book

Nikon® D5000 Digital Field Guide

by J. Dennis Thomas

July 2009

Beginner

272 pages

7h 15m

English

Wiley

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About the D5000
1.1. Key Components of the D50001.1.1. Top of the camera1.1.2. Back of the camera1.1.3. Front of the camera1.1.4. Sides and bottom of the camera1.1.4.1. Right side1.1.4.2. Left side1.1.4.3. Bottom1.2. Viewfinder Display1.3. Information Display
2.1. Exposure Modes2.1.1. Auto modes2.1.1.1. Auto2.1.1.2. Auto (flash off)2.1.2. Advanced scene modes2.1.2.1. Portrait2.1.2.2. Landscape2.1.2.3. Child2.1.2.4. Sports2.1.2.5. Close Up2.1.2.6. Night Portrait2.1.2.7. Night Landscape2.1.2.8. Party/Indoor2.1.2.9. Beach/Snow2.1.2.10. Sunset2.1.2.11. Dusk/Dawn2.1.2.12. Pet Portrait2.1.2.13. Candlelight2.1.2.14. Blossom2.1.2.15. Autumn Colors2.1.2.16. Food2.1.2.17. Silhouette2.1.2.18. High Key2.1.2.19. Low Key2.1.3. Programmed Auto2.1.4. Aperture Priority2.1.5. Shutter Priority2.1.6. Manual2.2. Metering Modes2.2.1. Matrix2.2.2. Center-weighted2.2.3. Spot2.3. Autofocus Modes2.3.1. Continuous2.3.2. Single2.3.3. Auto2.3.4. Manual2.4. AF Area Modes2.4.1. Single Point AF mode2.4.2. Dynamic Area AF mode2.4.3. 3D-tracking mode2.4.4. Auto Area AF2.5. ISO Sensitivity2.5.1. Auto ISO2.5.2. Noise reduction2.5.2.1. Long exposure NR2.5.2.2. High ISO NR2.6. White Balance2.6.1. What is Kelvin?2.6.2. White balance settings2.7. Picture Controls2.7.1. Original Picture Controls2.7.2. Custom Picture Controls2.8. Understanding JPEG Compression2.8.1. Image size2.8.2. Image quality2.9. NEF or RAW Flexibility2.10. Live View
3.1. Playback Menu3.1.1. Delete3.1.2. Playback folder3.1.3. Display mode3.1.4. Image review3.1.5. Rotate tall3.1.6. Slide show3.1.7. Print set (DPOF)3.2. Shooting Menu3.2.1. Scene mode3.2.2. Set Picture Control3.2.3. Manage Picture Control3.2.4. Image quality3.2.5. Image size3.2.6. White balance3.2.6.1. Using standard WB settings3.2.6.2. Preset white balance3.2.6.2.1. Direct measurement3.2.6.2.2. Copy white balance from an existing photograph3.2.7. ISO sensitivity settings3.2.8. Active D-Lighting3.2.9. Auto distortion control3.2.10. Color space3.2.11. Long exp. NR3.2.12. High ISO NR3.2.13. Active folder3.2.14. Movie settings3.3. Custom Setting Menu3.3.1. Reset custom settings3.3.2. CSM a - Autofocus3.3.2.1. a1 – AF-area mode3.3.2.2. a2 – Built-in AF-assist illuminator3.3.2.3. a3 – Live View autofocus3.3.2.4. a4 – Rangefinder3.3.3. CSM b – Exposure3.3.3.1. b1 – EV steps for exposure cntrl.3.3.4. CSM c – Timers/AE lock3.3.4.1. c1 – Shutter-release button AE-L3.3.4.2. c2 – Auto off timers3.3.4.3. c3 – Self-timer3.3.4.4. c4 – Remote on duration3.3.5. CSM d – Shooting/display3.3.5.1. d1 – Beep3.3.5.2. d2 – Viewfinder grid display3.3.5.3. d3 – ISO display3.3.5.4. d4 – File number sequence3.3.5.5. d5 – Exposure delay mode3.3.5.6. d6 – Date imprint3.3.5.7. d7 – Live View display options3.3.6. CSM e – Bracketing/flash3.3.6.1. e1 – Flash cntrl for built-in flash3.3.6.2. e2 – Auto bracketing set3.3.7. CSM f – Controls3.3.7.1. f1 – Assign self-timer/Fn button3.3.7.2. f2 – Assign AE-L/AF-L button3.3.7.3. f3 – Reverse dial rotation3.3.7.4. f4 – No memory card?3.3.7.5. f5 – Reverse indicators3.4. Setup Menu3.4.1. Format memory card3.4.2. LCD brightness3.4.3. Info display format3.4.4. Auto information display3.4.5. Info wrap-around3.4.6. Clean image sensor3.4.7. Lock mirror up for cleaning3.4.8. Video mode3.4.9. HDMI3.4.10. Time zone and date3.4.11. Language3.4.12. Image comment3.4.13. Auto image rotation3.4.14. Image Dust Off ref photo3.4.15. GPS3.4.16. Eye-Fi Upload3.4.17. Firmware version3.5. Retouch Menu3.6. My Menu3.7. Quick Settings Display
4.1. Understanding Exposure4.1.1. Shutter speed4.1.2. ISO4.1.3. Aperture4.2. Fine-tuning Exposure4.2.1. Histograms4.2.2. Bracketing4.3. Understanding Depth of Field4.4. Rules of Composition4.4.1. Keep it simple4.4.2. Rule of Thirds4.4.3. Leading lines and S-curves4.4.4. Helpful hints

