Manipulating Focus and Color in Nikon D300s

In This Chapter
Controlling the camera’s autofocusing performance
Understanding focal lengths, depth of field, and other focus factors
Exploring white balance and its affect on color
Investigating other advanced color options
To many people, the word focus has just one interpretation when applied to a photograph: Either the subject is in focus or it’s blurry. And it’s true — this characteristic of your photographs is an important one. There’s not much to appreciate about an image that’s so blurry that you can’t make out whether you’re looking at Peru or Peoria.
But an artful photographer knows that there’s more to focus than simply getting a sharp image of a subject. You also need to consider depth of field, or the distance over which objects remain sharply focused. This chapter explains all the ways to control depth of field as well as how to take best advantage of the myriad focusing options on your camera.
In addition, this chapter dives into the topic of color, explaining your camera’s White Balance control, which compensates for the varying color casts created by different light sources. You also can get my take on the other color features, including the Color Space option and Picture Controls, in this chapter.
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Understanding Focusing Basics

One of the most important advantages you gain from stepping up to a powerhouse camera like the D300s is access to an amazing array of autofocusing features, all designed to help you achieve tack-sharp focus with just the press of a button.
Although I cover all the focusing options in this chapter, the two most critical to understand — and, coincidentally, the only two adjusted via external camera switches rather than through the Custom Setting menu — are the following:
Focus mode: You use this setting to specify whether you want to focus manually or take advantage of one of two autofocusing options, one designed for still subjects and the other for moving subjects. (Keep in mind that whether you can take advantage of autofocusing depends on your lens. See Chapter 1 for a primer on lenses.)
AF-area mode: If you go with autofocusing, you use this setting to tell the camera what area of the frame to analyze when establishing focus. You can ask the camera to consider all 51 of its autofocusing points, a single point, or something in between.
Together, these two options set the foundation for focusing with the D300s, so make learning them your priority. The next several sections detail each option individually. Within each section, you can read about the Custom Setting options that enable you to fine-tune the autofocus system, but if you start to feel overwhelmed, leave those options on the back burner and stick with the defaults until you get the basics nailed down. Wrapping up the focusing discussion, you can find a review of the steps you take to use different combinations of the Focus mode/AF-area mode tag team.
One note before you dig in: Information in this chapter assumes that you haven’t changed the default functions of camera buttons (such as the center button of the Multi Selector and the shutter button). I detail those customization options in Chapter 10, but it’s a good idea to leave the buttons at their default settings until you’re fully acquainted with the camera — otherwise, instructions here (and those you find in the camera manual) aren’t going to work.

Choosing a Focus mode: M, S, or C?

The first step in controlling focus with the D300s is to select a Focus mode, which sets the camera to either manual focusing or autofocusing. Depending on your lens, you may also need to set a focus-mode switch on it as well. Here’s the drill:
Autofocusing: Set the camera’s Focus mode selector switch, shown in Figure 6-1, to one of the two autofocus settings, S or C. If your lens, like the one in the figure, has a focus mode switch, move that switch to the A position (or AF, depending on the lens) as well.

The camera’s S and C autofocus settings work like so:

• S (single-servo autofocus): With this option, the camera locks focus when you depress the shutter button halfway. It’s designed for shooting stationary subjects. (Think S for still, stationary.)
C (continuous-servo autofocus): In this mode, which is designed
for moving subjects, the camera sets focus initially at the time you press the shutter button halfway bu then continually adjusts focus as necessary up to the time you take the picture. (Think C for continuous motion.)
You can also press and hold the AF-ON button instead of the shutter button to initiate auto-focusing. However, if your lens offers vibration reduction, be aware that the feature doesn’t work if you use the AF-ON button to focus; vibration reduction engages only when you focus using the shutter button. See the later section “Putting the AF-ON button to work” for more details on the
AF-ON button.
Set the camera to manual or autofocus through the Focus mode selector switch.
Figure 6-1: Set the camera to manual or autofocus through the Focus mode selector switch.
Manual focusing: Again, if your lens has an auto/manual switch, set it to the M (or MF) position. Set the camera’s Focus mode switch to M. With manual focusing, you simply twist the focusing ring on the lens barrel to focus.
However you focus, you see the focus indicator light in the viewfinder when focus is achieved, as shown in Figure 6-2. But in continuous-servo mode, the light may blink on and off while the camera adjusts focus in response to motion. When you use manual focusing or pair the S or C autofocus modes with the Dynamic Area or Single Point AF-area mode (both explained later in this chapter), the indicator lights when the object under the selected focus point comes into focus. You can see what a focus point looks
In all three Focus modes, the focus indicator light appears when focus is achieved.
Figure 6-2: In all three Focus modes, the focus indicator light appears when focus is achieved.
like in Figure 6-2; see the upcoming section “Selecting (and locking) a focus point” to find out more about selecting the point you want to use. If you set
the AF-area mode to Auto Area, the camera selects the focus point for you; one or more focus points appear in the viewfinder after you press the shutter button halfway to let you know what points were used.
One other critical thing to note about the single-servo and continuous-servo modes: By default, the camera refuses to take a picture in single-servo (S) mode if it can’t achieve focus. No way, no how, it’s not going to take an out-of-focus picture no matter how hard you press the shutter button. With continuous-servo (C) autofocus, the opposite occurs: The camera assumes that because this mode is designed for shooting action, you want to capture the shot at the instant you press the shutter button, regardless of whether it had time to set focus.
Because Nikon figures you didn’t buy a camera as advanced as the D300s to be limited to only one way of doing things, though, you can adjust this behavior through the Custom Setting menu. The relevant options are the two AF Priority options at the top of the Autofocus section of the menu, shown in Figure 6-3. (The AF stands for autofocus.)
You can tell the camera whether to go ahead and take the picture even if focus hasn't been achieved.
Figure 6-3: You can tell the camera whether to go ahead and take the picture even if focus hasn’t been achieved.

Here are your choices for each option:

‘ AF-C Priority Selection: For this option, which controls continuous-servo focusing behavior, you have three possible settings, as shown on the right in Figure 6-3:
• Release: This setting is the default and enables you to take the picture regardless of whether focus is achieved.
• Release+Focus: In this mode, you can snap the pic before focus is set, but if you’re shooting a continuous burst of pictures — by using the Continuous release modes covered in Chapter 2 — the camera automatically slows the frame rate a little to give itself just
a hair more time to focus between shots. This adjustment occurs only when the lighting on the subject is poor or little contrast exists in the scene.
• Focus: You can’t take the picture until focus is achieved and that little focus lamp lights in the viewfinder.
AF-S Priority Selection: This option, shown in Figure 6-4, controls the shutter release for the single-servo (S) autofocus mode. You get only two choices: Release, which lets you take the picture regardless of whether focus is set; and Focus, which prevents you from taking the picture until the little focus lamp signals to you that focus is good.
At this (default) setting, the camera won't take a picture until the focus indicator lamp lights.
Figure 6-4: At this (default) setting, the camera won’t take a picture until the focus indicator lamp lights.
To decide which option is right for you, you have to consider whether you’d rather have any shot, even if it’s out of focus, or capture only those that are in focus. I prefer the latter, so I set the AF-C option to Focus and the AF-S option to Locked. Why waste battery power, memory card space, and inevitable time deleting out-of-focus pictures, after all? Yes, if you’re shooting rapid action, you may miss a few shots waiting for the focus to occur, but if they’re going to be lousy shots, who cares?
Sports shooters who regularly fire off hundreds of shots while covering an event, though, may want to “unlock” the shutter release for continuous-servo mode or at least shift to Release+Focus. Again, you may wind up with lots of wasted shots, but you increase the odds that you’ll capture that split-second “highlight reel” moment. If it’s slightly out of focus, you can probably retouch it enough to make it passable, especially if the picture content is truly special. And by using camera settings that produce a large depth of field (zone of sharp focus), your subject may appear in focus even if the actual focusing point the camera used wasn’t dead on. Later sections in this chapter discuss depth of field.

