Mastering the Nikon D780

By Darrell Young

Learn to master your Nikon D780 and take full advantage of all its capabilities!

Mastering the Nikon D780 by Darrell Young provides a wealth of experience-based information and insights for owners of the new D780 camera. Darrell is determined to help the user navigate past the confusion that often comes with complex and powerful professional camera equipment.

This book explores the features and capabilities of the camera in a way that far surpasses the user’s manual. It guides readers through the camera features with step-by-step setting adjustments; color illustrations; and detailed how, when, and why explanations for each option. Every button, dial, switch, and menu configuration setting is explored in a user-friendly manner, with suggestions for setup according to various shooting styles.

Darrell’s friendly and informative writing style allows readers to easily follow directions, while feeling as if a friend dropped in to share his knowledge. The information in this book goes beyond the camera itself and also covers basic photography technique.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rocky Nook
• Release date: Jun 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781681986531

Darrell Young

Darrell Young (aka Digital Darrell) is a full-time author and professional photographer in the East Tennessee, USA area. He is a member of Professional Photographers of America, the North American Nature Photography Association, and Nikon Professional Services--and adheres to the ethical guidelines of those fine organizations. Darrell has been photographing people, events, and places professionally for over 30 years, with a special interest in natural history. His mother gave him a Brownie Hawkeye camera in 1968 at the young age of 10 years and awakened a lifelong interest in capturing slices of time. Living in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains--near Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway--has given him a real concern for the natural environment and a deep interest in nature photography. You'll often find Darrell standing behind a tripod in the beautiful mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. Since about 2000 Darrell has been an active blogger and article writer on photographic subjects. In 2008 his first photography book was published and, since then, he has authored over a dozen books on the technical side of photography, with a special interest in helping new photographers fully understand their complex cameras so they can use them for more effective and enjoyable photography.

Book preview

01 Introduction and Initial Camera Setup

Foothills Parkway West © 2020 Brenda Young

Congratulations on your purchase of a Nikon D780 camera, one of the most exciting new Nikons released in several years! The D780 is a full-frame (FX), digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera in Nikon’s advanced enthusiast line of digital cameras.

The D780 has a radio-frequency control system built in, including Wi-Fi and low-energy Bluetooth, so it can communicate directly with your smart device (smartphone and tablet) using the Nikon SnapBridge app (page 549). You can manually or automatically send pictures and videos to your smart device (2 megapixel or full-size), embed Global Positioning System (GPS) location data into your images, and even use your smart device to control the camera remotely. The camera also allows you to wirelessly send pictures directly to your computer over a Wi-Fi network (page 557).

Additionally, with the purchase of a Nikon WR-10 Wireless Remote Controller Set, you can use the D780 to control other Nikon cameras in a controller/remote relationship, or multiple banks of Speedlight flash units (page 285). The cool thing is that you are using radio-frequency control to do all these things, including flash control (with compatible flash units).

The D780 simply has everything a professional or enthusiast photographer needs to bring home incredibly good images and superior 4K video. The high resolution of the 24.5 MP sensor, for superb still images and clean, broadcast-quality video, makes the D780 one of the world’s best hybrid DSLR cameras. The video subsystem provides Full HD (1080p) and UHD 4K (2160p), with 8- or 10-bit H.264/MPEG-4 AVC 4.2.2 video to the memory card, and 8- or 10-bit N-Log or HDR (HLG) video to an external recorder (e.g., Atomos).

The D780 has a compact BSI (backlit) CMOS full-frame sensor, a 200,000-frame shutter, a tilting screen, robust magnesium alloy construction, extensive weather sealing, 51 autofocus points in the optical viewfinder (OVF) and 273 edge-to-edge autofocus points in Live view mode, an eye-level glass pentaprism, and two UHS-II compatible SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots.

The camera can use Nikkor lenses of the following types: AI, AI-S, AF, AF-S, AF-D, AI-P, and PC (some restrictions apply to PC lenses)—including G, E, and D types—along with many aftermarket lenses. Do not use non-AI lenses from the late 1960s and early 1970s, unless they have been physically converted to use with the D780. The camera has a robust non-CPU lens registration system (page 508) that allows you to use your old favorite AI and AI-S lenses from the film days.

The D780 has a compact, yet robust, 29.7 ounce (840 gram) body designed to last. Instead of buying a new camera every couple of years, you can invest in new Nikkor lenses.

The camera has implemented a complete touchscreen system that allows you to adjust most of the camera’s functions and features without using the Multi selector pad, if you prefer. You can select camera menus and submenus, and make adjustments, by tapping on the LCD Monitor. You can pinch and stretch with your fingers to zoom out and in on an image, and you can swipe to change to a different image, just like you do on your smartphone. You can use the D780’s rear Monitor like a big electronic viewfinder (EVF).

You can even use the Monitor to preview an image before you take it. When you make adjustments to exposure and color balance, you will instantly see the result. You can use a live histogram on the Monitor to achieve the most accurate exposures possible.

In fact, the camera works like your previous familiar Nikon DSLRs, but adds features, when using the Live view mode, that are normally found only on mirrorless cameras. Let’s continue on our quest to master the Nikon D780.

Use This Book with Camera in Hand

Having written books for most of the enthusiast and professional small-bodied Nikon camera models that have been released since 2007, I have seen the complexity of Nikon cameras grow with each new generation. In my experience, the Nikon D780 is one of the most complex and feature-rich Nikon DSLRs I have ever used.

This camera is extremely customizable. It has multiple programmable buttons and dials that allow you to use it for virtually any style of photography. To get the best results out of the camera, it is important to spend time reading this book with your camera in hand.

Use Mastering the Nikon D780 to carefully examine each of the features built into the camera so that you will be prepared to use it for better photography later. Prepare to experiment so that you can wrap your mind around some of the new, powerful features. There are many of them!

What Is the Purpose of This Book?

Mastering the Nikon D780 is not so much a book about general photography principles as it is a book about understanding the workings of the Nikon D780. Photographic principles are discussed, but only in relation to how a certain control or setting will affect the execution of that principle.

