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Thank you for your purchase of a Nikon single-lens reflex (SLR) digital camera. This manual is for both D800 and D800E digital cameras; save where otherwise noted, operations are identical. Illustrations show the D800. To get the most from your camera, please be sure to read all instructions thoroughly and keep them where they will be read by all those who use the product.
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Where to Find It Find what you’re looking for from: The Table of Contents... 0 The Q&A Index ... 0 The Quick Start Guide ... 0 xxi The Index... 0 441 Error Messages ... 0 417 Troubleshooting ... 0 412 Introduction Tutorial Live View Photography...
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Q&A Index Find what you’re looking for using this “question and answer” index. Taking Photographs Is there a quick and easy way to take snapshots? Can I frame photos in the monitor (C live view photography)? Can I shoot movies (1 movie live view)? Can I join photographs taken at regular intervals to create a time-lapse movie? Can I take photos in quick succession?
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Retouching Photographs How do I create retouched copies of photos? How do I make JPEG copies of RAW (NEF) photos? Can I create a copy of a photo that looks like a painting? Can I trim movie footage on the camera or save movie stills? Menus and Settings How do I use the menus?
Table of Contents Q&A Index ...ii For Your Safety ... xiii Notices... xvi Quick Start Guide...xxi Introduction Package Contents...1 Getting to Know the Camera...2 Camera Body ... 2 The Control Panel... 6 The Viewfinder Display... 8 The Information Display...10 The BM-12 Monitor Cover ...14 Tutorial Camera Menus...
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Basic Photography and Playback ... 37 Turn the Camera On... 37 Ready the Camera... 39 Focus and Shoot... 40 Viewing Photographs... 43 Deleting Unwanted Photographs... 44 Live View Photography Focusing in Live View ... 48 The Live View Display: Live View Photography ... 51 The Information Display: Live View Photography...
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Focus Autofocus ... 91 Autofocus Mode ...91 AF-Area Mode...93 Focus Point Selection...96 Focus Lock...98 Manual Focus ...101 Release Mode Choosing a Release Mode ...103 Power Source and Frame Rate... 104 Self-Timer Mode...106 Mirror up Mode ...108 ISO Sensitivity Manual Adjustment ...109 Auto ISO Sensitivity Control ...111 Exposure Metering ...115...
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White Balance White Balance Options ...145 Fine-Tuning White Balance...148 Choosing a Color Temperature ...152 Preset Manual ...154 Image Enhancement Picture Controls...163 Selecting a Picture Control...163 Modifying Existing Picture Controls...165 Creating Custom Picture Controls ...169 Sharing Custom Picture Controls...172 Preserving Detail in Highlights and Shadows...174 Active D-Lighting ...174 High Dynamic Range (HDR) ...176 Flash Photography...
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More About Playback Viewing Images...219 Full-Frame Playback ... 219 Thumbnail Playback ... 219 Playback Controls ... 220 Photo Information...222 Taking a Closer Look: Playback Zoom...231 Protecting Photographs from Deletion...233 Deleting Photographs ...234 Full-Frame and Thumbnail Playback... 234 The Playback Menu... 236 Connections Connecting to a Computer ...239 Before Connecting the Camera...
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Rotate Tall ...266 Slide Show...267 C The Shooting Menu: Shooting Options ...268 Shooting Menu Bank...269 Extended Menu Banks...270 Storage Folder ...271 File Naming...273 Color Space...274 Vignette Control ...275 Auto Distortion Control ...276 Long Exposure NR (Long Exposure Noise Reduction) ...277 High ISO NR ...277 A Custom Settings: Fine-Tuning Camera Settings ...278 Custom Settings Bank...280...
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g: Movie ...321 g1: Assign Fn Button ...321 g2: Assign Preview Button ...322 g3: Assign AE-L/AF-L button ...323 g4: Assign Shutter Button ...324 B The Setup Menu: Camera Setup...325 Format Memory Card...326 Monitor Brightness ...326 Image Dust Off Ref Photo...327 Flicker Reduction...329 Time Zone and Date...329 Language...330...
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Side-by-Side Comparison ... 364 O My Menu/m Recent Settings ...366 Technical Notes Compatible Lenses...371 Optional Flash Units (Speedlights)...380 The Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)... 381 Other Accessories...387 Attaching a Power Connector and AC Adapter... 391 Caring for the Camera...393 Storage ... 393 Cleaning...
For Your Safety To prevent damage to your Nikon product or injury to yourself or to others, read the following safety precautions in their entirety before using this equipment. Keep these safety instructions where all those who use the product will read them.
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Do not use in the presence of flammable Do not use electronic equipment in the presence of flammable gas, as this could result in explosion or fire. Keep out of reach of children Failure to observe this precaution could result in injury. In addition, note that small parts constitute a chocking hazard.
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Use appropriate cables When connecting cables to the input and output jacks, use only the cables provided or sold by Nikon for the purpose to maintain compliance with product regulations. CD-ROMs CD-ROMs containing software or manuals should not be played back on audio CD equipment.
• For more information, contact the retailer or the local authorities in charge of waste management. • Nikon will not be held liable for any damages resulting from the use of this product. • While every effort has been made to...
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Interface Cables Use the interface cables sold or provided by Nikon for your equipment. Using other interface cables may exceed the limits of Class B Part 15 of the FCC rules. Notice for Customers in the State of California...
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Disposing of Data Storage Devices Please note that deleting images or formatting memory cards or other data storage devices does not completely erase the original image data. Deleted files can sometimes be recovered from discarded storage devices using commercially available software, potentially resulting in the malicious use of personal image data.
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Only Nikon brand electronic accessories (including chargers, batteries, AC adapters, and flash accessories) certified by Nikon specifically for use with this Nikon digital camera are engineered and proven to operate within the operational and safety requirements of this electronic circuitry.
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Before taking pictures on important occasions (such as at weddings or before taking the camera on a trip), take a test shot to ensure that the camera is functioning normally. Nikon will not be held liable for damages or lost profits that may result from product malfunction.
Quick Start Guide Follow these steps for a quick start with the D800. Attach the camera strap. Attach the strap securely to the camera eyelets. Charge (0 19) and insert the battery (0 21). Attach a lens (0 24). Insert a memory card (0 29). Front...
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Turn the camera on (0 37). See Also For information on choosing a language and setting the time and date, see page 26. See page 35 for information on adjusting viewfinder focus. Select autofocus (0 91). Rotate the focus-mode selector to AF (autofocus).
Getting to Know the Camera Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with camera controls and displays. You may find it helpful to bookmark this section and refer to it as you read through the rest of the manual. Camera Body Release mode dial...103 Release mode dial lock release ...103...
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Built-in flash... 181 Flash pop-up button... 181 M/Y button Flash mode... 182 Flash compensation... 188 Built-in microphone... 65, 70 Flash sync terminal cover ... 380 Ten-pin remote terminal cover ... 215, 390 Flash sync terminal... 380 Ten-pin remote terminal... 215, 390 Connector cover...243, 248, 256 The Microphone and Speaker Do not place the microphone or speaker in close proximity to magnetic...
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Camera Body (Continued) AF-assist illuminator...286 Self-timer lamp ...107 Red-eye reduction lamp...183 Sub-command dial ...317 Depth-of-field preview button ... 63, 117, 315, 322 Fn (function) button ... 83, 191, 311, 321 Power connector cover...391 LCD Illuminators Rotating the power switch toward D activates the exposure meters and control panel backlight (LCD illuminator), allowing the display to...
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Viewfinder ...35 Viewfinder eyepiece ...36, 106 Diopter adjustment control ...35 Metering selector ... 116 A button AE/AF lock ...98, 128, 315, 323 B button AF-ON ...46, 60, 92 Main command dial... 317 Multi selector... 16, 42, 221 Memory card slot cover ... 29, 31 Focus selector lock ...96 Speaker ...73 a button...
The Control Panel Color temperature indicator ...153 Shutter speed ...119, 122 Exposure compensation value ...130 Flash compensation value...188 White balance fine-tuning...148 Color temperature ...146, 153 White balance preset number ...154 Number of shots in exposure and flash bracketing sequence...133 Number of shots in WB bracketing sequence ...137 HDR exposure differential...180 Number of shots in multiple...
The Information Display Shooting information, including shutter speed, aperture, number of exposures remaining, and AF-area mode, is displayed in the monitor when the R button is pressed. Exposure mode...117 Flexible program indicator ...118 Flash sync indicator ...299 Shutter speed ...119, 122 Exposure compensation value ...130 Flash compensation value...188 White balance fine-tuning...148...
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The Information Display (Continued) FV lock indicator...191 Release mode indicator...103 Continuous shooting speed ...104 Flash compensation indicator ...188 Exposure compensation indicator ...130 Vignette control indicator...275 ADL bracketing amount ...142 Camera battery indicator... 37 Turning the Monitor Off To clear shooting information from the monitor, press the R button twice more or press the shutter-release button halfway.
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Changing Settings in the Information Display To change settings for the items listed below, press the R button in the information display. Highlight items using the multi selector and press J to view options for the highlighted item. Shooting menu bank... 269 High ISO noise reduction...
The BM-12 Monitor Cover A clear plastic cover is provided with the camera to keep the monitor clean and protect it when the camera is not in use. To attach the cover, insert the projection on the top of the cover into the matching indentation above the camera monitor (q) and press the bottom of the cover until it clicks into place (w).
Tutorial Camera Menus Most shooting, playback, and setup options can be accessed from the camera menus. To view the menus, press the G button. Tabs Choose from the following menus: • D: Playback (0 259) • C: Shooting (0 268) •...
Using Camera Menus Menu Controls The multi selector and J button are used to navigate the menus. Multi selector Move cursor up Cancel and return to previous menu Move cursor down Navigating the Menus Follow the steps below to navigate the menus. Display the menus.
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Select a menu. Press 1 or 3 to select the desired menu. Position the cursor in the selected menu. Press 2 to position the cursor in the selected menu. Highlight a menu item. Press 1 or 3 to highlight a menu item.
Select the highlighted item. Press J to select the highlighted item. To exit without making a selection, press the G button. Note the following points: • Menu items that are displayed in gray are not currently available. • While pressing 2 or the center of the multi selector generally has the same effect as pressing J, there are some cases in which selection can only be made by pressing J.
First Steps Charge the Battery The camera is powered by an EN-EL15 rechargeable Li-ion battery (supplied). To maximize shooting time, charge the battery in the supplied MH-25 battery charger before use. About 2 hours and 35 minutes are required to fully recharge the battery when no charge remains.
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Plug the charger in. The CHARGE lamp will blink while the battery charges. Charging the Battery Charge the battery indoors at ambient temperatures between 5–35 °C (41–95 °F). The battery will not charge if its temperature is below 0 °C (32 °F) or above 60 °C (140 °F).
Insert the Battery Turn the camera off. Inserting and Removing Batteries Always turn the camera off before inserting or removing batteries. Open the battery-chamber cover. Unlatch (q) and open (w) the battery- chamber cover. Insert the battery. Insert the battery in the orientation shown (q), using the battery to keep the orange battery latch pressed to one side.
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Removing the Battery Turn the camera off and open the battery- chamber cover. Press the battery latch in the direction shown by the arrow to release the battery and then remove the battery by hand. Note that the battery may be hot after use; observe due caution when removing the battery.
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If the problem persists, cease use immediately and take battery and charger to your retailer or a Nikon-authorized service representative. Do not short the charger terminals; failure to observe this precaution could result in overheating and damage to the charger.
Attach a Lens Care should be taken to prevent dust from entering the camera when the lens is removed. The lens generally used in this manual for illustrative purposes is an AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR. Focal length scale Lens hood Lens cap Turn the camera off.
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Attach the lens. Keeping the mounting index on the lens aligned with the mounting index on the camera body, position the lens in the camera’s bayonet mount (q). Being careful not to press the lens-release button, rotate the lens counter-clockwise until it clicks into place (w).
Basic Setup The language option in the setup menu is automatically highlighted the first time menus are displayed. Choose a language and set the time and date. Note that if the time and date are not set, B will blink in the monitor and the time and date recorded with photographs will be incorrect.
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Select Time zone and date. Select Time zone and date and press 2. Set time zone. Select Time zone and press 2. Press 4 or 2 to highlight the local time zone (the UTC field shows the difference between the selected time zone and Coordinated Universal Time, or UTC, in hours) and press J.
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Set date format. Select Date format and press 2. Press 1 or 3 to choose the order in which the year, month, and day will be displayed and press J. Exit to shooting mode. Press the shutter-release button halfway to exit to shooting mode. The Clock Battery The camera clock is powered by an independent, rechargeable power source, which is charged as necessary when the main battery is installed...
Insert a Memory Card Pictures are stored on memory cards (available separately; 0 434). The camera is equipped with two card slots, one for SD and the other for Type I CompactFlash cards. Type II cards and microdrives can not be used. Turn the camera off.
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Insert the memory card. SD memory cards: Holding the card as shown, slide it into the SD card slot until it clicks into place. The green access lamp will light briefly. CompactFlash memory cards: Insert the card into the CompactFlash card slot with the front label toward the monitor (q).
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Memory Card Icons The memory cards currently inserted in the camera are indicated as shown (the example at right shows the icons displayed when both an SD and a CompactFlash card are inserted). If the memory card is full or an error has occurred, the icon for the affected card will blink (0 419).
Format the Memory Card Memory cards must be formatted before first use or after being used or formatted in other devices. Formatting Memory Cards Formatting memory cards permanently deletes any data they may contain. Be sure to copy any photographs and other data you wish to keep to a computer before proceeding (0 239).
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Press the I (Q) and O (Q) buttons again. Press the I (Q) and O (Q) buttons together a second time while C is blinking to format the memory card. Do not remove the memory card or remove or disconnect the power source during formatting.
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Memory Cards • Memory cards may be hot after use. Observe due caution when removing memory cards from the camera. • Turn the power off before inserting or removing memory cards. Do not remove memory cards from the camera, turn the camera off, or remove or disconnect the power source during formatting or while data are being recorded, deleted, or copied to a computer.
Adjust Viewfinder Focus The camera is equipped with diopter adjustment to accommodate individual differences in vision. Check that the display in the viewfinder is in focus before shooting. Turn the camera on. Remove the lens cap and turn the camera on. Lift the diopter adjustment control Focus the viewfinder.
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Adjusting Viewfinder Focus If you are unable to focus the viewfinder as described above, select single-servo autofocus (AF-S; 0 91), single-point AF (0 93), and the center focus point (0 96), and then frame a high-contrast subject in the center focus point and press the shutter-release button halfway to focus the camera.
Basic Photography and Playback Turn the Camera On Before taking photographs, turn the camera on and check the battery level and number of exposures remaining as described below. Turn the camera on. Turn the camera on. The control panel will turn on and the display in the viewfinder will light.
