Nikon D300 User manual

Mastering the Nikon
D300/D300S
Darrell Young
Copyright © 2010
Darrell Young (aka Digital Darrell)
Editor (Rocky Nook): Gerhard Rossbach
Editor (Nikonians): Tom Boné
Production editor: Jocelyn Howell
Copyeditor: Jocelyn Howell
Layout and type: Darrell Young
Cover design: Helmut Kraus, www.exclam.de
Printer: Lifetouch, Inc. through Four Colour Print Group, Louisville, Kentucky
Cover photo: Nikon USA
Back cover photo: Darrell Young
1st Edition
Rocky Nook Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Young, Darrell, 1958-
Mastering the Nikon D300/D300S / Darrell Young. -- 1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-933952-64-2 (soft cover : alk. paper)
1. Nikon digital cameras. 2. Single-lens reflex cameras. 3. Photography--Digital techniques. I. Title.
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TR263.N5Y67 2011
771.3'2--dc22
2010028380
Distributed by O‘Reilly Media
1005 Gravenstein Highway North
Sebastopol, CA 95472
Many of the designations in this book used by manufacturers
and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as
trademarks of their respective companies. Where those
designations appear in this book, and Rocky Nook was aware
of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in
caps or initial caps. They are used in editorial fashion only
and for the benefit of such companies. They are not intended
to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.
No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may
be reproduced or utilized in any form, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system, without written
permission of the copyright owner. While reasonable care has
been exercised in the preparation of this book, the publisher
and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions,
or for damages resulting from the use of the information
contained herein.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
This book is dedicated to:
My wife of 32 years, Brenda, The love of my life and
best friend...
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My children, Autumn, David, Emily, Hannah, and
Ethan five priceless gifts, growing wings ...
My mother, Barbara, who birthed me ...
My father, Joe, who guided my early life ...
My Nikonians editor, Tom Boné, without whose
assistance I could not possibly write books ...
My friends, J. Ramon Palacios and Bo Stahlbrandt,
who make it possible to belong to Nikonians.org, the
world’s best Nikon User’s Community ...
The wonderful staff of Rocky Nook, including Joan
Dixon, Jocelyn Howell, and Matthias Rossmanith ...
And, finally, to Nikon, who makes the world’s best
cameras and lenses.
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Darrell Young – Author
Darrell Young (DigitalDarrell) is an information technology
engineer by trade. He’s been an avid photographer since 1968
when his mother gave him a Brownie Hawkeye camera.
Darrell has used Nikon cameras and Nikkor lenses since
1980. He has an incurable case of Nikon Acquisition
Syndrome (NAS) and delights in working with Nikon’s
newest digital cameras.
Living near Great Smoky Mountains National Park has given
him a real concern for, and interest in, nature photography.
He loves to write, as you can see in the Resources area of the
Nikonians.org community. He joined the community in the
year 2000, and his literary contributions led to his invitation
to become a Founding Member of the Nikonians Writers
Guild.
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Foreword
Nikonian Darrell Young, known to us as Digital Darrell for
many years, has consistently been a source of instructional
wisdom delivered with a touch of friendly humor. His
extensive collection of informative articles has been a
valuable resource in the articles knowledge base.... Resources
at Nikonians.
This work represents yet another progression in the rapid
growth of our international community of photographers from
all walks of life, recently exceeding 250,000 members from
nearly 150 countries. Providing educational books—such as
Mastering the Nikon D300/D300S—is a way to confirm our
Nikonians vocation in education. Additional ways include:
our more than 80 interactive forums, The Nikonian eZine,
Nikonians Academy Workshops, Nikonians News Blog,
Nikonians podcasts, our Wiki, and eBooks.
Nikonians has earned a reputation as a friendly, reliable,
informative, and passionate Nikon user’s community thanks
in great measure to members like our own Digital Darrell,
who have taken the time to share the results of their
experiences with Nikon imaging equipment, despite the
pressures of their day jobs.
The Nikonians community has long been known as a
welcoming worldwide home for Nikon®users, and Darrell’s
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specialty in this community is the ability to share his
knowledge in the spirit of a friendly uncle in the comfort of
your own living room. He understands the Nikon D300/
D300s bodies from the perspective of a professional
photographer, a dedicated family man, and a good friend, all
at the same time.
This approach is crucial in his delivery of valuable
information, because it helps him draw examples of shooting
situations that are quickly understood by readers from all
walks of life.
