Datasheet

irritating fast, which is one of the key
reasons that most people upgrade from a
consumer model camera to a professional-
grade camera like the D300.
Top of the camera
The top of the D300 is where you find the
most important buttons. This is where you’ll
find the buttons for the settings that tend to
get changed most frequently. Also included
in this section is a brief description of some
of the things you will find on the top of the
lens. Although your lens may vary, most of
the features are quite similar from lens
to lens.
✦ Shutter Release button. In my
opinion, this is the most important
button on the camera. Halfway
pressing this button activates the
camera’s auto focusing and light
meter. When you fully depress this
button the shutter is released and
a photograph is taken. When the
camera has been idle and has
“gone to sleep,” lightly pressing the
Shutter Release button wakes up
the camera. When the image
review is on, lightly pressing the
Shutter Release button turns off
the LCD and prepares the camera
for another shot.
✦ On/Off switch / LCD illuminator.
This switch is used to turn on the
camera. Turn the switch all the way
to the left to turn off the camera.
When in the center position, the
camera is turned on. Pull the
switch all the way to the right to
turn on the top-panel LCD illumina-
tor. This enables you to view your
settings when in a dimly lit environ-
ment. The LCD illuminator automat-
ically turns off after a few seconds
or when the shutter is released.
✦ Mode button. This button, when
used in conjunction with the Main
Command dial allows you to
change among the different meter-
ing modes. You can choose
Programmed Auto, Shutter Priority,
Aperture Priority, or Manual modes
(P, S, A, or M). This button also
doubles as a format button when
pressed in conjunction with the
Delete button. Pressing and hold-
ing these two buttons down simul-
taneously allows you to format
your CompactFlash (CF) card with-
out entering the Setup menu.
✦ Exposure Compensation button.
Pressing this button in conjunction
with spinning the Main Command
dial allows you to modify the expo-
sure that is set by the D300’s light
meter or the exposure you set in
Manual exposure mode. Turning
the Main Command dial to the
right decreases exposure, while
turning the dial to the left
increases the exposure. This button
also doubles as the camera reset
button when used in conjunction
with the Quality button. Pressing
these buttons at the same time
restores the camera to the factory
default settings.
✦ Focal plane mark. The focal plane
mark shows you where the plane
of the CMOS image sensor is
inside the camera. The sensor isn’t
exactly where the mark is; the sen-
sor is directly behind the lens
opening. When doing certain types
of photography, particularly macro
photography using a bellows lens,
you need to measure the length of
the bellows from the front element
of the lens to the focal plane. This
is where the focal plane mark
comes in handy.
16 Part I ✦ Using the Nikon D300
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