Nikon Camera D5200 Reference Manual

							
14
First Steps
Always turn the camera off before inserting or removing batteries or memory cards.
1Attach the strap.
Attach the strap securely to the two eyelets on the camera body as shown below.
2Charge the battery.
If a plug adapter is supplied, raise the wall plug and connect the plug adapter 
as shown below at left, making sure the plug is fully inserted.
 Insert the battery 
and plug the charger in.
 An exhausted battery will fully charge in about 1 hour 
and 30 minutes.
3Insert the battery.
Insert the battery in the orientation  shown, using the battery to keep the 
orange battery latch pressed to one side.
 The latch locks the battery in place 
when the battery is fully inserted.
Battery latch
Battery charging
Charging complete 
						

							
15
4Insert a memory card (available separately).
Check to be sure the card is in the correct orientation and then slide the card 
until it clicks into place.
5Attach a lens.
Be careful to prevent dust from entering the camera when the lens or body cap 
is removed.
Autofocus is available with AF-S lenses.
 When using 
autofocus with a lens equipped with an  A-M mode switch, 
slide the switch to  A (if the lens has an  M/A-M switch, select 
M/A  for autofocus with manual override).
 For information 
on other lenses that can be used with the D5200, see page 199.
If the lens has a vibration reduction (VR) switch, select  ON 
to reduce the effects of vibration ( 0238).
Mounting mark (lens;
indicated by white dot)
Keeping marks (white dots) aligned, position lens on camera, then rotate until lens clicks into place.
8 GB
Mounting mark (camera)
Mounting mark (lens) 
						

							
16
6Open the monitor.
Open the monitor as shown. Do not use force.
7Tu rn  t he  came ra o n.
A language-selection dialog will be displayed.
8Choose a language and set the camera 
clock.
Use the multi selector and  J button to 
select a language and set the camera clock.
qwe
Select language Select time zone Select date format
rt Note: The language and 
date/time can be changed 
at any time using the 
Language  and Tim e  
zone and date  options in 
the setup menu ( 0173).
Select daylight saving 
time option Set time and date 
(note that the camera  uses a 24-hour clock)
Move cursor up
J button: select 
highlighted item
Select highlighted 
item or display 
sub-menu
Move cursor down 
						

							
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9Focus the viewfinder.
After removing the lens cap, rotate the diopter 
adjustment control until the AF area brackets are 
in sharp focus.
 When operating the control with 
your eye to the viewfinder, be careful not to put 
your fingers or fingernails in your eye.
AAdjusting Viewfinder Focus
If you are unable to focus the viewfinder as described above, select single-servo autofocus 
( AF-S ; 0 33), single-point AF ( c; 0 36), and the center focus point, and then frame a high-
contrast subject in the center focus point an d press the shutter-release button halfway to 
focus the camera.
 With the camera in focus, use the diopter adjustment control to bring the 
subject into clear focus in the viewfinder.
 If necessary, viewfinder focus can be further 
adjusted using optional corrective lenses.
D During Charging
Do not move the charger or touch the battery during charging.
 Failure to observe this 
precaution could in very rare instances result in the charger showing that charging is 
complete when the battery is only partially charged.
 Remove and reinsert the battery to 
begin charging again.
DCharging the Battery
Read and follow the warnings and cautions on pages x–xi and 218–220 of this manual.
 Charge 
the battery indoors at ambient temperatures of 5 °C–35 °C (41 °F–95 °F).
 Do not use the 
battery at ambient temperatures below 0 °C/32 °F or above 40 °C/104 °F; failure to observe 
this precaution could damage the battery or impair its performance.
 Capacity may be 
reduced and charging times may increase at battery temperatures from 0 °C/32 °F to 15 °C/
59 °F and from 45 °C/113 °F to 60 °C/140 °F.
 The battery will not charge if its temperature is 
below 0 °C (32 °F) or above 60 °C (140 °F).
 If the  CHARGE  lamp flashes quickly (about eight 
times a second) during charging, confirm that  the temperature is in the correct range and 
then unplug the charger and remove and reinsert the battery.
 If the problem persists, cease 
use immediately and take battery and charger to your retailer or a Nikon-authorized service 
representative.
Do not attempt to charge a fully-charged battery.
 Failure to observe this precaution will 
result in reduced battery performance.
Use the charger with compatible batteries only.
 Unplug when not in use.
AF area brackets 
						

