Nikon Camera Coolpix L840 Reference Manual

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Shooting Features
Used for general shooting. Settings can be adjusted to suit the shooting 
conditions and the type of  shot you want to capture.
• You can change how the camera selects the area of the frame to focus on by 
changing the  AF area mode  setting (A84). The default setting is  Target 
finding AF  (A 52).
Functions Available in  A (Auto) Mode
•Creative slider ( A42)
• Flash mode ( A43)
• Self-timer ( A45)
• Macro mode ( A46)
• Shooting menu ( A77)
A (Auto) Mode
Enter shooting mode M  A  (shooting mode) button  M A  (auto) mode 
M  k  button 
						

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Shooting Features
Using the Creative Slider
You can adjust the brightness (exposure compensation), vividness, and hue 
when shooting.
1Press the multi selector K.
2Use  JK  to select an item.
•F  Hue : Adjust the hue (reddish/bluish) of 
the entire image.
• G  Vividness : Adjust the vividness of the 
entire image.
• o  Brightness (Exp. +/-) : Adjust the 
brightness of the entire image.
3Use  HI  to adjust the level.
•You can preview the results on the monitor.
• To set another item, return to step 2.
• Select  f Exit  to hide the slider.
• To cancel all settings, select  P Reset  and 
press the  k button. Return to step 2 and 
adjust the settings again.
4Press the  k button when setting is complete.
•The settings are applied and the camera returns to the shooting screen.
CCreative Slider Settings
•This function may not be available to use in combination with other functions 
(A 55).
• The settings for brightness (exposure compensation), vividness and hue are saved 
in the camera’s memory even after the camera is turned off.
• See “Using the Histogram” ( A47) for more information.
Enter shooting mode M  A  (shooting mode) button  M A  (auto) mode 
M  k  button
Brightness (Exp. +/-)
+2.0
+0.3
-2.0
Brightness (Exp. +/-)
+2.0+0.3
-2.0
Slider
Histogram 
						

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Shooting Features
You can select a flash mode to match the shooting conditions.
1Press the m (flash pop-up) button.
• The flash pops up.
• The flash does not fire while it is lowered.  W is displayed to indicate that the 
flash does not fire.
2Press the multi selector  H (X).
3Select the desired flash mode 
(A44) and press the  k button.
•If the setting is not applied by pressing the 
k  button within a few seconds, the 
selection will be canceled.
BLowering the Flash
Push the flash down gently to lower the flash  until it clicks into place when not in use 
( A 11).
Flash Mode
Auto 
						

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Shooting Features
CThe Flash Lamp
•The status of the flash can be confirmed by 
pressing the shutter-release button halfway.
- On: The flash fires when you press the shutter-
release button all the way down.
- Flashing: The flash is charging. The camera  cannot shoot images.
- Off: The flash does not fire when a picture is taken.
• If the battery level is low, the monitor turns off 
while the flash is charging.
Available Flash Modes
CThe Flash Mode Setting
•The setting may not be available with some shooting modes ( A48).
• The setting applied in  A (auto) mode is saved in the camera’s memory even after 
the camera is turned off.
CRed-eye Reduction
If the camera detects red eye while saving an image, the affected area is processed to 
reduce red-eye before the image is saved.
Note the following when shooting:
• More time than usual is required to save images.
• Red-eye reduction may not produce the desired results in some situations.
• In rare cases, red-eye reduction may be applied unnecessarily to other areas of the 
image. In these cases, select another  flash mode and take the picture again.
UAuto
The flash fires when necessary, such as in dim lighting.
• The flash mode icon on the shoot ing screen is displayed only 
immediately after the setting is made.
VAuto with red-eye reduction
Reduce “red-eye” in portraits caused by the flash.
XFill flash
The flash fires whenever a picture is taken. Use to “fill-in” (illuminate) 
shadows and backlit subjects.
YSlow sync
Suited to evening and night portraits that include background scenery. 
The flash fires when necessary to  illuminate the main subject; slow 
shutter speeds are used to capture background at night or under dim 
lighting. 
						

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Shooting Features
The camera is equipped with a self-timer that releases the shutter 10 seconds 
or 2 seconds after you press the shutter-release button.
Set Photo VR  (A 110) to  Off in the setup menu when using a tripod to 
stabilize the camera during shooting.
1Press the multi selector  J (n ).
2Select  n10s  or n2s, and press 
the  kbutton.
•n 10s  (10 seconds): Use on important 
occasions, such  as weddings.
• n
2s (2 seconds): Use to prevent camera shake.•If the setting is not applied by pressing the 
k  button within a few seconds, the 
selection will be canceled.
• When the shooting mode is  Pet portrait scene mode,  Y(pet portrait auto 
release) is displayed ( A27). The self-timer cannot be used.
• When the shooting mode is smart portrait mode, you can also use  aSmile 
timer  (A 35) and  n Self-Collage  (A 36) in addition to the self-timer.
3Frame the picture and press the  shutter-release button halfway.
•Focus and exposure are set.
4Press the shutter-release 
button the rest of the way 
down.
•Countdown starts. The self-timer 
lamp flashes and then glows 
steadily about on e second before 
the shutter is released.
• When the shutter is released, the 
self-timer is set to OFF .*
• To stop the countdown, press 
the shutter-release button again.
* When the shooting mode is  Moon scene mode, the self-timer 
is not automatically set to  OFF. To end the self-timer, select  OFF in step 2.
Self-timer
Self-timer
F3F31 / 2 5 01/250
  9 9 
						

