Pro fe s s i o n a l Te c h n i c a l G u i d e En
Table of Contents Using the Menus ........................................................... 4 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 distances from the camera The Inside Track...........
Image Quality FX and DX Formats .....................................................22 Vignette Control.........................................................27 Lens Options Vibration Reduction (VR) ...........................................28 Options for Long Lenses ............................................30 Camera Settings Sharing Settings .........................................................
Using the Menus Use the G button, J button, and multi selector to navigate the menus. G button J button Multi selector 1: Move Center: Select cursor up highlighted item 4: Cancel and return to previous menu 2: Select highlighted item or display sub-menu 3: Move cursor down the menus. 1 Display Press the G button to display the menus. the icon for the current menu. 2 Highlight Press 4 to highlight the icon for the current menu.
a menu. 3 Select Press 1 or 3 to select the desired menu. the cursor in the selected menu. 4 Position Press 2 to position the cursor in the selected menu. a menu item. 5 Highlight Press 1 or 3 to highlight a menu item. options. 6 Display Press 2 to display options for the highlighted menu item.
Using the Menus an option. 7 Highlight Press 1 or 3 to highlight an option. the highlighted item. 8 Select Press J to select the highlighted item (some items can also be selected by pressing 2). To exit without making a selection, press the G button.
Autofocus: Focusing with Autofocus The a Autofocus group in the first 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). continuous-servo AF.
Autofocus an option for Custom Setting a1. 3 Choose Choose whether the camera gives priority to focus or to shutter response in focus mode C. an option for Custom Setting a3. 4 Choose 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.
Focusing with Autofocus an option for Custom Setting a4. 5 Choose Choose how quickly the camera responds when an object moves between the subject and the camera.
Autofocus Focus Tracking with Lock-On Focus tracking with lock-on controls how the camera responds 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.
Focusing with Autofocus Example 1 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 coming between the subject and the camera during framing.
Autofocus Example 2 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.
Focusing with Autofocus Example 3 The Inside Track 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.
Autofocus Example 4 At the Finish Line Selecting Release for Custom Setting a1 ensures a quick shutter response and faster frame advance rates.
Focusing with Autofocus Example 5 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: Dynamic AF area: Release + Focus 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.
Exposure: Auto ISO Sensitivity Control If On is selected for ISO sensitivity > ISO sensitivity auto control in the shooting menu, the camera automatically 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. Notes Auto ISO sensitivity control is available in modes e, f , and g . Matrix metering is recommended. Note that camera firmware version A 1.10/B 1.
Example 6 A Daytime Stadium Match Auto ISO sensitivity control is ideal for scenes with large variations in brightness.
Exposure Auto ISO Sensitivity Control 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.
Exposure: Active D-Lighting (ADL) Active D-Lighting preserves details in highlights and shadows, creating photographs with natural contrast. Example 7 A Daytime Stadium Match Revisited Use Active D-Lighting for compositions that include areas of sharply contrasting brightness.
Exposure Active D-Lighting (ADL) The following settings are recommended: Active D-Lighting High or Normal Metering Matrix 1 Exposure mode e, f , or g 2 ISO sensitivity ISO 1600 or less 3 Memory card UDMA-compliant memory card 4 1. Active D-Lighting will not produce the desired effect when used with center-weighted or spot metering. 2. Active D-Lighting has no effect in exposure mode h . 3. Noise may be more noticeable in photographs taken at higher values. 4.
Exposure: Easy Exposure Compensation When On or On (Auto reset) is selected for Custom Setting b4 (Easy Exposure Compensation), exposure compensation can be set simply by rotating a command dial (at default settings, the sub-command dial is used for easy exposure compensation in exposure modes e and f , and the main command dial is used in exposure mode g). If On (Auto reset) is selected, exposure compensation will automatically be reset to 0 when the camera is turned off.
Image Quality: FX and DX Formats At default settings, image quality is not automatically adjusted when you switch between FX and DX image areas. As a result, pictures taken using the smaller DX image area will not be the same quality as FX-format images when printed at the same size. From camera firmware version A 2.00/ B 2.
shooting menu bank A. 1 Choose In the shooting menu, select Shooting menu bank. Highlight bank A and press J. settings for shooting menu bank A. 2 Adjust Sample settings are listed below: • Image quality: JPEG basic • Image size: M • Image area: FX format (36 × 24) shooting menu bank B. 3 Choose In the shooting menu, select Shooting menu bank. Highlight bank B and press J.
Image Quality settings for shooting menu bank B. 4 Adjust Sample settings are listed below: • Image quality: JPEG fine • Image size: L • Image area: DX format (24 × 16) the role of the Fn button. 5 InChoose the Custom Settings menu, select Custom Setting f4 (Assign FUNC. button) > FUNC. button + dials. Highlight Shooting menu bank and press J. between shooting menu banks. 6 Switch Press the Fn button and rotate a command dial to cycle through shooting menu banks as shown below.
FX and DX Formats Notes Shooting menu bank can also be assigned to the “button + dials” options for Custom Settings f5 (Assign preview button) and f6 (Assign AE-L/AF-L button). Apart from image quality, image size, and image area, settings for banks A and B should be identical. Any changes to bank A should also be made to bank B.
Image Quality FX and DX Formats Frame Rate (Continuous High-Speed Release Mode) Although maximum frame advance rate when FX format is selected for image area is fixed at 9 fps, the maximum frame rate for DX format can be selected from 9, 10, and 11 fps using Custom Setting d2 (Shooting speed).
Image Quality: Vignette Control You may notice a drop in peripheral illumination (vignetting) with certain lenses, particularly at maximum aperture. This can be corrected using the Vignette control option in the shooting menu. Vignette control: Select Vignette control in the shooting menu and choose High, Normal, or Low Notes Vignette control is available from camera firmware version A 1.10/B 1.11 (some lenses can only be used with firmware version A 2.00/B 2.00 or later).
Lens Options: Vibration Reduction (VR) The D3 supports vibration reduction with VR lenses. Turn vibration reduction off when shooting at fast shutter speeds. Other vibration reduction settings may result in slower frame advance rates and increased shutter lag. The table on the following page lists the recommended settings for different subjects.
VR mode Suggested for Moving subjects (e.g., shutter speeds of 1/500 s or faster) OFF • Stationary subjects NORMAL (ON) 1 • Panning shots of moving subjects Photographs taken from a car, boat, helicopter or other unstable platform. ACTIVE 1 Not suggested for — Subjects moving too fast to frame using panning Panning shots of moving subjects Photographs taken with a Monopod or handtripod. 2 held photography 1. Can be used both for hand-held shots and with a monopod. 2.
Lens Options: Options for Long Lenses The table below describes the focus modes available with the following lenses: • AF-S NIKKOR 400 mm f/2.8G ED VR • AF-S NIKKOR 500 mm f/4G ED VR • AF-S NIKKOR 600 mm f/4G ED VR Mode A/M (autofocus priority) M/A Description Choose when focusing primarily with autofocus. Manual focus will only be activated if the focus ring is rotated a large amount. Prevents manual focus from being activated accidentally.
Camera Settings: Sharing Settings Select Save/load settings > Save settings in the setup menu to save current camera settings to the memory card in Slot 1 (if the memory card is full, an error message will be displayed). Saved settings can loaded into any D3 camera using Save/load settings > Load settings, allowing the same settings to be shared among multiple cameras (note that Load settings is only available if the memory card in Slot 1 contains saved settings).
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