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Check the number of exposures remaining. The control panel and viewfinder show the number of photographs that can be taken at current settings (values over 1,000 are rounded down to the nearest hundred; e.g., values between 1,400 and 1,499 are shown as 1.4 K).
Ready the Camera When framing photographs in the viewfinder, hold the handgrip in your right hand and cradle the camera body or lens with your left. Keep your elbows propped lightly against your torso for support and place one foot half a pace ahead of the other to keep your upper body stable.
Focus and Shoot Press the shutter- release button halfway (0 41). At default settings, the camera will focus on the subject in the center focus point. Frame a photo in the viewfinder with the main subject positioned in the center focus point and press the shutter-release button halfway.
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Shoot. Smoothly press the shutter- release-button the rest of the way down to release the shutter and record the photograph. While the photograph is being recorded to the memory card, the access lamp will light. Do not eject the memory card or remove or disconnect the power source until the lamp has gone out and recording is complete.
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Auto Meter Off The shutter speed and aperture displays in the control panel and viewfinder will turn off if no operations are performed for about six seconds, reducing the drain on the battery. Press the shutter-release button halfway to reactivate the display in the viewfinder (0 41). Exposure meters on Exposure meters off The length of time before the exposure meters turn off automatically can be adjusted using Custom Setting c2 (Auto meter-off delay,...
See page 221 for information on choosing a memory card slot. K button 1 125 0, 0 100ND800 DSC _ 0001 . JPG 2012 10 : 06 : 22 NIKON D800 F5 . 6 85mm N N OR ORMAL AL 7360x4912...
Deleting Unwanted Photographs Unwanted photographs can be deleted by pressing the O (Q) button. Note that photographs can not be recovered once deleted. Display the photograph. Display the photograph you wish to delete as described in “Viewing Photographs” on the previous page. The location of the current image is shown by an icon at the bottom left corner of the display.
Live View Photography Follow the steps below to take photographs in live view. Rotate the live view selector to C (live view photography). Press the a button. The mirror will be raised and the view through the lens will be displayed in the camera monitor.
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Focus. Press the shutter-release button halfway or press the B button to focus. The focus point will blink green while the camera focuses. If the camera is able to focus, the focus point will be displayed in green; if the camera is unable to focus, the focus point will blink red (note that pictures can be taken even when the focus point blinks red;...
Take the picture. Press the shutter-release button the rest of the way down to shoot. The monitor will turn off. Exit live view mode. Press the a button to exit live view mode. Using Autofocus in Live View Use an AF-S lens. The desired results may not be achieved with other lenses or teleconverters.
Focusing in Live View To focus using autofocus, rotate the focus- mode selector to AF and follow the steps below to choose autofocus and AF-area modes. For information on focusing manually, see page 55. Choosing a Focus Mode The following autofocus modes are available in live view: Mode Single-servo AF: For stationary subjects.
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Choosing an AF-Area Mode The following AF-area modes can be selected in live view: Mode Face-priority AF: Use for portraits. The camera automatically detects and focuses on portrait subjects; the selected subject is indicated by a double yellow border (if multiple faces, up to a maximum of 35, are detected, the camera will focus on the closest subject;...
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To choose an AF-area mode, press the AF-mode button and rotate the sub-command dial until the desired mode is displayed in the monitor. AF-mode button Subject Tracking The camera may be unable to track subjects if they move quickly, leave the frame or are obscured by other objects, change visibly in size, color, or brightness, or are too small, too large, too bright, too dark, or similar in color or brightness to the background.
The Live View Display: Live View Photography Item The amount of time remaining before live q Time remaining view ends automatically. Displayed if shooting will end in 30 s or less. Displayed if monitor hue differs from the hue Monitor hue produced by the current white balance indicator setting.
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Adjusting Monitor Hue If flash lighting is used with Flash or Preset manual white balance (0 145), the colors in the monitor may differ from those in the final photograph. Monitor hue can be adjusted to reduce the effects of ambient lighting on the display in the monitor during live view photography, for example when using a flash.
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Adjusting Monitor Brightness Monitor brightness can be adjusted as described below. Note that brightness adjustment is not available during exposure preview. Highlight the monitor brightness indicator. Press and hold W and press 4 or 2 to highlight the monitor brightness indicator at the right side of the display.
The Information Display: Live View Photography To hide or display indicators in the monitor during live view photography, press the R button. Virtual horizon (0 337) Histogram (exposure preview only; 0 46) Information on Information off Framing guides...
Manual Focus To focus in manual focus mode (0 101), rotate the lens focus ring until the subject is in focus. To magnify the view in the monitor up to about 23 × for precise focus, press the X button. While the view through the lens is zoomed in, a navigation window will appear in a gray frame at the bottom right corner of the display.
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Shooting in Live View Mode To prevent light entering via the viewfinder from interfering with exposure, close the viewfinder eyepiece shutter (0 106). Although they will not appear in the final picture, flicker, banding, or distortion may be visible in the monitor under fluorescent, mercury vapor, or sodium lamps or if the camera is panned horizontally or an object moves at high speed through frame (flicker and banding can be reduced using Flicker reduction;...
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The Count Down Display A count down will be displayed 30 s before live view ends automatically (0 51; the timer turns red if live view is about to end to protect the internal circuits or, if an option other than No limit is selected for Custom Setting c4—Monitor off delay;...
Movie Live View Movies can be recorded in live view. Rotate the live view selector to 1 (movie live view). Press the a button. The mirror will be raised and the view through the lens will be displayed in the camera monitor, modified for the effects of exposure.
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Choose an AF-area mode. Choose an AF-Area mode as described in “Choosing an AF-Area Mode“ (0 49). Focus. Frame the opening shot and focus as described in Steps 3 and 4 on pages 45– 46 (for more information on focusing in movie live view, see page 47).
Start recording. Press the movie-record button to start recording. A recording indicator and the time available are displayed in the monitor. Exposure is set using matrix metering and can be locked by pressing the A AE-L/AF-L button (0 128) or altered by up to ±3 EV using exposure compensation (0 130).
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End recording. Press the movie-record button again to end recording. Recording will end automatically when the maximum length is reached, or the memory card is full. Maximum Length The maximum length for individual movie files is 4 GB (for maximum recording times, see page 70); note that depending on memory card write speed, shooting may end before this length is reached (0 434).
Exit live view mode. Press the a button to exit live view mode. Indices If Index marking is selected for Custom Setting g2 (Assign preview button, 0 322), you can press the depth-of-field preview button during recording to add indices that can be used to locate frames during editing and playback (0 73).
The Live View Display: Movie Live View Item q “No movie” icon w Headphone volume Volume of audio output to headphones. Microphone sensitivity r Sound level Time remaining (movie live view) y Movie frame size Monitor brightness indicator i Guide Description Indicates that movies can not be recorded.
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Adjusting Settings in the Live View Display Microphone sensitivity, headphone volume, and monitor brightness can be adjusted as described below. Note that microphone sensitivity and headphone volume can not be adjusted during recording, and that brightness affects the monitor only (0 53); movies recorded with the camera are unaffected. Highlight a setting.
The Information Display: Movie Live View To hide or display indicators in the monitor during movie live view, press the R button. Virtual horizon (0 337) Histogram Photo Shooting Info If View photo shooting info is selected for Custom Setting g1 (Assign Fn button, 0 321), g2 (Assign preview button, 0 322), or g3 (Assign AE- L/AF-L button, 0 323), pressing the selected button displays information on shutter speed, aperture, and other photo settings in...
Image Area Regardless of the option selected for Image area in the shooting menu (0 79), all movies and photographs recorded in movie live view (0 59) have an aspect ratio of 16 : 9. Images recorded with On selected for Image area > Auto DX crop and a DX lens attached use a DX-based movie format, as do images recorded with DX (24×16) 1.5×...
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Movie Live View Photographs The following table shows the size of photographs taken in movie live view: Image area FX-based format DX-based format * Approximate size when printed at 300 dpi. Print size in inches equals image size in pixels divided by printer resolution in dots per inch (dpi;...
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Remote Cords If Record movies is selected for Custom Setting g4 (Assign shutter button, 0 324), the shutter-release buttons on optional remote cords (0 390) can be used to start movie live view and to start and end movie recording. Recording Movies Flicker, banding, or distortion may be visible in the monitor and in the final movie under fluorescent, mercury vapor, or sodium lamps or if the...
Movie Settings Use the Movie settings option in the shooting menu to adjust the following settings. • Frame size/frame rate, Movie quality: Choose from the following options: Option 1 1920 × 1080; 30 fps 2 1920 × 1080; 25 fps 3 1920 ×...
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Select Movie settings. Press the G button to display the menus. Highlight Movie settings in the shooting menu and press 2. Choose movie options. Highlight the desired item and press 2, then highlight an option and press J. G button...
Viewing Movies Movies are indicated by a 1 icon in full-frame playback (0 219). Press the center of the multi selector to start playback. 1 icon Length The following operations can be performed: Pause Play Rewind/ advance Movie progress Pause playback. Resume playback when movie is paused or during rewind/advance.
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Skip ahead/ back Adjust volume X /W Trim movie Exit /K Exit to full-frame playback. Return to shooting mode Display menus The p Icon Movies with indices (0 63) are indicated by a p icon in full-frame playback. The 2 Icon 2 is displayed in full-frame and movie playback if the movie was recorded without sound.
Editing Movies Trim footage to create edited copies of movies or save selected frames as JPEG stills. Option 9 Choose start/end point 4 Save selected frame Trimming Movies To create trimmed copies of movies: Display a movie full frame. Press the K button to display pictures full frame in the monitor and press 4 and 2 to scroll through...
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Display movie edit options. Press J to display movie edit options. Select Choose start/end point. Highlight Choose start/ end point and press J. The dialog shown at right will be displayed; choose whether the current frame will be the starting or end point of the copy and press Delete frames.
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Save the copy. Highlight one of the following and press J: • Save as new file: Save the copy to a new file. • Overwrite existing file: Replace the original movie file with the edited copy. • Cancel: Return to Step 5. •...
Saving Selected Frames To save a copy of a selected frame as a JPEG still: View the movie and choose a frame. Play the movie back as described on page 72; your approximate position in the movie can be ascertained from the movie progress bar. Pause the movie at the frame you intend to copy.
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Save the copy. Highlight Yes and press J to create a fine-quality (0 84) JPEG copy of the selected frame. Movie stills are indicated by a 9 icon in full-frame playback. Save Selected Frame JPEG movie stills created with the Save selected frame option can not be retouched.
Image Recording Options Image Area Choose the aspect ratio and angle of view (image area). Thanks to the camera’s FX format (35.9 × 24 mm) image sensor, you can choose from angles of view as wide as those supported by 35 mm (135) format film cameras, while automatically cropping pictures to the DX angle of view when using DX format lenses.
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Choose Image Area Choose the image area used when a non-DX lens is attached or a DX-lens is attached with Off selected for Auto DX crop (0 82). Option FX (36×24) 1.0× (FX format) 1.2× (30×20) 1.2× DX (24×16) 1.5× (DX format) 5 : 4 (30×24) FX format...
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Image Area The selected option is shown in the information display. DX Lenses DX lenses are designed for use with DX format cameras and have a smaller angle of view than lenses for 35mm format cameras. If Auto DX crop is off and an option other than DX (24×16) (DX format) is selected for Image area when a DX lens is attached, the edges of the image may be eclipsed.
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Image area can be set using the Image area option in the shooting menu or by pressing a control and rotating a command dial. The Image Area Menu Select Image area in the shooting menu. Press G to display the menus.
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Camera Controls Assign image area selection to a camera control. Select Choose image area as the “button + command dials” option for a camera control in the Custom Settings menu (0 278). Image area selection can be assigned to the Fn button (Custom Setting f4, Assign Fn button, 0 311), the depth of field preview button (Custom Setting f5, Assign preview button, 0 315), or the A AE-L/AF-L button (Custom Setting f6,...
* Size priority selected for JPEG compression. Description RAW data from the image sensor are saved directly to the memory card in Nikon Electronic Format (NEF). Settings such as white balance and contrast can be adjusted on a computer after shooting.
Image quality is set by pressing the T button and rotating the main command dial until the desired setting is displayed in the control panel. NEF (RAW) Images NEF (RAW) images can be viewed on the camera or using software such as Capture NX 2 (available separately;...
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The following options can be accessed from the shooting menu. Press the G button to display the menus, highlight the desired option and press 2. JPEG Compression Choose the type of compression for JPEG images. Option O Size priority Optimal quality NEF (RAW) Recording >...
Image Size Image size is measured in pixels. Choose from Large, Medium, or Small (note that image size varies depending on the option selected for Image area, 0 79): Image area Option FX (36×24) 1.0× (FX format) 1.2× (30×20) 1.2× DX (24×16) 1.5×...
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NEF (RAW) Images Note that the option selected for image size does not affect the size of NEF (RAW) images. When opened in software such as ViewNX 2 (supplied) or Capture NX 2 (available separately), NEF (RAW) images have the dimensions given for large (L-size) images in the table on the previous page.
Using Two Memory Cards When two memory cards are inserted in the camera, you can choose one as the primary card using the Primary slot selection item in the shooting menu. Select SD card slot to designate the card in the SD card slot as the primary card, CF card slot to choose the CompactFlash card.
Focus This section describes the options that control how your camera focuses when photographs are framed in the viewfinder. Focus can be adjusted automatically (see below) or manually (0 101). The user can also select the focus point for automatic or manual focus (0 96) or use focus lock to focus to recompose photographs after focusing (0 98).
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Autofocus mode can be selected by pressing the AF-mode button and rotating the main command dial until the desired setting is displayed in the viewfinder and control panel. The B Button For the purpose of focusing the camera, pressing the B button has the same effect as pressing the shutter-release button halfway.
AF-Area Mode Choose how the focus point for autofocus is selected. • Single-point AF: Select the focus point as described on page 96; the camera will focus on the subject in the selected focus point only. Use with stationary subjects. •...
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• Auto-area AF: The camera automatically detects the subject and selects the focus point; if a face is detected, the camera will give priority to the portrait subject. The active focus points are highlighted briefly after the camera focuses; in AF-C mode, the main focus point remains highlighted after the other focus points have turned off.
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AF-Area Mode AF-area mode is shown in the control panel and viewfinder. Control AF-area mode panel Single-point 9-point dynamic-area 21-point dynamic-area *Only active focus point is displayed in the viewfinder. Remaining focus points provide information to assist focus operation. Manual Focus Single-point AF is automatically selected when manual focus is used.
Focus Point Selection The camera offers a choice of 51 focus points that can be used to compose photographs with the main subject positioned almost anywhere in the frame. Rotate the focus selector lock to . This allows the multi selector to be used to select the focus point.
