Proxima ASA COOLPIX 950 User Manual

DIGITAL CAMERA

COOLPIX 950

Contents

Overview

First Steps

Putting Batteries in Your Camera Inserting and Removing Memory Cards Choosing a Language for the Menus Setting the Time and Date Taking Your First Photograph

Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC)

Flash Settings Focus Settings Using the Self-Timer Image Quality and Size Sensitivity Exposure Mode

Using the Buttons (PLAY)

Reference Manual

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The Camera Menus

The A-REC Menu

Using Folders (A-REC, M-REC) LCD Brightness Sound Settings Auto Off Formatting Memory Cards

The M-REC Menu

Digital Zoom (DIGITAL TELE) Black-and-White Photography Lens Converter Settings (LENS) Making a Panorama—Tips (AE-LOCK) User Settings Restoring Default Settings LCD On/Off The Controls Menu (M-REC) SEQ.XFER

The Playback Menu

Deleting Multiple Photographs Using Folders (Playback) Slideshow Protecting Photographs from Deletion Hiding Photographs During Playback Preparing Photographs for Printing The Controls Menu (PLAY)

Connections

Connecting to a Television or VCR Viewing Photos on a Computer

Caring for Your Camera

Cleaning Storage

Accessories

What’s in the Box Optional Accessories

Troubleshooting

General Problems Error Messages

Specifications

Contents

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Overview

Thank you for buying a COOLPIX 950. This Reference Manual explains how to use and care for your COOLPIX 950. It is intended as a supplement to the Fast Track Guide and Pocket Guide, to which you can refer for guidance on topics not covered here. This manual is composed of the following chapters:

First Steps

lists the steps involved in setting up your camera and taking photographs

Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC)

covers the settings that can be changed using the camera’s control buttons and dials: flash, sensitivity, focus, exposure compensation, exposure mode, and image quality and size

Using the Buttons (PLAY)

outlines basic playback functions: viewing photographs and deleting single images

The Camera Menus

describes camera settings that can be accessed from the A-REC, M-REC, and PLAY menus

Troubleshooting

outlines steps to take when things go wrong

Please read all instructions carefully to get the most from your camera.

Connections

describes how to use the camera with a computer or television

Caring for Your Camera

explains the procedures for cleaning and storing your COOLPIX 950

Accessories

identifies items provided with the camera and available separately

Overview

Notes on illustrations

The illustrations in this manual are composites. Photographs taken with the COOLPIX 950 may differ from those shown here.

The illustrations in this manual show the LCD monitor used in the NTSCcompatible model of the COOLPIX 950. Owing to differences in video standards, the PAL-compatible model will display items in positions slightly different from those shown here.

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First Steps

Putting Batteries in Your Camera

This chapter guides you through the steps you will take after removing the camera from the box, from inserting the batteries to making your first photographs and playing them back. Before you will be able to use your camera, you will need to complete the following steps:

• attach the camera strap (see For Your Safety)

• insert batteries or connect the AC adapter (sold separately; for information on using the AC adapter, see the documentation provided with the adapter)

• insert the compact flash memory card

• choose the language to be used in the setting and playback menus

• set the camera’s clock-calendar to the current date and time

Having completed these steps, you will be ready to take photographs as described at the end of this chapter.

1 Turn the camera off

Turn the mode dial to OFF (if the camera is on a tripod, detach the tripod before inserting batteries).

2 Open the battery cover

Turn the camera upside down and open the battery chamber by sliding the latch to the open position, slipping the cover out from the camera, and then opening the lid.

3 Insert batteries

Insert the batteries with the positive (+) and negative (-) poles aligned as shown in the diagram at the entrance to the battery chamber.

4 Close the battery cover

Close the cover and slide it back into position, then slide the latch button back to latch the cover.

Important! Before inserting batteries or handling

memory cards, be sure to read the warnings and cautions in For Your Safety.

First Steps: Putting Batteries in Your Camera

Notes on batteries

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

Photographs stored on the flash memory card are not affected when the batteries are removed. All manual-mode settings, with the exceptions of the date and language, will however be reset.

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Inserting and Removing Memory Cards

Choosing a Language for the Menus

1 Turn the camera off

Turn the mode dial to OFF.

2 Open the card slot

Turn the camera upside down (if the camera is on a tripod, detach it from the tripod first), then open the card slot cover.

3 Insert the memory card, or…

Insert the card as shown at right, sliding it in until it is firmly in place at the back of the slot and the card-release button pops up. Next, fold the card-release button over.

…remove the memory card

Flip the card-release button up and push it down until the card can be removed by hand.

4 Close the card slot cover

The cameras menus and messages can be displayed in English, German, French, or Japanese. To select a language for the display, follow these steps:

1 Turn the mode dial to PLAY. 2 Press the MENU button to display the

playback menu.

3 Using the zoom buttons, highlight the last

item (SET UP) in the menu and press the shutter-release button (the exact appearance of the menu will depend on the language currently selected; the illustrations at right shows the English menus).

4 Use the zoom buttons to highlight the last

item in the SET UP menu, then press the shutter-release button to display the LANGUAGE menu.

5 Select the desired setting from the LAN-

GUAGE menu.

PLAY BACK DELETE

AUTO

FOLDERS SLIDESHOW PROTECT HIDE IMAGE PRINT SET SET UP

SET UP

LCD BRIGHT

AUTO

SOUNDON CONTROLS

30s

AUTO OFF CARDFORMAT DATE

LANGUAGE

AUTO

DEUTSCH

D E

ENGLISH

FRANÇAIS

About memory cards

Memory cards can be removed from the camera without loss of data when the camera is off. Once removed from the camera, cards can be read by a computer equipped with a CompactFlash card reader and photographs printed on suitably-equipped printers. Cards can also be inserted in a PC card adapter (sold separately) to be read by any computer with a Type II PC-card slot.

While your camera comes with an eight-megabyte card, additional cards of up to sixty-four megabytes can be purchased separately.

First Steps: Choosing a Language for the Menus

Using the menus

If the menu does not appear when you press the MENU button, press the MONITOR button until the LCD monitor comes on. Items can be highlighted using the zoom buttons and selected using the shutter-release button. To clear a menu from the screen, highlight BK and press the shutter-release button, or press the MENU button until the menu disappears.

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Setting the Time and Date

When you turn on your camera for the first time, you will need to set the time and date as follows:

1 Turn the mode dial to PLAY.

2 Press the MENU button to display the

playback menu.

3 Using the zoom buttons, highlight SET UP

and press the shutter-release button.

PLAY BACK DELETE

AUTO

FOLDERS SLIDESHOW PROTECT HIDE IMAGE PRINT SET SET UP

5 Rotate the command dial to select the

item you wish to change, then edit the

item using the zoom-in button (T/▲) to

increase its value or the zoom-out button

(W/▼) to decrease its value. After edit-

ing, rotate the command dial to move to the next item or press the shutter-release button. Highlight Y M D and use the zoom buttons to change the order in which the year, month, and day are displayed. Pressing the shutter-release button when this item is highlighted sets the time and date to the specified values.

1 9 9 9 . 0 3 . 2 0

2 3 : 0 5

ADJ.

ZOOM SW

➔

SET

➔

DATE YMD

AUTO

SHUTTER

4 In the SET UP menu, use the zoom

buttons to highlight DATE and press the shutter-release button to display the DATE menu.

SET UP

LCD BRIGHT

AUTO

SOUNDON CONTROLS

30s

AUTO OFF CARDFORMAT DATE

LANGUAGE

Using the menus

First Steps: Setting the Time and Date

If the date has not been set, a flashing clock icon will appear at upper right in the LCD monitor when the mode dial is set to A-REC or M-REC. Photographs taken when this icon appears will have a time stamp of “99/

1/30

01/01 00:00”; set the time and date as described above before shooting.

The clock battery

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

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Taking Your First Photograph

This section outlines the basic steps involved in taking a photograph in A-REC mode.

Step 1—Remove the lens cap

Remove the lens cap as shown below.

Lift latch and remove cap

Step 2—Turn the mode dial to A-REC

To enter automatic recording mode, turn the selector dial to A-REC. After a short pause while the camera initializes, a beep will sound and current settings will be displayed in the LCD monitor and the control panel.

1/125

F4.0

Sleep mode

The LCD monitor turns off automatically if no operations are performed for a certain period of time (the length of time before the camera enters sleep mode can be set using the AUTO OFF item in the setup menu; see “The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu,” below). To turn the monitor on again, half-press the shutter-release button.

First Steps: Taking Your First Photograph

The MONITOR button

The MONITOR button controls the LCD monitor. Press the MONITOR button once to hide settings, a second time to turn the monitor off, and a third time to turn the monitor on with settings showing.

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Step 3—Check the number of exposures remaining

1/1251/125

F4.0F4.0

Step 4—Adjust camera settings

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

1/125

F4.0

Number of exposures remaining

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

In automatic mode, the user can adjust flash, focus, exposure compensation, and image quality and size. The default settings, which produce the best results in most circumstances, are automatic flash, autofocus, no exposure compensation, an image quality

of “normal,” and an image size of “full” (1,600 × 1,200 pixels).

Flash (auto)

Image quality (normal)

These settings allow the camera to set focus automatically at any distance greater than 30cm (one foot). The camera measures the available light and adjusts shutter speed and aperture accordingly, firing the flash to provide additional light as necessary.

Step 5—Compose a photograph

Information on composing photographs may be found on pages 2– 4 of the Pocket Guide.

First Steps: Taking Your First Photograph

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Step 6—Half-press the shutter-release button

When the shutter-release button is pressed half way, the camera will automatically adjust focus according to the distance to the subject. If the focus operation is successful, the green autofocus lamp next to the viewfinder will glow unchanged as long as the shutter button section “Focus Lock” in the Fast Track Guide)

. The focus setting will remain

is half-pressed (see the

The zoom ratio

cannot be changed while focus lock is in effect.

If the camera is unable to determine the distance to the subject, the autofocus lamp will blink rapidly. In this case you can use focus lock to focus on another object at the same distance, then recompose your photograph (see the Pocket Guide, page 4, for more information on autofocus).

When lighting is poor, the flash lamp next to the viewfinder will glow red. If the flash is off, set the flash to “Auto” for a photo in which objects within the range of the flash are fully exposed. If the red flash lamp blinks, the flash is charging, and you will need to take your finger off the shutter-release button and wait a few seconds before taking a photograph.

Step 7—Take a photograph

To take a photograph, press the shutter-release button all the way down.

Note

When using the viewfinder at ranges of less than 90cm (one yard), frame your photographs using the smaller of the two frames in the viewfinder display (the area shaded in purple in the illustration on the right).

First Steps: Taking Your First Photograph

Note

If the LCD monitor is off, you will not be able to take photographs when the autofocus lamp is flashing. When the monitor is on, however, photographs can be taken even if the camera is not properly focused. Check focus in the LCD monitor before pressing the shutter-release button all the way down.

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Step 8—Check the results

Step 9—Turn the camera off

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

▼ ▼

card, it will be displayed briefly in the LCD monitor.

If the photo was taken at an image-size setting of “full,” you can press the button to pause the display for ten seconds; shooting can be resumed by pressing the button again. If you are not pleased with the photograph, you can delete it before it is transferred to memory by pressing the button. The dialog at right will be displayed; using the zoom buttons, select YES and press the shutter-release button to erase the photograph. To continue shooting without delet-

DELETE

AUTO

DELETE 1 IMAGE

NO YES

ing the photograph, select NO and press the shutter-release button. The photo will then be saved to the memory card and the camera will return to shooting mode.

