Camera
Controls
The top layout
of the D2H is quite similar to other Nikon SLR models. On the
right side of the camera is the on/off switch (toggle it all
the way and it also activates illumination of the LCD panel).
Directly below
you will find the Mode button, which is used to set a number
of different options on the camera. The exposure capture modes
on the D2H include; Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority,
Program and Program shift. To set the desired mode. you simply
push the mode button, while using the handy selector dial on
the top back of the camera to scroll to the desired exposure
setting.
The Exposure
Compensation button is conveniently located next to the Menu
button. Exposure can be compensated ±5.0 EV in 1/3, 1/2 or 1
EV steps for precise exposure control.
The metering
mode selector can be found on the right side of the viewfinder
housing, again similar to previous Nikon SLR's.
The metering
options on the D2H include:
- 3D
Color Matrix Metering using the 1,005-pixel CCD with D/G-type
Nikkor lenses. Other AF Nikkor lenses with built-in CPUs support
Matrix Metering (Non-CPU lenses require manual input of lens
data)
- Center-Weighted
Metering (75% of the meter's sensitivity concentrated on the
8mm dia. circle)
- Spot
Metering (3mm dia. circle, approx. 2% of entire frame); metering
position can be linked to the focus area when using Nikkor
lenses with built-in CPU
The Diopter
Adjustment Dial (to correct viewfinder for personal vision)
is also found on the right side of the viewfinder housing. The
diopter range is -3 to +1m-1
The shooting
mode dial is located on the top left side of the D2H. A lock
button prevents accidental switching of the dial position. Shooting
mode options include:
- Single
frame shooting [S] mode: advances one frame for each shutter
release
- Continuous
high shooting [CH] mode: 8 frames per second (fps) [up to
40 (JPEG) / 25 (RAW:NEF) consecutive shots]
- Continuous
low shooting [CL] mode: 1 to 7 fps (selectable from menus)
- Self-timer
mode: time duration can be set
- Mirror
up mode: first press: mirror up, second press: release
- Playback
mode: Menu mode
- PC
mode: data transfer via personal computer
- Interval
timer (Intervalometer) mode provided
On the top
of the shooting mode dial, there is a exposure bracketing mode
button, and also a flash mode control button. The different
flash modes that can be selected include:
- Front-Curtain
Sync (normal sync)
- Red-Eye
Reduction
- Red-Eye
Reduction with Slow Sync
- Slow
Sync
- Rear-Curtain
Sync
Most
of the controls and function buttons are located on the back
of the camera. The playback button is conveniantly located towards
the top left side enabling easy operation. The file delete button
is placed directly beside the image playback button, again a
logical position for fast and convenient editing.
Located beside
the LCD monitor are four function buttons; the Menu mode button,
the Image Zoom button (also thumbnail view selector), the Image
Protect button, and the Enter button. The Enter button is used
to confirm a number of commands on the camera.
Separate function
buttons for ISO, Image quality and White Balance are located
in the center of the camera just below the rear data LCD. Beside
the data LCD there is a button to activate voice memo recording.
ISO
selections on the D2H
ISO sensitivity
can be selected on the D2H from ISO 200
to 1,600 (variable
in 1/2, 1/3, or 1EV steps). Sensitivity can be extended by 1
or 2 steps beyond ISO 1,600 (Hi-1, Hi-2)
Next to the
main selector dial on the top right of the camera, there are
two buttons dedicated to activating AF and setting AE /AF lock
respectively.
A new 8-way
multi-selector enables diagonal movement and makes scrolling
through menus and panning over images easier and faster. The
multi-selector is used to set among others, the desired focusing
zone, and to toggle through and choose from the various menu
functions. The focus mode selector switch is placed directly
underneath for easy access as well.
Towards the
bottom right of the camera, there is a dedicated Selection dial
and an AF On button ergonomically placed for vertical shooting.
There is also a dedicated vertical shutter release located on
the side of the camera body.
In general,
the D2H's new larger controls and oversized buttons make operating
the camera easier. (Especially with gloves.)
 
Custom
Settings
Photographers
can customize the camera settings to suit their needs. There
are a total of 42 combinations of custom settings to choose
from. The settings are divided by colors into groups "a"
through "f" for easy identification.
a:
Autofocus
b:
Exposure and metering
c:
AE/AF lock and timer
d:
Shooting, Recording and Display
e:
Flash and Bracketing
f:
Controls
The user can
also set up personalized custom shooting modes and store them
in one of the four shooting menu banks. (Tagged A,B,C or D as
shown above)
New
Function Button
On the front
of the D2H right next to the lens mount there is a new dedicated
function button. The function button can be assigned to do the
following from the menu:
- FV Lock:
(default setting); used when the SB-800 is attached.
- FV Lock,
lens information manual setting: Setting is possible with
the button and the main command dial when a non-CPU lens is
attached.
- Shutter
and aperture one-increment selection: Regardless of the step
setting during exposure, one step can be set.
- AE-L/AF-L
button: Same function as the one in the upper part of the
camera's back.
- SB flash
stop: Pushing it temporarily prevents the SB from firing.
- BKT automatic
continuous shooting: In drive mode S, the set number of bracketing
shots are automatically taken in succession. Once they are
taken in CH or CL, shooting continues with the next bracketing
shots.
- Multipattern
metering: Temporarily activates multipattern metering.
- Center-weighted
metering: Temporarily activates center-weighted metering.
- Spot metering:
Temporarily activates spot metering.
Another new
feature on the D2H is the ability to enter data in the shooting
menu when using a non-CPU Nikkor lens (as seen above). Inputting
information about the attached non-CPU lens (i.e., focal distance
and aperture number) enables the following functions with these
types of older Nikkor lenses:
- Functions
that are available after inputting the focal distance: Automatic
zooming of the speedlight; displaying of the focal distance
in the playback screen (focal distance is marked with an asterisk).
- Functions
that are available after inputting the aperture setting: Display
of the lens' aperture setting (on the top control panel and
in the lower part of the viewfinder); automatic external flash
control linked to the aperture setting; aperture setting display
in the playback screen (aperture number is marked with an
asterisk).
- Functions
that are available after inputting both the focal distance
and aperture setting: RGB multipattern metering; 3D Multi-Sensor
Balanced Fill-Flash.
The lens information
can be entered in the "lens information manual setting"
of the shooting menu, or by using the function button and main
control dial
- Available
focal distance settings: 6, 8, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 24, 25,
28, 35, 43, 45, 50, 55, 58, 70, 80, 85, 86, 100, 105, 135,
180, 200, 300, 360, 400, 500, 600, 800, 1,000, 1,200, 1,400,
1,600, 2,000, 2,400, 2,800, 3,200 and 4,000mm.
- Available
aperture settings: f/1.2, 1.4, 1.8, 2, 2.5, 2.8, 3.3, 3.5,
4, 4.5, 5, 5.6, 6.3, 7.1, 8, 9.5, 11, 13, 15, 16, 19 and 22.
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