Professional Technical Guide — Useful Features — En
Table of Contents Custom Controls 5 Custom Control Assignments ................... 6 Quick Menu Access............................................................ 10 Custom Folders................................................................... 12 Taking Pictures 15 White Balance Tips and Tricks.......................................... 16 • White Balance Options..................................................................16 • Auto White Balance for Incandescent Lighting . ..
Playback 33 Finding Pictures Quickly................................................... 34 • Starting Playback with Your Right Hand...................................35 • Finding Pictures Quickly . .................................36 • Quick Focus Check..........................................................................38 • Tagging Pictures.............................................................................40 Upload 43 Adding Text to Pictures...............................................
Custom Controls As you will learn in this chapter, the D500 is crammed with features to make your life easier, including custom control assignments, quick menu access, and the ability to organize photos in folders.
Custom Control Assignments Custom Setting f1 (Custom control assignment) is used to customize camera controls, starting with the function (Fn) buttons. Assigning frequently-used settings to camera controls lets you access them without using the menus.
The functions that can be assigned to these controls are: D500 MB‑D17 0 v x V 8 S Fn AF-ON A Preset focus point 4 4 — — 4 4 4 — K AF-area mode 4 4 — 4 4 4 — 4 q AF-area mode + AF‑ON 4 4 — 4 4 4 — 4 q Preview 4 4 — — 4 — 4 — r FV lock 4 4 — — 4 — 4 — B AE/AF lock 4 4 — 4 4 4 — 4 C AE lock only 4 4 — 4 4 4 — 4 D AE lock (Reset on release) 4 4 — 4 4 — 4 4 E AE lock (Hold) 4 4 — 4 4 — 4 4 F AF lock only 4 4 — 4 4 4 — 4 A AF‑ON 4 4 — 4 4 4 — 4 h I Disable/enable 4 4 — — 4 4 — — 1 Bracketing burst 4 4 — —
Custom Controls D500 MB‑D17 0 v x V 8 S Fn AF-ON c Rating — J Select center focus point — K Highlight active focus point — 4 None G Same as camera AF‑ON button — — — — 4 — 4 — — 4 — — — — 4 — — 4 4 4 — — — — — — — — — 4 — — — — 4 4 Press + y The following controls can also be used with the command dials: 1 Pv button + y w Fn1 button + y 9 Center of sub-selector + y n BKT button + y Q Movie record button + y (applies when live view selector is rotated to C) Cu
Custom Control Assignments The functions that can be assigned to these controls are: D500 MB‑D17 1 w 9 n Q Fn + y J Choose image area 4 4 4 — 4 4 $ Shutter spd & aperture lock 4 4 4 — 4 4 v 1 step spd/aperture 4 4 — — — 4 w Choose non-CPU lens number 4 4 4 — — 4 y Active D‑Lighting 4 4 — — — 4 z Exposure delay mode 4 4 — — — 4 n Photo shooting menu bank 4 4 4 — 4 4 v Exposure mode 4 — — — — 4 t Auto bracketing — — — 4 — — $ Multiple exposure — — — 4 — — 2 HDR (high dynamic range) —
Quick Menu Access If Access top item in MY MENU is selected for Custom Setting f1 (Cus‑ tom control assignment) > 0 Pre‑ view button, pressing the Pv button will display the top item in My Menu, letting you access functions that cannot otherwise be assigned to a camera control. Here is an example of how this could be used to configure the Pv button to display the Storage folder menu. 10 1 Add Storage folder to My Menu.
3 Choose a control. Choose Custom Setting f1 (Cus‑ tom control assignment) and select 0 Preview button. 4 Select Access top item in MY MENU. You also have the option of assigning Access top item in MY MENU to the Fn1 or Fn2 button or to the center of the sub-selector or of using Custom Setting f10 (Assign MB‑D17 buttons) to assign it to the Fn button on optional MB‑D17 battery packs. You can now view the Storage folder menu at any time by pressing the Pv button.
Custom Folders Create folders before going on a shoot and use them to organize photos by scene. If you’re photographing soccer or baseball, you can create folders for each half or inning, making photos easier to find and organize later on. Use the Storage folder > Rename and Select folder by number options in the photo shooting menu to create folders. To create folders for the first inning at a ball game: 12 1 Enter a name for the tops of the innings.