In other words, this book does not directly teach you how to become a better photographer, but instead shows how the D780 works so that you can use it expertly to make great pictures. There are many, many books out there that will help you become a better photographer with any camera. This book gives you a deep understanding of the Nikon D780 so that you can use it to its maximum potential.

In this book, I have attempted to balance the needs of a new user with the needs of an enthusiast or professional photographer. I cover the entire camera in great detail, with easy-to-understand terms, tips, and suggestions, so that you will have a complete understanding of its many settings.

There are literally hundreds of things that may be configured on this advanced camera. In this chapter, I’ll give a new D780 user a place to start. Later, as you progress through this book, we’ll look at all the buttons, switches, dials, and menu settings in detail, which will allow you to fully master the operation of your Nikon D780.

Each menu in the camera has its own chapter or section. Plus, there is additional information on how to put it all together in chapters like Camera Control Screens; Metering, Exposure Modes, and Histogram; White Balance; and Autofocus, AF-Area, and Release Modes.

Things to Know When Reading This Book

Here are a couple of items to consider:

I use Nikon-assigned names for the controls on the camera, as found in the Nikon D780 User’s Manual and Reference Manual. For instance, I may say something like "press the i button" to show you how to execute some function, and you’ll need to know where this button is located. Use the Camera Body Reference in the front of the book to memorize the locations of the camera controls.

I list a few page numbers from the Nikon User and Reference Manuals for things like big reference charts that are not included in this book. Nikon offers both a User’s Manual (included in the box) and a Reference Manual (downloadable only). You may want to download both of these manuals for alternate digital references, especially the Reference Manual. Here is a download link for both: https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/products/539/D780.html

Accessing the Camera Menus

To access the various menus and control screens for configuring the D780, you’ll use the MENU button and the i button on the back of the camera (figure 1.0A). Please remember the locations of these two buttons—they will be mentioned often in this book.

Figure 1.0A: Press the MENU button to open the main camera menus and the i button to open the context-sensitive shortcut menus and the i Menus

There are seven primary menu systems in the camera, which work for both Viewfinder photography and Live view photography and videos. They are listed as follows:

Playback Menu

Photo Shooting Menu

Movie Shooting Menu

Custom Setting Menu

Setup Menu

Retouch Menu

My Menu or Recent Settings

Additionally, there are several i button shortcut Quick menus available for image playback, photography, and movies (along with the normal main menus listed previously). This book has a chapter devoted to each of the main menus and discusses the i button shortcut menus in appropriate places.

Let’s take a brief look at the opening screens of the seven main menus, shown in figure 1.0B, images 1–7. You get to these seven menus by pressing the MENU button and scrolling up or down with the Multi selector pad. A selector bar with tiny icons will appear on the left side of the Monitor when you press the MENU button. You can see the selector bar at the left of each menu in figure 1.0B, images 1–7.

Figure 1.0B: Seven primary camera menus, photo quick menu, and movie quick menu

As you scroll up or down in the selector bar, you’ll see each menu appear on the Monitor, with its icon highlighted in yellow on the left side of the screen, and the menu on the right. The name of the menu you are currently using will be displayed at the top of the screen—except when you are accessing the Quick menus (figure 1.0B, images 8 and 9).

There are four i button shortcut menus. Figure 1.0B, image 8, displays an example of the i button photo shortcut menu for working with still photography. Figure 1.0B, image 9, displays the i button movie shortcut menu for working with video.

Again, we will discuss each of these menus and their functions and settings in great detail as we go through this book.

Note: My Menu (figure 1.0B, image 7) can be toggled with an alternate menu called Recent Settings by using the Choose tab setting at the bottom of My Menu. These two menus—My Menu and Recent Settings—can’t be active at the same time, so only one of them is shown in figure 1.0B (image 7). My Menu is much more functional for most people. The chapter titled My Menu and Recent Settings covers both of these options in detail so you can choose which one you want to appear most of the time on your camera. My Menu allows you to add 20 specific menu items from any of the other menus to create your own personal menu, and Recent Settings shows you the last 20 menu items you’ve changed.

Touch-Sensitive Monitor

A welcome addition to the new Nikon D780 is the touch-sensitive monitor. Try pressing the MENU button and then selecting menu items with your fingertip. Scroll up and down in the menu by swiping up and down on the Monitor.

Figure 1.1: Touch sensitive monitor works like a smartphone

Press the Playback button to display a picture, and then you can pinch and stretch with your fingers to zoom out and in on the picture or use a finger swipe to change to a new picture (figure 1.1).

You will find that the touch-sensitive monitor acts more like your smartphone. This feature makes the D780 easier and more intuitive to use for those of us who are familiar with using smartphones.

We will cover the touchscreen system in detail in the chapter titled Camera Control Screens (page 19).

Now, let’s start with the initial configuration of a brand-new Nikon D780. There are five specific steps you should complete when you first turn on the camera.

Thoughts on Using Live View (Lv) Mode

The D780 is the first Nikon camera to combine a regular optical viewfinder (OVF) with 51 AF points and a 273 AF point Live view (like a big electronic viewfinder). It is a real pleasure to use the 273 AF points on the Monitor since it gives you most of the experience of using a mirrorless camera with its electronic viewfinder (EVF).

If a Nikon D750 and a Nikon Z6 got together, their offspring would be the Nikon D780. The Live view mode in the D780 is excellent, with autofocus that really works, including eye and face detection in photo mode and face detection in movie mode. If you have avoided the use of Live view mode in past cameras, you may want to retry it. Lv mode in the D780 works better than any previous Nikon DSLR you’ve ever used.

Figure 1.2: Yellow Lilies – Nikon D780, AF-S Micro Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G ED lens, 1/200 sec at f/10, ISO 400, Matrix metering, AUTO1 WB, handheld on an overcast day, © 2020 Darrell Young

Nothing beats using the new 273-point Live view AF system on the camera’s big, sharp rear Monitor for macro and closeup photography (figure 1.2). Extremely accurate and fast on-sensor, phase-detect and contrast-detect autofocus!

Five Steps for First-Time Camera Configuration

This section is devoted to first-time configuration of the camera. There are certain settings (covered in this section) that should be set up right away, and others that should be configured before you use the camera extensively (covered in a later section, Camera Functions for Initial Configuration, on page 15).

