Nikon D3body - D3 Body 12mp FX Digital SLR Camera Technical Manual

D3 professional technical guide
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Summary of Contents for Nikon D3body - D3 Body 12mp FX Digital SLR Camera

  • Page 1 Pro fessional Te c h n i c a l G u i d e...
  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    Table of Contents Using the Menus ............4 Autofocus Autofocus Focusing with Autofocus ..........7 Behind the Goal ............11 Tracking erratically moving subjects that are frequently obscured by other objects Pitcher or Runner? ............12 Switching instantly between subjects at diff erent dis- tances from the camera The Inside Track............13 Tracking subjects that are obscured by objects passing...
  • Page 3 Image Quality Image Quality FX and DX Formats .............22 Vignette Control............27 Lens Options Lens Options Vibration Reduction (VR) ...........28 Options for Long Lenses ..........30 Camera Settings Camera Settings Sharing Settings ............31...
  • Page 4: Using The Menus

    Using the Menus Use the button, button, and multi selector to navigate the menus. button button Multi selector : Move Center: Select cursor up highlighted item : Cancel and : Select high- return to previous lighted item or menu display sub-menu : Move cursor down Display the menus.
  • Page 5 Select a menu. Press to select the desired menu. Position the cursor in the selected menu. Press to position the cursor in the selected menu. Highlight a menu item. Press to highlight a menu item. Display options. Press to display options for the highlighted menu item.
  • Page 6 Using the Menus Highlight an option. Press to highlight an option. Select the highlighted item. Press to select the high- lighted item (some items can also be selected by pressing ). To exit with- out making a selection, press the button.
  • Page 7: Autofocus Focusing With Autofocus

    Autofocus: Focusing with Autofocus The a Autofocus group in the fi rst level of the Custom Settings menu contains a variety of advanced autofocus options. This chapter details options that can be used to frame moving subjects at sporting events: a1 (AF-C priority selection), a3 (Dynamic AF area), and a4 (Focus tracking with lock-on).
  • Page 8 Autofocus Choose an option for Custom Setting a1. Choose whether the camera gives priority to focus or to shutter re- sponse in focus mode C. Choose an option for Custom Setting a3. Choose the number of focus points used for dynamic-area AF. Select 9 points or 21 points for track-and-fi eld events or for sub- jects that move unpredictably.
  • Page 9 Focusing with Autofocus Choose an option for Custom Setting a4. Choose how quickly the camera responds when an object moves between the subject and the camera.
  • Page 10 Autofocus Focus Tracking with Lock-On Focus tracking with lock-on controls how the camera re- sponds to abrupt changes in focus distance. It can be used to prevent the camera from immediately refocusing when objects move through the space between the subject and the camera, ensuring that the camera will continue to track the main subject once the obstacle has moved away.
  • Page 11: Behind The Goal

    Focusing with Autofocus Example 1 Behind the Goal Photographers positioned behind the goal at a soccer match are faced with subjects that move unpredictably and that may be intermittently obscured by objects coming between the subject and the camera during framing. Choose the following focus options: AF-C priority selection: Dynamic AF area:...
  • Page 12: Pitcher Or Runner

    Autofocus Example 2 Pitcher or Runner? Choose lower lock-on times for improved focus response when you may have to switch quickly between subjects at diff erent distances from the camera. AF-C priority selection: Dynamic AF area: Focus tracking with Release 9 points or 21 points lock-on: Short or Off (note that Off reduces...
  • Page 13: The Inside Track

    Focusing with Autofocus Example 3 The Inside Track Choose longer lock-on times when photographing a runner on the inside track or in other situations in which your subject may be blocked for relatively long periods. Your subject AF-C priority selection: Dynamic AF area: Focus tracking with Release...
  • Page 14: At The Finish Line

    Autofocus Example 4 At the Finish Line Selecting Release for Custom Setting a1 ensures a quick shutter response and faster frame advance rates. AF-C priority selection: Dynamic AF area: Focus tracking with Release 9 points or 21 points lock-on: Normal...
  • Page 15: Poor Lighting Or Bad Weather

    Focusing with Autofocus Example 5 Poor Lighting or Bad Weather Select Release + Focus for quick shutter response while slow- ing frame advance rates in continuous release mode for im- proved focus with scenes that are poorly lit or low contrast. AF-C priority selection: Dynamic AF area: Focus tracking with...
  • Page 16: Auto Iso Sensitivity Control

    Exposure: Auto ISO Sensitivity Control If On is selected for ISO sensitivity > ISO sensitivity auto control in the shooting menu, the camera automat- ically adjusts ISO sensitivity if optimal exposure can not be achieved at the minimum shutter speed selected by the user.
  • Page 17: A Daytime Stadium Match

