Nikon D600 Experience - Douglas J. Klostermann Photography
Contents
1. l NEE RAW JPEGfine NEF RAW JPEG normal NEF RAW JPEG basic NEF RAW JPEG fine JPEG normal JPEG basic Figure 26 Image Quality and Image Size menus to determine image file settings A 6016x4016 24 2 SI Medium 4512x3008 13 6 M Small 3008x2008 6 0 M Image Size Again you are putting a lot of effort into taking your images so set this to Large or L see Figure 26 unless you have a specific reason to capture smaller sized files both in pixel dimension print size and image file size For example if you know you will only be using the images to upload to a social media site But if you change this setting please be sure to remember to set it back on Large for your subsequent images You can view the resulting pixel and print sizes of the Large Medium and Small settings for both FX and DX Image Area on page 95 of the D600 Users Manual This setting can also be changed using the QUAL Button and the front Sub Command Dial Image Area This setting can be used to have your full frame FX format sensor act as an APS C sized DX format sensor By enabling the DX sized image area it will change the aspect ratio very slightly and angle of view dramatically of your resulting images basically cropping your photos from full frame images to smaller DX format sized images see Figure 27 When the Auto DX crop option is set for On the camera will automatically capture images at the smaller DX size when a DX2. AF S Single servo AF using the Main Command Dial and set the AF Area Mode to Single 115 Nikon D600 Experience Point AF using the Sub Command Dial Have a look at the Control Panel in Figure 115 to see the AF S indication and the Single Point AF icon immediately above it Lens Focus Mode Selector Focus Mode Selector AF Mode Button Figure 116 Additional autofocus controls of the D600 1 Set the Mode Dial to P Program 2 Tap the Shutter Button with a half press to wake up the camera and start the exposure metering 3 Looking through the Viewfinder use the Multi Selector to select the Focus Point that is nearest to where you want to focus 4 Place that point over your intended subject 5 Press and hold the Shutter Button halfway down and see that point blink red The Focus Indicator should light up in your Viewfinder You have locked the focus 6 Keeping the Shutter Button pressed halfway recompose if necessary and take the shot by fully pressing the Shutter Button If the In Focus Indicator does not light up and the camera does not take the photo the camera may not be finding something to focus on may not be finding enough contrast to lock in on or you may be too close to your subject for the lens to focus There are reasons to make use of all the Focus Points and not just the center one all the time which will be discussed It may sound difficult to manually select the Focus Point each time but it is
3. actually very quickly done and will become instinctive You may 116 Nikon D600 Experience even start to set your AF point as you approach a scene before even bringing your camera to your eye using your thumb on the Multi Selector But if you wish you can start by always using the center point and recomposing before taking the shot And remember that Custom Setting a6 Number of Focus Points allows you to limit the number of selectable points to 77 Points to perhaps make this process more manageable 5 2 Autofocus Modes The D600 has three different Autofocus Modes to choose from typically depending on if your subject is still or if it is moving and you wish to track its movement and remain continuously focused on it It also has four different autofocus AF Area Modes discussed in the next section to specify how many of the Focus Points are active and how they follow or track a moving object You can set these two functions in various combinations First the Autofocus Modes Select the Autofocus Mode by pressing the AF Mode Button the button located inside the Focus Mode Selector switch that says AF M on the camera body near the base of the lens and rotating the Main Command Dial the rear dial while monitoring the settings on the top Control Panel or in the Viewfinder Single Servo AF AF S Use this mode when your subject is stationary or is still and not going to move or if your subject is not going to move very much or if the
4. and Command Dials on the camera body while reading the settings on the top LCD Control Panel in the Viewfinder or on the rear Information Display Or through the menus accessed with the Menu Button and Multi Selector thumb pad and read on the rear LCD Monitor Explore the options which will be explained throughout this guide and find the ways that work most quickly and intuitively for you Any time capitalize something in the text it is a proper term that can be looked up in the Nikon D600 User s Manual will capitalize the names of actual buttons controls camera parts and menu items such as Function Fn Button Main Command Dial Monitor and Format Again please review the camera body and display diagrams in your D600 Users Manual to familiarize yourself with the names of various parts 8 Nikon D600 Experience controls and displays as will use these proper names in this text Words that are capitalized and bold refer to chapters and sections within this guide such as Menus and Custom Settings Turn on the bookmarks or contents navigation panel in your PDF viewer or access the Table of Contents of your e book reader to quickly navigate to these different sections Many of the functions and controls of a dSLR such as the D600 are closely inter related such as the shooting mode exposure settings and the metering mode As a result of this must sometimes refer to previous or upcoming sections of the text for further explan
