Complete guide to the nikon d700 (1st. edition)

Version 1.00

Thom Hogan’s

Complete Guide
to the Nikon D700
1st Edition

By Thom Hogan
byThom Press

Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D700 Page 1

Version 1.00

Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D700
First Edition 2008
Published in the United States by
byThom Press
Emmaus, PA 18049
http://www.bythom.com

© 2008 Thom Hogan
All Rights Reserved
Copies of this work may not be distributed in any form or by
any transmission method.

All photographs by and © Thom Hogan

This book is not sponsored by Nikon Corporation.
Information, data, and procedures described herein are
correct to the best of the author’s and publisher’s knowledge;
all other liability is expressly disclaimed. Nikkor, Nikon, and
Speedlight are registered trademarks of Nikon Corporation,
Japan. CompactFlash is a trademark of SanDisk Corporation.
All other products or name brands are trademarks of their
respective manufacturers.

The author and publisher shall not be responsible for errors
contained herein or any damages in connection with the
furnishing, performance, or use of the material in this book. In
particular, the author and publisher shall not be responsible
for any damage to the sensor of the camera of any reader who
follows the cleaning instructions contained in this book. The
author and publisher shall not be responsible for damage to
camera electronics by anyone attempting to make their own
external power supply based upon the ideas presented in this
book. It’s a sad commentary on our society that I even need to
include this disclaimer.

1st Edition, version 1.00: 9/24/08


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Acknowledgements
Because the D700 is so close to the D3 in most aspects, this
work is derived from my Complete Guide to the Nikon D3.
That eBook was extensively reviewed and commented on by
a number of readers, most notably Ron Armstrong, Edwin
Bodo, Matt Buedel, Eric Carlino, Shun Cheung, Al Hart,
Yischon Liaw, Robert Lively, Robert W Von Mayr, John
Schulte, Tom Vadnais, and Arthur Yeo. The D700 draft was
also reviewed by Jay Abramson, Michele Arling, Shun
Cheung, Michael Erlewine, John Schmidt, Jerry Smith, and Jim
Underwood. This work is better because of their efforts.

Several Web sites proved useful in researching aspects of this
book. While I mention others at appropriate points in the
eBook, several need to be singled out for D700 users:

• Phil Askey’s http://www.dpreview.com has some of the
most thorough reviews of digital cameras (yes, even more
thorough than the ones on my own site) and an ongoing
forum that’s useful for getting answers to tough questions
(select Nikon D3 – D1 / D700 from the Discussion
Forums pop-up in the left navigation panel).
• Nikonians http://www.nikonians.org is another of the
“well-attended” public forums that are useful for Nikon
D700 users. Click on Forums, then click on the D700
Users Group link.
• Nikon Café http://www.nikoncafe.com is a relatively new
moderated forum and has had a lively discussion of the
D700. Click on Lighting and Flash, Cameras, and
gear, and then click on the Nikon D700 forum link.
• Nikon Gear http://www.nikongear.com is a moderated
forum with notables such as Bjørn Rørslett involved. Click
on FORUM at the top of the page, and then click on the
The Nikon D700 forum link.
• Photo.net http://photo.net has a moderated forum on all
things Nikon. Click on the FORUMS tab at the top of the
main page, and then click on the Nikon forum link.


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About this eBook
This eBook was created using Adobe Acrobat directly from
my original files. I’ve tried to retain as many of the
navigational features as Acrobat allows (for example, the
Bookmarks section at the left is derived from the Table of
Contents and is fully active—click on an entry and you’ll be
taken to it). Curiously, trying to create a fully functional eBook
using Adobe’s tools is worthy of an eBook itself (most of the
chapters would be centered on trying to get promised features
to work, and how they keep changing between Acrobat
Professional versions, sometimes going backwards in ability).

Your Rights versus Mine
I make my living documenting Nikon equipment. Thus, I have
registered the Copyright for this work in order to protect my
rights.

That said, I have not enabled copy protection, forced you to
enter a serial number, asked you to agree to a License
Agreement, or in any other way limited access to the
information in this eBook. I trust you to honor my Copyright
and to follow a few simple guidelines:

1. Treat the CD you received as you would a printed
book.
2. I grant those of you who purchased this eBook directly
from Thom Hogan the specific permission to print or
have printed by a third party a single copy of this
eBook for your own private use. You may not resell
that printed copy, and must destroy it if you sell or
pass on the original eBook you received to someone
else. Do not print a copy if you don’t agree with the
previous sentence.
3. I grant everyone who purchases the eBook directly
from Thom Hogan specific permission to create a
backup copy of this eBook file for their own private


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use. However, you must destroy that backup copy and
any other copies you have of this work, printed or
electronic, if you sell or pass on the original eBook
you received.
It is a violation of Copyright law to distribute or sell copies of
this work. It is also a violation of Copyright law to put this
work in any public forum, send it to any newsgroup, place it
on a Web site, or allow it to be accessed on any file sharing
service.

This work is registered with the Copyright office. That means
that punitive damages and legal fees can and will be sought
against anyone found illegally copying this work. Ignorance of
the law and claims that someone else told you that you had
rights to resell this work 1 are not legal defenses.

Printing the eBook
On to a more positive subject: if you’d like a hard copy of the
eBook, you can print a copy for your personal use by
selecting Print from the File menu.

It’s possible to print on both sides of the paper and get a real
book-like experience by using the Print: Odd Pages Only
and Print: Even Pages Only options on the Print dialog, but
I don’t recommend this unless you’re good at keeping track of
paper, know how to properly re-orient the paper for the
second pass, and are sure that your printer won’t choke on a
page somewhere. With some HP printer drivers, for example,
you can print the odd pages, put the pages generated back
into the printer correctly oriented, then select Print: Even
Pages Only and Print Back to Front, saving you the step of
reordering the pages before the second pass.

1
I have not and will not pass rights for this work to other parties. Yes, other people
fraudulently claim that they own the rights when they don’t. And they hear from my
lawyer when they do. Don’t say you weren’t warned should you try this.


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Some recent printers offer something called “duplex printing,”
where the printer itself handles flipping the paper. That’s how
I print my eBooks for myself on my HP Officejet, which
supports duplex printing. Here’s the relevant dialog on my
Mac filled out correctly for this eBook:

Since there are so many printers available and their dialog
boxes all allow different printing options, I can’t help you
figure out the most economical or convenient way to print
your eBook 2. Yes, it even took me a few minutes to figure out
how to create front and back copies on my laser printer, so I
know it’s a hassle. A complete set of step-by-step instructions
that work for the three printers I have available are included
on the CD in a separate file, called PRINTING.PDF.

Take the resulting pages to your copy shop, have them trim
the edges (the final page size is 5.5 x 8.5” unless you’ve let
Acrobat rescale the book to fit the full page) and bind. This
eBook is actually in three specific sections that could be
bound separately (“Before You Take Pictures,” “Shooting
Pictures with Your D700,” and “After You’ve Taken Pictures

2
Since I get the occasional question as to why I don’t publish a paper version, I’ll
explain: paper versions turn out to be more expensive to produce in the small
quantities at which a niche publication like this sells. Producing this eBook
electronically allows me to create it on demand, reducing waste and cost, and to
keep it up to date as I learn new things about the camera. It also gives me a chance to
correct the inevitable minor typos that somehow creep into every major production.
On that last point: I keep a current errata list on my Web site. You’ll find the one for
this version of the eBook (1.00) at http://www.bythom.com/d700guideerrata.htm.


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with Your D700”); I’ve tried to keep the instructions you’d
want while out shooting in the middle section.

If you’re really the type that doesn’t like to struggle through
the paper handling idiosyncrasies of your printer, most
Kinko’s and similar copy shops can print, collate, and bind a
nice portable version of this book for you (show them the
statement on the back cover or on the previous page if they
balk at printing a Copyrighted work). Make sure they know
that the final page size is 5.5” x 8.5”.

