DIGITAL CAMERA Reference Manual En
Menu items, options, and messages displayed in the camera monitor are shown in bold. Memory Cards SD and SDHC/SDXC memory cards are referred to as “memory cards” in this manual. Camera Settings The explanations in this manual assume that default settings are used. Help Use the camera’s on-board help feature for help on menu items and other topics. See page 12 for details. A For Your Safety Before using the camera for the first time, read the safety instructions in “For Your Safety” (0 vi–viii).
Where to Find It Find what you’re looking for from: i i i i i i The Table of Contents.............................................................. For Your Safety......................................................................... Menu Options .......................................................................... The Index.................................................................................. Troubleshooting ......................................................................
Quick Start Guide Follow these steps for a quick start with the COOLPIX A. For safety precautions, see “For Your Safety” (0 vi). 1 Attach the camera strap. Attach the strap securely to the camera eyelets. 2 Charge the battery (0 20). Insert battery Plug charger in Battery charging Charging complete 3 Insert the battery and a memory card (0 21, 23).
4 Turn the camera on (0 2). When using the camera for the first time, you will be prompted to choose a language and set the camera clock (0 25). 5 Rotate the focus mode selector to t (autofocus; 0 75). 6 Frame the photograph (0 29). 7 Focus and shoot (0 30). Focus mode selector The focus area will light green when the focus operation is complete. 8 View the photograph (0 33).
For Your Safety To prevent damage to your Nikon product or injury to yourself or to others, read the following safety precautions in their entirety before using this equipment. Keep these safety instructions where all those who use the product will read them. icon marks warnings, information that should be read before A This using this Nikon product, to prevent possible injury.
AStore out of direct sunlight When the camera is not in use, turn it off to close the lens cover and store it out of direct sunlight. Light focused by the lens could cause fire. AObserve caution when handling the battery The battery may leak, overheat, or explode if improperly handled. Observe the following precautions when handling the battery for use in this product: • Before replacing the battery, turn the product off.
• Do not use with travel converters or adapters designed to convert from one voltage to another or with DC-to-AC inverters. Failure to observe this precaution could damage the product or cause overheating or fire. AUse appropriate cables When connecting cables to the input and output jacks, use only the cables provided or sold by Nikon for the purpose, to maintain compliance with product regulations.
Notices • No part of the manuals included with • Nikon will not be held liable for any this product may be reproduced, damages resulting from the use of transmitted, transcribed, stored in a this product. retrieval system, or translated into • While every effort has been made to any language in any form, by any ensure that the information in these means, without Nikon’s prior written manuals is accurate and complete, permission.
Notices for Customers in the U.S.A. The Battery Charger IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS—SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS DANGER—TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, CAREFULLY FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS For connection to a supply not in the U.S.A., use an attachment plug adapter of the proper configuration for the power outlet if needed. This power unit is intended to be correctly oriented in a vertical or floor mount position.
Notice Concerning Prohibition of Copying or Reproduction Note that simply being in possession of material that has been digitally copied or reproduced by means of a scanner, digital camera, or other device may be punishable by law. securities issued by private • Items prohibited by law from being copied companies (shares, bills, checks, gift or reproduced Do not copy or reproduce paper certificates, etc.
Use Only Nikon Brand Electronic Accessories Nikon cameras are designed to the highest standards and include complex electronic circuitry. Only Nikon brand electronic accessories (including chargers, batteries, AC adapters, and flash accessories) certified by Nikon specifically for use with this Nikon digital camera are engineered and proven to operate within the operational and safety requirements of this electronic circuitry.
Table of Contents Quick Start Guide...................................................................................iv For Your Safety .......................................................................................vi Notices.......................................................................................................ix Introduction 1 Getting to Know the Camera .............................................................2 The Camera Body.................................................
Basic Photography 27 Battery Level and Card Capacity .................................................... 27 “Point-and-Shoot” Photography (i Mode) .............................. 29 Basic Playback....................................................................................... 33 Deleting Unwanted Photographs .............................................34 Creative Photography (Scene Modes) ......................................... 35 k Portrait .....................................................
P, S, A, and M Modes 52 Shutter Speed and Aperture ........................................................... 52 P: Programmed Auto..................................................................... 53 S: Shutter-Priority Auto ................................................................ 54 A: Aperture-Priority Auto............................................................. 55 M: Manual...........................................................................................
Exposure 85 Metering ................................................................................................. 85 Exposure Compensation................................................................... 87 White Balance 89 White Balance Options ...................................................................... 89 Fine-Tuning White Balance.............................................................. 92 Preset Manual ...........................................................................
More on Playback 132 Full-Frame Playback .........................................................................132 Photo Information.............................................................................134 Thumbnail Playback .........................................................................140 Calendar Playback.............................................................................142 Taking a Closer Look: Playback Zoom........................................
C The Shooting Menu: Shooting Options .........................................176 Reset Shooting Menu ............................................................. 176 Storage Folder........................................................................... 177 Color Space ................................................................................ 178 Long Exposure NR ................................................................... 179 High ISO NR....................................................
N The Retouch Menu: Creating Retouched Copies ..............................197 Creating Retouched Copies ......................................................198 D-Lighting ...................................................................................200 Red-Eye Correction ..................................................................201 Trim................................................................................................202 Monochrome ..............................................
Troubleshooting ................................................................................238 Battery/Display.............................................................................. 238 Shooting (All Modes)................................................................... 238 Shooting (P, S, A, M) ................................................................... 240 Playback........................................................................................... 240 Miscellaneous ..........
XIntroduction Thank you for your purchase of a Nikon digital camera. To get the most from your camera, please be sure to read all instructions thoroughly and keep them where they will be read by all who use the product. Symbols and Conventions To make it easier to find the information you need, the following symbols and conventions are used: D X This icon marks cautions; information that should be read before use to prevent damage to the camera.
Getting to Know the Camera The Camera Body 2 3 1 4 4 5 10 9 8 6 X 1 Built-in flash ..................................... 112 2 Shutter-release button Taking photographs..................... 29 Recording movies ......................... 38 3 Power switch.........................................2 4 Eyelets for camera strap ....................iv 7 5 6 7 8 9 10 Command dial....................................10 Power-on lamp...................................25 Mode dial...............................
1 2 3 11 10 4 12 5 9 8 X 7 6 13 Lens retracted 1 Stereo microphone........................... 43 2 Built-in flash ..................................... 112 3 Infrared receiver for remote control ............................................................ 67 4 Accessory terminal/USB connector cover ............................................... 231 5 Focus-mode selector........................ 74 6 Focus ring............................................ 80 7 Lens ring 8 Lens.........................
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 19 18 17 16 20 15 X 14 13 11 12 21 1 AF lamp/memory-card access lamp ......................................................23, 30 2 Flash lamp......................................... 112 3 G button Menus ..................................... 12, 172 4 K button Playback ................................. 33, 132 5 HDMI connector cover................... 170 6 Rotary multi selector* ...................... 13 7 J button............................................ 13 8 P button..
The Monitor The following are the indicators that may be displayed in the monitor (the display is shown with all indicators lit for illustrative purposes): ❚❚ Shooting Mode 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 33 32 31 30 11 12 13 29 28 27 26 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 24 22 20 18 25 23 21 19 17 16 Shooting mode.....................................9 Flash mode ....................................... 113 Release mode..................................... 63 Autofocus mode................................
❚❚ Playback Mode 12 1 Protect status ................................... 146 2 Retouch indicator............................ 197 3 Frame number/total number of 3 1/12 9 100NIKON DSC _0001. JPG 15/05/2013 15 : 30 : 05 8 X 6 7 6 NORMAL 4928x3264 5 4 4 5 6 7 8 9 images Image quality ..................................... 69 Image size ........................................... 72 File name........................................... 191 Time of recording.....................
The Information Display To adjust camera settings, press the P button. Current settings are shown in the monitor information display; highlight items using the multi selector (0 13) and press J to view options for the highlighted item. P button X 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Image quality..................................... 69 Image size ........................................... 72 White balance .................................... 89 ISO sensitivity.....................................
A The Information Display To hide the information display, press the P button again.
The Mode Dial Rotate the mode dial to choose from the following shooting modes: Mode dial i Auto Mode (0 29) Select this mode for simple, point-and-shoot photography. X P, S, A, and M Modes Select these modes for full control over camera settings. • P—Programmed auto (0 53) • S—Shutter-priority auto (0 54) • A—Aperture-priority auto (0 55) • M—Manual (0 56) d and e Modes (0 60) Store and recall customized shooting settings.
The Command Dial The command dial can be used with other controls to adjust a variety of settings when shooting information is displayed in the monitor. X Mode dial Command dial E (N/L) button Exposure compensation/ Aperture S (g) button ISO sensitivity Choose a combination of aperture and shutter speed (mode P; 0 53).
Choose a shutter speed (mode S or M; 0 54, 56). Mode S or M Command dial Mode A Command dial Choose an aperture (mode A; 0 55). Choose an aperture (mode M; 0 56). X + Mode M E (N/L) button Set exposure compensation (mode P, S, or A; 0 87). Command dial + Mode P, S or A E (N/L) button Adjust ISO sensitivity (0 81).
Camera Menus: An Overview Most shooting, playback, and setup options can be accessed from the camera menus. To view the menus, press the G button. G button Tabs X Choose from the following menus: • • • • D: Playback (0 172) C: Shooting (0 176) • B: Setup (0 182) N: Retouch (0 197) m/O: Recent settings or My Menu (defaults to Recent settings; 0 221) Slider shows position in current menu. Current settings are shown by icons. Menu options Options in current menu.
Using Camera Menus The multi selector and J button are used to navigate the camera menus. Move cursor up Cancel and return to previous menu Move cursor down J button: select highlighted item Select highlighted item or display sub-menu Items can also be highlighted by rotating multi selector. X Follow the steps below to navigate the menus. 1 Display the menus. Press the G button to display the menus. G button 2 Highlight the icon for the current menu.
3 Select a menu. Press 1 or 3 to select the desired menu. X 4 Position the cursor in the selected menu. Press 2 to position the cursor in the selected menu. 5 Highlight a menu item. Press 1 or 3 or rotate the multi selector to highlight a menu item. 6 Display options. Press 2 to display options for the selected menu item.
7 Highlight an option. Press 1 or 3 to highlight an option. 8 Select the highlighted item. Press J to select the highlighted item. To exit without making a selection, press the G button. X Note the following: • Menu items that are displayed in gray are not currently available. • While pressing 2 generally has the same effect as pressing J, there are some cases in which selection can only be made by pressing J.
Menu Options D PLAYBACK MENU (0 172) Delete X Selected Select date All Playback folder Current (default) All Playback None (image only) display options Highlights RGB histogram Shooting data Overview Image review On (default) Off Rotate tall On (default) Off Slide show Start Frame interval DPOF print Select/set order Deselect all? C SHOOTING MENU (0 176) Reset shooting menu Storage folder 16 Yes No Select folder New Rename Delete Image quality NEF (RAW) + JPEG fine NEF (RAW) + JPEG normal NEF (RAW) +
Color space sRGB (default) Auto bracketing AE bracketing set (default) Adobe RGB WB bracketing Active Auto D-Lighting 2 ADL bracketing Extra high Interval timer Choose start time High shooting Now Normal Start time Low Interval Off Number of times Long exposure On NR Start Off (default) Movie settings Frame size/frame High ISO NR High rate Normal (default) Movie quality Low Microphone Off 1 Not available if no custom Picture ISO sensitivity ISO sensitivity Controls are present.
Time zone and date X 18 Time zone Date and time Date format Daylight saving time Language See page 247.
Eye-Fi upload* Firmware version Enable Disable – (default) * Available only with compatible Eye-Fi memory cards.