5. distance between you and the subject is not going to change between the time you lock focus recompose and take the shot Lock focus on the subject by half pressing the Shutter Button and recompose if necessary This mode can even be used for moving people or subjects if you quickly take the shot after establishing or locking focus When using AF S you can select from two AF Area Modes either Single Point AF where you select the Focus Point or Auto Area AF where the camera selects the AF point s for you suggest you nearly always select your own desired Focus Point so that the camera autofocuses exactly where you want it to As noted above focus on your subject by pressing the Shutter Button halfway The active AF point will illuminate blink and the Focus Indicator light at the lower left in the Viewfinder will illuminate as well Continue to press the Shutter Button all the way to take the shot If you half press the Shutter Button to lock focus on your subject the camera will remain focused at that distance as long as you keep half pressing the Shutter Button You can recompose the shot as you wish and then fully press the Shutter Button to take the photo Again if the Focus Indicator light does not light up and the camera does not take the photo the camera may not be finding enough contrast to focus on you may be too close to your subject for the lens to focus or the lighting may be too dim for the AF system to work well However
6. naras aea aa aaan we esiansidatesilvnutvansuaaildldvanedlavesuinus 5 Tt Tak Control of Your Camera zerer tate a colt acetyl E ANE E Maen eerie eae 6 D2 AUSING THIS Ee EE 7 TO GOUINIG Stalo EE 10 2 GAMERA CONTROLS soraan ananasa enapan eman apaan aaaea aa ranana Eea aar anan Aaaa aaua aai aaga 13 3 MENUS and CUSTOM SETTINGS wiiiiniicssineccivssenssedsanetnaciniaveseedsuedeeiaddasnauanwcdaveaanes 27 BF SCHING UD INCI GOO sash cesta fect hel ten a te ean eile seh all tela Raat 27 D2 PIAVDACK MON iisinssiitasimnstconprisathesndercesststedinavbessunnmdur baimiaaaasshnckschuppadmeaysmdbnasinantanias 28 SIO ON CIN Ee e 34 SE EE dead ok dacs taal ee 52 KEE EE 88 GO PICTOUCI Meny EE 99 3 7 DAY MOI eege 104 4 IMAGE PLAYBACK and IMAGE FILE FORMATS sccccsssseeeeeeseeseeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 107 BAGS Play EE 107 4 2 Information RTE 109 43 JPEG VS NEF RAV e araa aae aaa a aaa aa aaa AA AES 111 4 4 File Sizes and Maximum Burst Rate snanennennnnennnnnnennnneennnnnnnennnnnnnrnrnnnerrnnneene 112 5 AUTOFOCUSING enarrare ranana aea kg aeaa r ama maa ENEE eNgeEgggE dahara KEENEGENEANeEEhA ECKER 114 E AUIOIOCUS ee E 114 5 2 AUlOloCUS MO0CS vaitivrimsissiasiontscoepeisetbrand excaubsahendrhesses hinges reiege guabaatgchmeticessnsmishs 117 5 3 Autofocus AF Area Modes 012 1cccccccccccceceeneneeeneenensnaneeneneensnsneeneeenenssseneneesensanrees 121 54 Locking FOCU Se fos aaea ne eaaa AE E A EA Oaa L AAIR E E peal mide TAEAE 127 5 5 Focus Points and I
7. to consistently capture sharp clean and well exposed images in most any shooting situation Figure 1 Detail of the Nikon D600 digital SLR Borrowing the best features of the Nikon D7000 and some of the exceptional capabilities of the high end D800 the D600 boasts a ruggedly built body with a magnesium alloy frame dual SD memory card slots a big and bright 100 Viewfinder remote Speedlight flash control full HD video capabilities and numerous customization options Nikon has added wireless capabilities for image sharing and camera control through a smart phone or tablet with the use of the optional WU 1b Wireless Adapter a locking Mode Dial and DX lens compatibility All of this has been included in a dSLR body not much larger and actually lighter than the D7000 The Nikon D600 is clearly a powerful advanced tool for digital photography and is fully capable of capturing professional quality images in most any situation you wish to use it 5 Nikon D600 Experience But the D600 is merely a tool It is up to you to make use of its features and capabilities to create the images you envision While the camera s manual can tell you about all the settings and controls how to change them and their intended function this guide will build upon that and tell you when and why you want to use them Every button menu item and Custom Setting of the D600 is there for a reason to help you capture the images you want Some of them are