Note: Kinko’s and other copy shops should actually refuse to
make a copy of this eBook, as it is protected by Copyright.
Show them the boxed area on the back cover of the eBook
jacket, my Web page for the eBook, or Item #2 in the “Your
Rights versus Mine” section where I grant you permission to
print or have printed a copy for your personal use. If that
doesn’t work, have them email me at
thom_hogan@msn.com to verify that this is okay.

If you encounter a copy shop that doesn’t ask you to show
permission to reproduce a copyrighted work, or one that
still refuses after being shown permission, I’d like to hear
about it. If the former and the copy shop is a chain, it is
probably violating direct court orders that mandate that
they don’t do this. I’ve not put Digital Rights Management
on this file to block all copying and printing, because it’s a
hassle for the user. So, please respect my rights and help
report those that willingly violate them.

Note: Some Kinko’s now use a special piece of software to print
from PDF files, such as the one for this eBook. Since that
software first attempts to extract all text from the file and I
have selected to block text extraction in Acrobat, this means
that such software fails to work with this eBook. Kinko’s can
still print it by simply running Acrobat, but this limits some
of the fancier options they can do.

This eBook is designed to help you get quality results from
your Nikon D700. While I’ll try to provide introductory
material that should help even a photography novice get by,
this eBook isn’t the place to learn what an aperture or shutter


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speed is (check out http://www.bythom.com/bookrecs.htm if you
want some recommendations for general photography books).

Nevertheless, I will try to explain the concepts and
terminology that are necessary to understand how a D700
works. If you find something in this eBook unclear, or that I’ve
assumed knowledge on your part that you don’t have, don’t
hesitate to drop me an email asking for an explanation. Not
only will I answer your question, but it will give me some
insight on what I might want to change in future editions to
make the eBook even clearer.

Besides dealing with the practical side of the camera and
showing you how all the basic functions work, I’ll also
provide you with some tips on how to squeeze every last bit
of image quality out of your camera as well as how to make
up for some of its shortcomings.


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Note on the First Edition
While this is a first edition, the D700 is enough like earlier
Nikon DSLRs and the recent D3 that I’ve been able to re-
purpose and rewrite portions of earlier eBooks—specifically
the D3 eBook, as the D700 shares quite a bit with that
camera—which means that much of the information here has
been previously vetted.

One thing I have done with my recent eBooks, though, is
completely restructure them from my previous ones. With my
eBooks on advanced Nikon bodies I’ve received feedback
from readers that indicates many of you want a tighter work
with more suggestions, and something that you can take with
you.

So, to better serve my readers, I’ve made some changes from
the way I put together the D2 series eBooks. In particular, I’ve
removed the introductory material on DSLRs, added many
more suggestions on how to use various camera controls, and
produced a hard copy supplement entitled Thom Hogan’s
D700 To Go. That supplement isn’t designed so much to be
read as to be referred to for quick reference while out
shooting.

At the same time, there may still be some of you who are
coming to the D700 who want additional introductory
material. I’ve moved that to a separate PDF file on the CD
entitled Introduction to DLSRs (INTROTODSLRS.PDF on the
CD).

But that’s not all. I’ve taken what used to be the “software
section” completely out of my eBooks and made it into a
complete eBook of its own entitled Introduction to Nikon
Software (NIKONSOFT200.PDF on the CD). This new eBook
is also found on the CD you received and includes complete
descriptions on the current Nikon software (if you’re a
Windows user and don’t know how to find files on an
Autostart disc, read the inside front cover of the disc package).
By putting the software into a separate work, I’ve been able to


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expand it considerably and will now be able to keep it up to
date separately from the cameras.

Since I mentioned the change in structure earlier, let me
elaborate on it so that you know what to expect in this work.
This eBook is separated into three distinct sections:

• Things you should know and consider before using the
D700 (labeled “D700 Background” and starting on page
<27>). In this section I cover how the D700 came to be,
its specifications and capabilities, and how it differs from
previous Nikon DSLRs. I also cover how to set up your
camera for shooting. This section is up front because it’s
the background material you need to get up to speed with
the unique aspects of your camera.
• Things you need to know while using the D700 (labeled
“Shooting Pictures with Your D700” and starting on page
<234>). This is the “how-to” section of the eBook. Here’s
where I walk you through each feature of the camera as
you’d use it. I’ll explain why you might use it, how to
make that feature active, and what your options are. Yes,
you may find a few things repeated in this section from
the first, but in the interest of making for a complete
“how-to” section, I’ve elected to repeat some set-up and
other instructions. The separate Thom Hogan’s Nikon
D700 To Go is a highly abbreviated version of this
section.
• Things you need to know and do after you’ve taken your
pictures (labeled “After You’ve Taken Pictures with Your
D700” and starting on page <768>). When you come
back from shooting with your camera you still have things
you may want to do, like print, view, or improve your
images. Note that I don’t cover what you do on a
computer with your images in this section—that’s reserved
for the new Introduction to Nikon Software eBook that
came with this one.


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The structure of this eBook also mimics the order you’ll want
to follow as you master your new camera: initiation, use, and
post production.

As I wrote earlier, this eBook incorporates a few bits and
pieces from earlier eBooks I’ve written about Nikon
equipment. It’s not easy keeping up with all the changes
Nikon keeps making to its DSLR lineup and software. So if
you have any of my previous eBooks, you’ll find that my
words and explanations may have changed, even for features
that were common across many models. So don’t skip over
anything—read everything here as it stands, not as you think it
might be.

As I receive comments from readers of this eBook, I update
the original file. Since I generate this eBook directly from my
files, this means that I am usually able to keep the text nearly
error-free while adding or modifying sections to make a point
more clearly. Every now and then I make a full pass through
the manuscript, augmenting what I’ve previously written with
knowledge I’ve learned from using the camera, teaching
workshops, and from other sources. When I do that, I iterate
the “edition number.” And when I create a new edition, I offer
low-cost updates to people who bought the original eBook.

So, if you do find an error or confusing wording, take a look
at http://www.bythom.com/d700guideerrata.htm to make sure
that the problem hasn’t already been discovered; drop me an
email telling me about it if it hasn’t.


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Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...................................................................................... 3

ABOUT THIS EBOOK ........................................................................................... 4

YOUR RIGHTS VERSUS MINE ........................................................... 4

PRINTING THE EBOOK .................................................................... 5

NOTE ON THE FIRST EDITION............................................................................ 9

TABLE OF CONTENTS....................................................................................... 12

CONVENTIONS USED IN THIS EBOOK ........................................................... 21

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 23

D700 BACKGROUND.......................................................................................... 27

THE D700’S HISTORY ................................................................. 27

IS IT BETTER THAN FILM? .............................................................. 34

DEBUNKING S OME MYTHS ........................................................... 39

D700 BASICS .............................................................................. 43

D700 Design ........................................................................ 43

The D700 Sensor.................................................................. 48

Sensor Specifications (Size) ............................................................... 51

Sensor Specifications (Pixels) ............................................................ 52

Sensor Filtration ......................................................................... 53

Tonal Range ............................................................................... 64

Dynamic Range -- Dark v. Bright............................................... 70

Spectral Characteristics.............................................................. 74

Noise .......................................................................................... 75

Hot and Dead Pixels .................................................................. 83

Sensor Longevity ........................................................................ 84

Sensor Wrap-up ......................................................................... 86

EXPEED ................................................................................. 86

POWER ....................................................................................... 88

Changing Batteries ............................................................... 92

Charging Batteries ................................................................ 93

Battery Storage ..................................................................... 95

Clock Battery ........................................................................ 95

Alternate Power Sources ...................................................... 96

Battery Life.......................................................................... 100

Battery Notes...................................................................... 107

IMAGE S TORAGE ........................................................................ 109

Buffer Sizes ......................................................................... 112

CompactFlash..................................................................... 114

UDMA...................................................................................... 115

Solid-State CompactFlash ........................................................ 116

Using CompactFlash ................................................................ 119

Nikon-Approved Cards ............................................................ 122


