Nikon D50 manual

En The Nikon Guide to Digital Photography with the DIGIT AL CAMERA[...]

About This Manual The topics in this manual are arranged in or der from easy to advanced. These chapters cover all you need to know for simple , “point-and-shoot” photography Read these chapters for a complete description of all aspects of camera operation Introduction (pages 1–13) Learn the names of camera parts and ready the camera for use.[...]

i Setup Reference Introduction T utorial More on Photography More on Playback Basic Camera Settings: The Setup Menu Shooting Options: The Shooting Menu Playback Options: The Playback Menu Custom Settings: The Custom Settings Menu T echnical Notes Photography and Playback[...]

ii To prevent damage to your Nikon product or injury to yourself or to oth- ers, read the following safety pr ecautions in their entirety befor e using this equipment. Keep these safety instructions where all those who use the product will r ead them. The consequences that could result fr om failure to observe the pr ecautions listed in this sectio[...]

iii or store with metal objects such as neck lac es or hair pins. • Batteries are prone to leakage when fully discharged. T o avoid damage to the prod uct, be sure to r emove the battery when no charge re mains. • When the battery is not in use, at tach the terminal cover and store in a cool place. • Immediately after use, or when the prod uc[...]

iv • No part of the manuals included with this product may be r eproduced, trans- mitted, transcribed, stored in a r etrieval system, or translated into any language in any form, by any means, without Nikon’ s prior written permission. • Nikon reserves the right to change the specifi cations of the hardware and soft- ware described in these [...]

v Notice for customers in Canada CAUTION This class B digital apparatus meets all re- quirements of the Canadian Interfer ence Causing Equipment Regulations. A TTENTION Cet appareil numérique de la classe B r es- pecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada. Notice Concerning Prohibition of Copying or Reproduction[...]

vi T able of Contents For Y our Safety.............................................................................................. ii Notices ........................................................................................................... iv Introduction...................................................................................[...]

vii A two-button reset (page 50) and Custom Setting R ( Menu Reset ; page 87) can be used to restor e factory default settings. Viewing Photographs on a Computer ......................................................... 59 Printing Photographs ................................................................................... 62 Setup .............[...]

viii Foreign Mat ter on the Low - P ass Filter Nikon takes every possible precaution to pr e vent foreign matter from com ing into con tact with the low-pass fi lter during production and ship ping. The D50, how ev er , is designed to be used with interchangeable lens es, and for eign matter may enter the camera when lens es are removed or exchang[...]

1 Thank you for your purchase of a Nikon D50 single-lens r efl ex (SLR) digital camera with interchangeable lenses. This manual has been written to help you enjoy taking pictures with your Nikon digital camera. Read this manual thoroughly befor e use, and keep it handy when using the product. The docu- mentation for this product also includes the [...]

2 Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera T ake a few moments to familiarize yourself with camera controls and dis- plays. Y ou may fi nd it helpful to bookmark this section and refer to it as you read thr ough the rest of the manual. Camera Body Accessory shoe: 109 Getting to Know the Camera Mode dial: 6 (fl ash sync mode) button: 18, 36 [ Fla[...]

3 Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera Camera Body (continued) (AE / AF lock) button: 34, 97, 98 Command dial: 43–45, 51–55 Memory card slot cover: 11, 12 Battery-chamber cover: 9 T ripod socket Reset switch: 120 (playback) button: 24, 51 (menu) button: 26 (thumbnail) button: 54 [ ISO (sensitivity) button: 39] (help / protect) button: 26, [...]

4 Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera 18 21 20 19 12 14 15 17 13 22 16 Control Panel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 11 10 9 1 Shutter speed .......................... 40–45 Exposure compensation value ....... 47 Flash compensation value ............. 38 Sensitivity (ISO equivalency) .......... 39 2 Sensitivity (ISO) indicator ............... 39 Auto sensi[...]

5 Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera Large- Capa ci ty Memory Cards When enough mem o ry re mains on the memory card to r ecor d a thou sand or more pic tures at cur r ent set tings, the num ber of exposures r e main ing will be shown in thou sands, round ed down to the near est hun dred (e.g., if there is r oom for ap prox i mate ly 1,260 e[...]

6 Introduction—Getting to Know the Camera The Mode Dial The D50 offers a choice of the following eleven shooting modes: Advanced Modes (Exposure Modes) Select these modes for full control over camera settings, in- cluding shutter speed and aperture. P: Programmed auto ( 42) A: Aperture-priority auto ( 44) S: Shutter -priority auto ( 43) M: Manual[...]

7 Introduction—First Steps At t a ch i ng the Camera Str ap Attach the strap as shown below . Detachin g L enses Be sure the camera is off when r emoving or exchang- ing lenses. T o remove the lens, press and hold the lens- release button while turning the lens clockwise. 2 Keep ing the mounting index on the lens aligned with the mounting index o[...]

8 Introduction—First Steps Charging and Inserting the Battery Use the supplied EN-EL3 battery and MH-18a quick charger . 1 Charge the battery 1.1 Connect the power cord to the charger and plug it in. 1.2 Place the battery in the charger . The CHARGE lamp will blink as the battery charges. About two hours are r equired for an exhausted battery to [...]

9 Introduction—First Steps 2 Insert the battery 2.1 After confi rming that the camera is off, open the battery chamber cover . 2.2 Insert a fully charged battery as shown at right. Close the battery chamber cover . Re moving th e Bat te r y Tu rn the camera off before removing the battery . Replace the terminal cover when the battery is not in u[...]

10 Introduction—First Steps Basic Setup The fi rst time the camera is turned on, the language selection dialog shown in Step 1 will be displayed in the monitor . Follow the steps below to choose a language and set the time and date. 3 4 Press multi selector left or right to select item, up or down to change. Display DA TE menu. 2 Select language[...]

11 Introduction—First Steps Inserting Memory Cards The camera stores pictur es on S ecure D igital (SD) memory cards (available separately). 1 Insert a memory card 1.1 Before inserting or removing memory cards, turn the camera off and open the card slot cover . 1.2 Slide the memory card in as shown at right until it clicks into place. The mem- or[...]

