Nikon D5300 For Dummies E-Book

Julie Adair King

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Seitenzahl: 477

Beschreibung

See the world differently through your new Nikon D5300 Your new Nikon D5300 digital SLR camera represents something about you. It shows that you want something more than a point-and-shoot camera has to offer. You want to take better photos. You want more control. You don't want to rely on editing to make beautiful photographs. Well, there's good news-you now have the right tool to make that happen! Now you need to learn how to use it. The Nikon D5300 has more features and expanded capabilities, and offers you more options for shooting in different situations. Taking advantage of the full complement of controls and settings gives you the power to capture images in new and imaginative ways. Nikon D5300 For Dummies is your ultimate guide to using your new DSLR to its utmost capability. Author Julie Adair King brings her vast experience both as a veteran photographer and a photography teacher to you in this full-color, easy to follow Nikon D5300 guide. Nikon D5300 For Dummies contains more information that you would typically get in a basic photography course, plus information specific to the camera. Over 200 full-color images help illustrate concepts and apply them to the Nikon D5300, making this the ultimate reference for the beginning or veteran photographer. * Master controls, basic photography principles, and shooting in auto * Get creative with advanced settings and video functions * Take charge with manual controls, and understand camera functionality * Find tips on editing and sharing photos You have an excellent camera. Don't be content with shooting in auto mode forever! Master your DSLR and learn your way around the settings for the most gorgeous photographs you've ever taken. Nikon D5300 For Dummies is your guide to making it all happen.

Leseprobe

Nikon® D5300™ For Dummies®

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Trademarks: Wiley, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and may not be used without written permission. Nikon and D5300 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nikon Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2013957978

ISBN 978-1-118-87214-7 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118-87218-5 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-87254-3 (ebk)

Manufactured in the United States of America

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Nikon® D5300™ For Dummies®

Visit www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/nikond5300 to view this book's cheat sheet.

Table of Contents

Introduction

A Quick Look at What's Ahead

Icons and Other Stuff to Note

eCheat Sheet

Practice, Be Patient, and Have Fun!

Part I: Fast Track to Super Snaps

Chapter 1: Getting Up and Running

Preparing the Camera for Initial Use

Exploring Basic Camera Features

Exploring external camera controls

Ordering from camera menus

Viewing critical picture settings

Adjusting settings via the Information display control strip

Familiarizing yourself with the lens

Working with memory cards

Taking a Few Final Setup Steps

Cruising the Setup menu

Custom Setting options

Restoring Default Settings

Shooting Your First Pictures in Auto Mode

Viewfinder photography in Auto mode

Live View photography in Auto mode

Chapter 2: Reviewing Five Essential Picture-Taking Options

Choosing an Exposure Mode

Fully automatic exposure modes

Semiautomatic exposure modes (P, S, and A)

Manual exposure mode (M)

Setting the Release Mode

Single Frame and Quiet Shutter Release modes

Continuous (burst mode) shooting

Self-timer shooting

Wireless remote control modes

Investigating other shutter-release options

Checking Image Size and Image Quality

Considering the Image Size setting (resolution)

Understanding Image Quality options (JPEG or Raw)

Setting Image Size and Image Quality

Adding Flash

Enabling and disabling flash

Choosing a Flash mode

Adjusting the flash output (P, S, A, and M modes only)

Controlling flash output manually

Part II: Taking Creative Control

Chapter 3: Taking Charge of Exposure

Introducing the Exposure Trio: Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO

Aperture affects depth of field

Shutter speed affects motion blur

ISO affects image noise

Doing the exposure balancing act

Stepping Up to Advanced Exposure Modes (P, S, A, and M)

Checking the Exposure Meter

Choosing an Exposure Metering Mode

Setting Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO

Adjusting aperture and shutter speed

Controlling ISO

Solving Exposure Problems

Applying Exposure Compensation

Expanding tonal range

Using autoexposure lock

Bracketing Exposures

Chapter 4: Controlling Focus and Depth of Field

Exploring Standard Focusing Options (Viewfinder Photography)

Mastering the D5300 focus system

Focusing manually

Focusing During Live View and Movie Shooting

Understanding Live View autofocusing

Manual focusing during Live View and movie shooting

Manipulating Depth of Field

Chapter 5: Mastering Color Controls

Understanding the White Balance Setting

Changing the White Balance setting

Fine-tuning White Balance settings

Creating white balance presets

Bracketing white balance

Taking a Quick Look at Picture Controls

Chapter 6: Putting It All Together

Recapping Basic Picture Settings

Shooting Still Portraits

Capturing Action

Capturing Scenic Vistas

Capturing Dynamic Close-Ups

Coping with Special Situations

Chapter 7: Shooting, Viewing, and Trimming Movies

Shooting Movies Using the Default Settings

Adjusting Video Settings

Choosing the video mode (NTSC or PAL)

