Nikon D3100 2 Where to Find It

Where to Find It

Find what you’re looking for from:

AFor Your Safety

Before using the camera for the first time, read the safety instructions in “For Your Safety”

(0ix–xiv).

Help

Use the camera’s on-board help feature for help on menu items and other topics.

See page 11

for details.

Digitutor

“Digitutor”, a series of “watch and learn” manuals in movie form, is available from the following

website: http://www.nikondigitutor.com/index_eng.html

iThe Table of Contents ➜0iv–viii

Find items by function or menu name.

iThe Q&A Index ➜0ii–iii

Know what you want to do but don’t know the function name?

Find it from

the “question and answer” index.

iThe Index ➜0205–207

Search by key word.

iError Messages ➜0192–194

If a warning is displayed in the viewfinder or monitor, find the solution here.

iTroubleshooting ➜0188–191

Camera behaving unexpectedly?

Find the solution here.

Contents

Main Where to Find It i Page Q&A Index Taking Photographs Viewing Photographs iii Retouching Photographs Menus and Settings Connections Maintenance and Optional Accessories Table of Contents iv Introduction 1 Basic Photography and Playback 23 Page vi More on Playback 99 Connections 115 vii Menu Guide 129 viii Technical Notes 167 ix For Your Safe ty A WARNINGS A A x A xi Notices xii D3100 xiii xiv A X Introduction Symbols and Conventions Overview D Getting to Know th e Camera Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with camera controls and displays. The Camera Body The Camera Body (Continued) A Rotate the power switch as shown to turn the camera on. Rotate the power switch as shown to turn the camera off. The Mode Dial The camera offers a choice of the following shooting modes and g mode: A The Release-Mode Selector Use the release-mode selector to choose from the following release modes: The Information Display Camera settings can be viewed and adjusted in the information display. Press the P button once to view settings, and again to make changes to settings. Highlight items using the multi selector and press J to view options for the highlighted item. A The Command Dial + Page The Viewfinder D The response time and brightness of the viewfinder display may vary with temperature. Camera Menus Most shooting, playback, and setup options can be accessed from the camera menus. To view the menus, press the G button. d 1 2 3 Page 14 First Steps Charge the Battery 1 2 3 2 Unlatch (q) and open (w) the battery-chamber cover. 4 3 Insert the battery as shown at right. 2 camera body cap. 3 D Vibration Reduction (VR) A D 18 Basic Setup 1 2 3 4 5 A 20 Insert a Memory Card GB 2 3 A D A 1 2 3 4 D 22 1 2 3 A s 23 Basic Photography and Playback Step 1: Turn the Camera On 1 3 remaining. Step 2: Select i or j Mode 25 Step 3: Frame the Photograph 2 A 26 Step 4: Focus 1 2 Step 5: Shoot A Creative Photography (Scene Modes) The Mode Dial Scene Modes k l p m n o 30 Basic Playback 1 2 31 Deleting Unwanted Photographs 1 2 A Page ! Guide Mode The Guide Guide Mode Menus Shoot More Settings Start Shooting View/Delete Set Up A The following operations can be performed while the guide is displayed: x 37 Live View Follow the steps below to take photographs in live view. 2 A 39 4 5 D 6 7 A D A Page y 45 Recording and Viewing Movies 1 2 5 6 A 47 Movie Settings 1 2 recording options. A D Viewin g Movies The following operations can be performed: Movies are indicated by a 1 icon in full-frame playback (099). Press J to start playback. Editing Movies Trimm ing Movi es 1 2 3 4 5 6 D A 1 2 3 4 5 k k Release Mode Self-Timer Mode 1 2 3 4 A z 55 More on Photography (All Modes) Focus Mod e 2 3 Highlight a focus mode and press J. To ret urn to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway. D D A 58 AF-Area Mode 2 A 60 Focus Point Selection 1 (Auto-area AF; 058). 2 Focus Loc k 1 61 2 3 A 62 Manual Focus 1 2 A The Electronic Rangefinder A 64 Image Quality and Size Image Quality 2 65 3 Highlight an option and press J. To ret urn to shooting mode, press the shutter-release button halfway. A 2 3 67 Using the Built-in Flash Using the Built-in Flash: i, k, p, n, and o Modes 1 2 Using the Built-in Flash: P, S, A, and M Modes 1 2 3 A + A 71 ISO Sensitivity 2 3 Page t P, S, A, and M Modes P, S, A, and M modes offer different degrees of control over shutter speed and aperture: Shutter Speed and Aperture D 1 2 A 75 Mode S (Shutter-Priority Auto) 1 2 76 Mode A (Aperture-Priority Auto) 1 2 77 Mode M (Manual) 1 2 A 78 Long Time-Exposures (M Mode Only) 2 3 4 5 A 79 Exposure Metering 2 3 80 1 2 3 A 81 2 3 A 83 Flash Compensation 2 3 A 85 Active D-Lighting 2 3 Page 87 White Balance 2 3 A 89 Fine-Tuning White Balance 1 2 3 4 A 1 2 3 4 91 5 6 D A Copying White Balance from a Photograph 1 2 3 4 5 Picture Controls Selecting a Picture Control 1 2 95 1 2 3 4 A Picture Control Settings D A The GP-1 GPS Unit Setup Menu Options A I More on Playback To play photographs back, press the K button. The most recent photograph will be displayed in the monitor. Full-Fr ame Play back Photo Information Photo information is superimposed on images displayed in full-frame playback. 