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Auto-area AF The focus point for auto-area AF is selected automatically; manual focus-point selection is not available. See Also For information on choosing when the focus point is illuminated, see Custom Setting a5 (AF point illumination, 0 284). For information on setting focus-point selection to “wrap around, ”...
Focus Lock Focus lock can be used to change the composition after focusing, making it possible to focus on a subject that will not be in a focus point in the final composition. If the camera is unable to focus using autofocus (0 91), you can also focus on another subject at the same distance and then use focus lock to recompose the photograph.
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Recompose the photograph and shoot. Focus will remain locked between shots if you keep the shutter-release button pressed halfway (AF-S) or keep the A AE-L/AF-L button pressed, allowing several photographs in succession to be taken at the same focus setting. Do not change the distance between the camera and the subject while focus lock is in effect.
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Getting Good Results with Autofocus Autofocus does not perform well under the conditions listed below. The shutter release may be disabled if the camera is unable to focus under these conditions, or the in-focus indicator ( ) may be displayed and the camera may sound a beep, allowing the shutter to be released even when the subject is not in focus.
Manual Focus Manual focus is available for lenses that do not support autofocus (non-AF NIKKOR lenses) or when the autofocus does not produce the desired results (0 100). • AF-S lenses: Set the lens focus mode switch to M. • AF lenses: Set the lens focus mode switch (if present) and camera focus-mode selector to AF Lenses Do not use AF lenses with the lens...
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The Electronic Rangefinder If the lens has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or faster, the viewfinder focus indicator can be used to confirm whether the subject in the selected focus point is in focus (the focus point can be selected from any of the 51 focus points).
Release Mode Choosing a Release Mode To choose a release mode, press the release mode dial lock release and turn the release mode dial to the desired setting. Mode Camera takes one photograph each time shutter-release Single frame button is pressed. While shutter-release button is held down, camera takes photographs at frame rate selected for Custom Setting d2 (CL mode shooting speed, 0 293).
Mode Choose this mode to minimize camera shake in telephoto or close-up photography or in other situations in which the Mirror up slightest camera movement can result in blurred photographs (0 108). Power Source and Frame Rate The maximum frame advance rate varies with the power source used.
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Buffer Size The approximate number of images that can be stored in the memory buffer at current settings is shown in the exposure-count displays in the viewfinder and control panel while the shutter-release button is pressed halfway. The illustration at right shows the display when space remains in the buffer for about 37 pictures.
Self-Timer Mode The self-timer can be used to reduce camera shake or for self- portraits. Mount the camera on a tripod. Mount the camera on a tripod or place the camera on a stable, level surface. Select self-timer mode. Press the release mode dial lock release and turn the release mode dial to E.
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Start the timer. Press the shutter-release button all the way down to start the timer. The self-timer lamp will start to blink. Two seconds before the photograph is taken, the self-timer lamp will stop blinking. The shutter will be released about ten seconds after the timer starts. To turn the self-timer off before a photograph is taken, turn the release mode dial to another setting.
Mirror up Mode Choose this mode to minimize blurring caused by camera movement when the mirror is raised. Use of a tripod is recommended. Select mirror up mode. Press the release mode dial lock release and turn the release mode dial to M Raise the mirror.
ISO Sensitivity Manual Adjustment “ISO sensitivity” is the digital equivalent of film speed. Choose from settings that range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400 in steps equivalent to 100 and 0.3 to 2 EV above ISO 6400 are also available for special situations.
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The ISO Sensitivity Menu ISO sensitivity can also be adjusted using the ISO sensitivity option in the shooting menu (0 268). Note that ISO sensitivity can not be adjusted from the shooting menu in movie live view. In exposure mode h, ISO sensitivity can however be adjusted using the S button and main command dial (0 109).
Auto ISO Sensitivity Control If On is selected for ISO sensitivity settings > Auto ISO sensitivity control in the shooting menu, ISO sensitivity will automatically be adjusted if optimal exposure can not be achieved at the value selected by the user (ISO sensitivity is adjusted appropriately when the flash is used).
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Adjust settings. The maximum value for auto ISO sensitivity can be selected using Maximum sensitivity (the minimum value for auto ISO sensitivity is automatically set to ISO 100; note that if the value selected for Maximum sensitivity is lower than the value currently selected for ISO sensitivity, the value selected for Maximum sensitivity will be used).
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Turning Auto ISO Sensitivity Control on or Off You can turn auto ISO sensitivity control on or off by pressing the S button and rotating the sub-command dial. ISO-AUTO is displayed when auto ISO sensitivity control is on.
Exposure Metering Metering determines how the camera sets exposure. The following options are available: Option Matrix: Produces natural results in most situations. Camera meters a wide area of the frame and set exposure according to tone distribution, color, composition, and, with type G or D lenses (0 373), distance information (3D color matrix metering III;...
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To choose a metering method, rotate the metering selector until the desired setting is displayed in the viewfinder. See Also For information on making separate adjustments to optimal exposure for each metering method, see Custom Setting b6 (Fine-tune optimal exposure, 0 290). Metering selector Viewfinder...
Exposure Mode To determine how the camera sets shutter speed and aperture when adjusting exposure, press the I (Q) button and rotate the main command dial until the desired option appears in the control panel. Lens Types When using a CPU lens equipped with an aperture ring (0 373), lock the aperture ring at the minimum aperture (highest f-number).
e: Programmed Auto In this mode, the camera automatically adjusts shutter speed and aperture according to a built-in program to ensure optimal exposure in most situations. This mode is recommended for snapshots and other situations in which you want to leave the camera in charge of shutter speed and aperture.
f: Shutter-Priority Auto In shutter-priority auto, you choose the shutter speed while the camera automatically selects the aperture that will produce the optimal exposure. Use slow shutter speeds to suggest motion by blurring moving objects, fast shutter speeds to “freeze” motion. Fast shutter speed ( Slow shutter speed ( 1,600...
g: Aperture-Priority Auto In aperture-priority auto, you choose the aperture while the camera automatically selects the shutter speed that will produce the optimal exposure. Large apertures (low f-numbers) increase flash range (0 187) and reduce depth of field, blurring objects behind and in front of the main subject.
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Non-CPU Lenses (0 371, 374) Use the lens aperture ring to adjust aperture. If the maximum aperture of the lens has been specified using the Non-CPU lens data item in setup menu (0 213) when a non-CPU lens is attached, the current f-number will be displayed in the viewfinder and control panel, rounded to the nearest full stop.
h: Manual In manual exposure mode, you control both shutter speed and aperture. While the exposure meters are on, rotate the main command dial to choose a shutter speed, and the sub-command dial to set aperture. Shutter speed can be set to “p” or to values between 30 s and indefinitely for a long time-exposure (A, 0 124).
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AF Micro NIKKOR Lenses Provided that an external exposure meter is used, the exposure ratio need only be taken into account when the lens aperture ring is used to set aperture. Exposure Indicators The exposure indicators in the viewfinder and control panel show whether the photograph would be under- or over-exposed at current settings.
Close the viewfinder eyepiece shutter to prevent light entering via the viewfinder from appearing in the photograph or interfering with exposure. Nikon recommends using a fully charged EN-EL15 battery or an optional EH-5b AC adapter and EP-5B power connector to prevent loss of power while the shutter is open. Note that noise (bright spots, randomly-spaced bright pixels or fog) may be present in long exposures;...
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Select exposure mode h. Press the I (Q) button and rotate the main command dial until h is displayed in the control panel. Choose a shutter speed. While the exposure meters are on, rotate the main command dial until “A” appears in the shutter-speed displays.
Shutter-Speed and Aperture Lock Shutter speed lock is available in shutter-priority auto and manual exposure modes, aperture lock in aperture-priority auto and manual exposure modes. Shutter speed and aperture lock are not available in programmed auto exposure mode. Assign shutter speed and aperture lock to a camera control.
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Aperture (exposure modes g and h): Press the selected button and rotate the sub-command dial until F icons appear in the viewfinder and the control panel. Fn button To unlock aperture, press the button and rotate the sub- command dial until the F icons disappear from the displays. See Also Use Custom Setting f7 (Shutter spd &...
Autoexposure (AE) Lock Use autoexposure lock to recompose photographs after using center-weighted metering and spot metering to meter exposure. Note that matrix metering will not produce the desired results. Lock exposure. Position the subject in the selected focus point and press the shutter- release button halfway.
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Metered Area In spot metering, exposure will be locked at the value metered in a 4-mm (0.16 in.) circle centered on the selected focus point. In center- weighted metering, exposure will be locked at the value metered in a 12-mm circle in the center of the viewfinder. Adjusting Shutter Speed and Aperture While exposure lock is in effect, the following settings can be changed without altering the metered value for exposure:...
Exposure Compensation Exposure compensation is used to alter exposure from the value suggested by the camera, making pictures brighter or darker. It is most effective when used with center-weighted or spot metering (0 115). Choose from values between –5 EV (underexposure) and +5 EV (overexposure) in increments of values make the subject brighter while negative values make it darker.
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At values other than ±0.0, the 0 at the center of the exposure indicators will flash (exposure modes e, f, and g only) and a E icon will be displayed in the viewfinder and control panel after you release the E button.
Bracketing Bracketing automatically varies exposure, flash level, Active D-Lighting (ADL), or white balance slightly with each shot, “bracketing” the current value. Choose in situations in which it is difficult to set exposure, flash level (i-TTL and, where supported, auto aperture flash control modes only; see pages 185, 301, and 382), Active D-Lighting, or white balance and there is not time to check results and adjust settings with each shot, or to experiment with different settings for the same subject.
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Select flash or exposure bracketing for Custom Setting e5 (Auto bracketing set) in the Custom Settings menu. To display the menus, press the G button. Select Custom Setting e5 (Auto bracketing set) in the Custom Settings menu, highlight an option, and press J.
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Select an exposure increment. Pressing the D button, rotate the sub-command dial to choose the exposure increment. button At default settings, the size of the increment can be chosen from , and 1 EV. The bracketing programs with an increment of Control panel display See Also For information on choosing the size of the exposure increment, see...
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Frame a photograph, focus, and shoot. The camera will vary exposure and/or flash level shot-by-shot according to the bracketing program selected. Modifications to exposure are added to those made with exposure compensation (see page 130), making it possible to achieve exposure compensation values of more than 5 EV.
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Exposure and Flash Bracketing In continuous low speed and continuous high speed modes, shooting will pause after the number of shots specified in the bracketing program have been taken. Shooting will resume the next time the shutter-release button is pressed. In self-timer mode, the camera will take the number of shots selected in Step 2 on page 133 each time the shutter-release button is pressed, regardless of the option selected for Custom Setting c3 (Self-timer) >...
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White Balance Bracketing The camera creates multiple copies of each photograph, each with a different white balance. For more information on white balance, see page 145. Select white balance bracketing. Choose WB bracketing for Custom Setting e5 Auto bracketing set. Choose the number of shots.
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Select a white balance increment. Pressing the D button, rotate the sub-command dial to choose the white balance adjustment. Each increment is roughly equivalent to 5 mired. D button Choose from increments of 1 (5 mired), 2 (10 mired), or 3 (15 mired).
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Frame a photograph, focus, and shoot. Each shot will be processed to create the number of copies specified in the bracketing program, and each copy will have a different white balance. Modifications to white balance are added to the white balance adjustment made with white balance fine-tuning.
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Canceling Bracketing To cancel bracketing, press the D button and rotate the main command dial until the number of shots in the bracketing sequence is zero (r) and W is no longer displayed. The program last in effect will be restored the next time bracketing is activated.
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ADL Bracketing The camera varies Active D-Lighting over a series of exposures. For more information on Active D-Lighting, see page 174. Select ADL bracketing. Choose ADL bracketing for Custom Setting e5 Auto bracketing set. Choose the number of shots. Pressing the D button, rotate the main command dial to choose the number of shots in the bracketing sequence.
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Select Active D-Lighting. Pressing the D button, rotate the sub-command dial to choose Active D-Lighting. Active D-Lighting is shown in the control panel. Control panel display D button Sub-command dial Active D-Lighting Auto Normal High Extra high...
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Frame a photograph, focus, and shoot. The camera will vary Active D-Lighting shot-by-shot according to the bracketing program selected. While bracketing is in effect, a bracketing progress indicator will be displayed in the control panel. A segment will disappear from the indicator after each shot.
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Canceling Bracketing To cancel bracketing, press the D button and rotate the main command dial until the number of shots in the bracketing sequence is zero (r) and d is no longer displayed. The program last in effect will be restored the next time bracketing is activated.
White Balance White Balance Options White balance ensures that colors are unaffected by the color of the light source. 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.
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Option K Choose color temp. L Preset manual * All values are approximate and do not reflect fine-tuning (if applicable). White balance can be selected by pressing the U button and rotating the main command dial until the desired setting is displayed in the control panel.
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See Also When WB bracketing is selected for Custom Setting e5 (Auto bracketing set, 0 307), the camera will create several images each time the shutter is released. White balance will be varied with each image, “bracketing” the value currently selected for white balance. See page 137 for more information.
Fine-Tuning White Balance White balance can be “fine-tuned” to compensate for variations in the color of the light source or to introduce a deliberate color cast into an image. White balance is fine-tuned using the White balance option in the shooting menu or by pressing the U button and rotating the sub-command dial.
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Fine-tune white balance. Use the multi selector to fine- tune white balance. White balance can be fine-tuned on the amber (A)–blue (B) axis and the green (G)–magenta (M) axis. The horizontal (amber- blue) axis corresponds to color temperature, with each increment equivalent to about 5 mired.
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White Balance Fine-Tuning The colors on the fine-tuning axes are relative, not absolute. For example, moving the cursor to B (blue) when a “warm” setting such as J (Incandescent) is selected for white balance will make photographs slightly “colder” but will not actually make them blue. “Mired”...
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The U Button At settings other than K (Choose color temp.) and L (Preset manual), the U button can be used to fine-tune white balance on the amber (A)–blue (B) axis (0 149; to fine-tune white balance when L is selected, use the shooting menu as described on page 148).
Choosing a Color Temperature When K (Choose color temp.) is selected for white balance, color temperature can be selected using the White balance option in the shooting menu or by using the U button, multi selector, and sub-command dial. The White Balance Menu Enter values for the amber-blue and green-magenta axes (0 149).
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Press J. Press J to save changes and return to the shooting menu. If a value other than 0 is selected for the green (G)– magenta (M) axis, an asterisk (“U”) will be displayed in the control panel. The U Button The U button can be used to select the color temperature for the amber (A)–blue (B) axis only.
Preset Manual Preset manual is used to record and recall custom white balance settings for shooting under mixed lighting or to compensate for light sources with a strong color cast. The camera can store up to four values for preset white balance in presets d-1 through d-4. Two methods are available for setting preset white balance: Method Direct measurement...
