Chapter 1
Getting Started with your Nikon D300 ...7
The Nikon D300—An Overview ...8
Jump Start—Using Programmed Auto (P) Mode ...9
Good Things To Know ...10
When Things Go Wrong ...12
The Viewfinder, Monitor And Control Panel ...13
Using Dials And Buttons ...14
- Buttons /dials—top of the camera—14
- Buttons/dials —back of the camera—15
- Buttons/dials—front of the camera—16
Using Menus ...17
Understanding Shooting Menu Banks ...19
Restoring Default Settings ...20
- Two-button reset—20
- Other reset commands —20
- Resetting dials —21
Managing Filenames & Folders ...22
Managing Your Images—Using Buttons ...23
- Image review —23
- Image playback —23
- Displaying thumbnails —24
- Zooming Images—24
Managing Your Images—The Playback Menu ...25
- Selecting playback folders —25
- Deleting images —25
- Giving slide shows —26
- Hiding images —27
Selecting Image Quality And Size ...28
- Number of pixels —28
- How an image is captured —30
- The exposure —30
- It’s all black and white after all —30
- What is color? —31
- Image size and quality —31
- Changing image quality —31
- Changing image size —33
- Image compression —34
Selecting A Release Mode ...36
Chapter 2
Controlling Exposure ...37
Understanding Exposure ...38
The Shutter Controls Light And Motion ...39
The Aperture Controls Light And Depth Of Field ...41
Using Shutter Speed And Aperture Together ...43
- Exposure—faucets & buckets analogy —44
- Exposure—seesaw analogy —45
Retaining Highlight And Shadow Details ...46
Understanding Exposure Displays ...47
Choosing Exposure Modes ...48
Using Programmed Auto (P) Mode ...49
Using Shutter-priority Auto (S) Mode ...50
Using Aperture-priority Auto (A) Mode ...51
Using Manual (M) Exposure Mode ...52
How Your Exposure System Works ...53
- Meter averaging and middle gray —53
- Types of metering —55
When Automatic Exposure Works Well ...56
When To Override Automatic Exposure ...57
- Scenes lighter than middle gray —57
- Scenes darker than middle gray —58
- Subject against very light background —58
- Subject against very dark background —59
- Scenes with high contrast —59
- Hard to meter scenes —60
How Overriding Autoexposure Works ...61
How To Override Automatic Exposure ...62
- Exposure compensation —62
- Autoexposure (AE) lock —63
Using Histograms ...64
- Displaying histograms and highlights —64
- Evaluating histograms —64
- Clipped pixels —66
- Sample histograms —67
Chapter 3
Controlling Sharpness ...68
Eliminating Camera Movement ...69
- Supporting the camera —69
- Using the self-timer —69
- Changing ISO sensitivity —70
- Auto ISO —70
- ISO and noise reduction —71
- Using mirror up —71
Sharpness Isn’t Everything ...72
How To Photograph Motion Sharply ...73
- Speed of subject —73
- Direction of movement —73
- Distance to subject and focal length of lens —74
Focus And Depth Of Field ...75
- Focus —75
- Depth of field —75
- Checking Depth of Field —76
Focusing Techniques ...77
- Focus point selection —77
- Focus modes —78
- AF-area modes —78
- Focus lock —79
Controlling Depth Of Field ...81
Using Deep Depth Of Field ...82
Using Shallow Depth Of Field ...84
Conveying The Feeling Of Motion ...85
Chapter 4
Capturing Light & Color ...86
White Balance ...88
- Preset manual —89
- Managing presets —90
- Color spaces —91
Color Balance And Time Of Day ...92
Sunsets And Sunrises ...93
Weather ...95
Photographing At Night ...97
The Direction Of Light ...99
The Quality Of Light ...101
Chapter 5
Understanding Lenses ...102
Nikon D300 Lenses ...103
- Lens types —103
- Using non-CPU lenses —103
- Changing lenses —104
- Vibration reduction —104
- Nikkor terminology —105
- Maximum apertures —105
- Focal lengths —105
Zoom Lenses ...107
Normal Lenses ...108
Wide-angle Lenses ...109
Telephoto Lenses ...111
Tilt-shift Lenses ...113
Close-up Lenses ...114
Lens Accessories ...115
Perspective In A Photograph ...116
Chapter 6
Using Automatic Flash ...117
How Flash Works ...118
Using The Built-in Flash ...119
- Flash modes —119
- Apertures and shutter speed settings —120
- Flash Range and Coverage —120
- Other Considerations —121
Portraits With Flash ...122
- Positioning the flash and subjects —122
- Red-eye —123
Using Fill Flash ...124
Using Slow Sync Flash ...125
Using Available Light ...126
Controlling Flash Exposures ...127
- Flash compensation —127
- FV lock —128
Using External Flash ...129
Studio Lighting ...130
- Candidates for studio lighting —130
- Lighting —130
- Backgrounds —132
- Risers —132
- Special Bulbs —132
Portrait And Product Photography—Introduction ...133
The Main Light ...134
The Fill Light ...135
The Background Light ...136
The Rim Light ...137
Chapter 7
Other Features and Commands ...138
Using Live View ...139
Using Picture Controls ...143
- Selecting a Nikon Picture Control —143
- Modifying an existing Picture Control —143
- Managing and sharing custom Picture Controls —146
RETOUCHING IMAGES ...147
- Interesting faqs —148
- Selecting images to be retouched —148
- D-lighting —149
- Red-eye correction —149
- Trim —149
- Monochrome —150
- Filter effects —150
- Color balance —150
- Image overlay —150
- Side-by-side comparison —152
Using Active D-lighting ...153
Creating Multiple Exposures ...154
Interval Timer Photography...156
- Getting ready —157
- During shooting —157
- Pausing or ending shooting —158
- Other —158
Bracketing Exposure, Flash And White Balance ...159
- Turning on bracketing —159
- During bracketing —160
- Turning off bracketing —160
Using My Menu ...162
Using The Setup Menu ...163
Using The Custom Settings Menu ...167
- A Autofocus —168
- B Metering/exposure —170
- C Timers/AE&AF lock —171
- D Shooting/display —171
- E Bracketing/flash —172
- F Controls —174
Using The Playback Menu ...178
Caring For Your Camera ...180
- Cleaning the image sensor —180
- Cleaning the camera and lens —80
- Protecting your camera from the elements —181
- Protecting when traveling —181
- Storing a camera —181
- Caring for yourself —181
NOTES ...182
