops up automatically when shutter-release button is pressed halfway and fires as required.

• Y (red-eye reduction): Use for portraits. reducing “red-eye.”

• j (off): Flash does not fire even when lighting is poor or subject is back-lit.

• SLOW (slow sync): Shutter speed slows automatically to capture background lighting at night

or under low light. Use to include background lighting in portraits.

• REAR (rear-cur tain sync): Flash fires just before shutter closes, creating a stream of light behind moving light sources (below at right). If this icon is not displayed, flash will fire as the shutter opens (front-curtain sync; the effect this produces with moving light sources is shown below at left).

Front-curtain sync Rear-curtain sync

Red-eye reduction lamp lights before flash fires,

A Choosing a Flash Mode

The flash mode can also be selected by pressing the M (Y) button and rotating the command dial (in P, S, A, and M modes, raise the flash before using the M (Y) button to choose the flash mode).

M (Y) button Command dial Information display

A The Built-in Flash

For information on the lenses that can be used with the built-in flash, see page 170. Remove lens hoods to prevent shadows. The flash has a minimum range of 0.6 m (2 ft) and can not be used in the macro range of zoom lenses with a macro function.

The shutter release may be briefly disabled to protect the flash after it has been used for several consecutive shots. The flash can be used again after a short pause.

A Shutter Speeds Available with the Built-in Flash

Shutter speed is restricted to the following ranges when the built-in flash is used:

Mode Shutter speed Mode Shutter speed

i, p, n, P, A

k o

/200–1/60 s S

/200–1/30 s M

/200–1 s

/200–30 s, Bulb

Shutter speeds as slow as 30 s are available in slow sync, rear curtain + slow sync, and slow sync + red-eye reduction modes.

A Aperture, Sensitivity, and Flash Range

Flash range varies with sensitivity (ISO equivalency) and aperture.

Aperture at ISO equivalent of Approximate range

100 200 400 800 1600 3200 6400 m ft

1.4 2 2.8 4 5.6 8 11 1.0–8.5 3ft 3 in.–27ft 11n. 2 2.8 4 5.6 8 11 16 0.7–6.0 2ft 4in.–19 ft 8in.

2.8 4 5.6 8 11 16 22 0.6–4.2 2ft–13ft 9in. 4 5.6 8 11162232 0.6–3.0 2ft–9ft 10in.

5.6 8 11 16 22 32 — 0.6–2.1 2ft–6ft 11in. 8 11162232—— 0.6–1.5 2ft–4ft 11in.

11 16 22 32 — — — 0.6–1.1 2ft–3ft 7in. 16 22 32 — — — — 0.6–0.7 2ft–2 ft 4in.

/200–30 s

ISO Sensitivity

“ISO sensitivity” is the digital equivalent of film speed. The higher the ISO sensitivity, the less light needed to make an exposure, allowing higher shutter speeds or smaller apertures, but the more likely the image is to be affected by noise (randomly-spaced bright pixels, fog, or lines; noise is particularly likely at a setting of Hi 1, which is equivalent to ISO 12800). Choosing Auto allows the camera to set ISO sensitivity automatically in response to lighting conditions.

Mode ISO sensitivity

i, j Auto

P, S, A, M 100–6400 in steps of 1 EV; Hi 1

Other shooting modes Auto; 100–6400 in steps of 1 EV; Hi 1

1 Place the cursor in the information display.

If shooting information is not displayed in the monitor, press the P button. P button again to place the cursor in the information display.

Press the

P button Information display

2 Display ISO sensitivity options.

Highlight the current ISO sensitivity in the information display and press J.

3 Choose an ISO sensitivity.

Highlight an option and press J. To return to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway.

A AUTO

If the mode dial is rotated to P, S, A, or M after Auto is selected for ISO sensitivity in another mode, the ISO sensitivity last selected in P, S, A, or M mode will be restored. Note that if the ISO sensitivity selected by the user is higher than the value selected for the ISO sensitivity settings > Auto ISO sensitivity control > Maximum sensitivity option in the shooting menu, the value selected for Maximum sensitivity (0 129) will be used instead.

A The Shooting Menu

ISO sensitivity can also be adjusted using the ISO sensitivity settings option in the shooting menu (0 127).

A See Also

For information on enabling auto ISO sensitivity control in P, S, A, or M modes, see page 129.

For information on using the Noise reduction option in the shooting menu to reduce noise at high ISO sensitivities, see page 131. For information on using the Fn button and the command dial to select ISO sensitivity, see page 143.