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How Much Card? .................................................................... 124

CompactFlash Troubleshooting ............................................... 125

Image Formats .................................................................... 129

Pixels ........................................................................................ 131

JPEG ......................................................................................... 133

Setting JPEG..................................................................................... 136

JPEG Rendering ............................................................................... 146

JPEG Artifacts .................................................................................. 148

JPEG Recommendation ................................................................... 153

TIFF Format .............................................................................. 154

Setting TIFF...................................................................................... 156

TIFF Recommendation .................................................................... 158

NEF Format .............................................................................. 159

Compressed NEFs............................................................................ 163

Why NEF?........................................................................................ 166

Setting NEF ...................................................................................... 168

NEF Recommendations ................................................................... 173

EXIF .......................................................................................... 174

IPTC.......................................................................................... 178

DPOF and PictBridge............................................................... 179

File Names and Folders...................................................... 180

Folders...................................................................................... 181

File Names ............................................................................... 188

File Number Sequence............................................................. 195

CAMERA SETUP.......................................................................... 197

How Menus Work .............................................................. 197

The SETUP Menu ............................................................... 200

Date, Time, and Language ....................................................... 204

Setting Date and Time ..................................................................... 205

Setting Language ............................................................................. 210

Programming a Comment ........................................................ 211

Copyright Information.............................................................. 214

Setting the LCD Brightness....................................................... 218

Set Up Recommendations Summary ....................................... 221

Viewfinder Adjustment....................................................... 222

Focus Screens........................................................................... 224

Resetting the Camera ......................................................... 224

Resetting Basic Settings............................................................ 224

Settings after Reset........................................................................... 225

Resetting Other Settings........................................................... 225

Settings after Reset........................................................................... 227

Resetting Custom Settings ........................................................ 227

The Last Resort Reset ............................................................... 227

Firmware Version ............................................................... 228

SHOOTING PICTURES WITH THE D700 ........................................................ 234

CAMERA AND SHOOTING CONTROLS ......................................... 234

D700 Controls .................................................................... 235

Front View................................................................................ 235


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Top View .................................................................................. 236

Back View ................................................................................ 237

Side View ................................................................................. 238

D700 Displays.................................................................... 239

D700 Top LCD......................................................................... 239

D700 Color LCD ...................................................................... 241

D700 Viewfinder...................................................................... 245

IMAGE QUALITY ........................................................................ 248

Approximate Maximum Images Per Card ....................................... 250

METERING AND EXPOSURE ......................................................... 257

Metering Methods .............................................................. 258

Center-weighted....................................................................... 265

Spot .......................................................................................... 266

Spot Meter Point.............................................................................. 268

Metering Compatibility ................................................................... 268

Setting the Metering Method ................................................... 268

So Which Metering System Should You Use? ................... 269

Metering with Digital Requires Care .................................. 271

Locking Exposure................................................................ 275

Options for Evaluating Exposure ........................................ 276

How to Interpret Histograms ................................................... 281

Exposure Modes ................................................................. 290

Flexible Program....................................................................... 293

Program Exposure Table (at ISO 200) ............................................. 294

ISO Sensitivity..................................................................... 295

Noise Reduction Settings ......................................................... 307

Auto ISO .................................................................................. 312

How ISO Values are Created ................................................... 317

ISO Operating Suggestions ...................................................... 317

Exposure Bracketing ........................................................... 321

D700 Exposure Bracketing Values Table (Exposures) ..................... 323

Exposure Compensation..................................................... 330

Active D-Lighting ................................................................ 333

White Balance .................................................................... 337

D700 White Balance Settings ................

D700 White Balance Bracketing Values Table ............................... 360

UniWB...................................................................................... 361

Picture Controls.................................................................. 363

Contrast Parameter .................................................................. 384

Hue Parameter ......................................................................... 386

Saturation Parameter................................................................ 388

Brightness Parameter................................................................ 389

LENSES AND FOCUSING .............................................................. 391

An Aside About Lenses ...................................................... 395

Lens Compatibility .............................................................. 398

Using DX Lenses................................................................. 402

Lens Differences When Using FX versus DX................................... 406


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Lens Angle of View ......................................................................... 407

Setting Image Area ................................................................... 408

The Autofocus System........................................................ 411

Focus Mode (Single Servo, Continuous Servo, and Manual) .. 418

Single Servo versus Continuous Servo Autofocus ........................... 419

Autofocus Area Modes ............................................................ 422

Autofocus Summary................................................................. 424

Autofocus Settings Summary ........................................................... 424

Trap Autofocus......................................................................... 426

Autofocus Assist ....................................................................... 427

Lock-On (Focus Tracking) ....................................................... 429

The Pro Approach to Autofocus .............................................. 430

Adjusting Your Lenses ........................................................ 431

Chromatic Aberration Correction ...................................... 439

Vignette Correction ............................................................ 439

Manual Focus ..................................................................... 441

Depth of Field Preview....................................................... 443

FX Depth of Field ..................................................................... 445

20mm Lens (FX Format) .................................................................. 445

24mm Lens (FX Format) .................................................................. 446

28mm Lens (FX Format) .................................................................. 446

35mm Lens (FX Format) .................................................................. 447

50mm Lens (FX Format) .................................................................. 447

70mm Lens (FX Format) .................................................................. 448

85mm Lens (FX Format) .................................................................. 448

105mm Lens (FX Format) ................................................................ 449

DX Depth of Field .................................................................... 449

18mm Lens (DX Format) ................................................................. 449

20mm Lens (DX Format) ................................................................. 450

24mm Lens (DX Format) ................................................................. 450

28mm Lens (DX Format) ................................................................. 450

35mm Lens (DX Format) ................................................................. 451

50mm Lens (DX Format) ................................................................. 451

70mm Lens (DX Format) ................................................................. 451

Diffraction ................................................................................ 451

Other DOF Theories ................................................................ 453

Sharpening.......................................................................... 454

SHOOTING CONTROLS .............................................................. 462

Shutter Releases.................................................................. 462

Shutter Lag ............................................................................... 463

Shooting Method (and Frame Rate) .................................. 465

Self Timer ................................................................................. 468

Live View .................................................................................. 469

Using Hand-held Live View ............................................................ 474

Using Tripod Live View................................................................... 477

Frame Rate Troubleshooting .................................................... 481

Interval Shooting ................................................................ 482

Multiple Exposures and Overlays....................................... 490

Remote Control .................................................................. 493


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Connecting to a GPS .......................................................... 493

Shooting Information Display (INFO Button) ................... 498

Virtual Horizon ................................................................... 501

D700 Menus....................................................................... 503

PLAYBACK menu ( icon) .................................................... 504

SHOOTING menu (õ camera icon)....................................... 505

Setting and Naming Shooting Menu Banks.................................... 509

CUSTOM SETTING menu ( pencil icon) ........................... 513

SETUP menu (Ø wrench icon) ................................................ 514

RETOUCH menu (folder icon) ................................................ 518

MY MENU (checked icon) ...................................................... 519

RECENT SETTINGS (file folder list icon).................................. 525

Error Messages.................................................................... 528

IMAGE REVIEW AND PLAYBACK ................................................... 535

Image Review ..................................................................... 535

Image Review Options............................................................. 536

Rotating Images........................................................................ 546

The PLAYBACK Menu ........................................................ 548

Deleting Images ....................................................................... 549

Image Recovery............................................................................... 554

Protecting Images..................................................................... 554

Dealing with Folders ................................................................ 555

Hiding Images .......................................................................... 558

Other PLAYBACK Menu Items................................................. 561

CUSTOM SETTINGS .................................................................... 561

#C Custom Settings Bank ................................................... 568

#R Reset Custom Settings for Current Bank....................... 573

#A1 Continuous Servo AF Priority ..................................... 575

#A2 Single Servo AF Priority .............................................. 578

#A3 Dynamic Area AF Customization............................... 579

#A4 Set Focus Lock-On Parameters................................... 582

#A5 Autofocus Initiation Method ...................................... 583

#A6 Focus Area Illumination.............................................. 585

#A7 Focus Point Selection Wrap ....................................... 586

#A8 Number of AF Points .................................................. 586

#A9 Autofocus Assist Illumination ..................................... 588

#A10 MB-D10 AF-ON Button Options ............................. 589

#B1 ISO Increment............................................................. 590

