Nikon D810 Experience - PREVIEW
Contents
1. rire titre tette rare lepra bres ka a Eon RE Ps 188 BF LOCKING Ree 199 5 5 Back B ltar FOCUSING is o iere tene Navas Rx Pa Fi iR Vau KR oa Pe d as 201 5 6 Focus Points and Image Composition i aoro tropa trt rnm rte sence 208 S Tap Ee ee ee cece A E EATA ee 211 sMirizB ovllzienzllme i Eais 213 T EXPOSURE Uu ep WE 216 7 1 Aperture Shutter Speed and ISO eeeeeseeeeeeeeeeee eene ee enn aan nenen 216 7 2 Aperture Priority Auto Mode and Shutter Priority Auto Mode 223 Za EUREN 229 7 4 Manual Exposure Mode Bulb and Tue onn0a00nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnennnnnnnn 231 7 5 Programmed Auto Exposure MOde imparte nr en eec Edi nux read repens 235 8 METERING MODES 5 235 7223352422222222222532972222232212 532 422245255 02 024 0225235 237 8 1 Matrix E E le Le EE 238 8 2 Center Weighted Metering uet Euro eco eee ERE deua euo ise etudes 240 BS SDOPMGISEIDIO 2 hoe meten fu ot I opt cc EE 243 8 4 Highlight Weighted Metering cessere 245 8 5 Manual E El oua dero rs och POR Codi ERR UB au DU eoa pi adt eR M PUR RD E Mag exea 247 8 6 Metering Modes RE e E 248 Nikon D810 Experience 9 EXPOSURE P rt 2 iier ed nnd andere ua E ned eebe 251 OPE XDOSUPS LOCK Gere EP 251 9 2 Histogram Se E 256 9 3 Exposure C mpensati Ns senene E Ust pe NER 261 SEENEN eebe 266 9 5 HDR High Dynamic R2. Accessories ee eet 367 16 2 Digital SLR Photography Accessortes been 368 16 3 Digital Photography BOOKS ou rete oU pads coUe uti d du do Benet hatte ai Mea eia xtd 372 17 CONCLUSION REN 374 Future Ubdales tO TMG TON arto p o sre RR ttt Ode tecto ete dti 375 ABOUT the AUINOM PT QP aeti 377 Nikon D810 Experience 1 INTRODUCTION The introduction of the Nikon D810 brings about several important updates to its popular and powerful predecessors the D800 and D800E Features have been added and improved to assist photographers in many of the demanding situations that the D810 will be used including a more responsive autofocus system and faster continuous frame rate the Group Area AF Autofocus Area Mode where five autofocus points work together to focus on a subject that may elude a single point and the Highlight Weighted Metering Mode to help retain highlight details on brightly lit subjects such as in theater and concert scenes The new i Button allows photographers to quickly access mode specific settings whether shooting through the Viewfinder or working in Live View or Movie mode Filmmakers will be able to take advantage of the numerous video improvements including a Flat Picture Style designed to best retain shadows and highlights for post production and zebra stripes for displaying overexposed areas of the scene when viewed on the camera s LCD Monitor Figure 1 Detail of the Nikon D810 full frame
3. Conde Nast Traveler Sherman s Travel South American Explorer and Viva Travel Guides He also lectures and gives individual instruction on digital photography Doug is a member of the National Press Photographers Association NPPA Learn more about photography techniques and equipment on his blog Picturing Change at http blog dojoklo com view his photography and e books at www dojoklo com and follow him on Twitter at dojoklo This book is dedicated to my wife Laura for her unconditional love and never ending support 377
4. Selector switch near the base of the lens to AF see Figure 189 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 AF S Single servo AF using the rear Main Command Dial and set the AF Area Mode to Single Point AF using the front Sub Command Dial Look at the top Control Panel to view the settings as you change them You will see AF S for the mode and a large S for the area mode 179 Nikon D810 Experience AF Mode Button Focus Mode Selector eel Lens Focus Mode Selector Figure 189 Additional autofocus controls of the D810 1 Set the Exposure Mode to P Program or to the mode of your choice if you are familiar with them 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 thumb pad 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 circle should light up in your Viewfinder at the lower left You have locked the focus 6 Keeping the Shutter Button pressed halfway recompose if n
5. Still Photography Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Nikon D810 by Douglas J Klostermann PDF Version 1 0a PREVIEW August 2014 Author s website www dojoklo com Author s blog http blog dojoklo com Published by Full Stop Media good writing for better photography Arlington MA 02474 USA http www dojoklo com Full Stop Nikon D810 Experience CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION WE 6 1 1 Take Control of d e EE 8 T2 Usitit THS GUI scere deo m Docet Sc t e UL Ee ieu ole eene 10 TS Gellinig Star IGu ceo e e Erie exor bu ua Ob Ege abd hebes 14 1 4 New Features and Hidden Features of the D i 17 2 CAMERA CONTROLS EE 24 3 MENUS and CUSTOM SETTINGS eene eene enne nnne 43 3 Toetimuo Up the DS EE 43 3 2 Setup Guide Spreadsheet c i ono Rea Emp ge d pde en die REOS 43 eu e Ee E EE 44 344 Shooting MORD o irrito pce redo OE pe PER EE oe onte rts 52 Bs CUSTOM CLINGS att ca cree Seat aN eee EU 78 215 Sep Menu ebe arent ene e EE 134 3 7 Retouch MENU EE 149 38 BAVC ISI EE 158 4 IMAGE PLAYBACK and IMAGE FILE FORMAT S 160 As 1 4magePIayBdck usce E 160 4 2 Inrotmnatonm Display cea uocis tb aS Qus to te ea Des 164 4 SIPEG NEF RAW and TIERE sense ione ob d e tbe cou tiae hes 166 4 4 File Sizes and Maximum Continuous Burst sssssseseessenessssrnnnesernnnnnrrnnnnnrnnnnnsee 173 5 AYTOFOCUSIN G EE 175 a lte EE 175 E ee E 181 5 3 Autofocus AF Are a Modes
6. 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 D810 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 gt Figure 4 1957 Chevrolet Corvette Codman Estate Antique Auto Show Lincoln Mass D810 Shutter speed 1 2000 Aperture f 2 8 ISO 200 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 concentrate on the techniques that believe are the most practical useful and effective for the majority of enthusiast photographers using the D810 while also explaining how settings can apply to specialized uses 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 specific situations and challenging scenes encourage you to then experiment
7. and continue to 10 Nikon D810 Experience learn and to find the techniques that work best and are most comfortable or intuitive for you The D810 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 Programmed Auto mode and off automatically selected autofocus points when not needed 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 D810 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 way 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 D810 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 And will refer to the manual for very specialized or rarely used functions that are well explained there Note th