12 Introduction—First Steps 2 Format the memory card Formatting memory cards permanently deletes all photographs and other data they may contain. Be sure all data you wish to keep have been copied to another storage device before formatting the car d. 2 .1 Highlight Ye s . 2 .2 Begin formatting. Do not turn camera off or remove battery or memory [...]

13 Introduction—First Steps Adjusting Viewfi nder Focus Photographs are framed in the viewfi nder . Before shooting, make sure that the display in the viewfi nder is in clear focus. 1 Remove the lens cap and turn the camera on. 2 Slide the diopter adjustment control up and down until the focus brackets are in sharp fo- cus. When operating the [...]

14 Tu torial—T aking Photographs in Mode This section describes how to take pictures in (auto) mode, an automat- ic, “point-and-shoot” mode in which the majority of settings are contr olled by the camera in response to shooting conditions. 1 T urn the camera on T aking Photographs in Mode “Point-and-Shoot” Photography 1.1 Remove the lens [...]

15 Tu torial—T aking Photographs in Mode 2 Select mode and adjust camera settings Illustrations In illustrations throughout this manual, indicators in the contr ol panel and viewfi nder are r elevant to the explanation in accompanying text are shown in black. Indicators not mentioned in the text are shown in gray . 2.1 Rotate the mode dial to . [...]

16 Tu torial—T aking Photographs in Mode 3 Frame a photograph 3.1 Hold the camera as shown. Holding the Camera Hold the handgrip in your right hand and cradle the cam era body or lens with your left. Keep your elbows propped lightly against your torso for support. 3.2 Frame a photo in the viewfi nder with the main subject positioned in any of th[...]

17 Tu torial—T aking Photographs in Mode 4 Focus and shoot 4.1 Press the shutter -release button halfway . The camera will automatically select the focus area containing the subject closest to the camera and focus on this subject. When the focus operation is complete, the selected focus area will be highlight- ed, a beep will sound, and the in-fo[...]

18 Tu torial—T aking Photographs in Mode The Built- in Flas h If additional lighting is requir ed for correct exposur e in mode, the built-in fl ash will pop up automatically when the shutter -r elease is pressed halfway . Subjects outside the range of the fl ash (0.6–7.5 m / 2´–24´7˝) may not be properly lit. Remove lens hoods when usin[...]

19 Tu torial—Digital Vari-Pr ograms Digital V ari-Pr ograms Creative Photography In addition to , the D50 offers a choice of six Digital V ari-Program modes. Selecting a program automatically optimizes settings to suit the selected scene, making creative photography as easy as r otating the mode dial. Mode Description Portrait For portraits. Land[...]

20 Tu torial—Digital Vari-Pr ograms Landscape: Capturing Natur e’ s Majesty Use for vivid landscape shots that enhance out- lines, colors, and contrast in such subjects as skyscapes and forests. • Camera selects focus area containing subject closest to camera. • Built-in fl ash and AF-assist illuminator turn off automatically . Child: Kid [...]

21 Tu torial—Choosing a Shooting Mode Shooting mode determines how the camera takes pho to graphs: one at a time or continuously while the shutter -release button is held down. Mode Description Single frame (default) Camera takes one photograph each time shutter -r elease button is pressed. Continuous (burst mode) Camera recor ds photographs at r[...]

22 Tu torial—Using the Self-timer or Remote Control The self-timer or optional ML-L3 remote contr ol can be used for photo- graphs in which you wish to appear yourself. T o use the self-timer: Using the Self-timer or Remote Contr ol 1 Mount the camera on a tripod (recommend- ed) or place the camera on a stable, level sur face. 2 The current self-[...]

23 Tu torial—Using the Self-timer or Remote Control 5 T ake the photograph. Self-timer : Press the shutter -release button all the way down to start the self-timer . The self-tim er lamp (AF-assist lamp) will blink for about eight seconds. The lamp stops blinking two seconds before the pho- tograph is taken and remains lit until the shutter is r [...]

24 Tu torial—Basic Playback Photographs are displayed automatically after shooting. If no photograph is displayed in the monitor , the most recent picture can be viewed by pressing the button. Additional pictures can be displayed by rotating the command dial or pressing the multi selector left or right. Basic Playback To end playback and return t[...]

25 Reference This section builds on the T utorial to cover more advanced shooting and playback options. Adjust image quality and size according to how the picture will be used Image Quality: 31 Image Size: 32 Choose the focus area or focus manually Choosing the Focus Area: 33 Manual Focus: 35 Control depth of fi eld Exposure Mode A (Aperture-Prior[...]

26 Reference—Using Camera Menus Most shooting, playback, and setup options can be accessed from the camera menus. T o view the menus, press the button. Using Camera Menus Choose from play- back, shooting, Cus- tom Settings, and setup menus (see below) Current menu item is highlighted Current setting for each option is shown by icon This icon indi[...]

27 Reference—Using Camera Menus : Press multi selector up or down : Press multi selector right Navigating the Menus To make changes to a menu item, fi rst select the menu from the playback, shooting, Custom Settings, and setup menus (1), then select the menu item (2), and fi nally select an option (3). Some menus may contain multiple pages. The[...]

28 Reference—Using Camera Menus Making a Selection The multi selector is used to navigate through the camera menus. To modify menu settings: Move cursor up Increase number Return to previous menu Cancel (can also be per- formed with button) Display sub-menu Make selection (selection can also be made with button) Move cursor down Decrease number 2[...]

29 Reference—Using Camera Menus • Menu items that are displayed in gray are not curr ently available. • When formatting memory cards and in other cases in which user confi rmation is r equir ed, a selection can only be made by pressing the button. A message to this effect will appear in the display . •T o exit the menus and return to shoot[...]

30 Reference—Image Quality and Size Image Quality and Size T ogether , image quality and size determine how much space each pho to - graph occupies on the memory card. Larger , higher quality images look better when printed at a larger size but also requir e more memory , meaning that fewer such images can be stored on the memory car d. Image Qua[...]

