Nikon D3S Quick start guide

Professional
Technical Guide

ii
Table of Contents
Using the Menus........................................................... 1
Autofocus
Autofocus
Focusing with Autofocus ............................................. 4
Behind the Goal ..........................................................7
Tracking erratically moving subjects that are frequently
obscured by other objects
Pitcher or Runner? ......................................................8
Switching instantly between subjects at different dis-
tances from the camera
The Inside Track...........................................................9
Tracking subjects that are obscured by objects passing
in front of the camera
At the Finish Line ..................................................... 10
Quick shutter response
Poor Lighting or Bad Weather ...............................11
Poorly lit or low-contrast scenes
Winter Sports...............................................................12
Exposure
Exposure
Auto ISO Sensitivity Control...................................... 20
A Daytime Stadium Match..................................... 21
Switching between sunlight and shade
Active D-Lighting (ADL) ............................................. 23
A Daytime Stadium Match Revisited................... 23
High-contrast lighting
Easy Exposure Compensation ................................... 25

iii
Shooting Tips
Shooting Tips
Image Area.................................................................. 27
Vignette Control......................................................... 32
Multiple Exposures .................................................... 34
Column: The DButton...........................................................36
Column: Dark Backgrounds ......................................................39
Extended Menu Banks ............................................... 40
Movie Tips
Movie Tips
h-Mode Movies........................................................... 42
Column: Ending with a Photo................................................. 44
Changing Movie Settings ...................................... 46
Movie Stills ................................................................. 48
Playback Tips
Playback Tips
Histograms ................................................................. 50
Photo Retouch............................................................ 51
Button Tips
Button Tips
The Fn Button.............................................................. 52
Quick Menu Access.................................................. 54
One-Handed Playback............................................ 55
Checking Focus........................................................... 56

iv
Table of Contents
Using a GPS
Using a GPS
GPS Timekeeping ....................................................... 57
Lens Options
Lens Options
Vibration Reduction................................................... 58
Long Lenses ................................................................ 60
Sharing Settings
Sharing Settings
Save/Load Settings .................................................... 61
Computers
Computers
Computer Capture...................................................... 62
Tech Notes
Tech Notes
D3S Versus D3 ............................................................. 63

1
Using the Menus
Use the Gbutton, Jbutton, and multi selector to navi-
gate the menus.
1: Move
cursor up
2: Select
highlighted 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 cur-
rent menu.

2
Using the Menus
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 high-
light a menu item.
6Display options.
Press 2to display op-
tions for the highlight-
ed menu item.

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

4
This chapter details Custom Settings that can be used to
frame moving subjects at sporting events:
a1 (AF-C priority selection)
a3 (Dynamic AF area)
a4 (Focus tracking with lock-on)
These options are best used at the following settings:
Focus mode: C(continuous-servo AF)
AF-area mode: I(dynamic-area AF)
1Select continuous-servo AF.
Rotate the focus-mode
selector to C.
The cam-
era 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 briefly
leaves the selected fo-
cus point, the camera
will focus based on information from surrounding
focus points.
•
•
•
•
•
Autofocus: Focusing with Autofocus

5
3Choose an option for Custom Setting a1.
Choose whether the cam-
era gives priority to focus or
to shutter response 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-field
events or for subjects that
move unpredictably.
5Choose an option for Custom Setting a4.
Choose how quickly the cam-
era responds when an object
moves between the subject
and the camera.