4 Create a folder for the bottom of the first inning. Each folder number can be used only once. Choose Select folder by number and select folder number 101. Press J to create a folder named “101_BTM_”. You can now create folders for the remaining innings: 1 Create a folder for the top of the second inning. Choose Select folder from list, select a folder named “_TOP_”, then choose Select folder by number and select folder number 200. Press J to create a folder named “200_TOP_”.
Taking Pictures This chapter covers information that you may find useful when taking photographs.
White Balance Tips and Tricks Auto white balance is recommended with most light sources. If the desired results can not be achieved with auto white balance, choose an option from the list below or use preset white balance. l White Balance Options Choose from the following options: Option K* Description v Auto White balance is adjusted automatiKeep white (reduce cally. Suitable for most light sources; warm colors) 3500– if an optional flash unit is used, white 8000 Normal balance is adjusted to match.
Option G Cloudy K* Description 6000 Use in daylight under overcast skies. Use in daylight with subjects in the M Shade 8000 shade. Choose color 2500– Choose a color temperature from a K temp. 10,000 list of values. Use your subject or light source or an L Preset manual — existing photo as a reference (page 19). * Color temperature. All values are approximate and do not reflect fine-tuning; colors can be fine-tuned if desired.
Taking Pictures l Auto White Balance for Incandescent Lighting v offers a choice of AUTO0 Keep white (reduce warm colors), AUTO1 Normal, and AUTO2 Keep warm lighting colors. The warm cast of incandescent lighting can be eliminated by selecting Keep white (re‑ duce warm colors) or preserved by selecting Keep warm lighting colors.
White Balance Tips and Tricks l Measuring Preset Manual White Balance In live view, you can measure white balance from any white or grey object in the frame. When Preset manual is selected for white balance, you can press the U button to enter direct measurement mode. L will flash in the display; tap a white or grey object to position the spot white balance target (r) over the selected object and measure white balance. To zoom in on the target for precise positioning, press the X button.
AE with Constant Shutter Speed and Aperture To vary ISO sensitivity automatically when shooting in dappled sunlight or in other situations in which the subject or background vary in brightness, select On for ISO sensi‑ tivity settings > Auto ISO sensitivi‑ ty control in the photo shooting menu. You’ll get optimal exposure without having to adjust shutter speed or aperture, even in mode M.
Preserving Natural Contrast Use Active D‑Lighting to preserve details in highlights and shadows when photographing high-contrast scenes, for example when shooting through a window or at the beach. Active D‑Lighting: Off Active D‑Lighting: Y Auto Matrix metering is recommended. To let the camera adjust Active D‑Lighting automatically according to the scene, choose Y Auto, but note that in exposure mode M, Y Auto is equivalent to Q Normal. Noise may be visible in photos taken at high ISO sensitivities.
Multiple Exposure: Overlay Mode When shooting multiple exposures, choose an overlay mode according to the situation and your creative intent. • Add: Overlay exposures without modification. + • Average: Overall brightness is optimized by adjusting gain according to the number of exposures. + • Lighten: The camera compares the pixels in each exposure and chooses only the brightest. + • Darken: The camera compares the pixels in each exposure and chooses only the darkest.
Burst Photography: Keeping Exposure Consistent When using a continuous release mode to photograph subjects that are in motion or that vary in brightness, you may notice that exposure changes between frames. For consistent exposure, select mode M or: • Turn face detection off: When Face de‑ tection on is selected for Custom Setting b5 (Matrix metering), matrix metering will assign priority to the faces of portrait subjects.
Flicker Reduction When powered by alternating current, fluorescent lamps and certain other types of artificial lighting flicker at a rate determined by the frequency of the power supply, which depending on the timing of the shutter release may produce areas of uneven color or exposure. Flicker reduction helps prevent this by matching the timing of the shutter release to the flicker rate.
When On is selected for Flicker re‑ duction indicator, a FLICKER icon will be displayed in the viewfinder if flicker is detected when the shutterrelease button is pressed halfway. FLICKER icon The effects of the different settings are summarized in the following table.
