Chapter 1: Exploring the Nikon D7100
This chapter covers the key components of the D7100 — the buttons, switches, dials, and knobs. These are the features you will need to master because you will be using them all the time to modify settings in order to adapt to changing shooting conditions.
The D7100 is very similar to its precursor, the D7000, and also very similar to its FX sibling, the D600. If you’re upgrading from the D7000 or you purchased the D7100 as an adjunct to the D600, you’ll feel right at home. If you’re stepping up from a D5100 or a D3200, the number of controls may surprise you. If you are accustomed to using one of Nikon’s compact pro bodies, such as the D300s, D700, or D800, then you will definitely notice the difference in the control layout.
Getting to know all your camera’s menus, buttons, and dials allows you to capture your images just as you envision them.
Key Components of the D7100
You use the exterior controls of the D7100 to access features that you change often. Being a higher-end model than the D3200 and D5100 series, the D7100 offers a lot more buttons and dials to allow you to change your settings more quickly, which is a good thing. On the other hand, the D7100 has fewer buttons than the professional-grade cameras, so a lot of the buttons perform double or even triple duty, depending on what mode the camera is in.
The good news is that you can customize a number of buttons so that you can control the settings that you need to access most often.
Top of the camera
A lot of important buttons are on the top of the D7100. This makes it easier to find them, especially when you have your eye to the viewfinder. This is where you find the dials to change the shooting modes, as well as the all-important shutter-release button and the relatively new Movie record button.
• Shutter-release button. In my opinion, this is the most important button on the camera. Pressing this button halfway activates the camera’s autofocus and light meter. Fully depressing this button releases the shutter, and a photograph is taken. When the camera has been idle and has “gone to sleep,” lightly pressing the shutter-release button wakes it up. When the image review is on, lightly pressing the shutter-release button turns off the LCD and prepares the camera for another shot.
• On/Off switch. This switch, located concentric to the shutter-release button, is used to turn the camera on and off. Push the switch all the way to the left to turn the camera off; pull the switch to the right to turn the camera on. The On/Off switch also has a spring-loaded momentary switch, which, when pulled to the far right, turns on the control panel backlight.
• Movie record button. When the camera is in Live View movie mode (
), pressing this button (which has a simple red dot on it) causes the camera to start recording video. Pressing it a second time stops the video recording. In Live View still photography mode (
) and standard shooting mode or scene modes, this button has no function at all.
• Metering mode button ( ). Pressing this button and rotating the Main Command dial allows you ...
