Mastering the nikon d600

Mastering the Nikon D600


Darrell Young (Digital Darrell) is an information technology engineer by trade.
He’s been an avid photographer since 1968 when his mother gave him a Brownie
Hawkeye camera.
Darrell has used Nikon cameras and Nikkor lenses since 1980. He has an incurable case of Nikon Acquisition Syndrome (NAS) and delights in working with
Nikon’s newest digital cameras.
Living near Great Smoky Mountains National Park has given him a real concern for the natural environment and a deep interest in nature photography.
He loves to write, as you can see in the Resources area of the Nikonians Online
community (www.Nikonians.org). He joined the community in the year 2000,
and his literary contributions led to his invitation to become a Founding Member
of the Nikonians Writers Guild.


Mastering the Nikon D600

Darrell Young


Darrell Young (aka Digital Darrell)
Editor: Jocelyn Howell
Copyeditor: Jeanne Hansen
Layout: Petra Strauch
Cover Design: Helmut Kraus, www.exclam.de
Printer: Friesens Corporation
Printed in Canada
ISBN 978-1-937538-19-4
1st Edition 2013
© 2013 Darrell Young

Rocky Nook, Inc.
802 E. Cota Street, 3rd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
www.rockynook.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Young, Darrell, 1958 Mastering the Nikon D600 / by Darrell Young. -- 1st edition.
      pages cm
 ISBN 978-1-937538-19-4 (softcover : alk. paper)
1.  Nikon digital cameras. 2.  Single-lens reflex cameras. 3.  Photography--Digital techniques.  I.
Title.
 TR263.N5Y683 2013
 771.3'2--dc23
                                                           2013002606
Distributed by O‘Reilly Media
1005 Gravenstein Highway North
Sebastopol, CA 95472
All rights reserved. No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced
or utilized in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission of the publisher.
Many of the designations in this book used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks of their respective companies. Where those designations appear in
this book, and Rocky Nook was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed
in caps or initial caps. All product names and services identified throughout this book are used in
editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of
the trademark. They are not intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.
Adobe Photoshop™ and Adobe Lightroom™ are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems, Inc. in
the United States and other countries.
While reasonable care has been exercised in the preparation of this book, the publisher and
author(s) assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use
of the information contained herein or from the use of the discs or programs that may accompany it.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.

This book is dedicated to:
My wife of many years, Brenda; the love of my life and best friend…
My children, Autumn, David, Emily, Hannah, and Ethan,
five priceless gifts …
My mother and father, Barbara and Vaughn, who brought me into this world and
guided my early life, teaching me sound principles to live by …
My Nikonians editor, Tom Boné,
without whose assistance I could not possibly write books …
My friends J. Ramon Palacios and Bo Stahlbrandt, who make it possible to belong to
Nikonians.org, the world’s best Nikon Users’ Community …
The wonderful staff of Rocky Nook, including
Gerhard Rossbach, Joan Dixon, Jocelyn Howell, and Matthias Rossmanith ...
My copy editor, Jeanne Hansen (www.hansenedits.com), whose eye for detail and
knowledge of the English language made this book much nicer for its readers …
And, finally, to Nikon, who makes the world’s best cameras and lenses.

Special Thanks to:

Brad Berger of www.Berger-Bros.com (800-542-8811) for helping me obtain a Nikon D600
early in its production cycle so that I could write this book. I personally buy from and recommend Berger-Bros.com for Nikon cameras, lenses, and accessories. They offer old-time
service and classes for your photographic educational needs too!

Steve Wise of www.atomos.com (503-388-3236) for allowing me to use a powerful
Atomos Ninja-2 external HDMI video recorder. The revolutionary Ninja-2 is the go-to
“Smart Production Weapon” for Nikon HD-SLR camera owners who want to record the
highest quality, uncompressed video their camera can output.

Michael Tapes of mtapesdesign.com (321-752-9700) for providing samples of their excellent products: WhiBal for white balance ambient light (PRE) readings and accurate white
balance control, and LensAlign and FocusTune for calibrating and fine-tuning autofocus in

Nikon DSLRs.