First Steps Charge the Battery The camera is powered by an EN-EL20 rechargeable Li-ion battery (supplied). To maximize shooting time, charge the battery in the supplied MH-27 battery charger before use. About two hours are required to fully recharge the battery when no charge remains. Insert battery X Plug charger in Battery charging Charging complete Unplug the charger and remove the battery when charging is complete.
Insert the Battery 1 Open the battery-chamber/ memory card slot cover. Unlatch (q) and open (w) the batterychamber/memory card slot cover. 2 Insert the battery. Insert the battery in the orientation shown (q), using the battery to keep the orange battery latch pressed to one side. The latch locks the battery in place when the battery is fully inserted (w). 3 q K w K X Battery latch Close the battery-chamber/ memory card slot cover.
A Removing the Battery To remove the battery, turn the camera off and open the battery-chamber/memory card slot cover. Press the battery latch in the direction shown by the arrow to release the battery and then remove the battery by hand. A Inserting and Removing Batteries Always turn the camera off before inserting or removing batteries. A X The Battery and Charger Read and follow the warnings and cautions on pages vi – viii and 233 – 235 of this manual.
Insert a Memory Card The camera stores pictures on Secure Digital (SD) memory cards (available separately; 0 251). To install a memory card, turn the camera off and, holding the card in the orientation shown below, slide it in until it clicks into place. Rear X Memory card slot Inserting memory cards upside down or backwards could damage the camera or the card. Check to be sure the card is in the correct orientation.
D B 16G X Memory Cards • Memory cards may be hot after use. Observe due caution when removing memory cards from the camera. • Do not remove memory cards from the camera, turn the camera off, or remove or disconnect the power source during formatting or while data are being recorded, deleted, or copied to a computer. Failure to observe these precautions could result in loss of data or in damage to the camera or card. • Do not touch the card terminals with your fingers or metal objects.
Basic Setup A language-selection dialog will be displayed the first time the camera is turned on. Choose a language and set the time and date. Photographs can not be taken until you have set the time and date. 1 Turn the camera on. A language-selection dialog will be displayed. X 2 Choose a language and set the camera clock. Use the multi selector and J button to select a language and set the camera clock (note that the camera uses a 24-hour clock).
A The Clock Battery The camera clock is powered by an independent, rechargeable power source, which is charged as necessary when the main battery is installed or the camera is powered by an optional EP-5C power connector and EH-5b AC adapter (0 247). A day of charging will power the clock for about 2 weeks. If the camera displays a warning at startup stating that the clock is not set the clock battery is exhausted and the clock has been reset. Set the clock to the correct time and date (0 185).
sBasic Photography Battery Level and Card Capacity Before shooting, turn the camera on and check the battery level and number of exposures remaining. Battery level is shown in the monitor as follows: s Battery indicator Number of exposures remaining Monitor Description Battery fully charged. L Battery partially discharged. J Low battery. Ready fully-charged spare H battery or prepare to charge battery. Shutter release disabled. Battery exhausted; shutter release disabled. Recharge battery.
A Auto Power Off If no operations are performed for the length of time selected for Auto off timer in the setup menu (0 189; the default for both shooting and playback is about 1 minute), the monitor will turn off to save power and the power-on lamp will flash. The display can be reactivated using the power switch, rotating the mode dial, or by pressing the shutter-release or K button. If no operations are performed for a further three minutes or so, the camera will turn off automatically.
“Point-and-Shoot” Photography (i Mode) This section describes how to take photographs in i mode, automatic “point-and-shoot” modes in which the majority of settings are controlled by the camera in response to shooting conditions. 1 Select i. Mode dial s 2 Ready the camera. Keep your elbows propped lightly against your torso for support and place one foot half a pace ahead of the other to keep your upper body stable.
4 Press the shutter-release button halfway. Press the shutter-release button halfway to focus. If a face is detected, the camera will focus on the face; Focus area otherwise, the camera will focus on the subject in the focus area selected with the multi selector before the shutter-release button was pressed halfway.
A The Shutter-Release Button The camera has a two-stage shutter-release button. The camera focuses when the shutter-release button is pressed halfway. To take the photograph, press the shutter-release button the rest of the way down.
D s The Shooting Display Although they will not appear in the final picture, jagged edges, color fringing, moiré, and bright spots may appear in the monitor, while bright bands may appear in some areas with flashing signs and other intermittent light sources or if the subject is briefly illuminated by a flash or other bright, momentary light source. In addition, distortion may occur if the camera is panned horizontally or an object moves at high speed through the frame.
Basic Playback 1 Press the K button. A photograph will be displayed in the monitor. K button 2 View additional pictures. Additional pictures can be displayed by pressing 4 or 2 or by rotating the multi selector or command dial. s To end playback and return to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway.
Deleting Unwanted Photographs To delete the photograph currently displayed in the monitor, press the O button. Note that photographs can not be recovered once deleted. 1 s Display the photograph. Display the photograph you wish to delete as described on the preceding page. 2 K button Delete the photograph. Press the O button. A confirmation dialog will be displayed; press the O button again to delete the O button image and return to playback. To exit without deleting the picture, press K.
Creative Photography (Scene Modes) Choosing a scene mode automatically optimizes settings to suit the selected scene. h Mode To view the currently selected scene, rotate the mode dial to h. To choose another scene, rotate the command dial. The selected scene is shown by an icon in the monitor. Mode dial Command dial s Monitor k Portrait p Child Use for portraits with soft, natural-looking skin tones.
m Sports Fast shutter speeds freeze motion for dynamic sports shots in which the main subject stands out clearly. While the shutter-release button is pressed all the way down, the camera will take up to 26 shots at frame rates as high as 4 fps (normal quality, size L; all figures are approximate). s n Close up Use for close-up shots of flowers, insects, and other small objects. u Sunset Preserves the deep hues seen in sunsets and sunrises.
0 Food Use for vivid photographs of food. 1 Silhouette Silhouette subjects against bright backgrounds. 2 High Key Use with bright scenes to create bright images that seem filled with light. 3 Low Key s Use with dark scenes to create dark, somber images with prominent highlights.
Recording and Viewing y Movies Recording Movies Follow the steps below to record movies with sound. 1 Press the P button. Shooting information will be displayed in the monitor. y P button 2 Display release mode options. Highlight the current release mode and press J to display release mode options. 3 Select 1 Movie recording. Highlight 1 Movie recording and press J. Press the shutter-release button halfway to return to the shooting display.
4 Choose a shooting mode. Aperture can not be adjusted while recording is in progress; in A and M modes, adjust aperture before beginning recording. Shutter speed can only be adjusted in mode M, when it can be set to values between 1/8000 s and 1/30 s. Flexible program (0 53) is not available. 5 Focus. Frame the opening shot and focus as described in Steps 3 and 4 on page 29. When using manual focus (0 74), note that focus can not be adjusted during recording; adjust focus before recording begins.
7 End recording. Press the shutter-release button all the way down to end recording. Recording will end automatically when the maximum length is reached, the memory card is full or another mode is selected. y A Maximum Length The maximum length for individual movie files is 20 minutes or 29 minutes 59 seconds (0 43); note that depending on memory card write speed, shooting may end before this length is reached (0 251).
The Movie Recording Display w e q Item q “No movie” icon w Movie frame size e Time remaining Description Indicates that movies can not be recorded. The frame size for movie recording. The recording time available for movies. 0 — 43 39 y A Before Recording Choose a color space before recording (0 178).
A Recording Movies Flicker, banding, or distortion may be visible in the monitor and in the final movie under fluorescent, mercury vapor, or sodium lamps or if the camera is panned horizontally or an object moves at high speed through frame (for information on reducing flicker and banding, see Flicker reduction, 0 184). Jagged edges, color fringing, moiré, and bright spots may also appear.
Movie Settings Use the Movie settings option in the shooting menu to adjust the following settings. • Frame size/frame rate, Movie quality: Choose from the following options.
1 Select Movie settings. Press the G button to display the menus. Highlight Movie settings in the shooting menu and press 2. G button 2 Choose movie options. Highlight the desired item and press 2, then highlight an option and press J. y A The 2 Icon 2 is displayed in full-frame and movie playback if the movie was recorded without sound.
Viewing Movies Movies are indicated by a 1 icon in full-frame playback (0 132). Press J to start playback. 1 icon Length Current position/total length Volume Movie progress bar Guide The following operations can be performed: To Pause Use Description y Pause playback. Play Resume playback when movie is paused or during rewind/advance.
To Use Description Adjust Press X to increase volume, W (Q) to X/W (Q) volume decrease. Return to full/K Press 1 or K to exit to full-frame playback. frame playback Exit to shooting mode Display menus y 46 Press shutter-release button halfway to exit to shooting display. G See page 172 for more information.
Editing Movies Trim footage to create edited copies of movies or save selected frames as JPEG stills. Option 9 Choose start/end point 4 Save selected frame Description Create a copy from which the opening or closing footage has been removed. Save a selected frame as a JPEG still. Trimming Movies To create trimmed copies of movies: 1 Display a movie full frame.
3 Display movie edit options. Press the E (N/L) button to display movie edit options. E (N/L) button 4 Select Choose start/ end point. Highlight Choose start/ end point and press J. y The dialog shown at right will be displayed; choose whether the current frame will be the starting or end point of the copy and press J. 5 Delete frames. If the desired frame is not currently displayed, press 4 or 2 or rotate the command dial to advance or rewind.
6 Save the copy. Highlight one of the following and press J: • Save as new file: Save the copy to a new file. • Overwrite existing file: Replace the original movie file with the edited copy. • Cancel: Return to Step 5. • Preview: Preview the copy. Edited copies are indicated by a 9 icon in full-frame playback. y D Trimming Movies Movies must be at least 2 seconds long.
Saving Selected Frames To save a copy of a selected frame as a JPEG still: 1 View the movie and choose a frame. Play the movie back as described on page 45; your approximate position in the movie can be ascertained from Progress bar the movie progress bar. Pause the movie at the frame you intend to copy. y 2 Display movie edit options. Press the E (N/L) button to display movie edit options. E (N/L) button 3 Choose Save selected frame. Highlight Save selected frame and press J.
4 Create a still copy. Press 1 to create a still copy of the current frame. 5 Save the copy. Highlight Yes and press J to create a JPEG copy of the selected frame. Movie stills are indicated by a 9 icon in fullframe playback. y A Save Selected Frame JPEG movie stills created with the Save selected frame option can not be retouched. JPEG movie stills lack some categories of photo information (0 134).
P, S, A, and M Modes # Shutter Speed and Aperture P, S, A, and M modes offer different degrees of control over shutter speed and aperture: Mode # P S A M 52 Description Camera sets shutter speed and aperture for Programmed auto optimal exposure. Recommended for (0 53) snapshots and in other situations in which there is little time to adjust camera settings. User chooses shutter speed; camera selects Shutter-priority auto aperture for best results. Use to freeze or blur (0 54) motion.
P: Programmed Auto In this mode, the camera automatically adjusts shutter speed and aperture according to a built-in program to ensure optimal exposure in most situations. This mode is recommended for snapshots and other situations in which you want to leave the camera in charge of shutter speed and aperture. # A Flexible Program In mode P, different combinations of shutter speed and aperture can be selected by rotating the command dial (“flexible program”).
S: Shutter-Priority Auto To choose a shutter speed, rotate the command dial. Command dial # In shutter-priority auto, you choose the shutter speed while the camera automatically selects the aperture that will produce the optimal exposure. Use slow shutter speeds to suggest motion by blurring moving subjects, fast shutter speeds to “freeze” motion.
A: Aperture-Priority Auto To choose aperture, rotate the command dial. Command dial In aperture-priority auto, you choose the aperture while the camera automatically selects the shutter speed that will produce the optimal exposure. Large apertures (low f-numbers) increase flash range and reduce depth of field, blurring objects behind and in front of the main subject. Small apertures (high f-numbers) increase depth of field, bringing out details in the background and foreground.
