Nikon D3 User manual

DIGITAL CAMERA
En
User's Manual

Where to Find It
Find what you’re looking for from:
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
iThe Q&A Index ➜pp. iv–ix
Know what you want to do but don’t know the function name?
Find it
from the “question and answer” index.
iThe Table of Contents ➜pp. x–xvii
Find items by function or menu name.
iThe Quick Start Guide ➜pp. 23–24
A brief guide for those who want to get started taking pictures right away.
iThe Index ➜pp. 438–444
Search by key word.
iError Messages ➜pp. 409–416
If a warning is displayed in the viewfinder or monitor, find the solution
here.
iTroubleshooting ➜pp. 402–408
Camera behaving unexpectedly?
Find the solution here.
AFor Your Safety
Before using the camera for the first time, read the safety
instructions in “For Your Safety” (pg. xviii).

i
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)

ii
Symbols and Conventions
To make it easier to find the information you need, the following
symbols and conventions are used:
Menu items, options, and messages displayed in the camera monitor
are shown in brackets ([ ]).
ATrademark 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.
DThis icon marks cautions; information that should be read before
use to prevent damage to the camera.
AThis icon marks notes; information that should be read before
using the camera.

iii
Introduction
Tutorial
Image Recording Options
Focus
Release Mode
ISO Sensitivity
Exposure
White Balance
Image Enhancement
Flash Photography
Other Shooting Options
More About Playback
Voice Memos
Connections
Menu Guide
Technical Notes
X
k
S
Z
r
J
l
t
I
e
Q
U
s
d
N
n

iv
Q&A Index
Find what you’re looking for using this “question and answer”
index.
❚❚ New Features
❚❚ Camera Setup
Question Key phrase See page
How do I take pictures in 35mm format? Image area 60
How do I take high-quality NEF (RAW)
photos? 14-bit NEF (RAW) 68
How do I record photographs using two
memory cards? Slot 2 71
Can I use the monitor as a viewfinder? Live view 90
Can I control how photos are processed? Picture Controls 166
How do I preserve details in shadows and
highlights? Active D-Lighting 185
How do I focus on erratically moving
subjects? 3D-tracking 307
Can I adjust focus separately for different
lenses? AF fine tune 358
Question Key phrase See page
How do I focus the viewfinder? Viewfinder focus 47
How do I keep the monitor from turning
off? Monitor off delay 318
How do I keep the shutter speed and
aperture displays from turning off? Auto meter off 50, 317

v
❚❚ Menus and Displays
How do I set the clock?
World time 40, 347
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? LCD brightness 345
How do I restore default settings? Two-button reset 206
How do I restore shooting menu
defaults? Reset shooting menu 293
How do I restore Custom Setting
defaults? Reset custom settings 303
How do I change the self-timer delay? Self-timer delay 318
Can I reverse the electronic analog
exposure display? Reverse indicators 343
Can I display the menus in a different
language? Language 347
Can I save menu settings for use on a
different D3 camera? Save/load settings 355
Question Key phrase See page
How do I get more information on a
menu? Help 31
How do I use the menus? Using the menus 26
What do these indicators mean? Viewfinder, control
panels, shooting
information display
8, 10,
12, 14
What information is in the shooting
information display?
What does this warning mean? Error messages and
displays 409
How much charge does the battery have
left? Battery level 48
How do I get more information about the
battery? Battery info 353
Question Key phrase See page

vi
❚❚ Taking Photographs
How do I keep the file number from
being reset when I insert a new memory
card? File number sequence 321
How do I reset file numbering to zero?
How do I clean the camera or lens? Cleaning the camera 390
Question Key phrase See page
How many more shots can I take with this
card?
Number of exposures
remaining 49
How do I take bigger photographs?
Image quality and size 65, 69
How can I get more photos on the
memory card?
Can I control how the camera focuses? Autofocus 73
How do I take a lot of photographs
quickly? Release mode 86
Can I change the frame advance rate? Shooting speed 88, 320
Can I shoot a self-portrait? Self-timer mode 103
Can I take pictures under low light
without the flash? ISO sensitivity 108
Can the ISO sensitivity I choose be
adjusted to ensure optimal exposure?
ISO sensitivity auto
control 110
How do I freeze or blur moving objects? Exposure mode f
(shutter-priority auto) 120
How do I blur background details or keep
both foreground and background in
focus?
Exposure mode g
(aperture-priority auto) 122
Question Key phrase See page

vii
❚❚ Viewing Photographs
Can I set both shutter speed and aperture
manually?
Exposure mode h
(manual) 124
Can I make photos brighter or darker? Exposure compensation 132
How do I make a time exposure? Long time-exposures 126
Can I vary exposure or flash level
automatically over a series of photos?
Exposure and flash
bracketing 135, 327
Can I create multiple copies of a photo
using different white balance settings?
White balance
bracketing 139, 327
How do I adjust white balance? White balance 144
How do I change settings for the optional
flash unit? Flash mode 197
How can I record multiple shots as a
single photograph? Multiple exposure 208
Can I record voice memo when taking a
photograph? Voice memo 248
Can I pick the standard exposure level? Fine tune optimal
exposure 315
How can I reduce blur? Exposure delay mode 324
Question Key phrase See page
Can I view my photographs on the
camera? Camera playback 228
Can I view more information about
photos? Photo info 231
Why do parts of my photos blink? Photo info, highlights 232, 282
Question Key phrase See page

viii
❚❚ Retouching Photographs
How do I get rid of an unwanted photo? Deleting individual
photos 245
Can I delete several photos at once? Delete 281
Can I zoom in on pictures to make sure
they’re in focus? Playback zoom 243
Can I protect photos from accidental
deletion? Protect 244
Can I hide selected photos? Hide image 281
How do I tell if parts of my photos may be
overexposed?
Display mode:
highlights 282
How do I tell where the camera focused? Display mode: focus
point 282
Can I view photos as they are taken? Image review 287
Can I record a voice memo on photos? Voice memo 251
Is there an automatic playback (“slide
show”) option? Slide show 288
Question Key phrase See page
How do I bring out details in shadows? D-Lighting 363
Can I get rid of red eye? Red-eye correction 364
Can I crop photographs on the camera? Trim 365
Can I create a monochrome copy of a
photograph? Monochrome 366
Can I create a copy with different colors? Filter effects 367
Can I use camera to create JPEG copies of
NEF (RAW) photographs? Color balance 367
Can I overlay two photos to make a single
image? Image overlay 368
Question Key phrase See page