#B2 Exposure Control Increment ....................................... 591

#B3 Exposure Compensation Increment ........................... 592

#B4 Exposure Compensation Control ................................ 593

#B5 Center-weight Metering Circle Size ............................ 595

#B6 Meter Compensation .................................................. 596

#C1 Shutter Release Exposure Locking .............................. 598

#C2 Meter/Camera Active Time ........................................ 599


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#C3 Self Timer Delay Setting ............................................. 601

#C4 Color LCD Active Time .............................................. 602

#D1 Sound Feedback Setting ............................................ 603

#D2 Grid Line Display in Viewfinder ................................. 604

#D3 Show Tips on Shooting Info Items ............................. 605

#D4 Continuous Low Shooting Speed............................... 606

#D5 Maximum Continuous Shots ...................................... 607

#D6 File Number Sequence............................................... 608

#D7 Shooting Info Display Style ........................................ 609

#D8 LCD Illumination Control ........................................... 610

#D9 One Second Shutter Delay ........................................ 611

#D10 Battery Type in MB-D10 .......................................... 612

#D11 Order Batteries are Used ......................................... 614

#E1 Flash Top Sync Speed ................................................. 615

#E2 Flash Low Shutter Speed Barrier ................................. 616

#E3 Flash Mode for Internal Flash...................................... 617

#E4 DOF Preview Triggers Modeling Flash ....................... 621

#E5 Exposure Bracketing Method ...................................... 622

#E6 Manual Exposure Mode Bracketing ............................ 623

#E7 Bracketing Order......................................................... 625

#F1 Power Switch Illumination Function ........................... 626

#F2 Direction Pad Center Button....................................... 627

#F3 Additional Direction Pad Control ............................... 630

#F4 Direction Pad Scrolling during Playback .................... 631

#F5 FUNC Button Setting .................................................. 631

#F6 DOF Preview Button Setting....................................... 637

#F7 AE-Lock Button Function ............................................ 641

Button Assignment Interdependencies .............................. 644

#F8 Shutter Speed and Aperture Lock ............................... 646

#F9 Command Dial Functions ........................................... 647

#F10 Pressing or Holding Buttons ..................................... 650

#F11 Lock Camera with No CompactFlash ....................... 651

#F12 Reverse the Manual Metering Bar ............................ 652

USING FLASH ............................................................................ 653

What Happens When Flash is Used .................................. 653

Flash Basics......................................................................... 654

Digital Flash Differences .................................................... 655

More Hidden Flash “Gotchas” .......................................... 658

Allowable Apertures in Program Mode ................................... 658

Flash Modes ....................................................................... 659

i-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash .......................................................... 659

Standard TTL ............................................................................ 662

High-Speed TTL (TTL FP)......................................................... 662

Summary of i-TTL Flash Modes....................................................... 663


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Non-TTL Flash Modes .............................................................. 663

Setting Flash Options ......................................................... 667

Flash Option Interactions......................................................... 670

FV Lock..................................................................................... 670

Flash Exposure Compensation ........................................... 672

Flash Features Available using a D700 with Speedlights ................ 674

Controlled, Repeatable Flash Results................................. 675

Third Party Flash Units ....................................................... 679

Studio Flash ........................................................................ 679

D700 INTERNAL FLASH ............................................................. 680

Internal Flash Basics ........................................................... 682

To Set TTL on the Internal Flash .............................................. 682

To Set Manual Flash................................................................. 683

Internal Flash Guide Numbers (Feet)............................................... 685

Internal Flash Guide Numbers (Meters) .......................................... 685

To Set Repeating Flash............................................................. 685

Wireless Flash........................................................................... 688

EXTERNAL FLASH MODELS FOR THE D700 .................................. 699

SB-400 ................................................................................ 699

Specifications ........................................................................... 699

To Set TTL Flash ....................................................................... 699

SB-400 Usable Apertures and Flash Range in TTL mode (feet) ....... 701

SB-600 ................................................................................ 701

Specifications ........................................................................... 702

To Set TTL Flash ....................................................................... 702



SB-600 Guide Numbers at ISO 100 (feet) ....................................... 705

SB-600 Guide Numbers at ISO 100 (meters) .................................. 705

SB-600 Guide Numbers at ISO 200 (feet) ....................................... 706

SB-600 Guide Numbers at ISO 200 (meters) .................................. 706

To Manually Set the Zoom Head............................................. 706

To Set Flash Exposure Compensation ...................................... 707

To Set Red-Eye Reduction........................................................ 707

SB-600 Notes ........................................................................... 708

SB-800 ................................................................................ 709

Specifications ........................................................................... 710

To Set TTL Flash ....................................................................... 711



To Set Repeating Flash............................................................. 714

Maximum Number of Repeating Flashes at Each Power Setting ..... 715

To Manually Set the Zoom Head............................................. 716

To Set the Distance Scale to Feet or Meters ............................ 717

To Set Flash Exposure Compensation ...................................... 717

To Set Red-Eye Reduction........................................................ 718

SB-800 Notes ........................................................................... 718

Flash Troubleshooting ........................................................ 720


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USING A D700 IN THE FIELD ...................................................... 722

The “Routine” .................................................................... 722

General Settings You Make Once............................................ 722

Things To Do Before You Head Out on a Shoot ..................... 722

Check Each Time You Turn the Camera On............................ 724

Settings You Change Rarely (and then only for a reason) ....... 725

Settings You Change Often ...................................................... 726

Things To Do After Each Shooting Session .............................. 727

Keeping Track of Batteries ................................................. 729

Maintaining Image Quality................................................. 730

Which Type of Photographer are You?.................................... 732

Dealing with JPEG.................................................................... 734

Custom Curves......................................................................... 735

Color Profiles and Color Spaces............................................... 735

Setting Color Spaces and Color Modes in the Camera.................... 740

Setting Color Spaces and Profiles in Your Software ........................ 740

Fine Tuning the Color ..................................................................... 743

Special Lighting Issues ........................................................ 745

UV and Infrared ....................................................................... 745

Ultraviolet ....................................................................................... 746

Infrared ............................................................................................ 747

Shooting Under Fluorescent Lighting....................................... 750

Other Field Shooting Issues................................................ 752

Keeping the Sensor Clean ........................................................ 752

It’s Not Just Static Cling ................................................................... 761

Worst Case Scenario ....................................................................... 762

Temperature Considerations.................................................... 762

Humidity .................................................................................. 763

White Balance Settings............................................................. 763

White Balance Color Temperatures ................................................ 764

AFTER YOUVE TAKEN PICTURES WITH YOUR D700................................ 768

THINGS YOU DO AFTER THE SHOT IS TAKEN ............................... 768

THE RETOUCH MENU ................................................................ 769

D-Lighting ........................................................................... 770

Red-eye correction ............................................................. 773

Trim .................................................................................... 775

Monochrome...................................................................... 778

Filter Effects ........................................................................ 780

Color Balance ..................................................................... 783

Image Overlays................................................................... 786

Converting NEFs to JPEG in the Camera ........................... 792

TRANSFERRING YOUR IMAGES TO YOUR COMPUTER.................... 793

Connecting to a Computer................................................. 795

PRINTING YOUR IMAGES ............................................................ 796

Selecting Images to Print .................................................... 798

PictBridge Printing .............................................................. 801


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Printing Resolution ............................................................. 803

Output on Commercial Printers......................................... 807

VIEWING YOUR IMAGES ............................................................. 808

Television Playback ............................................................ 808

Slide Shows ........................................................................ 812

D700 ACCESSORIES........................................................................................ 815

SPECIFICATIONS.............................................................................................. 819

GETTING SERVICE ........................................................................................... 822

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.......................................................................... 827


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Conventions Used in this eBook
In this eBook I occasionally make comparisons between the
D700 and previous Nikon models. In general, whenever this
eBook uses the term D1 or D1 series, I’m referring to the
entire D1 family (i.e. the D1, D1h, and D1x). The same is true
of the D2 series (D2h, D2hs, D2x, and D2xs). Use of an
individual model name in the text indicates a model-specific
feature or characteristic. In tables, if there are differences
between the cameras, I’ve either added columns for each
camera, or separated the information into model-specific
tables.

