Nikon D7200: From Snapshots to Great Shots

Book description

The Nikon D7200 is a powerful new camera intended for ambitious amateurs to semi-professionals who want to jump into photography with the control and capabilities of an upper level DSLR. The D7200 adds some important features, most notably a larger buffer, improved autofocus performance in low light, 60p video, Wi-Fi with NFC, and 15% better battery life.

Nikon D7200: From Snapshots to Great Shots has one goal: to teach D7200 owners how to make great shots using their new camera. Users learn how to use the D7200 to create the type of photos that inspired them to buy the camera in the first place. Everything in the book is in service of creating a great image.

While the camera manual explains what the camera can do, it doesn't show exactly how to use the camera to create great images! That’s where Nikon D7200: From Snapshots to Great Shots comes in. Starting with the top ten things users need to know about the camera, author Jerod Foster carefully guides readers through the operating features. Readers get practical advice from a pro on which settings to use when, great shooting tips, and end of chapter assignments.

Nikon D7200 key features:

  • 24.2MP CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter

  • Multi-CAM 3500DX II 51-point AF system, all sensitive to -3EV

  • 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor, used for 3D subject tracking in AF-C

  • ISO 100-25,600, with ISO 51,200 and 102,400 black and white modes

  • 6 fps continuous shooting (7 fps in 1.3x crop mode) with increased buffer depth

  • 1/8000 sec maximum shutter speed

  • 3.2", 1.2M dot RGBW LCD display

  • 1080/60p video (1.3x crop only) with clean output over HDMI and Flat Picture Control

  • Dual SD card slots

  • Wi-Fi with NFC

  • Magnesium alloy weather-sealed body

  • The D7200 will be available in two kits when it ships in early April. For the body only it will be priced at $1,199.95, and if you throw in the 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6 ED VR lens the price rises to $1,699.95.

