On Aug 29, 2005, at 1:53 PM, Fred wrote:
OK, so here's the question: Just which non-default settings should
the
serious digital newbie immediately activate upon first putting a DS
into
service? (Oh sure, I've been passively reading reports on such
settings,
but they up to now didn't mean too much because they were ~abstract~
settings to one who didn't yet have a DS - <g>.) So, any
recommendations?
(I'm looking forward to trying a lot of my K and A lenses on it...)
My usual camera settings are:
Recording menu
- Set color tone to natural
- Set storage to RAW
- Set instant review to 3 secs
Playback menu
- Set hot spot warning to Instant Review
Setup menu
- turn beep off
- turn world time off
- turn guide display off
- set auto power off to 10 min
- set file# to SerialNo
Custom setting
- turn on settings
- turn "noise reduction" off
- set "exposure setting steps" to 1/3 EV steps
- set "ISO Sensitivity Warning Display" to on, 800 or greater
- set "link AF Point and AE"
- set "using aperture ring" to permitted
- set "mag to start zoom playback" to 4x
- set "WB measurement area" to Spot
- set "Color Space" to AdobeRGB *
Fn menu
- set flash to Manual
* If you don't have Photoshop's color settings configured right, it
will bitch at you with a dialog every time you go to open a picture.
Set the Photoshop settings to "North American Pre-press" as a
starting point. I use Adobe RGB (1998) as my default color workspace.
Outside the camera:
Be sure you have Photoshop Elements v3.0 or at least Photoshop CS and
download the Camera Raw v2.4 Plug-in for RAW processing. If you have
CS2 or PSE3, download the Camera Raw v3.1 plug in and DNG converter
instead.
Some additional notes:
- Auto Picture and any of the Scene modes will automatically switch
the Image Tone back to Vivid as part of their presets. Since you're
storing images in RAW format, it doesn't matter - you'll render it as
you see fit after the fact. If you're saving in JPEG format, be aware
of this.
- If you want Continuous-AutoFocus, the only way to get it is to use
the Sport scene preset mode. It works fine, you still have access to
EV compensation and if you save in RAW you can adjust the color tone
rendering however you want.
- Whenever you use a manual focus lens, the focus indication is
locked to the center AF point, and matrix metering is linked to that
point as well. I often turn off the focus indication when I'm using
MF lenses as the illuminated point gets in the way of critical
focusing in the center area of the viewfinder.
- If AF focus mode is left enabled with a manual focus lens, the
shutter will be blocked unless the focus confirmation indicator is
illuminated. Setting MF unblocks the shutter, leaving AF set allows
'trap focus' ... Hold the shutter release down on a moving target and
as soon as focus confirmation is lit the shutter will fire.
- if the instant review function's lighting up the LCD after every
exposure is an annoyance, turn it off in the Recording menu.
- Using a manual focus A series lens on "A", all meter modes and
patterns are available. Exposure info will not include the lens focal
length. PTTL works with the built in flash in all modes, Av mode
locks the shutter speed to 1/180 sec.
- Using an M or K series manual focus lens, only CW Averaging and
Spot patterns are available, and you are best to use Manual exposure
mode: the AE-lock button will take a meter reading and set the
shutter speed, which you can adjust with the thumbwheel. The aperture
ring controls the aperture, and the DoF preview works. The built-in
flash reverts to full power, manually set exposure with the aperture
control and guide number. The aperture value will be absent both in
the displays and in the picture info. Av mode is also available, but
M and K series lenses will not stop down: all metering and exposures
will be made at wide open aperture. All program and Tv settings will
default to Av. 'A' series lenses operate the same way as M and prior
when you take the aperture off the 'A' setting.
hope that helps ;-)
Godfrey