I won’t go into detail on all possible settings in this chapter. Those details are reserved for the individual chapters that cover the various menus and functions. Instead, I’ll walk you through five steps for first-time configuration of the camera. We will start with the Setup Menu (figure 1.3A).

Then, in the Camera Functions for Initial Configuration section, I’ll refer you to the page numbers that provide the screens and menus for each function that should be configured before you use your camera for the first time. The later chapters will cover virtually all camera settings.

Figure 1.3A: Use the Setup Menu to configure the first five camera settings

Setting the Language: Step 1

The D780 is multilingual and multinational. As partially shown in figure 1.3B, the menus can be displayed in one of four languages (firmware C1.01). The number of languages might increase with later firmware updates since previous Nikon DSLRs (e.g., D850, D750) come with 36 languages available. More than likely, the camera will already be configured to the language spoken in your area since various world distributors have the camera somewhat preconfigured.

Figure 1.3B: Setting the camera’s language

If you want to change the language for the menus and screens, use the following steps to select your preferred language:

Tap on the wrench icon on the left of the screen to select the Setup Menu (figure 1.3B, image 1). (Note: In the chapter called Camera Control Screens (page 19) we will discuss how to use the touchscreen system with its touch-sensitive controls.)

Choose Language from the Setup Menu with your fingertip (figure 1.3B, image 1).

Tap on the Language of your choice (e.g., English) (figure 1.3B, image 2).

Next we will consider the Time zone screen.

Setting the Time Zone: Step 2

This is an easy screen to use as long as you can recognize the area of the world in which you live. Use the map shown in figure 1.3C, image 3, to find your area, and then select it.

Figure 1.3C: Setting the Time zone

Here are the steps to select the correct Time zone for your location:

Follow the Setup Menu screen flow shown in figure 1.3C, images 1 and 2 (Time zone and date > Time zone), until you arrive at the third screen in the series.

Use the little yellow arrows to scroll to the left and right until your world location is selected (figure 1.3C, image 3). You will see tiny yellow dots marking the locations of major cities (e.g., New York, Toronto, Lima) in the selected time zone, and the names of the cities will appear above the Coordinated Universal Time number (e.g., UTC-5). At the bottom of the screen you will see the currently selected Time zone. Mine is set to New York, Toronto, Lima, as shown in figure 1.3C, image 3. Select the OK control (either tap OK on the screen or press the OK button) to lock in your Time zone.

Next in the series are the Date and time settings.

Setting the Date and Time: Step 3

This screen allows you to enter the current date and time. It is in year, month, day (Y, M, D) and hour, minute, second (H, M, S) format.

Figure 1.3D: Setting the Date and time

Here are the steps to set the Date and time:

Follow the Setup Menu screen flow shown in figure 1.3D, images 1 and 2 (Time zone and date > Date and time), until you arrive at the third screen in the series.

Select the various date and time sections, such as the year section shown in figure 1.3D, image 3 (20). Tap on the tiny yellow up or down arrows to set the values for each field (Y=year, M=month, D=day, H=hour, M=minute, S=second). The time values (H, M, S) use a 24-hour clock, or military time. Press or touch the OK control once you have entered the Date and time.

Next let’s configure the Date format.

Setting the Date Format: Step 4

Various date formats are used around the world, and the Nikon D780 allows you to choose from the most common ones. Here are the three date formats you can select from (figure 1.3E):

Y/M/D: Year/Month/Day (2021/12/31)

M/D/Y: Month/Day/Year (12/31/2021)

D/M/Y: Day/Month/Year (31/12/2021)

United States residents usually select the M/D/Y format. However, you may prefer a different format.

Figure 1.3E: Setting the Date format

Here are the steps to select the Date format you like best:

Follow the Setup Menu screen flow shown in figure 1.3E, images 1 and 2 (Time zone and date > Date format), until you arrive at the third screen in the series.

Tap on the date format you prefer (figure 1.3E, image 3).

Finally, let’s configure Daylight saving time.

Setting Daylight Saving Time: Step 5

Many areas of the United States observe daylight saving time. In the springtime, most U.S. residents set their clocks forward by one hour on a specified day each year. Then in the fall they set their clocks back, leading to the clever saying, spring forward and fall back.

You can use the Daylight saving time setting to adjust the time on your D780’s clock forward or back by one hour, according to whether daylight saving time is currently in effect in your area.

Figure 1.3F: Setting Daylight saving time

To choose an initial Daylight saving time setting, follow these steps:

Follow the Setup Menu screen flow shown in figure 1.3F, images 1 and 2 (Time zone and date > Daylight saving time), until you arrive at the third screen in the series.

Tap on the setting you want to use (On or Off) (figure 1.3F, image 3). If daylight saving time is currently in effect in your area (spring and summer in most areas of the United States), select On. When daylight saving time ends, you will need to change this setting to Off (via the Setup Menu) to adjust the clock back by one hour.

Settings Recommendation: If you live in an area that observes daylight saving time, it’s a good idea to adjust this setting whenever daylight saving time begins and ends. This is not an automatic setting, so you will need to adjust it twice per year. When you set the time forward or back on your clocks, you should adjust it on your camera, too. If you don’t, your images will have internal metadata reflecting a time that is off by one hour for half the year.

I set a reminder in my smartphone to remind me to change the camera’s Daylight saving time setting.

Using the Camera’s Help System

The D780 is complex enough that it needs a help system. Fortunately, Nikon provides one. Many functions in the menus allow you to touch the Help control on the bottom left of the menu screen (figure 1.4, image 1) to open a help screen describing that function.

Figure 1.4: Using the Help touch control to understand functions

Use the following steps to access the help system:

Highlight a function (e.g., Time zone and date) for which there is a small question mark in a gray circle at the bottom of the menu selection column (figure 1.4, image 1, red arrow). If the question mark does not appear, help is not available for that function (e.g., Language does not have a help menu, therefore the question mark will not appear). Tap the little Help control (question mark in a circle) to access a help screen for the highlighted function.

A help screen will open that shows a brief description of what the selected function does (figure 1.4, image 2). When you have finished reading the help screen, tap the back control (image 2, red arrow) to close the help screen and return to the previous screen (go back).

