Nikon D3 - Technical Guide

8/8/2019 Nikon D3 - Technical Guide

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ProessionalTec hn ica l Gui de


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Table of ContentsUsing the Menus ........................................................... 4

AutofocusAutofocusFocusing with Autofocus ............................................. 7

Behind the Goal ........................................................11

Tracking erratically moving subjects that are frequently

obscured by other objects

Pitcher or Runner? ....................................................12

Switching instantly between subjects at different dis-

tances from the camera

The Inside Track.........................................................13

Tracking subjects that are obscured by objects passing

in front of the camera

At the Finish Line ......................................................14

Quick shutter response

Poor Lighting or Bad Weather ...............................15

Poorly lit or low-contrast scenes

ExposureExposureAuto ISO Sensitivity Control ...................................... 16

A Daytime Stadium Match ......................................17

Switching between sunlight and shade

Active D-Lighting (ADL) ............................................. 19

A Daytime Stadium Match Revisited ....................19

High-contrast lighting

Easy Exposure Compensation ................................... 21


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Image QualityImage QualityFX and DX Formats .....................................................22

Vignette Control.........................................................27

Lens OptionsLens OptionsVibration Reduction (VR) ...........................................28

Options for Long Lenses ............................................30

Camera SettingsCamera SettingsSharing Settings .........................................................31


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4

Using the MenusUse theG button,J button, and multi selector to navigate

the menus.

1: Move

cursor up

2: Select high-

lighted item ordisplay sub-menu

3: Move

cursor down

4: Cancel and

return to previousmenu

Center: Select

highlighted item

G button

J button Multi selector

1

Display the menus.

Press theG button to display the menus.

2 Highlight the icon for the current menu.Press 4 to highlight the

icon or the current menu.


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3 Select a menu.

Press1 or3 to select the desired menu.

4 Position the cursor in the selected menu.

Press 2 to position the

cursor in the selected

menu.

5 Highlight a menu item.Press1 or3 to highlight a

menu item.

6 Display options.Press 2 to display options

or the highlighted menu

item.


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Using the Menus

7Highlight an option.

Press 1 or 3 to highlight

an option.

8Select the highlighted item.

PressJ to select the high-

lighted item (some itemscan also be selected by

pressing 2). To exit with-out making a selection,

press theG button.


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7

The a Autoocus group in the frst level o the Custom

Settings menu contains a variety o advanced autoocus

options.This chapter details options that can be used torame moving subjects at sporting events: a1 (AF-C priorityselection), a3 (Dynamic AF area), and a4 (Focus tracking

with lock-on).These options are best used with the ocusmode selector rotated to C (continuous-servo AF) and the

AF-area mode selector rotated toI (dynamic-area AF).

1 Select continuous-servo AF.

Rotate the ocus-mode

selector to C.The camerawill continually adjust

ocus while the shutter-

release button is pressed

halway.

2 Select dynamic-area AF.Rotate the AF-area mode

selector to I (dynamic-

area AF). I the subjectbriey leaves the se-lected ocus point, the

camera will ocus based

on inormation rom sur-

rounding ocus points.

Autofocus: Focusing with Autofocus


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3 Choose an option for Custom Setting a1.Choose whether the camera gives

priority to ocus or to shutter re-sponse in ocus mode C.

4

Choose an option for Custom Setting a3.

Choose the number o ocuspoints used or dynamic-area AF.Select 9 points or 21 points or

track-and-feld events or or sub-

jects that move unpredictably.

Autofocus


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Focusing with Autofocus

5 Choose an option for Custom Setting a4.Choose how quickly the camera

responds when an object movesbetween the subject and the

camera.


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Focus tracking with lock-on controls how the camera re-

sponds to abrupt changes in ocus distance.It can be usedto prevent the camera rom immediately reocusing whenobjects move through the space between the subject

and the camera, ensuring that the camera will continue to

track the main subject once the obstacle has moved away.

Choose the length o time beore the camera reocuses

rom Long, Normal, and Short.

Camera will wait beore

reocusing on objects

behind the subject

Camera will wait beore

reocusing on objects

behind the subject

Camera will track andocus on objects the

same distance rom the

camera as the subject

Focus Tracking with Lock-On

Autofocus


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Behind the Goal

Example 1

Photographers positioned behind the goal at a soccer match

are aced with subjects that move unpredictably and that

may be intermittently obscured by objects coming between

the subject and the camera during raming.

Choose the ollowing ocus options:

AF-C priority selection:

Release

Dynamic AF area:

9 points or21 points

Focus tracking with

lock-on: Normal


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Pitcher or Runner?

Example 2

Choose lower lock-on times or improved ocus response

when you may have to switch quickly between subjects at

dierent distances rom the camera.


Release

Dynamic AF area:


Focus tracking with

lock-on: Short orOf

(note thatOfreduces

efectiveness o dy-

namic-area AF)

Autofocus


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The Inside Track

Example 3

Choose longer lock-on times when photographing a runner

on the inside track or in other situations in which your subject

may be blocked or relatively long periods.

