DIGITAL CAMERA User's Manual En Where to Find It Find what you're looking for from: i i i i i i The Q&A Index pp. iv­ix Know what you want to do but don't know the function name? Find it from the "question and answer" index. The Table of Contents The Quick Start Guide The Index Error Messages pp. x­xvii Find items by function or menu name. pp. 23­24 A brief guide for those who want to get started taking pictures right away. pp. 438­444 Search by key word. pp. 409­416 If a warning is displayed in the viewfinder or monitor, find the solution here. Troubleshooting pp. 402­408 Camera behaving unexpectedly? Find the solution here. A For Your Safety Before using the camera for the first time, read the safety instructions in "For Your Safety" (pg. xviii). Digitutor Digitutor, a series of "watch and learn" manuals in movie form, is available from the following website: http://www.nikondigitutor.com/index_eng.html Package Contents Be sure all items listed here were included with your camera. Memory cards are sold separately. D3 digital camera (pg. 3) BF-1A body cap (pp. 4, 387) BS-2 accessory shoe cover (pg. 3) EN-EL4a rechargeable Li-ion battery with terminal cover (pp. 32, 34) MH-22 quick charger with power cable and two contact protectors (pp. 32, 433) UC-E4 USB cable (pp. 256, 264) USB cable clip (pg. 259) EG-D2 audio/video cable (pg. 274) AN-D3 strap (pg. 5) Warranty User's Manual (this guide) Quick Guide Software Installation Guide Software Suite CD-ROM Registration card (U. S. A. only) i Symbols and Conventions To make it easier to find the information you need, the following symbols and conventions are used: D A This icon marks cautions; information that should be read before use to prevent damage to the camera. This icon marks notes; information that should be read before using the camera. Menu items, options, and messages displayed in the camera monitor are shown in brackets ([ ]). Trademark Information Macintosh, Mac OS, and QuickTime are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Microsoft, Windows and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. CompactFlash is a trademark of SanDisk Corporation. Microdrive is a trademark of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies in the United States and other countries. HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC. All other trade names mentioned in this manual or the other documentation provided with your Nikon product are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. A ii X Introduction s Tutorial d Image Recording Options N Focus k Release Mode S ISO Sensitivity Z Exposure r White Balance J Image Enhancement l Flash Photography t Other Shooting Options I More About Playback e Voice Memos Q Connections U Menu Guide n Technical Notes iii Q&A Index Find what you're looking for using this "question and answer" index. New Features Question How do I take pictures in 35mm format? How do I take high-quality NEF (RAW) photos? How do I record photographs using two memory cards? Can I use the monitor as a viewfinder? Can I control how photos are processed? How do I preserve details in shadows and highlights? How do I focus on erratically moving subjects? Can I adjust focus separately for different lenses? Key phrase Image area 14-bit NEF (RAW) Slot 2 Live view Picture Controls Active D-Lighting 3D-tracking AF fine tune See page 60 68 71 90 166 185 307 358 Camera Setup Question How do I focus the viewfinder? How do I keep the monitor from turning off? How do I keep the shutter speed and aperture displays from turning off? Key phrase Viewfinder focus Monitor off delay Auto meter off See page 47 318 50, 317 iv Question How do I set the clock? How do I set the clock for daylight savings time? How do I change time zones when I travel? How do I adjust monitor brightness for menus or playback? How do I restore default settings? How do I restore shooting menu defaults? How do I restore Custom Setting defaults? How do I change the self-timer delay? Can I reverse the electronic analog exposure display? Can I display the menus in a different language? Can I save menu settings for use on a different D3 camera? Key phrase See page World time 40, 347 LCD brightness Two-button reset Reset shooting menu Reset custom settings Self-timer delay Reverse indicators Language Save/load settings 345 206 293 303 318 343 347 355 Menus and Displays Question How do I get more information on a menu? How do I use the menus? What do these indicators mean? What information is in the shooting information display? What does this warning mean? Key phrase Help Using the menus Viewfinder, control panels, shooting information display Error messages and displays See page 31 26 8, 10, 12, 14 409 48 353 How much charge does the battery have Battery level left? How do I get more information about the Battery info battery? v Question Key phrase How do I keep the file number from being reset when I insert a new memory File number sequence card? How do I reset file numbering to zero? How do I clean the camera or lens? Cleaning the camera See page 321 390 Taking Photographs Question How many more shots can I take with this card? How do I take bigger photographs? How can I get more photos on the memory card? Can I control how the camera focuses? How do I take a lot of photographs quickly? Can I change the frame advance rate? Can I shoot a self-portrait? Can I take pictures under low light without the flash? Can the ISO sensitivity I choose be adjusted to ensure optimal exposure? How do I freeze or blur moving objects? Key phrase Number of exposures remaining Image quality and size Autofocus Release mode Shooting speed Self-timer mode ISO sensitivity ISO sensitivity auto control Exposure mode f (shutter-priority auto) See page 49 65, 69 73 86 88, 320 103 108 110 120 122 How do I blur background details or keep Exposure mode g both foreground and background in (aperture-priority auto) focus? vi Question Can I set both shutter speed and aperture manually? Can I make photos brighter or darker? How do I make a time exposure? Can I vary exposure or flash level automatically over a series of photos? Can I create multiple copies of a photo using different white balance settings? How do I adjust white balance? How do I change settings for the optional flash unit? How can I record multiple shots as a single photograph? Can I record voice