Nikon D3100 Digital Field Guide

Nikon D3100 Digital Field Guide

by J. Dennis Thomas
Released December 2010
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9780470648650

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Book description

Maximize the advantages of your powerful Nikon D3100

Whether you're new to dSLR photography or just new to the Nikon D3100, this convenient, portable guide will help you make the most of your camera in every situation. You'll learn not only what all the controls do, but how to use them most effectively. You'll get professional pointers on lenses and lighting, including Nikon Speedlights. You'll learn to capture the best shots in dozens of settings and edit them right in the camera. Get all your D3100 has to offer.

  • Learn to use the displays, scene and exposure modes, autofocus modes, and white balance settings

  • Refresh your knowledge of essential photography concepts

  • Capture full High Definition video at 1080p

  • Discover the secrets of getting award-winning action photos and portraits as well as landscapes, architectural and product shots, and more

Inside - your free gray card and color checker card to help you achieve accurate white balance and color

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. About the Author
  3. Credits
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Introduction
    1. About This Book
    2. About the D3100
  6. Quick Tour
    1. Getting Started
      1. Shooting Mode
      2. Drive Mode
      3. Focus
      4. Playback
    2. Downloading
  7. 1. Exploring the Nikon D3100
    1. 1.1. Key Components of the D3100
      1. 1.1.1. Top of the camera
      2. 1.1.2. Back of the camera
      3. 1.1.3. Front and sides of the camera
        1. 1.1.3.1. Right side
        2. 1.1.3.2. Left side
        3. 1.1.3.3. Bottom
    2. 1.2. Viewfinder Display
    3. 1.3. Information Display
  8. 2. Nikon D3100 Essentials
    1. 2.1. Exposure Modes
      1. 2.1.1. Auto modes
        1. 2.1.1.1. Auto
        2. 2.1.1.2. Auto (flash off)
      2. 2.1.2. Advanced scene modes
        1. 2.1.2.1. Portrait
        2. 2.1.2.2. Landscape
        3. 2.1.2.3. Child
        4. 2.1.2.4. Sports
        5. 2.1.2.5. Close Up
        6. 2.1.2.6. Night Portrait
      3. 2.1.3. Programmed Auto
      4. 2.1.4. Aperture Priority
      5. 2.1.5. Shutter Priority
      6. 2.1.6. Manual
    2. 2.2. Release Modes
    3. 2.3. Metering Modes
      1. 2.3.1. Matrix
      2. 2.3.2. Center-weighted
      3. 2.3.3. Spot
    4. 2.4. Autofocus Modes
      1. 2.4.1. Continuous
      2. 2.4.2. Single
      3. 2.4.3. Auto
      4. 2.4.4. Manual
    5. 2.5. AF Area Modes
      1. 2.5.1. Single-point AF mode
      2. 2.5.2. Dynamic-area AF mode
      3. 2.5.3. 3D-tracking mode
      4. 2.5.4. Auto-area AF
    6. 2.6. ISO Sensitivity
      1. 2.6.1. Auto ISO
      2. 2.6.2. Noise reduction
        1. 2.6.2.1. Long exposure NR
        2. 2.6.2.2. High ISO NR
    7. 2.7. White Balance
      1. 2.7.1. What is Kelvin?
      2. 2.7.2. White balance settings
    8. 2.8. Picture Controls
      1. 2.8.1. Original Picture Controls
      2. 2.8.2. Custom Picture Controls
    9. 2.9. Understanding JPEG Compression
      1. 2.9.1. Image size
      2. 2.9.2. Image quality
    10. 2.10. NEF or RAW Flexibility
  9. 3. Exploring the Nikon D3100 Menus
    1. 3.1. Playback Menu
      1. 3.1.1. Delete
      2. 3.1.2. Playback folder
      3. 3.1.3. Display mode
      4. 3.1.4. Image review
      5. 3.1.5. Rotate tall
      6. 3.1.6. Slide show
      7. 3.1.7. Print set (DPOF)
    2. 3.2. Shooting Menu
      1. 3.2.1. Reset shooting options
      2. 3.2.2. Set Picture Control
      3. 3.2.3. Image quality
      4. 3.2.4. Image size
      5. 3.2.5. White balance
        1. 3.2.5.1. Using standard WB settings
        2. 3.2.5.2. Preset white balance