Table of Contents

1
xiv
xvi
532
534

Foreword
Camera Body Reference
Credits
Index

2

Basic Camera Setup

4

Learning about the Nikon
D600
First Use of the Camera
First-Time HD-SLR Users
Five Steps for First-Time
Camera Configuration
Accessing the Camera Menus
Camera Functions for Initial

Configuration
Personal Camera Settings
Recommendations
Things to Know When Reading
This Book
Downloadable Resources
Website

6
7
7
11
12
14
14
15


Table of Contents

2

3

16

Playback Menu

54

Shooting Menu

18
25
27
30
36
43
44
45
47
50
53

Delete
Playback Folder
Hide Image
Playback Display Options
Copy Image(s)
Image Review
After Delete
Rotate Tall
Slide Show
DPOF Print Order
Author’s Conclusions

57
58

User Settings U1 and U2

Configuring the Shooting
Menu
Reset Shooting Menu
Storage Folder
File Naming
Role Played by Card in Slot 2
Image Quality
Image Size
Image Area
JPEG Compression
NEF (RAW) Recording
White Balance
Set Picture Control
Manage Picture Control
Auto Distortion Control
Color Space
Active D-Lighting
HDR (High Dynamic Range)
Vignette Control
Long Exposure NR
High ISO NR
ISO Sensitivity Settings
Remote Control Mode
Multiple Exposure
Interval Timer Shooting
Time-Lapse Photography
Movie Settings
Author’s Conclusions

59

60
63
65
67
75
77
81
83
87
90
100
108
109
112
115
119
121
124
126
136
138
141
144
146
150

vii


viii

Table of Contents

4

5

152 Custom Setting Menu

250 Setup Menu

153 Using the Camera’s Help
System
154 The User Settings and the
Custom Setting Menu
155 Using the Custom Setting
Menu
157 a Autofocus
168 b Metering/Exposure
176 c Timers/AE Lock
185 d Shooting/Display
204 e Bracketing/Flash
225 f Controls
243 g Movie
248 Modified Custom Setting
Notice
248 Author’s Conclusions

253
255

257
258
259
261
263
266
267
268
272
273
275
276
277
279
282
287
288
292
295
297
298

Format Memory Card
Save User Settings
Reset User Settings
Monitor Brightness
Clean Image Sensor
Lock Mirror Up for Cleaning
Image Dust Off Ref Photo
HDMI

Flicker Reduction
Time Zone and Date
Language
Image Comment
Auto Image Rotation
Battery Info
Copyright Information
Save/Load Settings
GPS
Virtual Horizon
Non-CPU Lens Data
AF Fine-Tune
Eye-Fi Upload
Firmware Version
Author’s Conclusions


Table of Contents

6
300 Retouch Menu
303 Retouched File Numbering
303 Accessing the Retouch
Functions – Two Methods
304 Playback Retouching
305 Using Retouch Menu Items
Directly
305 D-Lighting
306 Red-Eye Correction
307 Trim

308 Monochrome
310 Filter Effects
319 Color Balance
321 Image Overlay
324 NEF (RAW) Processing
332 Resize
334 Quick Retouch
335 Straighten
337 Distortion Control
339 Fisheye
341 Color Outline
342 Color Sketch
343 Perspective Control
345 Miniature Effect
347 Selective Color
349 Edit Movie
352 Side-by-Side Comparison
353 Author’s Conclusions

7
356 My Menu and Recent
Settings
358 My Menu
363 Recent Settings
364 Author’s Conclusions

ix


x

Table of Contents

8
366 Metering, Exposure Modes,
and Histogram
367 Section 1 – Metering
369
3D Color Matrix Metering II
369
Center-Weighted Metering
371
Spot Metering
373 Section 2 – Exposure Modes
373
Programmed Auto (P) Mode
375
Shutter-Priority Auto (S)
Mode
378
Aperture-Priority Auto (A)
Mode
379
Manual (M) Mode
380
Settings Recommendation
for Exposure Mode
Selection
381
Auto Exposure (AUTO)