When you have finished using the camera, be sure to turn the mode dial to OFF.

To avoid wasting batteries, check that the camera is off before putting it away.

Step 10—Replace the lens cap

Replace the lens cap as shown below.

Lift latch and replace cap

Notes

Do not remove the batteries while photos are being recorded to, or deleted from, memory.

The pause and delete functions described above are only available when

photos are taken at an image size of “full” (1,600 × 1,200 pixels).

The delete dialog disappears if no action is taken for ten seconds. In this case the image will be saved and the camera will return to shooting mode.

First Steps: Taking Your First Photograph

Note

The camera may become warm during use, but this does not indicate a malfunction.

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Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC)

This chapter details some of the camera settings that can be accessed without using the camera menus: flash, focus, image quality, image size, sensitivity, and exposure mode. Exposure compensation is covered in the Fast Track Guide.

Flash Settings

The following flash settings are available:

How it worksSetting When to use it

Auto

Flash Cancel (off)

Auto with red-eye

reduction

AUTO

Anytime Flash

(forced on) Flash fires whenever photo is taken. Use to “fill-in” (illuminate) a back-lit subject.

Slow synchronized

Camera fires flash whenever lighting is poor. Best for general use.

Use where flash is prohibited or to capture natural

Flash will not fire even when lighting is poor.

Pre-flash lamp fires before the main flash to minimize the “red-eye” effects a flash can sometimes cause.

Auto flash combined with low shutter speed.

lighting under dim light. It is a good idea to use a tripod when lighting is poor, as shutter speed will be slowed.

Use for portraits (works best if subjects are well within range of flash and are looking directly at the camera).

Use to capture poorly-lit backgrounds; ideal for nighttime photography. Use of a tripod is advised.

Important! Before using the flash, be sure to read the

warnings in For Your Safety.

Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC): Flash Settings

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When the mode dial is set to A-REC or M-REC, the current flash setting can be changed using the button next to the control panel. The setting changes each time the button is pressed, cycling through the different flash modes in the following order:

SLOW

AUTO

Tips

When lighting is poor and the flash is set to “Off” ( ) or “Slow Synchro” ( ), shutter speed is slowed and photos may be blurred. If possible, use a tripod when lighting is poor.

The built-in flash will automatically be set to “Off” when:

• you use autofocus with a setting of “Infinity” ( )

• you choose a multi-shot setting of “Continuous,” “16-shots” or “VGA sequence” (an external flash can still be used with these settings)

• you use best-shot selection (BSS)

• you use lens converter (LENS) settings

• the AE LOCK option in the M-REC menu is on

When using the flash, be sure the flash window is unobstructed.

Flash status is indicated by the red

flash lamp next to the viewfinder.

Flash lamp glows red: The camera is ready to fire the flash

when the shutter-release button is fully pressed.

Flash lamp blinks: The flash is charging. Wait until the

lamp glows steadily before taking a picture.

Using an External Flash

A flash bracket (the SK-E900 Multi-Flash Bracket Unit) is available separately for connecting external flash units to the COOLPIX 950. When the bracket is connected to the camera’s synchro-flash terminal, external flash units mounted on the bracket are synchronized with the camera’s built-in flash, increasing the size of the area illuminated and allowing sophisticated flash techniques such as bounce-flash photography. You can use flash settings such as “Auto,” “Slow Synchro,” and “On” with both the external and built-in (internal) flash units, or you can turn the built-in flash off and use the external flash only (to turn off the built-in flash, use the CONTROLS item in the M-REC setup menu). When the flash is fired, the brightness of the external and built-in flash units is controlled by the camera.

Instructions for attaching the optional SK-E900 flash bracket and connecting external flash units may be found in the SK-E900 instruction manual. When the SK-E900 is in place, the following Nikon flash units (available separately) can be used: SB-28, SB-26, SB-25, SB-24, SB-22S, and SB-22. The use of non-Nikon flash units is not recommended.

Once the external flash unit has been mounted on the flash bracket and the bracket’s lead connected to the camera’s synchro-flash terminal, you are ready to use the external flash for synchro-flash photography. Turn the flash unit on (do not set the flash to “stand-by”—STBY—as the flash may turn off unexpectedly), set the metering mode to TTL, and choose an illuminating angle of less than 28mm. The intensity of the light produced by the flash will be controlled by the camera’s built-in photocell.

Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC): Flash Settings

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Focus Settings

With the mode dial set to A-REC, a choice of three autofocus modes is available. In addition, M-REC mode offers a selection of manual focus settings.

Autofocus settings

The following autofocus settings are available in M-REC and A-REC modes:

How it worksSetting When to use it

Autofocus

NO ICON

Infinity

Camera automatically adjusts focus according to distance to subject.

Focus is fixed at infinity. Flash is disabled.

Macro Close-up Focus adjusted automatically for subjects 2cm (0.8in.)

or more from lens.

When the mode dial is set to A-REC or M-REC, the autofocus mode can be changed using the button. The setting changes each time the button is pressed, cycling through the focus modes in the following order:

NO ICON

(AUTO)

Use when subject is 30cm (1ft) or more from lens.

Use for photographing distant scenes in daylight (a manual focus setting of “Inf” is available for when you want to use the flash)

Use for close-up photography.

Macro Close-up

When using macro close-up, it is recommended that you frame photographs in the LCD monitor.

Macro close-up can be used at ranges as short as 2cm (0.8in.) when the camera is zoomed to the middle optical zoom position. When the camera is zoomed to a position suited to such close-range photography, the macro icon ( ) in the LCD monitor will turn yellow.

While the flash can be used with a focus mode of “Macro Close-up,” it may sometimes be unable to light the entire subject. When using the flash, take a test picture and verify the results in the LCD monitor.

Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC): Focus Settings

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Manual focus

In M-REC mode, focus distance can be selected manually from a list of preset distances ranging from 0.1m (4in.) to infinity. To set focus distance manually:

1 Measure the distance to your subject. 2 Turn the mode dial to M-REC.

3 Turn the command dial while holding

down the button to select a focus distance.

Focus distance is displayed in the LCD monitor, while the control panel shows the focus distance together with a flashing icon. A short focus distance can be used to focus the camera on objects at the specified distance while blurring background details. Choose a setting of Inf for a focus distance of infinity. Unlike the autofocus setting of Infinity, manual infinity allows use of the flash. Manual focus can be cancelled by pressing the button.

Notes

At a manual focus setting of 0.1m (4in.), the camera may not focus properly when zoomed out.

When manual focus is used with the lens converters available separately for the COOLPIX 950, the actual focus distance may differ from the setting chosen. Check focus in the LCD monitor when using a lens converter.

Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC): Focus Settings

Focus Distance

Focus distance is measured from the cover that protects the lens.

Focus distance can be shown in either meters or feet. To change the units used, select CONTROLS from the M-REC menu. To display distances in feet, check the DIST FT item and press the shutter-release button. If this item is not checked, distances are displayed in meters.

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Using the Self-Timer

The COOLPIX 950 is equipped with an automatic timer with two settings: three seconds, useful when making group photographs, and ten seconds, ideal for self-portraits. To use the self-timer, follow these steps:

1 For self-portraits, mount the camera on a tripod (recom-

mended) or rest it on a flat, stable surface.

2 Press the button until the icon appears in

the control panel or LCD monitor.

3 Compose the photograph. 4 Fully depress the shutter-release button to activate the timer.

Press the shutter-release button once for a ten-second delay. For a three-second delay, press the shutter-release button twice.

The red-eye reduction lamp next to the viewfinder will start to blink one second before the picture is taken.

Tips

To stop the automatic timer before a photograph is taken, turn the mode dial to a different setting. The timer will stop and the indicator will disappear from the control panel and LCD monitor.

Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC): Using the Self-Timer

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Image Quality and Size

Image Quality

The image quality/image size setting determines how many photographs can be stored on a single memory card. The following combinations of image quality and size are available:

Approx. No.

Photos/card

(8MB)QualitySize

Full

(1,600 × 1,200

pixels)

XGA

(1,024 × 768

pixels)

VGA

(640 × 480

pixels)

To choose a combination of image quality and size, hold the button and turn the command dial (note that an image quality of HI is only available when the mode dial is set to M-REC). Image quality and size are displayed in the control panel and LCD monitor (no icon for image size indicates a

setting of 1,600 × 1,200).

BASIC

NORMAL

FINE

HI (M-REC only)

BASIC

NORMAL

FINE

BASIC

NORMAL

FINE

32 16

8 1

78 39 19

200 100

At settings of BASIC, NORMAL, and FINE, the camera uses JPEG compression to reduce the amount of memory required to store photographs. JPEG compression results in a slight loss in image quality, which grows more noticeable at higher compression ratios. The difference in quality is illustrated below:

BASIC

(high compression)

While a setting of NORMAL represents the best trade-off between memory and image quality in most cases, a setting of BASIC can be used to save memory. A setting of FINE is suitable for photographs that will be enlarged or printed at high resolution.

NORMAL

(medium compression)

FINE

(low compression)

Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC): Image Quality and Size

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Photographs taken at an image quality setting of HI are stored in uncompressed TIFF format and show no loss in quality. An 8MB memory card is however sufficient to store only one such photograph at a time. To take photographs at an image quality of HI, turn the mode dial to M-REC, then hold down the button and turn the command dial until HI is displayed in the control panel.

Image Size

Use the image size setting to adjust the size of photographs to suit

your purposes. The default size of 1,600 × 1,200 pixels is suitable

for printing images at high resolutions or for viewing fine details on a computer. Smaller sizes can be used to save space on the memory card or to shoot photos destined for display on web pages or on smaller computer monitors.

Sensitivity

In A-REC mode, automatic gain control is used to produce sensitivity roughly equivalent to ISO 80 film. In M-REC mode, you can choose a fixed value for sensitivity equivalent to an ISO rating of 100, or increase sensitivity further by a factor of +1.0 or +2.0. Increasing sensitivity reduces the time needed to make an exposure, allowing increased shutter speed. This can be used to reduce blurring caused camera motion when lighting is poor, or to “freeze” moving objects. To increase sensitivity:

1 Turn the mode dial to M-REC.

2 Hold down the button and

turn the command dial to select the desired sensitivity. Choosing a value of dEF restores normal sensitivity, roughly equivalent to ISO 80. The chosen setting will be displayed in the control panel while the

button is held down.

Note

HI image quality is not available at a multi-shot (CONTINUOUS) setting of “16-shots” or when BSS is on (see the Pocket Guide, “Taking Photographs”).

Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC): Image Quality and Size

At settings other than dEF, a icon appears in the control panel and LCD monitor.

Note

A slight amount of noise may appear in photos taken at settings other than “dEF.”

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Exposure Mode

When the mode dial is set to M-REC, you can choose an exposure mode from the following options:

How it worksSetting When to use it

Program Camera automatically sets shutter speed and aper-

ture to produce the best exposure.

Aperture Priority

Shutter Priority Choose the shutter speed using the command dial.

In A-REC mode, the camera is automatically set to Program. To select another exposure mode:

You choose the aperture (f-number) using the command dial. Shutter speed is set automatically by the camera.

Aperture is set automatically by the camera.

1 Turn the mode dial to M-REC.

Best for general use.

A wide aperture (low f-number) can be used to blur details of the background. A small aperture (high fnumber) brings both your subject and the background into focus.