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

When you look through the viewfinder, you see brackets on either side of the frame, as illustrated in Figure 6-5. These brackets indicate the overall auto-focus area. Within those brackets are 51 possible autofocus points that the camera can analyze to establish focus. The figure shows the locations of the points; in real life, you see either a single point or no points at all, depending on which focus settings you use.
The AF-area mode setting, which you select via the switch shown in Figure 6-6, determines how the camera decides which point to use as the focusing target. You have three choices:
Single Point: This mode is designed to help you quickly and easily lock focus on a still subject. You select a single focus point, and the camera bases focus on that point only. This option is best paired with the single-servo (S) Focus mode, which is also geared to still subjects.
The AF-area mode determines which of the camera's 51 autofocus points are used to establish focus.
Figure 6-5: The AF-area mode determines which of the camera’s 51 autofocus points are used to establish focus.
Dynamic Area: With this option designed for focusing on a moving subject, you select an initial focus point. But if your subject moves out of that point before you snap the picture, the camera looks to surrounding points for focusing information. In order for this focus tracking to occur, though, you must pair this AF-area mode with the continuous-servo (C) Focus mode.
Auto Area: At this setting, the camera automatically chooses which of the 51 focus points to use. Focus priority is typically
Use this switch to select the AF-area mode.
Figure 6-6: Use this switch to select the AF-area mode.
assigned to the object closest to the camera. Auto Area mode is best combined with single-servo autofocus — if you need continuous autofo-cusing for a moving subject, you’re much better off using Dynamic Area mode, which is specially engineered to accomplish that task.
Although Auto Area mode requires the least input from you, it’s also typically the slowest option because of the technology it must use to set focus. First, the camera analyzes all 51 focus points. Then it consults an internal database to try to match the information reported by those 51 points to a huge collection of reference photographs. From that analysis, it makes an educated guess about which focus points are most appropriate for your scene. Although it’s still amazingly fast considering what’s happening in the camera’s brain, it’s sometimes slower than either of the other two AF-area options.
Frankly, I don’t use Auto Area mode very often unless I’m handing the camera over to someone who’s inexperienced and wouldn’t know how to use the other two modes. And with a camera that costs nearly two grand, I can think of only a few people who I’d even trust to hand it over to. (“Oh, I’m sorry, but I’m borrowing this from my boss and I swore I wouldn’t let anyone else use it.”) So I keep things nice and simple and stick with two AF-area/Focus mode combos:
For still subjects: Single Point AF-area mode and single-servo Focus mode.
For moving subjects: Dynamic Area mode and continuous-servo Focus mode.
Upcoming sections spell out the exact steps you use to set focus with both of these autofocus pairings. Just in case you have a family member who would get all snippy if you refused to let them try your camera, I also include the steps for using Auto Area mode with single-servo autofocus.
First, though, I need to take a slight detour to explain how you select a specific focus point when you use Single Point or Dynamic Area modes or focus manually.

Selecting (and locking) a focus point

As soon as you set the AF-area mode to Dynamic Area or Single Point, you see a single focus point in the viewfinder. (Refer to Figure 6-2.)
You also see a focus point in the viewfinder when you use manual focusing. It’s not absolutely critical to select a focus point if you trust your eyes to tell you when the scene is in focus. But if you want some backup from the camera, go ahead and set the focus point. When you twist the focusing ring, the green focus lamp in the viewfinder lights when the object under the selected point is in focus. (Note that this focus-feedback system works only with lenses that offer a maximum aperture of at least f/5.6.)
To select a focus point, first make sure that the focus-point selector lock switch is set to the position shown in Figure 6-7. Then just press the Multi Selector right, left, up, or down to cycle through the available focus points.
If nothing happens, press the shutter button halfway to activate the metering system. Then release the button and try again.

A couple of additional tips:

By default, 51 autofocus points are available. But through the AF Point Selection option, discussed in the next section, you can limit the number of points available for selection to 11.
On the D300s, some focus points are more capable than others. The 15 center points use cross-type sensors, which evaluate focus by analyzing both horizontal and vertical lines in the scene. The other points assess only horizontal lines. Cross-type sensors typically work better, especially in dim lighting, so if you’re having trouble getting the camera to focus, select one of these
 Set the focus-point selector switch to the unlocked position and then use the Multi Selector to choose a focus point.
Figure 6-7: Set the focus-point selector switch to the unlocked position and then use the Multi Selector to choose a focus point.
focus points and try again.
‘ By default, you hit a “wall” when you reach the top, bottom, left, or right focus point in the group. So if the leftmost point is selected, for example, pressing left again gets you nowhere. But if you turn on the Focus Point Wrap-Around option, found with the other autofocus options on the Custom Setting menu and shown in Figure 6-8, you instead jump to the rightmost point. I like this option, but it’s totally a personal preference.
You can quickly select the center focus point at any time by press-
 This option controls whether you can jump from one edge of the frame to the other when selecting a focus point.
Figure 6-8: This option controls whether you can jump from one edge of the frame to the other when selecting a focus point.
ing the center button of the Multi Selector. Again, this assumes that you haven’t changed the function of that button, an option you can explore in Chapter 10. Note that you can adjust the playback functions the button performs without affecting its role in shooting. Chapter 4 talks about the playback functions.
If you want to use a certain focus point for a while, you can “lock in” that point by moving the focus-point selector lock to the L position. This feature ensures that an errant press of the Multi Selector doesn’t accidentally change your selected point.
Your selected focus point also determines which part of the frame the camera uses to calculate exposure and flash power when you use the spot metering mode setting. See Chapter 5 for details.

Autofocusing with still subjects: Single Point+Single-servo AF

For stationary subjects, the fastest, most precise autofocus option is to pair the single-servo (S) Focus mode with the Single Point AF-area mode. With this combination, the autofocus system can quickly home in on your subject.
The approach is the same one spelled out in the “almost automatic” shooting section of Chapter 2. Here’s a quick recap, just to save you the trouble of flipping back:
1. Set the AF-area mode switch to the Single Point position.
It’s the one represented by the margin icon you see here and shown in Figure 6-7.
2. Set the Focus mode selector switch to S.
Again, the switch for choosing that setting is on the left-front side of the camera. Don’t forget to also set your lens switch to autofocus mode.
3. Looking through the viewfinder, use the Multi Selector to position the focus point over your subject.
If the focus point doesn’t respond, press the shutter button halfway and release it to jog the camera awake. Then try again.
4. Press the shutter button halfway to set focus.
The camera displays a green focus lamp in the viewfinder and emits a beep to let you know that focus was achieved. (The beep doesn’t sound, however, if you set the AF-S Priority option, discussed earlier, to Release. You also can disable the beep through the Custom Setting menu, as covered in Chapter 1, or by setting the Release mode to Quiet.) Focus remains locked as long as you keep the shutter button pressed halfway. If you’re using autoexposure (P, S, or A modes), the initial exposure settings are also chosen at the moment you press the shutter button halfway, but they’re adjusted as needed up to the time you take the shot.
5. Press the shutter button the rest of the way to take the shot.
Don’t forget that by default, the camera doesn’t let you take the picture when focus isn’t set. To modify that behavior, see the earlier section “Choosing a Focus mode: M, S, or C?”
Now for a few nuances that I didn’t get into in Chapter 2:
Setting the number of available focus points: By default, you can select any of the camera’s 51 focus points. But through the AF Point Selection option on the Custom Setting menu, shown on the left in Figure 6-9, you can limit the number of points to the 11 shown on the right.
You can choose to limit the number of available focus points to the 11 shown here.
Figure 6-9: You can choose to limit the number of available focus points to the 11 shown here.
Why would you do this? Because it enables you to choose a focus point more quickly — you don’t have to keep pressing the Multi Selector zillions of times to get to the one you want to use. For that reason, I usually keep this option set to 11. Or, in the words of rock genius Nigel Tufnel of the band Spinal Tap, “This one goes to 11!”
Positioning your subject outside a focus point: You can frame your subject so that it doesn’t fall under one of the focus points, if necessary. Just compose the scene initially so that your subject is under a point, press the shutter button halfway to lock focus, and then reframe. However, note that if you’re using autoexposure, you may want to lock focus and exposure together using the AE-L/AF-L button, as covered in Chapter 5. Otherwise, exposure is adjusted to match your new framing, which may not work well for your subject. In fact, the Chapter 5 technique for locking exposure is designed to work when teamed up with the single-servo/Single Point autofocus settings.
Reading the Info screen and Control panel icons: An icon representing the current AF-area mode appears in the highlighted spots shown in Figure 6-10. In the Information display, the icons changes to show you how many points are active (51 or 11) as well as the location of the selected focus point. For example, in the figure, 11 points are active, and the center point is selected. In the Control panel, you just see the location of the selected point.