          1. 3.2.5.2.1. Direct measurement
          2. 3.2.5.2.2. Copy white balance from an existing photograph
      6. 3.2.6. ISO sensitivity settings
      7. 3.2.7. Active D-Lighting
      8. 3.2.8. Auto distortion control
      9. 3.2.9. Color space
      10. 3.2.10. Noise reduction
      11. 3.2.11. AF area mode
      12. 3.2.12. AF-assist
      13. 3.2.13. Metering
      14. 3.2.14. Movie settings
        1. 3.2.14.1. Quality
        2. 3.2.14.2. Sound
      15. 3.2.15. Built-in flash
    3. 3.3. Setup Menu
      1. 3.3.1. Reset setup options
      2. 3.3.2. Format memory card
      3. 3.3.3. LCD brightness
      4. 3.3.4. Info display format
      5. 3.3.5. Auto info display
      6. 3.3.6. Clean image sensor
      7. 3.3.7. Mirror lock-up
      8. 3.3.8. Video mode
      9. 3.3.9. HDMI
        1. 3.3.9.1. Output resolution
        2. 3.3.9.2. Device Control
      10. 3.3.10. Flicker reduction
      11. 3.3.11. Time zone and date
      12. 3.3.12. Language
      13. 3.3.13. Image comment
      14. 3.3.14. Auto image rotation
      15. 3.3.15. Dust Off ref photo
      16. 3.3.16. Auto off timers
      17. 3.3.17. Self-timer delay
      18. 3.3.18. Beep
      19. 3.3.19. Rangefinder
      20. 3.3.20. File number sequence
      21. 3.3.21. Buttons
      22. 3.3.22. Slot empty release lock
      23. 3.3.23. Date imprint
      24. 3.3.24. Storage folder
      25. 3.3.25. GPS
        1. 3.3.25.1. Auto meter-off
        2. 3.3.25.2. Position
      26. 3.3.26. Eye-fi upload
      27. 3.3.27. Firmware version
    4. 3.4. Retouch Menu
      1. 3.4.1. Recent settings
  10. 4. Essential Photography Concepts
    1. 4.1. Understanding Exposure
      1. 4.1.1. Shutter speed
      2. 4.1.2. ISO
      3. 4.1.3. Aperture
    2. 4.2. Fine-Tuning Your Exposure
      1. 4.2.1. Exposure compensation
      2. 4.2.2. Histograms
      3. 4.2.3. Bracketing
    3. 4.3. Understanding Depth of Field
    4. 4.4. Rules of Composition
      1. 4.4.1. Keep it simple
      2. 4.4.2. Rule of Thirds
      3. 4.4.3. Leading lines and S-curves
      4. 4.4.4. Helpful hints
  11. 5. Selecting and Using Lenses
    1. 5.1. Introduction to Lenses
      1. 5.1.1. Nikon lens compatibility
      2. 5.1.2. Deciphering Nikon's lens codes
      3. 5.1.3. DX crop factor
    2. 5.2. Kit Lenses
    3. 5.3. Zoom Lenses versus Prime Lenses
      1. 5.3.1. Understanding zoom lenses
        1. 5.3.1.1. Variable aperture
        2. 5.3.1.2. Depth of field
        3. 5.3.1.3. Quality
      2. 5.3.2. Understanding prime lenses
    4. 5.4. Wide-angle and Ultrawide-angle Lenses
      1. 5.4.1. When to use a wide-angle lens
      2. 5.4.2. Understanding wide-angle limitations
    5. 5.5. Standard or Midrange Lenses
    6. 5.6. Telephoto Lenses
    7. 5.7. Macro Lenses
    8. 5.8. Using Vibration Reduction Lenses
  12. 6. Working with Light
    1. 6.1. Lighting Essentials
      1. 6.1.1. Soft light
      2. 6.1.2. Hard light
      3. 6.1.3. Frontlight
      4. 6.1.4. Sidelight
      5. 6.1.5. Backlight
    2. 6.2. Natural Light
    3. 6.3. Continuous Lighting
      1. 6.3.1. Incandescent and halogen
      2. 6.3.2. Fluorescent
    4. 6.4. D3100 Flash Basics
      1. 6.4.1. Understanding Flash Exposure
        1. 6.4.1.1. Guide Number
        2. 6.4.1.2. Aperture
        3. 6.4.1.3. Distance
        4. 6.4.1.4. GN / Distance = Aperture
      2. 6.4.2. Built-in Flash exposure modes
        1. 6.4.2.1. i-TTL
        2. 6.4.2.2. Manual
      3. 6.4.3. Flash sync modes
        1. 6.4.3.1. Sync speed
        2. 6.4.3.2. Front-curtain sync
        3. 6.4.3.3. Red-eye reduction
        4. 6.4.3.4. Slow sync
        5. 6.4.3.5. Rear-curtain sync
      4. 6.4.4. Flash Exposure Compensation
      5. 6.4.5. Fill flash
      6. 6.4.6. Bounce flash
    5. 6.5. Nikon Creative Lighting System Basics
      1. 6.5.1. Understanding the Creative Lighting System