Use a high shutter speed to freeze a fast-moving subject. Lower shutter speeds can be used to blur moving objects, suggesting motion.

2 Hold down the button and turn the

command dial to select an exposure mode. The chosen mode will be indicated by an icon in the control panel and LCD monitor.

Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC): Exposure Mode

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Aperture Priority

Shutter Priority

An exposure mode of Aperture Priority allows you to choose an aperture setting from three pre-determined f-values. To choose a value for aperture:

1 Set the exposure mode to Aperture Pri-

ority.

2 Turn the command dial to choose an

aperture setting (if the aperture setting does not change when you rotate the command dial, press the button and then turn the command dial again).

The chosen f-number will be shown in the control panel and LCD monitor. Note that in addition to increasing focus depth, small apertures (high f-numbers) produce lower shutter speeds. Larger apertures (low f-numbers) can be used to blur background details and also increase the effective range of the flash.

When the exposure mode is Shutter Priority, shutter speed can be chosen from settings ranging from 1/ shutter speed:

sec. to 8sec. To set the

500

1 Set the exposure mode to Shutter Prior-

ity.

2 Turn the command dial to choose a

shutter speed (if the shutter speed does not change when you rotate the command dial, press the button and then turn the command dial again).

The shutter speed will be shown in the control panel and LCD monitor. In the control panel, fractions of a second are shown without a numerator, with the result that a speed of 1/2sec. is shown as 2, a speed of 1/4sec. as 4, etc. Note that high shutter speeds result in large apertures.

Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC): Exposure Mode

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Using the Buttons (PLAY)

This chapter describes the following playback functions:

• viewing photographs

• deleting unwanted photographs individually

These functions can be accessed using the zoom (▼W/T▲)

buttons, the command dial, and the three buttons below the control panel. The options available in the playback menu are described in the following chapter.

Follow these steps to view or delete photographs stored on the memory card:

Tips

By default, only photographs in the current folder are displayed in playback mode. To select another folder for viewing, or to view photos in all folders, use the FOLDERS item in the playback menu (see “The Camera Menus: The Playback Menu,” below).

If there are no photographs in the current folder, the message, “card contains no image data” will be displayed. Select another folder using the FOLDERS item in the playback menu. If there are no photographs in any folder, you will be able to use the playback menu (see below), but you will not be able to play images back.

Photographs selected for full-size display are shown briefly at low resolution while they are being read from memory. This feature allows you to page rapidly through the photographs in memory without waiting for every item to be displayed at full resolution. Before the image is displayed at full resolution, the screen will briefly go black.

The first and last photographs in memory are linked. Pressing the T/▲

button when the last photo in memory is selected takes you to the first

photo; pressing the W/▼ button when the first photo is selected takes you

to the last photo.

1 Turn the mode dial to PLAY. The most

recently recorded image will be displayed in the LCD monitor.

2 View the other photos in memory one at a time, or select the

photo you want to view from a menu of preview images.

• To view photos one at a time:

Use the zoom (▼W/T▲) buttons to view photos one at a time. Press the zoom-out (W/▼) button to view photo-

graphs recorded before the current photo, or press the

zoom-in (T/▲) button to view images recorded after the

current photo. Hold either button down to scroll quickly to a particular frame number without viewing intervening photos. The photograph displayed will not change, but the frame number at the bottom right corner of the LCD monitor will increase or decrease rapidly. Release the zoom button when the desired frame number is reached to display the photo.

The MONITOR button

The MONITOR button controls the LCD monitor. Press the MONITOR button once to hide photo information, a second time to turn the monitor off, and a third time to turn the monitor on with information showing.

Using the Buttons (PLAY)

- 20 -

• To select a photo for viewing:

Press the thumbnail ( ) button to display a menu of nine preview images. A number at the bottom right corner of each preview gives the position of the photograph in memory. If there are more than nine photos in memory, use the command dial to page through the previews, nine at

a time. Use the ▼W/T▲ buttons to highlight the photo you

want to view, then press the thumbnail button again to view it at full size.

3 View the information for the current pho-

tograph. When first displayed, photo-

Date and time of recording

graphs are shown with the following information: the time of recording, image qual-

99.04.14 15:05

ity and size, folder name, file number and type (JPEG or TIFF), the total number of shots that can be played back, and a frame number giving the position of the current photograph in memory. Other information can be displayed by turning the com-

VGA NORMAL

Image size and quality

mand dial.

Folder

File no. and

type

100NIKON

0015.JPG

[ 17/ 17]

Frame no./

total frames

visible

4 If desired, you can zoom in on the current

photo by pressing the button. The center portion of the image will be enlarged to fill the LCD monitor. Press the

button once for a magnification of

×2, twice for a magnification of ×3. Other

sections of the image can be viewed by turning the command dial; a map of the image appears at top left, showing the present position. Press the button a third time to view the photograph at full size.

5 The image currently displayed can be

deleted by pressing the button. This button can also be used to delete the thumbnail currently selected in the preview list. Note that once deleted, photos cannot be recovered; be sure to make copies of any photographs you wish to keep, prior to deletion.

DELETE

AUTO

DELETE 1 IMAGE

NO YES

This dialog appears when the button is pressed. Highlight YES using the

▼W/T▲ buttons, then

press the shutter-release button to delete the selected photograph. Select NO to return to playback mode leaving the photograph untouched.

Using the Buttons (PLAY)

- 21 -

The Camera Menus

This chapter supplements “Other Camera Functions” in the Pocket Guide, exploring the options available in the menus for each

operating mode. The bulk of the shooting options available in the M-REC menu are described in the Pocket Guide, “Taking Photographs.”

The A-REC Menu

DATE

Set the camera’s internal clock-calendar as described in “First Steps: Setting the Time and Date,” above.

To display the A-REC menu, turn the mode dial to A-REC and press the MENU button. The following options are available:

FOLDERS

LCD BRIGHT SOUND

30s

AUTO OFF CARDFORMAT DATE

Create new folders, rename or delete existing folders, or choose the folder in which to store subsequent photos.

LCD BRIGHT (LCD Brightness)

Adjust the brightness of the LCD monitor.

SOUND

Turn the beep speaker on or off.

AUTO OFF

When operated on battery power, the camera enters sleep mode if no operations are performed for thirty seconds. This option can be used to extend this limit for A-REC and MREC mode.

CARDFORMAT (Card Format)

Format memory cards for use in the COOLPIX 950.

SET UP

Using the menus

The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu

- 22 -

Using Folders (A-REC, M-REC)

Selecting a Folder

By default, photographs taken with the COOLPIX 950 are stored in the memory card in a folder labeled NIKON. To make it easier to locate photographs during playback, you can create additional folders and organize your photographs by theme. The FOLDERS menu enables you to select the folder in which subsequent photographs will be stored or choose the folder from which

CONCEPT

photographs will be played back. You can also create folders, rename existing folders, or delete folders.

To access the folder menu for A-REC and M-REC modes:

1 Turn the mode dial to A-REC or M-REC. 2 Press the MENU button. The menu for

the current operating mode will be dis-

PRACTICE

played.

3 Using the zoom buttons, highlight FOLD-

ERS.

4 Press the shutter-release button to dis-

play a FOLDERS menu like that shown at right

FOLDERS

AUTO

OPTIONS

NIKON APRIL SHOW

If more than one folder exists on the memory card, you can select the folder that will be used for playback or to store subsequent photographs in A-REC and M-REC modes. To select a folder, simply highlight it using the zoom buttons and press the shutter-release

Current folder

button. Except in the case of the default folder, NIKON, the name of the current folder is displayed at upper right in the LCD monitor. Photographs are stored in the folder shown in the LCD monitor at the time

1/30

the photograph is taken.

Photos and Folders

The file structure used when photos are recorded to the memory card conforms to the Design Rule for Camera File Systems. In this system, folder names consist of a three-digit folder number followed by the folder name (e.g, “100NIKON”). Each folder can in theory hold up to 999 images (it may hold less, depending on the size of the card and other factors). Should a folder fill up, another folder will automatically be created with the same name but a different folder number (e.g., “101NIKON”) and subsequent photos stored in the new folder. For most purposes, the folder number can be ignored; when viewed from the camera, all folders with the same name are the same folder. In other words, the camera will show folders with the same folder name (e.g., “100NIKON” and “101NIKON”) as a single folder with no folder number (e.g., “NIKON”). Folders with the same name but different folder numbers will however be shown as separate folders when the contents of memory are viewed using a computer (see the Nikon View Reference Manual for details). If you have trouble locating a photo on a computer, you can play it back on the camera, where the full folder number and name are included in the photo info.

APRIL

The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu

- 23 -

The Folder Options Menu

To create a new folder, or to rename or delete existing folders, choose OPTIONS from the FOLDERS menu. The menu shown at right will be displayed.

Creating new folders

To create a new folder:

1 Using the zoom buttons, highlight NEW

and press the shutter-release button. The window shown at right will be displayed.

2 Use the command dial to highlight the first

letter you would like to change.

OPTIONS

AUTO

NEW

RENAME

DELETE

NEW

AUTO

I K O N

N I K O N

5 Press the shutter-release button when the last letter is high-

lighted to create a folder with the specified name and return to normal viewing mode. To exit the window without creating a new folder, press MENU, or use the command dial to highlight

BK and then press the shutter-release button to return to the

FOLDERS menu.

Until another folder is selected from the FOLDERS menu, all subsequent photographs will be stored in the new folder.

Renaming existing folders

To rename an existing folder:

1 Using the zoom buttons, highlight RE-

NAME in the OPTIONS menu and press the shutter-release button. The window

RENAME

AUTO

APRIL SHOW

shown at right will be displayed.

2 Use the zoom buttons to highlight the

folder you want to rename (note that the folder name NIKON can not be changed) and press the shutter release button.

3 Change the highlighted letter using the

zoom buttons. Folder names can include the upper-case letters A–Z, the numbers 1–9, and spaces. Press the shutter-release button when “BK” is displayed to move one letter back in the folder name.

4 Use the command dial to highlight the

next character to be changed.

The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu

3 Change the name as described in steps 2

to 5 of “Creating new folders,” opposite.

- 24 -

Deleting folders

To delete an existing folder:

1 Using the zoom buttons, highlight DE-

LETE in the OPTIONS menu and press the shutter-release button. The window shown at right will be displayed.

2 Use the zoom buttons to highlight the

folder you want to delete (note that the folder name NIKON can not be deleted) and press the shutter release button.

3 In the menu at right, use the zoom buttons

to highlight YES and press the shutterrelease button to delete the folder (folders that contain hidden or protected images can not be deleted). To return to the previous menu without deleting the selected folder, highlight NO or BK and press the shutter-release button. Press the MENU button to return directly to shooting or playback mode without deleting the folder.

DELETE

AUTO

APRIL SHOW

DELETE

AUTO

APRIL DELETE FOLDER?

N O YES

LCD Brightness

You can adjust the brightness of the LCD monitor to make it easier to see, without affecting the brightness of photographs taken with the camera (the “Image Adjustment” option allows you to adjust the brightness of photographs; see “Taking Photographs” in the Pocket Guide).

LCD brightness can be adjusted from the setup menu for each mode. To display the setup menu for M-REC or PLAY, select SETUP from the M-REC or playback menus (see below). You can then adjust brightness as described in steps 2 and 3, below. To adjust the brightness of the LCD monitor in A-REC mode:

1 Press the MENU button to display the A-

REC setup menu.

2 Using the zoom buttons, highlight LCD

BRIGHT.