Focusing on moving subjects: Dynamic Area+continuous-servo AF

When you need to autofocus on a moving target, whether it’s a fast-paced subject or just a child playing, set the Focus mode switch to C (continuous-servo autofocus) and the AF-area mode switch to Dynamic Area, as shown in Figure 6-11.
The display icons show you which focus point is selected.
Figure 6-10: The display icons show you which focus point is selected.
For moving subjects, combine continuous-servo Focus mode with Dynamic Area mode.
Figure 6-11: For moving subjects, combine continuous-servo Focus mode with Dynamic Area mode.

With those preliminary setup steps down, use this technique to set focus:

1. Use the Multi Selector to choose an initial focus point.
First, make sure that the focus-point selector switch is set to the unlocked position. (Refer to Figure 6-7.) Then press the directional buttons on the Multi Selector to move the focus point around the frame.
(Again, you may need to press the shutter button halfway and release it before you can move the point.)
The number of focus points available is either 51 or 11, depending on the setting you choose for the AF Point Selection option, discussed in the preceding section and shown in Figure 6-9. The default setting is 51.
In the Dynamic Area mode, the camera looks for focus information first from your selected focus point but then checks surrounding points for focus infor-
By default, the Dynamic Area mode considers nine focus points: your selected=
Figure 6-12: By default, the Dynamic Area mode considers nine focus points: your selected point plus the eight surrounding points.
mation if your subject moves from the selected point. By default, the eight points surrounding your selected point are the secondary focus targets. So a total of nine points actually are active, although only your selected point appears in the viewfinder. Figure 6-12 offers an illustration. If you select the center focus point, shown in black in the figure, the eight points shown in gray are the secondary focus targets.
You can expand the number of available secondary focus points if you wish; more on that topic in the next section.
2. Frame your subject so that it falls under the selected focus point.
3. Press and hold the shutter button halfway to establish the initial focusing distance.
Your button press also triggers exposure metering. If you’re using auto-exposure, the camera sets the initial exposure settings.
Because you’re using the continuous-servo Focus mode, you don’t hear a beep when focus is achieved. But the focus indicator lamp in the view-finder lights when the object under the selected focus point comes into focus.
4. If your subject moves, keep reframing as needed to keep the subject within the 9-point area.
Try to keep the subject under the selected focus point to increase the odds of good focus. But as long as the subject falls within one of the nine points, focus should be adjusted accordingly. Note that you don’t see the focus point actually move in the viewfinder, but the focus tweak is happening just the same. (You can hear the focus motor doing its thing.)
Should you want to “freeze” the focus adjustment at any time so that focus remains set at a specific distance, you can press and hold the AE-L/AF-L button. Remember, though, that the default setup for this
button freezes both focus and exposure. If you use this option a lot, you may want to decouple the two functions by the button customization options covered in Chapter 10. You can use the button to lock focus only, for example, and select another button to lock exposure only.
5. Press the shutter button the rest of the way to take the picture.
At the default settings, the camera takes the picture when you press the shutter button regardless of whether focus has been achieved. To change this behavior, head for the AF-C Priority option on the Custom Setting menu; see the earlier section “Choosing a Focus mode: M, S, or C?” for details.
After you get comfortable with this basic technique, you may want to explore a couple of tweaks you can make to this motion-capture autofocus duo. You can adjust the number of points the camera considers in Dynamic Area AF-area mode, and you can tell it what to do if someone unexpectedly walks between you and your subject after you focus. The next two sections explain.
First, though, I want to make one comment about focusing on moving subjects: You can pair continuous-servo autofocus with the Single Point AF-area mode if you want. But if you go this route, you have to be sure you keep your subject underneath that one selected focus point up to the time you take the picture — the camera won’t look to any of the surrounding points for focus information. Although the Single Point method can sometimes make for a little faster focusing because the camera considers only that single point, it’s pretty tricky to do unless you’re working with a subject that’s moving in a very predictable pattern or within a very confined area — maybe a drummer sitting behind a drum kit, for example, or a conductor leading an orchestra.

Customizing the Dynamic Area focusing operation

Through the Dynamic AF-area option, found on the Custom Setting menu and shown in Figure 6-13, you can specify the exact number of points the camera evaluates in the Dynamic Area mode. You can set the point count to 9, 21, or 51. Through the fourth option on the menu, you can modify the way the camera does its subject tracking as well.

The details:

‘ 9 point: This setting is the default and uses your selected focus point plus the eight surrounding points, as illustrated in Figure 6-12. It’s ideal when you have a moment or two to compose your shot and your subject is moving in a predictable way, making it easy to reframe as needed to keep the subject within the 9-point area.
This setting also provides the fastest Dynamic Area autofocusing because the camera has to analyze the fewest number of autofocusing points.
You can modify the number of Dynamic Area points and also choose from two 51-point options.
Figure 6-13: You can modify the number of Dynamic Area points and also choose from two 51-point options.
* 21 point: The camera considers your selected point plus 20 surrounding points. Figure 6-14 shows you the 21-point grid that’s used if you select the center focus point, for example. Obviously, this setting enables your subject to move a little farther afield from your selected focus point and still remain in the target zone. So it works better than 9-point mode when you can’t quite predict the path your subject is going to take.
The 21-point setting references these autofocus points.
Figure 6-14: The 21-point setting references these autofocus points.
‘ 51 points: Although you still can specify a single point for establishing initial focus in this mode, the camera may then select any other point in the entire 51-point group if it thinks it’s warranted. It’s designed for subjects that are moving so rapidly that it’s hard to keep them within the framing area of the 21-point or 9-point setting — a flock of birds, for example.
The drawback to this setting is focusing time: With all 51 points on deck, the camera has to work a little harder to find a focus target. To help compensate, set the Release mode to Continuous so that you can capture multiple frames with one press of the shutter button. In Single release mode, the camera will try to reset focus for each frame.
51 points with 3D Tracking: This mode works slightly differently than the other three. When you set focus initially, the camera analyzes the colors of the area under the focus point and tries to distinguish between the subject and the background. Then, if the subject moves, the camera
attempts to follow that color and contrast pattern across the screen, adjusting focus as needed. When this happens, you can see the focus point jump around the viewfinder, letting you know what the camera is following. Nikon suggests that this mode is ideal for subjects moving from one side of the frame to the other at a fast pace.
This technology can work pretty well when a lot of contrast exists between subject and background. So for best results, try to establish focus on a point that helps the camera distinguish the subject from the background. For example, if you’re photographing a soccer player who’s dressed in a green uniform and running on a green playing field, you make it tough for the camera if you set focus on the uniform. Instead, try to set focus on the player’s face or another area of contrast, such as lettering on the shirt.
Additionally, if your subject moves completely out of the frame, you must release the shutter button and reset focus again. So while 3D Tracking can be really effective under the right conditions, it also requires a little more input from you.
As with the Single Point AF-area, you can get a reminder of how many points are currently in use by looking at the icons in the Control panel and Info display, as shown in Figure 6-15. In the figure, the icon shows that the 51-point area is selected. Notice, though, the Information display icon. This icon reflects two Custom Settings options: your Dynamic AF Area setting plus the AF Point Selection setting, which enables you to limit the number of points you can select as your initial focus point from the default 51 to 11. If you change that setting to 11, the 11 available points appear darker than the others, with your selected point appearing both darker and larger. (In the figure, the center point is selected.) The camera still analyzes all the surrounding points called for by your Dynamic AF Area setting — you’re just limited to choosing one of the 11 darker points as your starting focus target.
The AF-area mode icon tells you which of the four Dynamic Area point setups is in use.
Figure 6-15: The AF-area mode icon tells you which of the four Dynamic Area point setups is in use.
Obviously, choosing which focus-point scheme you want to use is something you should decide and select ahead of time — you don’t want to be monkeying around with menu settings while the action is in progress. And getting a feel for which types of subjects work best with which settings is a matter of practice and experience — don’t expect to get it right in the first couple of tries. (Or if you do, don’t tell me, because it sure took me a while!)
Unfortunately, you can’t tell which setting you used when you review your pictures because that value doesn’t appear in the picture metadata. So the best way to teach yourself is to stick with one setting for an entire outing and then try a different one the next time. Or you can just jot down the frame number where you switched settings if you try different options with the same subject.