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Measuring a Value for White Balance Light a reference object. Place a neutral gray or white object under the lighting that will be used in the final photograph. In studio settings, a standard gray panel can be used as a reference object. Note that exposure is automatically increased by 1 EV when measuring white balance;...
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Select direct measurement mode. Release the U button briefly and then press the button until the L icon in the control panel starts to flash. A flashing D will also appear in the viewfinder. The displays will flash for about six seconds. Measure white balance.
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Check the results. If the camera was able to measure a value for white balance, C will flash in the control panel for about six seconds, while the viewfinder will show a flashing a. If lighting is too dark or too bright, the camera may be unable to measure white balance.
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Copying White Balance from a Photograph Follow the steps below to copy a value for white balance from an existing photograph to a selected preset. Select L (Preset manual) for White balance in the shooting menu. Press the G button and select White balance in the shooting menu.
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Highlight a source image. Highlight the source image. To view the highlighted image full frame, press the X button. To view images in other locations, press W and select the desired card and folder (0 221). Copy white balance. Press J to copy the white balance value for the highlighted photograph to the selected preset.
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Entering a Comment Follow the steps below to enter a descriptive comment of up to thirty-six characters for a selected white balance preset. Select L (Preset manual). Highlight Preset manual in the white balance menu (0 158) and press 2. Select a preset.
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Protecting a White Balance Preset Follow the steps below to protect the selected white balance preset. Protected presets can not be modified and the Fine-tune and Edit comment options can not be used. Select L (Preset manual). Highlight Preset manual in the white balance menu (0 158) and press 2.
Image Enhancement Picture Controls Nikon’s unique Picture Control system makes it possible to share image processing settings, including sharpening, contrast, brightness, saturation, and hue, among compatible devices and software. Selecting a Picture Control The camera offers a choice of preset Picture Controls. Choose a Picture Control according to the subject or type of scene.
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Select a Picture Control. Highlight the desired Picture Control and press Preset Picture Controls Versus Custom Picture Controls The Picture Controls supplied with the camera are referred to as preset Picture Controls. Custom Picture Controls are created through modifications to existing Picture Controls using the Manage Picture Control option in the shooting menu (0 169).
Modifying Existing Picture Controls Existing preset or custom Picture Controls (0 169) can be modified to suit the scene or the user’s creative intent. Choose a balanced combination of settings using Quick adjust, or make manual adjustments to individual settings. Select a Picture Control.
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Picture Control Settings Option Choose from options between –2 and +2 to reduce or exaggerate the effect of the selected Picture Control (note that this resets all manual adjustments). For Quick adjust example, choosing positive values for Vivid makes pictures more vivid. Not available with Neutral, Monochrome, or custom Picture Controls.
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“A” (Auto) Results for auto sharpening, contrast, and saturation vary with exposure and the position of the subject in the frame. Use a type G or D lens for best results. The icons for Picture Controls that use auto contrast and saturation are displayed in green in the Picture Control grid, and lines appear parallel to the axes of the grid.
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Toning (Monochrome Only) Pressing 3 when Toning is selected displays saturation options. Press 4 or 2 to adjust saturation. Saturation control is not available when B&W (black-and-white) is selected. Custom Picture Controls The options available with custom Picture Controls are the same as those on which the custom Picture Control was based.
Creating Custom Picture Controls The preset Picture Controls supplied with the camera can be modified and saved as custom Picture Controls. Select Manage Picture Control in the shooting menu. To display the menus, press the G button. Highlight Manage Picture Control in the shooting menu and press 2. Select Save/edit.
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Edit the selected Picture Control. See page 166 for more information. To abandon any changes and start over from default settings, press the O (Q) button. Press J when settings are complete. Select a destination. Choose a destination for the custom Picture Control (C-1 through C-9) and press 2.
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Save changes and exit. Press J to save changes and exit. The new Picture Control will appear in the Picture Control list. Manage Picture Control > Rename Custom Picture Controls can be renamed at any time using the Rename option in the Manage Picture Control menu.
Sharing Custom Picture Controls Custom Picture Controls created using the Picture Control Utility available with ViewNX 2 or optional software such as Capture NX 2 can be copied to a memory card and loaded into the camera, or custom Picture Controls created with the camera can be copied to the memory card to be used in other D800 cameras and compatible software and then deleted when no longer needed (if two memory cards are inserted, the card in the primary slot will be...
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Saving Custom Picture Controls Up to 99 custom Picture Controls can be stored on the memory card at any one time. The memory card can only be used to store user-created custom Picture Controls. The preset Picture Controls supplied with the camera (0 163) can not be copied to the memory card, renamed, or deleted.
Preserving Detail in Highlights and Shadows Active D-Lighting Active D-Lighting preserves details in highlights and shadows, creating photographs with natural contrast. Use for high contrast scenes, for example when photographing brightly lit outdoor scenery through a door or window or taking pictures of shaded subjects on a sunny day.
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To use Active D-Lighting: Select Active D-Lighting in the shooting menu. To display the menus, press the G button. Highlight Active D-Lighting in the shooting menu and press Choose an option. Highlight the desired option and press J. If Y Auto is selected, the camera will automatically adjust Active D-Lighting according to shooting...
High Dynamic Range (HDR) High Dynamic Range (HDR) combines two exposures to form a single image that captures a wide range of tones from shadows to highlights, even with high-contrast subjects. HDR is most effective when used with matrix metering (0 115; with other metering methods, an exposure differential of Auto is equivalent to about 2 EV).
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Select a mode. Highlight HDR mode and press 2. Highlight one of the following and press J. • To take a series of HDR photographs, select 0 On (series). HDR shooting will continue until you select Off for HDR mode. •...
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Choose the exposure differential. To choose the difference in exposure between the two shots, highlight Exposure differential and press 2. The options shown at right will be displayed. Highlight an option and press J. Choose higher values for high-contrast subjects, but note that choosing a value higher than required may not produce the desired results;...
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Frame a photograph, focus, and shoot. The camera takes two exposures when the shutter-release button is pressed all the way down. l y will be displayed in the control panel and l u in the viewfinder while the images are Control panel combined;...
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Framing HDR Photographs The edges of the image may be cropped out. The desired results may not be achieved if the camera or subject moves during shooting. Use of a tripod is recommended. Depending on the scene, shadows may appear around bright objects or halos may appear around dark objects; this effect can be reduced by adjusting the amount of smoothing.
Flash Photography Using the Built-in Flash The built-in flash has a Guide Number (GN) 12/39 (m/ft, ISO 100, 20 °C/68 °F) and provides coverage for the angle of view of 24 mm lens, or a 16 mm lens in DX format. It can be used not only when natural lighting is inadequate but to fill in shadows and backlit subjects or to add a catch light to the subject’s eyes.
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Choose a flash mode. Press the M (Y) button and rotate the main command dial until the desired flash mode icon is displayed in the control panel (0 183). Check exposure (shutter speed and aperture). Press the shutter-release button halfway and check shutter speed and aperture.
Flash Modes The D800 supports the following flash modes: Flash mode This mode is recommended for most situations. In programmed auto and aperture-priority auto modes, shutter speed will automatically be set to values Front-curtain between sync flash unit is used with Auto FP High-Speed Sync; 0 299). Red-eye reduction lamp lights for approximately one second before main flash.
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Shutter Speeds and Apertures Available with the Built-in Flash Mode Set automatically by camera Value selected by user Set automatically by camera Value selected by user 1 Shutter speed may be set as slow as 30s in slow sync, slow rear-curtain sync, and slow sync with red-eye reduction flash modes.
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Flash Control Mode The camera supports the following i-TTL flash control modes: • i-TTL balanced fill-flash for digital SLR: Flash emits series of nearly invisible preflashes (monitor preflashes) immediately before main flash. Preflashes reflected from objects in all areas of frame are picked up by RGB sensor with approximately 91K (91,000) pixels and are analyzed in combination with range information from matrix metering system to adjust flash output for natural balance between main subject and...
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The Built-in Flash Use with lenses with focal lengths of 24–300 mm in FX format (0 375). Remove lens hoods to prevent shadows. The flash has a minimum range of 0.6 m (2 ft) and can not be used in the macro range of macro zoom lenses.
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Aperture, Sensitivity, and Flash Range The range of the built-in flash varies with sensitivity (ISO equivalency) and aperture. Aperture at ISO equivalent of — The built-in flash has a minimum range of 0.6 m (2 ft). In exposure mode e, the maximum aperture (minimum f-number) is limited according to ISO sensitivity, as shown below: Maximum aperture at ISO equivalent of: If the maximum aperture of the lens is smaller than given above, the...
Flash Compensation Flash compensation is used to alter flash output by from –3 EV to +1 EV in increments of EV, changing the brightness of the main subject relative to the background. Flash output can be increased to make the main subject appear brighter, or reduced to prevent unwanted highlights or reflections.
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Normal flash output can be restored by setting flash compensation to ±0.0. Flash compensation is not reset when the camera is turned off. Optional Flash Units The SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, and SB-600 also allow flash compensation to be set using the controls on the flash unit; the value selected with the flash unit is added to the value selected with the camera.
FV Lock This feature is used to lock flash output, allowing photographs to be recomposed without changing the flash level and ensuring that flash output is appropriate to the subject even when the subject is not positioned in the center of the frame. Flash output is adjusted automatically for any changes in ISO sensitivity and aperture.
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Lock flash level. After confirming that the flash ready indicator (M) is displayed in the viewfinder, press the Fn button. The flash will emit a monitor preflash to determine the appropriate flash level. Flash output will be locked at this level and FV lock icon (e) will appear in the viewfinder.
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Using FV Lock with the Built-in Flash FV lock is only available with the built-in flash when TTL is selected for Custom Setting e3 (Flash cntrl for built-in flash, 0 301). Using FV Lock with Optional Flash Units FV lock is also available with optional flash units in TTL and (where supported) monitor pre-flash AA and monitor pre-flash A flash control modes.
Other Shooting Options Two-Button Reset: Restoring Default Settings The camera settings listed below can be restored to default values by holding the T and E buttons down together for more than two seconds (these buttons are marked by a green dot). The control panel turns off briefly while settings are reset.
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Other Settings Option Focus point Exposure mode Flexible program Exposure compensation AE lock hold Aperture lock Shutter-speed lock Autofocus mode 1 Focus point not displayed if auto-area AF is selected for AF-area mode. 2 Number of shots is reset to zero. Bracketing increment is reset to 1EV (exposure/flash bracketing) or 1 (white balance bracketing).
Multiple Exposure Follow the steps below to record a series of two to ten exposures in a single photograph. Multiple exposures can make use of RAW data from the camera image sensor to produce colors noticeably superior to those in software-generated photographic overlays. Creating a Multiple Exposure Multiple exposures can not be recorded in live view.
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Select a mode. Highlight Multiple exposure mode and press Highlight one of the following and press J: • To take a series of multiple exposures, select 0 On (series). Multiple exposure shooting will continue until you select Off for Multiple exposure mode. •...
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Choose the number of shots. Highlight Number of shots and press 2. Press 1 or 3 to choose the number of exposures that will be combined to form a single photograph and press J. The D Button If Multiple exposure is selected for Custom Setting f8 (Assign BKT button;...
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Choose the amount of gain. Highlight Auto gain and press 2. The following options will be displayed. Highlight an option and press J. • On: Gain is adjusted according to number of exposures actually recorded (gain for each exposure is set to for 2 exposures, •...
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The n icon will blink until shooting ends. If On (series) is selected, multiple exposure shooting will only end when Off is selected for multiple exposure mode; if On (single photo) is selected, multiple exposure shooting ends automatically when the multiple exposure is complete.
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Multiple Exposure Do not remove or replace the memory card while recording a multiple exposure. Multiple exposures can not be recorded in live view. Taking photographs in live view resets Multiple exposure mode to Off. The information listed in the playback photo information display (including date of recording and camera orientation) is for the first shot in the multiple exposure.
Interval Timer Photography The camera is equipped to take photographs automatically at preset intervals. Select Interval timer shooting in the shooting menu. Press the G button to display the menus. Highlight Interval timer shooting in the shooting menu and press 2. Choose a starting time.
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Choose the interval. Press 4 or 2 to highlight hours, minutes, or seconds; press 1 or 3 to change. Choose an interval longer than the slowest anticipated shutter speed. Press 2 to continue. Choose the number of intervals and number of shots per interval.
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Start shooting. Highlight On and press J (to return to the shooting menu without starting the interval timer, highlight Off and press J). The first series of shots will be taken at the specified starting time, or after about 3 s if Now was selected for Choose start time in Step 2.
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Bracketing Adjust bracketing settings before starting interval timer photography. If exposure, flash, or ADL bracketing is active while interval timer photography is in effect, the camera will take the number of shots in the bracketing program at each interval, regardless of the number of shots specified in the interval timer menu.
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Pausing Interval Timer Photography Interval timer photography can be paused by: • Pressing the J button between intervals • Highlighting Start > Pause in the interval timer menu and pressing J • Turning the camera off and then on again (if desired, the memory card can be replaced while the camera is off ) •...
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Interrupting Interval Timer Photography Interval timer shooting will end automatically if the battery is exhausted. Interval timer photography can also be ended by: • Selecting Start > Off in the interval timer menu • Performing a two button reset (0 193) •...
Time-Lapse Photography The camera automatically takes photos at selected intervals to create a silent time-lapse movie using the options currently selected for Movie settings in the shooting menu (0 70). Before Shooting Before beginning time-lapse photography, take a test shot at current settings (framing the photo in the viewfinder for an accurate exposure preview) and view the results in the monitor.
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Press 2. Press 2 to proceed to Step 3 and choose an interval and shooting time. To record a time-lapse movie using the default interval of 5 seconds and shooting time of 25 minutes, proceed to step 5. Choose the interval. Press 4 or 2 to highlight minutes or seconds;...
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Start shooting. Highlight On and press J (to return to the shooting menu without starting time-lapse photography, highlight Off and press J). Time-lapse photography starts after 3 s. The camera takes photographs at the interval selected in Step 3 for the time selected in Step 4.
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Calculating the Length of the Final Movie The total number of frames in the final movie can be calculated by dividing the shooting time by the interval and rounding up. The length of the final movie can then be calculated by diving the number of shots by the frame rate selected for Movie settings >...
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Interrupting Time-Lapse Photography Time-lapse photography will end automatically if the battery is exhausted. The following will also end time-lapse photography: • Selecting Start > Off in the Time-lapse photography menu • Pressing the J button between frames or immediately after a frame is recorded •...
Non-CPU Lenses By specifying lens data (lens focal length and maximum aperture), the user can gain access to a variety of CPU lens functions when using a non-CPU lens. If the focal length of the lens is known: • Power zoom can be used with optional flash units (0 382) •...