3 To change the setting, either

• rotate the command dial (press the MENU button to return to shooting mode once you have adjusted settings to your satisfaction), or

• press the shutter-release button and the select desired setting from the LCD BRIGHT menu.

LCDBRIGHT

CONCEPTPRACTICE

The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu

A setting of – will darken the display slightly, while + results in a slightly brighter display. These settings can not be used in combination; selecting – twice in a row will only darken the display by the same amount as selecting – once. Select 0 to restore normal brightness.

- 25 -

Sound Settings

Auto Off

The COOLPIX 950 is equipped with a speaker that produces a beep when you turn the camera on or take a picture. This speaker can be turned on and off using the SOUND menu.

CONCEPTPRACTICE

The SOUND menu can be accessed from the setup menu for each mode. To display the setup menu for M-REC or PLAY, select SET UP from M-REC or playback menus (see below). You can then adjust sound settings as described in steps 2 and 3, below. In AREC mode, follow these steps to turn the speaker on or off:

1 Press the MENU button to display the A-

REC menu.

2 Using the zoom buttons, highlight

SOUND.

3 To change the setting, either

• rotate the command dial (press the MENU button to return to shooting mode once you have adjusted settings to your satisfaction), or

• press the shutter-release button and the select desired setting from the SOUND menu.

When the speaker is on, a check mark appears next to the SOUND item in the menu for the current operating mode.

SOUND

AUTO

OFF

When operated on battery power, the camera enters sleep mode if no action is performed for thirty seconds (three minutes when menus are displayed). Auto Off allows you to specify a new time limit for sleep mode. Two time limits can be set, one for playback and the other for shooting photos (A-REC and M-REC).

Specify a new time limit by following these steps:

1 To set the time limit for playback mode, select SET UP from the

playback menu and highlight AUTO OFF in the menu that appears. To set the time limit for shooting, turn the mode dial to A-REC, press the MENU button to display the A-REC menu, and use the zoom buttons to highlight AUTO OFF. Alternatively, you can highlight AUTO OFF in the M-REC setup menu, which is displayed when SET UP is chosen from the M-REC menu (see “The M-REC Menu,” below).

2 To change the setting, either

• rotate the command dial (press the MENU button to return to shooting mode once you have adjusted settings to your satisfaction), or

• press the shutter-release button and the select desired setting from the AUTO OFF menu.

AUTO OFF

3 0 S

1 M 5 M

3 0 M

CONCEPTPRACTICE

The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu

Tip

When the camera enters sleep mode, all camera functions are deactivated and the camera itself is effectively off, consuming almost no power. The camera can be reactivated using the MONITOR button or by pressing the shutter-release button half way.

- 26 -

Formatting Memory Cards

Compact flash memory cards must be formatted before they can be used in the camera. You can also format cards to erase all folders and photographs. When memory cards are formatted, all data on the card are permanently deleted; be sure to copy to a computer any files you would like to keep.

CONCEPT

The Card Format option is available in all modes. To format a card in playback mode, select SET UP in the playback menu (see “The Playback Menu”) and then follow steps 2-4, below. To format a memory card in A-REC or M-REC mode, follow these steps:

1 Press the MENU button. The menu for

PRACTICE

the chosen mode will be displayed.

2 Using the zoom buttons, highlight

CARDFORMAT.

4 Using the zoom buttons, highlight FOR-

MAT, then press the shutter-release button to begin formatting. The message shown at right will be displayed while the card is formatted. Do not remove the card

from the camera while formatting is in progress, as this could damage the card.

To return to the previous menu without formatting the card, highlight NO or BK and press the shutter-release button. Press MENU to return to shooting or playback mode without formatting the memory card.

3 Press the shutter-release button to dis-

play the menu shown at right.

The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu

FORMAT

AUTO

WARNING!ALL IMAGES WILL BE DELETED!

NO FORMAT

- 27 -

The M-REC Menu

To display the M-REC menu, turn the mode dial to M-REC and press the MENU button. The M-REC menu has two pages of options; you can move from the first to the second page using the MENU button or zoom buttons. Press the MENU button when the second page is displayed to return to shooting mode.

The M-REC menu contains the following options:

WHITE BAL (White Balance)

Depending on lighting conditions, whites in a photograph may appear slightly yellow or blue. Use white-balance settings to eliminate unwanted coloration. For details, see “Taking Photographs: Lighting” in the Pocket Guide.

METERING

Determines which part of the image is used to set exposure. See “Taking Photographs: Lighting” in the Pocket Guide for details.

AUTO

SHOOTING FOLDERS LENS AE LOCK USER SET

CARDFORMAT RESET ALL SET UP

SHOOTING

WHITE BAL

AUTO

METERING CONTINUOUS IMG ADJUST BEST SHOT DIGITALTEL BLACK&WHITE

➔

AUTO

➔

CONTINUOUS

Allows you to choose between single-shot and three multishot modes. This setting is detailed in the Pocket Guide, “Taking Photographs: Multi-shot Mode.”

IMG ADJUST (Image Adjustment)

Permits digital adjustment of brightness and contrast to enhance photos. See “Taking Photographs: Lighting” in the Pocket Guide.

BEST SHOT (Best-Shot Selection)

Takes multiple photographs and saves the sharpest image to memory. For details, see “Taking Photographs: Best-Shot Selection” in the Pocket Guide.

DIGITAL TELE (Digital Telephoto)

Digital zoom may be used as an extension of optical zoom, magnifying photos a further 1.25 to 2.5 times at the maximum optical zoom position. Alternatively, digital zoom can be set to one of four fixed values, allowing optical zoom to be used over its full range to frame the picture as required. See below for details.

BLACK&WHITE

Offers a choice of black-and-white or color photography. See below for details.

Using the menus

If the menu does not appear when you press the MENU button, press the MONITOR button until the LCD monitor comes on. Items can be highlighted using the zoom buttons and selected using the shutter-release button. You can page through menus that have multiple pages by pressing the MENU button. To clear a menu from the screen, highlight BK and press the shutter-release button, or press the MENU button until the menu disappears.

The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu

FOLDERS

Create new folders, rename or delete existing folders, or choose the folder in which to store subsequent photos. See “The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu,” above.

- 28 -

LENS (Lens Converter)

Offers a choice of settings for achieving optimum results with the following lens converters (available separately): the FCE8 fish-eye lens converter, the WC-E24 wide-angle lens converter, and the TC-E2 telephoto lens converter. Details of these settings are provided below.

AE LOCK

Fixes autoexposure and white-balance to produce several matching photographs of a single scene. Instructions on using this setting to take photographs that can later be blended into a single image are provided below.

USER SET

Offers a choice of three custom settings. See below for details.

CARDFORMAT (Card Format)

Format memory cards for use in the COOLPIX 950. See “The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu,” above.

RESET ALL

Restores user settings to their default values. See below for details.

SET UP

The M-REC setup menu offers access to the following settings:

LCD BRIGHT (LCD Brightness):

Adjust the brightness of the LCD monitor. See “The Camera Menus:

LCD BRIGHT

SOUND

AUTO

LCD ON/OFF CONTROLS AUTO OFF

30s

SEQ.XFER DATE LANGUAGE

SET➔SHUTTER

The A-REC Menu,” above.

SOUND: Turn the beep speaker on or off. See “The

Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu,” above.

LCD ON/OFF: Determines whether and when the LCD

monitor comes on in M-REC mode. See below for details.

CONTROLS: Offers a choice of settings for controlling

basic camera operations. See below for details.

AUTO OFF: When operated on battery power, the LCD

monitor turns off automatically if no operations are performed for thirty seconds. This option can be used to extend this limit for A-REC and M-REC mode. See “The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu,” above.

SEQ.XFER: Allows photographs to be assigned unique

filenames, preventing photographs from being accidentally overwritten when copied to a computer. See below for details.

The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu

DATE: Set the camera’s internal clock-calendar as de-

scribed in “First Steps: Setting the Time and Date,” above.

LANGUAGE: Offers a choice of languages for camera

menus and messages. Refer to “First Steps: Choosing a Language,” above.

- 29 -

Digital Zoom (DIGITAL TELE)

In “digital zoom,” images are processed digitally to enlarge the center portion of photographs to fill the frame. Unlike optical zoom, digital zoom does not increase the amount of detail visible in the photograph. Instead, details already visible are enlarged, producing a slightly “grainy” image.

By default, the COOLPIX 950 automatically enters digital zoom

mode when the zoom-in (T/▲) button is held down for two

seconds at maximum zoom. This automatic digital zoom is described in the Pocket Guide, “Taking Photographs: Composition

CONCEPT

and Focus.” In M-REC mode, you can choose a fixed digital zoom

setting of from ×1.25 to ×2.5. Optical zoom will still be active and

can be used to frame pictures precisely. You can also turn digital zoom off, preventing the camera from entering digital zoom mode when the zoom in switch is held down at the maximum optical zoom position.

To change the digital zoom setting for M-REC mode:

1 Turn the mode dial to M-REC. 2 Press the MENU button to display the M-

REC menu.

3 Using the zoom buttons, highlight DIGI-

TAL TELE.

4 To change the setting, either

• rotate the command dial (press the MENU button twice to return to shooting mode once you have adjusted settings to your satisfaction), or

• press the shutter-release button and select the desired magnification from the D-TELE menu.

Digital zoom settings only take effect when the LCD monitor is on. While digital zoom is in effect, the zoom indicator will be displayed in the LCD monitor, with the digital zoom ratio shown to its right, and the green AF lamp will blink slowly. To restore automatic digital zoom, select AUTO from the D-TELE menu.

SHOOTING

WHITE BAL

AUTO

METERING CONTINUOUS IMG ADJUST BESTSHOT DIGITALTELE

AUTO

BLACK&WHIT

➔

D-TELE

AUTO

A U T O X 2 . 5

X 2 . 0 X 1 . 6 X 1 . 2 5 O F F

PRACTICE

The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu

Note

Digital zoom is not available at a multi-shot (CONTINUOUS) setting of “16-shots” (see the Pocket Guide, “Taking Photographs: Multi-Shot Photography”).

- 30 -

Black-and-White Photography

In M-REC mode, photographs can be taken either in color or in black-and-white (in A-REC mode, only color is available). Photographs taken in black-and-white have slightly better image quality than color photos.

CONCEPT

To switch from color to black-and-white or vice-versa:

1 Turn the mode dial to M-REC. 2 Press the MENU button to display the

shooting menu.

PRACTICE

3 Using the zoom buttons, highlight

BLACK&WHITE.

4 To change the setting, either

• rotate the command dial (press the MENU button twice to return to shooting mode once you have adjusted settings to your satisfaction), or

• press the shutter-release button and choose YES (black-and-white mode) or NO (color mode) from the B/W menu.

SHOOTING

WHITE BAL

AUTO

METERING CONTINUOUS IMG ADJUST BESTSHOT DIGITALTELE

AUTO

BLACK&WHIT

➔

AUTO

B&W

YES

The chosen setting will be in effect whenever the camera is in MREC mode. When black-and-white is selected, a check mark appears next to the BLACK&WHITE item in the shooting menu and the view through the monitor is in black-and-white.

The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu

Note

In black-and-white mode, the settings in the white-balance menu are not available.