31 Reference—Image Quality and Size The following options are available: Option Format Description NEF (Raw) ( RAW ) NEF Raw data from image sensor ar e saved in compressed N ikon E lectronic F ormat (NEF). Suitable for images that will be processed on a computer . JPEG Fine ( FINE ) JPEG Fine image quality , suitable for enlargements or high-qua[...]

32 Reference—Image Quality and Size Image Size The following options are available: Image size Size Size (pixels) Approximate size when printed at 200 dpi L (3008 × 2000) Large 3,008 × 2,000 38 × 25 cm (15˝ × 10˝) M (2256 × 1496) 2,256× 1,496 29 × 19 cm (11.5˝ × 7.5˝) S (1504 × 1000) Small 1,504 × 1,000 19 × 13 cm (7.5˝ × 5˝) Th[...]

33 Reference—Choosing the Focus Ar ea 2 Press the multi selector left, right, up, or down to select the focus area. The se lect ed focus area will be displayed in the viewfi nder , highlighted in red if necessary to establish contrast with the background. The selected focus area is also shown in the contr ol panel and viewfi nder status display[...]

34 Reference—Choosing the Focus Ar ea Focus Lock Focus lock can be used to focus on a subject that will not be in one of the fi ve focus areas in the fi nal composition. It can also be used when the autofocus system is unable to focus ( 121). Single or dynamic area AF is r ecommended when using focus lock ( 89). The AF - A ss ist Il lu minator [...]

35 Reference—Manual Focus The Electronic Range Finder If the lens has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or faster , the viewfi nder fo cus indicator can be used to con fi rm whether the subject in the se lect ed focus area is in focus. After positioning the sub ject in the active focus area, pr ess the shut ter -re lease but ton half way and r otate [...]

36 Reference—Flash Sync Mode Flash Sync Mode Choose a fl ash sync mode according to shooting conditions. The current fl ash mode is displayed in the control panel as shown below . is displayed when the fl ash is off. Controls used: button + command dial The fl ash sync modes available depend on the mode currently selected with the mode dial. [...]

37 Reference—Flash Sync Mode Choosing a Flash Sy nc Mo de Press the button and rotate the command dial. The current fl ash sync mode is displayed in the control panel. Using the Built-in Flash , , , , and modes : Choose the fl ash sync mode as described on the preceding page. The fl ash will pop-up as requir ed when the shutter - pressed halfw[...]

38 Reference—Flash Sync Mode Flash Compensation (P , S, A, and M Modes Only) Controls used: and buttons + command dial Flash compensation can be used to increase or r educe fl ash output from the level chosen by the camera’ s fl ash contr ol system. Flash output can be increased to make the main subject appear brighter , or reduced to pr even[...]

39 Reference—Sensitivity (ISO Equivalency) Sensitivity (ISO Equivalency) Photographs taken at slow shutter speeds are pr one to blurring. If sensitiv- ity is raised above the default value of ISO 200 equivalent, the same expo- sure can be achieved at faster shutter speeds, pr eventing blur . Sensitivity can be set to values between ISO 200 and IS[...]

40 Reference—P , S, A, and M Modes P , S , A , and M modes offer varying degrees of contr ol over shutter speed and aperture. Mode Description P Programmed auto Camera sets shutter speed and aperture for optimal exposur e. Recommended for snapshots and in other situations in which little time is available for adjusting camera settings. S Shutter [...]

41 Reference—P , S, A, and M Modes Exposure Exposure contr ols the brightness of photographs. The same exposure can be achieved with differ ent combinations of shutter speed and aperture, allowing you to blur or freeze motion or contr ol depth of fi eld. The following fi gure shows how shutter speed and aperture af fect exposure. Overexposed (b[...]

42 Reference—P , S, A, and M Modes P: Programmed Auto In this mode, the camera sets shutter speed and aperture for optimal ex- posure. This mode is r ecommended for snapshots and other situations in which little time is available for adjusting camera settings. 1 Rotate the mode dial to P . 2 Frame a photograph, focus, and shoot. Fl exible Program[...]

43 Reference—P , S, A, and M Modes S: Shutter -Priority Auto In mode S , you choose the shutter speed while the camera au to mat i cal ly selects the aperture that will pr oduce optimal exposure. Use slow shutter speeds to suggest motion by blurring moving objects, high shutter speeds to “freeze” motion. 1 Rotate the mode dial to S . 2 Rotate[...]

44 Reference—P , S, A, and M Modes A: Aperture-Priority Auto In mode A , you choose the aperture while the camera contr ols shutter speed for optimal exposure. Small apertur es (high f/-numbers) increase depth of fi eld, bringing both the main subject and back ground into focus. Large apertures (low f/-num bers) soften background details and let[...]

45 Reference—P , S, A, and M Modes M: Manual In mode M , the user controls both shutter speed and apertur e. Shut ter speed can be set to values between 30 s and ¼ ,000 s, or the shutter can be held open indefi nitely for a long time-exposure ( ). Aperture can be set to val ues between the minimum and maximum values for the lens. 1 Rotate the m[...]

46 Reference—P , S, A, and M Modes L ong Time - E xposures At a shutter speed of , the shutter will r emain open while the camera shutter -r elease but ton is held down. In delayed remote and quick-response r emote modes, is displayed instead of ; the shutter opens when the shutter -r elease button on the optional ML-L3 remote control is pr essed[...]

47 Reference—P , S, A, and M Modes Exposure Compensation (P , S, A, and M Modes Only) Controls used: button + command dial To obtain the desired results with certain subject compositions, it may be nec es sary to use ex po sure compensation to alter exposure from the val ue sug gest ed by the cam era. As a rule of thumb, positive compensation may[...]

48 Reference—P , S, A, and M Modes The options in the Optimize Image menu control sharpening, contrast, saturation, and hue. Option Description N Normal (default) Recommended for most situations. VI Vivid Enhances saturation, contrast, and sharpness to produce vivid images with vibrant reds, gr eens, and blues. SH Sharper Sharpens outlines. SF So[...]

49 Reference—P , S, A, and M Modes White balance ensures that colors appear natural r egardless of the color of the light source. Auto white balance is r ecommended in most situations, but it may necessary to choose another option if colors seem too cold or warm. Option Description Auto (default) White balance automatically adjusted to suit light[...]

