Nikon D5600 For Dummies

Julie Adair King

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781119386346
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Digital Media
• Index: Computer Science

An easy-to-follow Nikon D5600 photography class—in a book!

Your Nikon D5600 is a powerful tool equipped to take top-notch photos. But unless you know how to use it to its full potential, your professional-grade camera will produce underwhelming amateur-grade photos. And that's where Nikon D5600 For Dummies comes in! Packed with all the expert tips and tricks you need to get your Nikon to live up to its name, this guide shows you how to use it to get truly striking shots—in a flash.

Written by an expert on all things Nikon—and brimming with inspiring full-color photos—the step-by-step instruction offered inside arms shutterbugs of all skill levels with the know-how to turn any scene into a beautiful work of art. Whether you're looking to capture a cozy low-light shot or forever memorialize an awesome action scene, Nikon D5600 For Dummies will take your photography skills to picturesque new heights.

• Discover all your camera's features and capabilities
• Get better photos in auto or manual mode
• Adjust focus on the fly
• Start speaking photography lingo like a pro

Even Leonardo da Vinci had to learn to work with paints and brushes before he could create the Mona Lisa. Before you let your frustration get the best of you, take heed in the friendly guidance in Nikon D5600 For Dummies.

Part 1

Fast Track to Super Snaps

IN THIS PART …

Familiarize yourself with the basics of using your camera, from attaching lenses to navigating menus.

Get step-by-step help with shooting your first pictures in Auto mode.

Find out how to select the exposure mode, Release mode, Image Size (resolution), and Image Quality (JPEG or Raw file type).

Discover options available for flash photography.

Chapter 1

First Steps, First Shots

IN THIS CHAPTER

Preparing the camera for its first outing

Getting acquainted with the touchscreen and other camera features

Viewing and adjusting camera settings

Setting a few basic preferences

Taking a picture in Auto mode

Shooting for the first time with a camera as sophisticated as the Nikon D5600 can produce a blend of excitement and anxiety. On one hand, you can't wait to start using your new equipment, but on the other, you're a little intimidated by all its buttons, dials, and menu options.

Well, fear not: This chapter provides the information you need to start getting comfortable with your D5600. The first section walks you through initial camera setup; following that, you can discover how to view and adjust picture settings and get my take on additional setup options. At the end of the chapter, I explain how to take pictures using Auto mode, which offers point-and-shoot simplicity until you're ready for more advanced options.

Preparing the Camera for Initial Use

After unpacking your camera, you have to assemble a few parts. In addition to the camera body and the supplied battery (be sure to charge it before the first use), you need a lens and a memory card. Later sections in this chapter provide details about working with lenses and memory cards, but here's what you need to know up front:

• Lens: You can mount a wide range of lenses on your D5600, but some aren’t compatible with all camera features. For example, to enjoy autofocusing, you need an AF-P or AF-S lens. (The 18–55mm lens featured in this book and sold in a kit with the D5600 body is an AF-P lens.) The camera’s instruction manual offers details about lens compatibility. (The full manual is available online at the Nikon Download Center.)
  

  The AF in AF-S and AF-P stands for autofocus. The S in AF-S stands for a silent wave focusing motor; the P refers to an autofocusing technology known as a “stepping motor.” Both are designed to deliver faster and quieter autofocusing. How you implement autofocusing differs between the two types, however. Read more about this issue later in this chapter, in the section “Familiarizing Yourself with the Lens.”
• SD (Secure Digital) memory card: Your camera accepts only this type of card. Most SD cards carry the designation SDHC (for High Capacity) or SDXC (for eXtended Capacity), depending on how many gigabytes (GB) of data they hold. SDHC cards hold from 4GB to 32GB of data; the SDXC moniker is assigned to cards with capacities greater than 32GB.

With camera, lens, battery, and card within reach, take these steps:

1. Turn the camera off.
2. Install the battery into the compartment on the bottom of the camera.
3. Attach a lens.
   First, remove the caps that cover the front of the camera and the back of the lens. Then align the mounting index (white dot) on the lens with the one on the camera body, as shown in Figure 1-1. After placing the lens on the camera mount, rotate the lens toward the shutter-button side of the camera. You should feel a solid click as the lens locks into place.
4. Insert a memory card.
   Open the card-slot cover on the right side of the camera and orient the card as shown in Figure 1-2 (the label faces the back of the camera). Push the card gently into the slot and close the cover. The memory-card access light, labeled in the figure, illuminates briefly to let you know that the camera recognizes the card.
5. Rotate the monitor to the desired viewing position.
   When you first take the camera out of its box, the monitor is positioned with the screen facing inward, protecting it from scratches and smudges. Gently lift the right side of the monitor up and away from the camera back. You can then rotate the monitor to move it into the traditional position on the camera back, as shown on the left in Figure 1-3, or swing the monitor out to get a different viewing angle, as shown on the right.
6. Turn on the camera.
7. Set the language, time zone, and date.
   When you power up the camera for the first time, you can't do anything until you take this step.
   

   The easiest way to adjust the settings is to use the touchscreen, which is enabled by default. To select an option or display a menu of settings, just tap it on the screen, just as you do with any touchscreen device. If you see an OK symbol in the lower-right corner of the screen, tap it to finalize your selection and return to the previous screen. To exit a screen without making changes, tap the exit arrow shown in the upper-right corner of the screen.
   If you prefer, you also can use the Multi Selector and OK button, labeled in Figure 1-3, to navigate menus. You can find more details about using the touchscreen and other ways to adjust settings later in this chapter.
8. Adjust the viewfinder to your eyesight.
   

   This step is critical; if you don't set the viewfinder to your eyesight, subjects that appear out of focus in the viewfinder might actually be in focus, and vice versa. If you wear glasses while shooting, adjust the viewfinder with your glasse...