Why am I including some D1 and D2 information in this
eBook? Many readers own multiple DSLRs or have experience
with previous Nikon models. Moreover, many D700
purchasers followed the earlier camera developments but
held off buying one until Nikon came out with a camera that
was less expensive. The introduction of the D700 was what
they were waiting for, though the resulting camera is a bit
different from the earlier models they learned about. Finally, it
is just good form to know how your camera compares against
other Nikon DSLRs.

When software products are mentioned, including those that
Nikon supplies with the camera, I try to identify the version I
used for this eBook when I introduce the product. I also note
any significant differences between versions that I think you
should be aware of. If I refer to a software program
generically, as in “use the Unsharp Mask in Photoshop,” this
usually applies to the entire range of Photoshop versions.

Specific instructions for software, as in “select Remove
Redeye in the JustDoIt menu,” are for the version current as
of the publication of this eBook. Also, you’ll note that I use a
different font to distinguish menu items or messages that
you’ll see on the computer or camera screens—this makes it
easier for you to differentiate what I’m writing about from
what you should be seeing on your equipment.


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Instructions that apply to using the camera are marked starting
with a õ. Anywhere you see that symbol, grab your D700
and follow along!

As I have with all my previous books and eBooks, I use my
Web site (http://www.bythom.com/d700guideerrata.htm) to
report any corrections or clarifications of information or
instructions (you’ll also find some helpful product reviews and
general articles). Write me at thom_hogan@msn.com if you
have any questions or comments.

-Thom


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Introduction
You’ve purchased a Nikon D700 and are looking for help in
getting the best possible pictures from it. Or perhaps you’re
considering purchasing a D700 and want to know how it
works and what it is capable of. Welcome. You’ve come to
the right place.

First a little background for the newcomers: I’ve been using
Nikon cameras most of my life and for the last dozen years
have spent much of my time creating articles, books, and a
Web site explaining the nuances of these cameras to others—
successfully, I think (I hope you’ll agree by the time you finish
reading this work).

You probably fall into one of three categories:

1. You’ve never used an SLR3 type of camera before.
Previously, you probably used either a 35mm or
digital point-and-shoot type of camera. Those all-
automatic, all-in-one cameras are small and
convenient, but tend to be somewhat slower to shoot
and limited in control.

You probably decided to try a D700 to get away from
one of those two traits: you’re hoping that the
autofocus is fast and accurate, that there’s no delay
between pressing the shutter release and the time the
picture is taken, and that you can buy accessories that
allow you to take pictures you can’t with your
compact camera.

I’ll cut to the chase: you’ll be happy with your D700

3
SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. That may not mean a lot to you yet; the key point
is that an SLR uses a mirror relay system (the “reflex” portion of the name) to let you
see exactly what the lens is zoomed and focused on. Yes, there used to be a TLR
(Twin Lens Reflex), which is a system where you look through one lens via a mirror
system, and a second lens is used for taking the picture. The old Rolleiflex and
YashicaMats are examples of a TLR.


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(though I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that
something like a D40, D60, D80, or D90 might be all
that you need—the D700 goes far beyond the point-
and-shoot capability and is more complex than what
you may be looking for). But you’ve got a lot to learn,
as SLRs tend to be more complex and sometimes
require more decisions than do the automatic point
and shoots.

If you fall in this category, you’ll want to read this
entire eBook very carefully—there’s really no section
you can skip. You’ll also want to take a look at the
separate PDF named DSLRINTRO.PDF supplied on
the CD.
2. You’ve used a film SLR before, but are just now
switching to a digital SLR (DSLR). You probably
picked the D700 because it is one of Nikon’s top
DSLRs, yet affordable.

Your film SLR worked just fine, but you’re looking for
the advantages that digital brings: instant review, no
wait for developing and processing, no per-image
costs, and convenience for emailing and sharing
pictures. You’re probably a little worried about image
quality—is a digital SLR like the D700 as good as an
F5 or F6 shooting 35mm film?

Again good news awaits you: yes, you’ll get all the
conveniences you seek and give nothing up in image
quality.

If you fall into this category, you probably don’t need
to read the separate DSLRINTRO PDF, and can just
concentrate on this main file. But don’t skip over the
“D700 Background” section that starts this eBook:
there are some things that those of you who are new
to digital need to know.


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3. You’ve used a digital SLR before, so the D700 is likely
your new primary body and your older DSLR now
your backup. You probably picked the D700 because
it has been advertised as being as good as the
currently top-of-the-line D3 in image quality and with
virtually the same set of features, but at a much
reduced price. The D700 indeed has impressive image
quality with just about every feature you’d care to
name, all wrapped in a professional caliber package.

Or perhaps you currently have a D100 and decided it
was time to upgrade to a new level of equipment
(your D100 will become your backup body). Again,
you’ll find that you’ve made a good choice (though
the D300 might have been a perfectly adequate
choice, since it shares many of the D700’s features
and nearly equals its quality, at a much lower price).

Your primary worry is whether you can get up to
speed with your D700 as fast as possible. The good
news is that you’ve already got a huge head start on
the others, as the D700 doesn’t deviate from Nikon’s
previous designs, it only expands on them—thus, you
really only need to brush up on the new features and
capabilities.

If you fall into this category, you can probably skim
through the “D700 Background” section (do make
sure to pay attention to “The D700 Sensor” and
“Camera Setup” chapters, though). You’ll want to
read the section labeled “Shooting Pictures with your
D700” (see page 234) very carefully, and
depending upon your familiarity with Nikon’s
software and workflow with Nikon DSLR images, you
may want to also review the section labeled “After
You’ve Taken Pictures with the D700” (see page
768), and the Introduction to Nikon Software
eBook (NIKONSOFT200.PDF on the disc).


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But don’t worry, it doesn’t matter which category you fit.
You’ll find everything you need to know in this eBook (or in
the other materials included on the CD).


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D700 Background
In this section we’ll look at the D700 specifications, how
it differs from previous Nikon DSLRs, and how to set up
your camera.

We’ll also look at how the D700 is powered, how images
are stored, and spend time looking closely at the sensor
that does the primary work.

The D700’s History
The Nikon D700 was an unexpected announcement in July
2008. While an FX sensor in a smaller DSLR body had been
expected for some time—Canon had produced one in the 5D
way back in 2005—the timing and specifications of the
announcement took most Nikon followers by surprise.

The surprise was that the D700 is essentially a D3 in a smaller
body. Sure, there are some minor changes in specification,
most notably the single card slot, a 95% viewfinder, and a
slightly lower frame rate, but the bulk of D700 features are
identical to the D3.

Actual shipments of the D700 began within three weeks of
the announcement.

The triple digit model numbers (e.g. D700) in the Nikon DSLR
lineup are pro models, but not top-of-the-line pro models.
Amazingly, the D700 comes remarkably close to the D3,
though.

Historically, here’s the basic lineage that leads to the D700:


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Blue models are film bodies, black and gray are digital. Thick lines are direct
lineage, thin lines are indirect lineage.

I include the film SLRs in that lineage for a reason: The F4
pioneered Nikon’s modern pro build, while the F5 pioneered
many of the technologies—such as the CCD-based matrix
metering system—that distinguish the current models. The
common aspects to all the single digit models are a high
quality build that stands up to abuse, features that introduce
new technology into Nikon’s lineup, all wrapped in a body
with an integrated vertical grip.