Mode
382
SCENE Modes
394
U1 and U2 User Settings
395
No Flash Mode
395 Section 3 – Histogram
396
Understanding the
Histogram
406 Author’s Conclusions

9
408 White Balance
409 How Does White Balance
Work?
410 Color Temperature
412 Manual White Balance Using
the WB Button
413 Manual White Balance Using
the Shooting Menu
415 Manual Color Temperature (K)
with the WB Button
415 Manual Color Temperature (K)
with the Shooting Menu
417 Measuring Ambient Light by
Using PRE
419 Fine-Tuning White Balance
422 Editing the PRE White Balance

Comment Field
423 Using the White Balance from
a Previously Captured Image
424 Protecting a White Balance
Preset
425 Auto White Balance
427 Should I Worry about White
Balance If I Shoot in RAW
Mode?
428 White Balance Tips and Tricks
428 Author’s Conclusions


Table of Contents

10

xi

11

430 Autofocus, AF-Area, and
Release Modes

460 Live View Photography
Mode

431 Section 1 – Autofocus in
Viewfinder Photography
446 Section 2 – Autofocus in Live

View Photography
453 Section 3 – Release Modes
459 Custom Settings for Autofocus
(a1–a7)
459 Author’s Conclusions

461 Using Live View Photography
Mode
464 Live View Photography Mode
Screens
467 Selecting a Picture Control in
Live View
468 Changing the Monitor
Brightness
470 Closing Notes on Live View
Photography Mode
471 Author’s Conclusions


xii Table of Contents

12

13

472 Movie Live View Mode

512 Speedlight Flash

473 No Tripod and Handheld

Modes
474 Selecting Movie Live View
Mode
474 Movie Live View Still Images
476 Movie Live View Screens
483 Preparing to Make Movies
501 Recording a Video with Your
D600
504 Displaying Movies
507 Limitations in Movie Mode
Video Capture
510 Author’s Conclusions

513 Light Is a Photographer’s
Friend!
514 What Is a Guide Number?
516 Flash Modes
522 Flash Compensation
523 Nikon Creative Lighting
System (CLS)
529 Author’s Conclusions



Foreword
The Nikon D600 is hard to define compared to previous Nikon digital single-lens
reflex (DSLR) cameras.
Nikon’s announcement of the D800 (February 2012) was followed by the unveiling of the D600 a short seven months later. This new camera is smaller and
lighter, and instead of being compared to the D800, it is often reviewed as a
“D7000 on steroids.”

The D600 is not a D800, nor is it a DX sensor equipped D7000. It is more like
an upgraded combination of the two, making it a very clever merger of a semipro and enthusiast camera with features that surpass some recent professional
models.
Imagine the dilemma faced by the author of the past eight Mastering the Nikon®
DSLR series books. Nikonian Darrell Young—known to us as Digital Darrell—had
just published the most successful (and profuse at almost 600 pages) edition of
our books, on the Nikon D800/800E. It was preceded by our Nikon D7000 book
(now in its fifth printing). Many of the features from both the D800 and D7000
were combined into the amazing Nikon D600. How could Darrell describe this
new, powerful, hybrid digital single-lens reflex in a way that would most benefit
his readers?
Working with the camera, Darrell’s first step is the same as the one he recommends to all new Nikon users. He reads the user’s manual as many times as it
takes to understand important concepts. Once he grasps the concepts and the
basic directions available through the user’s manual, he takes those concepts
and directions into the field. He makes sure he understands how each feature
works in basic photography and how it can be applied to specialty applications
such as landscapes, weddings, events, and portraits. Once satisfied that he has
mastered each new feature, he then translates his experience in a simple-tounderstand sequence of profusely illustrated steps, and goes on to recommend
the best initial settings and shooting techniques to match.
Fortunately, Darrell’s extensive knowledge and hands-on experience gained
while writing Mastering the Nikon D800 and Mastering the Nikon D7000 put him
in the enviable position to draw comparisons and highlight the remarkable advancements in Nikon’s D600. In the simplest terms, he instinctively knew what
was “under the hood.”
Darrell spotted the best attributes almost immediately. The Nikon D600 is the
perfect FX entry-level model. The camera’s cost is more than reasonable when
one considers inflation and devaluation, its well-sealed and robust body, and the
24 MP sensor that provides better image quality and dynamic range than the
more expensive Nikon D3X. The D600 is designed for those who have wanted to