Preventing focusing miscues with tracking lock-on

So you’re shooting your friend’s volleyball game, practicing your action-autofocusing skills. You’ve got your shot all set up, have the camera set to continuous-servo autofocus and Dynamic Area AF-area mode, and you’re just waiting for the moment your friend serves the ball. You’ve set the initial focus, and the camera’s doing its part by adjusting focus to accommodate her pre-serve moves. Then all of a sudden, some clueless interloper walks in front of the camera. Okay, it was the referee, who probably did have a right to be there, but still.
The good news is that as long as the ref gets out of the way before the action happens, you’re probably okay. A feature called focus tracking with lock-on, designed for just this scenario, tells the camera to ignore objects that appear temporarily in the scene after you begin focusing. Instead of resetting focus on the newcomer, the camera continues focusing on the original subject.
You can vary the length of time the camera waits before starting to refo-cus through the Focus Tracking with Lock-On option, found on the Custom Setting menu and shown in Figure 6-16. Normal is the default setting. You can choose a longer or shorter delay or turn off the lock-on altogether. If you do turn off the lock-on, the camera starts refocusing on any object that appears in the frame between you and your original subject.

Shutter speed and blurry photos

A poorly focused photo isn’t always related to the issues discussed in this chapter. Any movement of the camera or subject can also cause blur. Both of these problems are related to shutter
speed, an exposure control that I cover in Chapter 5. Be sure to also visit Chapter 7, which provides some additional tips for capturing moving objects without blur.
This option controls how the autofocus system deals with objects that come between it and the subject after you initiate focusing.
Figure 6-16: This option controls how the autofocus system deals with objects that come between it and the subject after you initiate focusing.

Basic autofocus with Auto Area+Single Point AF

For reasons covered in the introduction to the AF-area mode setting, I recommend that you make the other two modes (Single Point and Dynamic Area) your go-to options. With Auto Area, you’re asking the camera to figure out what part of the scene you want to be in sharpest focus.
If you do want to try Auto Area mode, follow these steps to take the picture:
1. Set the Focus mode selector switch to S (single-servo).
Although you can use continuous-servo autofocus with the Auto Area mode, you’ll give the camera a better chance of locking onto a specific target if you use the Dynamic Area AF-area mode, explained in the preceding section. Single-servo mode is really a better teammate for the Auto Area mode.
2. Set the AF-area mode switch to Auto Area.
It’s represented on the switch by the icon you see in the margin here. In the Information display and Control panel, the Auto Area setting is represented by the symbols you see in Figure 6-17. Notice the 51 little boxes inside the brackets, reminding you that all 51 autofocus points are active. (You can’t limit the number of available focus points as you can in the other two AF-Area modes.)
3. Frame your subject so that it appears within the autofocus area brackets, as shown on the left in Figure 6-18.
In Auto Area mode, you don’t see any focus points, and you can’t select a point for the camera to use.
These symbols represent that Auto Area mode.
Figure 6-17: These symbols represent that Auto Area mode.
The camera analyzes all 51 points and then lights up the ones it used to set focus.
Figure 6-18: The camera analyzes all 51 points and then lights up the ones it used to set focus.
4. To set focus, press the shutter button halfway.
By default, pressing the shutter button kick-starts the exposure meter as well as sets focus.
When focus is set, the focus lamp lights in the viewfinder and the camera beeps at you. In addition, one or more focus points light up, as shown on the right in Figure 6-18. Anything under those focus points is now in focus. Focus remains locked on those points as long as you keep the shutter button pressed halfway down.
5. Press the shutter button the rest of the way to take the picture.
By default, the camera won’t let you take a picture until focus is achieved when you use single-servo autofocus. For details, see the earlier section “Choosing a Focus mode: M, S, or C?”

Putting the AF-ON button to work

If you came to this chapter after exploring Chapter 4, you may be aware that you can use either the AF-ON button or the shutter button to focus during Live View shooting in Handheld mode. You can make the same choice for regular shooting. By default, pressing the AF-ON button has the same result on focusing as pressing the shutter button halfway.
However, there’s one big difference between the two options: Vibration Reduction does not engage when you use the AF-ON button to focus, either for Live View shooting or normal photography. That feature activates only when you use the shutter button to focus. That’s not a problem if you’re shooting with a tripod, in which case most lens manufacturers recommend that you turn off Vibration Reduction anyway. But it’s a pretty big uh-oh if you’re handholding the camera.
If vibration reduction isn’t an issue — whether because you’re a steady enough shooter that you can get away without it or you’re using a tripod — you may be interested to know that you can use the AF-ON button exclusively to initiate autofocus, removing that function from the shutter button. You make this adjustment through the AF Activation option, found with the other autofocus options on the Custom Setting menu and shown in Figure 6-19. At the default setting, Shutter/AF-ON, both buttons can be used to focus. The AF-ON Only setting removes the focusing function from the shutter button, which then takes responsibility only for exposure metering.
You can choose to focus only with the AF-ON button.
Figure 6-19: You can choose to focus only with the AF-ON button.
Some sports photographers prefer to make this change so they can use the AF-ON button to continually track focus and then press the shutter button to snap off frames. The advantage is that focus continues to track as long as you keep the AF-ON button down, even between frames, so you don’t have to keep resetting focus after each shot. Of course, you have to set the Focus mode to continuous-servo for the focus tracking to occur.

Exploring a few last autofocus tweaks

You can adjust three final focus options through the autofocus section of the Custom Setting menu. Figure 6-20 shows these menu options. (If your eyes are crossing from reading about all the options already discussed, don’t worry: These are the no-brainer types of options. Well, easy-brainer types, at least.)
The remaining autofocus customization options await here
Figure 6-20: The remaining autofocus customization options await here
AF Point Illumination: It happens so fast that you might not notice it unless you pay close attention, but when the camera establishes focus, the selected focus point in the viewfinder sometime flashes red and then goes back to black. At the default setting for this option (Auto), the red highlights are displayed only when the background is dark, which would make the black focus points difficult to see. You can choose the On setting to force the highlights no matter whether the background is dark. Or you can choose Off to disable the highlights altogether.
Built-in AF-Assist Illuminator: In dim lighting, the camera may emit a beam of light from the little lamp just below the Control panel, on the front of the camera. If you’re in a situation where that light could be distracting to others in the room, you can disable it by setting this option to Off. You may need to focus manually, though, because without the light to help it find its target, the autofocus system may have trouble.
‘ AF-ON for MB-D10: This option applies only if you attach the optional MB-D10 battery pack to the camera. That unit sports an AF-ON button just like the one on the camera back. Normally, the button serves the same purpose as the one on the camera. But through this option, you can assign it several other functions, such as locking both exposure and focus together.
Finally, you can use options on the Controls section of the Custom Setting menu to set the Function (Fn) button, AE-L/AF-L button, and Depth of Field Preview button to lock focus or lock focus and exposure together. You also can use the Fn button together with the main command dial to adjust the number of focus points used in the Dynamic Area mode. But what say we leave that discussion for Chapter 10, okay? It’s time to move on from the technical talk about autofocusing and explore the fun side of focus: Depth of field and its creative impact on your photographs.