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The camera can store data for up to nine non-CPU lenses. To enter or edit data for a non-CPU lens: Select Non-CPU lens data in the setup menu. Press the G button to display the menus. Highlight Non-CPU lens data in the setup menu and press 2. Select a lens number.
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Select Done. Highlight Done and press J. The specified focal length and aperture will be stored under the chosen lens number. To recall lens data when using a non-CPU lens: Assign non-CPU lens number selection to a camera control. Select Choose non-CPU lens number as the “button + command dials”...
MC-35 GPS adapter cord (0 216). The GP-1 GPS Unit The GP-1 is an optional GPS unit designed for use with Nikon digital cameras. For information on connecting the unit, see the manual provided with the GP-1.
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Other GPS Units Garmin GPS units that conform to version 2.01 or 3.01 of the National Marine Electronics Association NMEA0183 data format can be connected to the camera’s ten-pin remote terminal using an MC-35 GPS adapter cord (available separately; 0 390). Operation has been confirmed with Garmin eTrex and Garmin geko series devices equipped with a PC interface cable connector.
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The k Icon Connection status is shown by the k icon: • k (static): Camera has established communication with a GPS device. Photo information for pictures taken while this icon is displayed include an additional page of GPS data (0 229). •...
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Setup Menu Options The GPS item in the setup menu contains the options listed below. • Auto meter-off: Choose whether or not the exposure meters will turn off automatically when a GPS unit is attached. Option Exposure meters will turn off automatically if no operations are performed for the period specified in Custom Setting c2 (Auto meter-off delay, 0 291;...
More About Playback Viewing Images Full-frame playback Full-Frame Playback To play photographs back, press the K button. The most recent photograph will be displayed in the monitor. Additional pictures can be displayed by pressing 4 or 2; to view additional information on the current photograph, press 1 or 3 (0 222).
Playback Controls (Q): Delete the current picture (0 234) : View the menus (0 259) /Q): Protect the current picture (0 233) : Zoom in (0 231) : View multiple images (0 219) : Display retouch options (for the options available with photographs, see page 341, or see page 74 for the options available with movies)
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Two Memory Cards If two memory cards are inserted, you can select a memory card for playback by pressing the W button when 72 thumbnails are displayed. The dialog shown at right will be displayed; Highlight the desired slot and press 2 to display a list of folders, then highlight a folder and press J to view the pictures in the selected folder.
File Information 100ND800 DSC _ 0001 . JPG 2012 10 : 06 : 22 1 Displayed only if Focus point is selected for Playback display options (0 261). 2 If photograph was taken using AF-S, display shows point where focus first locked. If photograph was taken using AF-C, focus point is only displayed if option other than auto-area AF was selected for AF-area mode and camera was able to focus.
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Highlights Highlights 1 Blinking areas indicate highlights (areas that may be overexposed) for current channel. Hold W button and press 4 or 2 to cycle through channels as follows: (all channels) 2 Displayed in yellow if picture is in non-FX format (including DX-based movie format; 0 67, 79).
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RGB Histogram Highlights 100 - 1 Select R, G, B 1 Blinking areas indicate highlights (areas that may be overexposed) for current channel. Hold W button and press 4 or 2 to cycle through channels as follows: (all channels) 2 Displayed in yellow if picture is in non-FX format (including DX-based movie format; 0 67, 79).
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Playback Zoom To zoom in on the photograph when the histogram is displayed, press X. Use the X and W buttons to zoom in and out and scroll the image with the multi selector. The histogram will be updated to show only the data for the portion of the image visible in the monitor.
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Shooting Data N I KON D800 Metering method ... 115 Shutter speed ... 119, 122 Aperture... 120, 122 Exposure mode ... 117 ISO sensitivity ... 109 N I KON D800 White balance... 145 Color temperature... 152 White balance fine-tuning ... 148 Preset manual...
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SPR I NG HAS COME . SP COMMENT R I NG HAS COME . 3636 N I KON D800 I GHT N I KON D800 1 Displayed in red if photo was taken with auto ISO sensitivity control on. 2 Displayed if Custom Setting b6 (Fine-tune optimal exposure, 0 290) has been set to a value other than zero for any metering method.
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GPS Data º ‘ º ‘ N I KON D800 1 Data for movies are for start of recording. 2 Displayed only if GPS device is equipped with electronic compass. 3 Displayed in yellow if picture is in non-FX format (including DX-based movie format; 0 67, 79).
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Metering method ...115 Exposure mode ...117 1 Non-FX formats (including DX-based movie format) displayed in yellow (0 67, 79). 2 Displayed in red if photo was taken with auto ISO sensitivity control on. NIKON D800 Hi 0 . 3 85mm SLOW...
Taking a Closer Look: Playback Zoom Press the X button to zoom in on the image displayed in full-frame playback or on the image currently highlighted in thumbnail playback. The following operations can be performed while zoom is in effect: Zoom in or out View...
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View other images Change L (Z/Q) protect status Return to shooting mode Display menus Rotate main command dial to view same location in other images at current zoom ratio. Playback zoom is cancelled when a movie is displayed. See page 233 for more information. Press the shutter-release button halfway or press the K button to exit to shooting mode.
Protecting Photographs from Deletion In full-frame, zoom, and thumbnail playback, the L (Z/Q) button can be used to protect photographs from accidental deletion. Protected files can not be deleted using the O (Q) button or the Delete option in the playback menu. Note that protected images will be deleted when the memory card is formatted (0 32, 326).
Deleting Photographs To delete the photograph displayed in full-frame playback or highlighted in the thumbnail list, press the O (Q) button. To delete multiple selected photographs or all photographs in the current playback folder, use the Delete option in the playback menu.
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Press the O (Q) button again. To delete the photograph, press the O (Q) button. To exit without deleting the photograph, press the K button. See Also The After delete option in the playback menu determines whether the next image or the previous image is displayed after an image is deleted (0 266).
The Playback Menu The Delete option in the playback menu contains the following options. Note that depending on the number of images, some time may be required for deletion. Option Q Selected Delete selected pictures. Delete all pictures in the folder currently selected for R All playback (0 260).
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Select the highlighted picture. Press the center of the multi selector to select the highlighted picture. Selected pictures are marked by a O icon. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to select additional pictures; to deselect a picture, highlight it and press the center of the multi selector.
EP-5B power connector (available separately). Supplied Software ViewNX 2 includes a Your Imaging Toolbox “Nikon Transfer 2” function for copying pictures from the camera to the computer, where ViewNX 2 can be used to view and print selected images or to edit photographs and movies.
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Start the computer and insert the ViewNX 2 installer Select a language. If the desired language is not available, click Region Selection to choose a different region and then choose the desired language (region selection is not available in the European release).
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Do not use force or attempt to insert the connectors at an angle. Close the connector cover when the connector is not in use. Windows To visit the Nikon website after installing ViewNX 2, select All Programs > Link to Nikon from the Windows start menu (Internet connection required).
System Requirements • Photos/JPEG movies: Intel Celeron, Pentium 4, or Core series, 1.6 GHz or better • H.264 movies (playback): 3.0 GHz or better Pentium D; Intel Core i5 or better recommended when viewing movies with a frame size of 1,280 × 720 or more at a frame rate of 30 fps or above or movies with a frame size of 1,920 ×...
Direct USB Connection Connect the camera using the supplied UC-E14 USB cable. Turn the camera off. Turn the computer on. Turn the computer on and wait for it to start up. Connect the USB cable. Connect the USB cable as shown. USB Hubs Connect the camera directly to the computer;...
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Start Nikon Transfer 2. If a message is displayed prompting you to choose a program, select Nikon Transfer 2. Windows 7 If the following dialog is displayed, select Nikon Transfer 2 as described below. 1 Under Import pictures and videos, click Change program.
Ethernet and Wireless Networks If the optional WT-4 wireless transmitter (0 387) is attached, photographs can be transferred or printed over wireless or Ethernet networks and the camera can also be controlled from network computers running Camera Control Pro 2 (available separately).
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Movies The WT-4 can be used to upload movies in transfer mode if Auto send or Send folder is not selected for Transfer settings. Movies can not be uploaded in thumbnail select mode. Thumbnail Select Mode Camera settings can not be changed from the computer in thumbnail select mode.
Printing Photographs Selected JPEG images can be printed on a PictBridge printer (0 433) connected directly to the camera. Selecting Photographs for Printing Images created at image quality settings of NEF (RAW) or TIFF (RGB) (0 84) can not be selected for printing. JPEG copies of NEF (RAW) images can be created using the NEF (RAW) processing option in the retouch menu (0 353).
Connecting the Printer Connect the camera using the supplied UC-E14 USB cable. Turn the camera off. Connect the USB cable. Turn the printer on and connect the USB cable as shown. Do not use force or attempt to insert the connectors at an angle. USB Hubs Connect the camera directly to the printer;...
Printing Pictures One at a Time Select a picture. Press 4 or 2 to view additional pictures. Press 1 or 3 to view photo information (0 222), or press the X button to zoom in on the current frame (0 231, press K to exit zoom).
Option This option is available only if supported by the printer. Highlight Printer default (use current printer settings), Print with border (print photo with white border), or No Border border and press J to select and exit to the previous menu.
Printing Multiple Pictures Display the PictBridge menu. Press the G button in the PictBridge playback display (see Step 3 on page 248). Choose an option. Highlight one of the following options and press 2. • Print select: Select pictures for printing. •...
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Select pictures. Use the multi selector to scroll through the pictures on the memory card (to view images in other locations, press W and select the desired card and folder as described on page 221). To display the current picture full screen, press and hold the X button.
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Adjust printing options. Choose page size, border, and time stamp options as described on page 249 (a warning will be displayed if the selected page size is too small for an index print). Start printing. Select Start printing and press J to start printing. To cancel before all copies have been printed, press...
Creating a DPOF Print Order: Print Set The DPOF print order option in the playback menu is used to create digital “print orders” for PictBridge-compatible printers and devices that support DPOF (0 433). Choose Select/set for the DPOF print order item in the playback menu.
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Select imprint options. Highlight the following options and press 2 to toggle the highlighted option on or off (to complete the print order without including this information, proceed to Step 4). • Print shooting data: Print shutter speed and aperture on all pictures in print order.
Viewing Photographs on TV A type C mini-pin High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cable (available separately from commercial sources) can be used to connect the camera to high-definition video devices. Turn the camera off. Always turn the camera off before connecting or disconnecting an HDMI cable.
HDMI Options The HDMI option in the setup menu (0 325) controls output resolution and other advanced HDMI options. Output Resolution Choose the format for images output to the HDMI device. If Auto is selected, the camera will automatically select the appropriate format.
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Television Playback Use of an EH-5b AC adapter and EP-5B power connector (available separately) is recommended for extended playback. Note that the edges may not be visible when photographs are viewed on a television screen. Slide Shows The Slide show option in the playback menu can be used for automated playback (0 267).
Menu Guide D The Playback Menu: Managing Images To display the playback menu, press G and select the K (playback menu) tab. G button Option Delete Playback folder Hide image Playback display options Copy image(s) Image review After delete Rotate tall Slide show DPOF print order See Also...
Playback Folder Choose a folder for playback (0 219). Option Pictures in all folders created with the D800 will be visible during ND800 playback. Pictures in all folders will be visible during playback. Only pictures in the current folder will be visible during Current playback.
Select pictures. Use the multi selector to scroll through the pictures on the memory card (to view the highlighted picture full screen, press and hold the X button; to view images in other locations, press W and select the desired card and folder as described on page 221) and press the center of the multi selector to select the current picture.
Copy Image(s) Copy pictures from one memory card to another. Option Select source Choose card from which pictures will be copied. Select pictures to be copied. Select image(s) Select destination Select destination folder on remaining card. folder Copy selected pictures to specified destination. Copy image(s)? Choose Select source.
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Select the source folder. Highlight the folder containing the images to be copied and press 2. Make the initial selection. Before going on select or deselect individual images, you can mark all or all protected images in the folder for copying by choosing Select all images or Select protected images.
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Select a destination folder. To enter a folder number, choose Select folder by number, enter the number (0 271), and press J. To choose from a list of existing folders, choose Select folder from list, highlight a folder, and press J. Copy the images.
Copying Images Images will not be copied if there is insufficient space on the destination card. Be sure the battery is fully charged before copying movies. If the destination folder contains an image with the same name as one of the images to be copied, a confirmation dialog will be displayed.
After Delete Choose the picture displayed after an image is deleted. Option Show Display following picture. If deleted picture was last frame, next previous picture will be displayed. Show Display previous picture. If deleted picture was first frame, previous following picture will be displayed. If user was scrolling through pictures in order recorded, following picture will be displayed as described for Show Continue...
Slide Show Create a slide show of the pictures in the current playback folder (0 260). Hidden images (0 260) are not displayed. Option Start slide show. Start Choose type of image displayed from Still images and Image type movies, Still images only, and Movies only. Choose how long each photo will be displayed.
C The Shooting Menu: Shooting Options To display the shooting menu, press G and select the C (shooting menu) tab. G button Option Shooting menu bank Extended menu banks Storage folder File naming Primary slot selection Secondary slot function Image quality Image size Image area JPEG compression...
Shooting Menu Bank Shooting menu options are stored in one of four banks. With the exceptions of Extended menu banks, Interval timer shooting, Multiple exposure, Time-lapse photography, and modifications to Picture Controls (quick adjust and other manual adjustments), changes to settings in one bank have no effect on the others. To store a particular combination of frequently-used settings, select one of the four banks and set the camera to these settings.
Restoring Default Settings To restore default settings, highlight a bank in the Shooting menu bank menu and press O (Q). A confirmation dialog will be displayed; highlight Yes and O (Q) button press J to restore default settings for the selected bank. See page 405 for a list of default settings.
Storage Folder Select the folder in which subsequent images will be stored. Select Folder by Number Choose Select folder by number. Highlight Select folder by number and press 2. The dialog shown at right will be displayed, with the current primary slot (0 89) underlined.
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Select Folder from List Choose Select folder from list. Highlight Select folder from list and press 2. Highlight a folder. Press 1 or 3 to highlight a folder. Select the highlighted folder. Press J to select the highlighted folder and return to the shooting menu.
File Naming Photographs are saved using file names consisting of “DSC_” or, in the case of images that use the Adobe RGB color space (0 274), “_DSC”, followed by a four-digit number and a three-letter extension (e.g., “DSC_0001.JPG”). The File naming option is used to select three letters to replace the “DSC”...
For more information, see the documentation provided with the application or device. Nikon Software ViewNX 2 (supplied) and Capture NX 2 (available separately) automatically select the correct color space when opening photographs created with this camera.
Vignette Control “Vignetting” is a drop in brightness at the edges of a photograph. Vignette control reduces vignetting for type G and D lenses (DX and PC lenses excluded). Its effects vary from lens to lens and are most noticeable at maximum aperture. Choose from High, Normal, Low, and Off.