- 31 -

Lens Converter Settings (LENS)

If you have attached one of the lens converters available separately for the COOLPIX 950, you can use the LENS option to adjust zoom, flash, and other settings to the optimum values for the chosen converter. The following preset combinations of settings are available:

Option How it works

WIDE

(for WC-E24

wide-angle con-

verter)

TELEFOTO

(for TC-E2

telephoto lens

CONCEPT

converter)

FISHEYE1

(for FC-E8 fisheye

lens converter)

Camera zooms all the way out, allowing you to take photos at the maximum possible angle. Flash is disabled.

Camera zooms in to maximum optical zoom position for enhanced telephoto photography. Zoom can be adjusted between maximum zoom the middle optical zoom position (the third step shown in the LCD monitor zoom indicator). Flash is disabled.

Camera zooms all the way out to take fisheye photographs with the four corners of the frame blacked out, creating a circular frame. Flash is disabled and focus fixed at an autofocus setting of infinity. Centerweighted metering is used.

These options should only be used when the appropriate lens converter is attached. When using the camera without a lens converter, select NORMAL for normal camera operation.

To change the lens converter setting:

1 Turn the mode dial to M-REC. 2 Press the MENU button to display the

shooting menu, then press it again to view the second page.

3 Using the zoom buttons, highlight LENS

and press the shutter-release button.

4 Use the zoom buttons to select the de-

sired option from the menu shown at right, then press the shutter-release button to return to shooting mode.

At settings other than NORMAL, a lens converter icon ( ) will appear in the LCD monitor, and settings will be optimized for the chosen converter as described at left. Choose NORMAL to cancel changes to settings and restore normal camera operation.

SHOOTING FOLDERS

AUTO

LENS AE LOCK USER SET

CARDFORMAT RESET ALL SET UP

➔

LENS

NORMAL WIDE TELEFOTO FISHEYE1 FISHEYE2

PRACTICE

FISHEYE2

(for FC-E8 fisheye

lens converter)

Camera zooms all the way out to take fisheye photographs in a square frame. Flash is disabled.

The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu

- 32 -

Making a Panorama—Tips (AE-LOCK)

In M-REC mode, you can lock autoexposure and auto white balance to produce a series of photographs with consistent color balance and exposure. This can be used to take several matching photographs of a single scene, which can later be blended together to create a panorama or a virtual-reality image.

CONCEPTPRACTICE

Using autoexposure and auto white-balance lock

When making a panorama, use a tripod to maintain a consistent angle. To turn the lock function on:

1 Turn the mode dial to M-REC. 2 Press the MENU button to display the

shooting menu, then press it again to view the second page.

3 Using the zoom buttons, highlight AE-

LOCK and press the shutter-release button.

SHOOTING FOLDERS

AUTO

LENS AE LOCK USER SET

CARDFORMAT RESET ALL SET UP

➔

Autoexposure and white-balance settings are fixed at the values used in the first photograph taken after ON is selected. You can turn the lock function off to allow the camera to set autoexposure and white balance separately for each picture by selecting OFF from the AE-LOCK menu. To restore the original lock settings, select ON again. Before beginning a new panorama, select RESET to clear the previous settings, then repeat steps 2–5, above.

4 Select ON from the AE-LOCK menu and

press the shutter-release button. The indicators AE-L and WB-L will appear in the LCD monitor.

5 After viewing the scene in the LCD moni-

tor and adjusting settings to produce satisfactory exposure, take the first photograph in the series.

The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu

AE-L WB-L

AE LOCK

AUTO

OFF

RESET

- 33 -

User Settings

In M-REC mode, the camera can “memorize” up to three combinations of settings, including metering, white balance, multishot, image adjustment, best-shot selection, digital zoom, lens converter, and autoexposure/white-balance lock. These settings can be restored by selecting the settings number from the USER

CONCEPT

SET menu. Any changes to settings will be automatically saved under the current settings number.

By default, any changes made to settings in M-REC mode are automatically saved as Settings Number 1. These settings are restored whenever the mode dial is set to M-REC. To select a different combination of settings:

PRACTICE

1 Turn the mode dial to M-REC. 2 Press the MENU button to display the M-

REC menu, then press it again to view the second page.

3 Using the zoom buttons, highlight USER

SET.

SHOOTING FOLDERS

AUTO

LENS AE LOCK USER SET

CARDFORMAT RESET ALL SET UP

➔

4 To change the setting, either

• rotate the command dial (press the MENU button to return to shooting mode), or

• press the shutter-release button to display a list of the settings saved under the selected settings number. The settings number can then be changed by pressing the zoom buttons. After selecting the desired settings number, press the shutter-release button.

Any changes to settings made in M-REC mode will be saved under the new settings number.

USER SET

AUTO

BSS

A U T O

The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu

- 34 -

Restoring Default Settings

The RESET ALL item in the M-REC menu allows you to reset user settings to the default values shown below:

Setting Default value

White balance automatic

Metering matrix

Continuous single frame

Sensitivity no adjustment

Image adjustment standard

Best-shot selection off

DIGITAL TELE automatic

Black-and-white off (color)

Folder NIKON

CONCEPT

Lens converter off

AE LOCK off

LCD brightness 0 (no adjustment)

To restore default settings:

1 Turn the mode dial to M-REC. 2 Press the MENU button to display the M-

REC menu, then press it again to view the second page.

3 Using the zoom buttons, highlight RESET

ALL.

4 Press shutter-release button and select

RESET from the RESET ALL menu. Settings will be restored to their default values when the shutter-release button is pressed. To exit the menu without changing settings, highlight NO or BK and press the shutter-release button. Press the MENU button to return to shooting mode without changing settings.

SHOOTING FOLDERS

AUTO

LENS AE LOCK USER SET

CARDFORMAT RESET ALL SET UP

➔

RESET ALL

AUTO

RESET ALL SETTINGS TO DEFAULTVALUES

NO RESETC

PRACTICE

LCD on/off ON&C-AF

Controls all settings other than MENU DIR

and DIST FT reset to off

Auto off (all modes) 30s

Slide-show interval 3s

Date, language, sound, MENU DIR, and DIST FT settings will not be reset.

The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu

- 35 -

LCD On/Off

Setting How it works

By default, the LCD monitor comes on when the camera is turned on and can only be turned off by pressing the MONITOR button. While the LCD monitor is on, the camera adjusts focus continuously, providing a constant preview of the view through the lens. The settings in the LCD ON/OFF menu allow you to change the behavior of the monitor and autofocus in M-REC mode, saving power and increasing battery life. They also give you control over whether the camera displays the photographs in the LCD monitor immediately after shooting.

Setting How it works

ON&C-AF

(monitor on,

continuous autofocus)

ON&S-AF

CONCEPT

(monitor on,

single autofocus)

The LCD monitor remains on when the mode dial is turned to M-REC. The camera adjusts focus continuously until the shutter-release button is half-pressed.

The LCD monitor remains on when the mode dial is turned to M-REC. Focus is only adjusted when the shutter-release button is half-pressed.

Photographs are not displayed in the

FAST REVIEW

(monitor on,

review function

off)

LCD monitor immediately after shooting. This is useful when you want to shoot several photos in rapid succession. Other monitor functions and autofocus are not affected.

REVIEW ONLY

(monitor off,

review function

on)

The LCD monitor only comes on to display photographs immediately after shooting. Focus is only adjusted at the moment the shutter-release button is half-pressed.

As above, except that the monitor does

LCD OFF

not come on after shooting. The monitor can be turned on by pressing the MONITOR button.

To change the LCD ON/OFF setting:

1 Turn the mode dial to M-REC. 2 Press the MENU button to open the M-

REC menu, then press it again to view the second page.

3 Use the zoom buttons to highlight SET UP

and press the shutter-release button to display the SET UP menu.

4 Using the zoom buttons, highlight LCD

ON/OFF.

5 Press the shutter-release button and se-

lect the desired setting from the LCD ON/OFF menu.

SHOOTING FOLDERS

AUTO

LENS AE LOCK USER SET

CARDFORMAT RESET ALL SET UP

➔

LCD BRIGHT

SOUND

AUTO

LCD ON/OFF CONTROLS AUTO OFF

30s

SEQ.XFER DATE LANGUAGE

LCD O/I

TURNS MONITOR

AUTO

ON AT STARTUP

ON&C-AF ON&S-AF FAST REVIEW REVIEW ONLY LCD OFF

CONCEPT

PRACTICE

The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu

The chosen setting affects M-REC mode only. The LCD monitor will always come on when the mode dial is turned from OFF to AREC or PLAY.

- 36 -

The Controls Menu (M-REC)

In M-REC mode, the controls menu offers control over the following settings:

• SAVE (Flash Mode Save): When this item is checked, the

camera saves the flash setting in effect at the time the mode dial is set to OFF. This flash setting is restored when the mode dial is turned to M-REC. When this item is not checked, the flash is set to “Auto” when the camera is turned on.

• SAVE (Focus Mode Save): As above, but the camera

saves the focus mode setting. When this item is not checked, focus is set to “Autofocus” when the camera is turned on.

• MODE SAVE (Exposure Mode Save): When this item is

checked, the camera saves the M-REC exposure mode setting. This setting is restored when the mode dial is turned from OFF to M-REC. When this item is not checked, exposure mode is set to “Program” when the camera is turned on.

• SAVE (Exposure Compensation Save): When this item is

checked, the camera saves the exposure compensation setting

CONCEPT

in effect at the time the mode dial is set to OFF. This setting is restored when the mode dial is turned to M-REC. When this item is not checked, exposure compensation is set to “0” when the camera is turned on.

• INTL FLASH OFF: The COOLPIX 950 is equipped with an

external flash connector that allows an external flash to be used in combination with the camera’s built-in flash. When the INTL.FLASH OFF item is checked, the internal flash will remain off while you are using an external flash at a setting of “Auto,” “Slow-sync” or “Forced on.” See “Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC): Flash Settings,” above, for more information.

• MENU DIR.:

Reverses the roles of the zoom buttons for the

purposes of scrolling through the menus. When this item is

checked, the zoom out (W/▼) button is used to move the highlight bar up and the zoom in (T/▲) button to move it down.

• DIST. FT: When this item is checked, the focus distance for

manual focus is shown in feet. If this item is not checked, focus distance will be shown in meters.

To change these control settings:

1 Turn the mode dial to M-REC. 2 Press the MENU button to open the M-

REC menu, then press it again to view the second page.

3 Use the zoom buttons to highlight SET UP

and press the shutter-release button to display the SET UP menu.

4 Using the zoom buttons, highlight CON-

TROLS and press the shutter-release button.

5 Use the zoom buttons to highlight the

desired setting in the CONTROLS menu and press the shutter-release button to turn the highlighted option on or off.

6 Repeat Step 5 until you have adjusted

settings to your satisfaction. Then highlight BK and press the shutter-release button to return to the M-REC menu, or press the MENU button to restore the view through the lens.

SHOOTING FOLDERS

AUTO

LENS AE LOCK USER SET

CARDFORMAT RESET ALL SET UP

➔

LCD BRIGHT

SOUND

AUTO

LCD ON/OFF CONTROLS AUTO OFF

30s

SEQ.XFER DATE LANGUAGE

CONTROLS

AUTO

MODE

INTFLASH

MENU DIR. DIST. FT

SAVE SAVE

CONCEPT

PRACTICE

The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu

- 37 -

SEQ.XFER

Photographs taken by the COOLPIX 950 are stored as image files. Each file is assigned a name which includes a four-digit number. Because no two photographs on any given memory card will have the same number at the same time, there is no possibility of confusion so long as you continue to use a single memory card without formatting it. If you format the card or use a new card, however, a previously-assigned number may be used again. If you then copy the new photograph to a computer on which you had saved the earlier photograph, the earlier photograph may be overwritten. This can be prevented using the SEQ.XFER option.

