Nikon® D780™ For Dummies®
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2020 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2020939544
ISBN 978-1-119-71637-2 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-71642-6 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-71643-3 (ebk)
Your Nikon D780 is the latest and greatest digital camera on the market, with a stunning 24.5-megapixel capture, live view, high-definition video, and much more. But all this technology can be a bit daunting, especially if this is your first real digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera or if you’ve upgraded from an earlier Nikon model. When you unboxed your Nikon D780, you graduated to the big leagues. All you have to do is master the power you hold in your hands!
I’ve been using DSLR cameras since 2000. In fact, my first digital camera was a Nikon. But my earliest forays into photography were with film cameras, cameras that didn’t give you instant gratification by showing you the resulting image on an LCD monitor. I learned the hard way (and wasted a lot of film), but I loved photography, so I persevered and created images whenever I had the time. I’ve photographed weddings and sporting events for hire, and I’ve written several books about digital photography. In this book, I share my experience and knowledge with you. I don’t get too technical in this book, even though your camera is very technical. I also do my best to keep it lively. So, if you want to master your Nikon D780, you have the right book in your hands.
If you find the buttons and menus on your shiny new D780 a tad intimidating, this book is for you. Here, I take you from novice point-and-shoot photographer to one who can utilize all the bells and whistles your camera offers. You’ll find information about the camera menus and every button on your camera, as well as when to use them, and what settings to use for specific picture-taking situations.
This book is a reference, which means you don’t have to commit it to memory or read it from beginning to end. Instead, you can return to it again and again, using the Table of Contents and Index to find the information you need.
Throughout the book, you’ll see sidebars (text in gray boxes), as well as Technical Stuff icons. All this text is interesting, but if you’re short on time or just need to know the basics, you can safely skip these pieces without missing anything critical.
Within this book, you may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending as though the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading this as an e-book, you’ve got it easy — just click the web address to be taken directly to the web page.
As I wrote this book, I made some assumptions about you, the reader:
Every For Dummies book has icons in the margin that draw your attention to important bits of information, and this book is no different. Here’s what the various icons mean:
Whenever you see the Tip icon, you’re sure to find information designed to save you time and make your life easier (well, at least your life with your Nikon D780 — I can’t promise anything beyond that).
The Warning icon warns you about something you should not do — something your fearless author has likely already done and wants to warn you off from. Think of these as headache prevention.
The Remember icon is the equivalent of a virtual piece of string tied around your finger. This is information you want to commit to memory.
The Technical Stuff icon is for the geeks in the group who like to know all manner of technical stuff. If that’s you, great! If not, you can skip anything marked with this icon without missing anything essential to your understanding of the topic at hand.
In addition to what you’re reading right now, this product comes with a free access-anywhere Cheat Sheet that includes the Nikon D780 shooting modes and metering modes, a post-shoot checklist, and more. To get this Cheat Sheet, go to www.dummies.com and type Nikon D780 For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the Search box.
If you’ve had a chance to dip your toe into the shallow end of the Nikon D780 pool, you probably know the camera pretty well, so feel free to skip the first four chapters of the book, and pick and choose which sections contain the information you need to become even better acquainted with your camera.
If you bought this book before getting your camera, or your friendly retailer suggested you buy a copy to get up to speed quickly, I’ve got you covered. In Chapters 1 through 4, I familiarize you with the basic things you need to know to create great pictures in a short period of time. In Chapters 5 and 6, I show you how to specify image size and image quality and get down to brass tacks with the tilting monitor. No matter where you start, feel free to create your own buffet of information from the remaining chapters in the book. When you’re just getting started, consider keeping a copy of the book in your camera bag for ready reference.
Finally, when you go on a photo shoot with your D780, take your time. If you rush a photo shoot, you miss the point of photography, which in my opinion is to observe, imagine, and create.
Part 1
IN THIS PART …
Get to know the lay of the land and become familiar with the controls of your Nikon D780.
Learn how to set up your Nikon D780.
Accessorize your Nikon D780.
Find out how to take great pictures automatically.
Specify image size and format.
Master the camera’s tilting monitor.
Chapter 1
IN THIS CHAPTER
Getting familiar with camera controls
Looking at your camera from the top, bottom, front, and back
The Nikon D780, which evolved from the Nikon D750 that was introduced in late 2014, is a full-frame camera that captures stunning 24.5-megapixel images. It has all the latest bells and whistles Nikon has to offer on a full-frame digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera. It’s a technological marvel that enables you to take great pictures and capture high-definition (HD) video. The camera has a new processor and an advanced, highly customizable 51-point autofocus system that gives you the ability to capture great images in low light and at a blindingly fast speed of up to 12 frames per second, which is ideal for action photography. You can also create high dynamic range (HDR) images and use the interval timer to create time-lapse movies. This camera features a viewfinder that shows you 100 percent of what the lens captures at a magnification of 0.70x — what you see is what you get. The camera also features a virtual horizon, which enables you to capture images that are perfectly level.
The learning curve with all these bells and whistles may seem a little steep, but don’t worry — I’m an experienced professional photographer, and I take pride in understanding how a camera works and how to get the most from any camera. In this chapter, I introduce you to the Nikon D780’s controls and help you get the lay of the land, so to speak.
The top of the camera is where you find the controls you use most when taking pictures. This is where you change settings like ISO (how sensitive the sensor is to light) and shutter speed, choose a shooting mode, and press the shutter button to take a picture.
ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization, but all you really need to know is that, on your camera, it controls how sensitive the camera’s sensor is to light.
You can do lots of other things from the top of the camera, which, in my humble opinion, is the most important real estate on the camera, with the possible exception of the lens. I suggest you get to know the controls on the top of your camera intimately, like the back of your hand. Many photographers, including me, make it a point to memorize where the controls are and access them without taking an eye off the viewfinder.
Here’s what you find on the top of the camera (see Figure 1-1):
FIGURE 1-1: The top of the Nikon D780.
The back of the camera is where you find controls to capture images or movies using live view, access the camera menu, and much more.
Here’s what you find on the back of your Nikon D780 (see Figure 1-2):
FIGURE 1-2: The back of the Nikon D780.
On front of your camera, you’ll find a couple of buttons that you use every day and some that access features you rarely use. The following features are on the front of your camera (see Figure 1-3):
FIGURE 1-3: The front of the Nikon D780.
Here’s what you find on the bottom of the Nikon D780: