Nikon D600 For Dummies

2

Choosing Basic Picture Settings

In This Chapter

• Setting the image area (FX or DX)
• Spinning the Mode dial
• Changing the shutter-release mode
• Choosing the right Image Size (resolution) setting
• Understanding the Image Quality setting: JPEG or Raw (NEF)?

Every camera manufacturer strives to ensure that your initial encounter with the camera is a happy one. To that end, the camera's default settings make it as easy as possible to take a good picture the first time you press the shutter button. On the D600, the default settings let you take a picture the same way you do with an automatic, point-and-shoot camera: Compose the shot, press the shutter button halfway to focus, and then press the button the rest of the way to record the image.

Although the default settings produce a nice picture in many cases, they represent a one-size-fits-all approach that's not optimal for every shooting situation. You may be able to use the defaults to take a decent portrait, for example, but probably need to tweak a few settings to capture action. Adjusting a few options can help turn that decent portrait into a stunning one, too.

So that you can start fine-tuning camera settings to your subject, this ...