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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018
Use your Nikon D3500 camera like the pros Capturing frame-worthy photos is no easy feat -- until now! Inside, author Julie King shares her experience as a professional photographer and photography teacher to help you get picture-perfect landscapes, portraits, action shots, and more with your Nikon D3500 digital SLR camera. It takes more than a good eye and an amazing camera to get shots like the pros. With the help of Nikon D3500 For Dummies, you'll find all the expert advice and know-how you need to unlock your camera's capabilities to their fullest potential. From working with the basics of lighting and exposure to making sense of your camera's fanciest features, you'll be snapping professional-grade photos in a flash! * Learn the five essential options for shooting quality photos * Understand the settings that control exposure * Take charge of color and focus features * Put your skills together to shoot portraits, close-ups, and action shots Whether you're shooting in automatic mode, scene mode, or manual mode, you'll get all the guidance you need to take photos you'll be proud to share.
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Nikon® D3500 For Dummies®
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Trademarks: Wiley, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and may not be used without written permission. Nikon and D3500 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nikon Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2018965106
ISBN 978-1-119-56183-5 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-56184-2 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-56185-9
Nikon® D3500 For Dummies®
To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Nikon D3500 For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
Table of Contents
Cover
Introduction
About This Book
How This Book Is Organized
Icons and Other Stuff to Note
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Fast Track to Super Snaps
Chapter 1: Getting Up and Running
Preparing the Camera for Initial Use
Exploring Basic Camera Features
Displaying Help Screens
Familiarizing Yourself with the Lens
Working with Memory Cards
Taking a Few Final Setup Steps
Restoring Default Settings
Chapter 2: Reviewing Five Essential Picture-Taking Options
Choosing an Exposure Mode
Setting the Release Mode
Checking Image Size and Image Quality
Adding Flash
Chapter 3: Taking Great Pictures, Automatically
Shooting in Auto and Auto Flash Off Modes
Taking Advantage of Scene Modes
Accessing a Few Hidden Scene Types
Part 2: Beyond the Basics
Chapter 4: Taking Charge of Exposure
Introducing the Exposure Trio: Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO
Stepping Up to Advanced Exposure Modes (P, S, A, and M)
Checking the Exposure Meter
Choosing an Exposure Metering Mode
Setting Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO
Solving Exposure Problems
Chapter 5: Controlling Focus and Depth of Field
Choosing Automatic or Manual Focusing
Exploring Standard Focusing Options (Viewfinder Photography)
Focusing During Live View and Movie Shooting
Manipulating Depth of Field
Chapter 6: Mastering Color Controls
Understanding White Balance
Choosing a Color Space
Taking a Quick Look at Picture Controls
Chapter 7: Putting It All Together
Recapping Basic Picture Settings
Shooting Still Portraits
Capturing Action
Capturing Scenic Vistas
Capturing Dynamic Close-Ups
Chapter 8: Shooting, Viewing, and Trimming Movies
Shooting Movies Using Default Settings
Adjusting Video Settings
Controlling Audio
Exploring Other Recording Options
Manipulating Movie Exposure
Screening Your Movies
Trimming Movies
Saving a Movie Frame as a Still Image
Part 3: After the Shot
Chapter 9: Playback Mode: Viewing Your Photos
Picture Playback 101
Choosing Which Images to View
Adjusting Playback Timing
Enabling Automatic Picture Rotation
Shifting from Single-Image to Thumbnails Display
Displaying Photos in Calendar View
Magnifying Photos During Playback
Viewing Picture Data
Creating a Digital Slide Show
Viewing Your Photos on a Television
Chapter 10: Working with Picture and Movie Files
Rating Photos and Movies
Deleting Files
Protecting Photos and Movies
Taking a Look at Nikon's Photo Software
Downloading Pictures to the Computer
Processing Raw (NEF) Files
Preparing Pictures for Online Sharing
Part 4: The Part of Tens
Chapter 11: Ten Fun (And Practical) Ways to Manipulate Your Photos
Applying the Retouch Menu Filters
Removing Red-Eye
Straightening Tilting Horizon Lines
Removing (Or Creating) Lens Distortion
Correcting Perspective
Adjusting Exposure and Color
Cropping Your Photo
Applying Effects to Existing Photos
Shooting in Effects Mode
Combining Two Photos with Image Overlay
Chapter 12: Ten Special-Purpose Features to Explore on a Rainy Day
Adding Hidden Image Comments
Adding a Copyright Notice
Creating Custom Image Folders
Customizing Filenames
Turning Off the AF-Assist Illuminator
Adjusting Automatic Shutdown Timing
Changing the Look of the Information Display
Keeping the Information Display Hidden
Customizing the AE-L/AF-L Button
Using the Shutter Button to Lock Exposure and Focus (or Not)
Appendix: Intro to Nikon SnapBridge
What Can I Do with SnapBridge?
Preparing for Launch
Connecting Your Camera to a Smart Device
Taking a Look at SnapBridge Functions
Index
About the Author
Advertisement Page
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
List of Tables
Chapter 1
TABLE 1-1 D3500 Menus
Chapter 2
TABLE 2-1 Image Size (Resolution) Options
Chapter 6
TABLE 6-1 Manual White Balance Settings
Chapter 7
TABLE 7-1 All-Purpose Picture-Taking Settings
Chapter 12
TABLE 12-1 Auto Off Timers Options
List of Illustrations
Chapter 1
FIGURE 1-1: Align the white dot on the lens with the one on the camera body.
FIGURE 1-2: Insert the memory card with the label facing the back of the camera.
FIGURE 1-3: On the AF-P kit lens, press this button while rotating the lens barr...
FIGURE 1-4: Rotate this dial to set the viewfinder focus for your eyesight.
FIGURE 1-5: Rotate the Mode dial to choose an exposure mode.
FIGURE 1-6: Use the Multi Selector to navigate menus and access certain other ca...
FIGURE 1-7: When recording movies, be careful not to cover the microphone holes ...