Auto Distortion Control Select On to reduce barrel distortion in photos taken with wide-angle lenses and to reduce pin-cushion distortion in photos taken with long lenses (note that the edges of the area visible in the viewfinder may be cropped out of the final photograph, and that the time needed to process photographs before recording begins may increase).
Long Exposure NR (Long Exposure Noise Reduction) If On is selected, photographs taken at shutter speeds slower than 1 s will be processed to reduce noise (bright spots, randomly-spaced bright pixels, or fog). The time required for processing roughly doubles; during processing, “l m” will blink in the shutter speed/aperture displays and pictures can not be taken (if the camera is turned off before processing is complete, the picture will be...
A Custom Settings: Fine-Tuning Camera Settings To display the Custom Settings menu, press G and select the A (Custom Settings menu) tab. G button Custom Settings are used to customize camera settings to suit individual preferences. Main menu Custom settings bank (0 280) Custom Setting groups...
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The following Custom Settings are available: Custom Setting Custom settings bank a Autofocus a1 AF-C priority selection a2 AF-S priority selection a3 Focus tracking with lock-on a4 AF activation a5 AF point illumination a6 Focus point wrap-around a7 Number of focus points a8 Built-in AF-assist illuminator b Metering/exposure b1 ISO sensitivity step value...
Custom Settings Bank Custom Settings are stored in one of four banks. Changes to settings in one bank have no effect on the others. To store a particular combination of frequently-used settings, select one of the four banks and set the camera to these settings. The new settings will be stored in the bank even when the camera is turned off, and will be restored the next time the bank is selected.
See Also Menu defaults are listed on page 407. If settings in the current bank have been modified from default values, an asterisk will be displayed adjacent to the altered settings in the second level of the Custom Settings menu. a: Autofocus a1: AF-C Priority Selection When AF-C (0 91) is selected for viewfinder photography, this...
a2: AF-S Priority Selection When AF-S (0 91) is selected for viewfinder photography, this option controls whether photographs can be taken only when the camera is in focus (focus priority) or whenever the shutter-release button is pressed (release priority) in single-servo AF. Option Photos can be taken whenever the shutter-release G Release...
a3: Focus Tracking with Lock-On This option controls how autofocus adjusts to sudden large changes in the distance to the subject when AF-C (0 91) is selected during viewfinder photography. Option C 5 (Long) When the distance to the subject changes abruptly, the camera waits for the specified period before adjusting D 3 (Normal) the distance to the subject.
a5: AF point Illumination Choose whether the active focus point is highlighted in red in the viewfinder. Option The selected focus point is automatically highlighted as Auto needed to establish contrast with the background. The selected focus point is always highlighted, regardless of the brightness of the background.
a7: Number of Focus Points Choose the number of focus points available for manual focus- point selection. Option Choose from the 51 focus points B 51 points shown at right. Choose from the 11 focus points A 11 points shown at right. Use for quick focus- point selection.
a8: Built-in AF-assist Illuminator Choose whether the built-in AF-assist illuminator lights to assist the focus operation when lighting is poor. Option The AF-assist illuminator lights when lighting is poor (viewfinder photography only). AF-assist illumination is only available when both of the following conditions are met: 1 AF-S is selected for autofocus mode (0 91).
b: Metering/Exposure b1: ISO Sensitivity Step Value Select the increments used when making adjustments to ISO sensitivity (0 109). If possible, the current ISO sensitivity setting is maintained when the step value is changed. If the current ISO sensitivity setting is not available at the new step value, ISO sensitivity will be rounded to the nearest available setting.
b4: Easy Exposure Compensation This option controls whether the E button is needed to set exposure compensation (0 130). If On (Auto reset) or On is selected, the 0 at the center of the exposure display will blink even when exposure compensation is set to ±0. Option Exposure compensation is set by rotating one of the command dials (see note below).
Show ISO/Easy ISO Custom Setting b4 (Easy exposure compensation) can not be used with Custom Setting d7 (ISO display and adjustment) > Show ISO/ Easy ISO (0 295). Adjustments to either of these items reset the remaining item; a message is displayed when the item is reset. b5: Center-Weighted Area When calculating exposure, center-weighted metering assigns the greatest weight to a...
b6: Fine-Tune Optimal Exposure Use this option to fine-tune the exposure value selected by the camera. Exposure can be fine-tuned separately for each metering method by from +1 to –1 EV in steps of Fine-Tuning Exposure Exposure can be fine-tuned separately for each Custom Settings bank and is not affected by two-button resets.
c2: Auto Meter-off Delay Choose how long the camera continues to meter exposure when no operations are performed. The shutter-speed and aperture displays in the control panel and viewfinder turn off automatically when the exposure meters turn off. Choose a shorter meter-off delay for longer battery life. c3: Self-Timer Choose the length of the shutter release delay, the number of shots taken, and the...
c4: Monitor off Delay Choose how long the monitor remains on when no operations are performed during playback (Playback; defaults to 10 s) and image review (Image review; defaults to 4 s), when menus (Menus; defaults to 1 minute) or information (Information display; defaults to 10 s) are displayed, or during live view and movie recording (Live view;...
d2: CL Mode Shooting Speed Choose the maximum frame advance rate in (continuous low speed) mode (0 104; during interval timer photography, this setting also determines the frame advance rate for single-frame). d3: Max. Continuous Release The maximum number of shots that can be taken in a single burst in continuous mode can be set to any value between 1 and 100.
d5: File Number Sequence When a photograph is taken, the camera names the file by adding one to the last file number used. This option controls whether file numbering continues from the last number used when a new folder is created, the memory card is formatted, or a new memory card is inserted in the camera.
d6: Viewfinder Grid Display Choose On to display on-demand grid lines in the viewfinder for reference when composing photographs (0 8). d7: ISO Display and Adjustment If Show ISO sensitivity or Show ISO/Easy ISO is selected, the control panel will show ISO sensitivity in place of the number of exposures remaining.
d9: Information Display If Auto (AUTO) is selected, the color of the lettering in the information display (0 10) will automatically change from black to white or white to black to maintain contrast with the background. To always use the same color lettering, select Manual and choose Dark on light (B;...
d11: MB-D12 Battery Type To ensure that the camera functions as expected when the optional MB-D12 battery pack is used with AA batteries, match the option selected in this menu to the type of batteries inserted in the battery pack. There is no need to adjust this option when using EN-EL15 or optional EN-EL18 batteries.
d12: Battery Order Choose whether the battery in the camera or the batteries in the battery pack are used first when an optional MB-D12 battery pack is attached. Note that if the MB-D12 is powered by an optional EH-5b AC adapter and EP-5B power connector, the AC adapter will be used regardless of the option selected.
e: Bracketing/Flash e1: Flash Sync Speed This option controls flash sync speed. Option Auto FP high-speed sync is used when a compatible flash unit is attached (0 382). If the built-in flash or other flash 1/320 s units are used, shutter speed is set to (Auto FP) camera shows a shutter speed of or g, auto FP high-speed sync will be activated if the actual...
Auto FP High-Speed Sync When 1/320 s (Auto FP) or 1/250 s (Auto FP) is selected for Custom Setting e1 (Flash sync speed, 0 299), the built-in flash can be used at shutter speeds as fast as compatible optional flash units (0 382) can be used at any shutter speed (Auto FP High-Speed Sync).
e3: Flash Cntrl for Built-in Flash Choose the flash mode for the built-in flash. Option Flash output is adjusted automatically in response to r TTL shooting conditions. Choose the flash level. The camera does not emit s Manual monitor pre-flashes. Repeating The flash fires repeatedly while the shutter is open, flash...
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Flash Control Mode The flash control mode for the built-in flash is shown in the information display. “Manual” and “Repeating Flash” Y icons blink in the control panel and viewfinder when these options are selected. The SB-400 When an optional SB-400 flash unit is attached and turned on, Custom Setting e3 changes to Optional flash, allowing the flash control mode for the SB-400 to be selected from TTL and...
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Commander Mode Use the built-in flash as a master flash controlling one or more remote optional flash units in up to two groups (A and B) using advanced wireless lighting (0 382). Selecting this option displays the menu shown at right. Press 4 or 2 to highlight the following options, 1 or 3 to change.
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Follow the steps below to take photographs in commander mode. Adjust settings for the built-in flash. Choose the flash control mode and output level for the built-in flash. Note that output level can not be adjusted in – – mode. Adjust settings for group A.
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Compose the shot. Compose the shot and arrange the flash units as shown below. Note that the maximum distance at which the remote flash units can be placed may vary with shooting conditions. 10 m/ 60 ° or less 33 ft or less 30 °...
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The Flash Sync Mode Display M does not appear in the control panel flash sync mode display when – – is selected for Built-in flash > Mode. Flash Compensation The flash compensation value selected with the M (Y) button and sub- command dial is added to the flash compensation values selected for the built-in flash, group A, and group B in the Commander mode menu.
e4: Modeling Flash If On is selected when the camera is used with the built-in flash or an optional CLS- compatible flash unit (0 381), a modeling flash will be emitted when the camera depth- of-field preview button is pressed (0 117). No modeling flash is emitted if Off is selected.
e6: Auto Bracketing (Mode M) This option determines which settings are affected when AE & flash or AE only is selected for Custom Setting e5 in manual exposure mode. Option Flash/speed Flash/speed/ aperture Flash/aperture Flash only Flash bracketing is performed only with i-TTL or AA flash control. If a setting other than Flash only is selected and the flash is not used, ISO sensitivity will be fixed at the value for the first shot, regardless of the setting selected for auto ISO sensitivity control (0 111).
f: Controls f1: D Switch Choose what happens when the power switch is rotated to D. Option LCD backlight (D) D and information display f2: Multi Selector Center Button This option determines the role assigned to the center of the multi selector during viewfinder photography, playback, and live view (regardless of the option selected, pressing the center of the multi selector when a movie is displayed full frame starts movie...
Playback Mode Option Thumbnail on/off Toggle between full-frame and thumbnail playback. View histograms Zoom on/off Choose slot and folder Live View Option Select center focus point Zoom on/off Not used f3: Multi Selector If Reset meter-off delay is selected, operating the multi selector when the exposure meters are off (0 42) will activate the exposure meters.
f4: Assign Fn Button Choose the role played by the Fn button, either by itself (Fn button press) or when used in combination with the command dials (Fn button + command dials). Fn button press Selecting Fn button press displays the following options: Option Preview Press the Fn button to preview depth of field (0 117).
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Option If the Fn button is pressed while exposure, flash, or ADL bracketing is active in single frame or quiet shutter- release mode, all shots in the current bracketing Bracketing program will be taken each time the shutter-release burst button is pressed. If white balance bracketing is active or continuous release mode (mode C the camera will repeat the bracketing burst while the shutter-release button is held down.
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Option Viewfinder Press the Fn button to view a virtual horizon display in virtual the viewfinder (see below). horizon No operation is performed when the Fn button is None pressed. * This option can not be used in combination with Fn button + command dials (0 314).
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Fn button + command dials Selecting Fn button + command dials displays the following options: Option Choose image area Shutter speed & aperture lock 1 step spd/ aperture Choose non- CPU lens number Active D-Lighting None Description Press the Fn button and rotate a command dial to choose from pre-selected image areas (0 79).
f5: Assign Preview Button Choose the role played by the depth-of-field preview button, either by itself (Preview button press) or when used in combination with the command dials (Preview + command dials). The options available are the same as for Assign Fn button (0 311), except that AF-ON is not available for Assign preview button.
f7: Shutter Spd & Aperture Lock Selecting On for Shutter speed lock locks shutter speed at the value currently selected in mode f or h. Selecting On for Aperture lock locks aperture at the value currently selected in mode g or h. Shutter speed and aperture lock are not available in mode e.
f9: Customize Command Dials This option controls the operation of the main and sub-command dials. Option Reverse the direction of rotation of the command dials when they are used to make adjustments to Exposure compensation and/or Shutter speed/ Reverse aperture. Highlight options and press rotation the multi selector right to select or deselect, then highlight Done and...
Option If Off is selected, the multi selector is used to choose the picture displayed during full-frame playback, highlight thumbnails, and navigate menus. If On or On (image review excluded) is selected, the main command dial can be used to choose the picture displayed during full-frame playback, move the cursor left or right during thumbnail playback, and move the menu highlight bar up or down.
f11: Slot Empty Release Lock Selecting Enable release allows the shutter to be released when no memory card is inserted, although no pictures will be recorded (they will however be displayed in the monitor in demo mode). If Release locked is selected, the shutter-release button is only enabled when a memory card is inserted in the camera.
f13: Assign MB-D12 AF-ON Choose the function assigned to the B button on the optional MB-D12 battery pack. Option A AF-ON r FV lock B AE/AF lock C AE lock only AE lock (Reset on release) E AE lock (Hold) F AF lock only Same as Fn button...
g: Movie g1: Assign Fn Button Choose the role played by the Fn button during movie live view. Option Aperture widens while the button is pressed. Use in Power aperture combination with Custom Setting g2 (Assign (open) preview button) > Power aperture (close) for button-controlled aperture adjustment.
g2: Assign Preview Button Choose the role played by the depth-of-field preview button during movie live view. Option Power aperture (close) r Index marking View photo shooting info None Power Aperture Power aperture is available only in exposure modes g and h and can not be used during recording or while photo shooting info is displayed (a 6 icon indicates that power aperture can not be used).
g3: Assign AE-L/AF-L button Choose the role played by the A AE-L/AF-L button during movie live view. Option Press the button during movie recording to add an r Index marking index at the current position (0 63). Indices can be used when viewing and editing movies.
g4: Assign Shutter Button Choose the role played by pressing the shutter-release button when 1 is selected with the live view selector. Option C Take photos 1 Record movies Record Movies When this option is selected, interval timer photography (0 201) is not available and any functions assigned to the shutter release button (such as taking photographs, measuring preset white balance, and taking image dust-off reference photos) can not be used when 1 is selected...
B The Setup Menu: Camera Setup To display the setup menu, press G and select the B (setup menu) tab. G button Option Format memory card Monitor brightness Clean image sensor Lock mirror up for cleaning Image Dust Off ref photo HDMI Flicker reduction Time zone and date...
Format Memory Card To begin formatting, choose a memory card slot and select Yes. Note that formatting permanently deletes all pictures and other data on the card in the selected slot. Before formatting, be sure to make backup copies as required.
Image Dust Off Ref Photo Acquire reference data for the Image Dust Off option in Capture NX 2 (available separately; for more information, see the Capture NX 2 manual). Image Dust Off ref photo is available only when a CPU lens is mounted on the camera.
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Frame a featureless white object in the viewfinder. With the lens about ten centimeters (four inches) from a well- lit, featureless white object, frame the object so that it fills the viewfinder and then press the shutter-release button halfway. In autofocus mode, focus will automatically be set to infinity; in manual focus mode, set focus to infinity manually.