50 Reference—Restoring Default Settings The camera settings listed below can be re stored to default values by holding the and but- tons down together for more than two seconds (these but tons are marked by a green dot). The monitor will turn off briefl y while these settings are r eset. Other settings are unaf fected. Restoring Default Settings[...]

51 Reference—Viewing Photographs Photographs can be viewed in the monitor one at a time (“single-image playback”) or in “contact sheets” of up to nine images (“thumbnail play- back”). Single-Image Playback Press the button to view the most recent photograph in the monitor . Photographs taken in “tall” (portrait) orientation are di[...]

52 Reference—Viewing Photographs Photo Information Photo in for ma tion is su per im posed on images displayed in single-im age play back. Press the multi-se lec tor up or down to cycle through photo in for ma tion as follows: File Information ↔ Shoot- ing Data Page 1 ↔ Shooting Data Page 2 ↔ High- lights ↔ Histogram ↔ File Information.[...]

53 Reference—Viewing Photographs 햲 햴 햲 햳 햴 Highlights 1 Protect status ...................................................... 56 2 Image high lights (brightest areas of image) ar e marked by a fl ashing border . 3 Frame number / total number of images Histogram 1 Protect status ...................................................... 56 [...]

54 Reference—Viewing Photographs Vi ewing Multiple Images: Thumbnail Playback To display images in “con tact sheets” of four or nine images, press the button in single-image playback. The fol low ing operations can be per - formed while thumb nails are displayed: To Use Description View additional pages of photos Rotate command dial right to [...]

55 Reference—Viewing Photographs Ta king a Closer Look: Playback Zoom Press the button to zoom in on the im age displayed in single-image playback or on the im- age currently highlighted in thumbnail playback. The following operations can be performed while zoom is in effect: To Use Description Change zoom ratio / navigate to other areas of image[...]

56 Reference—Pr otecting Photographs from Deletion In full-frame, zoom, and thumbnail playback, the button can be used to protect pho to graphs from ac ci den tal deletion. Protected fi les can not be deleted using the button or the Delete op tion in the playback menu, and have DOS “read-only” status when viewed on a Windows computer . Note [...]

57 Reference—Deleting Individual Photographs To delete a photograph displayed in single-image playback, or the pho- to graph highlighted in thumbnail playback, press the button. Once de let ed, photographs can not be recovered. Deleting Individual Photographs 1 Display the image in full-frame playback or highlight it in the thumb- nail list. Note[...]

58 Reference—Viewing Photographs on TV The supplied video cable can be used to connect the camera to a tele vi sion or VCR for playback or recor ding. Viewing Photographs on TV 1 Select the appropriate video mode fr om the Video Mode menu ( 69). 2 T urn the camera off . Always turn the cam- era off befor e connecting or disconnecting the video ca[...]

59 Reference—Viewing Photographs on a Computer Nikon Ca ptur e 4 Nikon Capture 4 version 4.3 or later (available separate- ly) can be used to control the camera fr om a computer and supports batch processing and mor e advanced im- age editing options. Before connecting the camera to a computer running Nikon Capture 4 Camera Contr ol, set USB to P[...]

60 Reference—Viewing Photographs on a Computer Connecting the USB Cable 1 Tu rn the computer on and wait for it to start up. 3 Tu rn the camera on. If Mass Storage is selected for USB , the control panel and viewfi nder will display the icons shown at right (this display is not shown when PTP is selected). Photographs can be transferred to the c[...]

61 Reference—Viewing Photographs on a Computer Macintosh Drag the camera volume (“NIKON D50”) into the T rash. Disconnecting the Camera If PTP is selected for USB ( 71), the camera can be turned off and the USB cable disconnected once transfer is complete. If the USB option in the cam- era setup menu is still at its default setting of Mass St[...]

62 Reference—Printing Photographs T ake photographs Photographs can be printed by any of the following methods: • Connect the camera to a printer and print photographs directly fr om the camera ( 63). • Insert the memory card in a printer equipped with a card slot (see the printer manual for details). If the printer supports DPOF ( 128), phot[...]

63 Reference—Printing Photographs Connecting the Printer 1 Set the USB option in the setup menu to PTP ( 71). 2 Tu rn the printer on. 3 Tu rn the camera off and connect the supplied USB cable as shown. Do not use force or at- tempt to insert the connectors at an angle. Connect the camera directly to the printer; do not connect the cable via a USB[...]

64 Reference—Printing Photographs Option Description Start Printing Print selected picture. T o cancel and return to PictBridge playback dis- play before all images have been printed, pr ess button. PictBridge playback display will be shown when printing is complete. Print ad- ditional pictures as described above or turn camera off and disconnect[...]

65 Reference—Printing Photographs Option Description Cropping Menu shown at right will be displayed. Press multi selector up or down to highlight Crop (cr op photo for printing) or No Cropping , then pr ess multi se- lector to right. If Crop is selected, dialog shown at right will be displayed; rotate command dial to choose size of crop and use m[...]

66 Reference—Printing Photographs Printin g Se lected Photographs Choosing Print Select in the PictBridge menu (see above) displays the menu shown in Step 1. Err or Messages If the dialog shown at right is displayed, an error has occurred. After checking the printer and r esolving any problems as dir ected in the printer manual, press the multi s[...]

67 Reference—Printing Photographs Print Set The Print Set option in the playback menu is used to create digital “print orders” for PictBridge-compatible printers and devices that support DPOF . Selecting Print Set from the playback menu ( 83) displays the menu shown in Step 1. 2 Display selection dialog. 1 Highlight Select / Set . 3 Select pi[...]

68 Basic Camera Settings: The Setup Menu Setup Setup The setup menu contains the following options. Option Format 68 CSM/Setup Menu 69 Date 69 LCD Brightness 69 Video Mode 69 Language (LANG) 70 Image Comment 70 USB 71 Basic Camera Settings The Setup Menu Select Detailed ( 69) to display the following additional options: Option Folders 71 File No. S[...]