Note: You can also highlight a certain menu item and press the WB/Help/Protect button to the left of the Monitor to open the help description for that function.

Settings Recommendation: Check out the useful help screens. They are excellent for when you could use a quick reminder of exactly what a function does. They are available for many of the menu items, but not all of them.

Now let’s examine a group of functions that should be configured, or at least examined, before you use your new D780 extensively.

Camera Functions for Initial Configuration

The following is a list of functions that you may want to configure before you take many pictures or capture a lot of video. These set up the basic parameters for camera usage. Each function is covered in great detail on the page number shown, so I did not repeat the information in this chapter. Please turn to the indicated page and fully configure the function, then return here and move on to the next function. When you are done, your camera will be ready for use.

Playback Menu

Playback folder: Page 174

Playback display options: Page 175

Image review: Page 189

Rotate tall: Page 191

Photo Shooting Menu

Image quality: Page 189

Image size: Page 222

NEF (RAW) recording: Page 225

ISO sensitivity settings: Page 229

White balance: Page 240

Set Picture Control: Page 245

Color space: Page 265

Active D-Lighting: Page 268

Long exposure NR: Page 270

High ISO NR: Page 271

Vignette control: Page 273

Diffraction compensation: Page 275

Movie Shooting Menu

Image area: Page 213

Frame size/frame rate: Page 348

Movie quality: Page 351

Movie file type: Page 353

ISO sensitivity settings: Page 354

White balance: Page 357

Set Picture Control: Page 359

Active D-Lighting: Page 371

High ISO NR: Page 373

Diffraction compensation: Page 373

Electronic VR: Page 375

Microphone sensitivity: Page 376

Headphone volume: Page 381

Custom Setting Menu

a1 AF-C priority selection: Page 391

a2 AF-S priority selection: Page 392

a3 Focus tracking with lock-on: Page 393

a5 Auto-area AF face/eye detection: Page 395

a6 Focus points used: Page 396

a7 Store points by orientation: Page 397

a8 AF activation: Page 400 (if you want to use back-button focus)

a10 Focus point options: Page 402

a11 Low-light AF: Page 406

b3 Matrix metering: Page 411

c4 Monitor off delay: Page 420

d7 File number sequence: Page 431

d9 Exposure preview (Lv): Page 433 (preview your image before taking it!)

d10 Framing grid display: Page 435

d11 Peaking highlights: Page 436 (for manual Focus peaking)

f1 Customize i menu: Page 448 (for viewfinder photography)

f2 Customize i menu: Page 448 (for Live view photography)

f3 Custom controls: Page 450 (for still photography)

f4 OK button: Page 457 (for still photography)

f7 Reverse indicators: Page 472 (if you are coming from an older Nikon)

g1 Customize i menu: Page 476 (for video capture)

g2 Custom controls: Page 477 (for video capture)

g3 AF speed: Page 482

g4 AF tracking sensitivity: Page 483

g5 Highlight display (zebra stripes): Page 484

Setup Menu

Format memory card: Page 490

Image comment: Page 520

Copyright information: Page 521

Beep options: Page 523

Touch controls: Page 525

Connect to smart device: Page 548

Connect to PC: Page 563

Of course, there are hundreds more functions to configure, and you may find one function more important than another; however, these are the functions you ought to at least give a once-over before you use the camera extensively.

Camera Settings Recommendations

All through the book I offer my personal recommendations for settings and how to use them. Look for the Settings Recommendation paragraph at the end of most sections. These suggestions are based on my experience with Nikon cameras in various types of shooting situations. You may eventually decide to configure things differently, according to your own needs and style. However, these recommendations are good starting points while you become familiar with your new D780.

Downloadable Resources Website

To keep this book small enough to carry as a reference in your camera bag, I may have provided some less-used information in downloadable documents on the following website:

http://www.rockynook.com/NikonD780

I will refer to these documents throughout the book when they apply to the material being discussed.

Author’s Conclusion

Keep this book in your camera bag for reference, or purchase an electronic copy for use on your smartphone or tablet. You can purchase electronic copies of this book directly from the publisher’s website (rockynook.com), which includes three eBook formats: PDF, ePub, and Mobi (Kindle Reader).

Let’s get started on our examination of this powerful and highly programmable camera system. There are many individual functions and many settings within these functions. We will consider each of them so that you can use your camera to the fullest extent of its potential and improve your photography in the process.

Again, it is best if you have your camera in hand so that you can make adjustments and experiment with each setting as you go. Then, after you have read through the book, you will have discovered the functions that are most important to you, where they are located, and how to adjust them.

Are you ready? Let’s master your new hybrid DSLR camera!

02 Camera Control Screens

White Rose © 2020 Darrell Young

The Nikon D780 digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera is a complex camera with many control screens containing menus. These numerous control screens allow you a lot of flexibility in how you make setting changes, often enabling you to make quick changes without having to drill down into the camera’s more complex main menu system. Many camera control screens are simply shortcuts to functions you can find in the main menu system. In this chapter, we will examine the control screens, and we’ll consider the main menus in later chapters.

The D780 design utilizes the best features of its predecessor, the extremely popular Nikon D750, with the addition of much of the functionality of a mirrorless Nikon Z6 when you use the Live view Monitor to compose your images, instead of the Viewfinder.

While the camera may feel a little different the first few times you use its Live view system, you will quickly come to enjoy the new way of doing things.

The first time I took my D780 out for a shoot, I had no serious problems figuring out how to use the camera, and I brought home great pictures. However, there was an initial learning curve as I figured out how to access and configure the various camera settings that are brought over from the mirrorless Nikon Z camera line.

As you read over this chapter—with your camera in hand, of course—your learning curve won’t be quite as steep, and you’ll become familiar with the camera much more quickly.

Technical TFT-LCD Monitor Information

As mentioned previously, the D780 has a tilting, 3.2-inch (8 cm), 170-degree-wide viewing angle, TFT-LCD, touch-sensitive rear Monitor with enough resolution, size, and viewing angle to allow you to easily take pictures, make settings adjustments, and play back images and videos (figure 2.0).