8. causes a 2 stop loss effectively turning the lens into an f 8 lens The number of available AF points is severely reduced to 11 points with only one centrally located cross type point see Figure 188 right The available Autofocus AF Area Modes are thus limited as well with 3D Tracking and Auto Area AF no longer an option If set for these modes the camera will actually use Single Point AF This will impact bird and sport photographers making use of long lenses plus teleconverters Autofocusing when working in Live View and Movie Live View works differently with different Autofocus Modes and AF Area Modes This will be explained in the Live View chapter 177 Nikon D810 Experience Figure 187 Cross Type Autofocus Points The fifleen more sensitive cross type AF points are shown here in red located in the central area Simulated view of D810 Viewfinder background image shown at 50 opacity Note that all of the AF points will not actually be visible in the Viewfinder je c O00 O poooooocdoaodoaoO poaooocoocdocoo ooo o Figure 188 Autofocus Points Left When using a lens or lens teleconverter combination with a maximum aperture between f 5 6 and f 8 only these AF points will be available with the 9 central AF points acting as cross type points Right When using a lens or lens teleconverter combination with a maximum aperture of f 8 only these AF points will be available with the 1 central AF point acting as
9. different needs and work in different ways and it is best to determine which settings you need or prefer rather than simply rely on the suggested settings from another photographer 3 3 Playback Menu PLAYBACK MENU Delete Playback folder Hide image Playback display options Copy image s LI Image review After delete Rotate tall Figure 28 Playback Menu Delete Use this to delete a single image or selected number of images Selected or all images in the current playback folder on the selected memory card All see Figure 29 If you have two memory cards inserted you will be prompted to choose which memory card to delete If selecting images use the Multi Selector to navigate to the desired image and 44 Nikon D810 Experience press Center Button to select it You can continue to select multiple images then press the OK Button to delete Set the Playback Folder item next to determine which images are included in the current playback folder just mentioned Delete Delete Selected K 101ND810 K e d L pr e AL AI a 201 m Si 203 Set E Zoom Sc Figure 29 Delete Menu ltem left used to delete all images in the current folder or images selected by the user right Note the trash can icon that indicates the image selected for deletion However if you are deleting a single image or just a few you can more easily do this using the Delete Button on the rear of the camera If
10. not be taken This will be explained in the Trap Focus and the Back Button Focusing sections 81 Nikon D810 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 The camera can be set to wait a brief period of time before refocusing at the new distance 1 Short a long period of time 5 Long or steps in between from 1 to 5 see Figure 71 left For example you may be tracking a football player across the field when another player much closer to you 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 to 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 1 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 n
11. Nikon D810 Experience The Still Photography Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Nikon D810 an e book by Douglas J Klostermann ch NA FORM Nikon D810 Experience PREVIEW of Nikon D810 Experience The Still Photography Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Nikon D810 by Douglas J Klostermann Full Stop good writing for better photography Nikon D810 Experience All rights reserved This e book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and may not be re sold file shared distributed sub licensed or given away This book can be printed for your personal use PDF version and read on your personal devices Otherwise 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 Please read and follow all instructions and use safety and handling precautions expressed in the manuals provided with your equipment and software and which take precedence over any content in
12. a cross type point will use the term recompose a few times throughout the text By this mean moving the camera after you have set the focus such as with a half press of the Shutter Button or use of the AF ON 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 178 Nikon D810 Experience those first actions to when you take the picture you have re composed the view you see in the Viewfinder When discussing autofocusing will assume that Custom Setting a4 AF Activation is set for Shutter AF ON so that both the Shutter Button and the AF ON Button can be used to initiate and or lock autofocus The exception to this is when discuss Back Button Focusing and Trap Focus where will specify that Custom Setting a4 be set for AF ON only so that only the rear AF ON Button is used for focusing and not the Shutter Button Before diving into the autofocus system lII 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 f2 Multi Selector Center Button for Select center focus point you can use the central button to quickly 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
13. 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 photography you have perhaps jumped right into the proverbial deep end of the pool by choosing the highly advanced D810 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 9 Nikon D810 Experience 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
14. ange s dus cue tite bep re e Pb rorem eei 271 Sha PAC US ELC e le ER EC S 273 9x Mullible EXDOSUEB c ico obo DR ttis a 275 10 ADDITIONAL CAMERA FUNCTIONS seee 278 JOST WII EIER enges undue Peut XE vt qu EAR EE eted e 278 19928 er EE 286 ES Sh eect ME 294 10 4 Interval Timer and Time Lapse Photography Shooting 303 10 5 SOMSOMCISANING MSIE 309 10 6 Put pg ItAll Into Practice EE 310 11 THE IMAGE TAKING BEACH ee Ee EE 312 ERES Subjects m rt 312 RE TEE 314 12 LIVE Ke 317 12 1 Live View Features and Gettngs nk 317 12 2 Live View and Movie Autofocusing NEEN 322 12 3 Live View Exposure Toena ee te i 326 13 VIDEO AN INTRODUCTION nssnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn ennnen 329 13 1 Movie Settings inner a e NEN 331 13 2 Audio Settings eco dci esto teat LUUD CIA rhet da c M 340 13 3 Movie Playback and Editing ciii tr Errore ter ehh dense seateepenecd 342 jy Mee ljecue E 345 H EEN 355 15 1 Lens Compatibility of the D810 siio dires eoi Parador utc dur oo eee PUES Ere tees eo eto 355 15 2 Using AF and Al Lenses With the D810 ere repiten tane eredi enia 359 15 3 Nikon NIKKOR Lens Notations E 361 16 PHOTOGRAPHY ACCESSORIES ssseseesseseseesenseeeseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 366 16 1 Nikon D810
15. at the D810 User s Manual can also be obtained as a PDF file from the Nikon website at the webpage below https support nikonusa com app answers detail a id 19145 Figure 5 View of the Nikon D810 dSLR 11 Nikon D810 Experience 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 D810 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 D810 can be controlled in multiple ways including using the buttons 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 they can be changed through the menus accessed with the Menu Button and the 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 this text it is a proper term that can be looked up in the Niko