Understanding the Frame Size/Frame Rate options

Selecting the Movie Quality option

Controlling Audio

Choosing the Microphone setting (volume control)

Reducing wind noise

Exploring Other Recording Options

Manipulating Movie Exposure

Screening Your Movies

Trimming Movies

Saving a Movie Frame As a Still Image

Part III: After the Shot

Chapter 8: Playback Mode: Viewing Your Photos

Adjusting Playback Timing Options

Choosing Which Images to View

Viewing Images in Playback Mode

Displaying photos one at a time(full-frame playback)

Viewing multiple images at a time (thumbnails view)

Displaying photos in Calendar view

Zooming in for a closer view

Enabling automatic picture rotation

Viewing Picture Data

File Information mode

Highlights (blinkies) mode

RGB Histogram mode

Shooting Data display mode

Overview mode

Creating a Digital Slide Show

Viewing Your Photos on a Television

Chapter 9: Working with Picture and Movie Files

Rating Photos and Movies

Deleting Photos

Deleting images one at a time

Deleting all files

Deleting a batch of selected photos

Protecting Photos

Taking a Look a Nikon's Free Photo Software (ViewNX 2)

Downloading Pictures to the Computer

Connecting via USB

Starting the transfer process

Downloading using ViewNX 2

Processing Raw (NEF) Files

Processing Raw images in the camera

Processing Raw files in ViewNX 2

Preparing Pictures for Online Sharing

Prepping online photos using ViewNX 2

Resizing pictures from the Retouch menu

Taking Advantage of Wi-Fi Transfer

Connecting the camera to your device

Viewing photos on the smart device

Transferring photos to the device

Taking pictures via the smart device

Part IV: The Part of Tens

Chapter 10: Ten Fun (And Practical) Ways to Manipulate Your Photos

Applying the Retouch Menu Filters

Removing Red-Eye

Straightening Tilting Horizon Lines

Removing (Or Creating) Lens Distortion

Correcting Perspective

Manipulating Exposure and Color

Cropping Your Photo

Applying Special Effects to Existing Photos

Shooting in Effects Mode

Two Roads to a Multi-Image Exposure

Chapter 11: Ten Special-Purpose Features to Explore on a Rainy Day

Tagging Files with GPS Data

Adding Hidden Image Comments

Creating Custom Image Folders

Creating Your Own Menu

Adjusting Automatic Shutdown Timing

Changing the Look of the Information Display

Keeping the Information Display Hidden

Customizing a Few Buttons

Reversing the Command Dial Orientation

Turning Off the AF-Assist Illuminator

Appendix 1: Glossary of Digital Photography Terms

About the Author

Cheat Sheet

More Dummies Products

Guide

Table of Contents

Begin Reading

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Introduction

Nikon. The name has been associated with top-flight photography equipment for generations. And the introduction of the D5300 has only enriched Nikon's well-deserved reputation, offering all the control that a diehard photography enthusiast could want while providing easy-to-use, point-and-shoot features for the beginner.

In fact, the D5300 offers so many features that sorting them all out can be more than a little confusing, especially if you're new to digital photography, SLR photography, or both. For starters, you may not even be sure what SLR means or how it affects your picture-taking, let alone have a clue about all the other techie terms you encounter in your camera manual — resolution, aperture, white balance, and so on. And if you're like many people, you may be so overwhelmed by all the controls on your camera that you haven't yet ventured beyond fully automatic picture-taking mode.

Therein lies the point of Nikon D5300 For Dummies. Throughout this book, you can discover not just what each bell and whistle on your camera does but also when, where, why, and how to put it to best use. Unlike many photography books, this one doesn't require any previous knowledge of photography or digital imaging to make sense of things, either. In classic For Dummies style, everything is explained in easy-to-understand language, with lots of illustrations to help clear up any confusion.

In short, what you have in your hands is the paperback version of an in-depth photography workshop tailored specifically to your Nikon picture-taking powerhouse.

A Quick Look at What's Ahead

This book is organized into four parts, each devoted to a different aspect of using your camera. Although chapters flow in a sequence that's designed to take you from absolute beginner to experienced user, I've also tried to make each chapter as self-standing as possible so that you can explore the topics that interest you in any order you please.

