
TAKING A PICTURE:
Following are the basic techniques. For more information and advanced
photography please study the Nikon® D7100 instruction manual.
NOTE TO THE USER: * Refer to the shooting tips section for useful tips
on custom settings of the Nikon® D7100 camera for underwater photogra-
phy.
1- If exposure mode was not selected already, engage the unlock lever (# 44)
and rotate the mode dial knob (# 46) and select the desired exposure
mode, the selected mode will appears in both the camera viewfinder
(# 47) and, if using the INFO (# 33) option, on the rear LCD window (# 36)
as well. Exposure Mode options in sequence are: Programmed Auto (P),
Shutter Priority Auto (S), Aperture Priority Auto (A) or Manual Exposure (M).
NOTE: Full auto mode and scenes mode are rarely useful in underwater
photography, most popular choice are either full manual or aperture priority.
2- Control of Exposure Compensation (# 49) is achieved by the lever to
engage compensation function, select proper parameter by using either
the sub or main command knobs (see shooting tip 5).
Note: When using strobes, it is recommended that the camera be used in
Single Frame Advance mode or there is the possibility that the camera will re
before the ash or strobe had the opportunity of recycling their full charge.
3- Press the Metering Pattern button (# 48) and select the metering pat-
tern you wish to use: 3D Matrix, Center-Weighted or Spot, also visible
through the view nder (# 47) from the rear LCD panel (# 36) when using
the INFO (# 33) button.
4- Pulling on the Shutter Release Lever partially will activate the camera’s
meter and autofocus system.
5- If using a manually focused lens equipped with a proper gear, there are
potentially three methods that will allow you to manually focus the lens:
- Using the Focus Knob (key # 13) on the housing for prime lens
- If available for the zoom lens being used, the knob located on the dedicated
extension can be used for this purpose
- If shooting with a macro lens, our # 18426 AF/MF Macro port has a knob
located on the side for manually overriding the AF with AF-S lenses, (older AF-D
type of macro lenses have to be set to the desired focusing mode prior to their
installation).
6- If using Manual Exposure mode adjustment of shutter speed and
aperture are accessed via the Main Command Knob (key # 3) and/or
sub-command (key # 2).
7- To trigger the camera, pull the Shutter Release Lever (# 1) the rest of
the way until the camera res.
Note: Only a gentle pressure is required on the shutter release lever to
trigger the camera. Should the camera not trigger instantly, check AF
Mode, possibly itis set on “S” for single, therefore the camera will need to
complete its focusing cycle before triggering. Pulling unduly hard on the
Shutter Release Lever (# 1) is unnecessary and could potentially arm your
camera or the triggering mechanism of the housing
SHOOTING TIPS:
The Nikon D7100 Digital camera is loaded with interesting options in
its Custom Setting Menu section, some of them have proven to be very
helpful to the underwater photographer, listed below as a sample of useful
Custom Settings:
1) The AE-L/AF-L lever (# 30) on the rear right hand side of the housing is
used to access the AE-L/AF-L button of the camera. It is possible to modify
its original function with a wide range of possibilities. The AE-L/AF-L CSM
Menu (f4) offers, amongst others, the following options:
- Isolating the focus lock
- AF activation
- Locking the Flash Value (with optically triggered strobe)
- Blocking the ash from triggering
The AF-ON setting is used for isolating the auto focusing system from the
triggering of the camera, focusing is done by pressing the AF-L/AE-L lever
which will activate the focus, the camera trigger will have no inuence on
focusing. This popular method allows the system to be tailored to very
specic needs and is it worth exploring along with the multitude of other
options available.
2) The Fn button (# 34) located on the rear of the housing gives an exclusive
access, via a linkage, to the button of the same name on the front of the
Nikon D7100 camera. This button can be assigned a variety of functions.
A long list of custom functions are available in the (f2) CSM menu for the
Fn button.
3) Inverting the rotations of the command and sub command controls is
also possible, this could be simply to give the photographers a more natural
feel when using the housing controls, it is a straightforward procedure to
do. Go to the CSM menu, select (f5), Customize Command Dials”, select
“Reverse Rotation”, select “Yes” and conrm by pressing the OK button,
you now have the knobs rotating in the opposite direction as they would
normally be.
4) The Command and Sub Command dials can also be inverted, the front
one becoming the shutter speed, the rear one being transformed in the
aperture controls, this feature can be useful for manual strobe shooters,
you can change the lens aperture with your thumb while taking picture
continuously with your index, to do so, go to the CSM menu, select “f5”,
“Customize Command Dials”, select “Change Main/Sub”, select ON and
conrm with by pressing the OK button. You now have control of the aper-
ture on the rear knob and shutter speed on the front one.
5) One very well hidden, but so very useful, custom function is the ability
to modify the behavior of the camera push buttons, by default, when one
chooses to change a setting related to a button, one has to keep pressing
said button, rotate one of the two command dials and then let go of the
button, using the f6 custom function will let you press on the button once,
said button will stay engaged until you either press on it again, or gently
tap the shutter release to turn it off. Changing setting on the camera itself
is a simple procedure, not so when the camera is inserted into an
underwater housing equipped with cumbersome strobe lights at the end of
lengthy arms. To engage this feature, go to CSM menu; select “f6 Release
Button to Use Dial”, press OK button to accept. This is one of the most
useful features of the CSM repertoire for underwater photographers.
Some of the controls that can greatly benet from
this CSM mode:
- Exposure correction (# 31)
- AF Modes (# 17)
- Flash mode (# 11)
- Flash exposure correction (# 11))
- ISO (# 40)
- Quality and size (# 37)
- (WB) White Balance (# 38)
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