My Nikon D700 Camera Settings for All Occasions

The newer DSLR cameras give you lots of capability to create unbelieveable professional images.  For my D700, here are my settings that I use that provide me consistent image quality.  The Nikon system allows you to setup and save your settings for the different types of photography you shoot.  I will break down my basic settings that I use in all that I do, for you to try and consider.  These are some of the fundamental things we discuss in every workshop, to help you get the most out of your camera!

For all shooting styles, I set Adaptive Dynamic Range (ADR) to Auto for everything I shoot and all conditions, except for shooting in a studio. I also use matrix metering and 3D focusing in most that I do, with few exceptions. I also use the following basic settings for all styles.

Color - Adobe sRGB colors for both landscape and for portraits
Image Size - Raw for landscape with 14 bit and Fine with 12 bit for everything else
Vignette Control - Normal
White Balance - Auto A3 for Landscape, Auto B1 or B2 for Indoor People (Non-Studio)

Most professional landscape photographers will set their white balance to "shade" to give it a warmer image, and you should too. In the end, what you like about your images is all that matters.  Just make sure you get all that you can out of your camera, before you decide.  The following is the process you should consider every time you take a picture.

Eric caught this little friend having an
afternoon snack in Costa Rica

First, once you focus on your subject and since we want perfectly sharp images (except for those situations that you intentionally want a blur), and before you click the release, if the focal length of your lens is 100mm you would want to use a shutter speed of twice that amount, i.e. 1/200 of a second to make sure there is no camera movement that would impact the sharpness of your image, then adjust your aperature.  If you can't get a proper exposure with that shutter speed, increase the ISO to the point you can get correct exposure with the minimum shutter speed.

Eric caught a couple of Dolphins racing our boat, on our
deep sea fishing trip in Costa Rica

If images are still too dark or too light - change exposure compensation w/o changing anything else
If colors are not accurate - adjust white balance either warmer or cooler as needed
      Tungsten - makes image blue more than sunlight position
      Cloudy - warms up picture more than sunlight position (Auto A3)
      Shade - very warm - professional preferred choice for most situations (Auto A6)
If the contrast or saturation doesn't look right - then adjust picture controls

Here are the picture controls I use with this camera for a first start every time I go out to shoot any image:

Eric also captured this little friend out by the pool by our
house in Costa Rica, looking for a handout

Studio Settings
Contrast: Standard
Saturation:  -1
Sharpening: 5
Hue: -1
ADR:  Off

People Settings
Contrast:  Standard
Saturation: +1
Sharpening: 5
ADR:  Auto

Landscape & Everything Else
Contrast: Vivid
Saturation: +3
Sharpening: 5
ADR:  Auto

Default Settings

Here is an image with my D700 camera set on its default Picture settings right out of the box for this landscape image and no color correction or anything in Photoshop, and the exact same exposure settings as used on the following image.  Not a bad image if you didn't have anything to compare with, but perhaps a little dark.  You could easily lighten it up with compensation adjustment.

Enhanced Settings

Here is the same image with this same D700 camera set as described above for this landscape image, only with Vivid +3 and white balance set to Shade or Auto A3.  The colors are more vibrant, natural and the image is sharp.

Most newer digital cameras allow you to set and save these settings for easy changing from one style to another by the simple click of a button.  Even the small pocket cameras can do some of this too, but their settings are pretty hidden within their menu selections.

Lori caught this little sloth sneaking
around our house at Costa Rica who
stopped to pose for the kids

These are the exact settings for the Nikon D700, however your camera may have similar settings for Contrast, Saturation, Sharpening, and White Balance.  Find out what is the most pleasing for you and save your settings.  Do not use landscape settings with vivid colors for people as they will look unnatural and your landscapes will look very bland when using the settings for people.

I have an upcoming wedding and here are the basic settings I will use with my flash unit for both inside and outside.

Wedding Camera Settings

Marti and me in Costa Rica on a Sunset
cruise with the same Outdoor settings
w/fill flash settings described herein,
that Garrett composed just perfectly.

Outdoors w/fill flash

Matrix Metering
ISO 200
Mid Range telephoto or 135mm fixed
SB 800 TTL BL, flash compensation -1
White Balance - flash B1 or B2




Indoors w/flash

Matrix Metering
ISO 400 or 800, as needed
SB 800 TTL, flash compensation 0
White Balance - flash, B1 or B2

Try these out and see if these small changes don't make a huge difference in your images.

Good luck chasing the light, and always keep an eye out for that Perfect Tyme for that killer image!