The following SEQ.XFER settings are available:

Setting How it works

To change the SEQ.XFER setting:

1 Turn the mode dial to M-REC. 2 Press the MENU button to open the M-

REC menu, then press it again to view the second page.

3 Use the zoom buttons to highlight SET

UP and press the shutter-release button to display the SET UP menu.

4 Using the zoom buttons, highlight

SEQ.XFER.

SHOOTING FOLDERS

AUTO

LENS AE LOCK USER SET

CARDFORMAT RESET ALL SET UP

➔

LCD BRIGHT

SOUND

AUTO

LCD ON/OFF CONTROLS AUTO OFF

30s

SEQ.XFER DATE LANGUAGE

PRACTICE

When a new card is inserted, numbering will begin again from the lowest

OFF

CONCEPT

number available on that card. The same file number may be used twice on different cards.

When a new card is inserted in the camera, numbering will continue from

the lowest number available on the previous card. The same file number will not be assigned twice.

Resets sequential numbering to the lowest number available on the current

RESET

card. When a new card is inserted, file numbering will continue from the lowest number available on the previous card.

The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu

5 Press the shutter-release button and se-

lect the desired setting from the SEQ.XFER menu.

Note

File names assigned when SEQ. XFER is on consist only of a file number.

SEQ. XFER

AUTO

O N

OFF

RESET

- 38 -

The Playback Menu

In addition to some of the camera settings discussed above, the playback menu offers options for deleting multiple images, creating slide shows, protecting photographs from de

letion, and hiding photographs during playback. It also includes options for setting up photos for printing on suitably-equipped printers.

To display the playback menu, turn the mode dial to PLAY and press the MENU button. The following options are available:

DELETE

Delete selected photographs or all photographs in memory, or choose a folder for deletion. You can also delete printer information files created with the PRINT SET option.

FOLDERS

Choose a folder for playback, create new folders, or rename or delete existing folders.

PLAY BACK DELETE

AUTO

FOLDERS SLIDESHOW PROTECT HIDE IMAGE PRINT SET SET UP

SET UP

The playback setup menu provides access to the following settings:

LCD BRIGHT (LCD Brightness):

Adjusts the brightness of the LCD monitor. See “The Camera Menus:

SET UP

LCD BRIGHT

AUTO

SOUNDON CONTROLS

30s

AUTO OFF CARDFORMAT DATE

LANGUAGE

SET➔SHUTTER

The A-REC Menu,” above.

SOUND: Turn the beep speaker on or off. See “The

Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu,” above.

CONTROLS: By default, the W/▼ button is used to move

the highlight bar down through the menus, the T/▲ button

to move it up. This option can be used to reverse this relationship, as described below.

AUTO OFF: When operated on battery power, the

camera enters sleep mode if no operations are performed for thirty seconds. This option can be used to extend this limit for playback as described in “The Camera Menus: The A-REC menu,” above.

SLIDESHOW

Allows automatic sequential playback of all photos visible in the current folder.

PROTECT

Protects selected photographs from deletion.

HIDE IMAGE

“Hides” selected images, preventing them from being viewed during playback.

PRINT SET

Prepare photographs for printing.

The Camera Menus: The Playback Menu

CARDFORMAT (Card Format): Formats memory cards

for use in the COOLPIX 950. See “The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu,” above.

DATE: Set the camera’s internal clock-calendar as de-

scribed in “First Steps: Setting the Time and Date,” above.

LANGUAGE: Offers a choice of languages for camera

menus and messages. Refer to “First Steps: Choosing a Language,” above.

- 39 -

Deleting Multiple Photographs

The DELETE option in the playback menu allows you to:

• delete selected photographs

• delete all the photographs in the current folder

• select a folder for deletion

• delete printer information files created with the PRINT SET option (see “Preparing Photographs for Printing,” below)

CONCEPT

Note that once deleted, photographs can not be recovered; be sure to back up any photographs you would like to keep.

Deleting Selected Photographs

2 Use the zoom buttons to highlight SE-

LECTED and then press the shutter-release button. A menu showing thumbnail previews of the images in the current folder will be displayed.

3 Using the zoom buttons, highlight one of the photographs to be

deleted and press the or button. The selected image will be marked with a icon, indicating that it is to be deleted. If you mistakenly mark an image for deletion, you can remove the icon by highlighting the image and pressing the button again.

To select multiple photographs for deletion from the playback menu, follow these steps:

PRACTICE

1 Using the zoom buttons, highlight DE-

LETE in the playback menu, then press the shutter-release button. The menu shown at right will be displayed.

Using the menus

If the playback menu does not appear when you press the MENU button, press the MONITOR button until the LCD monitor comes on. Items can be highlighted using the zoom buttons and selected using the shutterrelease button. To clear a menu from the screen, highlight BK and press the shutter-release button, or press the MENU button to return to playback mode.

DELETE

AUTO

SELECTED ALL FOLDER PRNT SET

The Camera Menus: The Playback Menu

4 Repeat Step 3 until you have selected all but the one of the

images you want to delete.

- 40 -

DELETE

AUTO

DELETE 1 IMAGE

NO YES

5 Highlight the last of the images to be

deleted and press the shutter-release button. The dialog shown at right will be displayed. Highlight YES and press the shutter-release button to delete the images marked with a icon. Highlight NO or BK to return to the playback menu without deleting the images.

Tips

If an image you want to delete is not visible in the menu of previews, rotate the command dial to display further images.

Photos that have been hidden with the HIDE IMAGE command are not available for deletion and are not shown in the menu of previews.

Photos marked with a icon are protected and can not be selected for deletion.

Deleting All Photographs in Memory

Deleting Folders

To delete all photographs except those that have been hidden or protected:

1 Using the zoom buttons, highlight DE-

LETE in the playback menu, then press the shutter-release button. The menu shown at right will be displayed.

2 Use the zoom buttons to highlight ALL

and then press the shutter-release button. The dialog shown at right will be displayed. Highlight YES and press the shutter-release button to delete all visible,

DELETE

AUTO

SELECTED ALL FOLDER PRNT SET

DELETE

AUTO

DELETING ALL IMAGES

( EXCLUDED)

N O

YES

unprotected images. Highlight NO or BK to return to the playback menu without deleting the images.

To delete a folder:

1 Using the zoom buttons, highlight DE-

LETE in the playback menu and press the shutter-release button. The menu shown at right will be displayed.

2 Use the zoom buttons to highlight

FOLDER, then press the shutter-release button

3 Use the zoom buttons to highlight the

folder you want to delete (note that the folder name NIKON can not be deleted) and press the shutter release button

4 In the menu at right, use the zoom buttons

DELETE

AUTO

SELECTED ALL FOLDER PRNT SET

DELETE

AUTO

APRIL SHOW

DELETE

AUTO

APRIL DELETE FOLDER?

N O YES

The Camera Menus: The Playback Menu

- 41 -

Using Folders (Playback)

Slideshow

In addition to the folder creation, renaming, and deletion functions available in A-REC and M-REC, the playback FOLDERS menu allows you to select a new folder for playback.

CONCEPTPRACTICE

To select a folder for playback:

1 Use the zoom buttons to highlight FOLD-

ERS in the playback menu and press the shutter-release button. A menu like that shown at right will be displayed.

FOLDERS

AUTO

OPTIONS

ALL NIKON APRIL SHOW

2 Using the zoom buttons, select a folder

from the list. To view all photographs in memory, select ALL.

3 Press the shutter-release button to return to playback. The

most recent photograph in the selected folder will be displayed.

The other options available in the FOLDERS menu are described in “The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu,” above.

The slide-show option allows unattended sequential playback of all images in the current folder that have not been hidden using HIDE IMAGE. Photographs are displayed one after the other, with a pause between each photograph.

The steps for setting up and starting a slide show are as follows:

1 Using the zoom buttons, highlight

SLIDESHOW in the playback menu and press the shutter-release button. The menu shown at right will be displayed.

2 By default, each photograph will be dis-

played for three seconds. To change the length of time each photo is displayed, highlight FRAME INTVL (frame interval)

SLIDESHOW

START

FRAME INTVL

(TEMP. SUSPEND

➔ SHUTTER)

INTERVAL

AUTO

2 S 3 S 5 S

10 S

and press the shutter-release button. Choose an interval from the menu shown at right and press the shutter-release button to return to the SLIDESHOW menu.

3 In the SLIDESHOW menu, use the zoom

buttons to highlight START, then press the shutter-release button to start the slide show. The photographs in the current folder will be displayed one at a time in the order recorded, starting with the oldest photo (photos hidden with the HIDE IMAGE option will not be shown).

CONCEPTPRACTICE

The Camera Menus: The Playback Menu

- 42 -

4 To pause the slide show, press the shut-

ter-release button. The slide show will pause and the window shown at right will be displayed. You can restart the slide show by selecting RESTART, choose a new frame interval with FRAME INTVL, or select BK to stop the slide show and return to playback mode.

PAUSE

INTVLRESTART

5 When the slide show finishes, the pause window shown in Step

4 will be displayed. Highlight RESTART and press the shutterrelease button to begin the slide show from the beginning, or press the MENU button to return to playback mode.

To halt the slide show while it is in progress and return to playback mode, press the MENU button.

Protecting Photographs from Deletion

Photographs stored on the memory card can be protected from deletion using the PROTECT option in the playback menu. Protected files can not be deleted using the button or the DELETE—SELECTED or DELETE—ALL options (protected files will be deleted when the card is formatted). Protected files appear as “read-only” files when viewed from a computer, and can be neither deleted nor overwritten.

Follow these steps to change the protect status of photographs in the current folder:

1 Using the zoom buttons, highlight PRO-

TECT in the playback menu and press the shutter-release button. A menu a thumbnail previews showing the images in the current folder will be displayed.

2 Using the zoom buttons, highlight a photograph you want to

protect and press the button. The selected image will be marked with a icon. Images that have already been protected can have their unprotected status restored by highlighting the image and pressing the button.

CONCEPT

PRACTICE

The Camera Menus: The Playback Menu

3 Repeat Step 2 until you have selected all but the one of the

images you want to protect.

4 To complete the operation, highlight the last of the images to

be protected or restored to unprotected status, then press the shutter-release button.

Tip

If an image is not visible in the menu of previews, rotate the command dial to display more thumbnails.

- 43 -

Hiding Photographs During Playback

Preparing Photographs for Printing

When creating a slide show or playing back photographs for an audience, you may want to hide some of the photographs in the current folder. Hidden items are only visible in the HIDE IMAGE menu and can not be deleted using the button or the DELETE—SELECTED or DELETE—ALL options (hidden files will be deleted when the card is formatted). They will also be

CONCEPT

treated as hidden files when the memory card is read using a computer.

Follow these steps to hide or reveal photographs in the current folder:

1 Using the zoom buttons, highlight HIDE

IMAGE in the playback menu and press

PRACTICE

the shutter-release button. A menu of thumbnail previews will be displayed showing the images in the current folder.

2 Using the zoom buttons, highlight a photograph you want to

hide and press the button. The selected image will be marked with a icon. Images that have already been hidden can be restored to view by highlighting the image and pressing the button.

Photographs taken with the COOLPIX 950 can be printed directly using an output device that supports DPOF format and is equipped with a card reader. The PRINT SET option in the camera menu allows you to select the photographs to be printed, set the number of copies, and specify whether the date of recording is to be printed on the photo. This information is stored in printer files on the memory card. You can then remove the memory card from the camera and take it to be printed.