							
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ARemoving the Battery
To remove the battery, turn the camera off and open the 
battery-chamber cover.
 Press the battery latch in the 
direction shown by the arrow to release the battery and then 
remove the battery by hand.
AFormatting Memory Cards
If this is the first time the memory card will be used in the 
camera or if the card has been formatted in another device, 
select  Format memory card  in the setup menu and follow 
the on-screen instructions to format the card ( 0168).
 Note 
that this permanently deletes any data the card may contain .
 
Be sure to copy any photographs and other data you wish to 
keep to a computer before proceeding.
DMemory Cards
• Memory cards may be hot after use.
 Observe due caution when removing memory cards 
from the camera.
• Turn the power off before inserting or removing memory cards.
 Do not remove memory 
cards from the camera, turn the camera off,  or remove or disconnect the power source 
during formatting or while data are being recorded, deleted, or copied to a computer.
 
Failure to observe these precautions could result in loss of data or in damage to the 
camera or card.
• Do not touch the card terminals with your fingers or metal objects.
• Do not bend, drop, or subject to strong physical shocks.
• Do not apply force to the card casing.
 Failure to observe this precaution could damage 
the card.
• Do not expose to water, heat, high levels of humidity, or direct sunlight.
• Do not format memory cards in a computer.
ARemoving Memory Cards
After confirming that the memory card access lamp is off, 
turn the camera off, open the memory card slot cover, and 
press the card in to eject it ( q).
 The card can then be 
removed by hand ( w).
AThe Write Protect Switch
SD memory cards are equipped with a write protect switch to 
prevent accidental loss of data.
 When this switch is in the 
“lock” position, the memory ca rd can not be formatted and 
photos can not be deleted or recorded (a beep will sound if 
you attempt to release the shutter).
 To unlock the memory 
card, slide the switch to the “write” position.
8 GB
Write-protect switch
8 GB 
						

							
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DCPU Lenses with Aperture Rings
In the case of CPU lenses equipped with an aperture ring ( 0200), lock aperture at the 
minimum setting (highest f-number).
ADetaching the Lens
Be sure the camera is off when removing or exchanging 
lenses.
 To remove the lens, press and hold the lens release 
button ( q) while turning the lens clockwise ( w).
 After 
removing the lens, replace the lens caps and camera body 
cap.
AThe Camera Clock
The camera clock is less accurate than most watches and household clocks.
 Check the clock 
regularly against more accurate time pieces and reset as necessary.
AThe Clock Battery
The camera clock is powered by an independent, rechargeable power source, which is 
charged as necessary when the main battery is  installed or the camera is powered by an 
optional EP-5A power connector and EH-5b AC adapter ( 0212).
 Three days of charging will 
power the clock for about a month.
 If a message warning that the clock is not set is displayed 
when the camera is turned on, the clock battery is exhausted and the clock has been reset.
 
Set the clock to the correct time and date. 
						