    Example 6 A Daytime Stadium Match Auto ISO sensitivity control is ideal for scenes with large varia- tions in brightness. Sunlight Shade...
  • Page 18 Exposure Auto ISO Sensitivity Control Choose the following ISO sensitivity settings: ISO sensitivity: 200 ISO sensitivity auto Maximum sensitivity: Minimum shutter control: On 6400 speed: 1/500 s In this example, ISO sensitivity will automatically be raised to a maximum of ISO 6400 if optimal exposure can not be achieved at ISO 200.
  • Page 19: Active D-Lighting (Adl)

    Exposure: Active D-Lighting (ADL) Active D-Lighting preserves details in highlights and shad- ows, creating photographs with natural contrast. Example 7 A Daytime Stadium Match Revisited Use Active D-Lighting for compositions that include areas of sharply contrasting brightness.
  • Page 20 Exposure Active D-Lighting (ADL) The following settings are recom- mended: Active D-Lighting High or Normal Metering Matrix Exposure mode , or ISO sensitivity ISO 1600 or less Memory card UDMA-compliant memory card 1. Active D-Lighting will not produce the desired eff ect when used with center-weighted or spot metering.
  • Page 21: Easy Exposure Compensation

    Exposure: Easy Exposure Compensation When On or On (Auto reset) is se- lected for Custom Setting b4 (Easy Exposure Compensation), exposure compensation can be set simply by rotating a command dial (at default settings, the sub-command dial is used for easy exposure compensation in exposure modes , and the main command dial is used in exposure mode ).
  • Page 22: Image Quality Fx And Dx Formats

    Image Quality: FX and DX Formats At default settings, image quality is not automatically ad- justed when you switch between FX and DX image areas. As a result, pictures taken using the smaller DX image area will not be the same quality as FX-format images when printed at the same size.
  • Page 23 Choose shooting menu bank A. In the shooting menu, select Shooting menu bank. Highlight bank A and press Adjust settings for shooting menu bank A. Sample settings are listed below: • Image quality: JPEG basic • Image size: M • Image area: FX format (36 ×...
  • Page 24 Image Quality Adjust settings for shooting menu bank B. Sample settings are listed below: • Image quality: JPEG fi ne • Image size: L • Image area: DX format (24 × 16) Choose the role of the Fn button. In the Custom Settings menu, select Custom Setting f4 (Assign FUNC.
  • Page 25 FX and DX Formats Notes Shooting menu bank can also be assigned to the “button + dials” options for Custom Settings f5 (Assign preview button) and f6 (Assign AE-L/AF-L button). Apart from image quality, image size, and image area, set- tings for banks A and B should be identical.
  • Page 26 Image Quality FX and DX Formats Frame Rate (Continuous High-Speed Release Mode) Although maximum frame advance rate when FX format is selected for image area is fi xed at 9 fps, the maximum frame rate for DX format can be selected from 9, 10, and 11 fps using Custom Setting d2 (Shooting speed).
  • Page 27: Vignette Control

    Image Quality: Vignette Control You may notice a drop in peripheral illumination (vignett- ing) with certain lenses, particularly at maximum aperture. This can be corrected using the Vignette control option in the shooting menu. Vignette control: Select Vignette control in the shooting menu and choose High, Normal, or Low Notes Vignette control is available from camera fi rmware ver-...
  • Page 28: Lens Options Vibration Reduction (Vr)

    Lens Options: Vibration Reduction (VR) The D3 supports vibration reduction with VR lenses. Turn vi- bration reduction off when shooting at fast shutter speeds. Other vibration reduction settings may result in slower frame advance rates and increased shutter lag. The table on the following page lists the recommended set- tings for diff erent subjects.
  • Page 29 VR mode VR mode Suggested for Suggested for Not suggested for Not suggested for Moving subjects (e.g., shut- ter speeds of s or faster) — • Stationary subjects Subjects moving NORMAL (ON) • Panning shots of moving too fast to frame subjects using panning Photographs taken from...
  • Page 30: Options For Long Lenses

    Lens Options: Options for Long Lenses The table below describes the focus modes available with the following lenses: • AF-S NIKKOR 400 mm f/2.8G ED VR • AF-S NIKKOR 500 mm f/4G ED VR • AF-S NIKKOR 600 mm f/4G ED VR Mode Mode Description...
  • Page 31: Camera Settings Sharing Settings

    Camera Settings: Sharing Settings Select Save/load settings > Save settings in the setup menu to save current camera settings to the memory card in Slot 1 (if the memory card is full, an error message will be displayed). Saved settings can loaded into any D3 camera using Save/load settings >...
  • Page 32 © 2008 Nikon Corporation Printed in Japan...

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D325434 - d3 digital camera slr

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