16. cally when you press the Shutter Button this setting determines if the images are taken immediately Release even if the first image is not yet in focus or if the camera waits for focus to be attained before taking the photo Focus For example if you are tracking a moving subject such as a runner or an animal you may wish to just capture a rapid series of shots at all costs in order to ensure getting specific moments and exact focus of each shot may not be the priority Or you may wish to make sure the camera has properly focused each shot before the shutter is released This however may cause a slight perhaps millisecond delay for each shot and the exact moments may be missed If capturing the images at all costs and maintaining the maximum 80 Nikon D810 Experience continuous frame rate are the priorities set for Release If exact focus is your priority set on Focus The Release Focus option act similar to the Release option in that the shutter can be released even if the subject located at the active AF point is not in focus However when using Continuous High CH or Continuous Low CL Release Mode the frame rate will slow down in low light or low contrast situations so that focusing is improved EN AF C priority selection a2AF S priority selection ic amp 9 pe Release 9 pe Release g SES Release focus Figure 70 Left AF C Priority Selection options to determine if shutter release and maintaining the ma
17. ch as autofocus settings and camera control settings may vary based on if you are shooting a portrait or a landscape scene vs shooting an action or sports scene As with the previous Shooting Menu Bank after setting up the Bank you can then later select it and all of the previous settings will be in place even if you have turned off the camera But recall that if you change any of the settings while using that Bank the latest settings used will be in place next time you access that Custom Settings Bank As you read through the Custom Settings perhaps make notes of how you may wish to set them and vary them for the different types of scenes and situations you photograph Remember that you can also consult my Nikon D810 Setup Guide which lists suggested settings for various shooting situations such as landscape sports or portrait and will also point out some recommended settings for different uses as go over the items in this section http blog dojoklo com 2014 06 30 nikon d800800e nikon d8 1 0 setup guide with recommended settings To create a Custom Settings Bank select one of the available four banks set the camera to your desired Custom Settings by going through the Custom Settings menus and choosing the desired options and those settings will then be registered to that Custom Settings Bank Highlight a Bank and press the Delete Button to Heset the Bank to the default settings To name a Bank just as with naming a Shooting M
18. choosing its own Focus Point s such as 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 175 Nikon D810 Experience or at least narrow down where the camera focuses using the autofocus Focus Points or Group Area AF or one of the 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 subject 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 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 Most of these settings are in the Custom Setting a Autofocus menu Autofocus works in part by looking for contrast so try to focus locate your Focus Point as you view it in the Viewfinder on a te
19. digital SLR When first released the previous Nikon D800 and D800E models were the highest resolution full frame dSLR models to date both sharing an impressive 36 3 megapixel sensor The D810 boasts an improved version of the 36 3 megapixel sensor with a wider native ISO sensitivity range 64 to 12 800 and the removal of the anti aliasing Optical Low Pass Filter OLPF in order to further increase image sharpness especially when working in controlled situations and with high quality lenses While both the D800 6 Nikon D810 Experience and D800E included the low pass filter the D800E differed in that it cancelled out its effects As D800 and D800E users discovered when photographing with such a high resolution sensor small internal camera movements can negatively impact image sharpness With the D810 a redesigned shutter and mirror mechanism and the new Electronic Front Curtain Shutter option used along with Mirror Lock Up Release Mode are designed to reduce slight vibrations during image capture This should prove most beneficial to photographers carefully shooting on a tripod such as in landscape studio and macro situations The redesigned shutter and mirror mechanisms are also quieter than the D800 D800E which will be appreciated by wedding and live performance photographers The new shutter mechanism also enables a faster five frames per second fps continuous shooting speed when capturing images in the full frame FX Image Ar
20. ea size and can be increased up to seven frames per second when capturing images in the DX Image Area size while using the optional Nikon MB D12 battery grip And the D810 includes a new Quiet Continuous Qc shutter Release Mode for taking a burst of images up to three frames per second and with decreased shutter noise Ps Se Figure 2 1960 Chevrolet Corvette Codman Estate Antique Auto Show Lincoln Mass D810 Shutter speed 1 1000 Aperture f 2 8 ISO 200 For recording HD video the D810 now supports the 1080 60p size and frame rate simultaneous output to an optional external recorder and includes built in stereo 7 Nikon D810 Experience microphones with selectable frequency range While the D800 and D800E offered Power Aperture for smoothly changing the aperture size while recording to an external device this feature can now also be used while recording to the camera s memory cards The D810 boasts a ruggedly built weather sealed body with a magnesium alloy frame dual memory card slots SD and CF a big and bright 10096 coverage Viewfinder with a clearer OLED viewfinder display remote Speedlight flash control and numerous customization options The camera s high resolution high quality image sensor along with its highly versatile and customizable 51 point autofocus system scene recognition exposure metering system powerful Expeed 4 processor and extremely high ISO capabilities in low light will serve t
21. ecessary and take the shot by fully pressing the Shutter Button You can also press and hold the AF ON Button to focus and then keep it fully pressed as you recompose and then press the Shutter Button to capture the image 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 180 Nikon D810 Experience 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 actually very quickly done and will become instinctive You may 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 For example press right multiple times so that when you bring the camera to your eye a far right AF point is already selected But if you wish you can start by always using the center AF point and recomposing before taking the shot And remember that Custom Setting a8 Number of Focus Points allows you to limit the number of selectable points to 11 Points to perhaps make this process more manageable at first 5 2 Autofocus Modes The D810 has two different Autofocus Modes to choose from typically depending on if your subject is still or if it is m