8. Nikon D600 Experience The Still Photography Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Nikon D600 an e book by Douglas J Klostermann LZ Ee T oo Y WANN AN wf d D600 Xx KS E Zb Sa ull stop good writing for better photograph Nikon D600 Experience Nikon D600 Experience The Still Photography Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Nikon D600 by Douglas J Klostermann Full Stop good writing for better photography Nikon D600 Experience All rights reserved This e book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and may not be re sold file shared or given away No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronically or in print without expressed permission from the author Every effort has been made to make this e book as accurate as possible but no warranty of fitness is implied The information is provided on an as is basis The author shall have no liability or responsibility with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information provided in this e book including but not limited to the use of any of the materials or methods described the products retailers Internet web sites or links provided All contents including cover design text and photographs with the exception of products brands logos and contents of menus and screenshots are copyright by the author All products brands logos and contents of menus a
9. anual I feel more confident in understanding how to at last proceed in getting better photographs W L S It s clear concise and gets to the heart of the camera s multiple and often confusing options Very highly recommended for experienced user and beginner alike G S A A well written professional helpful guide Just what I was looking for A manual for the D7000 that was exciting clear to follow had examples and was used by a professional who gave just the right amount of technical with explanations of why you use those settings when to use those settings and so on all properly explained The book is a revelation a joy to follow well thought through and well written Nikon should be employing Doug to write every one of their cameras manuals R D C Purchase Nikon D600 Experience at http www dojoklo com Full_ Stop Nikon D600 Experience htm 219
10. ate on the techniques that believe are the most practical useful and effective for the majority of enthusiast photographers using the D600 The settings and techniques discuss can apply to various types of photography including general photography action portrait and travel photography Once you have a firm grasp of the controls settings and basic techniques you will have the tools and knowledge to address different issues specialized situations and challenging scenes encourage Nikon D600 Experience you to then experiment and continue to learn and to find the techniques that work best and are most comfortable or intuitive for you Since this guide is intended to help you get the most out of your D600 will not go into detail about all of the automatic features or Auto and Scene Modes The D600 is a highly sophisticated tool that deserves to be used to its full potential and that involves taking control of the camera and its functions which means taking it off Auto off Program off automatically selected autofocus points when not needed off Auto ISO While this may be more challenging at first these are the techniques that are necessary to take full advantage of the capabilities of any dSLR including the D600 and will lead you to having more control and consistency over your image making Hopefully this will inevitably lead to better images This guide is intended to be used with the camera in your hands That is the best wa
11. ation of a related function It is best to read through the entire text in the order it is organized before returning to specific sections for further study It may take multiple readings followed by experimentation to fully understand both the individual functions and the relationships between functions Figure Ka Gesten and Mural Cambridge Wass A slow shutter mee was s used to express the movement of the pedestrian as she passed in front of the Crosswinds mural by Daniel Galvez Shutter speed 1 40 aperture f 4 ISO 100 Exposure Comp 1 3 In the captions to the example photos throughout the text include the camera settings that were used With digital photography there is no right setting or best setting for any given situation A dSLR gives you quick access to the basic and essential settings because they often need to be changed to adapt to the subject the scene the lighting and perhaps most importantly your creative intentions There is no correct aperture setting for any given image or scene no proper shutter speed setting and no ideal histogram The choices you or the camera make depend on a number of variables and 9 Nikon D600 Experience Role Played by Card in Slot 2 If you insert memory cards in both available slots you can configure the second card to function in a variety of ways see Figure 25 Overflow will save your images onto the second card after the first card is f