memo when taking a photograph? Can I pick the standard exposure level? How can I reduce blur? Key phrase See page Exposure mode h 124 (manual) Exposure compensation 132 Long time-exposures 126 Exposure and flash 135, 327 bracketing White balance 139, 327 bracketing White balance 144 Flash mode Multiple exposure Voice memo Fine tune optimal exposure Exposure delay mode 197 208 248 315 324 Viewing Photographs Question Can I view my photographs on the camera? Can I view more information about photos? Why do parts of my photos blink? Key phrase Camera playback Photo info Photo info, highlights See page 228 231 232, 282 vii Question How do I get rid of an unwanted photo? Can I delete several photos at once? Can I zoom in on pictures to make sure they're in focus? Can I protect photos from accidental deletion? Can I hide selected photos? How do I tell if parts of my photos may be overexposed? Key phrase Deleting individual photos Delete Playback zoom Protect See page 245 281 243 244 281 282 282 287 251 288 Hide image Display mode: highlights Display mode: focus How do I tell where the camera focused? point Can I view photos as they are taken? Image review Can I record a voice memo on photos? Voice memo Is there an automatic playback ("slide Slide show show") option? Retouching Photographs Question How do I bring out details in shadows? Can I get rid of red eye? Can I crop photographs on the camera? Can I create a monochrome copy of a photograph? Can I create a copy with different colors? Can I use camera to create JPEG copies of NEF (RAW) photographs? Can I overlay two photos to make a single image? Key phrase D-Lighting Red-eye correction Trim Monochrome Filter effects Color balance Image overlay See page 363 364 365 366 367 367 368 viii Viewing or Printing Photographs on Other Devices Question Key phrase Can I view my photos on TV? Television playback Can I view my photos in High Definition? HDMI Connecting to a How do I copy photos to my computer? computer How do I print photographs? Printing photographs Can I print photos without a computer? Printing via USB Can I print the date on my photographs? Time stamp How do I order professional prints? Print set (DPOF) See page 274 276 256 262 263 266, 270 272 Optional Accessories Question What optional flash units (Speedlights) can I use? What lenses can I use? What AC adapters, remote cords, and viewfinder accessories are available for my camera? What memory cards can I use? What software is available for my camera? Key phrase Optional flash units Compatible lenses Other accessories Approved memory cards Other accessories See page 191 378 383 389 387 ix Table of Contents Q&A Index ................................................................................................iv For Your Safety .................................................................................. xviii Notices.....................................................................................................xxi Introduction 1 Overview....................................................................................................2 Getting to Know the Camera..............................................................3 Camera Body ....................................................................................... 3 The Top Control Panel ..................................................................... 8 The Rear Control Panel ..................................................................10 The Viewfinder Display..................................................................12 The Shooting Information Display ............................................14 The Command Dials .......................................................................16 Quick Start Guide................................................................................. 23 Tutorial 25 Using Camera Menus .....................................................................28 Help ......................................................................................................31 Camera Menus...................................................................................... 26 First Steps ............................................................................................... 32 Charge the Battery ..........................................................................32 Insert the Battery .............................................................................34 Attach a Lens.....................................................................................37 Basic Setup.........................................................................................39 Insert a Memory Card.....................................................................42 Adjust Viewfinder Focus ...............................................................47 Basic Photography and Playback................................................... 48 x Image Recording Options 59 Image Area............................................................................................. 60 Image Quality........................................................................................ 65 Image Size .............................................................................................. 69 Slot 2 ........................................................................................................ 71 Focus 73 Focus Mode ........................................................................................... 74 AF-Area Mode....................................................................................... 76 Focus Point Selection......................................................................... 78 Focus Lock.............................................................................................. 80 Manual Focus........................................................................................ 83 Release Mode 85 Choosing a Release Mode ................................................................ 86 Continuous Mode................................................................................ 88 Framing Pictures in the Monitor (Live View) ............................. 90 Self-Timer Mode.................................................................................103 Mirror up Mode ........................................ ...