Flicker Reduction Reduce flicker and banding when shooting under fluorescent or mercury-vapor lighting during live view or movie recording. Choose Auto to allow the camera to automatically choose the correct frequency, or manually match the frequency to that of the local AC power supply.
Language Choose a language for camera menus and messages. The following options are available. Czech Čeština Danish Dansk German Deutsch English English Spanish Español French Français Indonesian Indonesia Italian Italiano Dutch Nederlands Norwegian Norsk Polish Polski Portuguese Português G button Russian Русский...
Auto Image Rotation Photographs taken while On is selected contain information on camera orientation, allowing them to be rotated automatically during playback (0 266) or when viewed in ViewNX 2 (supplied) or in Capture NX 2 (available separately; 0 389). The following orientations are recorded: Landscape (wide) orientation...
Battery Info View information on the battery currently inserted in the camera. Item Charge The current battery level expressed as a percentage. The number of times the shutter has been released with the current battery since the battery was last charged. Note that No.
The MB-D12 Battery Pack The display for the MB-D12 is shown at right. In the case of EN-EL18 batteries, the display shows whether calibration is required. If AA batteries are used, the battery level will be shown by a battery level icon; other items will not be displayed.
Attach copyright information is not selected and that the Artist and Copyright fields are blank before lending or transferring the camera to another person. Nikon does not accept liability for any damages or disputes arising from the use of the Copyright information option.
Save/Load Settings Select Save settings to save the following settings to the memory card, or to the memory card in the primary card slot if two memory cards are inserted (0 89; if the card is full, an error will be displayed).
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Menu Clean image sensor HDMI Flicker reduction Time zone and date (excepting date and time) Language Setup Auto image rotation Image comment Copyright information Non-CPU lens data Eye-Fi upload All My Menu items My Menu/ All recent settings Recent Settings Choose tab Settings saved using the D800 can be restored by selecting Load settings.
Virtual Horizon Display roll and pitch information based on information from the camera tilt sensor. If the camera is tilted neither left nor right, the roll reference line will turn green, while if the camera is tilted neither forward nor back, the pitch reference line will turn green and a dot will appear in the center of the display.
AF Fine-Tune Fine-tune focus for up to 20 lens types. AF tuning is not recommended in most situations and may interfere with normal focus; use only when required. Option AF fine- • On: Turn AF tuning on. tune • Off: Turn AF tuning off. (On/Off) Tune AF for the current lens (CPU lenses only).
AF Tuning The camera may be unable to focus at minimum range or at infinity when AF tuning is applied. Live View Tuning is not applied to autofocus during live view (0 45). Saved Value Only one value can be stored for each type of lens. If a teleconverter is used, separate values can be stored for each combination of lens and teleconverter.
Eye-Fi Cards Eye-Fi cards may emit wireless signals when Disable is selected. If a warning is displayed in the monitor (0 420), turn the camera off and remove the card. See the manual provided with the Eye-Fi card, and direct any inquiries to the manufacturer.
N The Retouch Menu: Creating Retouched Copies To display the retouch menu, press G and select the N (retouch menu) tab. G button The options in the retouch menu are used to create trimmed, or retouched copies of existing pictures. The retouch menu is only displayed when a memory card containing photographs is inserted in the camera (note that if the memory card is being used to store both RAW/NEF and JPEG copies of the same photographs...
Creating Retouched Copies To create a retouched copy: Select an item in the retouch menu. Press 1 or 3 to highlight an item, 2 to select. Select a picture. Highlight a picture and press J (to view the highlighted picture full screen, press and hold the X button).
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Create a retouched copy. Press J to create a retouched copy. Retouched copies are indicated by a N icon. Creating Retouched Copies During Playback Retouched copies can also be created during playback. Display picture full frame and press J. Retouching Copies Most options can be applied to copies created using other retouch options, although with the exceptions of Image overlay and Edit movie >...
D-Lighting G button N retouch menu D-Lighting brightens shadows, making it ideal for dark or backlit photographs. Before After Press 1 or 3 to choose the amount of correction performed. The effect can be previewed in the edit display. Press J to copy the photograph.
Red-Eye Correction This option is used to correct “red-eye” caused by the flash and is available only with photographs taken using a flash. The photograph selected for red-eye correction can be previewed in the edit display. Confirm the effects of red-eye correction and create a copy as described in the following table.
Trim Create a cropped copy of the selected photograph. The selected photograph is displayed with the selected crop shown in yellow; create a cropped copy as described in the following table. Reduce size of crop Increase size of crop Change crop aspect ratio Position crop Preview crop...
Monochrome Copy photographs in Black-and-white, Sepia, or Cyanotype (blue and white monochrome). Selecting Sepia or Cyanotype displays a preview of the selected image; press 1 to increase color saturation, 3 to decrease. Press J to create a monochrome copy. G button N retouch menu Increase saturation...
Filter Effects Choose from the following filter effects. After adjusting filter effects as described below, press J to copy the photograph. Option Creates the effect of a skylight filter, making the picture less blue. The effect Skylight can be previewed in the monitor as shown at right.
Color Balance Use the multi selector to create a copy with modified color balance as shown below. The effect is displayed in the monitor together with red, green, and blue histograms (0 225) giving the distribution of tones in the copy. Press J to copy the photograph.
Image Overlay Image overlay combines two existing NEF (RAW) photographs to create a single picture that is saved separately from the originals; the results, which make use of RAW data from the camera image sensor, are noticeably better than photographs combined in an imaging application.
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Select the first image. Use the multi selector to highlight the first photograph in the overlay. To view the highlighted photograph full frame, press and hold the X button. To view images in other locations, press W and select the desired card and folder as described on page 221. Press J to select the highlighted photograph and return to the preview display.
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Preview the overlay. Press 4 or 2 to place the cursor in the Preview column and press 1 or 3 to highlight Overlay. Press J to preview the overlay as shown at right (to save the overlay without displaying a preview, select Save). To return to Step 4 and select new photos or adjust gain, press Save the overlay.
NEF (RAW) Processing Create JPEG copies of NEF (RAW) photographs. Select NEF (RAW) processing. Highlight NEF (RAW) processing and press 2 to display a picture selection dialog listing only NEF (RAW) images created with this camera. Select a photograph. Highlight a photograph (to view the highlighted photograph full frame, press and hold the X button;...
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Adjust NEF (RAW) processing settings. Adjust the settings listed below. Note that white balance and vignette control are not available with multiple exposures or pictures created with image overlay and that exposure compensation can only be set to values between –2 and +2 EV.
Resize Create small copies of selected photographs. Select Resize. To resize selected images, press G to display the menus and select Resize in the retouch menu. Choose a destination. If two memory cards are inserted, you can choose a destination for the resized copies by highlighting Choose destination and pressing only one memory card is...
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The options shown at right will be displayed; highlight an option and press J. Choose pictures. Highlight Select image and press 2. Highlight pictures and press the center of the multi selector to select or deselect (to view the highlighted picture full screen, press and hold the X button;...
Viewing Resized Copies Playback zoom may not be available when resized copies are displayed. Image Quality Copies created from NEF (RAW), NEF (RAW) + JPEG, or TIFF (RGB) photos have an image quality (0 84) of JPEG fine; copies created from JPEG photos have the same image quality as the original.
Distortion Control Create copies with reduced peripheral distortion. Select Auto to let the camera correct distortion automatically and then make fine adjustments using the multi selector, or select Manual to reduce distortion manually (note that Auto is not available with photos taken using auto distortion control; see page 276).
Color Outline Create an outline copy of a photograph to use as a base for painting. The effect can be previewed in the edit display. Press J to copy the photograph. Before Color Sketch Create a copy of a photograph that resembles a sketch made with colored pencils.
Perspective Control G button N retouch menu Create copies that reduce the effects of perspective taken from the base of a tall object. Use the multi selector to adjust perspective (note that greater amounts of perspective control result in more of the edges being cropped out).
Miniature Effect Create a copy that appears to be a photo of a diorama. Works best with photos taken from a high vantage point. Press Press W to choose orientation of area that is in Choose orientation focus. If photo is displayed in wide orientation, press 1 or 3 to position frame showing area of copy that will be in focus.
Selective Color Create a copy in which only selected hues appear in color. Select Selective color. Highlight Selective color in the retouch menu and press 2 to display a picture selection dialog. Select a photograph. Highlight a photograph (to view the highlighted photograph full frame, press and hold the X button;...
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Highlight the color range. Rotate the main command dial to highlight the color range for the selected color. Choose the color range. Press 1 or 3 to increase or decrease the range of similar hues that will be included in the final photograph or movie.
Side-by-Side Comparison Compare retouched copies to the original photographs. This option is only available if the J button is pressed to display the retouch menu when a copy or original is played back full frame. Select a picture. Select a retouched copy (shown by a N icon) or a photograph that has been retouched in full-frame...
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Compare the copy with the original. The source image is displayed on the left, the retouched copy on the right, with the options used to create the copy listed at the top of the display. Press 4 or 2 to switch between the source image and the retouched copy.
O My Menu/m Recent Settings To display My Menu, press G and select the O (My Menu) tab. G button The My Menu option can be used to create and edit a customized list of options from the playback, shooting, Custom Settings, setup, and retouch menus for quick access (up to 20 items).
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Adding Options to My Menu Select Add items. In My Menu (O), highlight Add items and press 2. Select a menu. Highlight the name of the menu containing the option you wish to add and press 2. Select an item. Highlight the desired menu item and press J.
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Deleting Options from My Menu Select Remove items. In My Menu (O), highlight Remove items and press 2. Select items. Highlight items and press 2 to select or deselect. Selected items are indicated by a check mark. Select Done. Highlight Done and press J.
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Reordering Options in My Menu Select Rank items. In My Menu (O), highlight Rank items and press 2. Select an item. Highlight the item you wish to move and press J. Position the item. Press 1 or 3 to move the item up or down in My Menu and press J.
Recent Settings To display the twenty most recently used settings, select m Recent settings for O My Menu > Choose tab. Select Choose tab. In My Menu (O), highlight Choose tab and press 2. Select m Recent settings. Highlight m Recent settings and press J.
PC-E NIKKOR series PC Micro 85mm f/2.8D AF-S / AF-I Teleconverter Other AF NIKKOR (except lenses for F3AF) AI-P NIKKOR AI-, AI-modified, NIKKOR or Nikon Series E lenses Medical-NIKKOR 120mm Reflex-NIKKOR PC-NIKKOR AI-type Teleconverter PB-6 Bellows Focusing Attachment Auto extension rings (PK-series 11A, 12, or 13;...
1 IX-NIKKOR lenses can not be used. 2 Vibration Reduction (VR) supported with VR lenses. 3 Spot metering meters selected focus point (0 115). 4 The camera’s exposure metering and flash control systems do not work properly when shifting and/or tilting the lens, or when an aperture other than the maximum aperture is used.
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Recognizing CPU and Type G and D Lenses CPU lenses (particularly types G and D) are recommended, but note that IX-NIKKOR lenses can not be used. CPU lenses can be identified by the presence of CPU contacts, type G and D lenses by a letter on the lens barrel.
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Lens f-number The f-number given in lens names is the maximum aperture of the lens. Compatible Non-CPU Lenses When using non-CPU lenses and accessories, select exposure mode g or h and set aperture using the lens aperture ring. In other modes, the shutter-release is disabled.
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The Built-in Flash The built-in flash can be used with CPU lenses with focal lengths of 24mm (16mm in DX format) to 300mm, although in some cases the flash may be unable to entirely light the subject at some ranges or focal lengths due to shadows cast by the lens, while lenses that block the subject’s view of the red-eye reduction lamp may interfere with red-eye reduction.
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The built-in flash can also be used with AI-S, AI-, AI-modified NIKKOR, Nikon Series E and non-CPU lenses with a focal length of 24–300mm. AI 50–300mm f/4.5, modified AI 50–300mm f/4.5, and AI-S 50–300mm f/4.5 ED lenses must be used at a zoom position of 180mm or above, and AI 50–300mm f/4.5 ED lenses at a zoom position of 135mm or above.
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AF-Assist Illumination AF-assist illumination is available with lenses with focal lengths of 24– 200 mm. It can not however be used to assist the focus operation with the following lenses: • AF-S VR Nikkor 200mm f/2G IF-ED • AF-S NIKKOR 200mm f/2G ED VR II •...
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Calculating Angle of View The D800 can be used with Nikon lenses for 35mm (135) format cameras. If Auto DX crop is on (0 79) and a 35mm format lens is attached, the angle of view will be the same as a frame of 35mm film (35.9 × 24.0 mm);...
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Calculating Angle of View (Continued) The DX (24×16) angle of view is about 1.5 times smaller than the 35mm format angle of view, while the 1.2× (30×20) angle of view is about 1.2 times smaller and the 5 : 4 (30×24) angle of view is about 1.1 times smaller.
Optional Flash Units (Speedlights) The camera supports the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) and can be used with CLS-compatible flash units. Optional flash units can be attached directly to the camera accessory shoe as described below. The accessory shoe is equipped with a safety lock for flash units with a locking pin.
The Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) Nikon’s advanced Creative Lighting System (CLS) offers improved communication between the camera and compatible flash units for improved flash photography. CLS-Compatible Flash Units The camera can be used with the following CLS-compatible flash units: •...
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The following features are available with CLS-compatible flash units: Flash unit Flash mode/feature i-TTL balanced fill- i-TTL flash for digital Auto aperture Non-TTL auto Distance-priority manual Manual Repeating flash Auto FP High-Speed Sync FV lock AF-assist for multi-area Flash Color Information Communication REAR Rear-curtain sync Y Red-eye reduction...
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Other Flash Units The following flash units can be used in non-TTL auto and manual modes. Flash unit SB-28, SB-26, Flash mode SB-25, SB-24 Non-TTL auto Manual Repeating flash Rear-curtain REAR sync 1 Flash mode is automatically set to TTL and shutter-release is disabled. Set flash unit to A (non-TTL auto flash).
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Notes on Optional Flash Units Refer to the flash unit manual for detailed instructions. If the unit supports CLS, refer to the section on CLS-compatible digital SLR cameras. The D800 is not included in the “digital SLR” category in the SB-80DX, SB-28DX, and SB-50DX manuals.
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The SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, and SB-400 provide red-eye reduction, while the SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, and SU-800 provide AF-assist illumination with the following restrictions: • SB-910 and SB-900: AF-assist illumination is available with 17– 135 mm AF lenses, however, autofocus is available only with the focus points shown at right.
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Use Only Nikon Flash Accessories Use only Nikon flash units. Negative voltages or voltages over 250 V applied to the accessory shoe could not only prevent normal operation, but damage the sync circuitry of the camera or flash. Before using a Nikon flash unit not listed in this section, contact a Nikon-authorized service representative for more information.
• Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL15 (0 19, 21): Additional EN-EL15 batteries are available from local retailers and Nikon service representatives. These batteries can be recharged using an MH-25 battery charger. • Battery Charger MH-25 (0 19): The MH-25 can be used to recharge EN-EL15 batteries.
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• Rubber Eyecup DK-19: The DK-19 makes the image in the viewfinder easier to see, preventing eye fatigue. • Diopter-Adjustment Viewfinder Lens DK-17C: To accommodate individual differences in vision, viewfinder lenses are available with diopters of –3, –2, 0, +1, and +2 m diopter adjustment lenses only if the desired focus can not be achieved with the built-in diopter adjustment control (–3 to +1 m...
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Software Note: Use the latest versions of Nikon software; see the websites listed on page xx for the latest information on supported operating systems. At default settings, Nikon Message Center 2...
The D800 is equipped with a ten-pin remote terminal (0 3) for remote control and automatic photography. The terminal is provided with a cap, which protects the contacts when the terminal is not in use. The following accessories can be used (all lengths are approximate): •...
Attaching a Power Connector and AC Adapter Turn the camera off before attaching an optional power connector and AC adapter. Ready the camera. Open the battery-chamber (q) and power connector (w) covers. Insert the EP-5B power connector. Be sure to insert the connector in the orientation shown, using the connector to keep the orange battery latch pressed to one side.
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Connect the AC adapter. Connect the AC adapter power cable to the AC socket on AC adapter (e) and the EP-5B power cable to the DC socket (r). When the camera is powered by the AC adapter and power connector, the battery level display in the monitor turns off.
Caring for the Camera Storage When the camera will not be used for an extended period, remove the battery and store it in a cool, dry area with the terminal cover in place. To prevent mold or mildew, store the camera in a dry, well- ventilated area.
The Low-Pass Filter The image sensor that acts as the camera’s picture element is fitted with a low-pass filter to prevent moiré. If you suspect that dirt or dust on the filter is appearing in photographs, you can clean the filter using the Clean image sensor option in the setup menu.
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Select Clean now. Highlight Clean now and press J. The camera will check the image sensor and then begin cleaning. J button This process takes about ten seconds; during this time, 1 is displayed in the control panel and other operations can not be performed.
“Clean at Startup/Shutdown” Choose from the following options: Option 5 Clean at startup Clean at shutdown Clean at startup & shutdown Cleaning off Select Clean at startup/ shutdown. Display the Clean image sensor menu as described in Step 2 on the previous page. Highlight Clean at startup/ shutdown and press 2.
Cleaning is performed by vibrating the low-pass filter. If dust can not be fully removed using the options in the Clean image sensor menu, clean the image sensor manually (see below) or consult a Nikon-authorized service representative. If image sensor cleaning is performed several times in succession, image sensor cleaning may be temporarily disabled to protect the camera’s...
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Select Lock mirror up for cleaning. Turn the camera on and press the G button to display the menus. Highlight Lock mirror up for cleaning in the setup menu and press 2 (note that this option is not available at battery levels of J or below). Press J.
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Do not use a blower-brush, as the bristles could damage the filter. Dirt that can not be removed with a blower can only be removed by Nikon-authorized service personnel. Under no circumstances should you touch or wipe the filter.
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The camera is a precision device and requires regular servicing. Nikon recommends that the camera be inspected by the original retailer or Nikon service representative once every one to two years, and that it be serviced once every three to five years (note that fees apply to these services).
Caring for the Camera and Battery: Cautions Do not drop: The product may malfunction if subjected to strong shocks or vibration. Keep dry: This product is not waterproof, and may malfunction if immersed in water or exposed to high levels of humidity. Rusting of the internal mechanism can cause irreparable damage.
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Cleaning: When cleaning the camera body, use a blower to gently remove dust and lint, then wipe gently with a soft, dry cloth. After using the camera at the beach or seaside, wipe off any sand or salt using a cloth lightly dampened in pure water and then dry the camera thoroughly.
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Turn the product off before removing or disconnecting the power source: Do not unplug the product or remove the battery while the product is on or while images are being recorded or deleted. Forcibly cutting power in these circumstances could result in loss of data or in damage to product memory or internal circuitry.
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• Turning the camera on or off repeatedly when the battery is fully discharged will shorten battery life. Batteries that have been fully discharged must be charged before use. • The internal temperature of the battery may rise while the battery is in use.
Defaults The default settings for the options in the camera menus are listed below. For information on two-button reset, see page 193. Playback Menu Defaults Option Playback folder (0 260) Image review (0 265) After delete (0 266) Rotate tall (0 266) Slide show (0 267) Image type (0 267) Frame interval (0 267)
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Option Set Picture Control (0 163) Color space (0 274) Active D-Lighting (0 174) HDR (high dynamic range) (0 176) HDR mode (0 177) Exposure differential (0 178) Smoothing (0 178) Vignette control (0 275) Auto distortion control (0 276) Long exposure NR (0 277) High ISO NR (0 277) ISO sensitivity settings (0 109)
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Custom Settings Menu Defaults Option a1 AF-C priority selection (0 281) a2 AF-S priority selection (0 282) a3 Focus tracking with lock-on (0 283) a4 AF activation (0 283) a5 AF point illumination (0 284) a6 Focus point wrap-around (0 284) a7 Number of focus points (0 285) a8 Built-in AF-assist illuminator (0 286) b1 ISO sensitivity step value (0 287)
Exposure Program The exposure program for programmed auto (0 118) is shown in the following graph: ISO 100; lens with maximum aperture of f/1.4 and minimum aperture of f/16 (e.g., AF 50mm f/1.4D) f/1.4 f/2.8 f/5.6 f/11 f/16 f/22 f/32 30"...
Troubleshooting If the camera fails to function as expected, check the list of common problems below before consulting your retailer or Nikon representative. Display Viewfinder is out of focus: Adjust viewfinder focus or use optional diopter adjustment lenses (0 35, 388).
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Shooting Camera takes time to turn on: Delete files or folders. Shutter-release disabled: • Memory card is full (0 29, 38). • Release locked is selected for Custom Setting f11 (Slot empty release lock; 0 319) and no memory card is inserted (0 29). •...
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AF-assist illuminator does not light: • AF-assist lamp does not light if AF-C is selected for autofocus mode (0 91). Choose AF-S. If an option other than auto-area AF is selected for AF-area mode, select center focus point (0 96). •...
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Image can not be selected as source for preset white balance: Image was not created with D800 (0 158). White balance bracketing unavailable: • NEF (RAW) or NEF+JPEG image quality option selected for image quality (0 84). • Multiple exposure mode is in effect (0 195). Effects of Picture Control differ from image to image: A (auto) is selected for sharpening, contrast, or saturation.
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Computer displays NEF (RAW) images differently from camera: Third-party software does not display effects of Picture Controls, Active D-Lighting, or vignette control. Use ViewNX 2 (supplied) or optional Nikon software such as Capture NX 2 (available separately). Can not transfer photos to computer: OS not compatible with camera or transfer software.
Solution Set ring to minimum aperture (largest f-number). Ready a fully-charged spare battery. • Recharge or replace battery. • Contact Nikon- authorized service representative. • Replace the battery, or recharge the battery if the rechargeable Li-ion battery is exhausted. Aperture value will be displayed if maximum aperture is specified.
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Indicator Control View- panel finder Camera unable to focus — (blinks) using autofocus. Subject too bright; photo will be overexposed. (Exposure indicators and shutter speed or aperture display blink) Subject too dark; photo will be underexposed. A selected in (blinks) exposure mode f.
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• Reduce quality or size. • Delete photographs after copying important images to computer or other device. • Insert new memory card. Release shutter. If error persists or appears frequently, consult Nikon-authorized service representative. 84, 87 —...
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Camera cannot Turn camera off and detect memory confirm that card is card. correctly inserted. • Error accessing • Use Nikon- memory card. approved card. • Check that contacts are clean. If card is damaged, contact retailer or Nikon representative.
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Failed to update flash unit firmware. Firmware for flash Flash cannot be unit mounted on — used. camera was not Contact a Nikon- updated correctly. authorized service representative. The internal Unable to start temperature of live view. Please —...
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Indicator Control Monitor panel Cannot display — this file. Cannot select — this file. — Check printer. — Check paper. — Paper jam. — Out of paper. — Check ink supply. — Out of ink. * See printer manual for more information. Problem File has been created or...
Specifications Nikon D800/D800E Digital Camera Type Type Single-lens reflex digital camera Lens mount Nikon F mount (with AF coupling and AF contacts) Effective pixels Effective pixels 36.3 million Image sensor 35.9 × 24.0 mm CMOS sensor (Nikon FX format) Image sensor 36.8 million...
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Storage File format Picture Control System Media Dual card slots File system Viewfinder Viewfinder Frame coverage Magnification Eyepoint Diopter adjustment Focusing screen Reflex mirror • NEF (RAW): 12 or 14 bit, lossless compressed, compressed, or uncompressed • TIFF (RGB) • JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine (approx. 1 : 4), normal (approx.
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Viewfinder Depth-of-field preview When depth-of-field preview button is pressed, lens aperture is stopped down to value selected by user (g and h modes) or by camera (e and f modes) Instant return, electronically controlled Lens aperture Lens Compatible lenses Compatible with AF NIKKOR lenses, including type G and D lenses (some restrictions apply to PC Micro- NIKKOR lenses) and DX lenses (using DX 24 ×...
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Release Approximate frame advance rate Self-timer Exposure Metering Metering method Range (ISO 100, f/1.4 lens, 20 °C/68 °F) Exposure meter coupling Combined CPU and AI Exposure mode Exposure compensation –5 – +5 EV in increments of Exposure bracketing Flash bracketing With EN-EL15 batteries Image area: FX/5 : 4 : 1–4 fps...
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Can be selected from Auto, Extra high, High, Normal, Low, or Off Focus Autofocus Nikon Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection, fine-tuning, 51 focus points (including 15 cross-type sensors; f/8 supported by 11 sensors), and AF-assist illuminator (range approx.
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Flash Built-in flash Flash control Flash mode Flash compensation Flash-ready indicator Accessory shoe Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) Sync terminal White balance White balance Manual pop-up with button release and a Guide Number of 12/39, 12/39 with manual flash (m/ft, ISO 100, 20 °C/68 °F)
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Live view Modes Live view photography (still images), movie live view (movies) Lens servo • Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); full-time servo AF (AF-F) • Manual focus (M) Face-priority AF, wide-area AF, normal-area AF, subject- AF-area mode tracking AF Autofocus Contrast-detect AF anywhere in frame (camera selects focus point automatically when face-priority AF or subject-tracking AF is selected)
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Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian One rechargeable Li-ion EN-EL15 battery Optional MB-D12 multi-power battery pack with one rechargeable Nikon EN-EL18 Li-ion battery (available separately), one rechargeable Nikon EN-EL15 Li-ion battery, or eight AA alkaline, Ni-MH, or lithium batteries. A BL-5 battery-chamber cover is required when using EN-EL18 batteries.
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• Nikon reserves the right to change the specifications of the hardware and software described in this manual at any time and without prior notice. Nikon will not be held liable for damages that may result from any mistakes that this manual may contain.
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AC 120 V, 60 Hz, 0.2 A AC 100–240 V, 50/60 Hz, 0.23–0.12 A DC 8.4 V/1.2 A Nikon EN-EL15 rechargeable Li-ion batteries Approx. 2 hours and 35 minutes at an ambient temperature of 25 °C/77 °F when no charge remains excluding projections Approx.
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High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC. PictBridge is a trademark. 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.
Approved Memory Cards The camera accepts the SD and CompactFlash memory cards listed in the following sections. Other cards have not been tested. For more details on the cards listed below, please contact the manufacturer. SD Memory Cards The following cards have been tested and approved for use in the camera.
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CompactFlash Memory Cards The following Type I CompactFlash memory cards have been tested and approved for use in the camera. Type II cards and microdrives can not be used. Extreme Pro Extreme Extreme IV SanDisk Extreme III Ultra II Standard Professional UDMA Lexar Media...
Memory Card Capacity The following table shows the approximate number of pictures that can be stored on an 8 GB Toshiba R95 W80MB/s UHS-I SDHC card at different image quality (0 84), image size (0 87), and image area settings (0 79). FX (36×24) Image Area Image quality NEF (RAW), Lossless...
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DX (24×16) Image Area Image quality Image size NEF (RAW), Lossless compressed, 12-bit NEF (RAW), Lossless compressed, 14-bit NEF (RAW), Compressed, 12-bit NEF (RAW), Compressed, 14-bit NEF (RAW), Uncompressed, 12-bit NEF (RAW), Uncompressed, 14-bit TIFF (RGB) JPEG fine JPEG normal JPEG basic * Includes images taken with DX lenses when On is selected for Auto DX crop.
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1 All figures are approximate. File size varies with scene recorded. 2 Maximum number of exposures that can be stored in memory buffer at ISO 100. Drops if Optimal quality is selected for JPEG compression, ISO sensitivity is set to Hi 0.3 or higher, High ISO NR is on when auto ISO sensitivity control is on or ISO sensitivity is set to ISO 1600 or higher, or long exposure noise reduction, Active D-Lighting, or auto distortion control is on.
One EN-EL15 battery (MB-D12): Approximately 900 shots One EN-EL18 battery (MB-D12): Approximately 1,400 shots Eight AA alkaline batteries (MB-D12): Approximately 1,000 shots • Nikon standard One EN-EL15 battery (camera): Approximately 2,400 shots One EN-EL15 battery (MB-D12): Approximately 2,400 shots One EN-EL18 battery (MB-D12): Approximately 3,800 shots Eight AA alkaline batteries (MB-D12): Approximately 2,400 shots 1 Measured at 23 °C/73.4 °F (±2 °C/3.6 °F) with an AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm...
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• Using an optional WT-4 wireless transmitter • Using the optional GP-1 GPS unit • Using VR (vibration reduction) mode with VR lenses To ensure that you get the most from rechargeable Nikon EN-EL15 batteries: • Keep the battery contacts clean. Soiled contacts can reduce battery performance.
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Red-eye reduction ... 183 Release button to use dial... 318 Release mode ... 103 Remote cord... 124, 390 Remove items (My Menu) ... 368 Removing the lens from the camera 25 Repeating flash ... 301 Reset ... 193 Resize... 355 Restoring default settings...
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USB cable clip ... 1, 243 Use GPS to set camera clock ... 218 UTC ... 27, 217, 229 Vibration reduction mode switch ... 24 Viewfinder... 8, 35, 424 Viewfinder eyepiece... 36, 106, 203 Viewfinder focus... 35, 388 Viewing photographs on TV ... 256 ViewNX 2 ...
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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 6MB12211-02...
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