Nikon D90 - Digital Camera SLR User manual

En_06 SB0C06(11)
No reproduction in any form of this manual, in whole or in part (except for brief
quotation in critical articles or reviews), may be made without written authorization
from NIKON CORPORATION.
Printed in Thailand
6MB02911-06
DIGITAL CAMERA
En
User's Manual
En
Q0320_UM_USEn_Cover.fm Page 1 Friday, March 19, 2010 6:37 PM

Where to Find It
Find what you’re looking for from:
AFor Your Safety
Before using the camera for the first time, read the safety instructions in “For Your Safety”
(pg. xiv).
Help
Use the camera’s on-board help feature for help on menu items and other topics. See page 21
for details.
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 Table of Contents ➜pp. viii–xiii
Find items by function or menu name.
iThe Q&A Index ➜pp. iv–vii
Know what you want to do but don’t know the function name?
Find it from the
“question and answer” index.
iThe Index ➜pp. 276–278
Search by key word.
iError Messages ➜pp. 255–257
If a warning is displayed in the control panel, viewfinder, or monitor, find the solution
here.
iTroubleshooting ➜pp. 250–254
Camera behaving unexpectedly?
Find the solution here.

i
Package Contents
Be sure all items listed here were included with your camera. Memory cards are sold
separately.
❏Warranty
❏User’s Manual (this guide)
❏Quick Guide (a guide for first-time users describing the basic steps involved in such tasks
taking pictures, copying pictures to a computer, and printing pictures)
❏Software Installation Guide
❏Software Suite CD-ROM
❏Registration card (U. S. A. only)
❏D90 digital camera
(pg. 3)
❏Body cap
(pp. 3, 240)
❏BM-10 LCD monitor
cover (pg. 17)
❏DK-5 eyepiece cap
(pg. 17)
❏EN-EL3e
rechargeable
Li-ion battery with
terminal cover
(pp. 22, 23)
❏MH-18a quick
charger with power
cable (pg. 22)
❏AN-DC1 strap
(pg. 17)
❏BS-1accessoryshoe
cover (pg. 233)
❏EG-D2 audio/video
cable (pg. 146)
❏UC-E4 USB cable
(pp. 149, 151)

ii
Symbols and Conventions
To make it easier to find the information you need, the following symbols and
conventions are used:
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. The SD logo is a trademark of the SD
Card Association. PictBridge and the SDHC logo are trademarks. 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
XIntroduction
sBasic Photography and Playback
hMore on Photography (All Modes)
tP, S, A, and M Modes
IMore on Playback
QConnections
oThe Playback Menu
iThe Shooting Menu
LCustom Settings
gThe Setup Menu
uThe Retouch Menu
wRecent Settings / vMy Menu
nTechnical Notes

iv
Q&A Index
Find what you’re looking for using this “question and answer” index.
New Features
Question Key phrase See page
Can I use the monitor as a viewfinder? Live view 43
How do I shoot movies? Recording movies 50
Can I control how photos are processed? Picture Controls 108
How do I preserve details in shadows and
highlights? Active D-Lighting 119
How do I keep the subject in focus when changing
the composition? 3D-tracking 173
How do I remove dust from the low-pass filter
protecting the image sensor? Clean Image Sensor 203
Frequently-Asked Questions
Question Key phrase See page
How do I use the menus? Using the menus 18
How do I get more information on a menu? Help 21
Can I get quick access to frequently-used settings? My Menu 225
Can I get quick access to recently-used settings? Recent settings 224
What do these indicators mean? Control panel, viewfinder 7, 9
What does this warning mean? Error messages and displays 255
How many more shots can I take with this card? Number of exposures
remaining 35
How much charge does the battery have left? Battery level 34
What does “exposure” mean and how does it work? Exposure 79
What do I do with the viewfinder eyepiece cap? Self timer, remote control 66, 68
What optional flash units (Speedlights) can I use? Optional flash units 233
What lenses can I use? Lenses 228
What accessories are available for my camera? Accessories 239
What memory cards can I use? Approved memory cards 242
What software is available for my camera? Accessories 240
Who can I ask to repair or inspect my camera? Servicing the camera 247
How do I clean the camera or lens? Cleaning the camera 243

v
Camera Setup
Question Key phrase See page
How do I stop parts of my photos from blinking? Photo info, highlights 131,
163
How do I focus the viewfinder? Viewfinder focus 32
How do I keep the monitor from turning off? Monitor off 180
How do I set the clock?
World time 204How do I set the clock for daylight saving time?
How do I change time zones when I travel?
How do I adjust monitor brightness? LCD brightness 202
How do I restore default settings? Two-button reset 75
How do I turn off the light on the front of the
camera? AF-assist illuminator 174
Can I display a framing grid in the viewfinder? Grid display 181
How do I view the control panel in the dark? LCD illuminator 8, 196
How do I keep the shutter speed and aperture
displays from turning off? Auto meter off 35, 179
How do I change the self timer delay? Self timer 66, 179
How do I change the remote delay? Remote control 68, 180
How do I keep the camera from beeping? Beep 180
Can I display the menus in a different language? Language 204
How do I keep the file number from being reset
when I insert a new memory card? File number sequence 182
How do I reset file numbering to 1?