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Shooting Features
Use macro mode when taking close-up pictures.
1Press the multi selector I (p ).
2Select  ON and press the 
k button.
•If the setting is not applied by pressing the 
k  button within a few seconds, the 
selection will be canceled.
3Move the zoom control to set the 
zoom ratio to a position where  F 
and the zoom indicator are 
displayed in green.
• When the zoom ratio is set to a po sition where the zoom indicator is 
displayed in green, the camera ca n focus on subjects as close as 
approximately 10 cm (4 in.) from the lens.
• When the zoom position is at the wide-
angle and in the area indicated by 1 , the 
camera can focus on subjects as close as 
approximately 1 cm (0.4 in.) from the lens.
BNotes About Using the Flash
The flash may be unable to light the entire  subject at distances of less than 50 cm 
(1 ft 8 in.).
CThe Macro Mode Setting
• The setting may not be available with some shooting modes ( A48).
• If the setting is applied in  A (auto) mode, it will remain saved in the camera’s 
memory even after the camera is turned off.
Macro Mode (Taking Close-up Pictures)
Macro mode
1 
						

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Shooting Features
You can adjust overall image brightness.
1Press the multi selector K (o ).
2Select a compensation value and 
press the  k button.
•To brighten the image, set a positive (+) 
value.
• To darken the image, set a negative (–) 
value.
• The compensation value is applied, even 
without pressing the  k button.
• When the shooting mode is smart portrait 
mode, the glamour retouch screen is 
displayed instead of the exposure compensation screen ( A34).
• When the shooting mode is  A (auto) mode, the creative slider is displayed 
instead of the exposure compensation screen ( A42).
CExposure Compensation Value
The setting may not be availabl e with some shooting modes (A48).
CUsing the Histogram
A histogram is a graph showing the distributi on of tones in the image. Use as a guide 
when using exposure compensation  and shooting without the flash.
• The horizontal axis corresponds to pixel br ightness, with dark tones to the left and 
bright tones to the right. The vertic al axis shows the number of pixels.
• Increasing exposure compen sation shifts tone distribution to the right, and 
decreasing it shifts tone distribution to the left.
Exposure Compensation (Adjusting 
Brightness)
Exposure compensation
+2.0
+0.3
-2.0
Histogram 
						

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Shooting Features
Default settings for each shooting mode are listed below.
Default Settings (Flash, Self-timer, Etc.)
Flash1
(A43)Self-timer
(A 45)Macro
(A 46)Exposure 
compensation (A 47)
o  
(scene auto selector)U2Off Off30.0
Scene
b  (portrait) VOff
Off
40.0
c  (landscape)
W4OffOff40.0
d  (sports)
W4Off4Off40.0
e  (night portrait)
V5OffOff40.0
f  (party/indoor)
V6OffOff40.0
Z  (beach) UOff
Off40.0
z  (snow) UOff
Off40.0
h  (sunset)
W4OffOff40.0
i  (dusk/dawn)
W4OffOff40.0
j  (night 
landscape) W
4Off
Off40.0
k  (close-up) WOff
On
40.0
u  (food)
W4OffOn40.0
m  (fireworks show)
W4Off4Off40.04
o (backlighting)
X/W7Off
Off40.0
p  (easy panorama) W4Off4Off40.0
O  (pet portrait)
W4Y8Off 0.0
L (moon)
W4n 2s Off40.0
l (bird-watching)
W4OffOff 0.0
O  (
special effects)W Off Off 0.0
F  (smart portrait) U9Off10Off4–11
M (short movie show) W4Off Off 0.0
A  (auto) UOff Off –12 
						

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Shooting Features
1The setting that is used when the flash is raised.2The camera automatically selects the flash mode appropriate for the scene it has 
selected.  W (off) can be selected manually.
3Cannot be changed. The camera enters macro mode when  i is selected.4Cannot be changed.5Cannot be changed. When set to  Hand-held, the flash mode setting is fixed at 
auto and slow sync with red- eye reduction. When set to Tripod, the flash mode 
setting is fixed at fill  flash and slow sync with red-eye reduction.
6Slow sync with red-eye reduction flash mode may be used.7Flash is fixed at X (fill flash) when HDR is set to  k. The flash does not fire when 
HDR  is set to  o.
8Self-timer cannot be used. Pet portrait  auto release can be turned on or off 
( A 27).
9Cannot be used when  Blink proof is set to On.10a Smile timer  (A 35) and  n Self-Collage  (A 36) can be used in addition to 
self-timer.
11Glamour retouch is displayed ( A34).12Creative slider is displayed ( A42). 
						

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Shooting Features
The focus area varies depending on the shooting mode.
Using Face Detection
When the following shooting modes or settings 
are selected, the camera uses face detection to 
automatically focus on human faces.
•o (scene auto selector) mode ( A22)
• Portrait  or Night portrait  scene mode 
( A 23)
• Smart portrait mode ( A34)
• When  AF area mode  (A 84) in  A (auto) 
mode ( A41) is set to  Face priority
If the camera detects more than one face , a double border is displayed around 
the face that the camera focuses on, and single borders are displayed around 
the other faces.
If the shutter button is pressed halfway when no faces are detected:
• In o  (scene auto selector) mode, th e focus area changes depending on 
the scene.
• In Portrait  and Night portrait scene modes or in smart portrait mode, the 
camera focuses in the center of the frame.
• In A  (auto) mode, the camera selects the focus area containing the subject 
closest to the camera.
BNotes About Face Detection
• The camera’s ability to detect faces depend s on a variety of factors, including the 
direction in which the faces are looking.
• The camera cannot detect faces in the following situations:
- When faces are partially hidden by su nglasses or otherwise obstructed
- When faces take up too much  or too little of the frame
Focusing
1 7 0 017002 5 m   0 s25m 0s