M: Manual In manual mode, you control both shutter speed and aperture. Rotate the command dial to choose a shutter speed, and the multi selector to set aperture (shutter speed can also be set by keeping the E (N/L) button pressed and rotating the multi selector, aperture by keeping the E (N/L) button pressed and rotating the command dial). Use the exposure indicators to check exposure.
A The Exposure Indicator If a shutter speed other than “bulb” or “time” is selected (0 58), the exposure indicator shows whether the photograph would be under- or over-exposed at current settings. If the subject is too bright or too dark for the camera to meter, the indicator will flash. Optimal exposure Underexposed by 1/3 EV Overexposed by over 2 EV • The baseline for the exposure indicator is adjusted for exposure compensation (0 88).
❚❚ Long Time-Exposures (M Mode Only) Select the following shutter speeds for long time-exposures of moving lights, the stars, night scenery, or fireworks. • A: The shutter remains open while the shutter-release button is held down. To prevent blur, use a tripod or an optional Length of exposure: 35 s MC-DC2 remote cord (0 231). The shutter-release button on the MC-DC2 performs the same role as the camera shutter-release button. • B: Requires an optional ML-L3 remote control (0 231).
3 Choose a shutter speed. Rotate the command dial to choose a shutter speed of A. For a shutter speed of “B”, Command dial select a remote control release mode (0 66) after choosing the shutter speed. 4 Open the shutter. A: After focusing, press the shutter-release button on the camera or optional remote cord all the way down. Keep the shutter-release button pressed until the exposure is complete. # B: Press the ML-L3 shutter-release button all the way down. 5 Close the shutter.
User Settings: U1 and U2 $ Modes Assign frequently-used settings to the d and e positions on the mode dial. Saving User Settings 1 Select a mode. Mode dial Rotate the mode dial to the desired mode. $ 2 Adjust settings.
3 Select Save user settings. Press the G button to display the menus. Highlight Save user settings in the setup menu and press 2. 4 G button Select Save to U1 or Save to U2. Highlight Save to U1 or Save to U2 and press 2. 5 Save user settings. Highlight Save settings and press J to assign the settings selected in Steps 1 and 2 to the mode dial position selected in Step 4.
Recalling User Settings Simply rotate the mode dial to d to Mode dial recall the settings assigned to Save to U1, or to e to recall the settings assigned to Save to U2. Resetting User Settings To reset settings for d or e to default values: 1 Select Reset user settings. Press the G button to display the menus. Highlight Reset user settings in the setup menu and press 2. $ 2 Select Reset U1 or Reset U2. Highlight Reset U1 or Reset U2 and press 2. 3 Reset user settings. Highlight Reset and press J.
kRelease Mode Single-Frame, Continuous, Self-timer, Remote, and Movie Modes Choose from the following release modes: Mode 8 7 E % $ 1 Description Single frame: Camera takes one photograph each time shutterrelease button is pressed all the way down. Continuous: The camera takes photographs at about 4 frames per second (fps) while the shutter-release button is pressed all the way down. Self-timer: Use self-timer for self-portraits or to reduce blurring caused by camera shake (0 66).
1 Press the P button. Shooting information will be displayed in the monitor. P button 2 Display release mode options. Highlight the current release mode and press J to display release mode options. 3 k 64 Select a release mode. Highlight a release mode and press J. Press the shutter-release button halfway to return to the shooting display.
A Continuous Release Mode Continuous release mode can not be used with the built-in flash; lower the flash or turn the flash off (0 112–116) when shooting in continuous release mode.
Self-Timer and Remote Control Modes The self-timer and optional ML-L3 remote control (0 231) allow the photographer to be at a distance from the camera when a photo is taken. 1 Mount the camera on a tripod. Mount the camera on a tripod or place the camera on a stable, level surface. 2 k 66 Select a release mode.
3 Frame the photograph and shoot. Self-timer mode: Press the shutter-release button halfway to focus, and then press the button the rest of the way down. The self-timer lamp will start to flash, stopping two seconds before the photo is taken. The shutter will be released ten seconds after the timer starts.
D Before Using the ML-L3 Remote Control Before using the ML-L3 for the first time, remove the clear plastic battery-insulator sheet. D Remote Control Photography Note that the shutter may not respond to the ML-L3 remote control if there is a bright light source behind the camera. In $—quick response (ML-L3) —and %—delayed release (ML-L3)— release modes, the camera responds only to the shutter-release button on the ML-L3 remote control.
dImage Quality and Size Together, image quality and size determine how much space each photograph occupies on the memory card. Larger, higher quality images can be printed at larger sizes but also require more memory, meaning that fewer such images can be stored on the memory card (0 252). Image Quality Choose a file format and compression ratio (image quality).
1 Press the P button. Shooting information will be displayed in the monitor. P button 2 Display image quality options. Highlight the current image quality in the information display and press J. 3 d 70 Choose a file type. Highlight an option and press J. To return to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway.
A NEF (RAW) Images Note that the option selected for image size does not affect the size of NEF (RAW) images. White balance bracketing (0 123) is not available at image quality settings of NEF (RAW) or NEF (RAW)+JPEG. NEF (RAW) images can be viewed on the camera or using software such as Capture NX 2 (available separately; 0 231) or ViewNX 2 (available on the supplied ViewNX 2 CD). JPEG copies of NEF (RAW) images can be created using the NEF (RAW) processing option in the retouch menu (0 209).
Image Size Choose a size for JPEG images: Image size Size (pixels) Print size (cm/in.) * # Large 4928 × 3264 41.7 × 27.6/16.4 × 11.4 $ Medium 3696 × 2448 31.3 × 20.7/12.3 × 8.2 % Small 2464 × 1632 20.9 × 13.8/8.2 × 5.4 * Approximate size when printed at 300 dpi. Print size in inches equals image size in pixels divided by printer resolution in dots per inch (dpi; 1 inch=approximately 2.54 cm). 1 Press the P button. Shooting information will be displayed in the monitor.
A The Shooting Menu Image size can also be adjusted using the Image size option in the shooting menu (0 176). A The S (g) Button Image quality and size can also be adjusted by rotating the command dial while keeping the S (g) button pressed (0 194).
Focus N The focus-mode selector can be used to choose between normal and macro autofocus and manual focus modes. The user can also select the focus area for automatic or manual focus (0 75, 80) or use focus lock to focus to recompose photographs after focusing (0 79). Focus-mode selector N A Normal and Macro Autofocus Use normal autofocus to focus on subjects about 50 cm (1 ft 8 in.
Autofocus Autofocus Mode Choose from the following autofocus modes. Option Single-servo AF-S AF AF-F 1 Full-timeservo AF Description For stationary subjects. Focus locks when shutterrelease button is pressed halfway. For moving subjects. Camera focuses continuously until shutter-release button is pressed. Focus locks when shutter-release button is pressed halfway. Press the P button. Shooting information will be displayed in the monitor. P button 2 Display autofocus modes.
AF-Area Mode Choose how the focus area for autofocus is selected in modes other than i. Option ! $ % & 1 Description The camera automatically detects and focuses Face-priority AF on portrait subjects. Use for portraits. Use for hand-held shots of landscapes and Wide-area AF other non-portrait subjects. Use the multi selector to position the focus area. Use for pin-point focus on a selected spot in Normal-area AF the frame. Track a selected subject as it moves through Subject-tracking AF the frame.
3 Choose an AF-area mode. Highlight an option and press J. To return to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway. Face-priority AF: The camera automatically detects and focuses on portrait subjects; the selected subject is indicated by a double yellow border (if multiple faces, up to a maximum of 35, are detected, the camera will focus on Focus area the closest subject; to choose a different subject, use the multi selector).
Subject-tracking AF: Position the focus area over your subject and press J. The focus area will track the selected subject as it moves through the frame. To end tracking, press J again. Focus area Note that the camera may be unable to track subjects if they move quickly, leave the frame or are obscured by other objects, change visibly in size, color, or brightness, or are too small, too large, too bright, too dark, or similar in color or brightness to the background.
Focus Lock If the camera is unable to focus using autofocus (0 75), use focus lock to recompose the photograph after focusing on another object at the same distance as your original subject. 1 Focus. Position the subject in the selected focus area and press the shutter-release button halfway to initiate focus. Check that the focus area is displayed in green. Focus will lock while the shutter-release button is pressed halfway. 2 Recompose the photograph and shoot.
Manual Focus To focus manually, rotate the focus Focus-mode selector ring until the subject is in focus (the faster the ring is rotated, the more rapidly focus will be adjusted). To magnify the view in the monitor for precise focus, press the X button. While the view through the lens is zoomed in, the multi selector can be used to scroll to areas of the frame not visible in the monitor.
SISO Sensitivity The higher the ISO sensitivity, the less light needed to make an exposure, allowing higher shutter speeds or smaller apertures, but the more likely the image is to be affected by noise (randomlyspaced bright pixels, fog, or lines). Noise is particularly likely at settings between Hi 0.3 (equivalent to ISO 8000) and Hi 2 (equivalent to ISO 25600). Choosing Auto allows the camera to set ISO sensitivity automatically in the range ISO 100 to 3200 in response to lighting conditions.
3 Choose an ISO sensitivity. Highlight an option and press J. To return to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway. A S Auto If the mode dial is rotated to P, S, A, or M after Auto is selected for ISO sensitivity in another mode, the ISO sensitivity last selected in P, S, A, or M mode will be restored. A The Shooting Menu ISO sensitivity can also be adjusted using the ISO sensitivity settings option in the shooting menu (0 176).
Auto ISO Sensitivity (P, S, A, and M Modes Only) Control If On is selected for ISO sensitivity settings > Auto ISO sensitivity control in the shooting menu, ISO sensitivity will automatically be adjusted if optimal exposure can not be achieved at the value selected by the user (ISO sensitivity is adjusted appropriately when the flash is used). 1 Select Auto ISO sensitivity control for ISO sensitivity settings in the shooting menu. G button To display the menus, press the G button.
3 Adjust settings. The maximum value for auto ISO sensitivity can be selected using Maximum sensitivity (the minimum value for auto ISO sensitivity is automatically set to ISO 100). In modes P and A, sensitivity will only be adjusted if underexposure would result at the shutter speed selected for Minimum shutter speed (1/1000–1 s). Shutter speeds slower than the minimum value may be used if optimum exposure can not be achieved at the ISO sensitivity value selected for Maximum sensitivity.
VExposure Metering Choose how the camera sets exposure in P, S, A, and M modes (in other modes, the camera selects the metering method automatically). Method Description Produces natural results in most situations. Camera meters a wide area of the frame and sets exposure L Matrix metering according to tone distribution, color, and composition. Center-weighted Camera meters entire frame but assigns greatest M metering weight to center area. Classic meter for portraits.
1 Press the P button. Shooting information will be displayed in the monitor. P button 2 Information display Display metering options. Highlight the current metering method in the information display and press J. 3 Choose a metering method. Highlight an option and press J. To return to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway. Z A See Also For information on using the S (g) button and the command dial to choose a metering method, see page 194.
Exposure Compensation (P, S, and A Modes Only) Exposure compensation is used to alter exposure from the value suggested by the camera, making pictures brighter or darker. It is most effective when used with center-weighted or spot metering (0 85). Choose from values between –5 EV (underexposure) and +5 EV (overexposure) in increments of 1/3 EV. In general, positive values make the subject brighter while negative values make it darker.
A The Information Display Exposure compensation can also be adjusted by selecting the current exposure compensation setting in the information display (0 7). A Using a Flash When a flash is used, exposure compensation affects both background exposure and flash level. The Exposure comp. for flash option in the shooting menu (0 180) can be used to restrict the effects of exposure compensation to the background only.
r White Balance (P, S, A, and M Modes Only) White Balance Options White balance ensures that colors are unaffected by the color of the light source. Auto white balance is recommended for most light sources; in P, S, A, and M modes, other values can be selected if necessary according to the type of source: Option v Auto Normal Keep warm lighting colors J Incandescent I Fluorescent Sodium-vapor lamps Warm-white fluorescent White fluorescent Cool-white fluorescent H Color temp.
