Nikon D300 User manual

Nikon
DIGITAL CAMERA
)(
User's Manual

Where to Find It
Find what you're looking for from:
Know what you want to do but don't know the function name? Find it
from the "question and answer" index.
Finditems by function or menu name.
A brief guide for those who want to get started taking pictures right away.
Search by key word.
Ira warning is displayed in the viewfinder or monitor, find the solution
here.
Camera behaving unexpectedly? Find the solution here.
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.
• D300 digital camera (pg. 3)
• Body cap (pp. 34, 368)
• BM-8 LCD monitor cover (pg. 19)
• DK-5 eyepiece cap (pg. 20)
• EN-EL3e rechargeable Li-ion battery with terminal cover
(pp. 30, 32)
• MH-18a quick charger with power cable (pg. 30)
• UC-E4 USBcable (pp. 224, 232)
• EG-D100 video cable (pg. 242)
• AN-D300 strap (pg. 19)
• Warranty
•User'sManual (this guide)
•Quick Guide
•Software Installation Guide
• Software Suite CD-ROM
• Registration card (U. S.A. only)

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
_I_ uset0 prevent damage t0the 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. PictBridge is a trademark.
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.

[] Introduction
[] Tutorial
[] Image RecordingOptions
[] Focus
[] ReleaseMode
[] ISOSensitivity
[] Exposure
[] White Balance
[] Image Enhancement
[] FlashPhotography
[] OtherShootingOptions
[] MoreAboutPlayback
[] MenuGuide
[] TechnicalNotes_
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Find what you're looking for using this "question and answer"
index.
II New Features
How do I take high-quality NEF (RAW) 14-bit NEF (RAW) 59
photos?
Can I use the monitor as a viewfinder? Live view 79
Can I control how photos are processed? 146
How do I preserve details in shadows and Active D-Lighting 165
highlights?
How do I focus on erratically moving
subjects? 3D-tracking 270
Can I adjust focus separately for different AF fine tune 327
lenses?
How do I remove dust from the low-pass Cleaning the low-pass 373
filter protecting the image sensor? filter
II CameraSetup
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?
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IV

Question Key phrase See page
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?
How do I turn the speaker off?
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 D300 camera?
World time 37,315
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II Menusand Displays
Question i'_°_°_°_°_°_°_°_°_°_°_--"_=_l(ey phrase
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?
How much charge does the battery have
left?
Help
Using the menus
Viewfinder, control
panel, shooting
information display
Error messages and
displays
Battery level
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LCD brightness 312
Two-button reset 182
Reset shooting menu 257
Reset custom settings 266
Self-timer delay 280
Beep 281
Reverse indicators 310
Language 315
Save/load settings 325
Seepage
29
24
8,10,12
391
44
v

..................... Question ...................... -°_=_Ke_;pilrase _..................._'°Seepage-
How do Iget more information about the
battery? Battery info 321
How do I keep the file number from
being reset when Iinsert a new memory 283
card?
How do I reset file numbering to 1?
How do Iclean the camera or lens? 372
File number sequence
Cleaning the camera
II TakingPhotographs
Question
How many more shots can Itake 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?
How do I blur background details or keep
both foreground and background in
focus?
Number of exposures
remaining
Image quality and size
Keyphrase Seepage
45
56, 60
Autofocus 61
Release mode 74
Shooting speed 76, 282
Self-timer mode 89
ISO sensitivity 94
ISO sensitivity auto 96
control
Exposure mode _q 106
(shutter-priority auto)
Exposure mode FI 107
(aperture-priority auto)

_-_:::_' Question -::!T_--Key phrase
Can I set both shutter speed and aperture Exposure mode/I
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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?
Can I take pictures with a flash?
(manual)
Exposure compensation
Long time-exposures
Exposure and flash
bracketing
White balance
bracketing
White balance
Flash photography,
flash mode, red-eye
reduction
See page
109
114
111
117, 297
121,297
125
171
174
How can Ireduce "red-eye"?
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How can I record multiple shots as a Multiple exposure 184
single photograph?
Can I pickthe standard exposure level? Fine tune optimal 277
exposure
How can I reduce blur? Exposure delay mode 285
Can the flash be used at shutter speeds Flash sync speed 288
faster than 1/250 s?
'°'°'°'°'_'tSeepage
Camera playbac / 204
Photo info 206
208, 250
II 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?
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Question Keyphrase
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Seepage
How do I get rid of an unwanted photo? Deleting individual
_hotos 222
Can I delete several photos at once? Delete 248
i
Can I zoom in on pictures to make sure Playback zoom 220
they're in focus?
Can I protect photos from accidental
deletion? Protect 221
Can I hide selected photos? Hide image 249
How do I tell if parts of my photos may be Display mode: 250
overexposed? highlights
How do I tell where the camera focused? Display mode: focus 250
_oint
Can I view photos as they are taken? Image review 251
Is there an automatic playback ("slide Slide show 252
show") option?
II RetouchingPhotographs
Question _'_'I'_'I'_'I'_'_"I_"I_"T'='_
How do Ibring 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 photosto make a single
image? .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Red-eye correction
Trim
Monochrome
Filter effects
Color balance
Image overlay
.....
335
336
337
338
338
339
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