69 Basic Camera Settings: The Setup Menu Setup CSM/Setup Menu Choose Simple to display only basic options in the Custom Settings ( 87) and setup menus ( 68), Detailed to list all options. Date Set the camera clock ( 10). Nikon r ecommends resetting the clock monthly . LCD Brightness Adjust monitor brightness. Vid eo Mode Before connecting your came[...]

70 Basic Camera Settings: The Setup Menu Setup Language (LANG) Choose from the following languages: Image Comment Add brief text com ments to photographs as they are taken. Com ments can be viewed when the pho to graphs are displayed using PictureProject or Nikon Capture 4 version 4.3 or later . The fi rst twelve let ters of the comment are also v[...]

71 Basic Camera Settings: The Setup Menu Setup USB Choose a USB option for connection to a com- puter or PictBridge printer . Choose PTP when connecting to a PictBridge printer or using the Camera Control function in Nikon Captur e 4 version 4.3 (available separately). See “Viewing Photographs on a Computer” for information on selecting a USB o[...]

72 Basic Camera Settings: The Setup Menu Setup New Create a folder with a new name as described in “Naming Folders,” be- low . Rename Rename an existing folder . Select the folder from a list of existing folders and rename it as described in “Naming Folders,” below . Delete Delete all empty folders on the memory card. Naming Folders K eyboa[...]

73 Basic Camera Settings: The Setup Menu Setup File No. Seq. Choose how the camera names fi les. • Off (default): File numbering is reset to 0001 when a new folder is created, the memory car d is formatted, or a new memory card is inserted in the camera. File Numbering If the current folder is number ed 999 and contains 999 photographs or a phot[...]

74 Basic Camera Settings: The Setup Menu Setup Dust Ref Photo Acquire r eference data for the Image Dust Of f function in Nikon Capture 4 version 4.3 or later (available separately; for more information, see the Nikon Capture 4 User’ s Manual ). 1 Highlight Ye s and pr ess the multi selector to the right. The message shown at right will be displa[...]

75 Basic Camera Settings: The Setup Menu Setup Image Dus t Of f Dust Ref Photo is only available with CPU lenses. A lens with a focal length of at least 50 mm is recommended ( 105). If using a zoom lens, zoom all the way in. The same refer ence image can be used for other pho- tographs taken with differ ent lenses or at differ ent apertures. Refer [...]

76 Setup Shooting Options: The Shooting Menu Shooting Options The Shooting Menu Adjustments to shooting options are made fr om the shooting menu ( 26). Option Description Optimize Image Optimize images for type of scene. 48, 76 Long Exp. NR Reduce noise at slow shutter speeds. 78 Image Quality Choose fi le type and compression ratio. 31 Image Size[...]

77 Setup Shooting Options: The Shooting Menu T one Comp. Choose the amount of contrast. The default set- ting is Auto ; a setting of Custom is available to select a user -defi ned tone curve downloaded to the camera using Nikon Capture 4 version 4.3 or later (available separately). See the Nikon Cap- ture 4 manual for details. “A u t o” If Aut[...]

78 Setup Shooting Options: The Shooting Menu Hue Adjustment Hue can be adjusted from the default setting of 0 ° in in cre ments of 3 °. T aking red as an example, raising hue intr oduces a yel low cast, mak ing r eds mor e orange. Low er ing hue in tro duces a blue cast, mak ing reds more pur ple. Long Exp. NR Photographs taken at slow shutter sp[...]

79 Setup Shooting Options: The Shooting Menu White Balance See “White Balance” ( 49) for more infor - mation. White Balance > Pr eset Preset white balance is used to r ecord and r ecall custom white balance set- tings for shooting under mixed lighting, to compensate for light sources with a strong color cast, or to r eplicate the white balan[...]

80 Setup Shooting Options: The Shooting Menu 3 Press the shutter -release button halfway to return to shooting mode. 4 Press the ( WB ) button until a blinking appears in the control panel and viewfi nder . 5 Frame the refer ence object so that it fi lls the viewfi nder and pr ess the shutter -release but- ton all the way down. No photograph wil[...]

81 Setup Shooting Options: The Shooting Menu Copying White Balance from a Photograph Selecting a new source photograph overwrites any white balance values previously selected with Use Photo . The value for Measur e is unaf- fected. 2 Display current source photo. 1 Highlight Use photo . * Select This Image to use white balance value for current pho[...]

82 Setup Shooting Options: The Shooting Menu ISO See “Sensitivity (ISO Equivalency)” ( 39) for more information.[...]

83 Setup Playback Options: The Playback Menu Playback Options The Playback Menu Adjustments to playback options are made fr om the playback menu ( 26). Note that the play- back menu is only displayed when a memory card is inserted. Option Description Delete Delete all or selected photos. 84 Playback Fldr Choose folder for playback. 84 Rotate T all [...]

84 Setup Playback Options: The Playback Menu Delete Choose from: Option Description Selected Delete selected photos. All Delete all photos. Note that photographs marked with an icon are pr otected and can not be deleted ( 56). More time may be r equired if the number of pho- tographs to be deleted is very large. Playback Fldr Choose the folder from[...]

85 Setup Playback Options: The Playback Menu Slide Show V iew photographs in an automated slide show (see “Playback Fldr” for information on choosing the folder from which photographs will be played back; 84). Start Start the slide show . The following operations can be performed during a slide show: To Use Description Go forward or back one fr[...]

86 Setup Playback Options: The Playback Menu Print Set Choose Select/Set to select photographs for printing on a PictBridge printer or DPOF-compat- ible device ( 128). Choose Deselect All to re- move all photos from the curr ent print order . Small Picture Create small JPEG copies of selected pictur es for e-mail or the web. Choose Select Pictures [...]

87 Setup Custom Settings Custom Settings are used to customize camera settings to suit individual prefer ences. Custom Settings The Custom Settings Menu Option R Menu Reset 87 1 Beep 88 2 Autofocus 88 3 AF-Area Mode 89 Option 4 No SD Card? 90 5 Image Review 90 6 Flash Level 38, 90 To display the following options, select Detailed for the CSM/Setup [...]

