DIGITAL CAMERA User's Manual En Where to Find It Find what you're looking for from: i i i i i The Table of Contents Find items by function or menu name. 0 x­xvii 0 iv­ix The Q&A Index Know what you want to do but don't know the function name? Find it from the "question and answer" index. The Index Search by key word. 0 398­403 0 378­384 Error Messages If a warning is displayed in the viewfinder or monitor, find the solution here. Troubleshooting 0 373­377 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" (0 xviii­xx). Help Use the camera's on-board help feature for help on menu items and other topics. See page 21 for details. Digitutor Digitutor, a series of "watch and learn" manuals in movie form, is available from the following website: http://www.nikondigitutor.com/index_eng.html Package Contents Be sure all items listed here were included with your camera. Memory cards are sold separately. · D300S digital camera · BF-1A body · BM-8 monitor (0 3) cap cover (0 16) (0 26, 355) · BS-1 accessory shoe cover (0 347) · EN-EL3e · MH-18a quick rechargeable Li-ion charger with power battery with terminal cable (0 22) cover (0 22, 24) · DK-5 eyepiece cap (0 91, 191) · DK-23 rubber eyecup (0 91, 191) · EG-D2 audio/video cable (0 239) · UC-E4 USB cable (0 224, 229) · AN-DC4 strap · 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: This icon marks cautions; information that should be read before use to prevent damage to the camera. This icon marks notes; information that should be read before using the camera. This icon marks references to other pages in this manual. D A 0 Menu items, options, and messages displayed in the camera monitor are shown in bold. 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. The SD logo is a trademark of the SD Card Association. PictBridge and the SDHC logo are trademarks. 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 Q&A Index Table of Contents 0 0 0 iv x 1 X Introduction s Tutorial x Framing Pictures in the Monitor (Live View) y Recording and Viewing Movies 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 Q Connections U Menu Guide n Technical Notes 0 17 0 47 0 57 0 67 0 73 0 85 0 95 0 101 0 133 0 153 0 169 0 181 0 203 0 223 0 243 0 339 iii Q&A Index Find what you're looking for using this "question and answer" index. New Features Question How do I take high-quality NEF (RAW) photos? Can I use the monitor as a viewfinder? How do I shoot movies? How do I record photographs using two memory cards? Can I control how photos are processed? How do I preserve details in shadows and highlights? How do I focus on erratically moving subjects? How do I tell if the camera is level? Can I adjust focus separately for different lenses? How do I remove dust from the low-pass filter protecting the image sensor? Key phrase 14-bit NEF (RAW) Live view Movies Primary slot, secondary slot Picture Controls Active D-Lighting 3D-tracking Virtual horizon AF fine tune Cleaning the low-pass filter 0 70 47 57 72 154 164 265 311 312 358 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? Can I display a framing grid in the viewfinder? Key phrase Viewfinder focus Monitor off delay Auto meter off Viewfinder grid display 0 36 274 39, 273 275 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 change the self-timer delay? How do I turn the speaker off? Can I reverse the exposure indicator? Can I display the menus in a different language? Can I save menu settings for use on a different D300S camera? How do I restore default settings? How do I restore shooting menu defaults? How do I restore Custom Setting defaults? Key phrase 0 29, 302 Time zone and date LCD brightness Self-timer Beep Reverse indicators Language Save/load settings Two-button reset Reset shooting menu Reset custom settings 301 273 275 299 28, 303 310 182 256 262 Menus and Displays Question How do I get more information on a menu? How do I use the menus? Can I get quick access to frequently-used settings? Can I get quick access to recently-used settings? What do these indicators mean? What information is in the information display? What does this warning mean? How much charge does the battery have left? Key phrase Help Using the menus My Menu Recent settings Viewfinder, control panel, information display Error messages and displays Battery level 0 21 18 333 337 8, 10, 12 378 37 v Question How do I get more information about the battery? How do I keep the file number from being reset when I insert a new memory card? How do I reset file numbering to 1? How do I clean the camera or lens? Key phrase Battery info 0 307 File number sequence Cleaning the camera 277 357 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? How do I make an NEF (RAW) copy of the next photo? Can I control how the camera focuses? Can I choose the focus point? How do I take a lot of photographs quickly? Can I change the frame advance rate? How do I take pictures with the selftimer? 