22. enu Bank highlight the desired bank A B C or D and press right on the Multi Selector Then use the Multi Selector and Center Button to input the name see Figure 68 Again you can press and hold the Zoom out Button and press left or right to jump to the text field at the bottom of the screen The current Custom Settings Bank can be viewed on the Information Display see Figure 69 and you can select that icon to access the Custom Settings Bank menu and select a different Bank 79 Nikon D810 Experience Custom settings bank Custom settings bank 0123456789ABCDE FGHIJKLUNOPQRST 41 e TE Studio ET u Landscape i jkImnoparstuvwx CHE E o cae OK 8 Bi E257 TTE MEC LO LOK 0 Figure 68 Left The Custom Settings Bank allowing you to register and save a group of selected settings Press right on the Multi Selector to name the Bank as shown at right Custom settings bank SHOOT PME NR et MES C CG sm A OM Go BKT Mie fH A Figure 69 Custom Settings Bank as seen on the Information Display Select this icon to choose a different Bank a1 AF C priority selection This setting determines if attaining focus is top priority when you are working in Continuous servo AF Mode AF C Autofocus Mode or if you just want the shots to be taken even if exact focus is not attained for each shot see Figure 70 left It is designed for when you are capturing a burst of images using a continuous Release Mode Specifi
23. ge will of course be immediately displayed on the LCD Monitor If you are still shooting you may start pressing the Multi Selector to begin to attempt to adjust the autofocus point for the next shot as you are still looking through the Viewfinder But you won t be able to do this because your Multi Selector presses will be changing the image review display on the rear Monitor not adjusting your AF points So be sure to turn this menu item Off if you typically continue to shoot without reviewing 50 Nikon D810 Experience your images and simply press the Playback Button when you wish to look at the photos After Delete When reviewing photos during image playback this menu item determines which image is shown on the LCD Monitor after an image is deleted the next image Show next the previous image Show previous or the most intuitive option which is to set it on Continue as before which will show the next or the previous image depending on which order you were just reviewing them see Figure 35 right Rotate Tall This will automatically rotate your images to the proper orientation on the camera s rear LCD Monitor during image playback see Figure 36 Turn this On and use in conjunction with Auto Image Rotation in the Setup Menu below to view all images in the same orientation during playback If you like seeing your vertically portrait orientation composed images larger but sideways on your rear LCD set this to Off Images wi
24. he essential steps in taking a successful and sharp photo is controlling where and how the camera autofocuses The versatile and customizable autofocus system of the D810 is a major part of what makes it such a powerful camera and in any shooting mode you can and should take control of the autofocus system The autofocus system is comprised of the autofocus related controls see Figure 185 the Autofocus Modes such as Single servo AF also called AF S the autofocus Focus Points and AF Area 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 generally based on whether the subject is still or moving and select an AF Area Mode based on where and how you want the camera to locate and focus on your intended subject ranging from a single point to a wider Dynamic Area to all the available 51 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 Z7 Q Shutter Release Button Sub Command Dial Exposure Compensation Button Control Panel Focal Plane Mark Main Command Dial AF ON Button AE L AF L Exposure Lock Focus Lock Button Multi Selector Center Button Figure 185 Autofocus controls and other shooting related controls of the Nikon D810 If you allow the camera to autofocus by automatically
25. he needs of dedicated photographers of every level from enthusiasts to professionals The advanced features and customizable controls of the Nikon D810 will enable photographers to consistently capture sharp clean and well exposed images in most any shooting situation But the D810 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 functions this guide will build upon that and explain when and why you may wish to use them Every button dial menu item and Custom Setting of the D810 is there for a reason to help you consistently capture the images you want Some of them are 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 will help to give you the knowledge to confidently use the ones that turn your Nikon D810 into an image capturing tool that works best for you 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
26. i Current Deselect all Figure 30 Left Playback Folder options to determine which images are visible during image playback Right Hide Image options to hide images from view during image playback Hide Image This is used to hide images from view during playback which could help prevent accidental erasing of that image see Figure 30 right You can select the images to hide using Select set then use the Multi Selector and Center Button to select the desired images Be aware that hidden images will be deleted by formatting the memory card View all the previously hidden images by choosing Deselect all which will also remove protection from images that you previously chose to Protect It is typically best not to use this feature so that you don t lose track of any of your images and accidentally erase hidden images when formatting a memory card Playback Display Options During image playback on the rear LCD Monitor you can scroll through various information displays in order to view your images either full screen or with various shooting data or histograms This menu item is used to select which of these views will be available during playback see Figure 31 recommend that you select all of the Additional photo info options at least initially Then after some use you can determine which information views you prefer and deselect the ones you don t need These will all be illustrated in the Image Playback section 46 Niko
27. ings Menu used to choose movie options of frame size and rate movie quality maximum bit rate audio settings which memory card to use for saving movie files and ISO settings Right The new Frequency Response option for the built in or optional external mic 3 5 Custom Settings a Autofocus Ki CUSTOM SETTING MENU Custom settings bank A a Autofocus S b Metering exposure kd C Timers AE lock S d Shooting display T e Bracketing flash f Controls g Movie Figure 67 Nikon D810 Custom Settings menu Note The autofocus system of the D810 will be explained in detail in Chapter 5 on Autofocusing Remember to review these Autofocus Custom Settings once you have become familiar with the autofocus system including the Autofocus Modes and Autofocus AF Area Modes 78 Nikon D810 Experience An asterisk notation shown next to a setting in the Custom Settings menus will indicate that a setting has been changed from its default value The default Custom Settings values can be found on pages 275 278 of the Nikon D810 User s Manual Custom Settings Bank Similar to the Shooting Menu Bank described in the previous section the Custom Settings Bank allows you to register and save specific combinations of Custom Settings You can save up to four Custom Settings Banks and custom name them see Figure 68 This is perhaps a more powerful customization option than the Shooting Menu Bank because many of these Custom Settings su