Foreword

xv

enter the FX world but have been waiting for an affordable option, making it an
ideal choice for a serious or enthusiast photographer on a budget, or as a second body for the working professional. It also features a high-speed continuous
shooting rate of approximately 5.5 frames per second, compared to the 4 frames
per second of the D800—providing the perfect balance between resolution and
speed for those who shoot both nature and sports.
Recognizing these attributes and helping owners of this camera was a natural progression for Darrell. He went back to square one with the skills he has
developed in the last eight books in this series and addressed his readers with
his singular point of view. He wants to help the owner of this particular camera.
In this book, Darrell has applied his time-tested and reader commended skills
to the D600. The ultimate reward of much deeper knowledge of your new camera goes to you, the owner of this book. As you read the pages to follow, you will
be the beneficiary of Darrell’s diligence and painstaking attention to detail. By
reading this book, with camera in hand, your photography is bound to improve.
This joint venture between nikonians.org and Rocky Nook has developed a
strong following in the “camera instruction” genre, and Darrell’s easy-to-understand writing has been a key ingredient in that trend. We are proud to include his
impressive credentials and body of work in our ever growing and never-ending
resources for our community, which include articles, forums, The Nikonian eZine,
Nikonians Academy Workshops, the Nikonians News Blog, Nikonians podcasts,
our Wiki, and eBooks. Our community now has three language versions (English,
German, and French) and we continue to grow as we surpass 400,000 members
on record.
Nikonians, now in its 13th year, has earned a reputation as a friendly, reliable,
informative, and passionate Nikon® user’s community thanks in great measure
to members like our own Digital Darrell, who have taken the time to share the
results of their experiences with Nikon imaging equipment.
It is a pleasure to present you with this book. Enjoy it, the Nikonians community, and your Nikons.
J. Ramón Palacios (jrp) and Bo Stahlbrandt (bgs)

Nikonians Founders
www.nikonians.org


Camera Body Reference

Front of Camera on Right Side (facing camera)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Accessory shoe (hotshoe)
Flash mode/compensation button (also raises flash #10)
Bracketing button (BKT)
Lens release button
Audio connector cover
HDMI/USB connector cover
Accessory terminal connector cover (GPS, etc.)
AF-mode button
Focus-mode selector


Camera Body Reference xvii

Front of Camera on Left Side (facing camera)
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.

Built-in flash (Speedlight)
Control panel
Metering/Formatting button
Movie-record button
Exposure compensation/Reset button
Shutter-release button
Power switch
Sub-command dial
AF-assist illuminator
Depth-of-field preview button
Fn (function) button
Infrared receiver (front)


xviii Camera Body Reference

Back of Camera
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.

Mode dial lock release
Mode dial
Release mode dial
Release mode dial lock release
Playback button
Delete/format button
MENU button
Retouch/Picture Control button
Help/Protect button (WB)
Playback zoom in button (QUAL)
Playback zoom out/thumbnails
button (ISO)
33. Viewfinder eyepiece
34. Diopter adjustment control
35. Rubber eyecup

36.

37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.

AE-L/AF-L button (AE/AF lock)
Main command dial
Multi selector
OK button
Focus selector lock
Ambient brightness sensor (for
Monitor)
Live view selector
Lv button (Live view)
Memory card slot cover
Infrared receiver (rear)
Speaker
Memory card access lamp
Info button
Monitor

Camera Body Reference xix

Bottom of Camera and Lens Mount (F-Mount)
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.