Figure 2.0: The D780 Monitor

The Monitor screen has excellent clarity for your image previewing needs, allowing you to zoom in to pixel-peeping levels. The Monitor also offers 11 levels of brightness.

Technical Geek Stuff

The Monitor is based on an over 2.3-million dot (2359K), thin-film transistor (TFT), liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel. It has over 2.3-million dots of resolution, not pixels. Technically, an individual pixel on your D780’s Monitor is a combination of three colored dots: red, green, and blue (RGB). The three dots are blended together to provide shades of color and are equal to one pixel. This means the Monitor’s actual resolution is limited to one-third of 2,359,000 dots, or approximately 786,333 pixels. This is very close to the XGA standard (786,432 pixels) and is significantly higher than many of the D780 predecessors’ 307,200-pixel VGA resolution monitors.

Camera Button Control Screens

The D780 has multiple action buttons on the back of the body and a few on the front, many of which will bring up a camera control screen. In this chapter, we are going to discuss how to access the button screens and what each does, with pointers to even deeper information in other parts of the book. As we go through the various later chapters of the book, we will examine more deeply how to use each button control screen. Now, let’s examine each of the button control screens.

Menu Button

As discussed briefly in the first chapter of this book, the Menu button opens a massive number of control screens (figure 2.1, and see page 7). I estimate there are over one thousand settings and subsettings in the seven main menus.

Figure 2.1: Menu button control screens (menus)

Press the Menu button (figure 2.1, image 1) to open the main menu system.

Choose one of the seven main menus on the left side of the screen by scrolling up or down with the Multi selector pad (e.g., Playback Menu; figure 2.1, image 2).

Once you’ve selected one of the seven main menus (e.g. Setup Menu; figure 2.1, image 3, top red arrow), scroll to the right with the Multi selector pad to select a function for adjustment (e.g., Monitor brightness; figure 2.1A, image 3, bottom red arrow).

Scroll to the right again to open a secondary screen for setting adjustments. Make your adjustments (figure 2.1, image 4, top red arrow), and then press or touch OK (usually) to select a particular setting (figure 2.1, image 4, bottom red arrow). Many menus will go even deeper, with three or four levels, instead of just two.

The main menu control screens are so deep and numerous that several chapters of this book are dedicated to discussing them (chapters 6–12). Don’t feel overwhelmed, though. We will discuss each setting clearly, giving you complete control of every feature in this incredible camera.

White Balance/Help/Protect Button

When you press the White balance/help/protect button, with nothing on the Monitor, it opens the White balance (WB) control screen. There is an entire chapter devoted to using the White balance (page 135) system, so here we’ll just examine how to access the WB settings for quick adjustments.

Figure 2.2: WB button control screen

Press and hold the WB button (figure 2.2, image 1) to open the White balance selection and fine-tuning screen (figure 2.2, image 2).

Turn the front Sub-command dial to adjust any WB subsettings, such as our sample Keep overall atmosphere (the 1 in figure 2.2, image 2, red arrow A). The WB subsettings are considered in detail starting on page 137. Adjust the type of White balance (page 139) by turning the rear Main command dial (figure 2.2, image 2, red arrow B). You can choose one of the following types:

AUTO

Natural light auto

Direct sunlight

Cloudy

Shade

Incandescent

Fluorescent

Flash

Choose color temperature (K)

Preset Manual (PRE)

The previous list of White balance settings is considered in more detail on page 137.

Fine-tune the White balance for green (G), amber (A), magenta (M), and blue (B) by using the Multi selector pad to move the little black square toward or between (blending) any of the four color-tint adjustments (figure 2.2, image 2, red arrow C). Release the WB button when you have selected the settings you want to use.

There are other functions attached to the WB button, such as Help (page 14) and Protect (page 173), but the alternate functions do not open control screens.

QUAL/Zoom In Button

When you press the QUAL/Zoom in button, with nothing on the Monitor, it opens the Image quality/size control screen. This shortcut screen is a time-saver when you need to adjust the quality (e.g., RAW, JPEG fine) or size (i.e., L, M, S) of an image.

Figure 2.3: QUAL/Zoom in button control screen

Press and hold the QUAL button (figure 2.3, image 1) to open the Image quality/size control screen (figure 2.3, image 2).

There are three Size settings and thirteen Image quality settings. Turn the front Sub-command dial to choose an image Size (page 222): Large (L), Medium (M), or Small (S) (figure 2.3, image 2, top red arrow). Turn the rear Main command dial to choose an Image quality (figure 2.3, image 2, bottom red arrow):

RAW+F : NEF (RAW) + JPEG fine

RAW+F: NEF (RAW)+ JPEG fine

RAW+N : NEF (RAW) + JPEG normal

RAW+N: NEF (RAW) + JPEG normal

RAW+B : NEF (RAW) + JPEG basic

RAW+B: NEF (RAW) + JPEG basic

RAW: NEF (RAW)

FINE : JPEG fine

FINE: JPEG fine

NORM : JPEG normal

NORM: JPEG normal

BASIC : JPEG basic

BASIC: JPEG basic

Release the QUAL button when you’ve selected the settings you want to use.

Metering/Zoom Out Button

The Metering/Zoom out button does not open a control screen directly because the Metering symbols show on the top Control panel when you hold down the Metering button. Nikon feels most photographers would rather use the Control panel and Command dials to set the Metering mode.

However, if you press the info button to open the Information display and then press the Metering button, the camera will let you use the rear Monitor to set the camera’s Metering type. For consistency, let’s examine this method since it’s so similar to previous control screen methods.

Figure 2.4: Metering/Zoom out button control screen

Press the info button (figure 2.4, image 1, bottom red arrow) and then press and hold the Metering button (figure 2.4, image 1, top red arrow) to open the Metering control screen (figure 2.4, image 2).

Turn either of the Command dials to select one of the four Metering modes: Matrix, Center-weighted, Spot, or Highlight-weighted. Release the Metering button when you’ve highlighted in yellow the mode you desire to use.

If you look at the top Control panel while you have the Metering button held down, you will see the Metering symbol on the lower left corner of the panel (figure 2.4, image 3). You can use the Control panel instead of the Information display, if you want. To select a Metering mode on the Control panel: hold down the Metering button, turn a Command dial, and release the Metering button when the Metering symbol for the mode you want to use is showing on the Control panel (figure 2.4, image 3).