28. ll only be rotated during image playback and will not be rotated during image review immediately after taking a photo as it is assumed you are then still holding the camera in the same orientation that you just took the photo BB 101ND810 DSC 0566 JPG FINE amp 2101ND810 DSC_0566 JPG FINE 2014 07 18 21 34 05 53 7360x4912 l 2014 07 18 21 34 05 5 97360x4912 Figure 36 Rotate Tall Left Use the Rotate Tall menu item for image playback to display your images all oriented in the same direction by setting for On Right Or display vertically captured images sideways but larger with setting Off Slide Show This will set up a slideshow of all the images and or movies in the current folder which you can setup to watch through your TV using an HDMI cable You can select the Image Type to show Still images and movies Still images only or Movies only Using the Frame interval setting you can select how long each image is displayed see Figure 37 Press left or right on the Multi Selector to skip back or ahead and press the OK Button to pause or continue the slideshow 51 Nikon D810 Experience Movie settings z Movie settings a Frame size frame rate SS al ety usps Movie quality HIGH PA d Microphone sensitivity amp A au Frequency response WIDE gt Wind noise reduction OFF d i Destination OSD Mili Vocal range Movie ISO sensitivity settings Figure 66 Left Movie Sett
29. moving people or subjects if you quickly take the shot after establishing or locking focus When using AF S you can select from three AF Area Modes Single Point AF where you select the Focus Point Group Area AF to select a small group of points or Auto Area AF where the camera selects the AF point s for you suggest you nearly always select your own desired Focus Point or Group 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 Or you can press and hold the AF ON Button to lock focus 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 if you are photographing a subject that is approaching or receding from view at a relatively constant rate or photographing fast or er
30. n D810 Experience Playback display options Basic photo info FOCUS point Additional photo info M None image only M Highlights M RGB histogram Shooting data SN Tai OK 0 4 Figure 31 Playback Display Options allowing you to select which information and displays are available to view during image playback None will display a full screen image with no information which helps you to inspect the image Highlights will display blinking areas to alert you of where the image has been overexposed which can help you determine the proper exposure for the subsequent shots RGB histogram will display histogram graphs of the various individual color channels to also assist you in determining proper exposure and help prevent the over saturation of areas of specific colors Shooting data displays additional information including the lens and focal length used flash information and Picture Control settings This screen is not necessarily very informative immediately after taking the shot since you already know most of these settings but can be handy when later reviewing an image in camera Overview displays a thumbnail of the image along with the combined RGB histogram and shooting information see Figure 32 This is perhaps the most important and useful information screen to use while shooting to help determine that you obtained the proper or desired exposure of an image All the different elements of displayed information in these various i
31. n D810 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 Memory Card 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 if you wish to quickly navigate to these different sections Many of the functions and controls of a dSLR such as the D810 are closely inter related such as the shooting modes exposure settings and the metering modes As a result of this must sometimes indicate that a previous or upcoming section of the text has further explanation of a related function However there is no need to jump ahead or behind in the text this is merely a heads up that the feature will be fully explained in the appropriate section It is best to read through the entire text in the order it is organized The Menus and Custom Settings chapter is particularly prone to referring to upcoming chapters but this menu walkthrough it is needed at the front of the guide in order to help set up your camera before use Most all of the features and functions introduced in that chapter will be addressed in detail in the applicable sections of the text After reading the text you may then wish to return to specific sections for further study It may
32. nformation screens will be discussed and explained throughout the guide particularly in the Exposure chapters and in the Histogram section 47 Nikon D810 Experience 58 311 NIKON D810 BA A 1 2500 F2 8 E9100 70mm D Dy TE AVT 0 0 sRGB ESD kt 101ND810 DSC 0065 JPG RAW F INE 2014 07 18 12 44 21 Fx 37360x4912 Figure 32 The Overview information display screen during image playback showing a thumbnail of the image the combined RGB Histogram and shooting and file information The first item on the menu Focus point will show you which Focus Point was used when capturing an image and will thus verify if you properly focused where you intended unless you recomposed after locking focus It is that tiny red square or squares superimposed on your image when you view it on the rear LCD Monitor but will not be on the actual image see Figure 33 It is most helpful for when you let the camera select the autofocus point such as in action situations and or when using an AF Area Mode other than Single Point AF and then you can see if the camera focused where you wished But if you manually select your own AF point as you typically should in many situations you will already know where the camera focused 48 Nikon D810 Experience 48 281 KE 101ND810 DSC 0049 JPG RAW F INE 2014 07 18 12 42 47 Fx m ETT CERE Figure 33 File information view during image playback with Focus point display enabled to show which Focu
33. ode It can also enable you to take advantage of a technique called trap focus which will be explained in the Trap Focus section of Chapter 5 a5 Focus point illumination Wilan OCUS Dynamic area AF display ON B Group area AF illumination dy v Figure 72 Focus Point Illumination options to choose how the AF points are displayed in the Viewfinder for various situations a5 Focus point illumination This is used to determine if and how the active autofocus point or points are displayed in the Viewfinder while shooting when using various autofocus AF Area Modes see Figure 72 Manual focus mode If enabled this will display the active AF point in the Viewfinder even when the camera and lens are set for manual focus While an AF point is not needed for autofocusing in that situation it can be used with the Electronic Rangefinder feature of the D810 to help confirm when the subject is in focus This is explained in the Autofocusing chapter Dynamic Area AF Display When making use of the Dynamic Area AF Modes which will be addressed in the Autofocus AF Area Modes section you can choose to view just the selected AF point or view the selected point plus the potentially active surrounding points For example when using 9 Point Dynamic Area AF and AF C Autofocus Mode you will select an AF point to focus on the subject and the surrounding 8 points can help retain focus on the subject if it briefly leaves the selected poin