FIGURE 1-8: Look on the left side of the camera for USB and HDMI ports.
FIGURE 1-9: Set the Mode dial to Guide to use the guided menus.
FIGURE 1-10: Use the Multi Selector to highlight an option and then press OK to ...
FIGURE 1-11: Highlight a menu in the left column to display its contents.
FIGURE 1-12: Select the option you prefer and press OK again to return to the ac...
FIGURE 1-13: The Recent Settings menu offers quick access to the last 20 menu op...
FIGURE 1-14: Rotate the Live View switch toward the back of the camera to engage...
FIGURE 1-15: Press the Info button to change the Live View display.
FIGURE 1-16: Camera settings appear on the Information screen (left) during view...
FIGURE 1-17: A few picture settings also appear at the bottom of the viewfinder.
FIGURE 1-18: Press the
i
button to activate the control strip (left); highlight a...
FIGURE 1-19: Here are a few features found on certain AF-P lenses.
FIGURE 1-20: With an AF-P lens, set the lens to automatic or manual focusing by ...
FIGURE 1-21: On this AF-S lens, as on many lenses, you set the lens to automatic...
FIGURE 1-22: When this feature is enabled, you can set an AF-P lens to use autof...
FIGURE 1-23: Some AF-P lenses offer Vibration Reduction.
FIGURE 1-24: Avoid touching the gold contacts on the card.
FIGURE 1-25: Basic camera operations are controlled through the Setup menu.
FIGURE 1-26: Danger, Will Robinson! Change the File Number Sequence option to On...
FIGURE 1-27: When you set Airplane Mode to On, the camera disables the camera’s ...
FIGURE 1-28: Choose the Reset option to return to the default settings for the r...
FIGURE 1-29: Choose this Setup menu option to restore all but a couple camera op...
Chapter 2
FIGURE 2-1: The Mode dial determines how much input you have over exposure, colo...
FIGURE 2-2: This S represents the Single Frame Release mode, which produces one ...
FIGURE 2-3: The Release Mode button offers the fastest access to the setting.
FIGURE 2-4: You can adjust the self-timer capture delay and the number of frames...
FIGURE 2-5: Pixels are the building blocks of digital photos.
FIGURE 2-6: A high-quality print depends on a high-resolution original.
FIGURE 2-7: At 50 ppi, the image has a jagged, pixelated look.
FIGURE 2-8: Adding pixels in a photo editor doesn't rescue a low-resolution orig...
FIGURE 2-9: A high-resolution original (left) enabled me to crop the photo and s...
FIGURE 2-10: The reduced quality of the right image is caused by excessive JPEG ...
FIGURE 2-11: The current Image Quality and Image Size settings appear here.
FIGURE 2-12: After pressing the
i
button to display the control strip (left), I c...
FIGURE 2-13: Changing the Image Size from Large to Medium reduced the file size ...
FIGURE 2-14: You also can set Image Size and Image Quality via the Shooting menu...
FIGURE 2-15: You can add light via the built-in flash or by attaching an externa...
FIGURE 2-16: Adding flash resulted in better illumination and a slight warming e...
FIGURE 2-17: Slow-Sync flash produces softer, more even lighting than normal fla...
FIGURE 2-18: I used Rear-Curtain Sync Flash mode to create this candle-lighting ...
FIGURE 2-19: An icon representing the Flash mode appears in the displays.
FIGURE 2-20: The fastest way to change the Flash mode is to hold down the Flash ...
FIGURE 2-21: You also can adjust the Flash mode by using the normal control-stri...
FIGURE 2-22: When normal flash output is too strong, dial in a lower Flash Compe...
FIGURE 2-23: These symbols represent Flash Compensation.
FIGURE 2-24: Rotate the Command dial while pressing the Flash and Exposure Compe...
FIGURE 2-25: You also can adjust the setting by using the normal control-strip m...
FIGURE 2-26: Using this option, you can control the flash output manually.
Chapter 3
FIGURE 3-1: Set the Mode dial to Auto or Auto Flash Off for point-and-shoot simp...
FIGURE 3-2: The fastest way to set the Focus mode to AF-A is via the control str...
FIGURE 3-3: Frame your subject so that it's within the area covered by the autof...
FIGURE 3-4: The selected focus points flash red, and then the green light appear...
FIGURE 3-5: Rotate the LV switch toward the back of the camera and release it to...
FIGURE 3-6: For portraits, a focus box appears automatically over the subject’s ...
FIGURE 3-7: These symbols represent the Scene modes.
FIGURE 3-8: Portrait mode produces soft backgrounds to help emphasize your subje...
FIGURE 3-9: Try Sports mode to capture action.
FIGURE 3-10: Close Up mode helps emphasize the subject by throwing the backgroun...
FIGURE 3-11: After setting the Mode dial to Guide (left), press the menu button ...
FIGURE 3-12: Choose Easy Operation (left) to display a list of scene types (righ...
FIGURE 3-13: Select Advanced Operation (left) to reveal an additional assortment...
FIGURE 3-14: To exit the guided menus and start shooting, choose one of the firs...
Chapter 4
FIGURE 4-1: The aperture size and shutter speed determine how much light strikes...
FIGURE 4-2: A lower f-stop number means a larger aperture, allowing more light i...
FIGURE 4-3: Widening the aperture (choosing a lower f-stop number) decreases dep...
FIGURE 4-4: If both stationary and moving objects are blurry, camera shake is th...
FIGURE 4-5: Caused by a very high ISO or long exposure time, noise becomes more ...
FIGURE 4-6: For this image, raising the ISO allowed me to bump up the shutter sp...
FIGURE 4-7: You can control exposure and certain other picture properties fully ...
FIGURE 4-8: In M exposure mode, the exposure meter appears in the Information an...
FIGURE 4-9: The viewfinder offers a simplified meter design, with bars under the...
FIGURE 4-10: This symbol represents the Matrix metering mode.
FIGURE 4-11: The Metering mode determines which area of the frame the camera con...