      2. 6.5.2. Speedlights
        1. 6.5.2.1. SB-900
        2. 6.5.2.2. SB-800
        3. 6.5.2.3. SB-700
        4. 6.5.2.4. SB-600
        5. 6.5.2.5. SB-400
        6. 6.5.2.6. SU-800 wireless Speedlight commander
  13. 7. Working with Live View and Video
    1. 7.1. Live View
      1. 7.1.1. Focus Modes
        1. 7.1.1.1. AF-S Single servo
        2. 7.1.1.2. AF-F Full time servo
      2. 7.1.2. AF area modes
    2. 7.2. Video
      1. 7.2.1. About Video
      2. 7.2.2. Progressive versus interlaced
      3. 7.2.3. Frame rate
      4. 7.2.4. Shutter
      5. 7.2.5. Setting up for video
      6. 7.2.6. Recording
      7. 7.2.7. Sound
    3. 7.3. Tricks, Tips, and Workarounds
      1. 7.3.1. Playback
      2. 7.3.2. Editing
  14. 8. Real World Applications
    1. 8.1. Abstract Photography
      1. 8.1.1. Inspiration
      2. 8.1.2. Abstract photography practice
      3. 8.1.3. Abstract photography tips
    2. 8.2. Action and Sports Photography
      1. 8.2.1. Inspiration
      2. 8.2.2. Action and sports photography practice
      3. 8.2.3. Action and sports photography tips
    3. 8.3. Architectural Photography
      1. 8.3.1. Inspiration
      2. 8.3.2. Architectural photography practice
      3. 8.3.3. Architectural photography tips
    4. 8.4. Concert Photography
      1. 8.4.1. Inspiration
      2. 8.4.2. Concert photography practice
      3. 8.4.3. Concert photography tips
    5. 8.5. Flower and Plant Photography
      1. 8.5.1. Inspiration
      2. 8.5.2. Flower and plant photography practice
      3. 8.5.3. Flower and plant photography tips
    6. 8.6. Landscape Photography
      1. 8.6.1. Inspiration
      2. 8.6.2. Landscape photography practice
      3. 8.6.3. Landscape photography tips
    7. 8.7. Macro Photography
      1. 8.7.1. Inspiration
      2. 8.7.2. Macro photography practice
      3. 8.7.3. Macro photography tips
    8. 8.8. Night and Low-Light Photography
      1. 8.8.1. Inspiration
      2. 8.8.2. Night and low-light photography practice
      3. 8.8.3. Night and low-light photography tips
    9. 8.9. Pet Photography
      1. 8.9.1. Inspiration
      2. 8.9.2. Pet photography practice
      3. 8.9.3. Pet photography tips
    10. 8.10. Portrait Photography
      1. 8.10.1. Indoor
      2. 8.10.2. Outdoor
      3. 8.10.3. Portrait photography practice
      4. 8.10.4. Portrait photography tips
    11. 8.11. Wildlife Photography
      1. 8.11.1. Wildlife photography practice
      2. 8.11.2. Wildlife photography tips
  15. 9. Viewing and In-camera Editing
    1. 9.1. Viewing Your Images
      1. 9.1.1. Standard TV
      2. 9.1.2. HDTV
    2. 9.2. Downloading Images
    3. 9.3. The Retouch Menu
    4. 9.4. Retouch Menu Options
      1. 9.4.1. D-Lighting
      2. 9.4.2. Red-eye correction
      3. 9.4.3. Trim
      4. 9.4.4. Monochrome
      5. 9.4.5. Filter effects
      6. 9.4.6. Color balance
      7. 9.4.7. Small picture
      8. 9.4.8. Image overlay
      9. 9.4.9. NEF (RAW) processing
      10. 9.4.10. Quick retouch
      11. 9.4.11. Straighten
      12. 9.4.12. Distortion control
      13. 9.4.13. Fisheye
      14. 9.4.14. Color outline
      15. 9.4.15. Miniature effect
      16. 9.4.16. Edit Movie
      17. 9.4.17. Before and after
  16. A. Accessories
    1. A.1. MC-DC2 Remote Release Cord
    2. A.2. Tripods
      1. A.2.1. Which tripod is right for you?
    3. A.3. Video accessories
      1. A.3.1. Steadi-cam
      2. A.3.2. Lighting
      3. A.3.3. Fluid tripod head
    4. A.4. Camera Bags and Cases
  17. B. How to Use the Gray Card and Color Checker
    1. B.1. The Gray Card
    2. B.2. The Color Checker
  18. Glossary

Product information

  • Title: Nikon D3100 Digital Field Guide
  • Author(s): J. Dennis Thomas
  • Release date: December 2010
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470648650