Manipulating Depth of Field

Getting familiar with the concept of depth of field is one of the biggest steps you can take to becoming a more artful photographer. I introduce you to depth of field in Chapters 2 and 5, but here’s a quick recap just to hammer home the lesson:
Depth of field refers to the distance over which objects in a photograph appear sharply focused.
With a shallow, or small, depth of field, distant objects appear more softly focused than the main subject (assuming that you set focus on the main subject, of course).
With a large depth of field, the zone of sharp focus extends to include objects at a distance from your subject.
Which arrangement works best depends entirely on your creative vision and your subject. In portraits, for example, a classic technique is to
use a short depth of field, as I did for the photo in Figure 6-21. This approach increases emphasis on the subject while diminishing the impact of the background. But for the photo shown in Figure 6-22, I wanted to emphasize that
the foreground figures were in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, so I used a large depth of field, which kept the background buildings sharply focused and gave them equal weight in the scene.
So exactly how do you adjust depth of field? You have three points of control: aperture, focal length, and camera-to-subject distance, as spelled out in the following list:

Aperture setting (f-stop):

The aperture is one of three exposure settings, all explained fully in Chapter 5. Depth of field increases as you stop down the aperture (by choosing a higher f-stop number). For shallow depth of field, open the aperture (by choosing a lower f-stop number). Figure 6-23 offers an example; in the f/22 version, focus is sharp all the way through the frame; in the f/13 version, focus softens as the distance from the center lure increases. I
A large depth of field keeps both foreground and background subjects in focus.
Figure 6-22: A large depth of field keeps both foreground and background subjects in focus.
snapped both images using the same focal length and camera-to-subject distance, setting focus on the center lure.
‘ Lens focal length: In lay terms, focal length determines what the lens “sees.” As you increase focal length, measured in millimeters, the angle of view narrows, objects appear larger in the frame, and — the important point for this discussion — depth of field decreases. Additionally, the spatial relationship of objects changes as you adjust focal length. As an example, Figure 6-24 compares the same scene shot at a focal length of 127mm and 183mm. I used the same aperture, f/5.6, for both examples.
Whether you have any focal length flexibility depends on your lens: If you have a zoom lens, you can adjust the focal length — just zoom in or out.
(The Nikon lens shown with the camera in this topic, for example, offers a focal range of 18-55mm.) If you don’t have a zoom lens, the focal length is fixed, so scratch this means of manipulating depth of field.
For more technical details about focal length and your camera, flip to Chapter 1 and explore the section related to choosing lenses.
A lower f-stop number (wider aperture) decreases depth of field.
Figure 6-23: A lower f-stop number (wider aperture) decreases depth of field.
Zooming to a longer focal length also reduces depth of field.
Figure 6-24: Zooming to a longer focal length also reduces depth of field.
Camera-to-subject distance: As you move the lens closer to your subject, depth of field decreases. This assumes that you don’t zoom in or out to reframe the picture, thereby changing the focal length. If you do, depth of field is affected by both the camera position and focal length.
Together, these three factors determine the maximum and minimum depth of field that you can achieve, as illustrated by my clever artwork in Figure 6-25 and summed up in the following list:
Your f-stop, focal length, and shooting distance determine depth of field.
Figure 6-25: Your f-stop, focal length, and shooting distance determine depth of field.
To produce the shallowest depth of field: Open the aperture as wide as possible (the lowest f-stop number), zoom in to the maximum focal length of your lens, and get as close as possible to your subject.
To produce maximum depth of field: Stop down the aperture to the highest possible f-stop number, zoom out to the shortest focal length your lens offers, and move farther from your subject.

Here are a few additional tips and tricks related to depth of field:

Aperture-priority autoexposure mode (A) enables you to easily control depth of field while enjoying exposure assistance from the camera. In this mode, detailed fully in Chapter 5, you set the f-stop, and the camera selects the appropriate shutter speed to produce a good exposure. The range of aperture settings you can access depends on your lens.
Even in aperture-priority mode, keep an eye on shutter speed as well. To maintain the same exposure, shutter speed must change in tandem with aperture, and you may encounter a situation where the shutter speed is too slow to permit hand-holding of the camera.
Press the Depth-of-Field Preview button to get an idea of how your f-stop will affect depth of field. When you look through your view-finder and press the shutter button halfway, you can get only a partial indication of the depth of field that your current camera settings will produce. You can see the effect of focal length and the camera-to-subject distance, but because the aperture is always fully open until you actually take the picture, the viewfinder doesn’t show you how your selected f-stop will affect depth of field.
By using the Depth-of-Field Preview button on your camera, however, you can preview the f-stop’s impact. Almost hidden away on the front of your camera, the button is highlighted in Figure 6-26. When you press the button, the camera temporarily sets the aperture to your selected f-stop so that you can preview depth of field. At small apertures (high f-stop settings), the viewfinder display may become quite dark, but this doesn’t indicate a problem with exposure — it’s just a function of how the preview works.
You also can tell the camera to emit a modeling flash when you preview depth-of-field and have flash enabled. By default, the modeling flash is turned off; if you want to experiment with this feature, visit the flash discussion in Chapter 5 for details.
Press this button to get a preview of the effect of aperture on depth of field.
Figure 6-26: Press this button to get a preview of the effect of aperture on depth of field.
For greater background blurring, move the subject farther from the background. The extent to which background focus shifts as you adjust depth of field also is affected by the distance between the subject and the background. For increased background blurring, move the subject farther in front of the background.

Controlling Color

Compared with understanding some aspects of digital photography — resolution, aperture and shutter speed, depth of field, and so on — making sense of your camera’s color options is easy-breezy. First, color problems aren’t all that common, and when they are, they’re usually simple to fix with a quick shift of your camera’s White Balance control. And getting a grip on color requires learning only a couple of new terms, an unusual state of affairs for an endeavor that often seems more like high-tech science than art.
The rest of this chapter explains the aforementioned White Balance control, plus a couple of menu options that enable you to fine-tune the way your camera renders colors. For information on how to use the Retouch menu’s color options to alter colors of existing pictures, see Chapter 11.

Correcting colors with white balance

Every light source emits a particular color cast. The old-fashioned fluorescent lights found in most public restrooms, for example, put out a bluish-greenish light, which is why our reflections in the mirrors in those restrooms always look so sickly. And if you think that your beloved looks especially attractive by candlelight, you aren’t imagining things: Candlelight casts a warm, yellow-red glow that is flattering to the skin.
Science-y types measure the color of light, officially known as color temperature, on the Kelvin scale, which is named after its creator. You can see the Kelvin scale in Figure 6-27.
When photographers talk about “warm light” and “cool light,” though, they aren’t referring to the position on the Kelvin scale — or at least not in the way we usually think of temperatures, with a higher number meaning hotter. Instead, the terms describe the visual appearance of the light. Warm light, produced by candles and incandescent lights, falls in the red-yellow spectrum you see at the bottom of the Kelvin scale in Figure 6-27; cool light, in the blue-green spectrum, appears at the top of the Kelvin scale.
At any rate, most of us don’t notice these fluctuating colors of light because our eyes automatically compensate for them. Except in very extreme lighting conditions, a white tablecloth
Each light source emits a specific color.
Figure 6-27: Each light source emits a specific color.
appears white to us no matter whether we view it by candlelight, fluorescent light, or regular houselights.
Similarly, a digital camera compensates for different colors of light through a feature known as white balancing. Simply put, white balancing neutralizes light so that whites are always white, which in turn ensures that other colors are rendered accurately. If the camera senses warm light, it shifts colors slightly to the cool side of the color spectrum; in cool light, the camera shifts colors the opposite direction.
The good news is that, as with your eyes, your camera’s Auto White Balance setting tackles this process remarkably well in most situations, which means that you can usually ignore it and concentrate on other aspects of your picture. But if your scene is lit by two or more light sources that cast different colors, the white balance sensor can get confused, producing an unwanted color cast like the one you see in the left image in Figure 6-28.
Multiple light sources resulted in a yellow color cast in Auto White Balance mode (left); switching to the Incandescent setting solved the problem (right).
Figure 6-28: Multiple light sources resulted in a yellow color cast in Auto White Balance mode (left); switching to the Incandescent setting solved the problem (right).
I shot this product image in my home studio, which I light primarily with a couple of high-powered photo lights that use tungsten bulbs, which produce light with a color temperature similar to regular household incandescent bulbs. The problem is that the windows in that room also permit some pretty strong daylight to filter through. In Auto White Balance mode, the camera reacted to that daylight — which has a cool color cast — and applied too much warming, giving my original image a yellow tint. No problem: I just switched the White Balance mode from Auto to the Incandescent setting. The right image in Figure 6-28 shows the corrected colors.
The next section explains precisely how to make a simple white balance correction; following that, you can explore some advanced white balance options.

Changing the White Balance setting

The current White Balance setting appears in the Control panel and Information display, as shown in Figure 6-29. The settings are represented by the icons you see in Table 6-1.
These icons represent the current White Balance setting.
Figure 6-29: These icons represent the current White Balance setting.
Table 6-1 Manual White Balance Settings

Symbol Light Source
tmp10F-38 Incandescent
tmp10F-39 Fluorescent
tmp10F-40 Direct sunlight
tmp10F-41
tmp10F-42 Cloudy
tmp10F-43 Shade
tmp10F-44 Choose color temperature
tmp10F-45 Custom preset

The quickest way to change the setting is to press and hold the WB button as you rotate the main command dial. But note these factoids:

Adjusting white balance through the Shooting menu: You also can change the White Balance setting from the Shooting menu. After highlighting the White Balance setting, press OK to display the list of options. Highlight the one you want to use and press OK. For all settings except PRE (Preset Manual), K, and Fluorescent, you’re taken to a screen where you can fine-tune the amount of adjustment the camera applies to colors. See the next section for details. If you don’t want to make any adjustment, just press OK.