FIGURE 4-12: Press the
i
button to activate the control strip and access the Mete...
FIGURE 4-13: You also can change the Metering mode via the Shooting menu.
FIGURE 4-14: You can view the current f-stop and shutter speed on the Informatio...
FIGURE 4-15: The settings also appear in the viewfinder.
FIGURE 4-16: The ISO setting appears in the Information and Live View displays.
FIGURE 4-17: Press the
i
button to access the control strip and adjust the ISO se...
FIGURE 4-18: You can access advanced ISO options from the Shooting menu.
FIGURE 4-19: In the P, S, A, and M modes, use these options to set up automatic ...
FIGURE 4-20: For a darker exposure, lower the Exposure Compensation value.
FIGURE 4-21: These indicators tell you whether Exposure Compensation is enabled.
FIGURE 4-22: Hold down the Exposure Compensation button and rotate the Command d...
FIGURE 4-23: You can also change the setting via the control strip.
FIGURE 4-24: Active D-Lighting captured the shadows without blowing out the high...
FIGURE 4-25: This symbol tells you whether Active D-Lighting is turned on or off...
FIGURE 4-26: You can adjust the Active D-Lighting setting in the P, S, A, and M ...
FIGURE 4-27: Vignette Control tries to correct the corner darkening that can occ...
FIGURE 4-28: If you enable Vignette Control (left), a symbol indicating the sett...
Chapter 5
FIGURE 5-1: The first steps in your focusing routine depend on whether you’re us...
FIGURE 5-2: The Focus mode and AF-area mode settings appear here.
FIGURE 5-3: The fastest route to the Focus mode setting is the Information displ...
FIGURE 5-4: When setting the Focus mode through the Shooting menu, be sure to se...
FIGURE 5-5: The AF-area mode setting determines which of the 11 autofocus points...
FIGURE 5-6: The fastest way to select the AF-area mode setting is via the Inform...
FIGURE 5-7: You also can adjust the AF-area mode setting through the Shooting me...
FIGURE 5-8: Select Viewfinder (left) and then press the Multi Selector right to ...
FIGURE 5-9: This symbol gives you information about which autofocus points are a...
FIGURE 5-10: Use the Multi Selector to select the focus point that you want the ...
FIGURE 5-11: Select these autofocus settings for stationary subjects.
FIGURE 5-12: The green light indicates that the camera achieved focus.
FIGURE 5-13: For moving subjects, the AF-C and Dynamic Area settings work best f...
FIGURE 5-14: The rangefinder offers manual-focusing assistance.
FIGURE 5-15: Enable the rangefinder via the Setup menu.
FIGURE 5-16: During Live View shooting, symbols representing the Focus mode and ...
FIGURE 5-17: Press the
i
button to bring up the control strip and adjust the Focu...
FIGURE 5-18: You also can choose the Focus mode for Live View and Movie recordin...
FIGURE 5-19: Access the AF-area mode via the control strip.
FIGURE 5-20: You also can change the setting via this Shooting menu option.
FIGURE 5-21: The red box represents the focusing frame in Wide Area and Normal A...
FIGURE 5-22: The focusing frame appears differently in Face-priority mode (left)...
FIGURE 5-23: The focus frame turns green when focus is achieved.
FIGURE 5-24: Press the Zoom In button to magnify the display and double-check fo...
FIGURE 5-25: A shallow depth of field blurs the background (left); a large depth...
FIGURE 5-26: A lower f-stop number (wider aperture) decreases depth of field.
FIGURE 5-27: Zooming to a longer focal length also reduces depth of field.
Chapter 6
FIGURE 6-1: Each light source emits a specific color.
FIGURE 6-2: Multiple light sources resulted in a yellow color cast in Auto White...
FIGURE 6-3: A symbol representing the current White Balance setting appears in t...
FIGURE 6-4: Select a White Balance setting by using the control strip.
FIGURE 6-5: In Live View mode, the display renders colors according to the selec...
FIGURE 6-6: To uncover more White Balance options, open the Shooting menu.
FIGURE 6-7: If you adjust the White Balance setting from the Shooting menu, you ...
FIGURE 6-8: Press the Multi Selector right to get to the fine-tuning screen.
FIGURE 6-9: The asterisk indicates that you fine-tuned the White Balance setting...
FIGURE 6-10: Select these options to set white balance by measuring a white or g...
FIGURE 6-11: You can create a white balance preset based on a photo.
FIGURE 6-12: Highlight Select Image and press the Multi Selector right to choose...
FIGURE 6-13: Select the color space through this Shooting menu option.
FIGURE 6-14: This two-letter code represents the Picture Control setting.
FIGURE 6-15: Picture controls apply preset adjustments to color, sharpening, and...
FIGURE 6-16: The fastest way to select a Picture Control is by using the control...
FIGURE 6-17: The Shooting menu provides access to settings that let you tweak th...
FIGURE 6-18: After selecting a Picture Control, press right to display options f...
Chapter 7
FIGURE 7-1: Check the shutter speed and aperture (f-stop) settings in the Inform...
FIGURE 7-2: A blurry background draws more attention to your portrait subject.
FIGURE 7-3: For soft, even lighting, forego flash and instead expose your subjec...
FIGURE 7-4: To properly illuminate the face in outdoor portraits, try adding fla...
FIGURE 7-5: Slow-sync flash produces softer, more even lighting and brighter bac...
FIGURE 7-6: To eliminate harsh lighting and strong shadows (left), use bounce fl...
FIGURE 7-7: Use a high shutter speed to freeze motion.
FIGURE 7-8: Using a shutter speed slow enough to blur moving objects can be a fu...
FIGURE 7-9: I set the aperture to f/18 for this shot, creating a depth of field ...
FIGURE 7-10: For misty waterfalls, use a slow shutter speed and a tripod.
FIGURE 7-11: Using a slow shutter speed creates neon light trails in nighttime c...