Color temp. * Description 5400 K Use with built-in or optional flash. Use in daylight under overcast G Cloudy 6000 K skies. Use in daylight with subjects in the M Shade 8000 K shade. Use subject, light source, or L Preset manual — existing photograph as reference for white balance (0 94). * All values are approximate and do not reflect fine-tuning (if applicable). N 1 Option Flash Press the P button. Shooting information will be displayed in the monitor. P button 2 Display white balance options.
A The Shooting Menu White balance can be selected using the White balance option in the shooting menu (0 176), which also can be used to fine-tune white balance (0 92) or measure a value for preset white balance (0 94). The Auto option in the White balance menu offers a choice of Normal and Keep warm lighting colors, which preserves the warm colors produced by incandescent lighting, while the I Fluorescent option can be used to select the light source from the bulb types.
Fine-Tuning White Balance White balance options other than Preset manual can be “finetuned” to compensate for variations in the color of the light source or to introduce a deliberate color cast into an image. 1 Select a white balance option in the shooting menu. To display the menus, press the G button. G button Select White balance in the shooting menu, then highlight an option other than Preset manual and press 2. If an option other than Auto or Fluorescent is selected, proceed to Step 2.
Green (G) Increase green Blue (B) Increase magenta Increase blue 3 Amber (A) Magenta (M) Increase amber Press J. Press J to save settings and return to the shooting menu. If white balance has been fine-tuned, an asterisk (“*”) will be displayed in the monitor. A White Balance Fine-Tuning The colors on the fine-tuning axes are relative, not absolute.
Preset Manual Preset manual is used to record and recall custom white balance settings for shooting under mixed lighting or to compensate for light sources with a strong color cast. Two methods are available for setting preset white balance: Method Measure Use photo Description Neutral gray or white object is placed under lighting that will be used in final photo and white balance measured by camera (see below). White balance is copied from photo on memory card (0 97).
3 Select Measure. Highlight Measure and press 2. The menu shown at right will be displayed; highlight Yes and press J. The message shown at right will be displayed before the camera enters preset measurement mode. When the camera is ready to measure white balance, a flashing L will appear in the monitor. 4 Measure white balance. Before the indicator stops flashing, frame the reference object so that it fills the display and press the shutter-release button all the way down.
5 Check the results. If the camera was able to measure a value for white balance, the message shown at right will be displayed. If lighting is too dark or too bright, the camera may be unable to measure white balance and the message shown at right will be displayed. Return to Step 4 and measure white balance again. r A Other Methods for Measuring Preset White Balance To enter preset measurement mode (see above) after selecting preset white balance in the information display, press J for a few seconds.
❚❚ Copying White Balance from a Photograph Follow the steps below to copy a value for white balance from a photograph on the memory card. 1 Select Preset manual. To display the menus, press the G button. Highlight White balance in the shooting menu and press 2 to display white G button balance options. Highlight Preset manual and press 2. 2 Select Use photo. Highlight Use photo and press 2. 3 Choose Select image.
4 Choose a folder. Highlight the folder containing the source image and press 2. 5 Highlight the source image. 6 Copy white balance. Press J to set preset white balance to the white balance value for the highlighted photograph. r A Inspecting Pictures The picture currently highlighted in the thumbnail display can be inspected by pressing X; the picture will be displayed full screen while the button is pressed.
JImage Enhancement Picture Controls (P, S, A, and M Modes Only) Nikon’s unique Picture Control system makes it possible to share image processing settings, including sharpening, contrast, brightness, saturation, and hue, among compatible devices and software. Selecting a Picture Control The camera offers six Picture Controls. In P, S, A, and M modes, you can choose a Picture Control according to the subject or type of scene (in other modes, the camera selects a Picture Control automatically).
1 Press the P button. Shooting information will be displayed in the monitor. P button 2 Information display Display Picture Control options. Highlight the current Picture Control and press J. 3 Select a Picture Control. Highlight a Picture Control and press J. To return to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway. A J The Shooting Menu Picture Controls can also be selected using the Set Picture Control option in the shooting menu (0 176).
Modifying Picture Controls Existing preset or custom Picture Controls (0 106) can be modified to suit the scene or the user’s creative intent. Choose a balanced combination of sharpening, contrast, and saturation using Quick adjust, or make manual adjustments to individual settings. 1 Display the Picture Control menu. To display the menus, press the G button. Highlight Set Picture Control in the shooting menu and press 2. 2 G button Select a Picture Control.
3 Adjust settings. Press 1 or 3 to highlight the desired setting and press 4 or 2 to choose a value (0 103). Repeat this step until all settings have been adjusted, or select Quick adjust to choose a preset combination of settings. Default settings can be restored by pressing the O button. 4 Save changes and exit. Press J. J A Modifications to Original Picture Controls Picture Controls that have been modified from default settings are indicated by an asterisk (“*”).
❚❚ Picture Control Settings Option Manual adjustments (all Picture Controls) Description Choose from options between –2 and +2 to reduce or exaggerate the effect of the selected Picture Control by adjusting sharpening, contrast, and saturation (note that Quick adjust this resets all manual adjustments). For example, choosing positive values for Vivid makes pictures more vivid. Not available with Neutral, Monochrome, or custom Picture Controls. Control the sharpness of outlines.
D “A” (Auto) Results for auto sharpening, contrast, and saturation vary with exposure and the position of the subject in the frame. A The Picture Control Grid Pressing the X button in Step 3 on page 102 displays a Picture Control grid showing the contrast and saturation for the selected Picture Control in relation to the other Picture Controls (only contrast is displayed when Monochrome is selected). Release the X button to return to the Picture Control menu.
A Filter Effects (Monochrome Only) The options in this menu simulate the effect of color filters on monochrome photographs. The following filter effects are available: Y O Option Yellow Orange R Red G Green Description Enhances contrast. Can be used to tone down the brightness of the sky in landscape photographs. Orange produces more contrast than yellow, red more contrast than orange. Softens skin tones. Can be used for portraits.
Creating Custom Picture Controls The Picture Controls supplied with the camera can be modified and saved as custom Picture Controls. 1 Select Manage Picture Control. To display the menus, press the G button. Highlight Manage Picture Control in the shooting G button menu and press 2. 2 Select Save/edit. Highlight Save/edit and press 2. 3 J 106 Select a Picture Control.
4 Edit the selected Picture Control. See page 103 for more information. To abandon any changes and start over from default settings, press the O button. Press J when settings are complete. 5 Select a destination. Highlight a destination for the custom Picture Control (C-1 through C-9) and press 2. 6 Name the Picture Control. Keyboard area The text-entry dialog shown at right will be Name area displayed.
7 Save changes and exit. Press X to save changes and exit. The new Picture Control will appear in the Picture Control list. X button J A Manage Picture Control > Rename Custom Picture Controls can be renamed at any time using the Rename option in the Manage Picture Control menu. A Manage Picture Control > Delete The Delete option in the Manage Picture Control menu can be used to delete selected custom Picture Controls when they are no longer needed.
Sharing Custom Picture Controls Custom Picture Controls created using the Picture Control Utility available with ViewNX 2 or optional software such as Capture NX 2 can be copied to a memory card and loaded into the camera, or custom Picture Controls created with the camera can be copied to the memory card to be used in compatible cameras and software and then deleted when no longer needed.
(P, S, A, and M Preserving Detail in Modes Only) Highlights and Shadows (Active D-Lighting) Active D-Lighting preserves details in highlights and shadows, creating photographs with natural contrast. Use for high contrast scenes, for example when photographing brightly lit outdoor scenery through a door or window or taking pictures of shaded subjects on a sunny day. It is most effective when used with matrix metering (0 85).
1 Press the P button. Shooting information will be displayed in the monitor. P button 2 Information display Display Active D-Lighting options. Highlight Active D-Lighting in the information display and press J. 3 Choose an option. Highlight Y Auto, Z Extra high, P High, Q Normal, R Low, or X Off and press J. If Y Auto is selected, the camera will automatically adjust Active D-Lighting according to shooting conditions. To return to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway. .
Flash Photography l Using the Built-in Flash The camera supports a variety of flash modes for photographing poorly lit or backlit subjects. 1 Raise the flash. Slide the flash pop-up control to raise the flash. Charging begins when the flash is raised; once charging is complete, a flash-ready indicator (M) will be displayed and the flash lamp will light Flash pop-up control when the shutter-release button is pressed halfway. 2 Choose a flash mode. See page 113 for more information.
Flash Mode The flash modes available vary with shooting mode: i, k, p, n, s, w NR Auto NjR Auto+red-eye reduction j Off N Nj NjS P, A Fill flash Red-eye reduction Slow sync+red-eye reduction o NjU Auto+slow sync+ red-eye reduction NU j Auto+slow sync Off N Nj NT S, M Fill flash Red-eye reduction Rear-curtain sync 0 NS Slow sync N Fill flash NT * Rear curtain+slow sync * S appears in information display when setting is complete.
3 Choose a flash mode. Highlight a mode and press J. Press the shutterrelease button halfway to return to shooting mode. A l Flash Modes The flash modes listed on the previous page may combine one or more of the following settings, as shown by the flash mode icon: • R (auto flash): Flash fires as required when lighting is poor or subject is back lit. • j (red-eye reduction): Use for portraits.
A See Also For information on using the f button and the command dial to choose the flash mode, see page 193. A Lowering the Built-in Flash To save power when the flash is not in use, press it gently downward until the latch clicks into place. Do not use force; failure to observe this precaution could result in product malfunction. D The Built-in Flash The shutter release may be briefly disabled to protect the flash after it has been used for several consecutive shots.
Flash Compensation (P, S, A, and M Modes Only) Flash compensation is used to alter flash output from the level suggested by the camera, changing the brightness of the main subject relative to the background. Choose from values between –3 EV (darker) and +1 EV (brighter) in increments of 1/3 EV; in general, positive values make the subject brighter while negative values make it darker. 1 Press the P button. Shooting information will be displayed in the monitor.
A Optional Flash Units Flash compensation is also available with optional SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, and SB-400 flash units; in the case of all but the SB-400, it can be adjusted using the controls on the flash unit in addition to the procedure described above. The flash compensation selected with the optional flash unit is added to the flash compensation selected with the camera. A See Also The Exposure comp.
FV Lock This feature is used to lock flash output, allowing photographs to be recomposed without changing the flash level and ensuring that flash output is appropriate to the subject even when the subject is not positioned in the center of the frame. Flash output is adjusted automatically for any changes in ISO sensitivity and aperture. To use FV lock: 1 Assign FV lock to the f button. Select FV lock for Assign Fn1 button in the setup menu (0 193), then press G to return to the shooting display.
4 Lock flash level. After confirming that the flash ready indicator (M) is displayed, press the f button. The flash will emit a monitor preflash to determine the appropriate flash level. Flash output will be locked at this level and an FV lock icon (e) will be displayed. 5 Recompose the photograph. 6 Take the photograph. f button Press the shutter-release button the rest of the way down to shoot. If desired, additional pictures can be taken without releasing FV lock. 7 Release FV lock.
D Using FV Lock with the Built-in Flash FV lock is only available with the built-in flash when TTL is selected for Flash cntrl for built-in flash in the shooting menu (0 181). A Using FV Lock with Optional Flash Units FV lock is also available with optional flash units in TTL and (where supported) monitor pre-flash AA and monitor pre-flash A flash control modes. See the flash unit manual for details.
tOther Shooting Options Restoring Default Settings The camera settings listed below and on page 122 can be restored to default values by holding the P and G buttons down together for more than two seconds. The monitor turns off briefly while settings are reset.
Option Bracketing Picture Control settings* Exposure compensation Flash compensation Flash mode Flexible program * Current Picture Control only. t 122 Default P, S, A, M Off P, S, A, M P, S, A, M P, S, A, M P, S, A, M, 0 i, k, p, n, w Unmodified 0.0 0.