5 6 4 RGB Histogram* A Highlights * * Displayed only if Highlights is selected for Display mode> Detailed photo info (0130). D3100 N Shooting Data Page 21 D3100 KO I GPS Data * 26 25 / *AUTO is displayed if photo was taken with Active D-Lighting on. Thumbnail Playback To display images in contact sheets of four, nine, or 72 images, press the W button. Calendar Playback To view images taken on a selected date, press the W button when 72 images are displayed. Taking a Closer Look: Playback Zoom The following operations can be performed while zoom is in effect: 108 Protecting Photographs from Deletion 1 2 A 109 Deleting Photographs Full-Frame, Thumbnail, and Calendar Playback 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 112 Slide Shows 1 2 A Page Page Q Connections Before Connecting the Camera Supplied Software Supported Operating Systems 2 3 4 5 6 D Printing Photographs Connecting the Printer 2 A 118 3 Printing Pictures One at a Time 1 2 D 3 Press 1 or 3 to highlight an option and press 2 to select. 120 4 Printing Multiple Pictures 1 2 D 3 D 122 4 5 6 A Creating Index Prints 1 2 3 4 124 1 (DPOF) item in the playback menu. 2 3 125 4 5 D 126 Viewing Photographs on TV Standard Definition Devices 2 3 4 A 2 3 4 A D HDMI Options Output Resolution Device Control A M o Menu Guide Choose a folder for playback: To display the playback menu, press G and select the D (playback menu) tab. o Display Mode Image Review Rotate Tall CThe Shooting Menu: ShootingO ptions To display the shooting menu, press G and select the C (shooting menu) tab. Select Yes to reset shooting menu settings. The shooting menu contains the following options: Reset Shooting Options A Auto ISO Sensitivity ISO Sensitivity Settings A Auto Distortion Control A Color Space A Noise Reduction AF-Assist Choose the flash mode for the built-in flash in P, S, A, and M modes. Built-in Flash A BThe Setup Menu: Camera Setup To display the setup menu, press G and select the B (setup menu) tab. Reset Setup Options The setup menu contains the following options: 137 1 2 LCD Brightness Info Display Format The Classic display is shown below. A When the camera is rotated 90, shooting information rotates to match camera orientation. Auto Info Display Video Mode Flicker Reduction A Time Zone and Date Language Image Comment 141 1 Auto Image Rotation Dust off Ref Photo D A 2 3 D Auto off Timers A Self-Timer Delay Beep Rangefinder A When a photograph is taken, the camera names the file by adding one to the last file number used. File Number Sequence D Fn Button AE-L/AF-L Button AE Lock Buttons Slot Empty Release Lock Date Imprint A Date Counter Naming and Renaming Folders Storage Folder D Eye-Fi Upload D Firmware Version A NThe Retouch Menu: Creating Retouched Copies To display the retouch menu, press G and select the N (retouch menu) tab. A 152 Creating Retouched Copies 1 2 3 4 A D-Lighting Red-Eye Correction Trim D Monochrome Choose from the following filter effects. Filter Effects 156 1 Color Balance A Small Picture 157 2 3 4 5 A 1 158 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 1 160 2 3 Quick Retouch Straighten Distortion Control D Fisheye Color Outline Perspective Control Miniature Effect 164 1 2 3 Before and After D mRecent Settings A Page n Technical Notes The f-number given in lens names is the maximum aperture of the lens. This camera supports autofocus with AF-S and AF-I CPU lenses only. A Compatible Non-CPU Lenses Non-CPU lenses may only be used when the camera is in mode M. Selecting another mode disables the shutter release. Some non-CPU lenses can not be used; see Incompatible Accessories and Non-CPU Lenses, below. Page D A 172 Optional Flash Units (Speedlights) 1 2 A D The Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) CLS-Compatible Flash Units A The following features are available with CLS-compatible flash units: Other Flash Units The following flash units can be used in non-TTL auto and manual modes. D Other Accessories At the time of writing, the following accessories were available for the D3100. Approved Memory Cards Attaching a Power Connector and AC Adapter 2 3 4 Caring for the Camera Storage Cleaning D 180 1 2 3 181 Clean At 1 2 D 182 Manual Cleaning 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 A D Caring for the Camera and Battery: Cautions Page Available Settings The following table lists the settings that can be adjusted in each mode. Defaults can be restored with Reset shooting options (0131). Memory Card Capac ity Troubleshooting Shooting (All Modes) Display A Page Shooting (P, S, A, M) Playback Miscellaneous Error Messages This section lists the indicators and error messages that appear in the viewfinder and monitor. A Page Page Specifications Nikon D3100 Digital Camera Page Page Page Page Page The AF-S DX NIKKOR 1855mm f/3.55.6G VR A D A A For more information, see Getting Good Results with Autofocus (056). Supported Standards Battery Life Index Symbols Numerics A B G H I J L S T U V W