Nikon D3body - D3 Body 12mp FX Digital SLR Camera Quick start guide

En
Professional
Technical Guide

2
Table of Contents
Using the Menus........................................................... 4
Autofocus
Autofocus
Focusing with Autofocus ............................................. 7
Behind the Goal ........................................................11
Tracking erratically moving subjects that are frequently
obscured by other objects
Pitcher or Runner? ....................................................12
Switching instantly between subjects at different dis-
tances from the camera
The Inside Track.........................................................13
Tracking subjects that are obscured by objects passing
in front of the camera
At the Finish Line ......................................................14
Quick shutter response
Poor Lighting or Bad Weather ...............................15
Poorly lit or low-contrast scenes
Exposure
Exposure
Auto ISO Sensitivity Control...................................... 16
A Daytime Stadium Match......................................17
Switching between sunlight and shade
Active D-Lighting (ADL) ............................................. 19
A Daytime Stadium Match Revisited....................19
High-contrast lighting
Easy Exposure Compensation ................................... 21

3
Image Quality
Image Quality
FX and DX Formats .....................................................22
Vignette Control.........................................................27
Lens Options
Lens Options
Vibration Reduction (VR)...........................................28
Options for Long Lenses ............................................30
Camera Settings
Camera Settings
Sharing Settings.........................................................31

4
Using the Menus
Use the Gbutton, Jbutton, and multi selector to navigate
the menus.
1: Move
cursor up
2: Select high-
lighted item or
display sub-menu
3: Move
cursor down
4: Cancel and
return to previous
menu
Center: Select
highlighted item
Gbutton
Jbutton Multi selector
1Display the menus.
Press the Gbutton to display the menus.
2Highlight the icon for the current menu.
Press 4to highlight the
icon for the current menu.

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3Select a menu.
Press 1or 3to select the desired menu.
4Position the cursor in the selected menu.
Press 2to position the
cursor in the selected
menu.
5Highlight a menu item.
Press 1or 3to highlight a
menu item.
6Display options.
Press 2to display options
for the highlighted menu
item.

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Using the Menus
7Highlight an option.
Press 1or 3to highlight
an option.
8Select the highlighted item.
Press Jto select the high-
lighted item (some items
can also be selected by
pressing 2). To exit with-
out making a selection,
press the Gbutton.

7
The a Autofocus group in the rst level of the Custom
Settings menu contains a variety of advanced autofocus
options. This chapter details options that can be used to
frame moving subjects at sporting events: a1 (AF-C priority
selection), a3 (Dynamic AF area), and a4 (Focus tracking
with lock-on). These options are best used with the focus
mode selector rotated to C(continuous-servo AF) and the
AF-area mode selector rotated to I(dynamic-area AF).
1Select continuous-servo AF.
Rotate the focus-mode
selector to C.
The camera
will continually adjust
focus while the shutter-
release button is pressed
halfway.
2Select dynamic-area AF.
Rotate the AF-area mode
selector to I(dynamic-
area AF). If the subject
briey leaves the se-
lected focus point, the
camera will focus based
on information from sur-
rounding focus points.
Autofocus: Focusing with Autofocus

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3Choose an option for Custom Setting a1.
Choose whether the camera gives
priority to focus or to shutter re-
sponse in focus mode C.
4Choose an option for Custom Setting a3.
Choose the number of focus
points used for dynamic-area AF.
Select 9 points or 21 points for
track-and-eld events or for sub-
jects that move unpredictably.
Autofocus

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Focusing with Autofocus
5Choose an option for Custom Setting a4.
Choose how quickly the camera
responds when an object moves
between the subject and the
camera.