34. ok presents a conflicting situation in that these menu items need to be explained first so that you can initially set up your camera but you may not yet have the knowledge to fully understand all these menu items until you read through the rest of this guide So don t get overwhelmed if you don t yet understand the settings or terminology used to describe the Menu and Custom Settings and their options You will likely wish to return to them later after you have begun to better understand your camera and its controls and start to determine how you want to work And understand that it is not as compelling to read through these lists of menu items as it is to read the more flowing instructional text later in the book But you will begin to learn much about the D810 as you patiently work through this Menus and Custom Settings chapter As mentioned in the Introduction this section will often refer to upcoming chapters and sections but it is not necessary for you to jump ahead This is merely a heads up that the menu item or function that you are currently setting up will be explained in detail later in the guide in the applicable section of the text such as Autofocusing or Metering Modes etc Also if you don t yet understand some of the settings or why you might wish to change them leave those on the default or recommended settings for now If you have worked with a Nikon D800 D800E D610 D600 or D7100 D7000 body before using the D810 y
35. ot want the camera to quickly refocus on a closer or more distant subject while other times you might Se a3Focus tracking with lock on a4AF activation AFB 5 Long EHE BAF 1 Short Off Figure 71 Left 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 Autofocus Mode Right AF Activation options to choose if the Shutter Button and or the AF ON Button initiates autofocus a4 AF activation This is used to determine which button or buttons can be used to initiate autofocusing By default the camera is set to Shutter AF ON and either the Shutter Button can be half pressed or the rear AF ON Button can be pressed to start autofocusing see Figure 71 right If you wish to disable the autofocusing function from the Shutter Button set for AF ON only and then you will need to press the rear AF ON Button to focus on your subject This AF ON option is used for a technique called back button focusing which 82 Nikon D810 Experience will be explained in the Back Button Focusing section of Chapter 5 This technique can allow you to separate the exposure and the autofocusing functions to two different buttons can be used to lock focus at a certain distance while you recompose slightly and take a series of photos when working in AF S Autofocus Mode or can be used to start and stop focus tracking when working in AF C Autofocus M
36. ou will find that many of these Menus and Custom Settings options are similar and you may wish to continue to use most of the same settings that you have determined work best for you However there some new additions with the D810 3 2 Setup Guide Spreadsheet In conjunction with this book have also created a comprehensive Nikon D810 Setup Guide spreadsheet with recommended settings for the applicable Menus all of the Custom Settings plus some shooting and exposure settings It has complete and separate camera setup recommendations for different types of shooting including 43 Nikon D810 Experience General Travel Street Landscape Architecture Action Sports Moving Wildlife Birds Studio Portraits Concert Performance The Nikon D810 Experience Setup Guide spreadsheet can be downloaded from my blog here http blog dojoklo com 2014 06 30 nikon d800800e nikon d8 1 0 setup guide with recommended settings Most all of the suggested settings on the spreadsheet are further explained in this section and throughout this guide so it is best to use the spreadsheet hand in hand with the explanations in this book And as you read through the Menus and Custom Settings perhaps make notes of how you may wish to set them and adjust them for the different types of scenes and situations you photograph Please keep in mind that the reason the Nikon D810 offers so many menu items and customization options is that photographers have
37. oving and you wish to track its movement and remain continuously focused on it It also has several 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 rear Main Command Dial while monitoring the settings on the top Control Panel or in the Viewfinder If the Information Display is on by pressing the Info Button you can also view the settings on the rear Monitor see Figure 190 EmA somiN ett sRGB O FETA so mt sRGB G3 WNA ONI a BT TAE 0 S rot owi w BKT Ame 0 A Figure 190 Autofocus Modes as viewed on the rear LCD Monitor while changing Left AF S mode Right AF C Mode 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 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 or pressing and 181 Nikon D810 Experience holding the AF ON Button and recompose if necessary This mode can even be used for
38. ratic or unpredictably moving subjects or photographing sports action or wildlife you will usually want to use Continuous Servo AF AF C Autofocus Mode Continuous Servo AF AF C This mode used in conjunction with the various AF Area Modes can help you to capture sharp images of action and motion see Figure 191 To take full advantage of this mode you will need to also understand the AF Area Modes as described in the Autofocus AF Area Modes section just below Continuous Servo AF mode is used to track and maintain continuous focus on moving subjects and is ideal for capturing sports and wildlife including birds If the subject is moving towards you or away from you the camera will keep evaluating the focus distance And if the subject is moving from side to side or throughout the frame the camera can track it as it passes from one AF point to other ones depending on the selected AF Area Mode Custom Setting a3 Focus tracking with lock on will even allow you to tell the camera exactly how fast to react to changes in focus distance such as new subjects that come into the frame or pass between you and your subject 182 Nikon D810 Experience E ei Coo rr wn Ll M g Figure 191 Continuous Servo AF C Autofocus Mode can be used to track and retain focus on a moving subject such as this dog running in the snow Shutter speed 1 1600 Aperture f 5 6 ISO 400 You first need to select which Focus Point the camera uses