To set up photos in the current folder for printing:

1 Using the zoom buttons, highlight PRINT

SET in the playback menu and press the shutter-release button. A menu of thumbnail previews will be displayed showing the images in the current folder.

PR I NT

MUL T I SEL . ➔ SET➔SHUTT ER

2 Using the zoom buttons, highlight a photograph you want to

print and press the button. The selected image will be marked with a printer icon. Images that have already been selected for printing can be removed from the list of images to be printed by highlighting the image and pressing the button.

CONCEPT

PRACTICE

3 Repeat Step 2 until you have selected all but the one of the

images you want to hide.

4 To complete the operation, highlight the last of the images to

be hidden or revealed, then press the shutter-release button.

Tip

If an image is not visible in the menu of previews, rotate the command dial to display more image previews.

The Camera Menus: The Playback Menu

3 Repeat Step 2 until you have selected all but the one of the

images you want to print.

4 Highlight the last of the images to be

printed, then press the shutter-release button. The menu at right will be displayed.

PRINT SET

- 44 -

5 To select the number of copies of each image to be printed,

highlight COPIES and turn the command dial. Alternatively, press the shutter-release button and use the zoom buttons to select the number of copies in the COPIES menu, then press the shutter-release button to return to the PRINT SET menu.

6 To print the date of recording on the photographs, highlight

DATE and press the shutter-release button or turn the command dial. A check mark in the box next to the DATE item indicates that the date will be printed on the selected photographs.

7 Highlight DONE and press the shutter release button to save

the print information to the memory card.

The Controls Menu (PLAY)

By default, the zoom out (W/▼) button is used to move the highlight bar down through the menus and the zoom in (T/▲)

button to move it up. This relationship can be reversed using the CONTROLS option.

Follow these steps to reverse the direction of scroll:

1 Select SET UP from the playback menu

using the zoom buttons, then press the shutter-release button to display the playback setup menu.

SET UP

LCD BRIGHT

AUTO

SOUNDON CONTROLS

30s

AUTO OFF CARDFORMAT DATE

LANGUAGE

CONCEPTPRACTICE

The playback menu DELETE option can be used to delete printer information files when they are no longer needed.

The Camera Menus: The Playback Menu

2 Using the zoom buttons, highlight CON-

TROLS.

3 Press the shutter-release button to dis-

play the CONTROLS menu. Highlight MENU DIR. and press the shutter-release button to change the direction of scroll. When MENU DIR. is checked, the direction is reversed; when it is not checked, normal scroll is used.

CONTROLS

AUTO

MENU DIR

- 45 -

Connections

This chapter provides information on connecting your camera to a computer and to a television or video-cassette recorder (VCR).

Connecting to a Television or VCR

Using the EG-900 video cable provided with your camera, you can connect your camera to a television or VCR to view photos on a TV screen. Follow these steps:

1 Connect the cable to the camera by

inserting the black plug into the video jack as shown at right.

2 Connect the yellow plug to the VIDEO IN jack on the television

or VCR.

3 Tune the television to the video channel. 4 Turn the mode dial to A-REC, M-REC, or PLAY. The television

monitor will mirror the image displayed in the camera’s LCD monitor.

Tips

When the lens is rotated to point in the same direction as the monitor, the television image will appear upside-down.

Connect the camera to the AC adapter (available separately) when you want the television to continue to display images even after the camera has entered “sleep” mode.

Depending on the country of purchase, your camera will be compatible with either NTSC or PAL video standards. Use a television that complies with the same video standards as your camera.

Connections: Connecting to a Television or VCR

- 46 -

Viewing Photos on a Computer

Photographs stored on the memory card can be viewed on a computer either using Nikon View to transfer data directly from the camera, or by removing the memory card from the camera and reading it using a CompactFlash (CF) card reader or PC card adapter. The steps involved in a direct connection are described in the Pocket Guide, “Nikon View: Connecting Your Camera to a Computer.” This section describes how to view photographs using a CF card reader or PC card adapter.

Reading Memory Cards

To read the memory cards, you will need:

• a PC or Macintosh computer, and

• either a CF card reader or, if your computer is equipped with a PCMCIA Type II or Type III card slot, a CA-20 PC-card adapter (available separately from Nikon).

Using a CF Card Reader

The steps involved in connecting a CF card reader and inserting memory cards may be found in the documentation provided with your card reader. Once the card has been inserted, it will function as a disk, as described in Step 3 of “Using a PCMCIA Card Slot,” below.

Using a PCMCIA Card Slot

1 To read CompactFlash cards using a

PCMCIA Type II or Type III card slot, insert the card in a PC card adapter as shown at right.

2 Insert the adapter into the PC card slot as instructed in the

documentation provided with your computer or PC card drive.

3 The card will now function as a disk. Photographs may be found

within the folder DCIM in the card’s root directory, stored in the folder shown in the playback mode information display. Photos can be viewed in any application that supports JPEG and TIFF formats.

Note

The COOLPIX 950 can read and play back only those images that conform to the format used by the COOLPIX 950, 900s, 900, and 700 digital cameras. It may not be able to read JPEG or TIFF files created by a computer or by another make of camera. It may also not be able to read camera files that have been renamed or moved to a different folder using a computer.

Connections: Viewing Photos on a Computer

Tips

You may need to install an ATA RAM-card driver before you will be able to read the memory card on a computer running Windows 3.1.

You can use Nikon View to browse photographs on a memory card in the same fashion as when the camera is connected to your computer directly. See the Nikon View reference manual for details.

- 47 -

Caring for Your Camera

Storage

To ensure that you continue to get the most from your camera, you should observe the following precautions when cleaning and storing your camera.

Cleaning

The lens is covered by a clear plastic shield. You should avoid touching this shield with your fingers. Use a blower to remove dirt and dust from the lens shield. If you do get a fingerprint or other stain on the shield, wipe it carefully with a soft cloth.

Periodically dust the LCD monitor with a soft, dry cloth. You should also clean the viewfinder and the body of the camera with a soft cloth after removing dust and dirt with a blower. If necessary, the body of the camera may be cleaned with a damp cloth, although you should be sure to dry the camera immediately afterward. Do not apply alcohol, thinner, or any other cleaning fluids to any part of the camera.

Store your camera in a dry, well-ventilated environment, away from electronic equipment such as televisions or radios which produce strong magnetic fields. Do not store your camera where the temperature ex-

ceeds 50°C (122°F) or goes below -10°C (14°F), or where the humidity exceeds 60%.

If you are not going to use the camera for a long period of time, remove the batteries before putting the camera away. Store the camera with the lens rotated to a position adjacent to the control panel, as shown at right.

Caring for Your Camera

- 48 -

Accessories

Optional Accessories

This chapter identifies the items packaged with your camera and the accessories available for separate purchase.

What’s in the Box

Purchasers of the COOLPIX 950 should find that the package contains the items listed below. Should you notice that any item is missing or damaged, contact your retailer as soon as possible.

COOLPIX 950 digital camera (1)

EC-8CF 8MB compact flash-memory card (1)

AA (LR6) alkaline batteries (4)

Lens cap (1) SC-EW2 RS-232C se-

rial cable for PC/AT computers (1)

SC-EM2 serial cable adapter for Macintosh computers (1)

Reference CD-ROM (1) containing on-line reference manuals and

Adobe Acrobat Reader

software

Pocket Guide (1) Fast Track Guide (1) For Your Safety (1)

“Open Me First” (1) Carrying case (1) Camera strap (1)

POCKET

GUIDE

FAST TRACK

GUIDE

FOR YOUR

SAFETY

At the time this manual was written, the following optional accessories were available for the COOLPIX 950. Contact your local Nikon representative or retailer for details.

Lens converters

• FC-E8 fish-eye lens converter

• WC-E24 wide-angle lens converter

• TC-E2 telephoto lens converter

Flash accessories

• SK-E900 Multi-Flash Bracket Unit

• TTL Multi-Flash Adapter AS-10

• Multi-Flash Sync Cord SC-18/SC-19

CompactFlash memory cards and adapters

• 8MB, 15MB, 30MB, 48MB, and 64MB Nikon CF memory cards

• CA-20 PC-card adapter

AC adapter

• EH-30 AC adapter

EG-900 video cable (1) Software CD-ROM (1)

containing Nikon View browser software

Accessories

- 49 -

Troubleshooting

No indicators are visible in the LCD monitor

If you should notice any problems with your COOLPIX 950, check the list below before consulting your retailer or Nikon representative.

General Problems

Nothing shows in the control panel

Checklist:

• Is the mode dial set to OFF? Turn the mode dial to A-REC, M-REC, or PLAY.

• Are the batteries correctly inserted and the battery chamber cover closed? The camera will not operate if the batteries are not inserted in the correct orientation or the cover is not fully closed. Insert the batteries as described in “First Steps: Putting Batteries in Your Camera.”

• Is the AC adapter properly connected? If you are using the camera with the optional AC adapter, be sure that it is properly connected.

• Are the batteries dead? Put new batteries in the camera as described in “First Steps: Putting Batteries in Your Camera.”

The control panel is on but nothing shows in the LCD monitor

Press the MONITOR button until the monitor comes on.

Press the MONITOR button until indicators are visible (if a slide show is in progress, first press the MENU key to halt the slide show).

The LCD monitor is hard to read

The LCD monitor is too dark or too bright

• Adjust the brightness of LCD monitor as described in “The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu.”

The LCD monitor is dirty

• Clean the LCD monitor with a soft, dry cloth as described in “Caring for Your Camera.”

The camera does not shoot a photo when the shutterrelease button is fully pressed

The selector dial is set to OFF or PLAY

• Turn the selector dial to A-REC or M-REC when making photographs.

The battery indicator in the monitor or control panel is flashing

• There is no longer enough battery power to record photographs. Replace the batteries before using the camera.

The AF lamp is flickering

• The camera is unable to focus. See the Pocket Guide, “Taking Photographs: Composition and Focus.”

The flash lamp is flickering

• The flash is charging. Wait until the flash lamp glows steadily before taking a photograph.

Troubleshooting: General Problems

- 50 -

The exposure count shows zero

• There is not enough memory to record photographs at current settings. There may still be enough memory to record photographs at a lower image quality or size. You will not however be able make a photograph at current settings until you have deleted one or more images from memory as described in “Using the Buttons (PLAY)” or “The Camera Menus: The Playback Menu.”

The monitor shows the message, “NO CARD PRESENT”

• Check that a memory card is properly inserted in the camera. See “First Steps: Inserting and Removing Memory Cards.”

The message, “CARD IS NOT FORMATTED” appears in the monitor

• Photographs can not be recorded on this memory card until you have formatted it as described in “The Camera Menus: The AREC Menu.”

One of the following messages appears in the monitor: “CARD CAN NOT BE USED,” “IMAGE CAN NOT BE SAVED”

• See “Error Messages,” below, for more information.

Images are over- or underexposed

• When using the flash, be sure that your subject is at an appropriate distance.

• In any shooting mode, exposure can be adjusted using exposure compensation (see the Fast Track Guide).

• In M-REC mode, you can adjust exposure as described in the Pocket Guide, “Taking Photographs: Lighting.” If the photo is underexposed, you can also try increasing sensitivity (see “Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC): Sensitivity”).

The flash doesn’t work or takes more than thirty seconds to charge

Battery level is low

• If the battery indicator in the control panel is flashing or shows a low battery level, before using the flash you will need to replace the batteries as described in “First Steps: Putting Batteries in Your Camera.”