12. if you are photographing a subject that is approaching or receding from view at a relatively constant rate or photographing fast or erratic or unpredictably moving 117 Nikon D600 Experience What Readers are Saying About Doug s Previous Guide Nikon D7000 Experience This book together with the manual that came with your camera is all you need to start discovering the full potential of the D7000 Max M It s the first guide I ve read which has taken me through all the settings in an understandable way I now feel that I have control over the camera Peter S Really practical and tremendously helpful Readers of this e book can expect to benefit from a more rewarding photographic experience using this superb camera and be better able to exploit its potential to match their personal objectives and photographic style Highly recommended M M I would recommend this to anyone who wants to get a quick start to using the D7000 Manuals are nice but this e book highlights the important information and gives a quick easy to understand explanation of most all of the functions and controls Ray M I found the Nikon manual good for understanding how to set things up but not much on the why this book really focuses on the WHY Benoit A This manual is a clearly written concise and useful explanation of the rationale for the seemingly infinite and often confusing settings options for the D7000 Used in conjunction with the Nikon m
13. lens is being used If the Auto DX crop option is set for Off the camera will use the next Choose image area setting to determine the image size either full sized FX or cropped APS C sized DX see Figure 28 The advantage of using the DX setting is that with telephoto lenses you will gain the appearance of further reach as you may be used to from working with a D7000 D90 or other APS C camera The disadvantage is that you will only be using part of the sensor and thus capturing 10 megapixel images It will be the same result as if you cropped your images in post processing 37 Nikon D600 Experience e eil X e gt Figure 27 Simulated D600 Viewfinder view showing the full size FX image area and the approximate size of the cropped DX image indicated by the inner black line surrounding the AF brackets Note that the DX image size aligns approximately with the Viewfinder Grid Display lines which can be turned on with Custom Setting d2 When working in DX image area setting the Viewfinder will display the crop lines You can set Custom Setting a4 AF Point Illumination to Off to grey out the area beyond the crop lines if desired You can also set the Depth of Field Preview Button or the Fn Button to quickly change the Image Area see Custom Settings If either of these buttons is assigned this function you can press the button and turn the Main Command Dial to change between FX and DX while viewing the setting on the to
14. ly based on whether the subject is still or moving and select an AF Area Mode based on how large of an area you want the camera to look at to find your intended subject ranging from a single point to a wider Dynamic Area to all the available 39 AF points You can set the Autofocus Modes and AF Area Modes in a variety of combinations based on what and how you are shooting Be sure to read the Menus and Custom Settings section first to make sure your camera is properly set up to make use of all the autofocus points to always illuminate your active Focus Point if desired and various other recommended autofocus settings Autofocus works by looking for contrast so try to focus locate your Focus Point as you view it in the Viewfinder on a texture or a detail with a pronounced line or some amount of contrast between light and dark It may not be able to focus on a large area of consistent color such as a white wall or clear blue sky or even a uniformly colored and illuminated shirt or on a subject or scene that is too dark It can be disrupted by regular patterns and fine detail or confused when looking through close objects to objects farther away such as looking through a fence And it sometimes fails to work well in highly contrasting or dim light though the Built in AF Assist Illuminator of Custom Setting a7 can assist in this situation When photographing people generally try to focus somewhere on the face ideally on the eyes or eyebrows
15. mage Composition EE 128 5 6 Live View and Movie e EE 130 GREEN EEN AN Eae Sa EEE 134 T EXPOSURE Pave e WEE 136 7 1 Aperture Shutter Speed and ISO csssscsssssccsesssssssssssecccsssssesssceeessseccessssnsssseees 136 7 2 Aperture Priority Auto Mode and Shutter Priority Auto Mode 140 Tele 143 7 4 Manual Exposure tege tege EE EE 145 8 METERING MODES eegsugdeer keete maaan nasaan raa aasan ma aaae aada e baa aaea aaaeaii aani 148 8 1 Matrix Eegen 148 8 2 Center Weighted Metering EE 148 8 amp 3 SpOt Meteng EE 151 8 4 Man al Meteng EE 153 8 5 Metering Modes and Exposure 1cccscccsccssccssecssecsssnsnaessanssaessanssansasansnansaansaanaes 154 9 EXPOSURE ln EE 157 9 T EXPOSE Eege eegene dee Et ia R EER AE EEE EE EAS EAEE AEO En LEPE EERE 157 ee EE 159 9 3 EXPOSUTE Compensation EE 161 9 4 621 0 E 164 9 5 HDR High Dynamic Range E 166 Nikon D600 Experience 9 6 Active D Lighting EE 169 9 7 M ltiple EXPOSUTE niian cesttstusvahaevs causes sa tetsenganuncscdeuboreseudens se sed maedewpnaheevenstys 170 10 ADDITIONAL CAMERA FUNCTIONS ccccsseseeeeeeseeeeeeeseseeeeeeesneeeeeeeesseeeeeeesesnees 173 10 t e 173 10 2 PICTUVO COMMUN jcc sccscsorcndetassetacesunsodczneatans EEEIEE AEDE EAE I PERCEN AAR AANE geg 178 eeh 182 10 4 Interval Timer and Time Lapse Photography Shooting 187 ROS S nsor Cleaning EE 190 10 6 Putting ICAI Into PIACUCG vin txisonctyiuiasihasasisnrssiut EEEEeer 191 11 THE IMAGE TAKING PROCESS w iscscesisesescinu
