http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1039&message=26079747 Nikon D300/D200/D100 Subject Setting D300 Banks? Combinations? Posted by John_I [CLICK FOR PROFILE] Date/Time 7:30:54 PM, Tuesday, December 18, 2007 (GMT) Trying to wrap my linear thinking around this again. When I used the D200 I just really ended up using one set of A banks and varying settings manually as I went. I was pretty happy doing this. Now with the D300 I am wrestling with being more organized. That said ... ... do you link Shooting and Customize banks together ie A works best with A etc. I have found in the past trying to make A/A A/B A/C A/D B/A and so on too complex to remember what all the combinations do. ... would it make sense to set something like this? I do look fwd to Thom Hogan's eventual (?) e-book and to spreadsheet suggestions as with the D200. A/A as Architecture and city walk around B/B as Birds - fast and in flight (with and without fill flash) C/C as Walk around Nature and Landscape D/D as Portrait and people (with and without flash) Any feedback and suggestions welcome! Current results are online at the blog where I try to post regularly. John from Toronto JBIPix Photoblog - http://jbipix.blogspot.com --- Nikon D300/D200/D100 Subject Re: Setting D300 Banks? Combinations? Posted by littlefish1 [CLICK FOR PROFILE] Date/Time 1:50:37 AM, Wednesday, December 19, 2007 (GMT) A/A as anything else A/B as Portrait and party (D2XModeI) C/C as Nature and Landscape (D2XModeIII) D/D as Stage (no flash, no beep, D2XModeII) --- Nikon D300/D200/D100 Subject Re: Setting D300 Banks? Combinations? Posted by zoso [CLICK FOR PROFILE] Date/Time 3:15:30 AM, Wednesday, December 19, 2007 (GMT) AA = Factory Standard (if you have to send it back to service, they will restore this bank if you have change it) BB = walk around CC = flash DD = tripod /kent --- http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1039&message=26086787 Nikon D300/D200/D100 Subject Re: Setting D300 Banks? Combinations? Posted by Bill Randall [CLICK FOR PROFILE] Date/Time 5:55:40 AM, Wednesday, December 19, 2007 (GMT) This is one of those topics where everyone will give you different answers - and they will all be correct - for them. I use the KISS rule (Keep It Simple Stupid). For my type of shooting the following has worked well for me: Shooting Menu, Bank A Static subject Constant lighting Flash/No flash Lots of time to set shot Shooting Menu, Bank D Portrait Constant lighting Flash/No flash Lots of time to set shot Custom Menu, Bank A Settings compatible with Shooting Menu, Bank A Auto ISO Off Custom Menu, Bank B Moving subject Variable lighting Flash/No flash Moving subjects Auto ISO On, Minimum Shutter Speed 125 Custom Menu, Bank C Moving subject Variable lighting Flash/No Flash Fast moving subjects Auto ISO On, Minimum Shutter Speed 250 Custom Menu, Bank D Setting compatible with Shooting Menu D Summary: Static subject: SM = A, CM = A Moving subject: SM = A, CM = B Fast moving subject: SM = A, CM = C Portrait: SM = D, CM = D The only time I need to change the shooting menu is for a portrait shot, which is not time sensitive. Custom menus B and C, in difficult lighting situations, allow me a quick way to assure a minimum shutter speed applicable to the light and speed at which the subject is moving. My type of shooting is during travel to new places. I seldom know what the subject of the next shot will be, and I have to live with the existing lighting conditions. Also, I have a D200 which I think is very similar to the D300. C&C welcome. ###http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1039&message=25885258 Nikon D300/D200/D100 Subject D300 Custom Functions Spreadsheet Posted by ron wrucke [CLICK FOR PROFILE] Date/Time 1:50:10 PM, Tuesday, December 04, 2007 (GMT) http://www.nikonians.org/... ...ad&om=26986&forum=DCForumID202&viewmode=all#1 A very useful s'sheet has been formulated over at Nikonians for keeping track of your Custom Settings. The four banks are set up for P&S, Landscape, Portrait and Sports and includes 'initial recommendations' for applicable settings. It's only meant to be a starting point .. rename the banks and/or change the settings, but it's a great tool .. Thanks to Don McVey for setting it up (he did one for the D200 as well) - a lot of work ... .. fyi .. Ron Wrucke (Va Eastern Shore) http://www.flickr.com/photos/wruckeimaging/ ### http://www.nikonians.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=26986&forum=DCForumID202&viewmode=all#1 Spreadsheet ### For Nikon D200 http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1021&message=18818711 Nikon D3/D2/D1 Subject Re: shooting/custom menus D-200 Posted by DaveEmtb [CLICK FOR PROFILE] Date/Time 10:09:41 AM, Tuesday, June 13, 2006 (GMT) Am i confused or should that be the other way round? The custom settings control the AF modes, controls, timers, flash, etc, right? And the shooting menu controls colour mode, contrast, saturation etc, right? So i'd say the shooting banks are like film presets, and the custom settings banks are different camera configurations. Personally i find the switching between banks rather fiddly, along with the fact that you can't save settings permanently, so every time i switch banks, i have to check that all the settings are as i expect, in case i needed to change one setting on the fly. It would be great if you could save the settings and have a 2-button reset take the current bank to saved settings. Dave --- See: http://nikond200.dpnotes.com/10/photograph-flower --- http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1021&message=18379940 Nikon D3/D2/D1 Subject Diffraction reaction Posted by Peter iNova [CLICK FOR PROFILE] Date/Time 8:56:47 AM, Wednesday, May 10, 2006 (GMT) Diffraction shows up due to a moving set of variables. Focal length changes cause diffraction noticeability threshold changes. A longer lens will stop down to higher f-numbers with less effect. Consider the compact cameras. They're showing significant diffraction at wider f-stops. It's not unusual to see more of the effect at f/8 than on a DSLR at f/16 for similar fields of view. With a zoom, you would have to test various settings to see how much becomes too much for you. And, as if that weren't enough, the shape of the iris opening can exacerbate--or help--the effect. If that iris were a perfect circle, the effect would be spread out smoothly and possibly less, which is almost never the case, especially at small openings where the iris shape tends to be more faceted. The effect is a low-impact diffusion, rising to a noticeable sharpness diminishment. But some pictures are better with deeper DOF even though diffraction is demonstrable. Any declaration that one should ONLY shoot below all possible visible diffraction effects misses other opportunities. Balancing the variables of focal length, iris shape, f-stop, ISO, shutter speed, contrast, sharpening, filtering, lighting and intention of the image to communicate takes consideration and frequent compromises. Photography isn't an exercise in avoiding all possible negative attributes; it's a juggling workout in service of getting the shot and influencing the viewer to become part of the intended communication. -iNova http://www.digitalsecrets.net