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A
Short Course in
Nikon D80
Photography
162
pages, 8.5 x 11, black & white book with a spiral
binding and accompanying full-color, fully searchable
eBook. Book, eBook, or package at a special low price.
NEW!
You can purchase and immediately download for only $24.95,
a full-featured, high resolution printable edition, with
over 50 working animations.
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here
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New,
a Short Courses digital photography book for people who own
the Nikon D80 digital camera and want to get better pictures.
This beautifully written and illustrated guide, drawing on
the much more comprehensive information on the ShortCourses
Web site, pulls together answers to the questions you might
have about using the Nikon D80, including the following:
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Taking a Picture
in Auto Mode
-
Using Menus
-
Using the Two-Button
Reset
-
Reviewing and
Playing Back Images
-
Zooming Images
-
Deleting Images
-
Displaying a
Slide Show
-
Connecting the
Camera to a TV
-
Selecting the
Playback Folder
-
Hiding and Unhiding
Images
-
Rotating Tall
Images
-
Changing Image
Quality /Size with the Quality Button
-
Changing Image
Quality /Size with the Menu
-
Changing Exposure
Modes
-
Using Digital
Vari-Program Modes
-
Using Flexible
Program Mode
-
Using Shutter-Priority
Auto (S) Mode
-
Turning Long
Exposure Noise Reduction On and Off
-
Using Aperture-Priority
Auto (A) Mode
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Using Manual
(M) Mode
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Changing the
Metering Mode
-
Using Exposure
Compensation
-
Using Autoexposure
(AE) Lock
-
Displaying Histograms
-
Evaluating Histograms
-
Using the Self-timer
-
Using the Remote
Control
-
Changing the
ISO with the ISO Button
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Changing the
ISO with the Menu
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Turning High
ISO Noise Reduction On and Off
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Increasing the
Sharpness of Moving Objects
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Manually Selecting
an Autofocus Area
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Selecting an
Autofocus Mode
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Using Autofocus
(AF) Lock
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Increasing Depth
of Field
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Setting the
Hyperfocal Distance
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Zone Focusing
-
Decreasing Depth
of Field in Automatic Mode
-
Capturing Creative
Blur
-
Setting White
Balance with the WB Button
-
Setting White
Balance from the Menu
-
Measuring White
Balance Preset
-
Copying White
Balance from a Photograph
-
Using Bulb Mode
-
Mounting a Lens
-
Unmounting a
Lens
-
Zooming the
Lens
-
Selecting a
Flash Mode
-
Using Red-eye
Reduction Mode
-
Using Fill Flash
-
Using Slow Sync
Flash
-
Turning Off
the Flash
-
Using Flash
Exposure Compensation
-
Using Flash
Value (FV) Lock
-
Shooting in
Continuous Mode
-
Bracketing Exposure,
Flash and White Balance
-
Multiple Exposures
-
Retouching Images
-
Optimizing Images
-
Using the Setup
Menu
-
Using the Custom
Settings Menu
-
Printing Images
-
Caring for Your
Camera
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The
book is designed to work with the on-line books on the www.shortcourses.com
site. The book explains how to get better pictures but you'll
find more on that subject on the site. In addition, there is lots
of information on the site about what you can do with your pictures
after you've taken them.