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Focus tracking with lock-on controls how the camera re-
sponds to abrupt changes in focus distance. It can be used
to prevent the camera from immediately refocusing when
objects move through the space between the subject
and the camera, ensuring that the camera will continue to
track the main subject once the obstacle has moved away.
Choose the length of time before the camera refocuses
from Long, Normal, and Short.
Camera will wait before
refocusing on objects
behind the subject
Camera will wait before
refocusing on objects
behind the subject
Camera will track and
focus on objects the
same distance from the
camera as the subject
Focus Tracking with Lock-On
Autofocus

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Focusing with Autofocus
Behind the Goal
Example 1
Photographers positioned behind the goal at a soccer match
are faced with subjects that move unpredictably and that
may be intermittently obscured by objects coming between
the subject and the camera during framing.
Choose the following focus options:
AF-C priority selection:
Release
Dynamic AF area:
9 points or 21 points
Focus tracking with
lock-on: Normal

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Pitcher or Runner?
Example 2
Choose lower lock-on times for improved focus response
when you may have to switch quickly between subjects at
dierent distances from the camera.
AF-C priority selection:
Release
Dynamic AF area:
9 points or 21 points
Focus tracking with
lock-on: Short or O
(note that O reduces
eectiveness of dy-
namic-area AF)
Autofocus

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Focusing with Autofocus
The Inside Track
Example 3
Choose longer lock-on times when photographing a runner
on the inside track or in other situations in which your subject
may be blocked for relatively long periods.
Your subject
AF-C priority selection:
Release
Dynamic AF area:
9 points or 21 points
Focus tracking with
lock-on: Long

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At the Finish Line
Example 4
Selecting Release for Custom Setting a1 ensures a quick
shutter response and faster frame advance rates.
AF-C priority selection:
Release
Dynamic AF area:
9 points or 21 points
Focus tracking with
lock-on: Normal
Autofocus

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Focusing with Autofocus
Poor Lighting or Bad Weather
Example 5
Select Release + Focus for quick shutter response while slow-
ing frame advance rates in continuous release mode for im-
proved focus with scenes that are poorly lit or low contrast.
AF-C priority selection:
Release + Focus
Dynamic AF area:
9 points or 21 points
Focus tracking with
lock-on: Normal
Note: If Focus is selected for Custom Setting a1, the shutter can
only be released when the camera is in focus.

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If On is selected for ISO sensitivity>
ISO sensitivity auto control in the
shooting menu, the camera automat-
ically adjusts ISO sensitivity if optimal
exposure can not be achieved at the
minimum shutter speed selected by
the user.
An example of how to use
this feature appears on the pages that
follow.
Auto ISO sensitivity control is available in modes e, f, and
g. Matrix metering is recommended. Note that camera
rmware version A 1.10/B 1.11 or later is required for mini-
mum shutter speeds faster than 1
/
250 s.
Notes
Exposure: Auto ISO Sensitivity Control

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A Daytime Stadium Match
Example 6
Auto ISO sensitivity control is ideal for scenes with large varia-
tions in brightness.
Sunlight
Shade

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Choose the following ISO sensitivity settings:
ISO sensitivity: 200
ISO sensitivity auto
control: On
Maximum sensitivity:
6400
Minimum shutter
speed: 1/500 s
In this example, ISO sensitivity will automatically be raised
to a maximum of ISO 6400 if optimal exposure can not be
achieved at ISO 200. In modes eand g, sensitivity will be
raised only if the shutter speed required for optimal exposure
would be slower than 1
/
500 s (slower speeds will be used if a
speed of 1
/
500 s would still result in underexposure at ISO
6400).
Exposure Auto ISO Sensitivity Control

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Active D-Lighting preserves details in highlights and shad-
ows, creating photographs with natural contrast.
A Daytime Stadium Match Revisited
Example 7
Use Active D-Lighting for compositions that include areas
of sharply contrasting brightness.
Exposure: Active D-Lighting (ADL)

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The following settings are recom-
mended:
Active D-Lighting High or Normal
Metering Matrix1
Exposure mode e, f, or g2
ISO sensitivity ISO 1600 or less3
Memory card UDMA-compliant memory card4
1. Active D-Lighting will not produce the desired eect when
used with center-weighted or spot metering.
2. Active D-Lighting has no eect in exposure mode h.
3. Noise may be more noticeable in photographs taken at higher
values.
4. Choose cards with faster write times for quicker processing
when taking large numbers of photographs.
Exposure Active D-Lighting (ADL)