39. s Point was used for autofocusing with this shot indicated by the tiny red square near the center of the flower Keep in mind that if you selected a Focus Point locked focus and then recomposed the image before taking the shot the image on your rear LCD will display which AF point was used but the displayed Focus Point will not actually be located in the same place on the image that the camera focused before you recomposed so it won t actually be helpful This will be illustrated and explained in the Autofocusing chapter of this text Copy Image s This is used to copy images from one memory card to another when two cards are inserted in the camera and can be used to back up specific images or the entire card at once see Figure 34 This could be useful to create back up copies of your images when you don t have access to your computer external hard drive or CD DVD burner but it is best to back them up on one of these more permanent devices as soon as possible This menu item will not be accessible if only one card is inserted To make use of this insert a card in each memory card slot and make sure the destination card is large enough or has enough empty space to accept the images Select the source card Select source then select the images You will first be prompted to choose the folder with the images you wish to copy and then Select all images or Select protected images If you wish to instead copy specific images choose De
40. select all first then proceed to select the individual images by highlighting them and pressing the Center Button Click OK when finished then select or create the destination folder and choose Copy image s to initiate the procedure 49 Nikon D810 Experience Copy image s 8 101ND810 1 27 Select source OSD Select image s 101 Select destination folder 102 gt E Copy image s 101 6 set Z00m OK 0 Figure 34 Copy Image s Menu ltem Work your way down the options left to select the source card and the specific images right Then select the destination folder and choose Copy image s to complete Image Review Use this to set whether or not your images are immediately displayed on the rear LCD Monitor after capturing them see Figure 35 left If you typically review each image after taking it turn this On However if you don t review every image turn it Offto save the battery then hit the Playback Button when you wish to review an image on the LCD Monitor You will adjust how long the images are displayed during review in Custom Setting c4 Monitor off delay Image review After delete n Le Show next R1 Show previous s Continue as before Figure 35 Left Image Review menu to enable image review immediately after capture Right After Delete menu item to choose which image is shown next after deleting an image during image playback Note that if you turn this on the ima
41. ses on the why Benoit A 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 Must Have Accessory What a great addition to my bag This is a well written full body of work that explains in plain English how to get the most out my new camera Doug provides the knowledge and experience to bring you to the next level I look forward to learning more every time I open the book Steven A Pro Right There with You If you want to get the camera up and running with the feeling of a pro right there with you then I would strongly recommend it His explanation is first class and he explains how various custom settings are related to each other All in all a great read Camera in one hand and reader in the other and dig in Tim S Purchase Nikon D810 Experience at http www dojoklo com Full_ Stop Nikon D810 Experience bim 376 Nikon D810 Experience About the Author Douglas Klostermann is a travel culture and humanitarian photographer as well as the author and publisher of Full Stop e book camera guides including the best selling Nikon D610 Experience and Nikon D7100 Experience He has photographed for numerous organizations in the United States and in Latin America been recognized by the United Nations Development Programme for his humanitarian photography and been published in magazines and books including
42. t Using this Custom Setting item you can choose to view just the selected point in the Viewfinder Off or view the selected point plus the locations of the surrounding 8 points On see Figure 73 83 Nikon D810 Experience arr KOMA E ke H dv im di 5 d an H VI Pod AA X N i Me Dn P SS S ep E AC EM L WA vb cmi d Figure 73 Custom Setting a5 Focus Point Illumination Simulated view of the D810 Viewfinder Use the Dynamic Area AF Display item of Custom Setting a5 to display just the single active AF point or display all of the points of the Dynamic Area as shown here with 9 Point Dynamic Area Background image shown at 55 opacity to better see Viewfinder elements Shutter speed 1 1600 Aperture f 4 0 ISO 200 Group Area AF Illumination The new Group Area AF Area Mode of the D810 allows you to use a group of five points to focus on a subject when it may be too challenging to locate the subject at a single point When using this mode the Viewfinder will display the four outer points of the group This menu option can be used to instead display four smaller dots rather than the larger AF squares see Figures 74 and 75 a3Focus point illumination a5Focus point illumination e Group area AF illumination e Manual focus mode ON 1 Dynamic area AF display ON ei Group area AF illumination p 84 Nikon D810 Experience 5 AUTOFOCUSING 5 1 Using Autofocus One of t
43. take multiple readings followed by experimentation and practice to fully understand both the individual functions and the relationships between functions Example Images 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 12 Nikon D810 Experience 3 MENUS and CUSTOM SETTINGS 3 1 Setting Up the D810 The Menus and Custom Settings of the Nikon D810 allow you to have greater more precise control over how your camera functions They are an important part of what makes the D810 a much more powerful and exacting tool than mid level dSLR cameras and they allow you to customize the camera to work for you to work how you work Using them you can also fine tune settings and operations including white balance metering exposure and autofocusing highly recommend that you carefully go through these menus and change the settings to the options that allow you to use the camera in the manner that works best for you and your shooting needs Some of the Menu items are only used when shooting reviewing or processing images but several of them should be set up in advance Below are explanations and recommended typical settings for the Menus and Custom Settings of the Nikon D810 realize that reading this section at the beginning of this bo
44. the D810 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 3 You have to tell the camera to do all of this through the various controls and settings such as the Autofocus Mode and AF Area Mode lock focus 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 Nikon D810 Experience Figure 3 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 f 4 5 ISO 100 Learning to use and get the most out of an advanced digital SLR dSLR camera like the D810 takes time practice patience mistakes and experimentation If you have upgraded from a previous dSLR such as the D7100 D90 or D300 or one of their predecessors you are in for a treat Its full frame sensor will