Bracketing (P, S, A, and M Modes Only) Bracketing automatically varies exposure, Active D-Lighting (ADL), or white balance slightly with each shot, “bracketing” the current value. Choose in situations in which it is difficult to set exposure, white balance, or Active D-Lighting and there is not time to check results and adjust settings with each shot, or to experiment with different settings for the same subject. 1 Choose a bracketing option.
3 Display bracketing options. Highlight the current bracketing setting and press J. 4 Select a bracketing increment. Highlight a bracketing increment and press J. Choose from values between 0.3 and 2 EV (AE bracketing) or 1 to 3 (WB bracketing), or select ADL (ADL bracketing). 5 Frame a photograph, focus, and shoot. AE bracketing: The camera will vary exposure with each shot.
If there is not enough space available on the memory card to record three images, the exposure-count display in the monitor will flash. Shooting can begin when a new memory card is inserted. ADL bracketing: The first shot after bracketing is activated is taken with Active D-Lighting off, the second at the current Active D-Lighting setting (0 110; if Active D-Lighting is off, the second shot will be taken with Active D-Lighting set to Auto).
A Disabling Bracketing To disable bracketing and resume normal shooting, select OFF in Step 4 on the previous page. To cancel bracketing before all frames have been recorded, rotate the mode dial to a setting other than P, S, A, or M. A Memory Card Capacity If the memory card fills before all shots in the sequence have been taken, shooting can be resumed from the next shot in the sequence after the memory card has been replaced or shots have been deleted to make room on the memory card.
Interval Timer Photography The camera is equipped to take photographs automatically at preset intervals. Mount the camera on a tripod and frame the subject before proceeding. 1 Select Interval timer shooting. Press the G button to display the menus. Highlight Interval timer shooting in the shooting menu and press 2. 2 G button Choose a starting time. Choose from the following starting triggers. • To start shooting immediately, highlight Now and press 2.
3 Choose the interval. Press 4 or 2 to highlight hours, minutes, or seconds and press 1 or 3 to choose an interval longer than the slowest anticipated shutter speed. Press 2 to continue. 4 Choose the number of intervals. Press 4 or 2 to highlight number of intervals (i.e., the number of times the camera shoots); press 1 or 3 to change. Press 2 to continue. D t Before Shooting Select single-frame or continuous release mode when using the interval timer.
5 Start shooting. Highlight On and press J (to return to the shooting menu without starting the interval timer, highlight Off and press J). The first series of shots will be taken at the specified starting time, or after about 5 s if Now was selected for Choose start time in Step 2. Shooting will continue at the selected interval until all shots have been taken.
Using a GPS Unit An optional GP-1 GPS unit (0 231) can be connected to the accessory terminal (0 3) allowing information on the camera’s current position to be recorded when photographs are taken. When connecting GPS units, turn the camera off and note that the unit can not be mounted on the accessory shoe when the built-in flash is used; for more information, see the manual provided with the GP-1. ❚❚ Setup Menu Options The GPS item in the setup menu contains the options listed below.
A The n Icon Connection status is shown by the n icon: • n (static): Camera has established communication with the GPS unit. Photo information for pictures taken while this icon is displayed include an additional page of GPS data (0 138). • n (flashing): The GPS unit is searching for a signal. Pictures taken while the icon is flashing do not include GPS data. • No icon: No new GPS data have been received from the GPS unit for at least two seconds.
More on Playback I Full-Frame Playback To play photographs back, press the K button. The most recent photograph will be displayed in the monitor. K button G button K button Multi selector E (N/L) button X button W (Q) button J button A I 132 O button Command dial Rotate Tall To display “tall” (portrait-orientation) photographs in tall orientation, select On for the Rotate tall option in the playback menu (0 174).
To Use View additional photographs View additional photo info View thumbnails Zoom in on photograph Delete images Description Press 2 to view photographs in order recorded, 4 to view photographs in reverse order. Photographs can also be viewed by rotating the multi selector or command dial. Change photo info displayed (0 134). See page 140 for more information on the thumbnail display. See page 144 for more information on X playback zoom. Confirmation dialog will be displayed.
Photo Information Photo information is superimposed on images displayed in fullframe playback. Press 1 or 3 to cycle through photo information as shown below. Note that “image only”, shooting data, RGB histograms, highlights, and overview data are only displayed if corresponding option is selected for Playback display options (0 173). GPS data are only displayed if a GPS unit was used when the photo was taken. 1/1 LATITUDE LONGITUDE ALTITUDE TIME(UTC) 100NIKON DSC _0001.
❚❚ File Information 12 3 1 Protect status .................................... 146 2 Retouch indicator ............................ 197 3 Frame number/total number of 1/12 9 100NIKON DSC _0001. JPG 15/05/2013 15 : 30 : 05 8 7 6 NORMAL 4928x3264 4 5 4 5 6 7 8 9 images Image quality .......................................69 Image size..............................................72 File name ............................................ 191 Time of recording .....................
A Playback Zoom To zoom in on the photograph when the histogram is displayed, press X. Use the X and W (Q) buttons to zoom in and out and scroll the image with the multi selector. The histogram will be updated to show only the data for the portion of the image visible in the monitor. A Histograms Camera histograms are intended as a guide only and may differ from those displayed in imaging applications.
❚❚ Shooting Data 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 Metering ................................................85 M T R , S P D, A P . E X P . MO D E , I S O F O C A L L E NG T H L ENS A F / VR F L ASH T YP E S Y N C MO D E , : , 1 / 1 2 5 , F5 . 6 : , 100 : +1. 3 : 1 8 . 5 mm : :S : Bu i l t - i n : S L OW : T T L -B L , + 0. 3 COOLP I X A 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 2 1/12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Shutter speed................................54, 56 Aperture..........................................55, 56 Shooting mode........
19 20 21 22 19 High ISO noise reduction.............. 179 N O I S E R E D U C . : H I I S O, N O R M A C T . D - L I G H T . : N O R MA L : D - L I GH T I NG R E T OU C H W ARM F I L T E R CO L OR BA L ANCE TR I M : COMMENT SPR I NG HAS COME . COOLP I X A 1 2 3 4 5 Long exposure noise reduction ... 179 1/12 20 Active D-Lighting............................. 110 21 Retouch history ................................ 197 22 Image Comment ..............................
❚❚ Overview Data 1 2 1/ 12 3 COOLP I X A 4 1213 14 5 –1. 3 1/ 125 F5. 6 100 + 1. 0 SLOW 26 25 18. 5mm 0, 0 11 100NIKON DSC_0001. JPG 15/ 05/ 2013 15 : 30 : 06 10 9 8 N OR ORMAL AL 4928x3264 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18. 5mm 23 22 21 20 19 7 1 Frame number/total number of 2 3 4 5 16 17 18 0, 0 24 6 15 1/ 125 F5. 6 100 + 1. 0 –1. 3 SLOW images Protect status .....................................146 Camera name Retouch indicator.............................
Thumbnail Playback To display images in “contact sheets” of four, nine, or 72 images, press the W (Q) button. W (Q) W (Q) X Full-frame playback To Display more images Display fewer images X Thumbnail playback Use W (Q) X Highlight images I 140 Description Press W (Q) button to increase the number of images displayed. Press X button to reduce the number of images displayed. When four images are displayed, press to view highlighted image full frame.
To Change protect status of highlighted photo Return to shooting mode Display menus Use Description E (N/L) See page 146 for more information. /K G Press shutter-release button halfway to exit to shooting display. See page 172 for more information.
Calendar Playback To view images taken on a selected date, press the W (Q) button when 72 images are displayed.
To Use Delete highlighted photo(s) O Change protect status of highlighted photo Return to shooting mode Display menus Description • Date list: Delete all pictures taken on selected date. • Thumbnail list: Delete highlighted picture (0 148). E (N/L) See page 146 for more information. /K G Press shutter-release button halfway to exit to shooting display. See page 172 for more information.
Taking a Closer Look: Playback Zoom Press the X button to zoom in on the image displayed in full-frame playback or on the image currently highlighted in thumbnail or calendar playback. The following operations can be performed while zoom is in effect: To Zoom in or out View other areas of image Select/zoom in on or out from faces I 144 Use Description Press X to zoom in to maximum of X / W (Q) approximately 31× (large images), 23× (medium images) or 15× (small images). Press W (Q) to zoom out.
To Use View other images Cancel zoom Change E (N/L) protect status Return to /K shooting mode Display G menus Description Rotate command dial or multi selector to view same location in other images at current zoom ratio. Playback zoom is cancelled when a movie is displayed. Cancel zoom and return to full-frame playback. See page 146 for more information. Press shutter-release button halfway to exit to shooting display. See page 172 for more information.
Protecting Photographs from Deletion In full-frame, zoom, thumbnail, and calendar playback, the E (N/ L) button can be used to protect photographs from accidental deletion. Protected files can not be deleted using the O button or the Delete option in the playback menu. Note that protected images will be deleted when the memory card is formatted (0 183). To protect a photograph: 1 Select an image.
. A Removing Protection from All Images To remove protection from all images in the folder or folders currently selected in the Playback folder menu, press the E (N/L) and O buttons together for about two seconds during playback.
Deleting Photographs To delete the photograph displayed in full-frame playback or the photograph highlighted in the thumbnail list, press the O button. To delete multiple selected photographs, all photographs taken on a selected date, or all photographs in the current playback folder, use the Delete option in the playback menu. Once deleted, photographs can not be recovered. Note that protected pictures can not be deleted.
3 Press the O button again. To delete the photograph, press the O button again. To exit without deleting the photograph, press the K button. I A Calendar Playback During calendar playback, you can delete all photographs taken on a selected date by highlighting the date in the date list and pressing the O button.
The Playback Menu The Delete option in the playback menu contains the following options. Note that depending on the number of images, some time may be required for deletion. Option Q Selected n Select date R All Description Delete selected pictures. Delete all pictures taken on a selected date. Delete all pictures in the folder currently selected for playback (0 173). ❚❚ Selected: Deleting Selected Photographs 1 Choose Selected for the Delete option in the playback menu.
3 Select the highlighted picture. Press the W (Q) button to select the highlighted picture. Selected pictures are marked by a O icon. W (Q) button Repeat steps 2 and 3 to select additional pictures; to deselect a picture, highlight it and press W (Q). 4 Press J to complete the operation. A confirmation dialog will be displayed; highlight Yes and press J.
❚❚ Select Date: Deleting Photographs Taken on a Selected Date 1 Choose Select date. In the delete menu, highlight Select date and press 2. 2 Highlight a date. Press 1 or 3 to highlight a date. To view the pictures taken on the highlighted date, press W (Q). Use the multi selector to scroll through the pictures, or press and hold X to view the current W (Q) button picture full screen. Press W (Q) to return to the date list. 3 I 152 Select the highlighted date.
4 Press J to complete the operation. A confirmation dialog will be displayed; highlight Yes and press J.
Connections Q Using ViewNX 2 The supplied ViewNX 2 software can be used to copy pictures to your computer, where they can be viewed, retouched, and shared. ViewNX 2TM Your Imaging Toolbox Installing ViewNX 2 ❚❚ Supported Operating Systems At the time of writing, ViewNX 2 was compatible with the following operating systems. For the latest information on supported operating systems, see the websites listed on page 1.
2 Select a language. If the desired language is not available, click Region Selection to choose a different region and then choose the desired language (region selection is not available in the European release). After choosing a language, click Next. The dialog shown below at right will be displayed. To view detailed installation instructions, click Installation Guide before proceeding. 3 Start the installer. Click Install and follow the on-screen instructions. 4 Exit the installer.