FIGURE 7-12: The bench in the foreground helps provide a sense of the vastness o...
FIGURE 7-13: A shallow depth of field helps separate these companions from the b...
FIGURE 7-14: A macro lens enables you to focus close enough to fill the frame wi...
Chapter 8
FIGURE 8-1: Press the Info button to cycle through the Live View display modes u...
FIGURE 8-2: You can set the Focus mode via the control strip.
FIGURE 8-3: You also can change the setting via the Shooting menu.
FIGURE 8-4: If the camera detects a face, you see the yellow focus frame shown o...
FIGURE 8-5: The red Rec symbol appears while recording is in progress.
FIGURE 8-6: Press the Info button to hide most of the onscreen data or display a...
FIGURE 8-7: Select Movie Settings from the Shooting menu and then select Frame S...
FIGURE 8-8: You get a choice of two frame sizes and frame rates ranging from 60 ...
FIGURE 8-9: To set the Movie Quality, follow this menu path.
FIGURE 8-10: In the default Movie display mode, the Frame Size/Frame Rate and Mo...
FIGURE 8-11: For fast access to video settings, press the
i
button to bring up th...
FIGURE 8-12: Be careful not to accidently cover the microphone or speaker holes ...
FIGURE 8-13: These symbols indicate the current Microphone setting and volume le...
FIGURE 8-14: You can access the Microphone settings via the Movie Settings optio...
FIGURE 8-15: The Manual microphone option enables you to set a specific volume l...
FIGURE 8-16: You can adjust the Microphone setting from the control strip.
FIGURE 8-17: Access the Wind Noise Reduction setting via the Movie Settings opti...
FIGURE 8-18: This symbol tells you that Wind Noise Reduction is turned on.
FIGURE 8-19: Here's your road map to other symbols shown on the monitor in the S...
FIGURE 8-20: Enable this option to take control over movie exposure.
FIGURE 8-21: When you use the default playback display mode, you see this movie ...
FIGURE 8-22: The icons at the bottom of the screen remind you which buttons to u...
FIGURE 8-23: With the movie paused, press the
i
button to access the movie-editin...
FIGURE 8-24: To trim frames from the beginning of a movie, select the Start Poin...
FIGURE 8-25: When you’re happy with your edited movie, choose Save as New File t...
FIGURE 8-26: The scissors symbol tells you that you're looking at a trimmed movi...
FIGURE 8-27: This option lets you save a single frame as a JPEG image.
Chapter 9
FIGURE 9-1: These buttons play the largest roles in picture playback.
FIGURE 9-2: If your memory card contains multiple image folders, specify which f...
FIGURE 9-3: You can control how long pictures are displayed before automatic mon...
FIGURE 9-4: To save battery power, you may want to disable Image Review.
FIGURE 9-5: You can display vertically oriented pictures in their upright positi...
FIGURE 9-6: These Playback menu options affect whether pictures are tagged with ...
FIGURE 9-7: You can view multiple image thumbnails at the same time.
FIGURE 9-8: Calendar view makes it easy to view all photos shot on a particular ...
FIGURE 9-9: After highlighting a thumbnail, press the Zoom In button to temporar...
FIGURE 9-10: Use the Multi Selector to move the yellow box over the area you wan...
FIGURE 9-11: You can choose from these display modes during picture playback.
FIGURE 9-12: Enable the display options you want to use via this Playback menu s...
FIGURE 9-13: In File Information mode, you can view these bits of data.
FIGURE 9-14: These symbols indicate the protect, retouch, and send-to-smart devi...
FIGURE 9-15: In Highlights mode, blinking areas indicate blown highlights.
FIGURE 9-16: In RGB Histogram mode, you see a brightness histogram and an RGB hi...
FIGURE 9-17: The Brightness histogram indicates tonal range, from shadows on the...
FIGURE 9-18: The RGB histogram can indicate problems with color saturation.
FIGURE 9-19: Here you see the first Shooting Data screen.
FIGURE 9-20: In Overview mode, you can view your picture along with the major ca...
FIGURE 9-21: Here you can inspect major exposure settings along with the lens fo...
FIGURE 9-22: This row contains additional exposure information.
FIGURE 9-23: Look at this row for details about color settings.
FIGURE 9-24: Choose Slide Show to set up automatic playback of your pictures and...
FIGURE 9-25: Choose the By Rating option to include only your pictures rated wit...
FIGURE 9-26: Select options for HD playback here.
FIGURE 9-27: The HDMI-out port is under the door on the side of the camera.
Chapter 10
FIGURE 10-1: You can rate a batch of photos by choosing Rating from the Playback...
FIGURE 10-2: During playback, press the
i
button, select Rating, and then press t...
FIGURE 10-3: The rating appears here in File Information playback mode.
FIGURE 10-4: To delete all files (except those you protected), use this Playback...
FIGURE 10-5: This Delete menu option offers a quick way to delete a batch of pho...
FIGURE 10-6: With the Select Date option, you can quickly erase all photos taken...
FIGURE 10-7: Press the AE-L/AF-L button to give an image protected status.
FIGURE 10-8: You can see the selected focus point and other camera settings when...
FIGURE 10-9: Capture NX-D offers a more advanced assortment of photo editing too...
FIGURE 10-10: The port for connecting the USB cable is hidden under the door on ...
FIGURE 10-11: Select the check boxes of the images that you want to download.
FIGURE 10-12: Specify the folder where you want to put the downloaded images.
FIGURE 10-13: Use the options on this tab to automatically send duplicates of yo...
FIGURE 10-14: Turn off the Delete Original Files after transfer option!
FIGURE 10-15: Select Retouch (left screen) and then scroll to the NEF (RAW) Proc...
FIGURE 10-16: These Raw conversion options are on the first page of the menu scr...
FIGURE 10-17: Press the Multi Selector down to scroll to the second page of conv...
FIGURE 10-18: Capture NX-D offers a large assortment of tools for finalizing the...
FIGURE 10-19: Use the Resize option to create a low-resolution version of a pict...
