Nikon D7100 For Dummies E-Book

Julie Adair King

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Seitenzahl: 537

Beschreibung

A must-have, full-color guide to the Nikon D7100 The Nikon D7100 is an ideal camera for beginning photographers who may lack structured photography training but are still eager and determined to take great photos. And that?s where this fun-and-friendly guide comes in handy! Packed with more than 300 full-color photos, this introductory guide begins by helping you get a feel for the camera, get comfortable shooting in auto mode, managing playback options, and handle basic troubleshooting strategies. Veteran author Julie Adair King walks you through the D7100's features and encourages you to take creative control so that you can start capturing stunning pictures immediately. * Packs in more than 300 full-color photos that exemplify the basic photo skills needed to get great shots * Shares a wealth of information from one of the most popular digital photography authors * Walks you through adjusting manual settings to get better results from exposure, lighting, focus, and color * Contains an entire chapter on video mode * Explains how to send images to a computer for organizing, editing, and sharing Nikon D7100 For Dummies helps you get a grasp on your camera's controls so you can start taking memorable photos today!

Leseprobe

Nikon® D7100™ For Dummies®

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

Copyright © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2013937650

ISBN 978-1-118-53046-7 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118-53040-5 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-53049-8 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-53055-9 (ebk)

Manufactured in the United States of America

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Nikon D7100 For Dummies®

Visit www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/nikond7100 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 the Lay of the Land

Looking at Lenses

Choosing a lens

Attaching and removing lenses

Changing the focusing method (auto or manual)

Zooming in and out

Getting shake-free shots with Vibration Reduction (VR) lenses

Adjusting the Viewfinder Focus

Ordering from Camera Menus

Decoding the Displays

Working with Memory Cards

Using two cards at the same time

Formatting cards

Exploring External Camera Controls

Topside controls

Back-of-the-body controls

Front-left controls

Front-right controls

Hidden connections

Asking Your Camera for Help

Reviewing Basic Setup Options

Cruising the Setup menu

Browsing the Custom Setting menu

Choosing a storage folder

Restoring default settings

Chapter 2: Choosing Basic Picture Settings

Choosing an Exposure Mode

Choosing the Shutter-Release Mode

Single Frame and Quiet modes

Continuous (burst mode) shooting

Self-timer shooting

Mirror lockup (MUP)

Off-the-dial shutter release features

Choosing the Right Image Size and Image Quality Settings

Diagnosing quality problems

Considering image size: How many pixels are enough?

Understanding Image Quality options (JPEG or Raw)

JPEG: The imaging (and web) standard

Raw (NEF): The purist’s choice

Reducing the Image Area (DX versus 1.3x Crop)

Chapter 3: Taking Great Pictures, Automatically

Setting Up for Automatic Success

As Easy as It Gets: Auto and Auto Flash Off

Taking Advantage of Scene Modes

Selecting a Scene mode

Checking out the Scene(s)