P, S, A, and M Modes

Shutter Speed and Aperture

P, S, A, and M modes offer different degrees of control over shutter speed and aperture:

Mode Description

Programmed auto

(0 54)

Shutter-priority auto

(0 55)

Aperture-priority auto

(0 56)

Manual (0 57)

D Lens Aperture Rings

When using a CPU lens equipped with an aperture ring (0 168), lock the aperture ring at the minimum aperture (highest f-number). Type G lenses are not equipped with an aperture ring.

A Shutter Speed and Aperture

The same exposure can be achieved with different combinations of shutter speed and aperture. Fast shutter speeds and large apertures freeze moving objects and soften background details, while slow shutter speeds and small apertures blur moving objects and bring out background details.

Shutter speed Aperture

Camera sets shutter speed and aperture for optimal exposure. Recommended for snapshots and in other situations in which there is little time to adjust camera settings. User chooses shutter speed; camera selects aperture for best results. Use to freeze or blur motion. User chooses aperture; camera selects shutter speed for best results. Use to blur background or bring both foreground and background into focus. User controls both shutter speed and aperture. Set shutter speed to “Bulb” or “Time” for long time-exposures.

Fast shutter speed

(

/1,600 s)

Slow shutter speed

(1 s)

Large aperture (f/5.6) Small aperture (f/22)

(Remember, the higher the f-number, the

smaller the aperture.)

Mode P (Programmed Auto)

In this mode, the camera automatically adjusts shutter speed and aperture for optimal exposure in most situations. other situations in which you want to leave the camera in charge of shutter speed and aperture.

To take photographs in programmed auto:

This mode is recommended for snapshots and

1 Rotate the mode dial to P.

2 Frame a photograph, focus, and shoot.

Mode dial

A Flexible Program

In mode P, different combinations of shutter speed and aperture can be selected by rotating the command dial (“flexible program”). Rotate the dial to the right for large apertures (low f-numbers) that blur background details or fast shutter speeds that “freeze” motion. Rotate the dial to the left for small apertures (high f-numbers) that increase depth of field or slow shutter speeds that blur motion. All combinations produce the same exposure. While flexible program is in effect, a U (R) indicator appears in the viewfinder and information display. To restore default shutter speed and aperture settings, rotate the command dial until the indicator is no longer displayed, choose another mode, or turn the camera off.

Command dial

Mode S (Shutter-Priority Auto)

In shutter-priority auto, you choose the shutter speed while the camera automatically selects the aperture that will produce the optimal exposure. shutter speeds to suggest motion by blurring moving subjects, fast shutter speeds to “freeze” motion.

Fast shutter speed (1/1,600 s) Slow shutter speed (1 s)

To take photographs in shutter-priority auto:

Use slow

1 Rotate the mode dial to S.

2 Choose a shutter speed.

Shutter speed is shown in the viewfinder and information display. command dial to choose the desired shutter speed from values between 30 s and

Rotate the

/4,000 s.

3 Frame a photograph, focus, and shoot.

Mode dial

Command dial

Mode A (Aperture-Priority Auto)

In aperture-priority auto, you choose the aperture while the camera automatically selects the shutter speed that will produce the optimal exposure. (low f-numbers) reduce depth of field, blurring objects behind and in front of the main subject. details in the background and foreground. portraits to blur background details, long field depths in landscape photographs to bring the foreground and background into focus.

To take photographs in aperture-priority auto:

Small apertures (high f-numbers) increase depth of field, bringing out

Short field depths are generally used in

Large aperture (f/5.6) Small aperture (f/22)

Large apertures

1 Rotate the mode dial to A.

Mode dial

2 Choose an aperture.

Aperture is shown in the viewfinder and information display. dial to choose the desired aperture from values between the minimum and maximum for the lens.

Rotate the command

Command dial

3 Frame a photograph, focus, and shoot.

Mode M (Manual)

In manual exposure mode, you control both shutter speed and aperture. To take photographs in manual exposure mode:

1 Rotate the mode dial to M.

Mode dial

2 Choose aperture and shutter speed.

Checking the exposure indicator (see below), adjust shutter speed and aperture. values between 30 s and open indefinitely for a long time-exposure (0 58). pressing the E (N) button and rotating the command dial: choose from values between the minimum and maximum for the lens. are shown in the viewfinder and information display.