Specifying a color temperature through the K white-balance setting:

If you know the exact color temperature of your light source — perhaps you’re using some special studio bulbs, for example — you can tell the camera to balance colors for that precise temperature. (Well, technically, you have to choose from a preset list of temperatures, but you should be able to get close to the temperature you have in mind.) First, select the K White Balance setting. (K for Kelvin, get it?) Then, while pressing the WB button, rotate the sub-command dial to set the color temperature, which appears at the top of the Control panel and Information display, as shown in Figure 6-30.
Set the White Balance option to K to select a specific color temperature.
Figure 6-30: Set the White Balance option to K to select a specific color temperature.
You also can set the temperature through the White Balance option on the Shooting menu. If you do, you see the fine-tuning screen after you select the temperature and press OK. Again, just press OK to exit the screen without making any adjustment.
Specifying a fluorescent bulb type: For the Fluorescent setting, you can select from seven types of bulbs. To do so, you must go through the Shooting menu. Select Fluorescent as the White Balance setting and then press OK to display the list of bulbs, as shown in Figure 6-31. Select the
option that most closely matches your bulbs and then press OK. Press OK again, and you’re taken to the fine-tuning screen. If you don’t want to make any further adjustment, just press OK once more to return to the Shooting menu.
After you select a fluorescent bulb type, that option is always used when you use the WB button to select the Fluorescent White Balance setting. Again, you can change the bulb type only through the Shooting menu.
Creating a custom White Balance preset: The PRE (Preset Manual) option enables you to create and store a precise, customized White Balance setting, as explained in the upcoming “Creating White Balance presets” section. This setting is the fastest way to achieve accurate colors when your scene is lit by multiple light sources that have differing color temperatures.
You can select a specific type of fluorescent bulb.
Figure 6-31: You can select a specific type of fluorescent bulb.
Your selected White Balance setting remains in force until you change it. So you may want to get in the habit of resetting the option to the Auto setting after you finish shooting whatever subject it was that caused you to switch to manual White Balance mode.

Fine-tuning White Balance settings

You can fine-tune any White Balance setting (Daylight, Cloudy, and so on). For the greatest amount of control, make the adjustment as spelled out in these steps:
1. Display the Shooting menu, highlight White Balance, and press OK.
2. Highlight the White Balance setting you want to adjust, as shown on the left in Figure 6-32, and press the Multi Selector right.
You can fine-tune the White Balance settings via the Shooting menu.
Figure 6-32: You can fine-tune the White Balance settings via the Shooting menu.
Now you’re taken to a screen where you can do your fine-tuning, as shown on the right in Figure 6-32.
If you select Fluorescent or K (Choose Color Temperature), you first go to a screen where you select a specific type of bulb or Kelvin color temperature, as covered in the preceding section. After you highlight your choice, press OK to get to the fine-tuning screen. For custom presets that you create, you must select the preset you want to use and press OK. (See the next section for an explanation of presets.)
3. Fine-tune the setting by using the Multi Selector to move the white balance shift marker in the color grid.
The grid is set up around two color pairs: Green and Magenta, represented by G and M; and Blue and Amber, represented by B and A. By pressing the Multi Selector, you can move the adjustment marker around the grid.
As you move the marker, the A-B and G-M boxes on the right side of the screen show you the current amount of color shift. A value of 0 indicates the default amount of color compensation applied by the selected White Balance setting. In Figure 6-32, for example, I moved the marker two levels toward amber and two levels toward magenta to specify that I wanted colors to be a tad warmer.
If you’re familiar with traditional colored lens filters, you may know that the density of a filter, which determines the degree of color correction it provides, is measured in mireds (pronounced my-redds). The
white balance grid is designed around this system: Moving the marker one level is the equivalent of adding a filter with a density of 5 mireds.
4. Press OK to complete the adjustment.
After you adjust a White Balance setting, an asterisk appears next to that setting in the White Balance menu. In the Control panel and Information display, you instead see a pair of triangles under the WB icon to indicate the adjustment. (See Figure 6-33.)
If you want to apply a white balance shift on only the blue-to-amber axis, you don’t have to go through the Shooting menu. Instead, press and hold the WB button and then rotate the sub-command dial. You see the amount of adjustment in the Control panel and Information display, as shown in Figure 6-33, while the button is pressed. An a value indicates a shift toward the amber direction; a b value, toward blue. For example, in the figure, the b5 value shows that I shifted the setting five steps toward blue (b). The two-triangle symbol reminding you of the adjustment also appears. Note that this trick isn’t available for the K (choose color temperature) or PRE (preset manual) White Balance settings.
 You can apply a shift along the blue/amber axis just by rotating the sub-command dial while pressing the WB button.
Figure 6-33: You can apply a shift along the blue/amber axis just by rotating the sub-command dial while pressing the WB button.
Here’s one other tip specifically related to shifting white balance along the blue-to-amber axis: By using a feature called white balance bracketing, you can automatically record your picture with and without that shift. You can even record one picture with no shift, one with an amber shift, and one with a blue shift. See the later section “Bracketing white balance” for details.

Creating White Balance presets

If none of the standard White Balance settings do the trick and you don’t want to fool with fine-tuning them, take advantage of the PRE (Preset Manual) feature. This option enables you to do two things:
Base white balance on a direct measurement of the actual lighting conditions.
Match white balance to an existing photo.
You can create and store up to five custom White Balance presets, which are assigned the names d-0 through d-4. The next two sections provide you with the step-by-step instructions; following that, you can find out how to select and manage your presets.
Be aware that any changes you make to a preset affect all Shooting menu banks. Chapter 10 explains Shooting menu and Custom Setting menu banks. If you create a direct-measurement preset in bank A, for example, and then try to create another one for bank B, you just wipe out the one for bank A. You don’t get a separate set of 5 presets for each bank, in other words.

Setting white balance with direct measurement

To use this technique, you need a piece of card stock that’s either neutral gray or absolute white — not eggshell white, sand white, or any other close-but-not-perfect white. (You can buy reference cards made just for this purpose in many camera stores for under $20.)
Position the reference card so that it receives the same lighting you’ll use for your photo. Then take these steps:
1. Frame your shot so that the reference card completely fills the viewfinder.
2. Check exposure and adjust settings if needed.
This process doesn’t work if the picture will be over- or underexposed.
3. Press the WB button while rotating the main command dial to choose the PRE (Preset Manual) White Balance setting.
You see the letters PRE in the white balance area of the Control panel as well as in the Information display.
4. Release the button and then immediately press and hold it again until the letters PRE begin flashing in the Control panel and viewfinder.
5. Release the WB button and take a picture of the gray card before the PRE warning stops flashing.
You’ve got about six seconds to snap the picture.
If the camera is successful at recording the white balance data, the letters “Gd” flash in the viewfinder. In the Control panel, the word “Good” flashes. If you instead see the message “No Gd,” adjust your lighting and then try again.
When you create a preset this way, the camera automatically stores your setting as Preset d-0. (The other presets are named d-1 through d-4.) So any time
you want to select and use the preset, press the WB button and rotate the main command dial to select PRE, as in Step 3. Then rotate the sub-command dial while pressing the button to select d-0, as shown in Figure 6-34. (The Information display shows the same data when you press the WB button.) You also can select the preset through the White Balance option on the Shooting menu; see the upcoming section “Selecting a preset” for a few critical details on that method.
Preset d-0 is always used for the most recent direct-measurement preset.
Figure 6-34: Preset d-0 is always used for the most recent direct-measurement preset.
Each time you go through these steps, your d-0 preset is replaced by the new white balance data you record. However, you can preserve your original preset by copying it to one of the other preset slots. See the upcoming section “Managing presets” for details on how to copy your preset as well as how to select it when you’re ready to shoot.