, , or appears in the control panel

• The flash will not work at an autofocus setting of “Infinity” ( ) The built-in flash will not fire at settings of “Continuous,” “16shot,” or “VGA Sequence.”

“AE-L,” “BSS,” or “ ” appears in the LCD monitor

• The flash will not work when “AE Lock,” “Best Shot Selection,” or lens converter settings are used.

The “ INTLFLASH” item is checked in the M-REC controls menu (see “The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu”).

• The built-in flash is off. Deselect this item to use the built-in flash.

The icon appears in the control panel

• The flash is off. Choose another flash setting. See “Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC): Flash Settings.”

Images are not in focus

• When using autofocus, half-press the shutter-release button and check that the autofocus lamp glows steadily before taking a photo. See the Pocket Guide, “Taking Photographs: Composition and Focus.”

• When using manual focus, be sure that the distance shown in the control panel matches the distance to your subject.

Troubleshooting: General Problems

- 51 -

Your television does not mirror the LCD monitor

Checklist:

• Is the camera correctly connected to the television set or VCR? Connect the camera as described in “Connections: Connecting to a Television or VCR.”

• Is the television tuned to the video channel? Tune the television to the video channel.

• Is your television compatible with the COOLPIX 950? The COOLPIX 950 is available in two models: an NTSCcompatible model for sale in countries that have adopted the NTSC standard, and a countries that have adopted your COOLPIX 950 overseas, check to be sure that the local video standard is compatible with your model.

Your camera will not show photographs stored on the memory card

• Have the files been written or renamed by a computer? The COOLPIX 950 can only read files that conform to the format and naming conventions used by the camera.

PAL-compatible model for sale in

the PAL standard. When using

Your computer can’t read photographs recorded on the memory card

Checklist:

• Is the card correctly inserted in the PC-card adapter or CF card reader? See “Connections: Viewing Photos on a Computer.”

• Is the PC-card adapter or CF card reader correctly connected to the computer and are the appropriate drivers installed? See the documentation provided with your computer or card reader. If you are using a PC-card adapter with Windows 3.1, you may need to configure your computer for an ATA RAM card.

• Have you installed software that can display JPEG and TIFF files? Nikon View can be used to view JPEG and TIFF files if you have no other imaging software.

Nikon View displays a communications error when you attempt to view photographs using a direct connection

Checklist:

• Is the camera correctly connected to the computer? Connect the camera to your computer’s serial port as described in the Pocket Guide, “Nikon View: Connecting Your Camera to a Computer.”

Troubleshooting: General Problems

• Is Nikon View properly installed on your computer? Consult the Quick Start Guide or reference manual for your platform.

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Error Messages

When there is a problem with the flash-memory card or with the camera’s internal programming and circuitry, an error message will appear superimposed on the image in the LCD monitor. Below is a list of error messages that may be displayed by the COOLPIX 950 and the steps that should be taken to deal with them.

The camera can not detect a flashmemory card. Turn the mode dial to OFF and confirm that the flash-memory

NO CAR PRESEN

S CTH I ARD

NOTCAN BE USE

card has been correctly inserted in the camera as described in “First Steps: Inserting and Removing Memory Cards.”

Use a Nikon memory card.

OFOUT MEMORY

D ICAR S FULL

GE IMA CANNOT SAVBE ED

There is not enough memory to record more photographs. No photographs can be taken until some images have been deleted from memory as described in “Using the Buttons (PLAY)” or “The Camera Menus: The Playback Menu.”

The camera has encountered an error while saving a photo or has run out of file numbers in the current folder. Try saving photos to a different folder. If the SEQ.XFER option is on, choose OFF or RESET from the SEQ.XFER menu (see “The Camera Menus: The M-REC Menu”). If the error persists, it may indicate that the card is not properly formatted. Transfer all photographs stored on the card to a computer and format the card as described in “The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu.”

The card has not been formatted for use in the COOLPIX 950. Highlight FOR-

C D IS

RO MATTE

ROMATF

NOT D

MAT and press the shutter-release button to format the card, erasing any data

that may be present, or turn the camera off and replace the card. If you select NO, you will not be able to record or playback photographs until the card has been formatted or replaced.

Troubleshooting: Error Messages

DR CONT

INO CAMAGES

AINS

This error occurs in playback mode when the current folder contains no images. Select a different folder from the FOLDERS menu. You will not be able to play back photos until at least one photo has been recorded on the card, although you will still be able to use the menus and the camera will function normally in M-REC and AREC modes.

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LAL IMA

RA E HID

ELONIF CONT

I MAGE

T FOLD

NANOT B

LE ETEDD

GES DEN

AINAS DAT

ER E

This error appears when all photographs in the current folder have been hidden using HIDE IMAGE and the mode dial is set to PLAY. It will not be possible to play back or delete images until you have chosen a different folder or used HIDE IMAGE to allow at least one image to be displayed (see “The Camera Menus: The Playback Menu”).

A computer has overwritten a photograph on the flash memory card and the file can no longer be displayed in playback mode. Delete the photograph as described in “Using the Buttons (PLAY)” or reformat the card (see “The Camera Menus: The A-REC Menu”) after backing up all photographs you would like to keep.

The camera can not delete the selected folder because it contains protected or hidden photos.

SSY TEM E

RROR

An error has occurred in the camera’s internal circuitry. Cut power by turning the mode dial to OFF, opening and closing the battery chamber cover, and unplugging the optional AC adapter (if used). Then turn the camera on once more. If the message persists, contact your retailer or Nikon representative for servicing.

Troubleshooting: Error Messages

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Specifications

Type: digital camera Recording modes: automatic (A-REC), custom (M-REC; offers

monochrome mode and allows manual adjustments to focus, shutter speed, aperture, sensitivity, white balance, metering, brightness, and contrast)

Image sensor: high-density 1/2˝ CCD

Pixel count: effective pixel count 1.92 million pixels (1,600

× 1,200 pixels), total pixel count 2.11 million

pixels

Image size: 1,600 × 1,200 (full), 1,024 × 768 (XGA),

640 × 480 pixels (VGA)

Lens: ×3 zoom Nikkor aspherical glass lens con-

taining nine multi-coated elements in seven groups, f=7.0mm–21.0mm with macro (35mm [135] format equivalent is 38mm– 115mm), F2.6–F4.0; wide-angle, telephoto and fish-eye lens adapters (sold separately) can be attached

Range: 30cm (11.8˝)–∞; macro 2cm (at middle zoom

position)–∞ (0.8˝–∞)

Focus modes: continuous autofocus (color LCD monitor

on), single autofocus (color LCD monitor off or single autofocus selected from M-REC setup menu), manual (ten steps from 10cm/

3.9

˝–∞)

Autofocus: contrast-detect TTL autofocus with 4,746-

step control

Modes: normal, forced ∞, macro

Optical viewfinder: real-image optical zoom viewfinder with di-

opter adjustment (-1–+2dpt.)

Magnification: ×0.44–×1.2

Field of view: approximately 85%

LCD monitor*: 2˝ low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD

display with brightness adjustment Pixel count: 130,000 pixels Refresh rate: 30 frames per second Field of view: approximately 97% (approximately 100% in

playback mode)

Shutter:

combined mechanical and charge-coupled elec-

tronic shutter Speed: 8– 1/

750

sec.

Aperture: electromagnetically controlled Capture modes: single-shot, continuous (approximately 1.5

frames per second at full size), VGA se-

quence (approx. 2fps), 16-shot

Sensitivity: ISO 80 equivalent Exposure metering: three-mode TTL

Modes:

Note

The LCD monitor may contain a few pixels that are always lit or that do not light. This is a characteristic common to all LCD displays and does not indicate a malfunction. The monitor also contains a fluorescent backlight. Should the display begin to dim or flicker, contact your Nikon service representative.

256-element matrix, center-weighted, spot

Specifications

- 55 -

Exposure

Range (continuous):

EV -2.0–+15.5 (wide angle) EV -0.8–+16.7 (telephoto) (ISO 100 equivalent)

Control: programmed auto, shutter-priority auto, ap-

erture-priority auto

Compensation: -2.0EV–+2.0EV in increments of 1/3 EV

White balance:

Self-timer: Built-in flash: guide number 9/30 (at IS0 100, m/ft)

Flash control: sensor flash system Range: –3m (9.8´) at maximum angle (W), –2m

Modes: automatic, “Flash Cancel” (off), automatic

Red-eye reduction pre-flash:

Storage: removable CompactFlash memory

Format: JPEG, TIFF (EXIF 2.0) Compression ratio (JPEG):

Capacity (number of full-sized images per 8MB card):

automatic TTL homing system able for sunny and overcast conditions and for incandescent, fluorescent, and flash lighting; can be preset

two-mode, fixed-duration timer (3 sec./10 sec.)

(6.6´) at maximum zoom (T)

with red-eye reduction, “Anytime Flash” (forced on), slow synchronized

illuminates for 0.8 sec. before main flash

approximately 1/4 in Fine mode, 1/8 in Normal mode, 1/16 in Basic mode

one uncompressed (TIFF) image, approximately eight images in Fine mode, sixteen images in Normal mode, thirty-two images in Basic mode

; programs avail-

Playback

Modes:

Deletion: all frames or selected frames Attributes: hidden and protected attributes can be set

Supported platforms:

Interface:

Data transfer rate:115 kbps (Windows), 230kbps (Macintosh)

Video output: separate models available for NTSC and PAL

I/O ports: DC, video, serial, synchro-flash terminal for

Power source: four 1.5V AA (LR6) alkaline batteries (1.2V

Dimensions:

Weight: approximately 350 g (12.3 oz.) without bat-

single-frame, zoom, thumbnail (nine frames),

slide-show

for each image

Mac OS System 7.5.1 or later, Windows 95

or later

serial interface

standards

external flash unit

NiCd, 1.5V NiMH, 1.5V lithium R6 [AA]

batteries may also be used)

143mm (W) × 76.5 (H) mm × 36.5 (D) mm

(5.6˝ × 3.0˝ × 1.4˝)

teries

Specifications

- 56 -

Proxima ASA COOLPIX 950 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Overview

First Steps

Putting Batteries in Your Camera

Inserting and Removing Memory Cards

Choosing a Language for the Menus

Setting the Time and Date

Taking Your First Photograph

Using the Buttons (A-REC, M-REC)

Flash Settings

Focus Settings

Using the Self-Timer

Image Quality and Size

Sensitivity

Exposure Mode

Using the Buttons (PLAY)

The Camera Menus

The A-REC Menu

Using Folders (A-REC, M-REC)

LCD Brightness

Sound Settings

Auto Off

Formatting Memory Cards

The M-REC Menu

Digital Zoom (DIGITAL TELE)

Black-and-White Photography

Lens Converter Settings (LENS)

Making a Panorama—Tips (AE-LOCK)

User Settings

Restoring Default Settings

LCD On/Off

The Controls Menu (M-REC)

SEQ.XFER

The Playback Menu

Deleting Multiple Photographs

Using Folders (Playback)

Slideshow

Protecting Photographs from Deletion

Hiding Photographs During Playback

Preparing Photographs for Printing

The Controls Menu (PLAY)

Connections

Connecting to a Television or VCR

Viewing Photos on a Computer

Caring for Your Camera

Storage

Cleaning

Accessories

Optional Accessories

What’s in the Box

Troubleshooting

General Problems

Error Messages

Specifications