Copy Pictures to the Computer Before proceeding, be sure you have installed the software on the supplied ViewNX 2 CD (0 154). 1 Choose how pictures will be copied to a computer. • Direct USB connection: Turn the camera off and ensure that a memory card containing pictures is inserted in the camera. Connect the camera to the computer using the supplied UC-E16 USB cable; the camera will turn on automatically.
2 Copy pictures. After confirming that the desired camera or memory card is displayed in the “Options” panel “Source” tab (q), click Start Transfer (w). At default settings, all pictures on the memory card will be copied to the computer. q w 3 Terminate the connection. If the camera is connected to the computer, turn the camera off and disconnect the USB cable.
View Pictures Pictures are displayed in ViewNX 2 when transfer is complete. A Q Starting ViewNX 2 Manually • Windows: Double-click the ViewNX 2 shortcut on the desktop. • Mac OS: Click the ViewNX 2 icon in the Dock. A For More Information Consult online help for more information on using ViewNX 2.
Printing Photographs Selected JPEG images can be printed on a PictBridge printer (0 249) connected directly to the camera. Connecting the Printer Connect the camera using the supplied UC-E16 USB cable. 1 Turn the camera off. 2 Connect the USB cable. Turn the printer on and connect the USB cable as shown. Do not use force or attempt to insert the connectors at an angle.
A Printing Via Direct USB Connection Be sure the EN-EL20 battery is fully charged or use an optional EH-5b AC adapter and EP-5C power connector (0 230). When taking photographs to be printed via direct USB connection, set Color space to sRGB (0 178). D USB Hubs Connect the camera directly to the printer; do not connect the cable via a USB hub.
Printing Pictures One at a Time 1 Select a picture. Press 4 or 2 to view additional pictures. Press the X button to zoom in on the current frame (0 144; press K to exit zoom). To view six pictures at a time, press the W (Q) button. Use the multi selector to highlight pictures, or press X to display the highlighted picture full frame. 2 Display printing options. Press J to display PictBridge printing options. 3 Adjust printing options. Press 1 or 3 to highlight an option and press 2 to select.
Option Description Highlight Printer default (use current printer settings), Print time stamp (print times and dates of Time stamp recording on photos), or No time stamp and press J to select and exit to the previous menu. This option is available only if supported by the printer. To exit without cropping, highlight No cropping and press J. To crop the current picture, highlight Crop and press 2.
Printing Multiple Pictures 1 Display the PictBridge menu. Press the G button in the PictBridge playback display. G button 2 Choose an option. Highlight one of the following options and press 2. • Print select: Select pictures for printing. • Select date: Print one copy of all the pictures taken on a selected date. • Print (DPOF): Print an existing print order created with the DPOF print order option in the playback menu (0 166). The current print order will be displayed in Step 3.
3 Select pictures or choose a date. If you chose Print select or Print (DPOF) in Step 2, use the multi selector to scroll through the pictures on the memory card. To display the current picture full screen, press and hold the X button. To select the current picture for printing, hold the W (Q) button and press 1. The picture will be marked W (Q) button + 13: with a Z icon and the number of Choose number of copies prints will be set to 1.
4 Display printing options. Press J to display PictBridge printing options. 5 Adjust printing options. Choose page size, border, and time stamp options as described on page 161 (a warning will be displayed if the selected page size is too small for an index print). 6 Start printing. Select Start printing and press J to start printing. To cancel before all copies have been printed, press J. A See Also See page 242 for information on what to do if an error occurs during printing.
Creating a DPOF Print Order: Print Set The DPOF print order option in the playback menu is used to create digital “print orders” for PictBridge-compatible printers and devices that support DPOF. 1 Choose Select/set for the DPOF print order item in the playback menu. Press the G button and select DPOF print order G button in the playback menu. Highlight Select/set and press 2 (to remove all photographs from the print order, select Deselect all?). 2 Q 166 Select pictures.
3 Display imprint options. Press J to display data imprint options. 4 Select imprint options. Highlight the following options and press 2 to toggle the highlighted option on or off (to complete the print order without including this information, proceed to Step 5). • Print shooting data: Print shutter speed and aperture on all pictures in print order. • Print date: Print date of recording on all pictures in print order. 5 Complete the print order. Press J to complete the print order.
D DPOF Print Order To print the current print order when the camera is connected to a PictBridge printer, select Print (DPOF) in the PictBridge menu and follow the steps in “Printing Multiple Pictures” to modify and print the current order (0 163). DPOF print date and shooting data options are not supported when printing via direct USB connection; to print the date of recording on photographs in the current print order, use the PictBridge Time stamp option.
Viewing Photographs on TV The camera can be connected to high-defintion video devices using a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cable (available separately from commercial sources). The cable must have a HDMI mini connector (Type C) for connection to the camera. 1 Turn the camera off. Always turn the camera off before connecting or disconnecting an HDMI cable. 2 Connect the HDMI cable as shown.
A Standard Televisions The camera can only be connected to devices with an HDMI connector. A Television Playback Use of an EH-5b AC adapter and EP-5C power connector (available separately) is recommended for extended playback. Volume can be adjusted using television controls; the camera controls can not be used. A Using External HDMI Displays HDMI displays connected via an HDMI cable can be used during shooting.
HDMI Options The HDMI option in the setup menu controls output resolution and can be used to enable the camera for remote control from devices that support HDMI-CEC (High-Definition Multimedia Interface–Consumer Electronics Control, a standard that allows HDMI devices to be used to control peripherals to which they are connected).
Camera Menus U D The Playback Menu: Managing Images To display the playback menu, press G and select the D (playback menu) tab. G button The playback menu contains the following options: Option Delete Playback folder Playback display options Image review A 0 150 173 173 173 See Also Menu defaults are listed on page 16.
Playback Folder G button ➜ D playback menu Choose a folder for playback: Option All Current Description Pictures in all folders will be visible during playback. Only photos in the folder currently selected for Storage folder in the shooting menu (0 177) are displayed during playback. Playback Display Options G button ➜ D playback menu Choose the information that can be displayed by pressing 1 or 3 in full-frame playback (0 134).
Rotate Tall G button ➜ D playback menu Choose whether to rotate “tall” (portraitorientation) pictures for display during playback. Note that because the camera itself is already in the appropriate orientation during shooting, images are not rotated automatically during image review. Option On Off Description “Tall” (portrait-orientation) pictures are automatically rotated for display in the camera monitor.
To start the slide show, highlight Start and press J. The following operations can be performed while the slide show is in progress: To Use Skip back/skip ahead View additional photo info Change photo info displayed (0 134). Pause/resume slide show Exit to playback menu Exit to playback mode Exit to shooting mode Description Press 4 to return to previous frame, 2 to skip to next frame, or rotate multi selector or command dial to skip frames. Pause show. Press again to resume.
C The Shooting Menu: Shooting Options To display the shooting menu, press G and select the C (shooting menu) tab. G button The shooting menu contains the following options: Option Reset shooting menu Storage folder Image quality Image size White balance Set Picture Control Manage Picture Control Color space Active D-Lighting Long exposure NR 0 176 177 69 72 89 99 106 178 110 179 Option High ISO NR ISO sensitivity settings Release mode Built-in AF-assist illuminator Exposure comp.
Storage Folder G button ➜ C shooting menu Create, rename, or delete folders, or choose the folder in which subsequent photographs will be stored. • Select folder: Choose the folder in which subsequent photographs will be stored. Current folder NIKON (default folder) Other folders (in alphabetical order) • New: Create a new folder and name it as described on pages 107– 108. Folder names can be up to five characters long. • Rename: Select a folder from the list and rename it as described on pages 107–108.
Color Space G button ➜ C shooting menu The color space determines the gamut of colors available for color reproduction. Choose sRGB for photographs that will be printed or used “as is,” with no further modification. Adobe RGB has a wider color gamut and is recommended for images that will be extensively processed or retouched after leaving the camera. A Color Space Color spaces define the correspondence between colors and the numeric values that represent them in a digital image file.
Long Exposure NR G button ➜ C shooting menu If On is selected, photographs taken at shutter speeds slower than 1 s will be processed to reduce noise (bright spots, randomly-spaced bright pixels, or fog). The time required for processing roughly doubles; the message shown at right will be displayed when processing starts and pictures can not be taken until processing is complete (if the camera is turned off before processing is complete, the picture will be saved but noise reduction will not be performed).
Built-in AF-assist Illuminator G button ➜ C shooting menu Choose whether the built-in AF-assist illuminator lights to assist the focus operation when lighting is poor. Option On Off AF-assist illuminator Description The AF-assist illuminator lights when lighting is poor. The AF-assist illuminator does not light to assist the focus operation. The camera may not be able to focus using autofocus when lighting is poor.
Flash Cntrl for Built-in Flash G button ➜ C shooting menu Choose the flash mode for the built-in flash. Option 1 TTL 2 Manual Description Flash output is adjusted automatically in response to shooting conditions. Choose a flash level between Full and 1/32 (1/32 of full power). The camera does not emit monitor pre-flashes. A Manual A Y icon flashes in the monitor when Manual is selected and the flash is raised.
B The Setup Menu: Camera Setup To display the setup menu, press G and select the B (setup menu) tab.
Format Memory Card G button ➜ B setup menu Memory cards must be formatted before first use or after being used or formatted in other devices. D Formatting Memory Cards Formatting memory cards permanently deletes any data they may contain. Be sure to copy any photographs and other data you wish to keep to a computer before proceeding (0 156). 1 Highlight Yes. To exit without formatting the memory card, highlight No and press J. 2 Press J.
Photo Info G button ➜ B setup menu Choose the information displayed in the monitor during shooting. Select Show info or Hide info to view or hide shooting indicators (0 134). Select Framing grid to view a framing grid or Virtual horizon to display a virtual horizon to assist in keeping the camera level. Flicker Reduction G button ➜ B setup menu Reduce flicker and banding when shooting under fluorescent or mercury-vapor lighting. Choose an option that matches the frequency of the local AC power supply.
Time Zone and Date G button ➜ B setup menu Change time zones, set the camera clock, choose the date display order, and turn daylight saving time on or off. Option Description Choose a time zone. The camera clock is automatically set to the time Time zone in the new time zone. Set the camera clock (0 25). Date and time Choose the order in which the day, month, and year are displayed. Date format Daylight saving time Turn daylight saving time on or off.
Language G button ➜ B setup menu Choose a language for camera menus and messages. Image Comment G button ➜ B setup menu Add a comment to new photographs as they are taken. Comments can be viewed as metadata in ViewNX 2 (supplied) or Capture NX 2 (available separately; 0 231). The comment is also visible on the shooting data page in the photo information display (0 137). The following options are available: • Input comment: Input a comment as described on page 107.
Auto Image Rotation G button ➜ B setup menu Photographs taken while On is selected contain information on camera orientation, allowing them to be rotated automatically during playback or when viewed in ViewNX 2 or Capture NX 2 (available separately; 0 231). The following orientations are recorded: Landscape (wide) orientation Camera rotated 90° clockwise Camera rotated 90° counterclockwise Camera orientation is not recorded when Off is selected.
Self-Timer G button ➜ B setup menu Choose the length of the shutter release delay and the number of shots taken (0 66). • Self-timer delay: Choose the length of the shutter-release delay. • Number of shots: Press 1 and 3 to choose the number of shots taken each time the shutter-release button is pressed (from 1 to 9).
Auto off Timer G button ➜ B setup menu Choose the delay before the monitor turns off to save power when no operations are performed; the camera will turn off automatically if no operations are performed for an additional three minutes after the monitor has turned off.
Beep G button ➜ B setup menu Choose the pitch (High or Low) of the beep that sounds when the camera focuses using autofocus, while the release timer is counting down in self-timer and delayed remote modes (0 63) when a photograph is taken in quickresponse remote mode (0 63), or if you attempt to take a photograph when the memory card is locked (0 24). Select Off to prevent the beep from sounding. Note that a beep will not sound in movie mode when the memory card is locked or the camera focuses.