You can find more detailed information on each Metering mode starting on page 61.

Flash Mode/Compensation Button

The Flash mode/compensation button allows you to select various flash modes for when your camera has a Speedlight flash unit mounted in the camera’s Accessory shoe.

It also allows you to control flash compensation directly. If you feel that the camera and flash are underexposing or overexposing by a little, you can dial in a little extra or a little less exposure. Let’s see how it works.

Figure 2.5: Flash button control screen

Press and hold the Flash mode button (figure 2.5, image 1) to open the Flash mode/compensation control screen (figure 2.5, image 2).

Turn the front Sub-command dial to change the flash compensation amount within a range of –3.0 to +1.0 EV steps (figure 2.5, image 2, top red arrow). Turn the rear Main command dial to select a Flash mode (figure 2.5, image 2, bottom red arrow), including:

Fill flash (Front-curtain sync)

Red-eye reduction

Slow sync

Slow sync + red eye

Rear-curtain sync

Flash off

The various Flash modes that you will see available in this screen depend entirely on which of the P, S, A, or M exposure modes you have selected on the Mode dial. See a deeper description of each flash mode beginning on page 25 of this book.

BKT Button (Auto Bracketing)

Auto bracketing allows you to shoot a series of pictures at different exposure levels and later combine the images in-computer to allow for a much broader dynamic range (i.e., more detail in both dark and light areas of the subject). You can use the Information display or the Control panel to configure and use Auto bracketing. Let’s see how.

Figure 2.6: BKT button control screens

Initially, let’s go over how to use the Information display to set and use Auto bracketing; then we’ll examine how to use the Control panel instead.

Press the info button to open the Information display, and then press and hold the BKT button (figure 2.6, image 1) to open the Auto bracketing control screen (figure 2.6, image 2). The top red arrow in image 2 shows the EV steps (1.0) between each shot in the bracket, and the bottom red arrow points to the number of frames (3F) in the Auto bracketing selection.

Turn the front Sub-command dial to change the exposure differential (EV steps) between frames. Turn the rear Main command dial to select the number of frames in the bracket. Image 2 shows three frames (3F), which means the camera will take three pictures: one underexposed by the EV step chosen (1.0), one normal exposure, and one overexposed by the EV step chosen (1.0).

Figure 2.6, image 3, shows the Information display after 3F and 1.0 EV steps were chosen for the bracket in figure 2.6, image 2. There are three small lines hanging down from the exposure scale in image 3 (red arrow). Each small line represents one picture in the bracket. Notice that the leftmost line hanging down in image 3 is one stop (1.0 EV step) underexposed from 0 (normal exposure) on the exposure scale. The middle line hanging down is directly under the 0, which means that picture will have a normal exposure. The rightmost line hanging down shows one stop (1.0 EV step) overexposure. When you take each picture in the bracket, that picture’s line will disappear from below the exposure scale. When all three lines are gone, the bracket is done. Now you can combine the images in Photoshop for massive dynamic range.

Figure 2.6, image 4, shows the Control panel, with the same Auto bracketing settings that we discussed on the Auto bracketing control screen in figure 2.6, image 2. The Control panel is easy to use and does not require the Auto bracketing control screen or the Information display. Therefore, most photographers will use the Control panel when they are choosing Auto bracketing settings. To use the Control panel, press and hold the BKT button while turning the front Sub-command dial to set the exposure differential between frames (1.0), and while turning the rear Main command dial to set the number of frames (3F) in the bracket (figure 2.6, image 4, top red arrow). As you take the pictures in the bracket, the little lines below the exposure scale (image 4, bottom red arrow) will disappear. This works in a manner similar to the Auto bracketing control screen and the Information display in the previous steps.

Note: Please examine the detailed Auto bracketing information concerning the EV steps between frames (1.0 to 3.0 EV steps) and the number of frames (2F to 9F) on page 298. There is a wide range of settings (up to nine-frame brackets and up to 3 EV steps exposure differential between frames) available for Auto bracketing.

Additionally, if you set the camera’s Release mode to CH or CL (page 90), you can set the number of frames in the bracket and the EV value difference between the exposures and then hold down the Shutter-release button until all the frames in the bracket are exposed. The camera will automatically stop when the bracket is complete. This is faster than firing each frame individually.

AF-Mode Button

The AF-mode button allows you to select an Autofocus mode and an AF-area mode very quickly. There are two popular methods to do so. To remain consistent with previous instructions, we will consider the AF mode/AF-area mode control screen first, and then discuss how to use the Control panel to set both modes (generally preferred).

Figure 2.7: AF-Mode button and control screens

Press the info button to open the Information display, and then press and hold the AF-mode button (figure 2.7, image 1) to open the AF mode/AF-area mode control screen (figure 2.7, image 2).

Use the rear Main command dial to choose an AF mode (figure 2.7, image 2, bottom arrow): AF mode auto-switch (AF-A) [page 95], Single AF (AF-S) [page 95], and Continuous AF (AF-C) [page 95]. Next, use the front Sub-command dial to choose an AF-area mode (figure 2.7, image 2, top arrow):

S: Single-point AF

d9: Dynamic-area AF (9 points)

d21: Dynamic-area AF (21 points)

d51: Dynamic-area AF (51 points)

3d: 3D-Tracking

GrP: Group-area AF

Auto: Auto-area AF

When you have chosen your modes, release the AF-mode button.

To use the top Control panel to select these modes (preferred by most photographers), press and hold the AF-mode button and turn the rear Main command dial to select an AF mode (AF–A, AF–S, or AF–C) [figure 2.7, image 3, bottom arrow] on the Control panel, and turn the front Sub–command dial to select one of the AF–area modes (figure 2.7, image 3, top arrow). Release the AF–mode button when you have made your selections.

Note: Please consider the more detailed information on AF modes (page 94) and AF-area modes (page 97) later in this book.

Info Button (Information Display)

When you press the info button, the Information display opens. This is one of the primary displays for your camera when you are shooting pictures with the Viewfinder.