Chapter 4: Exploring Live View Photography and Movie Making

Using Your Monitor as a Viewfinder

Live View safety tips

Customizing the Live View display

Displaying the Live View preview on an HDMI screen

Exploring Live View Focusing

Choosing an Autofocus mode

Setting the AF-area mode

Stepping through the focusing process

Manual focusing in Live View mode

Shooting Still Pictures in Live View Mode

Shooting Movies

Easy-does-it movie recording

Adjusting basic recording settings

Screening Your Movies

Trimming Movies

Saving a Movie Frame as a Still Image

Part II: Working with Picture Files

Chapter 5: Playback Mode: Viewing, Erasing, and Protecting Photos

Customizing Basic Playback Options

Adjusting playback timing

Enabling automatic picture rotation

Viewing Images in Playback Mode

Viewing multiple images at a time

Displaying photos in Calendar view

Choosing which images to view

Magnifying photos during playback

Viewing Picture Data

Choosing data-display options

File Information mode

Highlights display mode

RGB Histogram mode

Shooting Data display mode

GPS Data mode

Overview mode

Deleting Photos

Deleting images one at a time

Deleting all photos

Deleting a batch of selected photos

Hiding Photos during Playback

Protecting Photos

Creating a Slide Show

Viewing Your Photos on a Television

Chapter 6: Downloading, Printing, and Sharing Your Photos

Choosing the Right Photo Software

Three free photo programs

Advanced photo programs

Sending Pictures to the Computer

Connecting the camera and computer

Starting the transfer process

Downloading using ViewNX 2

Processing Raw (NEF) Files

Processing Raw images in the camera

Processing Raw files in ViewNX 2

Planning for Perfect Prints

Check the pixel count before you print

Allow for different print proportions

Get print and monitor colors in sync

Preparing Pictures for Online Use

Prepping online photos using ViewNX 2

Creating screen-friendly copies in the camera

Copying Files from One Card to Another

Part III: Taking Creative Control

Chapter 7: Getting Creative with Exposure and Lighting

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

Understanding exposure-setting side effects

Doing the exposure balancing act

Exploring the Advanced Exposure Modes

Reading (And Adjusting) the Meter

Setting Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO

Adjusting aperture and shutter speed

Controlling ISO

Choosing an Exposure Metering Mode

Sorting through Your Camera’s Exposure-Correction Tools

Applying Exposure Compensation

Using Autoexposure Lock

Expanding tonal range with Active D-Lighting

Exploring high dynamic range (HDR) photography

Working with Flash

Setting the Flash mode

Adjusting flash output

Locking flash exposure on your subject

Exploring a few additional flash options

Bracketing Exposures

Bracketing exposure and flash

Bracketing Active D-Lighting

Chapter 8: Manipulating Focus and Color

Mastering the Autofocusing System

Choosing an Autofocus mode

Choosing an AF-area mode: One focus point or many?

Choosing the right autofocus combo

Selecting (and locking) an autofocus point

Autofocusing with still subjects: AF-S + Single Point

Focusing on moving subjects: AF-C + Dynamic Area

Exploring a few last autofocus tweaks

Focusing Manually

Manipulating Depth of Field

Controlling Color

Correcting colors with white balance

Changing the White Balance setting

Fine-tuning White Balance settings

Creating custom White Balance presets

Bracketing white balance

Choosing a Color Space: sRGB versus Adobe RGB

Taking a Quick Look at Picture Controls

Chapter 9: Putting It All Together

Recapping Basic Picture Settings

Shooting Still Portraits

Capturing Action

Capturing Scenic Vistas

Capturing Dynamic Close-Ups

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

Cropping (Trimming) Your Photo

Manipulating Exposure and Color

Creating Monochrome Images

Playing with Special Effects

Retouch menu special-effects filters

Shooting in Effects mode

Two Roads to a Multi-Image Exposure

Chapter 11: Ten More Ways to Customize Your Camera

Creating Custom Exposure Modes

Creating Your Own Menu

Adding Image Comments

Embedding a Copyright Notice

Customizing File and Folder Names

Changing the Purpose of the OK Button

Customizing the Command Dials

Customizing the Fn, Depth-of-Field Preview, and AE-L/AF-L Buttons

Customizing buttons for still photography

Customizing buttons for movie recording

Modifying the Role of the Shutter Button

About the Author

Cheat Sheet

Introduction

Nikon. The name has been associated with top-flight photography equipment for generations. And the introduction of the D7100 has only enriched Nikon’s well-deserved reputation, offering all the control a die-hard photography enthusiast could want while at the same time providing easy-to-use, point-and-shoot features for the beginner.

In fact, the D7100 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 SLRmeans or how it affects your picture-taking, let alone have a clue as to 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. Which is a shame because it’s sort of like buying a Porsche and never actually taking it on the road.

Therein lies the point of Nikon D7100 For Dummies. Through 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:

Part I: Fast Track to Super Snaps: Part I contains four chapters to help you get up and running. Chapter 1 offers a tour of the external controls on your camera, shows you how to navigate camera menus, and walks you through initial camera setup. Chapter 2 explains basic picture-taking options, such as shutter-release mode and Image Quality settings, and Chapter 3 shows you how to use the camera’s fully automatic exposure modes. Chapter 4 explains the ins and outs of using Live View, the feature that lets you compose pictures on the monitor, and also covers movie recording.