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? How do I blur background details or keep both foreground and background in focus? Key phrase Number of exposures remaining 0 38 Image quality and size 68, 71 +NEF (RAW) Autofocus Focus point Release mode Shooting speed Self-timer mode ISO sensitivity ISO sensitivity auto control Exposure mode f (shutter-priority auto) Exposure mode g (aperture-priority auto) 294 74 78 86 89, 276 91 96 98 108 109 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? Can I vary Active D-Lighting automatically over a series of photos? How do I adjust white balance? Can I take pictures with a flash? How can I reduce "red-eye"? How can I record multiple shots as a single photograph? Can I pick the standard exposure level? How can I reduce blur? Can the flash be used at shutter speeds faster than 1/250 s? Key phrase 0 Exposure mode h 111 (manual) Exposure compensation 118 Long time-exposures 114 Exposure and flash 120, bracketing 289 White balance 125, bracketing 289 129, ADL bracketing 289 White balance 133 Flash photography, flash 171 mode, red-eye 175 reduction Multiple exposure Fine tune optimal exposure Exposure delay mode Flash sync speed 184 272 278 281 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 0 204 207 209, 247 vii Question How do I get rid of an unwanted photo? Can I delete several photos at once? Can I zoom in on pictures? Can I protect photos from accidental deletion? Can I hide selected photos? How do I tell if parts of my photos may be overexposed? How do I tell where the camera focused? Can I view photos as they are taken? Is there an automatic playback ("slide show") option? Key phrase Deleting individual photos Delete Playback zoom Protect Hide image Display mode: highlights Display mode: focus point Image review Slide show 0 220 221 218 219 245 209, 247 208, 247 251 252 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 the camera to create JPEG copies of NEF (RAW) photographs? Can I overlay two NEF (RAW) photos to make a single image? Key phrase D-Lighting Red-eye correction Trim Monochrome Filter effects, Color balance NEF (RAW) Processing Image overlay 0 319 320 321 322 322, 323 327 324 viii Viewing or Printing Photographs on Other Devices Question Can I view my photos on TV? Can I view my photos in High Definition? How do I copy photos to my computer? How do I print photographs? Can I print photos without a computer? Can I print the date on my photographs? How do I order professional prints? Key phrase Television playback HDMI Connecting to a computer Printing photographs Printing via USB Time stamp Print set (DPOF) 0 239 241 224 228 229 231 237 Optional Accessories Question What memory cards can I use? What lenses can I use? What optional flash units (Speedlights) can I use? What software is available for my camera? What AC adapters, battery packs, remote cords, and viewfinder accessories are available for my camera? Key phrase Approved memory cards Compatible lenses Optional flash units Other accessories 0 393 340 347 355 Other accessories 352 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 Control Panel.............................................................................. 8 The Viewfinder Display..................................................................10 The Information Display................................................................12 The BM-8 Monitor Cover...............................................................16 Tutorial 17 Using Camera Menus .....................................................................19 Help ......................................................................................................21 Camera Menus...................................................................................... 18 First Steps ............................................................................................... 22 Charge the Battery ..........................................................................22 Insert the Battery .............................................................................24 Attach a Lens.....................................................................................26 Basic Setup.........................................................................................28 Insert a Memory Card.....................................................................31 Format the Memory Card .............................................................34 Adjust Viewfinder Focus ...............................................................36 Basic Photography and Playback................................................... 37 Turn the Camera On .......................................................................37 Adjust Camera Settings.................................................................40 Ready the Camera ...........................................................................42 Focus and Shoot ..............................................................................43 Viewing Photographs ....................................................................45 x Deleting Unwanted Photographs............................................. 46 Framing Pictures in the Monitor (Live View) 47 Framing Photographs in the Monitor .......................................... 48 Recording ...