The Information display contains all sorts of information about current camera settings. It also has the i Menu at the bottom of the screen, which lets you set 12 important functions very quickly. You can change which functions show on the i Menu if you prefer different settings than the ones Nikon chose.

Let’s examine the symbols and icons on the Information display.

Figure 2.8: Information display with i Menu

The following list identifies the symbols and controls found on the Information display, and provides page numbers in this book where each function is discussed in detail:

Wireless status (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Airplane mode) [page 548]

Exposure mode (P, S, A, M) [page 68]

Long exposure NR (noise reduction) status [page 270]

Vignette control status [page 274]

Shutter speed [page 52]

Exposure indicator scale (–/+) [page 53]

Aperture [page 52]

Beep on or off [page 524]

Battery charge indicator [page 53]

Auto bracketing status [page 299]

Number of pictures remaining [page 52]

The 12-section i Menu for Viewfinder photo use [page 29]

i Control (Set), equivalent to the i button (unlocks i Menu) [page 29]

ISO or ISO AUTO symbol along with ISO number (e.g., 100) [page 53]

+/– Exposure compensation active (set to +0.3 EV) [page 43]

Flash compensation status [page 282]

Next, let’s consider the most comprehensive camera control screen you will encounter, the i Menu in all its flavors.

The i Menu: Shortcut to Important Camera Functions

The Nikon D780 camera works a little differently than older Nikon DSLRs. Some of the most important functions that would normally require you to drill down into the main menu system on an older Nikon DSLR may instead be accessed by an easy-to-use and completely configurable specialty menu system called the i Menu. Additionally, several other Quick menu screens are available. Each of these special screens is attached to various camera functions, which we will consider in this and later chapters.

Again, this chapter is primarily concerned with showing you the location and functionality of the camera’s various control screens, and not so much with how each item on the control screens works. The individual functions on each control screen will be considered in detail as we proceed through the book, and often, page number references will be provided to make it easier to find specific information on how a certain function works. Let’s start by examining the i Menu system.

Figure 2.9A: (1) Viewfinder photo, (2) Live view photo, and (3) Live view movie modes

In figure 2.9A, you will see the three i Menu modes. They all have functions in common—such as Set Picture Control, Autofocus mode, and AF-area mode—and there are a few differences.

Three i Menu Modes

Your Nikon D780 is a pro-level still photography camera (Photo mode) and a powerful video camera (Movie mode). As previously mentioned, The D780 provides you with two i Menus for still photography (Viewfinder and Live view) and one i Menu for Movie mode.

The i Menu is programmable, which means you can select which camera control functions you want to feature on it. Nikon has made good choices in assigning functionality to the various i Menus—the default items are some of the most important camera controls you will use on a regular basis for that particular mode. However, if you don’t like a certain assignment and would like to substitute another, you can easily do so.

Each i Menu is a shortcut menu system that substitutes for the same functions found in the camera’s main menu system (e.g., Photo and Movie Shooting Menus). The items found on the i Menu are mostly concerned with selecting a certain setting, not making deeper adjustments to those settings. To fully understand the functionality behind the i Menu items, it is best to consider the same functions in the camera’s main menu system. Therefore, page numbers to the appropriate material in this book are listed for each i Menu item.

You can change which items are displayed on the various i Menus we are about to discuss by using the following Custom Setting Menu functions to customize your camera:

For Viewfinder still photography (page 448): Custom Setting Menu > f Controls > Customizeimenu

For Live view still photography (page 448): Custom Setting Menu > f Controls > Customizeimenu (Lv)

For Live view movie capture (page 476): Custom Setting Menu > g Movie > Customizeimenu

Let’s examine how to select the individual settings on the three i Menus, and how the i Menu choices differ for each type of shooting.

Note: In my presentation of the i Menus and their various settings, I captured screen-shots with a lens cap on so that you can see each i Menu setting with no distractions. Normally, you will see your subject through the lens, overlaid with the i Menu.

Still Photography i Menus (Viewfinder and Live View Photo Mode)

There are two still-image i Menus available, one for Viewfinder photography and one for Live view still photography (Photo mode). The items on these versions of the i Menu are specific to taking pictures only.

First, let’s examine the i Menu that is available when you are using the Viewfinder to take pictures.

Viewfinder Still Photography

When you are taking pictures through the Viewfinder, you can make critical camera setting adjustments on the i Menu built into the camera’s Information display.

Figure 2.9B: Accessing the i Menu for Viewfinder photography

Press the info button (figure 2.9B, image 1) to open in the Information display (figure 2.9B, image 2).

The i Menu is locked (non-functional) on the Information display until you press the i button (figure 2.9B, image 3). When you press the i button, the i Menu unlocks and you can make changes

Following is a list of each default item on the Viewfinder mode’s i Menu screen, along with the page numbers that will give you more detailed information on each setting.

Top Row

A.Set Picture Control (page 245)

B.Image quality (page 219)

C.Flash mode (page 279)

D.Wi-Fi connection (page 557)

E.Autofocus mode (page 94)

F.Choose image area (page 213)

Bottom Row

G.White balance (page 357)

H.Image size (page 222)

I.Metering (page 61)

J.Active D-Lighting (page 268)

K.AF-area mode (page 97)

L.Custom controls (page 450)

Next, let’s examine the i Menu you will use when you are using the advanced Live view mode in your D780.

Live View Still Photography (Photo mode)

Remember, your camera is a Nikon D750 and Nikon Z6 combined, with most of the features from both cameras, along with some from the Nikon D850.

The D780 is the first Nikon DSLR that I’ve used that has full functionality in Live view mode. With this camera, gone are the days of slow and imprecise Live view autofocus. Instead, the AF system built into the Live view mode exceeds the capability of that of the Viewfinder in several ways.

As you go through this book, please take the time to learn how to use the Live view mirrorless-style features, such as the 273-AF-point, phase-detection autofocus system, with edge-to-edge 90-percent frame coverage. Let’s examine the i Menu for the Live view photo mode.

Figure 2.9C: Accessing the Photo mode i Menu for Live view photography

To access the Photo mode i Menu, switch the Photo/movie selector lever so that the white dot is at the Photo mode position (figure 2.9C, image 1, left arrow, looks like a camera).