Battery-chamber cover
Battery-chamber cover latch
MB-D14 contact cover
Rubber base plate
Tripod socket
Label for ID, battery voltage, and serial number
Lens lock pin (moved by Lens release button #4)
Lens mount (F-mount)
AF coupling (screwdriver)


xx

Camera Body Reference

Under the Camera’s Side Covers

59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.

Card Slot 1 (under #44)
Card Slot 2 (under #44)
Headphone connector (under #5)
External microphone connector (under #5)
USB connector (under #6)
HDMI mini-pin connector, type C (under #6)
Accessory terminal for GPS and other accessories (under #7)


Colors and Wording Legend
Throughout this book, you’ll notice that in the numbered, step-by-step instructions
there are colored terms as well as terms that are displayed in italic font.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Blue is used to refer to the camera’s physical features.
Green is for functions and settings displayed on the camera’s LCD screens.
Italic is for textual prompts seen on the camera’s LCD screens.
Italic or bold italic is also used on select occasions for special emphasis.

Here is a sample paragraph with the colors and italic font in use:
Press the MENU button to reach the Setup Menu, and then scroll to the Format
memory card option by pressing the down arrow on the Multi selector. You will
see the following message: All images on Memory card will be deleted. OK? Select
Yes and then press the OK button. Please make sure you’ve transferred all your
images first!


1
Basic Camera Setup

Isabell and Her New Toys – Jesse Martinez (jesse101)


3

The Nikon D600 is an exciting new full-frame (FX), hybrid-digital, single-lens reflex (HD-SLR) camera in Nikon’s line of advanced digital cameras. It has a newly
designed imaging sensor with even more dynamic range and image quality than
the top-of-the-line Nikon D3X pro camera. With a camera body design and internal operating system based on the mature and stable Nikon D7000 and many of
the same internal hardware features as in the Nikon D800—including the new,
very powerful EXPEED 3 microprocessor system—the Nikon D600 is the ultimate
advanced-enthusiast camera. It is the first step into the FX world, where fullframe sensors and professional lenses provide commercial-level image quality.
The D600 simply has everything an enthusiast photographer will need to
bring home incredibly good images, without jumping through hoops. With the
D600, digital photography has reached a level of maturity that will allow you to
use your camera for a long time.
The massive resolution of the 24.3 megapixel (MP) sensor and an amazing
14.2  exposure value (EV) steps of dynamic range make the D600 one of the
world’s best digital cameras. In fact, DxO Labs rates the Nikon D600 as the number three digital camera in the world, with an overall score of 94, just behind the
Nikon D800 (score of 95) and the Nikon D800E (score of 96). This score significantly exceeds the best cameras from other brands. DxO Labs stated on their

1


1

4

Basic Camera Setup

website (www.dxomark.com) that the D600 “is also a significant improvement
over the high-end professional flagship DSLRs, the Nikon D3X and the Nikon D4.”
In my opinion, the image is what counts, and the Nikon D600 can deliver some
of the highest-quality images out there. It’s a robust camera body designed to
last. With this camera we can return to the days when we seldom bought a new
camera body and instead put our money into new Nikkor lenses. Wouldn’t you
like to have some new lenses?

Sure, new Nikon cameras will come out, and, like me, you’ll be attracted to them.
However, with the D600 you won’t have to buy a new camera unless you really
want to. It will last for many years!
Now, let’s learn how to configure and use your new D600.

Learning about the Nikon D600
The difficulty in writing a book about a powerful camera like the Nikon D600 is
balancing it for multiple types of users and their various levels of knowledge and
interest. With too much technical detail, the book will read like a user’s manual.
With too little technical detail, advanced users will get no benefit from the book.
Some users of the Nikon D600 HD-SLR camera have come over from the world
of fully automated point-and-shoot cameras. On the other hand, many photographers have upgraded to the D600 from cameras like the Nikon D3200, D5100,

and D7000. Then, there are professionals who bought a D600 to have a backup