As I noted earlier, the D700 announcement was a surprise.
Most Nikon followers, including me, had been expecting a
high resolution full frame sensor pro body to be announced
next. But the D700 is essentially a smaller D3 at a lower
price. Given that the D3 had been out for only about a half
year when the D700 suddenly appeared, this was a
particularly aggressive move on Nikon’s part. The D700
lopped nearly US$2000 off the D3 price but little else. At the
announcement, it wasn’t clear why Nikon would do this.


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I should note that the delay between each generation of
Nikon’s pro cameras has been longer than that of the amateur
cameras. The D1 was introduced in 1999, the D1h/D1x in
2001, the D2h in 2003, the D2x in 2004, and then there were
minor tweaks to the D2h and D2x in 2005 and 2006 (the
D2hs and D2xs, respectively). Looking at it another way, the
D1 generation was launched in 1999, the D2 generation in
2003, and the D3 generation in 2007, which represent four
years of technology development per major iteration.

Meanwhile, on the “junior” pro models, the D100 was
announced in February 2002, the D200 in November 2005,
the D300 in August 2007, and the D700 in July 2008. Again,
there tends to be a multi-year development cycle, though
there seems to be some acceleration of that in recent history
(down from three years to something more like two).

Let’s recap the digital professional D-model cameras for a
moment, which should reveal just how far Nikon has moved
the bar in a short period of time. First the single-digit models:

D1 D2 D3
Introduced 6/99 (D1) 7/03 (D2h) 8/07
2/01 (D1h/D1x) 9/04 (D2x)
2/05 (D2hs)
6/06 (D2xs)
Sensor 2.6mp CCD (D1) 4 mp LBCAST 12.1mp CMOS
2.6mp CCD (D1h) (D2h, D2hs)
5.3mp CCD (D1x) 12.2mp CMOS
(D2x, D2xs)
Best Bit Depth 12-bit RAW, 8-bit 12-bit RAW, 12- 14-bit RAW, 16-bit
ASIC rendering bit ASIC rendering ASIC rendering
Write Speed 2MB/sec, 21 frame 9.6MB/sec, 40 35MB/sec+, 60
buffer (D1) frame buffer (D2h) frame buffer
Shutter lag 58ms 37ms 41ms (74ms
blackout)
LCD 2” 130k dots 2.5” 211k to 235k 3” 920k dots
dots
Shooting Speed 3 to 5 fps 5 to 8 fps 9 fps (11 fps DX)
Autofocus CAM1300 (5 CAM2000 (11 CAM3500 (51
sensor) sensor) sensor)
Viewfinder 100% view 100% view 100% view
Major added GPS support, Everything from D2
features multiple exposure, plus AF calibration,
WT-3 wireless, Active D-lighting,
FUNC button Live View, WT-4


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Now the triple-digit models:

D100 D200 D300 D700
Introduced 2/02 12/05 8/07 7/08
Sensor 6mp CCD DX 10mp CCD 12.1mp CMOS 12mp CMOS
DX DX FX
Best Bit 12-bit RAW, 12-bit RAW, 14-bit RAW, 14-bit RAW,
Depth 8-bit ASIC 12-bit ASIC 16-bit ASIC 16-bit ASIC
rendering rendering rendering rendering
Write Speed 2MB/sec, 6 9.6MB/sec, 37 35MB/sec+, 35MB/sec+,
frame buffer frame buffer 60 frame 60 frame
buffer buffer
Shutter lag 100ms 50ms 45ms 41ms (74ms
blackout)
LCD 1.8” 118k dots 2.5” 230k dots 3” 920k dots 3” 920k dots
Shooting 3 fps 5 fps 6 fps (8 fps 5 fps (8 fps
Speed with grip) with grip)
Autofocus CAM900 (5 CAM1000 (11 CAM3500 (51 CAM3500 (51
sensor) sensor) sensor) sensor)
Viewfinder 92% view 95% view 100% view 95% view
Major multiple Everything Everything
added exposure, WT- from the D200 from the D300
features 2 wireless, list plus AF list
FUNC button calibration,
Active D-
lighting, Live
View, WT-4,
sensor
cleaning

Yes, you’re reading those tables correctly. In eight years
Nikon has quadrupled the resolution, doubled the number of
bits used to record tonal ramp values while rendering JPEGs,
improved write speeds by 15x+, octupled the resolution of the
color LCD and more than doubled its area, doubled or tripled
the continuous shooting speed, increased the number of AF
sensors by 10x, and added a host of other features. That’s a lot
of improvement.

The curious things about the D700 announcement were the
inclusion of sensor cleaning (not available in the D3 on which
the camera is based), the 95% viewfinder (due to the sensor
cleaning; more on that later), and the inclusion of a flash (the
D700 is the highest specified Nikon DSLR that has had one).


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These changes from the D3 left many scratching their heads—
two are improvements over the D3, one is a step back.

Overall, the D700 very closely resembles the D300 in size
and shape. It even uses the same batteries and chargers, and
shares the MB-D10 vertical grip. From a distance, the only
thing that easily distinguishes the two from the outside is the
larger prism area on the top of the D700. The 10-pin and PC
Sync connectors have a slgihtly different cap design, which
you’ll notice if you look closer. Look even closer and you’ll
find a few others small changes: the inclusion of an INFO
button, a different card door design (no interlock), and a real
button in the center of the Direction pad, for example. Other
than those small things, externally the D700 and D300 are
very similar.

Internally, the D700 is more like the D3, using the same
digital IO board, same sensor, and most of the same
electronics.

Thus, Nikon has cleverly used parts and ideas from both the
D3 and the D300 bin.

The primary differences between the D700 and the D3
amount to these:

• Viewfinder. The D3 has a 100% viewfinder, and uses the
older pro style to display indicators over the focus screens.
The D700 has a 95% viewfinder, and uses the newer
consumer style LCD overlays on the focus screens. The
slightly reduced viewfinder size apparently has to do with
the inclusion of the sensor cleaning mechanism. The
mountings for the cleaning mechanism pushed brackets
forward of the shutter in a way that restricted how large
the mirror could be, according to Nikon. The slightly
smaller mirror dictates the 95% view. Meanwhile, the
overlay technology provides the D700 with on-demand
grid lines the D3 doesn’t have, but it also means that the
D3’s bright red autofocus sensor indicators are now


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rendered in a less visible black and aren’t capable of the
instant updating in some autofocus modes that D3 users
get. Both changes—viewfinder coverage and display
technology—are slight steps backward from the D3.
• Body. The D700 is missing the integrated vertical grip and
controls of the D3, though you can add these back by
purchasing the optional MB-D10. The good news is that
this makes the D700 smaller and lighter than the D3 in
standard form. Also, when using the MB-D10 grip you
have more battery flexibility and potentially more battery
life—an EN-EL4a in the grip and an EN-EL3e in the D700
body give you more available watt hours (see “Power” on
page 88). The bad news is that the size of the D700
with the MB-D10 mounted is actually larger than a D3,
and the combination can be just as heavy. Also, the D3’s
incorporation of a built-in grip provides it with room for
an extra small LCD and a row of four more buttons for
directly controlling things. The D700 has to forgo that and
this changes the definitions of the three button cluster on
the top left of the camera.
Another key change is the CompactFlash storage. First, the
D3 has two slots for cards and the D700 has only one.
Second, the D3 has a card door interlock that prevents
you from accidentally opening the door while shooting
while the D700 does not have this feature.
• Features. The D700 has a few feature differences from the
D3 that should be noted. I’ve already mentioned the built-
in sensor cleaning function. But the D700 also has a built-
in internal flash, plus a dedicated INFO button and some
important changes to how it is used. The information
arrangement in the viewfinder is also different. Other
feature changes are modest and not particularly worth
noting at this point in the eBook.
Everything in the imaging chain of the D3 and D700 are
identical, however. So if you need the same high image
quality out of a smaller, lighter body, the D700 is a perfect
choice.