Command

Shutter speed is selected by rotating the command dial: choose from

Shutter speed Aperture

dial

/4,000 s or select “Bulb” or “Time” to hold the shutter

Aperture is selected by

Shutter speed and aperture

E (N) button Command

dial

3 Frame a photograph, focus, and shoot.

A The Exposure Indicator

If a CPU lens is attached and a shutter speed other than “Bulb” or “Time” is selected, the exposure indicator in the viewfinder and information display shows whether the photograph would be under- or over-exposed at current settings (the illustrations below show the display in the viewfinder). The displays will flash if the limits of the exposure metering system are exceeded.

Optimal exposure Underexposed by 1/3 EV Overexposed by over 2 EV

❚❚ Long Time-Exposures (M Mode Only)

Select the following shutter speeds for long timeexposures of moving lights, the stars, night scenery, or fireworks.

• Bulb (A): The shutter remains open while

the shutter-release button is held down. prevent blur, use a tripod or an optional MC-DC2 remote cord (0 177).

• Time (&): Requires an optional ML-L3 remote

control (0 177). the ML-L3 shutter-release button. The shutter remains open for thirty minutes or until the button is pressed a second time.

Start the exposure by pressing

1 Ready the camera.

Mount the camera on a tripod or place it on a stable, level surface. To prevent light entering via the viewfinder interfering with exposure, remove the rubber eyecup and cover the viewfinder with the supplied DK-5 eyepiece cap (0 34). To prevent loss of power before the exposure is complete, use a fully charged EN-EL14 battery or an optional EH-5b AC adapter and EP-5A power connector. Note that noise (bright spots, randomly-spaced bright pixels, or fog) may be present in long exposures; before shooting, choose On for Noise reduction in the shooting menu (0 131).

Length of exposure: 35 s

Aperture: f/25

2 Rotate the mode dial to M.

3 Choose a shutter speed.

Rotate the command dial to choose a shutter speed of Bulb (A). speed of “Time” (&), select a remote control release mode (0 33) after choosing the shutter speed.

For a shutter

Mode dial

Command dial

4 Open the shutter.

Bulb: After focusing, press the shutter-release button on the camera or optional

remote cord all the way down. the exposure is complete.

Time: Press the ML-L3 shutter-release button all the way down.

Keep the shutter-release button pressed until

5 Close the shutter.

Bulb: Take your finger off the shutter-release button.

Time: Press the ML-L3 shutter-release button all the way down.

automatically after thirty minutes.

Shooting ends

Exposure

Metering

Choose how the camera sets exposure in P, S, A, and M modes (in other modes, the camera selects the metering method automatically).

Method Description

Produces natural results in most situations. Camera uses 420-pixel RGB sensor

Matrix

metering

Centerweighte d

metering

Spot

metering

1 Place the cursor in the information display.

If shooting information is not displayed in the monitor, press the P button. P button again to place the cursor in the information display.

to meter a wide area of the frame and set exposure according to tone distribution, color, composition, and, with type G or D lenses (0 168), distance information (3D color matrix metering II; with other CPU lenses, the camera uses color matrix metering II, which does not include 3D distance information). Camera meters entire frame but assigns greatest weight to center area. Classic meter for portraits; recommended when using filters with an exposure factor (filter factor) over 1×. Camera meters current focus point; use to meter off-center subjects (if e Auto- area AF is selected for AF-area mode during viewfinder photography as de scr ibe d on page 38, cam era wil l me ter cen ter foc us p oin t). Ensures that subject will be correctly exposed, even when background is much brighter or darker.

Press the

2 Display metering options.

Highlight the current metering method in the information display and press J.

3 Choose a metering method.

Highlight an option and press J. To re t u rn to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway.

P button

Information display

Autoexposure Lock

Use autoexposure lock to recompose photographs after using M (Center-weighted metering) and N (Spot metering) to meter exposure; note that autoexposure lock is

not available in i or j mode.

1 Meter exposure.

Position the subject in the center of the frame (center-weighted metering) or the selected focus point (spot metering) and press the shutterrelease button halfway to set focus and meter exposure. appears in the viewfinder.

Check that the in-focus indicator (I)

2 Lock exposure.

With the shutter-release button pressed halfway (q) and the subject positioned in the focus point, press the A (L) button (w) to lock exposure.

A Autoexposure Lock

If On is selected for Buttons > Shutter-release button AE-L in the setup menu (0 144), exposure will lock when the shutterrelease button is pressed halfway. For information on changing the role of the A (L) button, see Buttons > Assign AE-L/AF-L button.