Your subject


Release

Dynamic AF area:


Focus tracking with

lock-on: Long


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At the Finish Line

Example 4

Selecting Release or Custom Setting a1 ensures a quick

shutter response and aster rame advance rates.


Release

Dynamic AF area:


Focus tracking with

lock-on: Normal

Autofocus


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Poor Lighting or Bad Weather

Example 5

Select Release + Focus or quick shutter response while slow-

ing rame advance rates in continuous release mode or im-

proved ocus with scenes that are poorly lit or low contrast.


Release + Focus

Dynamic AF area:


Focus tracking with

lock-on: Normal

Note: IFocus is selected or Custom Setting a1, the shutter can

only be released when the camera is in ocus.


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IOn is selected or ISO sensitivity >

ISO sensitivity auto control in the

shooting menu, the camera automat-ically adjusts ISO sensitivity i optimal

exposure can not be achieved at the

minimum shutter speed selected by

the user. An example o how to usethis eature appears on the pages that

ollow.

Auto ISO sensitivity control is available in modes e, f, and

g. Matrix metering is recommended. Note that camerafrmware version A 1.10/B 1.11 or later is required or mini-

mum shutter speeds aster than 1/250 s.

Notes

Exposure: Auto ISO Sensitivity Control


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A Daytime Stadium Match

Example 6

Auto ISO sensitivity control is ideal or scenes with large varia-

tions in brightness.

Sunlight

Shade


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Choose the ollowing ISO sensitivity settings:

ISO sensitivity: 200

ISO sensitivity auto

control: On

Maximum sensitivity:

6400

Minimum shutter

speed: 1/500 s

In this example, ISO sensitivity will automatically be raised

to a maximum o ISO 6400 i optimal exposure can not be

achieved at ISO 200. In modes e and g, sensitivity will beraised only i the shutter speed required or optimal exposure

would be slower than 1/500 s (slower speeds will be used i a

speed o

1/500

s would still result in underexposure at ISO6400).

Exposure Auto ISO Sensitivity Control


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Active D-Lighting preserves details in highlights and shad-

ows, creating photographs with natural contrast.

A Daytime Stadium Match Revisited

Example 7

Use Active D-Lighting or compositions that include areas

o sharply contrasting brightness.

Exposure: Active D-Lighting (ADL)


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The ollowing settings are recom-

mended:

Active D-Lighting High or Normal

Metering Matrix1

Exposure mode e, f, or g2

ISO sensitivity ISO 1600 or less3

Memory card UDMA-compliant memory card4

1. Active D-Lighting will not produce the desired eect when

used with center-weighted or spot metering.

2. Active D-Lighting has no eect in exposure mode h.3. Noise may be more noticeable in photographs taken at higher

values.

4. Choose cards with aster write times or quicker processing

when taking large numbers o photographs.

Exposure Active D-Lighting (ADL)


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When On or On (Auto reset) is se-

lected or Custom Setting b4 (Easy

Exposure Compensation), exposurecompensation can be set simply by

rotating a command dial (at deault

settings, the sub-command dial is

used or easy exposure compensation in exposure modes

e and f, and the main command dial is used in exposure

mode g).IOn (Auto reset) is selected, exposure compen-sation will automatically be reset to 0 when the camera isturned o.

Auto reset also resets exposure compensation when the

exposure meters turn o.The length o time the expo-sure meters remain on is controlled with Custom Settingc2 (Auto meter-of delay).

Notes

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Exposure: Easy Exposure Compensation


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At deault settings, image quality is not automatically ad-

justed when you switch between FX and DX image areas.Asa result, pictures taken using the smaller DX image area willnot be the same quality as FX-ormat images when printed

at the same size. From camera frmware version A 2.00/B 2.00 or later, you can automatically switch image quality

settings when you switch between FX and DX ormats:

q Create one shooting menu bank or FX ormat and a

second shooting menu bank with higher image qualityand size settings or DX ormat.

w Select Shooting menu bank or Custom Setting 4

(Assign FUNC. button) > FUNC. button + dials. Youcan then use the Fn button and command dials to switch

instantly between the two banks.

DX-ormat image area

FX-ormat image area

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Image Quality: FX and DX Formats


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1 Choose shooting menu bank A.In the shooting menu, select

Shooting menu bank.HighlightbankA and pressJ.

2 Adjust settings for shooting menu bank A.

Sample settings are listed below:Image quality: JPEG basic

Image size: M

Image area: FX ormat (36 24)

3 Choose shooting menu bank B.In the shooting menu, selectShooting menu bank.HighlightbankB and pressJ.


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4 Adjust settings for shooting menu bank B.

Sample settings are listed below:

Image quality: JPEG fneImage size: L

Image area: DX ormat (24 16)

5

Choose the role of the Fn button.