Matching white balance to an existing photo

Suppose that you’re the marketing manager for a small business, and one of your jobs is to shoot portraits of the company big-wigs for the annual report. You build a small studio just for that purpose, complete with a couple of photography lights and a nice, conservative, beige backdrop.
Of course, the big-wigs can’t all come to get their pictures taken in the same month, let alone on the same day. But you have to make sure that the colors in that beige backdrop remain consistent for each shot, no matter how much time passes between photo sessions. This scenario is one possible use for an advanced white balance feature that enables you to base white balance on an existing photo.
Basing white balance on an existing photo works well only in strictly controlled lighting situations, where the color temperature of your lights is consistent from day to day. Otherwise, the White Balance setting that produces color accuracy when you shoot Big Boss Number One may add an ugly color cast to the one you snap of Big Boss Number Two.

To give this option a try, follow these steps:

1. Copy the picture that you want to use as the reference photo to your camera memory card, if it isn’t already stored there.
You can copy the picture to the card using a card reader and whatever method you usually use to transfer files from one drive to another. Copy the file to the folder named DCIM, inside the main folder, named 100D300s by default. (See Chapter 8 for help with working with files and folders.)
If you’re using dual memory cards, you can put the reference photo on either card.
2. Open the Shooting menu, highlight White Balance, and press OK.
3. Select PRE (Preset Manual) and press the Multi Selector right.
After you press the Multi Selector right, the screen shown on the left in Figure 6-35 appears. The five thumbnails represent the five preset slots, d-0 through d-4.
4. Use the Multi Selector to highlight any preset except d-0.
The d-0 preset is always used for White Balance settings you create by taking a picture of a reference card, as described in the preceding section.
Select Preset d-1 through d-4; d-0 is reserved for direct-measurement presets.
Figure 6-35: Select Preset d-1 through d-4; d-0 is reserved for direct-measurement presets.
5. Press the Multi Selector center button.
Now you see the menu shown on the right in Figure 6-35.
6. Highlight Select Image and press the Multi Selector right.
You see thumbnails of your photos.
To access a screen that enables you to switch to a different memory card or folder, press the Zoom Out button. Select your card and folder and press OK to display the thumbnails from that location.
7. Use the Multi Selector to move the yellow highlight box over the picture you want to use as your white balance photo.
8. Press the Multi Selector center button.
You’re returned to the screen showing your White Balance preset thumbnails. The thumbnail for the photo you selected in Step 7 appears as the thumbnail for the preset slot you chose in Step 4.
9. Press OK to travel to the white-balance fine-tuning screen.
Make any adjustments to the setting that you see fit, as described in the earlier section “Fine-tuning White Balance settings.”
10. Press OK to return to the Shooting menu.
The White Balance setting you just created is now selected.

Selecting a preset

After creating White Balance presets, select the one you want to use in two ways:

Use the WB button together with the command dials. First, select PRE as the White Balance setting by pressing the WB button as you rotate the main command dial. Keep holding the button and rotate the subcommand dial to cycle through the available presets (d-0 through d-4). The number of the selected preset appears in the Control panel and Information display while the button is pressed.
Use the White Balance option on the Shooting menu. Open the Shooting menu, select White Balance, press OK, highlight PRE (Preset Manual) and press the Multi Selector right. You then see the screen that contains thumbnails for all your presets. (Refer to the left screen in Figure 6-35.) Use the Multi Selector to place the yellow highlight box over the preset you want to use and then press OK. You’re taken to the fine-tuning screen that appears any time you select a White Balance setting from the menu; press OK to exit the screen without adjusting the setting.

Managing presets

Just to recap this whole White Balance preset deal:
You can create up to five presets, which take the names d-0 through d-4.
Preset d-0 is always used for the most recent preset you created through the direct measurement method (where you take a photo of a reference card).
Presets d-1 through d-4 can be assigned to presets based on photos.
If you want to create more than one preset through direct measurement, you can copy the existing d-0 setting to one of the other four preset slots before doing another direct measurement. This feature is very handy if you regularly use different studio or lighting setups, by the way. You can create one direct-measurement preset for a home studio, for example, and another for a work studio.
All five presets apply to all Shooting menu banks. And any changes that you make to a preset you created while working in one bank affect all other banks as well. Again, Chapter 10 discusses banks.

To copy Preset d-0 to another slot, take these steps:

1. Select the White Balance option on the Shooting menu and press OK.
2. Select PRE (Preset Manual) and press the Multi Selector right.
You see the thumbnails representing the five presets. For example, the left image in Figure 6-36 shows the d-0 position held by an existing direct-measurement preset and d-1 held by a preset based on a photo.
 To create an additional direct-measurement preset, first copy the existing one from d-0 to another slot (d1-d4).
Figure 6-36: To create an additional direct-measurement preset, first copy the existing one from d-0 to another slot (d1-d4).
3. Highlight the slot where you want to copy your d-0 preset.
Use the Multi Selector to place the yellow highlight box around the slot. In the figure, I selected an empty slot (d-2), but you can also copy over an existing preset. (The preset that has the yellow label — d-1 in the figure — represents your current White Balance setting.)
4. Press the Multi Selector center button to display the menu shown on the right in the figure.
5. Highlight Copy d-0 and press OK.
You’re returned to the preset thumbnails screen, and your original d-0 preset now occupies both d-0 and the slot you selected in Step 3. You can now create your second direct-measurement preset, which will take over the d-0 position.
Finally, you also can add a brief text comment to describe each preset. For example, you might add the label “Studio A” to one preset and “Studio B” to another to help you remember which is which. The label then appears with the preset thumbnail, as shown in Figure 6-37.
To enter a comment, take the exact same steps as you do to copy a preset, but instead of choosing Copy d-0 in Step 5, select Edit Comment and press the Multi Selector right. You then see a screen where you can
Enter text labels that describe each preset.
Figure 6-37: Enter text labels that describe each preset.
enter your text. The specific text-entry steps are the same as you use for entering image comments, which I detail in Chapter 10, so I won’t repeat them here.

Bracketing white balance

Chapter 5 introduces you to your camera’s automatic bracketing feature, which enables you to easily record the same image at several different exposure settings. In addition to being able to bracket autoexposure, flash, and Active D-Lighting settings, you can use the feature to bracket white balance.

Note a couple of things about this feature:

You can bracket JPEG and TIFF shots only. You can’t use white balance bracketing if you set the camera’s Image Quality setting to either RAW (NEF) or any of the RAW+JPEG options. And frankly, there isn’t any need to do so because you can precisely tune colors of RAW files when you process them in your RAW converter. Chapter 8 has details on RAW processing.
You take just one picture to record each bracketed series. Each time you press the shutter button, the camera records a single image and then makes the bracketed copies, each at a different White Balance setting. One frame is always captured with no white-balance adjustment.
You can apply white balance bracketing only along the blue-to-amber axis of the fine-tuning color grid. You can’t shift colors along the green-to-magenta axis, as you can when tweaking a specific White Balance setting. (For a reminder of this feature, refer to the earlier section “Fine-tuning White Balance settings.”)
You can shift colors a maximum of three steps between frames. For those familiar with traditional lens filters, each step on the axis is equivalent to a filter density of five mireds.
However, by recording the maximum number of bracketed frames (nine), you can achieve a total adjustment of 12 steps from neutral. For example, if you set the frame count to 9 and set the amount of adjustment to 3, you get your neutral, unadjusted shot plus four amber shots: one with a +3 amber bias, one with a +6 bias, one with a +9 bias, and one with a +12 bias. You also get four blue variations, each progressively more blue. (You can tell how much adjustment has been applied by looking at the White Balance data during playback or in Nikon ViewNX. For a +12 amber bias, for example, the readout will say A12. Chapter 4 explains how to view shooting data during playback.)
When you use white balance bracketing, you can request that the camera record the bracketed images so that they are progressively more blue or more amber. Or you can record one image that’s pushed toward blue and another that leans toward amber. Regardless, you also get one shot that’s “neutral” — that is, recorded at the current White Balance setting, without any adjustment.
I used white balance bracketing to record the three candle photos in Figure 6-38. For the blue and amber versions, I set the bracketing to shift colors the full nine steps.