    Table of contents

    1. Title Page
    2. Copyright Page
    3. Dedication
    4. Acknowledgments
    5. Contents
    6. Introduction
    7. 1. The D7200 Top 12 List
      1. Twelve Tips to Make Your Shooting More Productive Right Out of the Box
      2. Poring Over the Picture
        1. Camera Front
        2. Camera Back
      3. Poring Over the Camera
        1. Camera Top
        2. Camera Side
      4. 1. Set the Correct White Balance
      5. 2. Turn Off the Auto ISO Setting
      6. 3. Set Your Image Quality
      7. 4. Set the Appropriate Image Area
      8. 5. Set Your Focus Point and Mode
      9. 6. Manual Focus
      10. 7. Review Your Shots
        1. Review even more image details
      11. 8. Where’s the Beep? Custom Focusing Options
      12. 9. Use the Grid
      13. 10. Shutter Delay Options
      14. 11. Oh, Shoot! Reset Options
      15. 12. Hold Your Camera for Proper Shooting
      16. Chapter 1 Assignments
    8. 2. First Things First
      1. A Few Things to Know and Do Before You Begin Taking Pictures
      2. Poring Over the Picture
      3. Choosing the Right Memory Card
      4. Formatting Your Memory Card
      5. Updating the D7200’s Firmware
      6. Cleaning the Sensor
      7. Using the Right Format: RAW vs. JPEG
        1. So what does RAW have to offer?
        2. Advice for new RAW shooters
        3. Shooting dual formats
      8. Lenses and Focal Lengths
      9. What Is Exposure?
        1. How is exposure calculated?
      10. Motion and Depth of Field
      11. Chapter 2 Assignments
    9. 3. The Auto Modes
      1. Getting Started with the Scene/Special Effects Modes
      2. Poring Over the Picture
      3. Auto Mode
      4. Flash Off Mode
      5. Scene Modes
        1. Portrait Mode
        2. Landscape Mode
        3. Close Up Mode
        4. Sports Mode
        5. Sunset Mode
        6. Child Mode
        7. Dusk/Dawn
        8. Night Portrait
        9. Beach/Snow
        10. Party/Indoor
        11. Night Landscape
        12. Food
        13. Autumn Colors
        14. Blossom
        15. Candlelight
        16. Pet Portrait
      6. Special Effects
        1. Night Vision
        2. Color Sketch
        3. Miniature Effect
        4. Selective Color
        5. Silhouette
        6. High Key
        7. Low Key
      7. When You May Not Want to Use Auto Mode
      8. Chapter 3 Assignments
    10. 4. The Professional Modes
      1. Taking Your Photography to the Next Level
      2. Poring Over the Picture
      3. P: Programmed Auto Mode
        1. When to use Programmed Auto (P) mode instead of the automatic scene and effects modes
      4. S: Shutter Priority Mode
        1. When to use Shutter Priority (S) mode
      5. A: Aperture Priority Mode
        1. When to use Aperture Priority (A) mode
      6. M: Manual Mode
        1. When to use Manual (M) mode
      7. User Settings Mode—Saving Your Favorite Settings to the Mode Dial
      8. How I Shoot: My Favorite Camera Settings
      9. Chapter 4 Assignments
    11. 5. Moving Target
      1. How to Shoot When Your Subject Is in Motion
      2. Poring Over the Picture
      3. Stop Right There!
        1. Direction of travel
        2. Subject speed
        3. Subject-to-camera distance
      4. Using Shutter Priority (S) Mode to Stop Motion
      5. Using Aperture Priority (A) Mode to Isolate Your Subject
      6. The ISO Sensitivity Auto Control Trick
      7. Keep Them in Focus with Continuous-servo Focus and AF Focus Point Selection
      8. Stop and Go with 3D-tracking AF
      9. Manual Focus for Anticipated Action
      10. Keeping Up with the Continuous Shooting Modes
      11. A Sense of Motion
        1. Panning
        2. Motion blur
      12. Tips for Shooting Action
        1. Give them somewhere to go
        2. Get in front of the action
        3. Put your camera in a different place
      13. Chapter 5 Assignments
    12. 6. Perfect Portraits
      1. Settings and Features to Make Great Portraits
      2. Poring Over the Picture
      3. Automatic Portrait Mode
      4. Using Aperture Priority Mode
        1. Go wide for environmental portraits
      5. Metering Modes for Portraits
      6. Using the AE Lock (Auto Exposure Lock) Feature
      7. Focusing: The Eyes Have It
      8. Classic Black-and-White Portraits
      9. The Portrait Picture Control for Better Skin Tones
      10. Detect Faces with Live View
      11. Use Fill Flash for Reducing Shadows
      12. Portraits on the Move
      13. Tips for Shooting Better Portraits
        1. In general, avoid the center of the frame
        2. Choose the right lens
        3. Use the frame
        4. Sunblock for portraits
        5. Give them a healthy glow
        6. Keep an eye on your background
        7. Frame the scene
        8. More than just a pretty face
        9. Get down on their level
        10. Eliminate space between your subjects
      14. Chapter 6 Assignments
    13. 7. Landscape Photography
      1. Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Taking Beautiful Landscape Photographs
      2. Poring Over the Picture
      3. Sharp Focus: Using a Tripod
      4. Selecting the Proper ISO
      5. Using Noise Reduction
      6. Selecting a White Balance
      7. Using the Landscape Picture Control
      8. Taming Bright Skies with Exposure Compensation
      9. Shooting Amazing Black-and-White Landscapes
      10. The Golden Light
      11. Where to Place Your Focus
      12. Focusing with Live View
        1. Improving your focus using Live View
      13. Smooth Water
      14. Directing the Viewer’s Eye: A Word About Composition
        1. Rule of thirds
        2. Creating depth
      15. Advanced Techniques to Explore
        1. Shooting panoramas
        2. Shooting high dynamic range (HDR) images
        3. Using your camera’s built-in HDR feature
      16. Chapter 7 Assignments
    14. 8. Mood Lighting
      1. Shooting When the Lights Get Low
      2. Poring Over the Picture
      3. Raising the ISO
      4. Using Very High ISOs
      5. Stabilizing the Situation
        1. Hands off for sharper images
      6. Focusing in Low Light
        1. AF-assist illuminator
        2. Disabling the flash
      7. Shooting Long Exposures
      8. Using the Built-In Flash
        1. Shutter speeds
        2. Metering modes
      9. Compensating for Flash Exposure
      10. Reducing Red-Eye
      11. Flash and Glass
      12. A Few Words About External Flash
      13. Chapter 8 Assignments
    15. 9. Creative Compositions
      1. Better Photography Starts with Better Composition
      2. Poring Over the Picture
      3. Depth of Field
      4. Angles
      5. Point of View
      6. Patterns
      7. Color
      8. Contrasting and Complementing
      9. Leading Lines
      10. Splitting the Frame
      11. Frames Within Frames
      12. Chapter 9 Assignments
    16. 10. Lights, Camera, Action
      1. Getting the Most out of the D7200’s Video Capabilities
      2. Recording with Live View
      3. Dedicating a Second Card to Video
      4. Video Quality
      5. Sound
        1. Dialing in the microphone sensitivity
        2. Turning off the sound
      6. Playback
      7. Focusing
      8. Editing
      9. Expanding your knowledge
      10. Chapter 10 Assignments
    17. 11. Advanced Techniques
      1. Impress Your Family and Friends
      2. Poring Over the Picture
      3. Spot Meter for More Exposure Control
        1. Metering for sunrise or sunset
      4. Manual Mode
        1. Bulb photography
      5. Avoiding Lens Flare
      6. Bracketing Exposures
      7. Macro Photography
      8. Active D-Lighting
      9. Conclusion
      10. Chapter 11 Assignments
    18. Index

    Product information

    • Title: Nikon D7200: From Snapshots to Great Shots
    • Author(s):
    • Release date: July 2015
    • Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
    • ISBN: 9780134269962