Flicker Reduction The Photo Shooting Menu Flicker Reduction Option Flicker reduction can detect flicker at 100 and 120 Hz (associated respectively with AC power supplies of 50 and 60 Hz). Flicker may not be detected or the desired results may not be achieved with dark backgrounds, bright light sources, or decorative lighting displays and other non-standard lighting. Depending on the light source, there may be a slight delay before the shutter is released.
Muffling the Shutter You may find it useful to mute the shutter at stage performances, during interviews, or for wildlife photography. l Quiet Shutter-Release Mode When quiet shutter-release mode is selected in viewfinder photography, the mirror stays up while the shutter-release button is pressed all the way down.
Muffling the Shutter l Movie Stills You can also achieve the effect of silent photography by filming movies silently and then later playing the movie back and using the Save selected frame option to create JPEG stills from selected frames. 1 Pause playback on the desired frame. Press 3 to pause playback. 2 Choose Save selected frame. Press i or J, then highlight Save selected frame and press 2. 3 Create a still copy. Press 1 to create a fine★-quality JPEG copy of the current frame.
Vibration Reduction: Sport Mode Compared with earlier models, the viewfinder offers improved stability in burst mode. This combines with the SPORT setting available on some VR lenses to make subjects even easier to track during high-speed burst photography. Lenses with SPORT VR As of April 2016, the following lenses featured SPORT VR: • AF-S NIKKOR 600 mm f/4E FL ED VR • AF‑S NIKKOR 500 mm f/4E FL ED VR • AF‑S NIKKOR 400 mm f/2.8E FL ED VR • AF‑S NIKKOR 300 mm f/4E PF ED VR • AF‑S NIKKOR 200–500 mm f/5.
l What Makes Sport Mode Special Sport mode limits vibration reduction to the minimum needed for subjects that are moving quickly and unpredictably. When the camera is hand-held, the image in the viewfinder remains as stable and smooth as when the camera is mounted on a monopod, making subjects easier to track during panning and high-speed burst photography. When the lens is mounted on a D500, all of this can be accomplished without reducing frame rate or increasing shutter lag.
Vibration Reduction: Sport Mode l ”Sport” Versus “Normal” Sport mode balances vibration reduction with smooth display when you are photographing sports, aircraft, birds, or other moving subjects. Choose NORMAL for more powerful vibration reduction when photographing landscapes and other static subjects. The differences between sport and normal modes are summarized below.
Playback As you will learn in this chapter, the touch screen and custom controls let you quickly find images and check focus one-handed. You can also use the “protect” and “rate” features to tag photos for quick playback and later sorting.
Finding Pictures Quickly In addition to the multi selector and other controls used for playback on earlier cameras, the D500 features a touch screen. You can page through pictures by flicking left or right and zoom in by double-tapping the monitor, making it faster to find pictures and check focus. You can also protect or rate pictures to make them easier to find.
l Starting Playback with Your Right Hand Assigning Playback to a control on the right side of the camera lets you start and stop playback with your right hand while your left hand continues to support the camera, ready for the next shot. Use Custom Setting f1 (Custom control assignment, page 6) to assign Playback to the Fn1 or Pv button or the center of the sub-selector, or use Custom Setting f10 (Assign MB‑D17 buttons) to assign Playback to the Fn button on optional MB‑D17 battery packs.
Playback l Finding Pictures Quickly Flick left or right or press 4 or 2 to view additional images in full-frame playback. To scroll quickly, keep the multi selector pressed or touch the bottom of the display to bring up the frame advance bar and then drag the slider left or right. Frame advance bar Using the Command Dials To use the command dials to scroll through pictures in full frame playback, select On for Custom Setting f4 (Customize command dials) > Menus and playback.
Finding Pictures Quickly “After Burst, Show” The After burst, show option in the playback menu controls whether the photo displayed at the end of a burst of shots is the first or last in the burst. It takes effect only when Image review is off. Last shots taken (burst) DSC_0001.jpg DSC_0002.jpg DSC_0003.jpg Displayed if First image in burst is selected DSC_0004.jpg DSC_0014.jpg DSC_0015.
Playback l Quick Focus Check The following operations can be used to zoom in for a quick focus check during playback. • Press the center of the multi selector to zoom in on the active focus point. Press again to exit zoom. • Double-tap the monitor to zoom in on the selected location. Double-tap again to exit zoom. • Place two fingers on the monitor and stretch or pinch to zoom in or out. To switch to a thumbnail view, zoom out when the image is displayed full frame.