CHAPTER
1
GETTING STARTED WITH YOUR NIKON D80...7
The
Nikon D80—An Overview...8
Jump Start—Using Auto Mode...9
Batteries and Memory Cards...10
Good Things to Know...12
The Viewfinder, Monitor and Control Panel...14
Using Dials and Buttons...15
Using Menus...17
Restoring Default Settings...19
Using Image Review and Playback Mode...20
Using the Playback Menu...22
Selecting Image Quality and Size...26
CHAPTER
2
CONTROLLING EXPOSURE...32
Understanding
Exposure...33
The Shutter Controls Light and Motion...34
The Aperture Controls Light and Depth of Field...36
Using Shutter Speed and Aperture Together...38
Retaining Highlight and Shadow Details ...41
Understanding Exposure Displays...42
Choosing Exposure Modes...43
Using Digital Vari-program Modes...44
Using Programmed Auto (P) Mode...45
Using Shutter-Priority Auto (S) Mode...46
Using Aperture-Priority Auto (A) Mode...47
Using Manual (M) Mode...48
How Your Exposure System Works...49
When Automatic Exposure Works Well...52
When to Override Automatic Exposure...53
How to Override Automatic Exposure...57
Using Histograms...59
Using the RAW Format...63
CHAPTER
3
CONTROLLING SHARPNESS...67
Eliminating
Camera Movement...68
Sharpness Isn’t Everything...72
How to Photograph Motion Sharply...73
Focus and Depth of Field...75
Focusing Techniques...77
Controlling Depth of Field...81
Using Deep Depth of Field...82
Using Shallow Depth of Field...84
Conveying the Feeling of Motion...85
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CHAPTER
4
CAPTURING LIGHT & COLOR...86
Where
Does Color Come From?...87
White Balance...88
Color Balance and Time of Day...92
Sunsets and Sunrises...93
Weather...95
Photographing at Night...97
The Direction of Light...99
The Quality of Light...101
CHAPTER
5
UNDERSTANDING LENSES...102
Nikon
D80 Lenses...103
Zoom Lenses...107
Normal Lenses...108
Wide-Angle Lenses...109
Telephoto Lenses...111
Tilt-Shift Lenses...113
Macro Lenses...114
CHAPTER
6
USING FLASH & STUDIO LIGHTING...117
Selecting
a Flash Mode...118
Portraits with Flash...123
Using Fill Flash...125
Using Slow Sync Flash...126
Using Available Light...127
Controlling Flash Exposures...128
Using an External Flash...129
Studio Lighting...130
Portrait and Product Photography—Introduction...133
The Main Light...134
The Fill Light...135
The Background Light...136
The Rim Light...137
CHAPTER
7
OTHER FEATURES AND COMMANDS...138
Shooting
Continuously...139
Bracketing Exposure, Flash, and White Balance...140
Multiple Exposures...142
Retouching Images...143
Caring for Your Camera...161
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A
great photograph begins when you recognize a great scene or subject.
But recognizing a great opportunity isn’t enough to capture
it; you also have to be prepared. A large part of being prepared
involves understanding your camera well enough to capture what
you see. Getting you prepared to see and capture great photographs
is what this book is all about. It doesn’t matter if you
are taking pictures for real-estate ads or self-expression, there’s
a lot here to help you get better results and more satisfaction
from your photography.
To
get better, and possibly even great photographs, you need to understand
both concepts and procedures; the "whys" and "hows"
of photography.
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Concepts
of photography are the underlying principles that apply regardless
of the camera you are using. They include such things as how
sharpness and exposure affect your images and the way they
are perceived by viewers. Understanding concepts answers the
"why" kinds of questions you might have about photography.
-
Procedures
are those things specific to one kind of camera, and explain
step-by-step how you set your camera’s controls to capture
an image just the way you want to. Understanding procedures
gives you the answers to the "how" kinds of questions
you might have.
This
book is organized around the concepts of digital photography because
that’s how photographers think. You think about scenes and
subjects, highlights and shadows, softness and sharpness, color
and tone. The procedures you use with the Canon PowerShot G6
camera are integrated throughout the concepts, appearing in those
places where they apply. This integrated approach let’s you
first understand the concepts of photography and then see step
by step how to use the Nikon D80 in all kinds of photographic
situations.
To
get more effective, interesting, and creative photographs, you
only need to understand how and when to use a few simple features
on your camera such as focus, exposure controls, and flash. If
you’ve previously avoided understanding these features and
the profound impact they can have on your images, you’ll
be pleased to know that you can learn them on a weekend afternoon.
You can then spend the rest of your life marveling at how their
infinite variety of combinations makes it possible to convey your
own personal view of the world. You’ll be ready to keep everything
in a scene sharp for maximum detail or to blur it all for an impressionistic
portrayal. You’ll be able to get dramatic close-ups, freeze
fast action, create wonderful panoramas, and capture the beauty
and wonder of rainbows, sunsets, fireworks, and nighttime scenes.
As
you explore your camera, be sure to have fun. There are no "rules"
or "best" way to make a picture. Great photographs come
from using what you know to experiment and try new approaches.
Digital cameras make this especially easy because there are no
film costs or delays. Every experiment is free and you see the
results immediately so you can experiment step by step.
This
book assumes you’ve mastered the mechanics of your camera.
It’s about getting great pictures, not about installing batteries
and connecting your camera to your computer. That information
is well presented in the user guides that came with your camera,
however it is summarized in the Appendix of this book.
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