While exposure lock is in effect, an AE-L indicator will appear in the viewfinder.

3 Recompose the photograph.

Keeping the A (L) button pressed, recompose the photograph and shoot.

Shutter-release

button

A (L) button

A The Shooting Menu

Metering can also be adjusted using the Metering option in the shooting menu (0 127).

A Adjusting Shutter Speed and Aperture

While exposure lock is in effect, the following settings can be adjusted without altering the metered value for exposure:

Mode Setting

Programmed auto Shutter speed and aperture (flexible program; 0 54)

Shutter-priority auto Shutter speed

Aperture-priority auto Aperture

The metering method itself can not be changed while exposure lock is in effect.

Exposure Compensation

Exposure compensation is used to alter exposure from the value suggested by the camera, making pictures brighter or darker. M (Center-weighted metering) or N (Spot metering) (0 60). between –5 EV (underexposure) and +5 EV (overexposure) in increments of general, positive values make the subject brighter while negative values make it darker.

It is most effective when used with

Choose from values

/3 EV. In

–1 EV No exposure compensation +1 EV

1 Place the cursor in the information display.

If shooting information is not displayed in the monitor, press the P button. P button again to place the cursor in the information display.

Press the

P button

Information display

2 Display exposure compensation options.

Highlight exposure compensation in the information display and press J.

3 Choose a value.

Highlight a value and press J. To re t u rn to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway.

Normal exposure can be restored by setting exposure compensation to ±0. compensation is not reset when the camera is turned off.

Exposure

A The E (N) Button

Exposure compensation can also be set by pressing the E (N) button and rotating the command dial. The selected value is shown in the viewfinder and information display.

E (N) button Command dial

–0.3 EV +2 EV

A Mode M

In mode M, exposure compensation affects only the exposure indicator; shutter speed and aperture do not change.

A Using a Flash

When a flash is used, exposure compensation affects both background exposure and flash level.

Flash Compensation

Flash compensation is used to alter flash output from the level suggested by the camera, changing the brightness of the main subject relative to the background. Choose from values between –3 EV (darker) and +1 EV (brighter) in increments of

/3 EV; in general, positive values make the subject brighter while negative values

make it darker.

1 Place the cursor in the information display.

If shooting information is not displayed in the monitor, press the P button. P button again to place the cursor in the information display.

Press the

P button

Information display

2 Display flash compensation options.

Highlight flash compensation in the information display and press J.

3 Choose a value.

Highlight a value and press J. To re t u rn to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway.

Normal flash output can be restored by setting flash compensation to ±0. compensation is not reset when the camera is turned off.

Flash

A The M (Y) and E (N) Buttons

Flash compensation can also be set by rotating the command dial while pressing the M (Y ) and E ( N) buttons. The selected value is shown in the viewfinder and information display.

M (Y) button E (N) button Command dial

–0.3 EV +1 EV

A Optional Flash Units

Flash compensation is also available with optional flash units that support the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS; see page 173). The SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, and SB-600 also allow flash compensation to be set using the controls on the flash unit. The flash compensation selected with the optional flash unit is added to the flash compensation selected with the camera.

Preserving Detail in Highlights and Shadows

Active D-Lighting

When On is selected, the camera automatically adjusts Active D-Lighting during shooting to preserve details in highlights and shadows, creating photographs with natural contrast. brightly lit outdoor scenery through a door or window or taking pictures of shaded subjects on a sunny day. (0 60).

1 Display Active D-Lighting options.

Press the G button to display the menus. Highlight Active D-Lighting in the shooting menu and press 2.

Use for high contrast scenes, for example when photographing

It is most effective when used with L Matrix metering

Active D-Lighting: Off Active D-Lighting: On

2 Choose an option.

Highlight On or Off and press J. To re t u rn to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway.

G button

D Active D-Lighting

Noise (randomly-spaced bright pixels, fog, or lines) may appear in photographs taken with Active D-Lighting. Uneven shading may be visible with some subjects. Active D-Lighting can not be used at an ISO sensitivity of Hi 1.

A “Active D-Lighting” Versus “D-Lighting”

The Active D-Lighting option in the shooting menu adjusts exposure before shooting to optimize the dynamic range, while the D-Lighting option in the retouch menu (0 151) optimizes dynamic range in images after shooting.