File Number Sequence G button ➜ B setup menu When a photograph is taken, the camera names the file by adding one to the last file number used. This option controls whether file numbering continues from the last number used when a new folder is created, the memory card is formatted, or a new memory card is inserted in the camera. Option Description When a new folder is created, the memory card formatted, or a new memory card inserted in the camera, file numbering continues from the last number used.
MF Distance Indicator Units G button ➜ B setup menu Choose whether the focus distance for manual focus is displayed in meters (m) or feet (ft). Reverse Indicators G button ➜ B setup menu If (V) is selected, the exposure indicator is displayed with positive values on the left and negative values on (W) to display negative values the right. Select on the left and positive values on the right.
Assign Fn1 Button G button ➜ B setup menu Choose the role played by the f button: Option Description Press the f button and rotate the command dial to Flash mode choose the flash mode (0 113). Press the f button and rotate the command dial to Release mode choose the release mode (0 63). Press the f button to select self-timer mode. Press Self-timer again to cancel self-timer mode (0 66). Press the f button once to lock flash output, again to FV lock release (0 118).
Assign J/Fn2 Button G button ➜ B setup menu Choose the role played by the S (g) button: Option Description Press the S (g) button and rotate the command ISO sensitivity dial to set ISO sensitivity (0 81). Press the S (g) button and rotate the command White balance dial to adjust white balance (0 89). Image quality/ Press the S (g) button and rotate the command size dial to choose image quality and size (0 69, 72).
Slot Empty Release Lock G button ➜ B setup menu If Release locked is selected, the shutter-release button is only enabled when a memory card is inserted in the camera. Selecting Enable release allows the shutter to be released when no memory card is inserted, although no pictures will be recorded (they will however be displayed in the monitor in demo mode).
D Eye-Fi Cards Eye-Fi cards can not be used with optional WU-1a wireless mobile adapters. Do not insert Eye-Fi cards while a WU-1a is connected. Eye-Fi cards may emit wireless signals when Disable is selected. If a warning is displayed in the monitor (0 243), turn the camera off and remove the card. See the manual provided with the Eye-Fi card, and direct any inquiries to the manufacturer. The camera can be used to turn Eye-Fi cards on and off, but may not support other Eye-Fi functions.
N The Retouch Menu: Creating Retouched Copies To display the retouch menu, press G and select the N (retouch menu) tab. G button The retouch menu is used to create trimmed or retouched copies of the photographs on the memory card, and is only available when a memory card containing photographs is inserted in the camera.
Creating Retouched Copies To create a retouched copy: 1 Display retouch options. Highlight the desired item in the retouch menu and press 2. 2 Select a picture. Highlight a picture and press J (to view the highlighted picture full screen, press and hold the X button). 3 Select retouch options. For more information, see the section for the selected item. To exit without creating a retouched copy, press G. 4 Create a retouched copy. Press J to create a retouched copy.
A Creating Retouched Copies During Playback Options other than Image overlay and Edit movie can be used during playback. Display picture full frame and press J. Highlight an option and press J. Create retouched copy. D Retouch The camera may not be able to display or retouch images created with other devices. If the image was recorded at image quality settings of NEF (RAW) + JPEG (0 69), retouch options apply only to the JPEG copy (Image overlay and NEF (RAW) processing excepted).
G button ➜ N retouch menu D-Lighting D-Lighting brightens shadows, making it ideal for dark or backlit photographs. Before After Press 1 or 3 to choose the amount of correction performed. The effect can be previewed in the edit display. Press J to copy the photograph.
Red-Eye Correction G button ➜ N retouch menu This option is used to correct “red-eye” caused by the flash, and is available only with photographs taken using the flash. The photograph selected for red-eye correction can be previewed in the edit display. Confirm the effects of red-eye correction and create a copy as described in the following table.
G button ➜ N retouch menu Trim Create a cropped copy of the selected photograph. The selected photograph is displayed with the selected crop shown in yellow; create a cropped copy as described in the following table. To Increase size of crop Reduce size of crop Use Description Press the X button to increase the size of the X crop. Press the W (Q) button to reduce the size of W (Q) the crop.
Monochrome G button ➜ N retouch menu Copy photographs in Blackand-white, Sepia, or Cyanotype (blue and white monochrome). Selecting Sepia or Cyanotype displays a preview of the selected image; press 1 to increase color saturation, 3 to decrease. Press J to create a monochrome copy. Filter Effects Increase saturation Decrease saturation G button ➜ N retouch menu Choose from the following filter effects. After adjusting filter effects as described below, press J to copy the photograph.
Option Description Red intensifier Intensify reds (Red intensifier), greens (Green intensifier), or blues Green (Blue intensifier). Press 1 to intensifier increase the effect, 3 to decrease. Blue intensifier Add starburst effects to light sources. • Number of points: Choose from four, six, or eight. • Filter amount: Choose the brightness of the light sources affected. • Filter angle: Choose the angle of the Cross screen points. • Length of points: Choose the length of points.
G button ➜ N retouch menu Color Balance Use the multi selector to create a copy with modified color balance as shown below. The effect is displayed in the monitor together with red, green, and blue histograms (0 135) giving the distribution of tones in the copy. Increase amount of green Create retouched copy Increase amount of blue Increase amount of amber Increase amount of magenta A Zoom To zoom in on the image displayed in the monitor, press the X button.
G button ➜ N retouch menu Image Overlay Image overlay combines two existing NEF (RAW) photographs to create a single picture that is saved separately from the originals; the results, which make use of RAW data from the camera image sensor, are noticeably better than overlays created in an imaging application. The new picture is saved at current image quality and size settings; before creating an overlay, set image quality and size (0 69, 72; all options are available).
2 Select the first image. Use the multi selector to highlight the first photograph in the overlay. To view the highlighted photograph full frame, press and hold the X button. Press J to select the highlighted photograph and return to the preview display. 3 Select the second image. The selected image will appear as Image 1. Highlight Image 2 and press J, then select the second photo as described in Step 2. 4 Adjust gain.
5 Preview the overlay. Press 4 or 2 to place the cursor in the Preview column and press 1 or 3 to highlight Overlay. Press J to preview the overlay as shown at right (to save the overlay without displaying a preview, select Save). To return to Step 4 and select new photos or adjust gain, press W (Q). 6 Save the overlay. Press J while the preview is displayed to save the overlay. After an overlay is created, the resulting image will be displayed full-frame in the monitor.
NEF (RAW) Processing G button ➜ N retouch menu Create JPEG copies of NEF (RAW) photographs (0 69). 1 Select NEF (RAW) processing. Highlight NEF (RAW) processing in the retouch menu and press 2 to display a picture selection dialog listing only NEF (RAW) images created with this camera. 2 Select a photograph. Use the multi selector to highlight a photograph (to view the highlighted photograph full frame, press and hold the X button).
3 Adjust NEF (RAW) processing settings. Adjust the settings listed below. Note that white balance is not available with pictures created with image overlay, and that exposure compensation can only be set to values between –2 and +2 EV. If Auto is selected for white balance, it will be set to whichever of Normal and Keep warm lighting colors was in effect when the picture was taken. The Picture Control grid is not displayed when Picture Controls are adjusted.
Resize G button ➜ N retouch menu Create small copies of selected photographs. 1 Select Resize. To resize selected images, press G to display the menus and select Resize in the retouch menu. 2 Choose a size. Highlight Choose size and press 2. The options shown at right will be displayed; highlight an option and press J.
3 Choose pictures. Highlight Select image and press 2. Highlight pictures using the multi selector and press the W (Q) button to select or deselect (to view the highlighted picture full screen, press and hold W (Q) button the X button). Selected pictures are marked by a 8 icon. Press J when the selection is complete. 4 Save the resized copies. A confirmation dialog will be displayed. Highlight Yes and press J to save the resized copies.
Quick Retouch G button ➜ N retouch menu Create copies with enhanced saturation and contrast. D-Lighting is applied as required to brighten dark or backlit subjects. Press 1 or 3 to choose the amount of enhancement. The effect can be previewed in the edit display. Press J to copy the photograph. Straighten G button ➜ N retouch menu Create a straightened copy of the selected image. Press 2 to rotate the image clockwise by up to five degrees in increments of approximately 0.
G button ➜ N retouch menu Color Outline Create an outline copy of a photograph to use as a base for painting. The effect can be previewed in the edit display. Press J to copy the photograph. Before Color Sketch After G button ➜ N retouch menu Create a copy of a photograph that resembles a sketch made with colored pencils. Press 1 or 3 to highlight Vividness or Outlines and press 4 or 2 to change.
Perspective Control G button ➜ N retouch menu Create copies that reduce the effects of perspective taken from the base of a tall object. Use the multi selector to adjust perspective (note that greater amounts of perspective control result in more of the edges being cropped out). The results can be previewed in the edit display. Press J to copy the photograph, or press K to exit to playback without creating a copy.
G button ➜ N retouch menu Miniature Effect Create a copy that appears to be a photo of a diorama. Works best with photos taken from a high vantage point. The area that will be in focus in the copy is indicated by a yellow frame. To Choose orientation Press Description Press W (Q) to choose orientation of area that W (Q) is in focus. If area of effect is in wide orientation, press 1 or 3 to position frame showing area of copy that will be in focus.
Selective Color G button ➜ N retouch menu Create a copy in which only selected hues appear in color. 1 Select Selective color. Highlight Selective color in the retouch menu and press 2 to display a picture selection dialog. 2 Select a photograph. Highlight a photograph (to view the highlighted photograph full frame, press and hold the X button). Press J to select the highlighted photograph and proceed to the next step. 3 Select a color.
4 Highlight the color range. Color range Rotate the command dial to highlight the color range for the selected color. 5 Choose the color range. Press 1 or 3 to increase or decrease the range of similar hues that will be included in the final photograph. Choose from values between 1 and 7; note that higher values may include hues from other colors. The effect can be previewed in the edit display. 6 Select additional colors.
Side-by-Side Comparison Compare retouched copies to the original photographs. This option is only available if the J button is pressed to display the retouch menu when a copy or original is played back full frame. 1 Select a picture. Select a retouched copy (shown by a N icon) or a photograph that has been retouched in full-frame playback and press J. 2 Select Side-by-side comparison. Highlight Side-by-side comparison in the retouch menu and press J.
3 Compare the copy with the original. Options used to create copy The source image is displayed on the left, the retouched copy on the right, with the options used to create the copy listed at the top of the display. Press 4 or 2 to switch between the Source Retouched image copy source image and the retouched copy. To view the highlighted picture full frame, press and hold the X button. If the copy was created from two images using Image overlay, press 1 or 3 to view the other source image.
m Recent Settings/O My Menu To display the recent settings menu, press G and select the m (recent settings) tab. G button The recent settings menu lists the 20 most recently used settings, with the most recentlyused items first. Press 1 or 3 to highlight an option and press 2 to select. A Removing Items from the Recent Settings Menu To remove an item from the recent settings menu, highlight it and press the O button. A confirmation dialog will be displayed; press O again to delete the selected item.
My Menu To access a customized menu of up to 20 options selected from the playback, shooting, setup, and retouch menus, select O My Menu for m Recent settings > Choose tab. 1 Select Choose tab. In the recent settings menu (m), highlight Choose tab and press 2. 2 Select O My Menu. Highlight O My Menu and press J. The name of the menu will change from “RECENT SETTINGS” to “MY MENU.” To view recent settings again, select m Recent settings for O My Menu > Choose tab.
❚❚ Adding Options to My Menu 1 Select Add items. In My Menu (O), highlight Add items and press 2. 2 Select a menu. Highlight the name of the menu containing the option you wish to add and press 2. 3 Select an item. Highlight the desired menu item and press J. 4 Position the new item. Press 1 or 3 to move the new item up or down in My Menu. Press J to add the new item. 5 Add more items. The items currently displayed in My Menu are indicated by a check mark.
