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 4. Essential Photography Concepts

In This Chapter

Understanding exposure
Fine-tuning exposure
Understanding depth of field
Rules of composition

Photography, whether traditional film photography or working with a digital SLR, is built on concepts that are the foundation for every photo you take. This chapter gives you essential coverage of those items, including information on exposure, the effects the aperture has on depth of field, and some tips and hints on composition techniques.

Understanding Exposure

An exposure is the resulting creation of three elements that are all interrelated. Each depends on the others to create a good exposure. If one of the elements changes, the others must increase or decrease proportionally. Here are the elements you need to consider:

Shutter speed. The shutter speed determines the length of time the sensor is exposed to light.
ISO sensitivity. The ISO setting you choose controls your camera's sensitivity to light.
Aperture/f-stop. How much light reaches the sensor of your camera is controlled by the aperture, or f-stop. Each camera has an adjustable opening on the lens. As you change the aperture (the opening), you allow more or less light to reach the sensor.

Shutter speed

Shutter speed is the amount of time that light entering from the lens is allowed to expose the image sensor. Shutter speeds are indicated in fractions of a second; common shutter speeds (in 1-stop increments) include the following: 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, ...