5.1. Kit Lenses5.1.1. Deciphering Nikon's lens codes5.1.2. Nikon lens compatibility5.2. Understanding Zoom Lenses5.2.1. Variable aperture5.2.2. Depth of field5.2.3. Quality5.3. Understanding Prime Lenses5.4. Wide-angle and Ultrawide-angle Lenses5.4.1. When to use a wide-angle lens5.4.2. Understanding limitations5.5. Standard or Midrange Zoom Lenses5.6. Telephoto Lenses5.7. Special-Purpose Lenses5.7.1. Micro-Nikkor lenses5.7.2. Fisheye lenses5.8. Using Vibration Reduction Lenses5.9. Third-party Lenses
6.1. Natural Light6.2. D5000 Flash Basics6.2.1. Achieving proper exposures6.2.1.1. Guide Number6.2.1.2. Aperture6.2.1.3. Distance6.2.1.4. Guide Number/Distance = Aperture6.2.2. Flash exposure modes6.2.2.1. i-TTL6.2.2.2. Manual6.2.2.3. Auto6.2.2.4. Auto Aperture6.2.2.5. Guide Number distance priority6.2.2.6. Repeating flash6.2.3. Flash sync modes6.2.3.1. Sync speed6.2.3.2. Front-curtain sync6.2.3.3. Red-eye reduction6.2.3.4. Slow sync6.2.3.5. Rear-curtain sync6.2.4. Flash Exposure Compensation6.2.5. Fill flash6.2.6. Bounce flash6.3. Nikon Creative Lighting System Basics6.3.1. Understanding the Creative Lighting System6.3.2. Speedlights6.3.2.1. SB-900 Speedlight6.3.2.2. SB-800 Speedlight6.3.2.3. SB-600 Speedlight6.3.2.4. SB-400 Speedlight6.3.2.5. SU-800 Wireless Speedlight commander6.4. Using the Built-in Speedlight6.5. Studio Strobes6.6. Continuous Lighting6.6.1. Incandescent and halogen6.6.2. Fluorescent6.6.3. HMI6.7. Light Modifiers6.7.1. Umbrellas6.7.2. Softboxes6.7.3. Diffusion panels6.7.4. Other light modifiers
7.1. About Video7.1.1. Progressive versus interlaced7.1.2. Frame rate7.1.3. Shutter7.1.4. Setting up D-Movie7.1.5. Recording7.2. Tricks, Tips, and Workarounds7.3. Video-editing Software
8.1. Viewing Your Images8.1.1. Downloading Images8.1.2. Using Nikon Transfer8.1.2.1. Source tab8.1.2.2. Embedded Info tab8.1.2.3. Primary Destination tab8.1.2.4. Backup Destination tab8.1.2.5. Preferences tab8.1.3. Transferring your images8.2. The Retouch Menu8.2.1. Retouch Menu Options8.2.2. D-Lighting8.2.3. Red-eye correction8.2.4. Trim8.2.5. Monochrome8.2.6. Filter effects8.2.7. Color Balance8.2.8. Small Picture8.2.9. Image Overlay8.2.10. NEF (RAW) Processing8.2.11. Quick Retouch8.2.12. Straighten8.2.13. Distortion Control8.2.14. Fisheye8.2.15. Color Outline8.2.16. Perspective Control8.2.17. Stop-motion Movie8.2.18. Side-by-side Comparison
9.1. Preparing Your Shot9.2. Panning9.2.1. Panning with a fast shutter speed9.2.2. Panning with a slow shutter speed9.3. Using Speedlights
10.1. Preparing Your Shot10.2. Backlit Lotus10.3. Dried Seeds
11.1. Preparing Your Shot11.2. Tools of the Trade11.2.1. Lenses11.2.2. Close-up filters11.2.3. Extension tubes11.2.4. Reversing rings11.2.5. Tripod11.2.6. Flash11.3. Using Ring Flashes11.4. Outdoor Macro
12.1. Preparing Your Shot12.2. Concerts12.3. Nightlife
13.1. Preparing Your Shot13.2. Studio13.2.1. Setup13.2.2. Camera settings13.3. Indoor13.3.1. Setup13.3.2. Camera settings13.4. Outdoor13.4.1. Setup13.4.2. Camera settings
14.1. Preparing Your Shot14.2. Using Available Light14.3. Using Continuous Lighting14.4. Using Speedlights
15.1. Preparing Your Shot15.2. Urban15.3. Silhouettes15.4. Desert
A.1. ML-L3 Wireless Remote ControlA.2. EH-5A AC AdapterA.3. GP-1 GPS UnitA.4. TripodsA.4.1. When to use a tripodA.4.2. Which tripod is right for you?A.5. Camera Bags and Cases

Content preview from Nikon® D5000 Digital Field Guide

Chapter 1. Exploring the Nikon D5000

In This Chapter

Key components of the D5000
Viewfinder display
Information display

This chapter covers the key components of the Nikon D5000. These are the features that are most readily accessible because they are situated on the outside of the camera: the buttons, knobs, switches, and dials.

If you are upgrading from another dSLR, some of this will likely be a review, but there are some new features that you may or may not be aware of, so a quick read-through is a good idea even if you are an experienced Nikon dSLR user.

If you are new to the world of dSLRs, this chapter is a great way to get acquainted with some of the terms that are used in conjunction with your new camera.

So fasten your seatbelts, and get ready to explore the D5000!

Key Components of the D5000

If you have or are seriously looking at a camera of the Nikon D5000's caliber, you are probably pretty familiar with the basic buttons and switches that you need to work with the basic settings. In this section, you look at the camera from all sides and break down the layout so that you know what everything on the surface of the camera does.

This section doesn't cover the menus, only the exterior controls. Although there are many features you can access with just the push of a button, oftentimes you can change the same setting inside a menu option. Although the D5000 doesn't have the same number of buttons as some of its siblings in the Nikon line, it does have quite a few of them. Knowing ...