❚❚ Deleting Options from My Menu 1 Select Remove items. In My Menu (O), highlight Remove items and press 2. 2 Select items. Highlight items and press 2 to select or deselect. Selected items are indicated by a check mark. 3 Delete the selected items. Highlight Done and press J. A confirmation dialog will be displayed; press J again to delete the selected items. A Deleting Items in My Menu To delete the item currently highlighted in My Menu, press the O button.
❚❚ Reordering Options in My Menu 1 Select Rank items. In My Menu (O), highlight Rank items and press 2. 2 Select an item. Highlight the item you wish to move and press J. 3 Position the item. Press 1 or 3 to move the item up or down in My Menu and press J. Repeat Steps 2–3 to reposition additional items. 4 Exit to My Menu. Press the G button to return to My Menu.
Technical Notes n Read this chapter for information on compatible accessories, cleaning and storing the camera, and what to do if an error message is displayed or you encounter problems using the camera. Optional Flash Units (Speedlights) Compatible optional flash units can be attached directly to the camera accessory shoe as described below. The accessory shoe is equipped with a safety lock for flash units with a locking pin. 1 Remove the accessory shoe cover.
Compatible Flash Units The camera can be used with the flash units listed below (for the latest information on compatible flash units, see the websites listed on page 1). For more information, refer to the documentation provided with the flash unit. Flash unit Feature Guide No.
The following features are available with compatible flash units: Compatible flash units Single flash SB-900 SB-910 i-TTL balanced fill-flash 1 z i-TTL Standard i-TTL flash z2 AA Auto aperture z3 A Non-TTL auto z3 GN Distance-priority manual z M Manual z RPT Repeating flash z Flash Color Information Communication z z FV Lock 5 Red-eye reduction z Camera flash mode selection — Camera flash unit firmware update z 1 2 3 4 5 n 228 SB-800 SB-700 SB-600 SB-400 z z2 z3 z3 z z z z z z — — z z — — z z — z z
A i-TTL Flash Control In i-TTL flash control, the camera adjusts the flash level based on reflections from a series of nearly invisible pre-flashes (monitor preflashes) emitted by the flash unit immediately before firing.
Other Accessories At the time of writing, the following accessories were available for the COOLPIX A. • Power Connector EP-5C, AC Adapter EH-5b: These accessories can be used to power the camera for extended periods (EH-5a and EH-5 AC adapters can also be used). An EP-5C power connector is required to connect the camera to the EH-5b, EH-5a, or EH-5. The power connector and adapters are each sold separately.
Viewfinders Software • Optical Viewfinder DF-CP1: Attaches to the camera accessory shoe; covers the angle of view equivalent to that of a 28 mm lens in 35 mm [135] format. • Capture NX 2: A complete photo editing package offering such features as white balance adjustment and color control points. Note: See the websites listed on page 1 for the latest information on supported operating systems.
Caring for the Camera Cleaning Camera body Lens Monitor Use a blower to remove dust and lint, then wipe gently with a soft, dry cloth. After using the camera at the beach or seaside, wipe off sand or salt with a cloth lightly dampened in distilled water and dry thoroughly. Important: Dust or other foreign matter inside the camera may cause damage not covered under warranty. This glass element is easily damaged. Remove dust and lint with a blower.
Caring for the Camera and Battery: Cautions Caring for the Camera Do not drop: The product may malfunction if subjected to strong shocks or vibration. Keep dry: This product is not waterproof, and may malfunction if immersed in water or exposed to high levels of humidity. Rusting of the internal mechanism can cause irreparable damage.
Notes on the monitor: The monitor is constructed with extremely high precision; at least 99.99% of pixels are effective, with no more than 0.01% being missing or defective. Hence while these displays may contain pixels that are always lit (white, red, blue, or green) or always off (black), this is not a malfunction and has no effect on images recorded with the device. Images in the monitor may be difficult to see in a bright light.
• The internal temperature of the battery may rise while the battery is in use. Attempting to charge the battery while the internal temperature is elevated will impair battery performance, and the battery may not charge or charge only partially. Wait for the battery to cool before charging. • Continuing to charge the battery after it is fully charged can impair battery performance.
Available Settings The following table lists the settings that can be adjusted in each mode. Shooting menu Other settings 2 n 236 Storage folder Image quality 1, 2 Image size 1, 2 White balance 1, 2 Set Picture Control 1, 2 Color space 1 Active D-Lighting 1, 2 Long exposure NR 1 High ISO NR 1 ISO sensitivity settings 1, 2 Release mode 1, 2 Built-in AF-assist illuminator 1 Exposure comp.
k, p, l, m, S, A, n, o, r, t, M s u, v z z z z z z z z z i P w Self-timer z z z Auto off timer z z z Image review time z z z Remote on duration z z z z z z (ML-L3) Beep z z z z z z Shutter sound z z z z z z File number sequence z z z z z z MF distance indicator z z z z z z units Reverse indicators z z z z z z Assign Fn1 button z z z z z z Assign J/Fn2 button z z z z z z Reverse dial rotation z z z z z z Slot empty release lock z z z z z z Reset with Reset shooting menu (0 176).
Troubleshooting If the camera fails to function as expected, check the list of common problems below before consulting your retailer or Nikon representative. Battery/Display The camera is on but does not respond: Wait for recording to end. If the problem persists, turn the camera off. If the camera does not turn off, remove and reinsert the battery or, if you are using an AC adapter, disconnect and reconnect the AC adapter.
Can not select AF-area mode: Camera is in i mode (0 29). Image size can not be changed: An NEF (RAW) option is selected for image quality (0 69). Camera is slow to record photos: Turn long exposure noise reduction off (0 179). Noise (bright spots, randomly-spaced bright pixels, fog, or lines) appear in photos: • Choose lower ISO sensitivity or turn high ISO noise reduction on (0 179). • Shutter speed is slower than 1 s: use long exposure noise reduction (0 179).
Shooting (P, S, A, M) Full range of shutter speeds not available: The flash is in use. Colors are unnatural: • Adjust white balance to match light source (0 89). • Adjust Set Picture Control settings (0 99). Can not measure white balance: Subject is too dark or too bright (0 96). Image can not be selected as source for preset white balance: Image was not created with COOLPIX A (0 97). White balance bracketing unavailable: NEF (RAW) or NEF+JPEG image quality option selected for image quality (0 71).
Can not delete picture: • Picture is protected: remove protection (0 146). • Memory card is locked (0 24). Can not retouch picture: Photo can not be further edited with this camera (0 199). Can not change print order: • Memory card is full: delete pictures (0 27, 148). • Memory card is locked (0 24). Can not select photo for printing: Photo is in NEF (RAW) format. Create JPEG copy using NEF (RAW) processing or transfer to computer and print using supplied software or Capture NX 2 (0 156, 209).
Error Messages This section lists the indicators and error messages that appear in the camera displays. Solution 0 Low battery. Turn camera off, remove 27 battery, and insert charged battery. Turn camera off, remove and reinsert 2 battery, and turn camera on. If subject is too bright, reduce ISO sensitivity or choose a faster shutter speed (mode S) or smaller aperture (Exposure indicator and shutter (higher f-number; mode A).
Indicator This memory card cannot be used. Card may be damaged. Insert another card. Memory card is locked. Slide lock to "write" position. Not available if Eye-Fi card is locked. This card is not formatted. Format the card. Clock has been reset. Failed to update flash unit firmware. Flash cannot be used. Contact a Nikon-authorized service representative. Folder contains no images. Cannot display this file. Cannot select this file. Lens error. Check printer. Solution 0 Use Nikon-approved card.
Indicator Check paper. Paper jam. Out of paper. Check ink supply. Out of ink. Solution Insert paper of correct size and select Continue. Clear jam and select Continue. Insert paper of selected size and select Continue. Check ink. To resume, select Continue. Replace ink and select Continue. * See printer manual for more information.
Specifications ❚❚ Nikon COOLPIX A Digital Camera Type Compact digital camera Number of effective pixels 16.2 million 23.6 × 15.6 mm Nikon DX format CMOS; approx. Image sensor 16.93 million total pixels Lens NIKKOR lens 18.5 mm (angle of view equivalent to that of Focal length 28 mm lens in 35mm [135] format) f/-number f/2.8 Construction 7 elements in 5 groups Autofocus (AF) Contrast-detect AF Approx. 50 cm (1 ft 8 in.) – ∞; approx. 10 cm (4 in.) Focus range – ∞ in macro autofocus mode.
L (4928 × 3264), M (3696 × 2448), S (2464 × 1632) ISO 100 – 3200; can be adjusted using ISO ISO sensitivity sensitivity to 6400, Hi 0.3 (ISO 8000 equivalent), (Recommended Exposure Hi 0.
Supported languages Power sources Battery life1 Still pictures Movie recording (endurance for movie recording)2 Tripod socket Dimensions (W × H × D) Weight Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, European Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish • One rechargeable Li-ion EN-EL20 battery (supplied) • AC Adapter EH-5b; requires Power Connector EP-5C (available separately) Appro
❚❚ Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL20 Type Rated capacity Operating temperature Dimensions (W × H × D) Weight Rechargeable lithium-ion battery DC 7.2 V, 1020 mAh 0 °C – 40 °C (32 °F – 104 °F) Approx. 30.7 × 50.0 × 14.0 mm (1.2 × 2.0 × 0.6 in.) Approx. 41 g (1.4 oz), excluding terminal cover ❚❚ Battery Charger MH-27 Rated input Rated output Supported rechargeable battery Charging time Operating temperature Dimensions (W × H × D) Weight D AC 100–240 V, 50–60 Hz, 0.2 A DC 8.4 V, 0.
❚❚ Supported Standards • DCF: The Design Rule for Camera File Systems (DCF) is a standard widely used in the digital camera industry to ensure compatibility among different makes of camera. • DPOF: Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) is an industry-wide standard that allows pictures to be printed from print orders stored on the memory card. • Exif version 2.3: The COOLPIX A supports Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format for Digital Still Cameras) version 2.
A Trademark Information Macintosh, Mac OS, and QuickTime are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks, or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. PictBridge logo is a trademark. The SD, SDHC, and SDXC logos are trademarks of the SD-3C, LLC.
Approved Memory Cards The following SD memory cards have been tested and approved for use in the COOLPIX A. Cards with class 6 or faster write speeds are recommended for movie recording. Recording may end unexpectedly when cards with slower write speeds are used.
Memory Card Capacity The following table shows the number of pictures that can be stored on a 4 GB memory card at different image quality (0 69) and size (0 72) settings. All figures are approximate; results will vary with the card type, camera settings, and the scene recorded. Image quality NEF (RAW) JPEG fine JPEG normal JPEG basic Image size — Large Medium Small Large Medium Small Large Medium Small No.
Index Symbols i (Auto mode) .............................................9, 29 h (Scene mode) .....................................9, 35 k (Portrait).......................................................... 35 l (Landscape) ................................................... 35 p (Child) .............................................................. 35 m (Sports) ............................................................ 36 n (Close up)........................................................
Blue intensifier (Filter effects) .................... 204 Border (PictBridge) ........................................ 161 Bracketing................................................123, 181 Brightness......................................................... 103 Built-in AF-assist illuminator ...................... 180 Built-in flash ..................................................... 112 Bulb ........................................................................58 Burst.................................
H Help ....................................................................... 12 Hi (Sensitivity).................................................... 82 High ISO NR ......................................................179 Highlights..........................................................135 Histogram................................................ 135, 136 I Image comment..............................................186 Image overlay ..................................................206 Image quality .
Press the shutter-release button halfway30, 31 Print (DPOF)...................................................... 163 Print select ........................................................ 163 Printing .............................................................. 159 Programmed auto.............................................53 Protecting photographs .............................. 146 Q Quick retouch .................................................. 213 Quick-response (ML-L3).............................
W Warm filter (Filter effects) ............................203 WB .......................................................................... 89 White balance .................................................... 89 Wide-area AF......................................................
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