In the Custom Settings menu,select Custom Setting 4 (Assign

FUNC. button) > FUNC. button +

dials. Highlight Shooting menubankand pressJ.

6 Switch between shooting menu banks.Press the Fn button and rotate a command dial to cyclethrough shooting menu banks as shown below.

A

D C

B

Image Quality


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FX and DX Formats

Shooting menu bank can also be assigned to the

button + dials options or Custom Settings 5 (Assignpreview button) and 6 (Assign AE-L/AF-L button).

Apart rom image quality, image size, and image area, set-

tings or banks A and B should be identical.Any changes tobank A should also be made to bank B.Note that althoughseparate Picture Controls may be selected or each bank,modifcations to Picture Control settings (including quick

adjust and other manual adjustments) and changes to In-

terval timer shooting and Multiple exposure apply to

all banks.

I the settings in bank C are the same as bank A and those

in bank D the same as bank B, you will be able to identiythe selected image area by the crop displayed in the view-

fnder.

Notes


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Although maximum rame advance rate when FX ormat is

selected or image area is fxed at 9 ps, the maximum ramerate or DX ormat can be selected rom 9, 10, and 11 ps

using Custom Setting d2 (Shooting speed).Note that atsettings o 10 and 11 ps, ocus will be fxed at the setting or

the frst photograph in each series, and exposure may be

fxed at the value or the frst photograph in each series i

the subject is poorly lit.

Frame Rate (Continuous High-Speed Release Mode)

The camera has our shooting menu banks (A, B, C, and D).

Dierent combinations o shooting menu settings can be

stored in dierent banks, allowing the user to switch instant-ly rom one combination to another using the Shooting

menu bankoption in the shooting menu.

Shooting Menu Banks

Image Quality FX and DX Formats


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You may notice a drop in peripheral illumination (vignett-

ing) with certain lenses, particularly at maximum aperture.This can be corrected using the Vignette control option inthe shooting menu.

Vignette control: SelectVignette control

in the shooting menu and choose High,

Normal, orLow

Vignette control is available rom camera frmware ver-

sion A 1.10/B 1.11 (some lenses can only be used with frm-ware version A 2.00/B 2.00 or later).It can be used type Gand D lenses only (either alone or with AF-S/AF-I telecon-

verters) but is not available with DX-ormat or PC lenses or

when FX-ormat lenses are used with the DX-ormat crop.

Notes

Image Quality: Vignette Control


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The D3 supports vibration reduction with VR lenses.Turn vi-bration reduction o when shooting at ast shutter speeds.Other vibration reduction settings may result in slowerrame advance rates and increased shutter lag.

The table on the ollowing page lists the recommended set-

tings or dierent subjects.ACTIVE and TRIPOD vibrationreduction are available with the ollowing lenses; other VR

lenses support only ON and OFF:ACTIVE

AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor ED 70200 mm /2.8G (IF)

AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor ED 200400 mm /4G (IF)

AF-S VR Nikkor ED 200 mm /2G (IF)

AF-S VR Nikkor ED 300 mm /2.8G (IF)

TRIPOD

AF-S NIKKOR 400 mm /2.8G ED VR

AF-S NIKKOR 500 mm /4G ED VR


Lens Options: Vibration Reduction (VR)


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VR modeVR mode Suggested forSuggested or Not suggested forNot suggested or

OFF

Moving subjects (e.g., shut-

ter speeds o1/500 s or aster)

NORMAL (ON)1Stationary subjects

Panning shots o moving

subjects

Subjects moving

too ast to rame

using panning

ACTIVE 1

Photographs taken rom

a car, boat, helicopter or

other unstable platorm.

Panning shots o

moving subjects

TRIPODPhotographs taken with a

tripod.2Monopod or hand-

held photography

1. Can be used both or hand-held shots and with a monopod.

2. Choose NORMAL when using the tripod as a monopod.


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The table below describes the ocus modes available with

the ollowing lenses:

AF-S NIKKOR 400 mm /2.8G ED VRAF-S NIKKOR 500 mm /4G ED VR


ModeMode DescriptionDescriptionA/M

(autoocus

priority)

Choose when ocusing primarily with auto-

ocus.Manual ocus will only be activatedi the ocus ring is rotated a large amount.Prevents manual ocus rom being activat-

ed accidentally.

M/A

(autoocus with

manual priority)

Manual ocus is activated whenever theocus ring is used, making it easy to use

manual ocus in autoocus mode.

M

(manual ocus)

The lens can only be ocused manually.

Lens Options: Options for Long Lenses


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Select Save/load settings > Save

settings in the setup menu to save

current camera settings to thememory card in Slot 1 (i the memory

card is ull, an error message will be

displayed).Saved settings can loadedinto any D3 camera using Save/load settings > Load

settings, allowing the same settings to be shared among

multiple cameras (note that Load settings is only availablei the memory card in Slot 1 contains saved settings).

Camera Settings: Sharing Settings


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Nikon D3 - Technical Guide

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