A See Also

For information on using the Fn button and command dial to turn Active D-Lighting on and off, see page 143.

White Balance

White balance ensures that colors are unaffected by the color of the light source. Auto white balance is recommended for most light sources; in P, S, A, and M modes, other values can be selected if necessary according to the type of source:

Option Description

Auto Automatic white balance adjustment. Recommended in most situations.

Incandescent Use under incandescent lighting.

Fluorescent Use with the light sources listed on page 70.

Direct sunlight Use with subjects lit by direct sunlight.

Flash Use with the flash.

Cloudy Use in daylight under overcast skies.

Shade Use in daylight with subjects in the shade.

Preset manual Measure white balance or copy white balance from existing photo (0 72).

1 Place the cursor in the information display.

If shooting information is not displayed in the monitor, press the P button. P button again to place the cursor in the information display.

Press the

P button

Information display

2 Display white balance options.

Highlight the current white balance setting in the information display and press J.

3 Choose a white balance option.

Highlight an option and press J. To return to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway.

A The Shooting Menu

White balance can be selected using the White balance option in the shooting menu (0 127), which also can be used to fine-tune white balance (0 71) or measure a value for preset white balance (0 72).

The I Fluorescent option in the White balance menu can be used to select the light source from the bulb types shown at right.

A Color Temperature

The perceived color of a light source varies with the viewer and other conditions. Color temperature is an objective measure of the color of a light source, defined with reference to the temperature to which an object would have to be heated to radiate light in the same wavelengths. While light sources with a color temperature in the neighborhood of 5,000–

5,500 K appear white, light sources with a lower color temperature, such as incandescent light bulbs, appear slightly yellow or red. Light sources with a higher color temperature appear tinged with blue. The camera white balance options are adapted to the following color temperatures:

• I (sodium-vapor lamps): 2,700 K

• J (incandescent)/

I (warm-white fluorescent): 3,000 K

• I (white fluorescent): 3,700 K

• I (cool-white fluorescent): 4,200 K

• I (day white fluorescent): 5,000 K

• H (direct sunlight): 5,200 K

• N (flash): 5,400 K

• G (cloudy): 6,000 K

• I (daylight fluorescent): 6,500 K

• I (high temp. mercury-vapor): 7,200 K

• M (shade): 8,000 K

A The Fn Button

For information on using the Fn button and the command dial to select a white balance option, see page 143.

Fine-Tuning White Balance

White balance can be “fine-tuned” to compensate for variations in the color of the light source or to introduce a deliberate color cast into an image. fine-tuned using the White balance option in the shooting menu.

White balance is

1 Display white balance options.

To display the menus, press the G button. Highlight White balance in the shooting menu and press 2 to display white balance options.

G button

2 Select a white balance option.

Highlight an option other than Preset manual and press 2 (if Fluorescent is

selected, highlight a lighting type and press

The fine-tuning options shown at right

2). will be displayed. available with Preset manual white balance.

Fine-tuning is not

Coordinates

Adjustmen

3 Fine-tune white balance.

Use the multi selector to fine-tune white balance.

Increase green

Increase

blue

Increase magenta

A White Balance Fine-Tuning

The colors on the fine-tuning axes are relative, not absolute. For example, moving the cursor to B (blue) when a “warm” setting such as J (incandescent) is selected will make photographs slightly “colder” but will not actually make them blue.

4 Save changes and exit.

Press J.

Increase amber

Preset Manual

Preset manual is used to record and recall custom white balance settings for shooting under mixed lighting or to compensate for light sources with a strong color cast. methods are available for setting preset white balance:

Method Description

Measure

Use photo White balance is copied from photo on memory card (0 75).

Neutral gray or white object is placed under lighting that will be used in final photo and white balance measured by camera (see below).

❚❚ Measuring a Value for Preset White Balance

1 Light a reference object.

Place a neutral gray or white object under the lighting that will be used in the final photograph.

2 Display white balance options.

To display the menus, press the G button. Highlight White balance in the shooting menu and press 2 to display white balance options.

Highlight Preset manual and press

G button

3 Select Measure.

Highlight Measure and press 2. The menu shown at right will be displayed; highlight Ye s and press J.

Two

The message shown at right will be displayed before the camera enters preset measurement mode.

When the camera is ready to measure white balance, a flashing D (L) will appear in the viewfinder and information display.