88 Custom Settings Setup 2: Autofocus Choose from: 1: Beep At the default setting of On , a beep will sound while the release timer is running in self-timer and delayed remote modes ( 22), when a photograph is taken in quick-response r emote mode ( 22), or when the camera has focused in single-servo AF ( 88). The beep will not sound when Off is sel[...]

89 Setup Custom Settings Option Description Single Area 1 User selects focus area manually ( 33); camera focuses on subject in selected focus area only . Use for stationary subjects. Dynamic Area 2 User selects focus area manually ( 33), but camera uses information from multiple focus ar eas to de ter mine focus. If sub ject leaves se- lected focus[...]

90 Custom Settings Setup 4: No SD Card? At the default setting of Release Locked , the shutter -release button is only enabled when a memory card is inserted. Choose Enable Re- lease to enable the shutter -release button when no memory card is inserted. Photographs will be displayed in the monitor but will not saved. 5: Image Review This option det[...]

91 Setup Custom Settings 8: AF Area Illm At the default setting of Auto , the active focus area will be highlighted in r ed in the viewfi nder as needed to establish contrast with the back- ground. The active focus ar ea will not light if Off is selected; if On is selected, the focus area will light regar dless of the brightness of the back- groun[...]

92 Custom Settings Setup Selecting On displays the menu shown at right. In P , A , , , , , , , and modes, the user can choose a maximum shutter speed. If the shutter speed would exceed this value at the sensitivity selected by the user , the camera will au- tomatically raise sensitivity to compensate. Select P, A, DVP mode to choose a maximum shutt[...]

93 Setup Custom Settings 12: BKT Set In P , S , A , and M modes, the camera offers the following bracketing options: Option Description Off (default) No bracketing performed. AE & Flash Camera varies exposure and fl ash level over three shots, “bracket- ing” optimal exposure value. WB Bracketing Camera creates thr ee images each time shutt[...]

94 Custom Settings Setup 4 T ake a series of three photographs. The fi rst photograph will be taken at optimal exposure, the second will be under exposed by the selected exposure incr ement, and the third over exposed by the same amount. A segment will disappear from the bracketing progr ess indicator after each shot. Repeat Steps 3–4 to recor d[...]

95 Setup Custom Settings 1 Highlight WB Bracketing and press the multi selector to the right. 2 Highlight a bracketing increment and pr ess the multi selector to the right. 3 Press the shutter -release button halfway to exit to shooting mode. The display shown at right will appear in the control panel and viewfi nder . Whit e Ba lan c e Bracketin [...]

96 Custom Settings Setup Option Description Matrix (default) Camera meters wide area of frame and instantly sets exposur e based on composition, distance, shading, and color . Produces natural-looking results in almost any situation. Center - weighted Camera meters entire frame but assigns gr eatest weight to center . Classic meter for portraits. S[...]

97 Setup Custom Settings 1 Rotate the mode dial to P , S , or A and select center -weight ed or spot metering (exposure lock has no ef fect in mode M ). 2 Position the sub ject in the selected focus area and press the shutter -release button halfway (when using center -weighted metering, po- sition the subject in the center focus area). W ith the s[...]

98 Custom Settings Setup Option Description AE/AF Lock (default) Pressing button locks both focus ( 34) and exposure ( 97). AE Lock Only Pressing button locks exposure only ( 97). AF Lock Only Pressing button locks focus only ( 34). AE Lock Hold Exposure locks when button is pressed and remains locked until button is pressed again ( 97). AF-ON Came[...]

99 Setup Custom Settings 4 Confi rm that the fl ash-ready indicator is displayed in the viewfi nder and press the AE-L/AF-L button. The built-in fl ash will emit a low-intensity pulse to determine the appro- priate fl ash level. Flash output will be locked at this level and an EL icon will be displayed in the viewfi nder . 5 Recompose the pho[...]

100 Custom Settings Setup 17: Monitor Off Choose how long the monitor will remain on when no operations are performed. The default setting is 20 s. 18: Meter Off Choose how long the camera continues to meter exposure when no operations ar e performed. The default setting is 8 s. When the exposure me- ter turns off, the viewfi nder and the shutter [...]

101 Te chnical Notes—Camera Settings Camera Settings Av ailable Settings and Defaults The following table lists the settings that can be adjusted in each mode. PS A M Shooting menu Optimize Image ( 48) 1 ✔✔✔✔ Long Exp. NR ( 78) ✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔ Image Quality ( 31) 1 ✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔ Image Size ( 32) 1 ✔[...]

102 Te chnical Notes—Camera Settings The following defaults are r estored when a two-button r eset is performed: PS A M Shooting menu Optimize Image ( 48) — Normal Image Quality ( 31) JPEG Normal Image Size ( 32) L (3008 × 2000) White Balance ( 49) — Auto ISO ( 39) 200 (Custom Setting 9 off) 200 Other settings Shooting mode ( 21) Single fram[...]

103 Te chnical Notes—Camera Settings Factory defaults for other menu options are listed below . These settings are not affected by two-button r esets or Custom Setting R ( Menu Reset ). Shooting menu Long Exp. NR ( 78) Off Playback menu Playback Fldr ( 84) Current Rotate T all ( 84) Y es Setup menu CSM/Setup Menu ( 69) Simple LCD Brightness ( 69)[...]

104 T echnical Notes—Optional Accessories Optional Accessories One advantage of digital SLR cameras is the wide variety of accessories available for broadening the scope of digital photography . The following types of accessory are available for the D50: ML-L3 remote control Batteries AC adapters Flash units (Speedlights) Filters Software Viewfi[...]

105 T echnical Notes—Optional Accessories Lenses CPU lenses (particularly type G and D lenses) are r ecommended for use with the D50 (note that IX Nikkor CPU lenses can not be used). CPU lenses can be iden ti fi ed by the presence of CPU contacts. T ype G lenses have no aperture ring and ar e marked with a “G” on the lens barrel. T ype D len[...]