16. more useful to different types of photographers and shooting situations and you don t necessarily need to learn and use them all immediately but this guide should help to give you the knowledge to confidently use the ones that turn your Nikon D600 into an image capturing tool that works best for you Figure 2 Flower Cambridge MA Autofocus modes exposure metering mode aperture shutter speed ISO and white balance all considered even in creating this simple image Shutter speed 1 320 aperture 4 5 ISO 100 1 1 Take Control of Your Camera Since the camera is a tool to take the images you want to take you obviously can t always allow the camera to make decisions for you You have to take control of the camera to ensure that you capture exactly the images you intend by autofocusing precisely where you intend setting the aperture or shutter speed that you want and obtaining the exposure you desire While the D600 is an intelligent camera it cannot read your mind and your intentions and does not know that you wish to focus on and properly expose the yellow flower in the foreground while making the background appear out of focus and the flower petals to be caught still and not be blurred from the motion of the wind on this bright sunny day see Figure 2 You have to tell the camera to do all of this through the various controls and settings such as the Autofocus Mode 6 Nikon D600 Experience and AF Area Mode lock focus
17. nd screenshots are property of the respective companies and websites Terms which are trademarks or service marks in this e book are used in an editorial and educational manner and should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark Nikon is a trademark of Nikon Inc Adobe is a trademark of Adobe Systems Inc The author and the contents of this book are not affiliated with or endorsed by Nikon Special thanks to Newtonville Camera of Newton Mass http www nvcamera com newtonville _ camera Since 1974 New England s _D Photo amp Video Store 249 Walnut Street Newton MA 02460 www NVCAMERA com 617 965 1240 Douglas Klostermann is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon com Copyright 2012 Douglas J Klostermann Cover design and photograph by the author Nikon D600 Experience The Still Photography Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Nikon D600 by Douglas J Klostermann ISBN Version 1 0 November 2012 Author s website www dojoklo com Author s blog http olog dojoklo com Published by Full Stop good writing for better photography A division of Douglas J Klostermann Photography Cambridge MA 02138 USA http www dojoklo com Full_ Stop Nikon D600 Experience CONTENTS Ls INTRODUCTIO N a aee ECK eene aaae wan
18. o focus at the original distance as the closer player passes through your field of view If you do not wish for the camera to suddenly change focus to the nearer player set to a longer period such as 4 or 5 If you wish to switch focus to a sudden closer or farther object such as perhaps a flock of moving birds where focusing on any bird and not a specific bird is the priority then set for a shorter period 7 or 2 or even set for Off and focus will immediately change Keep this option in mind with the various AF C Autofocus Mode and AF Area Mode configurations discussed in the Autofocusing chapter as it will likely change depending on your subject and situation Sometimes you may not want the camera to quickly refocus on a closer or more distant subject while other times you might 54 Nikon D600 Experience 5 AUTOFOCUSING 5 1 Using Autofocus One of the essential steps in taking a successful and sharp photo is controlling where the camera autofocuses If you allow the camera to autofocus by automatically choosing its own Focus Point s such as in Auto shooting mode or when using Auto Area AF autofocus area mode it typically focuses on the closest object This may or may not be what you want to focus on so you should select or at least narrow down where the camera focuses using the autofocus Focus Points or Dynamic Area groups of points By doing so you are telling the camera exactly where to autofocus or where to look to find a moving s
19. ography you have perhaps jumped right into the proverbial deep end of the pool by choosing the advanced D600 But don t worry this book will help guide you through its features controls and capabilities Be sure to take it slowly and patiently as you learn the features and concepts that will explain With practice and experience you will soon be shooting with confidence and can begin to take advantage of the camera s more advanced functions Even if you are an intermediate photographer don t expect to just pick up all the new information at once in one or two readings of a single book In fact you wouldn t want to as the never ending journey of learning and mastering photography is a big part of what it s all about Try not to become frustrated if you don t quite understand something or aren t always getting the results you desire Instead learn the controls functions settings and concepts bit by bit try them out in real life shooting situations and return to this guide the Nikon D600 User s Manual and other photography books to address questions and problems you encounter Continue to learn and to photograph often and it should all begin to come together sometimes slowly and sometimes in rapid bursts of discovery and understanding 1 2 Using This Guide There are many different ways to use a dSLR camera and its controls to capture images and many diverse situations in which photographers work I m going to concentr
