Recommended Baseline Settings D300s
 

So now that I have the FF or not to FF question answered for today, now I need help on my next question.

The D300s functions much like the D200, however with the improved AF and high ISO and new menu, I would like recommendations on how to set it up as a baseline so I can play with it and tweak it from there. I read that you can shoot 1600iso all day long and they look great, so should I let the camera choose the iso in auto mode? I would never do that on the D200 because it is so bad at high iso.

The main focus (see what I did there) will be 6th grade basketball and family snap shots. I tend to like a little more saturation than most, but not overly so, don't like cartoonish looking pics.

From what I have read, the D700 and D300s setting would be very close, so all you D700 people please chime in as well.

Ummm... where to start...

AF-C priority selection: Relase + focus
AF-S priority selection: Focus
Dynamic AF area: 51 points (3D-tracking)
AF tracking with lock-on: Normal
AF activation: Shutter/AF-ON
Focus point wrap-around: Wrap
AF point selection: 51 points
ISO sensitivity step value: 1/3 step
EV steps for exposur contrl.: 1/3 step
Exp comp/fine tune; 1/3 step
Easy exposure compensation: Off
Center-weighted area: 12mm
Viewfinder grid display: On
CL mode shooting speed: 7 fps (or whatever the max is for a D300s)
Max. continuous release: 100
Flash sync speed: 1/320 s (Auto FP)
Flash shutter speed: 1/60 s
Auto bracketing set: AE & flash
Auto bracketing (Mode M): Flash/speed/aperture

I think that's everything I've messed with other than shooting in RAW + jpeg (S). I don't really use JPEGs other than for quick referencing files on my computer so I haven't messed with many of the settings like D-lighting or saturation/sharpness/etc.

Thanks Alex!

This is a link from an instructor at the Nikon School. I took an advanced D200 class from him a number of years ago. He is a great shooter and I used his settings as my baseline on my D200. I did a search of my emails (love gmail) and found his link. He lists many of the cameras in the Nikon line up, I find these very helpful. With these and settings Alex lists, I think I will be able to tweak them until I find just the right ones for my style.

Nikon D300 settings | Michael A. Schwarz Digital Photography Training

I think you should start by reading the manual. :)

Actually, better than the manual is that each setting on the camera should have the "?" option. Click on that and it'll tell you what everything does. I never bothered to read the manual and I usually just go by what the camera tells me each setting does.

Thanks for the tip Alex. That is cool.

So far I don't really get how to focus and use the 'live view' and I don't really get the 'Active D Lighting'. But I haven't really played with them much yet either.

Get this app, I think its great

http://cdn.iextract.quadrat4.de/imag...1346e71e8f.jpg
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/digit...350489217?mt=8

If you have an iPhone :(

Active D Lighting basically adjusts photos in-camera to save you time post processing but I've heard it's a battery hog if you have it on in the background while shooting. I leave it off because it only works on JPEGs and I shoot pretty much exclusively in RAW.

I only shoot RAW as well. Thanks!

Gray, who you callin' a dummie? First Ginger calls me lazy then you call me a dummie...thx! ;)

(by the way, I will check it out, but I have shot DSLR's for 10+ yrs, this one is just new to me)

:resent: Sorry... did not read your OP properly