FIGURE 10-20: Select one of these options to set the size for your low-res copy.
FIGURE 10-21: To resize a batch of photos, it's quicker to do the job via the Re...
FIGURE 10-22: Press the Zoom Out button to tag the selected photo for resizing.
Chapter 11
FIGURE 11-1: After selecting a Retouch menu option (left), use the Multi Selecto...
FIGURE 11-2: In Playback mode, you can press the
i
button to access the Retouch m...
FIGURE 11-3: Use Side-by-Side Comparison to see whether you prefer the retouched...
FIGURE 11-4: The Retouch menu offers an automated red-eye remover.
FIGURE 11-5: You can level crooked photos with the Straighten tool.
FIGURE 11-6: Press the Multi Selector right or left to rotate the image in incre...
FIGURE 11-7: Barrel distortion makes straight lines appear to bow outward.
FIGURE 11-8: The Distortion Control filter can reduce barrel distortion.
FIGURE 11-9: Press the Multi Selector right or left to adjust the correction.
FIGURE 11-10: The original photo exhibited convergence (left); applying the Pers...
FIGURE 11-11: Again, use the Multi Selector to manipulate the image.
FIGURE 11-12: An underexposed, backlit subject (left) gets help from the D-Light...
FIGURE 11-13: Press the Multi Selector right or left to vary the strength of the...
FIGURE 11-14: You can create three monochrome effects through the Monochrome too...
FIGURE 11-15: Cropping creates a better composition and eliminates background cl...
FIGURE 11-16: The yellow box indicates the cropping frame.
FIGURE 11-17: The Cross Screen filter adds a starburst effect to the brightest p...
FIGURE 11-18: Color Sketch produces the effect you see on the right.
FIGURE 11-19: The Miniature Effect filter throws all but a small portion of a sc...
FIGURE 11-20: Use the Multi Selector to position the yellow rectangle over the a...
FIGURE 11-21: I used the Selective Color filter to desaturate everything but the...
FIGURE 11-22: To select a color you want to keep, move the yellow box over it an...
FIGURE 11-23: Effects mode lets you apply special effects to movies and still ph...
FIGURE 11-24: Rotate the Command dial to cycle through the effects.
FIGURE 11-25: Put the camera into Live View mode to preview effects (left) and t...
FIGURE 11-26: The Night Vision effect creates an exceptionally noisy black-and-w...
FIGURE 11-27: The Silhouette effect purposely underexposes backlit subjects.
FIGURE 11-28: Image Overlay merges two RAW (NEF) photos into one.
FIGURE 11-29: If you want each subject to appear solid, use a black background a...
Chapter 12
FIGURE 12-1: You can tag pictures with text comments through this feature.
FIGURE 12-2: Use the Multi Selector to highlight a letter and press OK to enter ...
FIGURE 12-3: You also can tag files with copyright information.
FIGURE 12-4: After entering your copyright data, select Attach Copyright and pre...
FIGURE 12-5: Use this Setup menu option to create custom-numbered folders and sp...
FIGURE 12-6: Press the Multi Selector right or left to highlight a number box; t...
FIGURE 12-7: Select these options to customize the first three characters of fil...
FIGURE 12-8: After entering the replacement prefix, press the Zoom In button to ...
FIGURE 12-9: The File Naming screens confirm your changes.
FIGURE 12-10: Turn this option off to disable the AF-assist lamp.
FIGURE 12-11: Customize auto shutdown timing here.
FIGURE 12-12: You can alter the Information display design and color scheme.
FIGURE 12-13: Modify the look of the Information display through this Setup menu...
FIGURE 12-14: Choose these options to change the function of the AE-L/AF-L butto...
FIGURE 12-15: You can set the button to perform any of these five functions.
FIGURE 12-16: The final two settings on the Buttons option list affect the shutt...
Appendix
FIGURE A-1: Most camera options related to using SnapBridge are on these two pag...
FIGURE A-2: After selecting Bluetooth from the Setup menu, choose Network Connec...
FIGURE A-3: To select multiple files for transfer, select these Playback menu op...
FIGURE A-4: Highlight a thumbnail and then press the Zoom Out button to tag it f...
FIGURE A-5: During playback, you can tag the currently displayed image through t...
FIGURE A-6: Choose Connect to Smart Device from the Setup menu to begin the conn...
FIGURE A-7: Wait until you see this screen to start SnapBridge on your device.
FIGURE A-8: After confirming that the code shown on the camera matches the one o...
FIGURE A-9: Here’s a look at the Camera tab as it appears on an iOS device (left...
FIGURE A-10: Tap Select on the first download screen (left) to display the secon...
FIGURE A-11: After displaying the remote-control screen (left), tap the Settings...
FIGURE A-12: Display the Gallery tab to view photos that you transferred to your...
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
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Introduction
Nikon. The name has been associated with top-flight photography equipment for generations. And the introduction of the D3500 has only enriched Nikon’s well-deserved reputation, offering all a terrific blend of features for capturing both still photos and high-definition digital movies. You also get tools for cropping, resizing, and enhancing pictures right in the camera. The D3500 even has built-in Bluetooth technology, which enables you to transfer photos wirelessly to smartphones, tablets, and other devices.
In fact, the D3500 offers so many features that sorting them all out can be more than a little confusing, especially if you’re new to digital photography, SLR photography, or both. For starters, you may not even be sure what SLR means or how it affects your picture-taking, let alone have a clue about all the other techie terms you encounter in your camera manual — resolution, aperture, white balance, and so on.
If you’re like many people, you may be so overwhelmed by all the controls on your camera that you haven’t yet ventured beyond fully automatic picture-taking mode. And that’s a shame because it’s sort of like buying a Porsche and then only driving it around the block at 10 miles an hour. In both cases, you’re missing out on a whole lot of fun and, when it comes to photography, making it more difficult to capture certain types of images.
Therein lies the point of Nikon D3500 For Dummies. With the help of this book, you can take full advantage of everything the D3500 has to offer.