To enter Live view photo mode, press the Lv button (figure 2.9C, image 1, right arrow).

Now, press the i button (figure 2.9C, image 2) to open the Photo mode i Menu (figure 2.9c, image 3).

The i Menu for Live view Photo mode is shown in figure 2.9C, image 3 (with the lens cap on). Following is a list of each default item on the Photo mode’s i Menu screen and the page number that will give you more detailed information on each setting.

Top Row

A.Set Picture Control (page 253)

B.Image quality (page 219)

C.Flash mode (page 279)

D.Wi-Fi connection (page 557)

E.Autofocus mode (page 107)

F.Negative digitizer

Bottom Row

G.White balance (page 359)

H.Image size (page 224)

I.Metering (page 62)

J.Active D-Lighting (page 372)

K.AF-area mode (page 106)

L.Exposure preview (page 433)

Movie Mode i Menu

Next, let’s examine the i Menu that’s available when the camera is in Movie mode. The items on this version of the i Menu are specific to capturing video only.

Figure 2.9D: Accessing the Movie mode i Menu for capturing video

To access the Movie mode, switch the Photo/movie selector lever so that the white dot is at the Movie mode position (figure 2.9D, image 1, bottom arrow, looks like a camera on a tripod).

Next, press the Lv button to enter Live view movie mode (figure 2.9D, image 1, top arrow).

Finally, press the i button (figure 2.9D, image 2) to open the i Menu on the rear Monitor (figure 2.9D, image 3).

The i Menu for Movie mode is shown in figure 2.9D, image 3 (with the lens cap on). Following is a list of each default item on the Movie mode’s i Menu screen and the page number that will give you more detailed information on each setting.

Top Row

A.Set Picture Control (page 359)

B.Frame size and rate/Image quality (Movie quality) (pages 348 and 351)

C.Wind noise reduction (page 380)

D.Wi-Fi connection (page 557)

E.Autofocus mode (page 47)

F.Destination (page 346)

Bottom Row

G.White balance (page 357)

H.Microphone sensitivity (page 376)

I.Metering (page 63)

J.Active D-Lighting (page 371)

K.AF-area mode (page 106)

L.Electronic VR (page 375)

Using the i Menu

There are two ways to use the i Menu. One is to highlight an item on it and rotate the camera’s command dials to change settings. The second way is to highlight an item and press OK or touch the item on the Monitor to open a secondary adjustment screen.

We won’t discuss how to select and change every item on the i Menu. That would be highly repetitive because they all work in basically the same two ways.

Each of the i Menu settings is covered in detail later in this book (see page numbers provided). Remember, the i Menu is merely a shortcut menu to a selection of the hundreds of settings available in the D780. Let’s examine both setting selection methods.

We will be using the i Menu screen based on the Live view photo mode; however, all three i Menu screens—Viewfinder mode, Live view photo mode, and Live view movie mode—work in a similar manner.

The i Menu screens shown in the next few sections are continuations of where figures 2.9B, 2.9C, or 2.9D end.

Changing i Menu Settings with the Command Dials

When you have the i Menu screen open on your camera’s Monitor, you can highlight a certain setting in yellow and simply turn one or more of the camera’s command dials to change the setting.

First, let’s examine a function that requires the use of only one command dial, and then we will consider one that requires the use of both command dials.

Note: The touch screen becomes disabled when you have turned one of the command dials to change a setting on the i Menu. As soon as you finish changing the setting and press OK, the touch screen functionality will be restored.

Figure 2.9E: Changing the Picture Control with a single command dial (sample)

Use the following steps to change a setting very quickly by rotating either of the command dials:

Press the i button to open the i Menu and select a setting to change by scrolling to it with the Multi selector pad (figure 2.9E, image 1). For our sample, we will use the Set Picture Control function because it has no subsettings available on the i Menu, just the main setting choices (e.g., A, SD, NL).

Rotate the rear Main command dial, and the choices for that setting (e.g., A, SD, NL) will appear above the i Menu (figure 2.9E, image 2, red arrow). If a single line of choices appears, as seen in image 2, then you can turn the rear Main command dial and scroll through each available setting within the selected function (actually, you can turn either dial when there is a single line of settings). When you have highlighted in yellow the selection you want to use (e.g., SD), then press OK to lock in the setting.

Now let’s consider a sample setting that requires the use of both command dials.

Figure 2.9F: Changing the White balance with both command dials (sample)

Use the following steps to change a setting that requires the use of both command dials to select the setting and a subsetting:

Press the i button to open the i Menu and select a setting to change (e.g., White balance) (figure 2.9F, image 1). We will use the Auto White balance setting as our sample because it not only has several main settings (e.g., A1, Direct sunlight, Cloudy), but it also has subsettings for some of the main settings (i.e., Auto, Fluorescent, K, and PRE).

Rotate the rear Main command dial until the WB setting you want to use is highlighted in yellow (e.g., A1; figure 2.9F, image 2, bottom arrow). The sample Auto WB setting has three subsettings: 0, 1, and 2 (top arrow), which represent A0 Keep white (reduce warm colors), A1 Keep overall atmosphere, and A2 Keep warm lighting colors. To select a WB subsetting, rotate the front Sub-command dial until the subsetting you want to use is highlighted in yellow. Press OK to lock in the setting with its subsetting.

Now let’s see how to use the i Menu’s secondary screen method, which some photographers prefer because it can be easier to see and understand at first.

Changing i Menu Settings on a Secondary Screen

Using this method is a bit more like using the camera’s normal menu system found under the MENU button. When you press the i Button and open the i Menu, you will not use the command dials initially to change settings. Instead, you will use a secondary screen, with touch capability, to make changes. Often, this secondary screen will allow you to do more than the previously discussed command dial method. We will again use White balance as our example. Let’s see how it works.

Figure 2.9G: Changing the White balance on the secondary screen (sample)

Use the following steps to change a setting on the i Menu by using a secondary screen with touch controls. We will use White balance as our sample. Just remember that other functions on the i Menu will work in a similar manner to White balance (WB), although most are not as complex. (Note: As we walk through the WB function, keep in mind that our primary concern in this chapter is not how to set White balance, but instead how to use the i Menu screens to set any