4 Measure white balance.

Before the indicators stop flashing, frame the reference object so that it fills the viewfinder and press the shutter-release button all the way down. white balance can be measured accurately even when the camera is not in focus.

No photograph will be recorded;

5 Check the results.

If the camera was able to measure a value for white balance, the message shown at right will be displayed and a will flash in the viewfinder for about eight seconds before the camera returns to shooting mode. return to shooting mode immediately, press the shutter-release button halfway.

If lighting is too dark or too bright, the camera may be unable to measure white balance. information display and a flashing ba will appear in the viewfinder for about eight seconds. white balance again.

A message will appear in the

Return to Step 4 and measure

D Measuring Preset White Balance

If no operations are performed while the displays are flashing, direct measurement mode will end in the time selected for the Auto off timers option in the setup menu (0 140). The default setting is eight seconds.

D Preset White Balance

The camera can store only one value for preset white balance at a time; the existing value will be replaced when a new value is measured. Note that exposure is automatically increased by 1 EV when measuring white balance; when shooting in mode M, adjust exposure so that the exposure indicator shows ±0 (0 57).

A Other Methods for Measuring Preset White Balance

To enter preset measurement mode (see above) after selecting preset white balance in the information display (0 69), press J for a few seconds. If white balance has been assigned to the Fn button (0 143) and preset white balance selected by pressing the Fn button and rotating the command dial, the camera will also enter preset measurement mode if the Fn button is pressed for a few seconds.

A Studio Settings

In studio settings, a standard gray panel can be used as a reference object when measuring

preset white balance.

❚❚ Copying White Balance from a Photograph

Follow the steps below to copy a value for white balance from a photograph on the memory card.

1 Select Preset manual.

To display the menus, press the G button. Highlight White balance in the shooting menu and press 2 to display white balance options.

Highlight Preset manual and press

G button

2 Select Use photo.

Highlight Use photo and press 2.

3 Choose Select image.

Highlight Select image and press 2 (to skip the remaining steps and use the image last selected for preset white balance, select This image).

4 Choose a folder.

Highlight the folder containing the source image and press 2.

5 Highlight the source image.

To view the highlighted image full frame, press and hold the X button.

6 Copy white balance.

Press J to set preset white balance to the white balance value for the highlighted photograph.

Picture Controls

Nikon’s unique Picture Control system makes it possible to share image processing settings, including sharpening, contrast, brightness, saturation, and hue, among compatible devices and software.

Selecting a Picture Control

The camera offers six Picture Controls. In P, S, A, and M modes, you can choose a Picture Control according to the subject or type of scene (in other modes, the camera selects a Picture Control automatically).

Option Description

Q Standard

R Neutral

S Vivid

T Monochrome Take monochrome photographs. e Port rait Process portraits for skin with natural texture and a rounded feel. f Landscape Produces vibrant landscapes and cityscapes.

1 Display Picture Controls.

To display the menus, press the G button. Highlight Set Picture Control in the shooting menu and press 2 to display a list of Picture Controls.

Standard processing for balanced results. Recommended for most situations. Minimal processing for natural results. Choose for photographs that will later be extensively processed or retouched. Pictures are enhanced for a vivid, photoprint effect. Choose for photographs that emphasize primary colors.

G button

2 Choose a Picture Control.

Highlight an option and press J.

Modifying Picture Controls

Picture Controls can be modified to suit the scene or the user’s creative intent. Choose a balanced combination of settings using Quick adjust, or make manual adjustments to individual settings.

1 Display the Picture Control menu.

To display the menus, press the G button. Highlight Set Picture Control in the shooting menu and press 2.

G button

2 Select a Picture Control.

Highlight the desired Picture Control and press 2.

3 Adjust settings.

Press 1 or 3 to highlight the desired setting and press 4 or 2 to choose a value (0 78). Repeat this step until all settings have been adjusted, or select Quick adjust to choose a preset combination of settings. settings can be restored by pressing the O button.

Default

4 Save changes and exit.

Press J.

A Modifications to Original Picture Controls

Picture Controls that have been modified from default settings are indicated by an asterisk (“*”).