To apply white balance bracketing, you first need to take these steps:

I used white balance bracketing to record three variations on the subject.
Figure 6-38: I used white balance bracketing to record three variations on the subject.
1. Set the Image Quality setting to one of the JPEG options (Fine, Normal, or Basic) or TIFF.
Chapter 3 explains all these options. To adjust the setting quickly, press the Qual button while rotating the main command dial.
2. Display the Custom Setting menu, select the Bracketing/Flash submenu, and press OK.
3. Select Auto Bracketing Set, as shown on the left in Figure 6-39, and press OK.
You see the screen shown on the right in the figure.
Your first step is to set the Auto Bracketing Set option to WB Bracketing.
Figure 6-39: Your first step is to set the Auto Bracketing Set option to WB Bracketing.
4. Select WB Bracketing and press OK.
The bracketing feature is now set up to adjust white balance between your bracketed shots.
From here on, bracketing works pretty much as detailed in the steps at the end of Chapter 5. Rather than repeating everything here, I’ll save some page space and provide just a quick summary of how to establish the bracketing settings.
To set the number of frames and direction of the bracketing adjustment: Press and hold the Fn (Function) button (right-front side of the camera) while rotating the main command dial. For white balance bracketing, the options are as follows:
• b3F: Records three frames: one neutral, one shifted one increment toward blue, and a third shifted one additional increment toward blue.
• a3F: The same as b3F, but with the color adjustment toward the amber side of the scale.
• b2F: Records two frames, one without any adjustment and one shifted toward blue.
• a2F: Again, you get two frames, but the second is shifted toward amber.
• 3F: This setting records three frames, with one neutral, one pushed toward amber, and one shifted toward blue.
• 5F: You get five frames: One neutral, two shifted toward amber, and two shifted toward blue.
• 7F: Along with one neutral shot, you get three amber variations and three blue variations.
• 9F: This setting gives you nine shots, one neutral, four amber, and four blue.
Again, for the 5, 7, and 9 frame options, the increment of shift for the blue and amber variations is increased between shots.
• OF: Select this setting to turn off bracketing.
To set the amount of white-balance adjustment: Press the Fn button and rotate the sub-command dial. Again, you can set the bracketing amount to 1, 2, or 3.
While the Fn button is pressed, you can view both settings in the Control panel and Info display. When you release the button, you see the same BKT symbol and progress indicator that appears when you bracket exposure settings. (Again, check out Chapter 5 for details.)
After establishing the bracketing parameters, just shoot your bracketed frames. Remember, you press the shutter button just once, and the camera records the entire bracketed series. Bracketing remains in force until you disable it (by setting the frame number to 0F).

Choosing a Color Space: sRGB Versus Adobe RGB

By default, your camera captures images using the sRGB color mode, which simply refers to an industry-standard spectrum of colors. (The s is for standard, and the RGB is for red-green-blue, which are the primary colors in the digital color world.) The sRGB color mode was created to help ensure color consistency as an image moves from camera (or scanner) to monitor and printer; the idea was to create a spectrum of colors that all of these devices can reproduce.
However, the sRGB color spectrum leaves out some colors that can be reproduced in print and onscreen, at least by some devices. So as an alternative, your camera also enables you to shoot in the Adobe RGB color mode, which includes a larger spectrum (or gamut) of colors. Figure 6-40 offers an illustration of the two spectrums.
Adobe RGB includes some colors not found in the sRGB spectrum.
Figure 6-40: Adobe RGB includes some colors not found in the sRGB spectrum.
Some colors in the Adobe RGB spectrum cannot be reproduced in print. (The printer just substitutes the closest printable color, if necessary.) Still, I usually shoot in Adobe RGB mode because I see no reason to limit myself to a smaller spectrum from the get-go.
However, just because I use Adobe RGB doesn’t mean that it’s right for you. First, if you plan to print and share your photos without making any adjustments in your photo editor, you’re usually better off sticking with sRGB, because most printers and Web browsers are designed around that color space. Second, know that in order to retain all your original Adobe RGB colors when you work with your photos, your editing software must support that color space — not all programs do. You also must be willing to study the whole topic of digital color a little bit because you need to use some specific settings to avoid really mucking up the color works.
If you want to go with Adobe RGB instead of sRGB, you can make the change either via the Shooting menu, as shown on the left in Figure 6-41, or via the control strip at the bottom of the Info display, as shown on the right. To use the control strip, press the Info button twice and then use the Multi Selector to highlight the color-space option. Then press OK to access the screen where you can change the setting.
Choose Adobe RGB for a broader color spectrum.
Figure 6-41: Choose Adobe RGB for a broader color spectrum.
You can tell whether you captured an image in the Adobe RGB format by looking at its filename: Adobe RGB images start with an underscore, as in _DSC0627.jpg. For pictures captured in the sRGB color space, the underscore appears in the middle of the filename, as in DSC_0627.jpg.

Taking a Quick Look at Picture Controls

A Nikon feature called Picture Controls offers one more way to tweak image sharpening, color, and contrast when you shoot in the JPEG or TIFF picture formats. You can select the Picture Control setting through the Shooting menu, as shown on the left in Figure 6-42, or through the control strip option shown on the right. (Remember, press Info twice to activate the strip, use the Multi Selector to highlight the option, and press OK to display the relevant menu screen.)
Picture Controls apply preset adjustments to color, sharpening, and other photo characteristics to images you shoot in the JPEG or TIFF file formats.
Figure 6-42: Picture Controls apply preset adjustments to color, sharpening, and other photo characteristics to images you shoot in the JPEG or TIFF file formats.
Sharpening, in case you’re new to the digital meaning of the term, refers to a software process that adjusts contrast in a way that creates the illusion of slightly sharper focus. I emphasize, “slightly sharper focus.” Sharpening produces a subtle tweak, and it’s not a fix for poor focus.

On the D300s, you can choose from four Picture Controls, which produce the following results:

Standard: The default setting, this option captures the image normally — that is, using the characteristics that Nikon offers up as suitable for the majority of subjects.
Neutral: At this setting, the camera doesn’t enhance color, contrast, and sharpening as much as in the other modes. The setting is designed for people who want to precisely manipulate these picture characteristics in a photo editor. By not overworking colors, sharpening, and so on when producing your original file, the camera delivers an original that gives you more latitude in the digital darkroom.
Vivid: In this mode, the camera amps up color saturation, contrast, and sharpening.
‘ Monochrome: This setting produces black-and-white photos. Only in the digital world, they’re called grayscale images because a true black-and-white image contains only black and white, with no shades of gray.
I’m not keen on creating grayscale images this way. I prefer to shoot in full color and then do my own grayscale conversion in my photo editor. That technique just gives you more control over the look of your black-and-white photos. Assuming that you work with a decent photo editor, you can control what original tones are emphasized in your grayscale version, for example. Additionally, keep in mind that you can always convert a color image to grayscale, but you can’t go the other direction. You can create a black-and-white copy of your color image right in the camera, in fact; Chapter 11 shows you how.
The extent to which Picture Controls affect your image depends on the subject as well as the exposure settings you choose and the lighting conditions. But Figure 6-43 gives you a general idea of what to expect. As you can see, the differences between the three color Picture Controls are pretty subtle.
Personally, I think that the Standard Picture Control works just fine, and I rarely use the others. And frankly, I suggest that you do the same. First off, you’ve got way more important camera settings to worry about — aperture, shutter speed, autofocus, and all the rest. Why add one more setting to your list, especially when the impact of changing it is minimal?
Second, if you really want to mess with the characteristics that the Picture Control options affect, you’re much better off shooting in the RAW (NEF) format and then making those adjustments on a picture-by-picture basis in your RAW converter. In Nikon ViewNX, you can even assign any of the existing Picture Controls to your RAW files and then compare how each one affects the image. The camera does tag your RAW file with whatever Picture Control is active at the time you take the shot, but the image adjustments are in no way set in stone, or even in sand — you can tweak your photo at will. (The selected Picture Control does affect the JPEG preview that’s used to display the RAW image thumbnails in ViewNX and other browsers.)
For these reasons, I’m opting in this topic to present you with just this brief introduction to Picture Controls so that I can go into more detail about functions that I see as more useful (such as the white balance customization options presented earlier). But if you’re intrigued, know that you also can create your very own, customized Picture Controls and even save them to a
memory card and share them with other photographers or install them on other compatible Nikon cameras. The camera manual walks you step by step through the process.
Each Picture Control produces a slightly different take on the scene.
Figure 6-43: Each Picture Control produces a slightly different take on the scene.

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