About This Book
Unlike many photography books, this one doesn’t require any previous knowledge of photography or digital imaging to make sense of things. In classic For Dummies style, everything is explained in easy-to-understand language, with lots of illustrations to help clear up any confusion.
Even if you have some photography experience — or quite a bit of experience, for that matter — this book has plenty to offer, however. I provide detailed information about all the camera’s advanced exposure, focus, and color controls, explaining not just what each feature does but why and how to put it to best use.
In short, what you have in your hands is the paperback version of an in-depth photography workshop tailored specifically to your Nikon picture-taking powerhouse.
How This Book Is Organized
This book is organized into four parts, each devoted to a different aspect of using your camera. Although chapters flow in a sequence that’s designed to take you from absolute beginner to experienced user, I’ve also made each chapter as self-standing as possible so that you can explore the topics that interest you in any order you please. Here’s a brief preview of what you can find in each part of the book:
Part 1: Fast Track to Super Snaps:
Part 1
contains three chapters to help you get up and running.
Chapter 1
guides you through initial camera setup and shows you how to view and adjust camera settings.
Chapter 2
introduces you to basic picture options such as Exposure mode, Release mode, Image Size (resolution), and Image Quality (JPEG or Raw) and also provides information on flash photography with the D3500.
Chapter 3
walks you through the steps of taking your first pictures using the Auto and Auto Flash Off exposure modes and then introduces you to Scene modes and a few other automated options available in Guide mode.
Part 2: Beyond the Basics:
Chapters in this part help you unleash the full creative power of your camera by detailing the advanced shooting modes (P, S, A, and M).
Chapter 4
covers the critical topic of exposure;
Chapter 5
explains how to manipulate focus; and
Chapter 6
discusses color controls.
Chapter 7
summarizes techniques explained in earlier chapters, providing a quick-reference guide to the camera settings and shooting strategies that produce the best results for portraits, action shots, landscape scenes, and close-ups.
Chapter 8
shifts gears, moving from still photography to HD movie recording.
Part 3: After the Shot:
This part offers two chapters, both dedicated to tasks you do after you press the shutter button.
Chapter 9
explains how to review your pictures on the camera monitor and connect your camera to a TV for large-screen playback.
Chapter 10
topics include rating, deleting, and protecting photos, downloading images to your computer, processing Raw files, and preparing pictures for online sharing.
Chapter 10
also introduces you to two free Nikon photo programs, Nikon ViewNX-i and Capture NX-D.
Part 4: The Part of Tens:
In keeping with
For Dummies
tradition, this book concludes with two top-ten lists containing additional bits of information and advice.
Chapter 11
covers the photo-editing and effects tools found on the camera's Retouch menu and also shows you how to use the Effects exposure mode to add special effects to movies and photos as you record them.
Chapter 12
wraps up the book by detailing some features that, although not found on most “Top Ten Reasons I Bought My D3500” lists, are nonetheless interesting, useful on occasion, or a bit of both.
Appendix: Intro to Nikon SnapBridge: Nikon SnapBridge is a free app available for Android and Apple iOS smartphones, tablets, and other smart devices. It’s this app that enables you to use the camera’s Bluetooth wireless technology to connect your D3500 to your smart device. After making the connection, you can transfer photos to the device for viewing or easy uploading to your favorite social media site. You also can use your device to trigger the camera’s shutter button remotely.
Because not all readers will have a smart device compatible with SnapBridge, I opted to cover it in an appendix rather than in the body of the book. For the same reason, I provide just enough details to get you started using the app, including information on how to quickly access online SnapBridge support through the app.
Cheat sheet:
When you have a minute or two, visit
www.dummies.com
and enter the name of this book in the search box. You’ll find a link to a cheat sheet, which provides a handy reference guide to important camera settings and terms.
Icons and Other Stuff to Note
If this isn’t your first For Dummies book, you may be familiar with the large, round icons that decorate its margins. If not, here’s your very own icon-decoder ring:
The Tip icon flags information that will save you time, effort, money, or some other valuable resource, including your sanity. Tips also point out techniques that help you get the best results from specific camera features.
When you see this icon, look alive. It indicates a potential danger zone that can result in much wailing and teeth-gnashing if ignored. In other words, this is stuff that you really don’t want to learn the hard way.
Lots of information in this book is of a technical nature — digital photography is a technical animal, after all. But when I present a detail that is useful mainly for impressing your tech-geek friends, I mark it with this icon.
I apply this icon either to introduce information that is especially worth storing in your brain’s long-term memory or to remind you of a fact that may have been displaced from that memory by another pressing fact.
Additionally, replicas of some of your camera’s buttons and onscreen graphics appear in the margins and in some tables. I include these images to provide quick reminders of the appearance of the button or option being discussed.
Where to Go from Here
To wrap up this preamble, I want to stress that if you initially think that digital photography is too confusing or too technical for you, you’re in very good company. Everyone finds this stuff mind-boggling at first. So take it slowly, experimenting with just one or two new camera settings or techniques at first. Then, every time you go on a photo outing, make it a point to add one or two more shooting skills to your repertoire.
I know that it’s hard to believe when you’re just starting out, but it really won’t be long before everything starts to come together. With some time, patience, and practice, you’ll soon wield your camera like a pro, dialing in the necessary settings to capture your creative vision almost instinctively.
So without further ado, I invite you to grab your camera, a cup of whatever it is you prefer to sip while you read, and start exploring the rest of this book. Your D3500 is the perfect partner for your photographic journey, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to act as your tour guide.
Part 1
Fast Track to Super Snaps
IN THIS PART …
Familiarize yourself with the basics of using your camera, from attaching lenses to navigating menus.
Find out how to select the exposure mode, Release mode, Image Size (resolution), and Image Quality (JPEG or Raw file type).
Discover options available for flash photography.
Get step-by-step help with shooting your first pictures in Auto Mode, Flash Off Mode, and the Scene modes.