106 T echnical Notes—Optional Accessories The following lenses can be used with the D50: Camera setting Lens/accessory Focus Mod e Metering AF M (with electronic range fi nder) M DVP , P, S , A M , , CPU lenses 1 T ype G or D AF Nikk or 2 ; AF-S , AF-I Nikkor ✔✔ ✔✔✔ ✔ 3 PC-Micro Nikkor 85 mm f/2.8D 4 — ✔ 5 ✔ — ✔✔ 3 AF-S /[...]

107 T echnical Notes—Optional Accessories Incompatible Accessor ies and Non - CPU L enses The following accessories and non-CPU lenses can NOT be used with the D50: • TC-16A AF T eleconverter • Non-AI lenses • Lenses that requir e the AU-1 focus- ing unit (400 mm f/4.5, 600 mm f/5.6, 800 mm f/8, 1200 mm f/11) • Fisheye (6 mm f/5.6, 8 mm f[...]

108 T echnical Notes—Optional Accessories Using th e Buil t - in Flash The built-in fl ash can be used with any CPU lens with a focal length of 18–300 mm. Note that the fl ash may be unable to light the entire subject if the following lenses are not used at or above the minimum ranges given below: Lens Zoom position Minimum Range AF-S DX ED 1[...]

109 T echnical Notes—Optional Accessories Optional Flash Units (Speedlights) When used with a compatible Speedlight such as the SB-800 or SB-600 (available separately), the D50 supports the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS), including i-TTL fl ash control ( 127), Flash Color Information Com- munication, and FV lock ( 98). The built-in fl ash[...]

110 T echnical Notes—Optional Accessories The following features ar e available with SB-800 and SB-600 Speedlights: Speedlight Flash mode/feature SB-800 SB-800 (Advanced Wir eless Lighting) SB-600 SB-600 (Advanced Wir eless Lighting) i-TTL 1 ✔ 2 ✔✔ 2 ✔ AA Auto aperture 1 ✔ 3 ✔ —— A Non-TTL auto ✔ 3 ✔ 4 —— GN Range-priority[...]

111 T echnical Notes—Optional Accessories The following Speedlights can be used in non-TTL auto and manual modes. If they are set to TTL, the camera shutter -release button will lock and no pho to graphs can be taken. Speedlight Flash mode SB-80DX, SB-28DX, SB-28, SB-26, SB-25, SB-24 SB-50DX, SB-23, SB-29 2 , SB-21B 2 , SB-29S 2 SB-30, SB-27 1 , [...]

112 T echnical Notes—Optional Accessories Notes on Opti ona l Sp ee dli ght s Refer to the Speedlight manual for detailed instructions. If the Speedlight supports the Creative Lighting System, r efer to the section on CLS-compatible digital SLR cam- eras. The D50 is not included in the “digital SLR” category in the SB-80DX, SB-28DX, and SB-50[...]

113 T echnical Notes—Optional Accessories Other Accessories At the time of writing, the following accessories were available for the D50. Contact your retailer or local Nikon r epresentative for details. Batteries/ Chargers/ AC adapters ♦ EN-EL3 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery : Additional EN-EL3 batteries are available from local r etailers and Ni[...]

114 T echnical Notes—Optional Accessories Filters • Nikon fi lters can be divided into three types: screw-in, drop-in, and r ear - interchange. Use Nikon fi lters; other fi lters may interfere with au to fo cus or elec tron ic range fi nd ing. • The D50 can not be used with linear polarizing fi lters. Use the C-PL circular polarizing fi[...]

115 T echnical Notes—Caring for the Camera Storage When the camera will not be used for an extended period, remove the battery , and store the battery in a cool, dry area with the terminal cover in place. T o pre vent mold or mil dew , store the cam era in a dry , well-ven ti lat ed area. Do not stor e your cam era with naph tha or cam phor moth [...]

116 T echnical Notes—Caring for the Camera The Low-Pass Filter The image sensor that acts as the cam era’ s picture element is fi tted with a low-pass fi lter to prevent moiré. Al though this fi lter pr events foreign ob- jects from adhering dir ectly to the image sensor , under certain con di tions dirt or dust on the fi lter may appear i[...]

117 T echnical Notes—Caring for the Camera Cleaning the Low-Pass Filter The low-pass fi lter is extremely delicate and easily damaged. Nikon r ecom- mends that fi lter be cleaned only by Nikon-authorized service personnel. Should you choose to clean the fi lter yourself, follow the steps below . 1 Raise the mirror as described in steps 1–3 o[...]

118 T echnical Notes—Caring for the Camera Caring for the Camera and Battery: Cautions Do not drop The product may malfunction if sub ject ed to strong shocks or vi bra tion. K eep dry This product is not waterpr oof, and may mal func tion if im mersed in wa ter or ex- posed to high levels of hu mid i ty . Rust ing of the in ter nal mech a nism c[...]

119 T echnical Notes—Caring for the Camera a des ic cant. Do not, how ev er , store the cam era case in a plas tic bag, as this may cause the ma te ri al to de te ri o rate. Note that des ic cant grad u al ly los es its ca pac i ty to ab sorb mois ture and should be re placed at r eg u lar in ter vals. • Do not store the camera with naph tha or[...]

120 T echnical Notes—T roubleshootng If the camera fails to function as expected, check the list of common prob- lems below before consulting your r etailer or Nikon repr esentative. Refer to the page numbers in the right-most column for more information. Problem Solution Camera takes time to turn on. Delete fi les or folders. 84 Viewfi nder is[...]

121 T echnical Notes—T roubleshootng Problem Solution Shutter release is disabled (con- tinued). • Camera is not in focus. • Non-CPU lens: camera not in M mode. • Mode dial rotated to S after shutter speed of bulb selected in M mode: choose new shutter speed. 17 45 43 No photo taken when remote con- trol shutter r elease is pressed. • Rep[...]

122 T echnical Notes—T roubleshootng Problem Solution Can not measure white balance. Subject is too dark or too bright. 80 Image can not be selected as source for pr eset white balance. Image was not created with D50. 81 White balance bracketing unavail- able. NEF (Raw) or NEF+JPEG Basic selected for image quality . 31 93 Results for Optimize Ima[...]