Here's a brief preview of what you can find in each part of the book:

PartI: Fast Track to Super Snaps: Part I contains two chapters to help you get up and running. Chapter 1 guides you through initial camera setup, shows you how to view and adjust camera settings, and walks you through the steps of taking your first pictures using the Auto exposure mode. Chapter 2 introduces you to other exposure modes and also explains basic picture options such as Flash mode, Shutter Release mode, Image Size (resolution), and Image Quality (JPEG or Raw).PartII: Taking Creative Control: Chapters in this part help you unleash the full creative power of your camera by detailing the advanced shooting modes (P, S, A, and M). Chapter 3 covers the critical topic of exposure; Chapter 4 explains how to manipulate focus; and Chapter 5 discusses color controls. Chapter 6 summarizes techniques explained in earlier chapters, providing a quick-reference guide to the camera settings and shooting strategies that produce the best results for portraits, action shots, landscape scenes, and close-ups. Chapter 7 shifts gears, moving from still photography to HD movie recording with your D5300.PartIII: After the Shot: This part offers two chapters, both dedicated to tasks you do after you press the shutter button. Chapter 8 explains how to review your pictures on the camera monitor, create an in-camera slide show, and connect your camera to a TV for large-screen playback. Chapter 9 topics include rating, deleting, and protecting photos, downloading images to your computer or to a tablet or smartphone, processing Raw files, and preparing pictures for online sharing.PartIV: The Part of Tens: In famous For Dummies tradition, the book concludes with two top-ten lists containing additional bits of information and advice. Chapter 10 covers the photo-editing and effects tools found on the camera's Retouch menu and also shows you how to use the Effects exposure mode to add special effects to movies and photos as you record them. Chapter 11 wraps up the book by detailing some camera features that, although not found on most “Top Ten Reasons I Bought My Nikon D5300” lists, are nonetheless interesting, useful on occasion, or a bit of both.

Icons and Other Stuff to Note

If this isn't your first For Dummies book, you may be familiar with the large, round icons that decorate its margins. If not, here's your very own icon-decoder ring:

The Tip icon flags information that will save you time, effort, money, or some other valuable resource, including your sanity. Tips also point out techniques that help you get the best results from specific camera features.

When you see this icon, look alive. It indicates a potential danger zone that can result in much wailing and teeth-gnashing if ignored. In other words, this is stuff that you really don't want to learn the hard way.

Lots of information in this book is of a technical nature — digital photography is a technical animal, after all. But if I present a detail that is useful mainly for impressing your technology-geek friends, I mark it with this icon.

I apply this icon either to introduce information that is especially worth storing in your brain's long-term memory or to remind you of a fact that may have been displaced from that memory by another pressing fact.

Additionally, I need to point out these extra details that will help you use this book effectively:

Other margin art: Replicas of some of your camera's buttons and onscreen symbols also appear in the margins of some paragraphs. I include these to provide a quick reminder of the appearance of the button or feature being discussed.Software menu commands: In sections that cover software, a series of words connected by an arrow indicates commands that you choose from the program menus. For example, if a step tells you to “Choose File⇒Convert Files,” click the File menu to unfurl it and then click the Convert Files command on the menu.

eCheat Sheet

For a little bonus, you can find an electronic version of the famous For Dummies eCheat Sheet at www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/nikond5300. The eCheat Sheet contains a quick-reference guide to all the buttons, dials, switches, and exposure modes on your camera. Log on, print it out, and tuck it in your camera bag for times when you don't want to carry this book with you.

Practice, Be Patient, and Have Fun!

To wrap up this preamble, I want to stress that if you initially think that digital photography is too confusing or too technical for you, you're in very good company. Everyone finds this stuff mind-boggling at first. So take it slowly, experimenting with just one or two new camera settings or techniques at first. Then, every time you go on a photo outing, make it a point to add one or two more shooting skills to your repertoire.

I know that it's hard to believe when you're just starting out, but it really won't be long before everything starts to come together. With some time, patience, and practice, you'll soon wield your camera like a pro, dialing in the necessary settings to capture your creative vision almost instinctively.

So without further ado, I invite you to grab your camera, a cup of whatever it is you prefer to sip while you read, and start exploring the rest of this book. Your D5300 is the perfect partner for your photographic journey, and I thank you for allowing me, through this book, to serve as your tour guide.

Occasionally, Wiley's technology books are updated. If this book has technical updates, they'll be posted at www.dummies.com/go/nikond5300updates.

Part I

Fast Track to Super Snaps

Visit www.dummies.com for more great For Dummies content online.

In this part …

Familiarize yourself with the basics of using your camera, from attaching lenses to navigating menus.Find step-by-step instructions for point-and-shoot photography in Auto mode.Try out Live View shooting and customize the Live View display.Find out how to select the shutter-release mode, exposure mode, Image Size (picture resolution), and Image Quality (file type, JPEG or Raw).Discover options available for flash photography in different exposure modes.