Chapter 1
Getting Up and Running
IN THIS CHAPTER
Preparing the camera for its first outing
Getting acquainted with camera features
Viewing and adjusting camera settings
Setting a few basic preferences
Restoring original camera settings
Shooting for the first time with a camera as sophisticated as the Nikon D3500 can produce a blend of excitement and anxiety. On one hand, you can’t wait to start using your new equipment, but on the other, you’re a little intimidated by all its buttons, dials, and menu options.
Well, fear not: This chapter provides the information you need to start getting comfortable with your D3500. The first section walks you through initial camera setup; following that, you can get an overview of camera controls, discover how to view and adjust camera settings, and get my take on some basic setup options.
Preparing the Camera for Initial Use
After unpacking your camera, you have to assemble a few parts. In addition to the camera body and the supplied battery (be sure to charge it before the first use), you need a lens and a memory card. Later sections in this chapter provide details about working with lenses and memory cards, but here’s what you need to know up front:
Lens: You can mount a wide range of lenses on your D3500, but some aren’t compatible with all camera features. For example, to enjoy autofocusing, you need an AF-P or AF-S type lens. The 18–55mm lens featured in this book and sold in a kit with the D3500 body is an AF-P lens, as is the 70–300mm lens that is added to the package if you buy the two-lens camera bundle. Your camera manual offers details about lens compatibility.
The AF in AF-S and AF-P stands for autofocus. The S in AF-S stands for a silent wave focusing motor; the P refers to an autofocusing technology known as a “stepping motor.” Both are designed to deliver faster and quieter autofocusing. How you implement autofocusing differs between the two types, however. Read more about this issue later in this chapter, in the section “Familiarizing Yourself with the Lens”.
SD (Secure Digital) memory card:
Your camera accepts only this type of card. A card with the simple SD designation is an older, lower capacity card that holds a maximum of 4GB of data. Newer SD cards carry the designation SDHC (for
High Capacity
) or SDXC (for
eXtended Capacity
), depending on how many gigabytes (GB) of data they hold. SDHC cards hold from 4GB to 32GB of data; the SDXC moniker is assigned to cards with capacities greater than 32GB.
With camera, lens, battery, and card within reach, take these steps:
Turn off the camera.
Install the battery into the compartment on the bottom of the camera.
Attach a lens.
First, remove the caps that cover the front of the camera and the back of the lens. Then align the mounting index (white dot) on the lens with the one on the camera body, as shown in Figure 1-1. After placing the lens on the camera mount, rotate the lens toward the shutter-button side of the camera. You should feel a solid click as the lens locks into place.
Insert a memory card.
Open the card-slot cover on the right side of the camera and orient the card as shown in Figure 1-2. (The label faces the back of the camera, and the card end with the gold contacts goes in first.) Push the card gently into the slot and close the cover. The memory card access light, labeled in the figure, illuminates briefly to let you know that the camera recognizes the card.
Turn on the camera.
If using a retractable lens, unlock and extend the lens.
The lens barrels of the 18–55mm AF-P kit lens, as well as those on some AF-S lenses, extend and retract. When you’re not shooting, you can retract the lens so that it takes up less space in your camera bag. But before you can take a picture or even access most camera menu items, you must unlock and extend the lens. A message appears on the camera monitor to remind you of this step.
To extend the lens, press the retractable-lens barrel button, highlighted in Figure 1-3, while rotating the lens barrel toward the shutter-button side of the camera. To retract the lens, press the button while rotating the lens in the other direction.
Set the camera language, time zone, date, and time.
When you power up the camera for the first time, the monitor displays a message asking you to select the menu language and set the time zone, date, and time. Navigate the screens and adjust the settings by using the Multi Selector and the OK button (refer to Figure 1-2):
Press the edge of the Multi Selector up and down to move the highlight cursor vertically; press right/left to travel horizontally. Press OK or press the Multi Selector right to reveal options related to the highlighted setting.
When a value box is highlighted, press the Multi Selector up/down to change the value. Press left/right to jump to the next value box.
After making your selections on a screen, press the OK button.
(The later section “Ordering from camera menus” provides more help with using menus.)
The date/time information is included as metadata (hidden data) in the picture file. You can view metadata in some playback display modes (see Chapter 9) and in certain photo programs, including Nikon ViewNX-i and Nikon Capture NX-D. (Refer to Chapter 10.)
Adjust the viewfinder to your eyesight.
To the right of the rubber eyepiece that surrounds the viewfinder is a dial that enables you to adjust the viewfinder focus to accommodate your eyesight. I highlighted the dial in Figure 1-4.
This step is critical: If you don’t adjust the viewfinder to your eyesight, subjects may appear sharp in the viewfinder when they aren’t actually in focus, and vice versa.
To set the viewfinder focus, remove the lens cap, look through the viewfinder, and then press the shutter button halfway to display data at the bottom of the viewfinder. (In dim lighting, the flash may pop up; ignore it for now and close the unit after you adjust the viewfinder.) Now rotate the dial until the data appears sharpest. The markings in the center of the viewfinder, which relate to autofocusing, also become more or less sharp. The scene in front of the lens isn’t affected by this adjustment, so don’t expect it to come into focus. Just concentrate on the viewfinder data strip and focus-point markings.
FIGURE 1-1: Align the white dot on the lens with the one on the camera body.
FIGURE 1-2: Insert the memory card with the label facing the back of the camera.
FIGURE 1-3: On the AF-P kit lens, press this button while rotating the lens barrel to extend and retract the lens.
FIGURE 1-4: Rotate this dial to set the viewfinder focus for your eyesight.
That's all there is to it — the camera is now ready to go. From here, my recommendation is that you keep reading the rest of this chapter to familiarize yourself with the main camera features. But if you’re anxious to take a picture right away, I won’t think any less of you if you skip to Chapter 3, which guides you through the process of using the camera’s automatic shooting modes. Just promise that at some point, you’ll read the pages in between, because they actually do contain important information.