20. on the center of the flower the exposure metering mode properly expose the petals the aperture setting the out of focus background the shutter speed freezing the motion of the flower from the wind the ISO bright day and the white balance sunny day Taking control of all of these functions and settings will enable you to consistently create the dramatic and compelling images you envision Learning to use and get the most out of an advanced digital SLR dSLR camera like the D600 takes time practice patience mistakes and experimentation If you have upgraded from a previous dSLR such as the D7000 D90 or D300 or one of their predecessors or from the D5100 or D3100 to the D600 you are in for a treat Its full frame sensor will allow uncropped performance of your FX lenses while delivering extremely high quality images Its additional features and capabilities will more easily help you to successfully capture scenes and situations that you may have been limited in consistently attaining before Its sophisticated and accurate autofocus system coupled with its fast continuous shooting speed plus its exposure metering system and high ISO capabilities will help you get sharp images of subjects and moments that previously you may have missed especially in lower light situations If you are relatively new to dSLR photography and are still in the process of learning all the controls of a dSLR and the exposure concepts of digital phot
21. p Control Panel in the Viewfinder or on the rear Information Display Image area om Choose image area a DX 24x16 1 5x Figure 28 Image Area option choose to have your full size FX format sensor capture images full size FX or cropped DX as if using an APS C sensor sized camera 38 Nikon D600 Experience a3 Focus tracking with lock on This setting determines how the autofocus system reacts to sudden dramatic changes in the distance of the subject when you are working in AF C autofocus mode or when working in AF A autofocus mode and Continuous servo AF is active As will be discussed in the Autofocusing chapter AF A mode automatically switches between Single servo AF and Continuous servo AF based on subject movement so you don t necessarily know which mode it is working in The camera can be set to wait a brief period of time 7 Short a long period of time 5 Long or steps in between from 1 to 5 see Figure 47 a3 Focus tracking with lock on 5 Long 1 Short Off Figure 47 Focus Tracking With Lock On setting to determine how long the camera waits before refocusing on a subject at a different distance when working in AF C or AF A Autofocus Modes For example you may be tracking a football player across the field when another player comes between you and your intended subject This setting will determine if and how quickly the camera then focuses on this nearer player or if it continues t
22. tcccieusersictatewncanaseneucinetcerdanancreionbeniees 192 DDT SU BUDIOCIS a riait iiei E E L E ea A 192 EE eege 194 12 VIDEO AN INTRODUCTION wwisicissscivencencciecieasadsccetinevevenanssuateaducducuradseacsanueducdsavass 196 13 COMPOSITION D 204 14 PHOTOGRAPHY ee 212 14 1 Digital SLR Photography Accessories 1 cccccceecceeeeeeneeeeeeeentaeeeetenseeeeeseennees 212 14 2 Nikon EE eet 215 14 3 Digital Photography ee 216 TB CONCLUSION 6isniscsticeiescevirabeccvaiadsatstedessiesecdcussvsnederssnndcawewndinduusundinesteanseatscedsnrsvensiee 217 F t r Upd tes TO TO RE 217 eiert 218 Nikon D600 Experience 1 INTRODUCTION The introduction of the Nikon D600 marks an important moment in the evolution of digital SLR cameras The D600 is the first dSLR with a full frame sized image sensor to also be priced at about 2000 at release which puts it within the reach of far more photography enthusiasts than previous full frame cameras Yet the D600 offers a high resolution high quality image sensor and most all the features and controls required by dedicated photographers of every level from enthusiasts to professionals With its 24 3 megapixel full frame FX format sensor highly versatile and customizable 39 point autofocus system 5 5 frames per second continuous shooting speed scene recognizing exposure metering system powerful Expeed 3 processor and extremely high ISO capabilities in low light the Nikon D600 enables photographers