45. this work 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 and 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 and D810 are trademarks of Nikon Inc Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom are trademarks of Adobe Systems Inc The author and the contents of this book are not affiliated with or endorsed by Nikon Special thanks to LensProToGo www lensprotogo com LENS EZD TU And special thanks to Newtonville Camera of Newton Mass http www nvcamera com Since 1974 pe England s _ 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 Links are provided to products and accessories mentioned in this guide Copyright 2014 Douglas J Klostermann Full Stop Media LLC all rights reserved Cover design and photograph by the author Nikon D810 Experience Nikon D810 Experience The
46. to start tracking the subject place that point over the subject and press the Shutter Button half way Or you can press and hold the AF ON Button Then as long as you keep the selected AF point on the subject and the Shutter Button pressed half way or the AF ON Button pressed the camera will continuously evaluate the focus distance so that the subject will be in focus when the shot is taken If the subject is going to be difficult to follow or keep located as a single AF point you can use Group Area AF so that five AF points work together to focus sort of like a large AF point Or you can make use of the Dynamic Area AF Area Modes so that some or all of the surrounding points will help retain focus if the subject moves away from the selected Focus Point If the subject will be moving across your field of view as you keep the camera relatively still you can make use of the 3D Tracking mode The Focus Indicator light in the Viewfinder will illuminate when using AF C mode when the subject is in focus or the triangles surrounding the Focus Indicator dot will illuminate to show that focusing operation is in progress This subject tracking of AF C will even work in conjunction with continuous shooting If you keep the Shutter Button fully pressed and continue to take photos even at 5 frames per second the camera will keep focusing on the moving subject As you can imagine this is ideal for tracking a player running across a field a dog running toward
47. ximum continuous frame rate are the priorities or if exact focus of each shot is the priority Right The similar AF S Priority Selection options for when working in AF S Focus Mode a2 AF S priority selection This is similar to AF C Priority above except that this setting is for when you are working in Single servo AF Mode AF S Autofocus Mode typically used when your subject is relatively still or when you are not tracking a moving subject see Figure 70 right Again determine if getting the shot Release or exact focus Focus is your priority Since AF S is typically used with subjects that are not moving it generally makes more sense to ensure focus is attained thus you may wish to select Focus for this setting However you will need to set it for Release if you are using a certain back button focus technique to lock focus and recompose the framing of the shot before taking the photo in order to avoid the trap focus setup when locking focus and recomposing Specifically if you set the camera to use only the AF ON Button to focus and you press and release the AF ON Button to focus on the subject and then recompose this a2 setting will need to be set to Release in order for the image to be taken If it is set for Focus you can press and hold the AF ON Button to focus and then recompose and then you will be able to release the shutter But if you press and release the AF ON Button to focus and then recompose the image will
48. xture 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 screen or fence And it sometimes fails to work well in highly contrasting or dim light though the Built in AF Assist Illuminator of Custom Setting a10 can assist in this situation 176 Nikon D810 Experience Figure 186 Simulated view of the Nikon D810 Viewfinder showing the location of all 51 AF points and the optional grid display Note that you will not actually see all 51 AF points only the active one s The fifteen centrally located AF points are more sensitive cross type points see Figure 187 A cross type AF point detects contrast in both the horizontal and vertical directions as opposed to AF points which are only sensitive to contrast in one of these directions However when using a lens or a lens teleconverter combination slower than f 5 6 a lens whose maximum aperture is f 5 6 or narrower both the number of available AF points and the number of cross type AF points is reduced see Figure 188 So for example if you are using a 500mm f 4 lens and a 2x teleconverter the teleconverter
49. you a toddler in action or a bird moving across the frame Note that when shooting with 183 Nikon D810 Experience What Readers are Saying About Doug s Previous Guides A well written professional helpful guide Brilliant just what I was looking for A manual 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 all properly explained The book is a revelation well thought through and well written R D C All I Need I have been using Nikon dSLR cameras for many years In all this time I have never come across a publication which complements the rather soulless and complex user manual so well Your excellent work is all I need to exploit the potential of this amazing dSLR Martin D 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 This is the most helpful manual I ve ever used No serious Nikon camera user should be without this I find it very easy to find what I need and even easier to understand S B Really Focuses on the Why I found the Nikon manual good for understanding how to set things up but not much on the why this book really focu
50. you are deleting all the images on a card it is better to use Format Memory Card explained in the Setup Menu below Use large enough memory cards so that you don t need to worry about deleting images in camera while working and instead it may be best to manage them on your computer after downloading all the images Please know that many of the secondary types of button uses for menus and on screen settings don t need to be learned or memorized as the camera will often display tiny icon reminders on the applicable menu or screen For example in Figure 29 right the icons at the bottom of the screen indicate that pressing the Center Button will mark the image for deletion pressing the Zoom in Button will magnify the selected thumbnail for a closer look and the OK Button will complete the operation Playback Folder This sets which images will be visible during Playback see Figure 30 left Leave at the default setting ND810 and all the images taken with this camera will be visible If you are sharing memory cards between different cameras which is not at all recommended as it may lead to confusion and file management headaches then you can select AU If you just wish to view only the images in the current folder select Current You can select and create individual folders for organizing your photos in the Storage Folder item in the Shooting Menu Most users will likely wish to leave this set for ND810 45 Nikon D810 Experience e
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