Picture Control Settings

Option Description

Quick adjust

Sharpening

Manual adjustments

(all Picture Controls)

Contrast

Brightness

(non-monochrome only)

Manual adjustments

Saturation

Hue

Manual adjustments

(monochrome only)

Filter effects

Toning

Choose from options between –2 and +2 to reduce or exaggerate the effect of the selected Picture Control (note that this resets all manual adjustments). For example, choosing positive values for Vivid makes pictures more vivid. Not available with Neutral or Monochrome Picture Controls. Control the sharpness of outlines. Select A to adjust sharpening automatically according to the type of scene, or choose from values between 0 (no sharpening) and 9 (the higher the value, the greater the sharpening). Select A to adjust contrast automatically according to the type of scene, or choose from values between –3 and +3 (choose lower values to prevent highlights in portrait subjects from being “washed out” in direct sunlight, higher values to preserve detail in misty landscapes and other low-contrast subjects). Choose –1 for reduced brightness, +1 for enhanced brightness. Does not affect exposure.

Control the vividness of colors. Select A to adjust saturation automatically according to the type of scene, or choose from values between –3 and +3 (lower values reduce saturation and higher values increase it).

Choose negative values (to a minimum of –3) to make reds more purple, blues more green, and greens more yellow, positive values (up to +3) to make reds more orange, greens more blue, and blues more purple.

Simulate the effect of color filters on monochrome photographs. Choose from Off, yellow, orange, red, and green (0 79).

Choose the tint used in monochrome photographs from B&W (black-andwhite), Sepia, Cyanotype (blue-tinted monochrome), Red, Yellow, Green,

Blue Green, Blue, Purple Blue, Red Purple (0 79).

D “A” (A u to)

Results for auto sharpening, contrast, and saturation vary with exposure and the position of the subject in the frame.

A The Picture Control Grid

Pressing the X button in Step 3 displays a Picture Control grid showing the contrast and saturation for the selected Picture Control in relation to the other Picture Controls (only contrast is displayed when Monochrome is selected). Release the X button to return to the Picture Control menu.

The icons for Picture Controls that use auto contrast and saturation are displayed in green in the Picture Control grid, and lines appear parallel to the axes of the grid.

A Previous Settings

The line under the value display in the Picture Control setting menu indicates the previous value for the setting. Use this as a reference when adjusting settings.

A Filter Effects (Monochrome Only)

The options in this menu simulate the effect of color filters on monochrome photographs. The following filter effects are available:

Option Description

Y Yel lo w O Orange R Red G Green Softens skin tones. Can be used for portraits.

Note that the effects achieved with Filter effects are more pronounced than those produced by physical glass filters.

Enhances contrast. Can be used to tone down the brightness of the sky in landscape photographs. Orange produces more contrast than yellow, red more contrast than orange.

A Toning (Monochrome Only)

Pressing 3 when To n in g is selected displays saturation options. Press 4 or 2 to adjust saturation. Saturation control is not available when B&W (black-and-white) is selected.

Live View

Framing Photographs in the Monitor

Follow the steps below to take photographs in live view.

1 Press the a button.

The mirror will be raised and the view through the lens will be displayed in the camera monitor. The subject will no longer be visible in the viewfinder.

2 Position the focus point.

Position the focus point over your subject as described on page 83.

3 Focus.

Press the shutter-release button halfway. The focus point will flash green while the camera focuses. point will be displayed in green; if the camera is unable to focus, the focus point will flash red (note that pictures can be taken even when the focus point flashes red; check focus in the monitor before shooting). exposure can be locked by pressing the A (L) button.

If the camera is able to focus, the focus

Except in i and j modes,

a button

Focus point

4 Take the pic ture.

Press the shutter-release button the rest of the way down. memory card access lamp lights during recording.

card or unplug the optional AC adapter until recording is complete.

complete, the photograph will be displayed in the monitor for a few seconds or until the shutter-release button is pressed halfway. to live view mode.

The monitor turns off and the

Do not remove the battery or memory

When shooting is

To exit, press the a button.

Memory card access lamp

The camera will then return

Focusing in Live View

Follow the steps below to choose focus and AF-area modes and position the focus point.

❚❚ Choosing a Focus Mode

The following focus modes are available in live view:

Option Description

AF-S Single-servo AF

AF-F Full-time-servo AF

MF Manual focus Focus manually (0 42).

For s tation ary su bject s. Focus locks when shutter-release button is pressed halfway. For moving subjects. Camera focuses continuously until shutterrelease button is pressed. Focus locks when shutter-release button is pressed halfway.

1 Place the cursor in the information

display.

Press the P button to place the cursor in the information display.

P button

2 Display focus options.

Highlight the current focus mode in the information display and press J.

3 Choose a focus option.

Highlight an option and press J. To re tu rn to live view, press P.