23. then recompose the framing of your image if necessary will use the term recompose a few times throughout the text By this mean moving the camera after you have set the focus and or exposure such as with a half press of the Shutter Button or use of the AE L AF L Button but before you fully press the Shutter Button and take the picture This means that what you see in the Viewfinder changes from when you do those first actions to when you take the picture you have re composed the view you see in the Viewfinder see Figure 124 and Figure 125 later in this text Before diving into the autofocus system I ll briefly explain how autofocus point selection works You will manually select your desired autofocus point also called Focus Point or AF point using the Multi Selector as you look through the Viewfinder If you set Custom Setting f1 OK Button to Select center focus point you can use the center OK Button to select the center AF point Make sure the Focus Selector Lock switch surrounding the Multi Selector thumb pad is not set to L Set the Focus Mode Selector switch near the base of the lens to AF see Figure 116 Make sure the focus mode switch on your lens is also set for autofocus A or M A If it ever seems that your camera or lens is not autofocusing be sure to check these two switches one on the camera body and one on the lens Press the AF Mode Button inside the Focus Mode Selector switch and set the Autofocus Mode to
24. ubject to track For example you often want to focus on a subject s eyes but if you allow the camera to choose the autofocus point by itself it may select another part of the face or somewhere else on the body or even a raised hand that is nearer to the camera than the face to focus most sharply on If you are capturing an image of a bird in a tree the camera has no idea you want the autofocus system to zero in on the bird so that it is in sharp focus and not on the branches or leaves near it or perhaps even the leaves closer to you Shutter Button Sub Command Dial Metering Button Exposure Compensation Button Control Panel Exposure Lock Focus Lock Button Main Command Dial Multi Selector OK Button Figure 115 Autofocus controls and other controls of the Nikon D600 The versatile and customizable autofocus system of the D600 is a major part of what makes it such a powerful camera In any shooting mode other than Auto and Scene modes you can and should take control of the autofocus system The autofocus system is comprised of the autofocus related controls see Figure 115 the Autofocus Modes such as Single servo AF or AF S the autofocus Focus Points and AF Area 114 Nikon D600 Experience Modes such as 9 Point Dynamic Area AF and the autofocus related menu and Custom Settings items described at the beginning of this text which customize how the AF system works You will select an Autofocus Mode general
25. ull Backup will simultaneously record copies of all images onto both card 1 and card 2 Raw Slot 1 JPEG Slot 2 will store NEF RAW images on card 1 and JPEG images on card 2 for example when you are shooting NEF RAW JPEG in order to capture both file formats at the same time When the second or third option is selected the camera will use the card with the least amount of remaining memory to determine the displayed amount of exposures remaining In the Movie Settings of the Shooting Menu below you can also select to save movies on a specific card Role played by card in Slot 2 i gi OW ERE Backup sil RAW Slot 1 JPEG Slot 2 Figure 25 Role played by card in Slot 2 menu options Image Quality You are putting a lot of effort into taking your images You should make sure the files are of the best possible quality see Figure 26 will discuss this in more detail including JPEG vs NEF RAW file formats in Section 4 3 below Set to either the NEF RAW setting if you shoot RAW or the highest quality JPEG setting JPEG Fine if you shoot JPEG or both combined if you need both types of files NEF is the file extension used by Nikon for images in the RAW file format will sometimes use just the term RAW when discussing the NEF RAW format Remember that this setting can also be changed using the QUAL Button and the rear Main Command Dial 36 Nikon D600 Experience Image quality Image size
26. y to directly follow and understand the controls functions and settings as they are being explained It is also intended to be used in conjunction with and in addition to the camera s manual not to completely replace it so every bit of information in the Nikon D600 User s Manual will not be repeated here Among the official manual s often brief descriptions and sometimes frustratingly incomplete and disjointed explanations there is some very valuable information as well as the basics for buttons controls and how to access and change all the settings Note that the D600 Users Manual can also be obtained as a PDF file from the Nikon website http support nikonusa com app answers detail a_id 17980 kw nikon 20d600 20user 27S 20manual As you can see there is a lot to make sense of regarding terminology and controls so recommend that you familiarize yourself with the controls and displays of the camera body as shown on pages 1 11 of the D600 User s Manual and explained in the Camera Controls chapter below as well as read through the manual at some point and attempt to understand or absorb as much as possible Yes much of it may be complicated and confusing at first but this guide will explain and clarify the numerous buttons controls menus and settings and explain when and why you will want to use them in your photography Various settings of the Nikon D600 can be controlled in multiple ways including using the buttons
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