6
Focus Tracking with Lock-On
By preventing the camera from refocusing when your
subject is briefly obscured by another object, focus
tracking with lock-on ensures that the camera will con-
tinue to track the main subject once the obstacle has
moved away (focus mode Conly).
Choose the length
of time before the camera refocuses from 5 (Long), 4, 3
(Normal), 2, and 1 (Short).
To refocus before lock-on
ends, press the shutter-release button halfway or press
the AF-ON button again.
Camera will wait before
refocusing on objects
behind the subject
Camera will wait before
refocusing on objects in
front of the subject
Camera will track and
focus on objects the same
distance from the camera
as the subject
Autofocus

7
Focusing with Autofocus
Behind the Goal
Photographers positioned behind the goal at a soccer
match are faced with subjects that move unpredictably
and that may be intermittently obscured by objects com-
ing 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: 3 (Normal)

8
Pitcher or Runner?
Choose lower lock-on times for improved focus response
when you may have to switch quickly between subjects
at different distances from the camera.
AF-C priority
selection: Release
Dynamic AF area:
9 points or 21 points
Focus tracking
with lock-on: 1
(Short) or O (note
that O reduces
effectiveness of
dynamic-area AF)
Autofocus

9
Focusing with Autofocus
The Inside Track
Choose longer lock-on times when photographing a run-
ner 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: 5 (Long)

10
At the Finish Line
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: 3 (Normal)
Autofocus

11
Focusing with Autofocus
Poor Lighting or Bad Weather
Select Release + focus for quick shutter response while
slowing frame advance rates in continuous release mode
for improved 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: 3 (Normal)
Note: If Focus is selected for Custom Setting a1, the shutter
can only be released when the camera is in focus.

12
Autofocus: Winter Sports
Event
Event
Description
Description
AF-C priority
selection
Dynamic
AF area
Focus tracking
with lock-on
Singles figure
Singles figure
skating
skating Subjects move rapidly
with random change
in speed.
Pairs figure
Pairs figure
skating/ice
skating/ice
dance
dance
Subjects move rapidly
and frequently overlap;
normal framing may
result in camera focus-
ing on background.
Figure
Figure
skating (from
skating (from
second-row
second-row
seat)
seat)
Ice surface appears in
background.
Speed
Speed
skating
skating
Subjects are fast-mov-
ing but easy to frame.
Short track
Short track
speed skating
speed skating

13
Event Description
AF-C priority
AF-C priority
selection
selection
Dynamic
Dynamic
AF area
AF area
Focus tracking
Focus tracking
with lock-on
with lock-on
Singles figure
skating
Release
9 points or 21 points 3 (Normal)
Pairs figure
skating/ice
dance
21 points 5 (Long)
Figure
skating (from
second-row
seat)
9 points or 21 points
3 (Normal)
Speed
skating
9 points or 21 points
Short track
speed skating
9 points

14
Autofocus
Event
Event
Description
Description
AF-C priority
selection
Dynamic
AF area
Focus tracking
with lock-on
Ice hockey
Ice hockey
Subjects are extremely
fast-moving and
frequently overlap.
Curling
Curling
Composition focuses
on curlers.
Freestyle
Freestyle
cross
cross Woods provide high-
contrast background.
Freestyle
Freestyle
aerial
aerial Rapid, complicated
movement.
Freestyle
Freestyle
moguls
moguls
(trick)
(trick) Subject is performing
trick.

15
Winter Sports
Event Description
AF-C priority
AF-C priority
selection
selection
Dynamic
Dynamic
AF area
AF area
Focus tracking
Focus tracking
with lock-on
with lock-on
Ice hockey
Release
9 points O–2
Curling
9 points, or select
K(single-point)
for AF-area mode
3 (Normal)–5 (Long)
Freestyle
cross
9 points 1 (Short)
Freestyle
aerial
51 points
3 (Normal)
Freestyle
moguls
(trick)
21 points

16
Autofocus
Event
Event
Description
Description
AF-C priority
selection
Dynamic
AF area
Focus tracking
with lock-on
Freestyle
Freestyle
moguls
moguls Subjects move predict-
ably between tricks.
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Subjects are fast-mov-
ing but easy to frame.
Snowboard
Snowboard
halfpipe
halfpipe
Biathlon/
Biathlon/
cross-country
cross-country
skiing Subjects are easy to
frame.
Ski jumping
Ski jumping
Subject has left the
ramp and is in the
middle of the jump.