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Virtually every autofocus lens Nikon has made will work on
the D700, as will most manual focus lenses (with a metering
limitation you’ll learn about).

As the D700 is an FX body, its sensor is the same frame size
as film, which is what most Nikon lenses were designed for.
I’ll have much more to say about this in the section on “Lens
Compatibility” on page 398. The D700 also supports DX
lenses (with the ability to automatically crop the image to
mimic the smaller sensor size of a DX body).

Nikon has made everything from fisheye (takes in 180
degrees) to exotic telephoto, from macro (close up) to tilt and
shift lenses (to control perspective). No compact point-and-
shoot camera has the lens versatility that SLR cameras do.
And few DSLRs have the usable lens choices available to
them that a D700 has, since every lens Nikon has made since
1979 is fully compatible with the camera, something that
virtually no other camera maker can claim.

Next, let’s compare the D700 and the D300:

• The big difference is the sensor. The D700 uses a larger
FX sensor, and that sensor has a number of aspects that
give it improved image quality over the D300, mostly at
higher ISO values. It also can run at 14-bits while shooting
NEFs without losing frame rate, unlike the D300.
• The D700 viewfinder is bigger and brighter than the
D300’s, the difference due to the larger sensor (frame)
size. Likewise the shutter and mirror are bigger to cover
the larger sensor area. The D300 has 100% coverage,
though, while the D700 has only 95% coverage.
• The D700 and D300 are approximately the same speed (5
fps versus 6 fps, both are 8 fps with the optional MB-D10
grip and the appropriate batteries (EN-EL4a or full voltage
AA).
In short, the D300, D700, and D3 are all very similar cameras
in most respects. The D700 indeed slots in between the D300


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and D3 in terms of performance and featues, just as it does in
price.

I’ve been shooting regularly with all the Nikon DSLRs since
they came out, so I can safely say the following after using the
D700 for even a short period: the D700 is a top notch DSLR
that is a bargain in price when compared to the very similar
D3.

Is it Better than Film?
Some of you reading this may still be pondering whether or
not to make the big switch from 35mm to digital. The thing
that usually holds serious users back is their fear that there
isn’t enough resolution in digital cameras. The argument that
35mm film provides more resolution than the D700, while
potentially true in at least one aspect, is a bit misleading.

The largest file a D700 generates contains about 12
megapixels. While digital scans from 35mm film can produce
far larger files, they don’t necessarily resolve more detail. For
example, Nikon’s own midrange desktop scanner, the
Coolscan 5000, generates files from 35mm film slides with a
far higher pixel count and a slightly larger color depth than a
D700 shot, but if you were to look at the finest detail
rendered by each, you might be surprised to find that the
D700 resolves that detail slightly better, and without revealing
grain patterns. That’s especially true at higher ISO values,
where film grain becomes quite evident and masks detail.

In practice, I don’t see major differences in resolution
between film and the D700 showing up in prints, especially at
the sizes most people print. Most of the amateur world
wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between well-produced
prints from film or a D700. Even pros will have difficulty at
that task.

Still, because the D700 only has 12mp when some competing
pro cameras have more, almost everyone who ponders
purchasing a D700 at some point asks the same question: “is


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the resolution as good as 35mm film?” Some ask this question
in a slightly different way (e.g. “can I get professional results
with a D700?”), but the issue is essentially the same: just how
good are the pictures taken with a D700 compared to those
with a 35mm film camera?

As I previously noted, on a pure pixel level 35mm film can
still win. Let’s look at the numbers more closely. The D700
generates a maximum of 4288 x 2848 pixel images with 14
bits of data per color channel. The Nikon Coolscan 5000,
generates 5782 x 3762 pixel images with 16 bits of color data
per channel from a full 35mm film frame (expensive drum
scanners generate even larger files). Thus, one would be
tempted to say that the D700 is, at best, slightly better than
half as good as 35mm film on a middle-of-the-line desktop
scanner (12 megapixels versus 21 megapixels, with only
seven-eighths the color information at any point). But that
wouldn’t be completely accurate4. I’ve looked at a lot of
Coolscan film scans and D700 images, and I have to say that
I’ll take the D700 images almost every time. If nothing else,
they’re simply easier to work with. Also, acuity up to the
breaking point of the digital image is simply better.

Let’s try another way of looking at the issue. Most pros tend to
believe that the very best film can be scanned at up to about
4000 dpi. Anything less than 3000 dpi leaves a small bit of
detail behind; anything above that (e.g. 5000 dpi) doesn’t
resolve any additional detail. The long axis of the D700’s
sensing area is about and inch-and-a-half and it resolves 4288
points in that distance. In other words, the D700 is working at
somewhere around 3000 dpi at the sensor, or almost the same
value you could get from film in that same area scanned on a
good desktop scanner.

4
There’s also a school of thought—which I subscribe to—that believes that lack of
“noise” in an image is more important than additional resolution. Our eyes and
brains are very sensitive to “detail,” but false detail (noise) can be very distracting. To
demonstrate this in action, one only has to compare an enlargement from a scan of a
grainy film to one from a low-noise digital camera.


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Still, the cleanliness of the digital detail versus the grain in the
film detail makes things about a draw as far as I’m concerned.
I’ve heard people describe the D700’s resolution as equal that
of film, perceptually, and I’d tend to agree it’s at least that
good, probably better.

Unfortunately, it’s not quite so simple to just state a resolution
“number” like I just did earlier. Digital cameras do well up to
a point, and then they “break down” in terms of resolving
objects. If you photograph a black and white test chart (see
example, below), you’ll find that the digital camera simply
does far better than the film camera up to the point where
digital sampling artifacts get in the way. In other words,
there’s a difference between what happens when detail goes
beyond the resolving power of an analog device (film) and a
digital one (a DSLR such as the D700).

On such test charts, the digital camera generally has higher
contrast and clarity up to the point where the pattern becomes
close to or slightly less than the sampling frequency. Note
how the big, diagonal lines above the “10” (top row) in the
above example are resolved well but as we get to smaller and
smaller versions (to the left) the lines start getting “beat
frequencies,” or false line reflections (very obvious in the
diagonals above the “5” and “6”). (See also the example
shown in “Sharpening,” on page 443).

The anti-aliasing and Bayer filters digital cameras need (see
“The D700 Sensor” on page 48), unfortunately, complicate
calculating exactly where the real resolution versus false
resolution changeover occurs. As you can see, once the


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samples are too small, it might look like detail is being
recorded, but this is false detail—mostly artifacts5 that mimic
detail. Film, being purely analog in nature, has no such
problems. At some point grain effects become visible and
compete with detail, but essentially film doesn’t have the
same kind of “break point” as does digital. Of course, if you
scan the film digitally, all bets are off!

We also have print technology to contend with. Most digital
color print technologies max out at slightly more than 300 dpi
(dots per inch). Inkjet printers often only need about 240 dpi;
even the top print technologies generally don’t benefit by
going beyond 360 dpi). At 300 dpi, a D700 file generates a
print size approximately 9.5 x 14” (ISO A4). The re-sampling
techniques used in Photoshop (or used with a program such
as Genuine Fractals) can easily generate images twice the
original dimensions with invisible artifacts (essentially
unnoticeable at viewing distances), so clean, detailed 19” x
28” prints are easily obtainable using D700. That, by the way,
is larger than the consumer Epson photo printers (R1800,
R2200, R2400, R2880) can produce (they max out at 13” x
19”).

Note: Those of you who own an Epson or other inkjet printer
probably read that last paragraph and said, “but wait, my
inkjet says it prints at 1440 (or 2880) dpi.” A close reading
of the Epson literature, however, shows that their printers
don’t necessarily place that many dots every inch, but
instead use a spray adjustment technique to simulate that
resolution (the size of the dot is varied). When moving the
paper the Epson technologies typically max out at
increments of 1/720 of an inch. The practical physical
resolution you need to give the Epson inkjets is about 288
dpi; beyond that and the actual gains are subtle and often

5
Artifact, used in this context, means an unwanted visual side effect. Digital imaging
is full of artifact-producing technologies—the analog-to-digital conversion,
sharpening, noise, and JPEG compression, for example—but for the most part these
artifacts are extremely small and subtle and don’t impact image quality in ways that
most people can see. Certainly you can’t see these artifacts by casual, arm’s length
observation.