vi
Taking Photographs
Question Key phrase See page
Is there an easy way to take snapshots? Auto mode 34
Is there an easy way to take more creative shots? Scene modes 41
Can I take pictures without the flash?
jmode 34
Flash mode 71
ISO sensitivity 74
How do I bring out a portrait subject? Portrait mode 41
How can I get good landscape shots? Landscape mode 41
How do I take close ups of small objects? Close-up mode 42
How do I “freeze” a moving subject? Sports mode 42
Can I include night backgrounds in my portraits? Night portrait mode 42
How do I take a lot of photographs quickly? Release mode 64
Can I shoot a self-portrait? Self timer 66
Is there a remote control for this camera? Remote control 68
How do I adjust exposure? P, S, A, and Mmodes 78
How do I freeze or blur moving objects? Mode S(shutter-priority auto) 81
How do I blur background details? Mode A(aperture-priority
auto) 82
Can I make photos brighter or darker? Exposure compensation 90
How do I make a time exposure? Long time-exposures 85
How do I use the flash? Flash photography 70
Can the flash fire automatically when needed? Flash mode 70
How do I keep the flash from firing?
How do I prevent red eye? Red-eye reduction 71
Can I control how the camera focuses? Autofocus 54
How do I focus on a moving subject? Autofocus mode 54
How do I choose where the camera focuses? Focus point 56
Can I change the composition after focusing? Focus lock 57
Can I create a multiple exposure? Multiple exposure 121
How do I improve image quality?
Image quality and size 62, 63
How do I take bigger photographs?
How can I get more photos on the memory card?
Can I take photos at a reduced size for e-mail?

vii
Viewing and Retouching Photographs
Question Key phrase See page
Can I view my photographs on the camera? Camera playback 48, 128
Can I view more information about photos? Photo info 129
How do I get rid of an unwanted photo? Deleting individual photos 49,140,
162
Can I delete several photos at once? Delete 162
Can I zoom in on pictures to make sure they’re in
focus? Playback zoom 138
Can I protect photos from accidental deletion? Protect 139
Is there an automatic playback (“slide show”)
option?
Pictmotion
Slide show
141,
143
Can I view my photos on TV? Television playback 146
Can I view my photos in High Definition? HDMI 147
How do I copy photos to my computer? Connecting to a computer 148
How do I print photographs? Printing photographs 150
Can I print photos without a computer? Printing via USB 151
Can I print the date on my photographs? Time stamp, DPOF 152,
155
How do I order professional prints? Print set (DPOF) 157
How do I bring out details in shadows? D-Lighting 212
Can I get rid of red eye? Red-eye correction 212
Can I crop photographs on the camera? Trim 213
Can I create a monochrome copy of a photograph? Monochrome 214
Can I create a copy with different colors? Filter effects 215
How do I adjust existing colors? Color balance 216
Can I make a small copy of a photograph? Small picture 216
Can I overlay two photos to make a single image? Image overlay 218
Can I use the camera to create JPEG copies of NEF
(RAW) photographs? NEF (RAW) processing 220
Is there a quick way to retouch photographs? Quick retouch 221
Can I straighten photographs? Straighten 221
How do I reduce distortion? Distortion control 222
Can I create the effect of a fisheye lens? Fisheye 222
Can I compare retouched copies with the originals? Side-by-side comparison 223

viii
Q&A Index ................................................................................................................................... iv
For Your Safety ........................................................................................................................xiv
Notices........................................................................................................................................xvi
Introduction 1
Overview....................................................................................................................................... 2
Getting to Know the Camera................................................................................................. 3
The Camera Body ......................................................................................................................3
The Mode Dial.............................................................................................................................6
The Control Panel......................................................................................................................7
The Viewfinder............................................................................................................................9
The Shooting Information Display................................................................................... 10
The Command Dials .............................................................................................................. 13
Attaching the AN-DC1 Camera Strap..............................................................................17
The BM-10 Monitor Cover ................................................................................................... 17
The DK-21 Viewfinder Eyepiece Cup............................................................................... 17
Camera Menus..........................................................................................................................18
Using Camera Menus ............................................................................................................ 19
Help ............................................................................................................................................. 21
First Steps ...................................................................................................................................22
Charge the Battery................................................................................................................. 22
Insert the Battery .................................................................................................................... 23
Attach a Lens............................................................................................................................ 25
Basic Setup................................................................................................................................ 27
Inserting Memory Cards....................................................................................................... 29
Adjust Viewfinder Focus ...................................................................................................... 32
Basic Photography and Playback 33
“Point-and-Shoot” Photography (iand jModes)...................................................34
Step 1: Turn the Camera On................................................................................................ 34
Step 2: Choose Shooting and Focus Modes ................................................................. 36
Step 3: Check Camera Settings..........................................................................................36
Step 4: Frame the Photograph ..........................................................................................37
Step 5: Focus ............................................................................................................................ 38
Step 6: Shoot............................................................................................................................ 39
Creative Photography (Scene Modes) .............................................................................41
kPortrait.............................................................................................................................. 41
lLandscape........................................................................................................................ 41
nClose Up ........................................................................................................................... 42
Table of Contents