Part II: Working with Picture Files: This part offers two chapters dedicated to after-the-shot topics. Chapter 5 explains how to review your pictures on the camera monitor, delete unwanted images, and protect your favorites from accidental erasure. Chapter 6 offers a look at some photo software options — including Nikon ViewNX 2, which ships free with your camera — and guides you through the process of downloading pictures to your computer and preparing them for printing and online sharing.

Part III: Taking Creative Control: Chapters in this part help you unleash the full power of your camera by moving into the advanced shooting modes (P, S, A, and M). Chapter 7 covers the critical topic of exposure, and Chapter 8 explains how to manipulate focus and color. Chapter 9summarizes all the 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.

Part IV: 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 customization features that, although not found on most “Top Ten Reasons I Bought My Nikon D7100” 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:

A 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 some other pressing fact.

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

Other margin art: Replicas of some of your camera’s buttons and onscreen symbols also appear in the margins next to 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.

Online updates: Occasionally, Wiley's technology books are updated. If this book has technical updates, they'll be posted at www.dummies.com/go/nikond7100updates.

eCheat Sheet

As a little added bonus, you can find an electronic version of the famous For Dummies eCheat Sheet at www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/nikond7100. The eCheat Sheet contains a quick-reference guide to all the buttons, dials, switches, and exposure modes on your camera. 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 a little mind-boggling at first. So take it slowly, experimenting with just one or two new camera settings or techniques at first. Then, each 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 D7100 is the perfect partner for your photographic journey, and I thank you for allowing me, through this book, to serve as your tour guide.

Part I

Fast Track to Super Snaps

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

In this part . . .

Get familiar with the basics of using your camera, from attaching lenses to using the Information display and Control panel.

Find out how to select the shutter-release mode, exposure mode, picture resolution, file type (JPEG or Raw), and image area.

Discover tips for getting good results in the automatic exposure modes.

Start taking creative control by stepping up to Scene modes.

Switch to Live View mode to compose pictures by using the monitor.

Record, play, and trim digital movies.

1

Getting the Lay of the Land

In This Chapter

Attaching and using an SLR lens

Adjusting the viewfinder to your eyesight

Selecting from menus

Figuring out the displays

Working with memory cards

Getting acquainted with your camera

Customizing basic operations

If you’re like me, shooting for the first time with a camera as sophisticated as the Nikon D7100 produces a blend of excitement and anxiety. On one hand, you can’t wait to start using your new equipment, but on the other, you’re a little intimidated by all its buttons, dials, and menu options.

Well, fear not: This chapter provides the information you need to start getting comfortable with your D7100. Along with an introduction to the camera’s external controls, I offer details about working with lenses and memory cards, viewing and adjusting camera settings, and choosing basic camera setup options.

Looking at Lenses

One of the biggest differences between a digital point-and-shoot camera and a dSLR (digital single-lens reflex) camera is the lens. With a dSLR, you can change lenses to suit different photographic needs, going from an extreme close-up lens to a super-long telephoto, for example. In addition, a dSLR lens has a focusing ring that gives you the option of focusing manually instead of relying on the camera’s autofocus mechanism.

I don’t have room in this book to go into detail about the science of lenses, nor do I think that an in-depth knowledge of the subject is terribly important to your photographic success. But the next few sections offer advice that may help when you’re shopping for lenses, figuring out whether the lenses you inherited from Uncle Ted or found on eBay will work with your D7100, and taking the steps involved in actually mounting and using a lens.

Choosing a lens

To decide which lens is the best partner for your camera, start by considering these factors:

Lens compatibility: You can mount a wide range of lenses on your D7100, but some lenses aren’t fully compatible with all camera features. For example, with some lenses, you can’t take advantage of autofocusing and must focus manually.

Your camera manual lists all the lens types that can be mounted on the camera and explains what features are supported with each type. For maximum compatibility, look for these types: Type D or G AF Nikkor, AF-S Nikkor, or AF-I Nikkor. (The latter is an older, expensive professional lens that is no longer sold but might be available on the resale market.)