❚❚ Choosing an AF-Area Mode

In modes other than i and j, the following AF-area modes can be selected in live view:

Option Description

Face -priority AF

Wide-area AF

Normal-area AF

Subject-tracking AF Track a selected subject as it moves through the frame.

The camera automatically detects and focuses on portrait subjects. Use for portraits. Use for hand-held shots of landscapes and other non-portrait subjects. Use the multi selector to select the focus point. Use for pin-point focus on a selected spot in the frame. A tripod is recommended.

1 Place the cursor in the information

display.

Press the P button to place the cursor in the information display.

2 Display AF-area modes.

Highlight the current AF-area mode in the information display and press J.

3 Choose an AF-area mode.

Highlight an option and press J. To re tu rn to live view, press P.

P button

❚❚ Choosing the Focus Point

The method for selecting the focus point for autofocus varies with the option selected for AF-area mode (0 82).

8 (face-priority AF): A double yellow border will be displayed when the camera detects a portrait subject (if multiple faces, up to a maximum of 35, are detected, the camera will focus on the closest subject; to choose a different subject, use the multi selector). camera can no longer detect the subject (because, for example, the subject has turned to face away from the camera), the border will no longer be displayed.

9/! (wide- and normal-area AF): Use the multi selector to move the focus point anywhere in the frame, or press J to position the focus point in the center of the frame.

" (subject-tracking AF): Position the focus point over your subject and press J. the selected subject as it moves through the frame. To end focus tracking, press J a second time.

The focus point will track

If the

Focus po in

Focus point

D Subject Tracking

The camera may be unable to track subjects if they move quickly, leave the frame or are obscured by other objects, change visibly in size, color, or brightness, or are too small, too large, too bright, too dark, or similar in color or brightness to the background.

❚❚ The Live View Display

Item Description 0

Shooting mode The mode currently selected with the mode dial.

“No movie” icon Indicates that movies can not be recorded. 88

Time remaining

Microphone

sensitivity

Sound level

Focus mode The current focus mode. 81

AF-area mode The current AF-area mode. 82

Time remaining

(movie mode) Movie frame

size Manual movie settings

indicator

Focus point

Exposure

indicator

q w

e r

i o !0

The amount of time remaining before live view ends automatically. Displayed if shooting will end in 30 s or less.

Microphone sensitivity for movie recording. 90

Sound level for audio recording. Displayed in red if level is too high; adjust microphone sensitivity accordingly. Left (L) and right (R) channel indicators appear when optional ME-1 or other stereo microphone is used.

The recording time remaining in movie mode. 88

The frame size of movies recorded in movie mode. 90

Displayed when On is selected for Manual movie settings in mode M.

The current focus point.

The display varies with the option

selected for AF-area mode (0 82). Indicates whether the photograph would be under- or overexposed at current settings (mode M only).

22, 25,

86, 91

Nikon D3200 Reference Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Q&A Index

Table of Contents

For Your Safety

Notices

Introduction

Getting to Know the Camera

The Camera Body

The Mode Dial

The Viewfinder

The Information Display

The Command Dial

Camera Menus

Using Camera Menus

First Steps

Charge the Battery

Insert the Battery

Attach a Lens

Basic Setup

Insert a Memory Card

Format the Memory Card

Adjust Viewfinder Focus

Basic Photography

Battery Level and Card Capacity

Creative Photography (Scene Modes)

kPortr ait

lLandscape

pChild

mSports

nClose up

o Night Portrait

Guide Mode

The Guide

Guide Mode Menus

Using the Guide

More on Photography (All Modes)

Release Mode

Self-Timer and Remote Control Modes

Focus

Focus Mode

AF-Area Mode

Focus Point Selection

Focus Lock

Manual Focus

Image Quality and Size

Image Quality

Image Size

Using the Built-in Flash

Flash Mode

ISO Sensitivity

P, S, A, and M Modes

Shutter Speed and Aperture

Mode P (Programmed Auto)

Mode S (Shutter-Priority Auto)

Mode A (Aperture-Priority Auto)

Mode M (Manual)

Exposure

Metering

Autoexposure Lock

Exposure Compensation

Flash Compensation

Preserving Detail in Highlights and Shadows

Active D-Lighting

White Balance

Fine-Tuning White Balance

Preset Manual

Picture Controls

Selecting a Picture Control

Modifying Picture Controls

Live View

Framing Photographs in the Monitor

Focusing in Live View