Exploring Basic Camera Features
If you’re new to dSLR photography, some aspects of using your camera, such as working with the lens, may be unfamiliar to you. But even if this isn’t your first dSLR, it pays to take some time before your first shoot to get familiar with its controls. To that end, the upcoming pages provide an overview of the D3500’s main features and offer a primer on working with lenses and memory cards.
Checking out external controls
Scattered across your camera’s exterior are numerous controls that you use to change picture-taking settings, review your photos, and perform various other operations. In later chapters, I discuss all camera functions in detail and provide the exact steps to follow to access them. This section provides just a basic “what’s this thing do?” guide to each control. (Don’t worry about memorizing the button names; throughout the book, I show pictures of buttons in the page margins to help you know exactly which one to press.)
Topside controls
Your virtual tour begins with the bird’s-eye view shown in Figure 1-5. There are a number of features of note here:
On/Off switch and shutter button:
Okay, I’m pretty sure you’ve already figured out this combo button. But you may not be aware that you need to press the shutter button in two stages: Press and hold the button halfway and wait for the camera to initiate exposure metering and, if you're using autofocusing, to set the focusing distance. Then press the button the rest of the way to take the picture.
Exposure Compensation button:
This button activates Exposure Compensation, a feature that enables you to tweak exposure when working in the P (programmed autoexposure), A (aperture-priority autoexposure), or S (shutter-priority autoexposure) modes. I cover this feature in
Chapter 4
. To set the amount of Exposure Compensation, press the button while rotating the Command dial, also labeled in
Figure 1-5
. In M (manual exposure) mode, press this button while rotating the Command dial to adjust the aperture setting, another exposure control explained in
Chapter 4
.
Mode dial: With this dial, you choose the exposure mode, which determines how much control you have over camera settings. For normal shooting, you can choose from fully automatic, semiautomatic, or manual exposure control; I introduce you to the auto modes in Chapter 3 and cover the semiautomatic and manual modes (P, S, A, and M) in Chapter 4.
By turning the dial to Effects, you can apply special effects as the image or movie is captured, a feature you can explore in Chapter 11. Select the Guide setting to access guided menus, covered later in this chapter.
Live View switch:
Rotate the switch toward the back of the camera and then release it to engage
Live View,
the feature that enables you to compose photos on the monitor instead of using the viewfinder. You also need to shift to Live View mode to record movies. Rotate the switch again to exit Live View mode and return to viewfinder shooting.
Movie-Record button:
After shifting to Live View mode, press this button to start and stop recording.
Chapter 8
details movie recording.
Command dial:
After you activate certain camera features, you rotate this dial to select a setting. For example, to choose a shutter speed when shooting in shutter-priority (S) mode, you rotate the Command dial.
AF-assist lamp:
When you use autofocusing, the camera may emit a beam of light from this lamp in dim lighting; the light helps the camera find its focus target. The lamp also lights when you use Red-Eye Reduction flash and the Self-Timer shutter-release mode, both covered in
Chapter 2
.
Flash hot shoe (accessory shoe):Hot shoe is the traditional name for the bracket connection that accepts an external flash head. Nikon refers to this part of the camera as an accessory shoe because you can connect other devices to the camera. For example, the Nikon AS-15 Sync Terminal Adapter, about $30, enables you to use your camera with certain studio flash heads that connect via a PC sync cord. (The PC initials refer not to a personal computer, but to Prontor-Compur, a traditional type of flash connector.)
See Chapter 2 for an introduction to flash photography.
Speaker:
When you play a movie, the sound comes wafting out of these holes.
Focal plane mark: If you need to document the exact distance that exists between your subject and the camera, the focal plane mark is the key. The mark indicates the plane at which light coming through the lens is focused onto the camera’s image sensor. Basing your measurement on this mark produces a more accurate camera-to-subject distance than using the end of the lens or another external point on the camera body as your reference point.
FIGURE 1-5: Rotate the Mode dial to choose an exposure mode.
Back-of-the-body controls
On the back of the camera, shown in Figure 1-6, you find these features:
FIGURE 1-6: Use the Multi Selector to navigate menus and access certain other camera options.
Flash button: In the advanced exposure modes (P, S, A, and M), pressing this button raises the built-in flash. In other modes, the camera controls whether flash is enabled.
By holding the Flash button down and rotating the Command dial, you can adjust the Flash mode (Fill Flash, Red-Eye Reduction, and so on). In advanced exposure modes, you also can adjust the flash power by pressing the button while simultaneously pressing the Exposure Compensation button and rotating the Command dial. The little plus/minus symbol that appears above and to the right of the Flash button — the same symbol that’s on the Exposure Compensation button — is a reminder of the button’s role in flash-power adjustment.
Check out Chapter 2 for details on flash options.
Viewfinder adjustment dial:
Rotate this dial to adjust the viewfinder focus to your eyesight; see the first section of this chapter for details.
Info button: This button performs two functions depending on whether you’re using the viewfinder to frame shots or taking advantage of Live View.
Viewfinder photography: Press the Info button to display the Information screen, which presents the most critical picture-taking settings. To turn off the screen, press the Info button again.
You also can display the screen by pressing the shutter button halfway and releasing it.
Live View photography:
After you rotate the Live View (LV) switch to put the camera into Live View mode, you can press the Info button to cycle through four Live View displays, each of which offers different types of data superimposed on with the live scene.
See the upcoming section “Viewing critical picture settings” for more details about the Information screen and Live View displays.
AE-L/AF-L button: Pressing this button initiates autoexposure lock (AE-L) and autofocus lock (AF-L). Chapter 4 explains autoexposure lock; Chapter 5 talks about autofocus lock.
In playback mode, pressing the button activates the Protect feature, which locks the picture file — hence the little key symbol that appears below the button — so that the file isn’t erased if you use the picture-delete functions. See Chapter 10 for details. (The picture is erased if you format the memory card, a function explained in the upcoming section “Working with Memory Cards.”)