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not at all visible. Other maker’s printers are similar. While
it’s a bit out of the scope of this book, there is a reason why
printers use higher dpi settings during printing. Note that
you can present the printer with a 288 dpi image and still
have it print at 1440 dpi—the printer driver does a very
good job of creating the additional information, and with
high quality papers you can usually see a small difference if
you look closely. We’ll talk more about printing in the last
section of this book.

So, the question really should be addressed in a different way:
how do you intend to use your images? If the answer is that
you’re going to print them on an inkjet printer, virtually any
difference you see between a D700-generated image and a
scanned 35mm film image is going to be subjective, not
objective. Most photographers I know say the D700 image is
actually better, as the sampling artifacts of the camera’s sensor
are less objectionable than those from desktop scanners, and
that’s especially true at higher ISO values, where the D700’s
graceful noise handling trumps film’s grain buildup. The
D700 image also tends to have less noise6 in the red and blue
channels than most low-cost desktop scanners and of course
resolves no grain; it just looks better, especially if you’re
comparing ISO 800 from a D700 with ISO 800 film from a
film camera.

In short, if you want the very best available resolution,
consider going to a medium format camera (and paying the
price of doing so). As far as 35mm film versus digital goes, the
race favors digital for moderate print sizes, due to the lack of
film processing and scanning costs. And yes, I’ve put my
pocket book where my mouth is: with the introduction of the
Nikon D1x in mid-2001 I stopped using most of my film-

6
I’ll detail what noise is and how it gets generated in the section entitled “Noise” on
page 75. Until then, think of noise as inaccurate detail.


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based cameras and now shoot nearly all digital. I normally
use a D700 or D300 in my shooting as I write this7.

Debunking Some Myths
If you haven’t already purchased and started using a D700,
you’ve probably been perplexed over some of the contentious
and sharply worded posts on some Internet forums
concerning several D700 traits, or the rumors that seem to
float through some photo shops. Indeed, you may have
purchased this book in an attempt to determine which claims
are true and which aren’t. Here’s my quick take (some of
these things are revisited in detail later in the book):

• It’s only 12mp. For some time Nikon has been lambasted
by a group I call the “counters.” They count megapixels,
compare the numbers, and declare a winner. Generally,
quality of the megapixels never enters into their
consideration; more is simply better. That’s not been
Nikon’s philosophy. And many of us felt that the 12mp
D2x produced images that held up well against the 16mp
Canon 1DsII. The simple fact is that it takes quite a few
additional megapixels to “double” resolution. To double
the D700’s resolution, for example, you’d need ~50mp
(8576x5764). And there’s a balance between megapixel
count and quality of the underlying pixels. Higher
megapixel counts (all else equal) produce noisier images
and have more problems with other issues, such as
diffraction, than do lower megapixel counts. The real trick
is to get the balance right: adequate count and high
quality.

Bottom line: the D700 has adequate count and high
quality. Enough said.

7
Yes, those of you who read my Complete Guide to the D3 will have noted the
difference. The D700 has replaced the D3 in my bag. That’s mainly because the
image quality is the same but I need smaller and lighter bodies more than I need the
extra card slot and frame rates that the D3 provides.


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• The 95% viewfinder is a huge disappointment. I like a
100% viewfinder more than a 95% one, too. But I fail to
see what all the complaints are about. If you need
completely accurate framing there’s always Live View.
While that won’t work for casual, impromptu shooters,
such photographers generally aren’t the ones that want or
need a 100% viewfinder in the first place.

Bottom line: it’s not a deal breaker.
• The Canon name a model is better. Nikon and Canon
have both been producing interesting and quality
products. As I write this, the Canon 1DIII provides slightly
fewer megapixels than the D700 at a slightly higher price,
the Canon 1DsIII provides not quite double the pixel
count at a higher price, and the Canon 5DII provides not
quite double the number of pixels at about the same price.

I’ve used all of these cameras and would be happy with
any of them; my personal choice would be the Nikon
D700, with any of the Canon’s a close second (each for
different reasons). In particular, the D700’s flash system is
more reliable and I find its autofocus system more flexible.
The high ISO results on the D700 seem more natural to
me (and the D700 clearly does better than the 1DsIII).
Most people find the Nikon user interface more
approachable and direct. That’s not to bash the Canons—
they are perfectly fine cameras in their own right. In most
well trained users’ hands, though, neither a Nikon nor
Canon DSLR is going to be “better.”

The further we get into the digital age, the less tangible
difference I see between the products of either company,
at least when it comes to image quality. Sure, there are
some small differences. The D700 tends to produce less
chroma noise than the Canon models when noise is
produced, the Canons tend to block up colors slightly at
higher ISO values, while the D700 uses a noise
suppression technique that produces small artifacts in
absolute black that make it slightly less useful for


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astrophotography.

Bottom line: The visual differences aren’t strong enough to
suggest one brand over another. My suggestion is to try
both brands and go with the one you like better from a
handling standpoint.

Remarkably, there hasn’t been a lot of D700-bashing since
photographers have started using them. Indeed, just the
opposite: a lot of Canon pros who’ve sampled the D3 and
D700 report liking the Nikons just fine. A small number have
even switched brands because of things they liked about the
12mp Nikon sensor’s imaging quality. The fact that there
haven’t been a lot of tangible complaints about the D700, but
rather a lot of positive gushing, shows just how good a
product Nikon created this generation. It’s good. Real good.

Certainly if I were told I could only use a D700 for the next
two years, I wouldn’t have any complaints. Handled properly,
the D700 can produce quite stunning images. Don’t believe
me? Well, take a look at the image on the next page.

On the other hand, there’s a lot to learn to master the D700
and get stunning images. That’s why an eBook like this one is
so important: I’ll deal with the abilities of a D700 in a
practical and no nonsense manner, hopefully explaining
along the way why “digital” does not equate to “perfect” and
how you can use the D700 to consistently produce high
quality images regardless of any of its minor imperfections.
No such thing as a perfect DSLR exists—but you can perfect
the way you use your DSLR.

The bottom line is that the D700 is one of Nikon’s most
capable cameras ever, and with the right settings, produces
state-of-the-art digital images. My goal in this eBook is to help
you do just that.


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D700 NEF converted with Adobe ACR; f/13 at ISO 800; Tamron 28-
300mm lens at 92mm handheld. Other than a bit of highlight recovery, I’ve
left everything at the defaults during the conversion for a reason: we’re at
ISO 800 yet there’s still plenty of dynamic range to capture a contrasty
scene, there’s no visible noise even at actual pixel view, and even a
consumer lens is resolving small detail a quarter of a mile away or more.


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D700 Basics
In this section we’ll look at the controls of the camera,
how it is powered, how images are stored, and the
important things you’ll need to set up before you first use
your D700.

D700 Design
The D700 design derives directly from the D3 and D300
models that preceded it. Most of the differences between the
D3 and D700 are external, most of the differences between
the D300 and D700 are internal.

Essentially, the D700 has the digital heart of a D3. This means
the latest autofocus system, a state-of-the-art card write
mechanism, and a metering system has been tricked out in
ways not seen before the D3 appeared. Externally the D700
body design is essentially that of the D300; the size, power
source, controls and menu system are basically the same. The
one external difference between a D300 and D700 comes in
the prism area, where the larger sensor size of the D700
dictates a larger prism than the D300.

From the front, the primary differences between the D700 (left) and D300
(right) are the covers for the 10-pin and PC sync sockets (upper right) and
the bigger prism to cover the larger sensor area. Still, these cameras could
be twins.


Complete guide to the nikon d700 (1st. edition)

Complete guide to the nikon d700 (1st. edition)

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