Finding Pictures Quickly To choose the starting zoom ratio for double-tap zoom or zoom using the center of the multi selector, go to Custom Setting f2 (Multi selector center button) > Playback mode, highlight Zoom on/off, and press 2. Choose from Low magnification (50%), 1 : 1 (100%), and High magni‑ fication (200%). Viewing Faces During playback zoom, faces de- On-screen guide tected by the camera are indicated by white borders in the navigation window.
Playback l Tagging Pictures Protect or rate pictures to make them easier to find. Protecting Pictures Pressing the L (Z/Q) button during playback tags the current image with a P icon. If you select Protect for Custom Setting f4 (Cus‑ tomize command dials) > Sub-dial frame advance, you can rotate the sub-command dial to view only protected images. Rating Pictures Pictures that are not protected can be given ratings of zero to five stars or marked as candidates for later deletion by giving them a rating of d.
Finding Pictures Quickly Following transfer to a computer, pictures can be viewed or sorted by rating in applications such as ViewNX‑i or Capture NX‑D.
Upload This chapter describes how to quickly connect to networks, check whether pictures have been uploaded to the computer, and add comments, copyright information, and IPTC metadata to images.
Adding Text to Pictures Text can be embedded in pictures using the IPTC, Image comment, and Copyright information options in the camera setup menu. Text can be entered using the touch screen. l Editing Text in HTTP Server Mode IPTC presets, image comments, and copyright information can be created on a computer or Android or iOS device using the “edit text” option in http server mode.
l IPTC Presets The IPTC presets stored on the camera can be viewed during playback by holding down the J button and pressing 3. To embed IPTC information in the current image, highlight a preset and press J. Creating IPTC Presets on a Computer IPTC Preset Manager software can be used to create IPTC presets and copy them to the camera memory card.
Checking Upload Status While—at least in the case of images uploaded to a computer or ftp server via a WT‑7 wireless transmitter—the camera indicates upload status by the color of the transfer icon, transfer status is not displayed when pictures are viewed on a computer. Transfer icon (blue) If On is selected for Network > Op‑ tions > Send marking in the camera setup menu, the date and time of upload will be embedded in the copies on the memory card.
Accessories This chapter describes how the synchronized release feature on optional WR‑1 and WR‑R10 wireless remote controllers can be used to simultaneously release the shutters on multiple remote cameras.
Synchronized Release Cameras equipped with optional WR‑1 or WR‑R10 wireless remote controllers can be configured for synchronized release. One camera acts as a master controlling the shutters on one or more remote cameras. A WR‑A10 adapter is required when connecting the WR‑R10 to the D500. For more information on using wireless remote controllers, see the documentation provided with the device. l Configuring Cameras for Synchronized Release Custom Setting d4 (Sync.
The following table shows how Custom Settings d4 and f1 combine for flexible camera control using the shutter-release button (“SRB”) and the button to which Sync. release selection has been assigned (“custom control”): Custom Setting Shutter released by SRB alone SRB + custom control f1 > Sync.
Accessories Here’s an example of how you can use two cameras to capture shots on goal in a soccer match. Custom Settings are adjusted so that the shutter on the remote camera is released only when both the shutter-release button and the center of the sub-selector are pressed: • d4 Sync. release mode options: No sync • f1 Custom control assignment > 8 Sub-selector center > Sync. release selection: Synchronized release To take photos with only the master camera, press the shutter-release button normally.
Synchronized Release l Uploading Photos If you are using a WR‑1 or WR‑R10 wireless remote controller for synchronized release, you can upload photos to computer or ftp server using a WT‑7 wireless transmitter. The cameras must be in ftp upload or image transfer mode. If On is selected for Network > Options > Auto send in the setup menu, photos will be uploaded as they are taken. Be sure to enable this option when the camera is connected to an Ethernet or wireless LAN.
Synchronized Release Synchronized Release Wireless Signal Range Range varies with weather conditions and wireless signal strength and may drop in crowds, in the presence of other wireless signal sources, or if the remote camera is close to the ground. Be sure the firmware for the WR‑1 or WR‑R10 has been updated to the latest version; for more information, visit the Nikon website for your area.