We would like to congratulate Darrell for his work on this
project which goes much further than just delivering a series
of chapters and supporting images. In this, the seventh of the
NikoniansPress books, in association with Rocky Nook,
Darrell has extended his efforts to include work on the book’s
final layout. This extra step was inspired in great measure by
Darrell’s penchant for improving the quality of his books to
the benefit of his readers. If you are one of the many satisfied
owners of the original Mastering the Nikon D300 authored by
Darrell you will quickly see this is not just a mere update to
accommodate the D300s. This book has been redesigned from
scratch, based on the lessons learned during the D300 project
as well as the subsequent books in this series.
Bo Stahlbrandt (bgs) and J. Ramón Palacios (jrp)
Nikonians Founders
www.nikonians.org
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Camera Body Reference
Fig 1 (1–11)
1. Release mode dial lock release
2. QUAL button
3. WB Button
4. ISO Button
5. Release mode dial
6. Accessory shoe (hot shoe)
7. Control panel
8. MODE button
9. Exposure compensation button
10. Shutter-releasebutton
11. Power switch
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Fig 2 (12-18)
12. Flash pup-up button
13. Flash mode button
14. Built-in microphone
15. Flash sync terminal (cover)
16. Ten-pin remote terminal (cover)
17. Lens release button
18. Focus-mode selector
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Fig 3 (19-22)
19. Sub-command dial
20. AF-assist illuminator
21. Depth-of-field preview button
22. FN (FUNC.) Button
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Fig 4 (23–32)
23. Connector cover
24. Playback button
25. Delete button
26. Viewfinder eyepiece
27. MENU button
28. Protect/Help Button (info – D300)
29. Thumbnail/Playback zoom out btn.
30. Playback zoom in button
31. OK button
32. Monitor
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Fig 5 (33-46)
33. Diopter adjustment control
34. Metering selector
35. AE-L/AF-L Button
36. AF-ON button
37. Main command dial
38. Multi Selector
39. Multi selector center button (D300S)
40. Focus selector lock
41. Memory card access lamp
42. Memory card slot cover (D300S)
43. Speaker
44. AF-area mode selector
45. Info button (D300S)
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46. Live view mode button (D300S)
Note: Special D300 information in Colors and Wording
Legend
Figure 1. Top of camera (1–11)
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Figure 2. Left front of camera (12–18)
Figure 3. Right front of camera (19–22)
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Figure 4. Left back of camera (23–32)
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Figure 5. Right back of camera (33–46)
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Colors and Wording Legend
Throughout this book you will be presented with words
displayed in two colors along with the use of italics. The two
colors are blue and green, and are used as follows.
▪ The camera’s physical features are listed in blue.
▪ Functions and settings viewed on an LCD screen are in
green.
▪ Textual prompts given by the camera on a screen are in
Italics.
▪ On select occasions, Italics or Bold Italics are used for
special emphasis.
Here is an example of the colors and italics in use:
Press the Menu button to reach the Setup Menu and then
scroll to the Format memory card option by pressing the
down arrow on the Multi Selector. You will see a message
reminding you, All images on Memory card will be deleted.
OK? Select Yes and then press the OK button.Please make
sure you’ve transferred all your images first!
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Special D300 Information
The Nikon D300S and D300 are physically different in a few
places. The Info button,Memory card slot cover, and Multi
selector center button work differently or have different
locations. Below is a picture of the back of a D300, with the
differences noted. The Multi Selector on the D300 does not
have the newer style Multi selector center button (see
Figure 5, number 39). However, it works the same way—by
pressing on the middle of the Multi Selector with your thumb.
In Figure 6 are the locations of the Info button,Multi selector
center button, and Card slot cover latch. Use the latch to open
the Memory card slot cover.
Figure 6. D300 control differences
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Chapter 1. Basic Camera Setup
Apples – Courtesy of Neale Dyster (Digitwized)
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Congratulations! You’ve purchased, or are about to purchase,
Nikon’s flagship DX format camera—the Nikon D300 or
D300S.
While no digital camera is inexpensive, the D300/D300S
provides passionate photographers a genuine
professional-level camera at an attractive price. It is weather
and dust sealed with a magnesium-alloy body and frame and a
rubberized coating that makes it strong and reliable for years
of faithful service.
The 12+ megapixel imaging sensor and supporting Nikon
Scene Recognition System allows you to take complete
creative control of the scene in front of your lens. The camera
has advanced firmware that does things like automatic
chromatic aberration reduction and full color optimization via
selectable Picture Controls so that you can create the best
pictures you’ve ever made.
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