123 T echnical Notes—T roubleshootng Camera Error Messages and Displays This section lists the indicators and error messages that appear in the viewfi nder , control panel, and monitor when there is a pr oblem with the camera. Indicator Problem Solution Control panel View- fi nder Low battery . Ready a fully-charged spare bat tery . 8 14 (blink[...]

124 T echnical Notes—T roubleshootng Indicator Problem Solution Control panel View- fi nder Subject too dark; photo will be underexposed. • Choose higher sensitivity . • Use built-in fl ash. • In mode: S Lower shutter speed A Choose larger ap er ture (smaller f/-number) 39 36 43 44 (blinks) • Flash requir ed for correct ex- posure ( P ,[...]

125 T echnical Notes—T roubleshootng Indicator Problem Solution Monitor Control panel NO CARD PRESENT Camera cannot detect memory card. Tu rn camera off and con- fi rm that card is corr ectly inserted. 11 THIS CARD CAN NO T BE USED (blinks) • Error accessing memory card. • Unable to create new folder • Card has not been format- ted for use[...]

126 Te chnical Notes—Appendix Appendix Memory Card Capacity and Image Quality/Size The following table shows the approximate number of pictur es that can be stored on a 256 MB card at differ ent image quality and size settings. Image quality Image size File size (MB) 1 N o. o f images 1 Buffer capacity 2 Long Exp . NR Off Long Exp . NR On NEF (Ra[...]

127 Te chnical Notes—Appendix Exposure Program (Mode P) The exposure pr ogram for mode P is shown in the fol low ing graph: F (lens focal length) 울 55 mm 55 쏝 F 울 135 mm F 쏜 135 mm Shutter speed The maximum and minimum values for EV vary with sen si tiv i ty (ISO equivalency); the above graph assumes a sen si tiv i ty of ISO 200 equivalen[...]

128 T echnical Notes—Appendix Shutter Speeds Available with Built-in Flash The following shutter speeds are available when the built-in fl ash is used. Mode Shutter speed , , , P , A 1 / 500 – 1 / 60 s 1 / 500 – 1 / 125 s Mode Shutter speed 1 / 500 –1 s S , M 1 / 500 – 1 / 30 s Flash Range, Aperture, and Sensitivity Flash range varies wi[...]

129 T echnical Notes—Specifi cations Specifi cations T ype Single-lens refl ex digital camera with interchangeable lenses CCD 23.7 × 15.6 mm; total pixels: 6.24 million Image size (pixels) • 3008 × 2000 (Large) Effective pixels 6.1 million Lens mount Nikon F mount (with AF coupling and AF contacts) Compatible lenses * T ype G or D AF Nikko[...]

130 T echnical Notes—Specifi cations Autofocus Detection range –1 – +19 EV (ISO 100 at 20 °C/68 °F) AF-area mode Single-area AF , dynamic-area AF , dynamic-area AF with closest subject priority Focus lock Focus can be locked by pressing shutter -release button halfway (single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button TTL phase detection by[...]

131 T echnical Notes—Specifi cations Storage Media SD ( S ecure D igital) memory car ds File system Compliant with D esign Rule for C amera F ile System (DCF) 2.0 and D igital P rint O rde r F ormat (DPOF) Compression • NEF (RAW) : compressed 12-bit • JPEG : JPEG baseline-compliant Built-in Speedlight Guide number (m / ft at 20 °C/68 °F) ?[...]

132 T echnical Notes—Specifi cations Video output Can be selected fr om NTSC and P AL External interface USB 2.0 Hi-speed T ripod socket ¼˝ (ISO) P ower source • One rechargeable Nikon EN-EL3 Li-ion battery; charging voltage (MH-18a quick charger or optional MH-19 multi charger): 7.4 V DC • EH-5 AC adapter (available separately) Dimensions[...]

133 T echnical Notes—Specifi cations EN - EL3 R ech arge able Li - ion Bat ter y T ype Rechargeable lithium-ion battery W eight Approximately 80 g (2.8 oz), excluding terminal cover Rated capacity 7.4 V/1400 mAh Dimensions (W × H × D) Approximately 39.5 × 56 × 21 mm (1.6˝ × 2.2˝ × 0.8˝) MH -1 8a Qu ic k Charger Rated input AC 100–240 [...]

134 T echnical Notes—Specifi cations AF - S 1 8 –55 m m , f/ 3. 5 – 5 .6G Len s T ype T ype G CPU AF-S DX Nikkor zoom lens with Nikon mount Attachment diameter 52 mm (P=0.75 mm) Supported cameras Nikon DX-format digital SLR cameras Focal length 18–55 mm Max. reproduction ratio 1:3.5–5.6 Construction 7 elements in 5 groups, including 1 ED[...]

135 T echnical Notes—Specifi cations Batter y Lif e The number of shots that can be taken with a fully-charged EN-EL3 battery (1400 mAh) varies with the con di tion of the batteries, temperature, and how the camera is used. The following measurements wer e performed at a temperature of 20 °C (68 °F). Example 1: 2000 shots AF-S DX ED 18–55 mm[...]

136 T echnical Notes—Index Index Symbols . See Exposure compensa- tion . See Flash compensation . See Flash ready indicator . See FV lock , , , , , . See Mode, Digital V ari-Program . See Remote control . See Self-timer . See Shooting mode A A . See Mode Advanced Wireless Lighting, 110 AE-L/AF-L , 98 AE Lock , 99 AF . See Focus mode; Auto- focus [...]

137 T echnical Notes—Index ISO Control , 91 i-TTL fl ash control, 109–110, 127 J JPEG, 31 L L . See Image size Language. See Language (LANG) Language (LANG) , 70 LCD Brightness , 69 Lens, 105–108 attaching, 7 compatible, 105–108 CPU, 105–106 non-CPU, 106–107 type G or D, 105–108 Long time-exposures, 45–46 Long Exp. NR , 78 Low-pass[...]

No reproduction in any form of this manual, in whole or in part (except for brief quotation in critical articles or reviews), may be made without written authorization from NIKON CORPORA TION. Printed in Japan SB5E01100201(11) 6MBA4211-02[...]