Nikon D3200 Digital Field Guide

Key Camera Controls

The best thing you can do with your new camera is familiarize yourself with the location of all of its controls. The following sections identify and explain the controls, buttons, levers, and switches located on the outside of the camera.

The top of the camera

The top of the Nikon D3200 is home to two of the most important controls on the camera: The Mode dial and the shutter-release button. The top of the camera is also where the On/Off switch and the dedicated Movie-record button are located, as shown in Figure 1.1.

1.1 The Nikon D3200 viewed from above.

Here are the controls on the top of the D3200:

▶ Focus ring. The focus ring on the lens allows you to adjust the focus manually by rotating the lens to the left or right when the camera is set to Manual focus mode ().

▶ Zoom ring. This ring on the lens allows you to change the focal length of zoom lenses, like the kit lens. You just rotate the ring to the left or right to zoom in or out.

▶ Focal length indicator. These markings show what focal length the lens is set to. For example, in Figure 1.1 the focal length was set at 24mm.

▶ On/Off switch. You have to turn the camera on for it to work and you do it here. Rotate the switch to the right to turn it on and to the left to turn it off.

▶ Shutter-release button. ...