							
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Basic Photography
Before shooting, check the battery level and number of exposures remaining.
1Tu rn  t he  came ra o n.
2Check the battery level.
Check the battery level in the information 
display (if the battery is low, a warning will also 
be displayed in the viewfinder).
 If the monitor is 
off, press the  P button to view the information 
display; if the monitor does not turn on, the 
battery is exhausted and must be recharged.
3Check the number of exposures remaining.
The information display and viewfinder show the 
number of photographs that can be taken at 
current settings (values over 1000 are rounded 
down to the nearest hundred; e.g., values 
between 1200 and 1299 are shown as 1.2 K).
 If a 
warning is displayed stating that there is not 
enough memory for additional photographs, 
insert another memory card ( 015) or delete 
some photos ( 0127).
Battery Level and Card Capacity
Information displayViewfinderDescription 
L— Battery fully charged.
K— Battery partially discharged.
H dLow battery. Ready fully-charged spare battery or 
prepare to charge battery.
H
(flashes)
d
(flashes) Battery exhausted; shutter release disabled.
 Charge or 
exchange battery. 
						

							
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“Point-and-Shoot” Photography 
(i and  j Modes)
This section describes how to take photographs in  i and  j modes, 
automatic “point-and-shoot” modes in which the majority of settings 
are controlled by the camera in response to shooting conditions.
1Tur n th e  came ra on .
Remove the lens cap an d turn the camera on. The information display will 
appear in the monitor.
2Select  i or  j mode.
To shoot where use of a flash is prohibited, 
photograph infants, or capture natural lighting 
under low light, select auto (flash off ) mode by 
rotating the mode dial to  j.
 Otherwise, rotate 
the dial to  i (auto).
3Ready the camera.
When framing phot ographs in the 
viewfinder, hold the handgrip in your 
right hand and cradle the camera 
body or lens with your left.
 Keep your 
elbows propped lightly against your 
torso for support and place one foot 
half a pace ahead of the other to keep your upper body 
stable.
 When framing photographs in portrait (tall) 
orientation, hold the camera as shown at right.
In  j mode, shutter speeds slow when lighting is poor; use 
of a tripod is recommended.
4Frame the photograph.
Frame a photograph in  the viewfinder with the 
main subject in the AF area brackets.
Mode dial
AF area brackets 
						

							
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5Press the shutter-release button halfway.
Press the shutter-release button halfway to 
focus.
 The active focus point will be displayed. If 
the subject is poorly lit, the flash may pop up and 
the AF-assist illuminator may light.
6Check the indicators in the viewfinder.
When the focus operation is complete, a beep 
will sound (a beep may no t sound if the subject is 
moving) and the in-focus indicator ( I) will 
appear in the viewfinder.
While the shutter-release button is pressed 
halfway, the number of exposures that can be 
stored in the memory buffer (“ t”;  0 30) will be 
displayed in the viewfinder.
7Shoot.
Smoothly press the shutter-release button the 
rest of the way down to release the shutter and 
record the photograph.
 The memory card access 
lamp will light and the photograph will be 
displayed in the monitor for a few seconds (the 
photo will automatically clear from the display 
when the shutter-release button is pressed 
halfway).
 Do not eject the memory card or remove 
or disconnect the power source until the lamp has 
gone out and recording is complete .
In-focus indicatorDescription
I Subject in focus.
I  (flashes) Camera unable to focus using 
autofocus.
 See page 34.
AImage Sensor Cleaning
The camera vibrates the low-pass filter covering the image sensor to remove dust when the 
camera is turned on or off ( 0214).
Focus point
In-focus 
indicator Buffer 
capacity
Memory card access  lamp 
						

							
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AThe Shutter-Release Button
The camera has a two-stage shutter-release button.
 The camera focuses when the shutter-
release button is pressed halfway.
 To take the photograph, press the shutter-release button 
the rest of the way down.
Focus: press halfway Shoot: press all the way down
AThe Standby Timer
The viewfinder and information display will turn  off if no operations are performed for about 
eight seconds, reducing the drain on the battery.
 Press the shutter-release button halfway to 
reactivate the display.
 The length of time before the standby timer expires automatically can 
be selected using Custom Setting c2 ( Auto off timers; 0 160).
Exposure meters on Exposure meters off Exposure meters on
AThe Built-in Flash
If additional lighting is required for correct exposure in  i mode, the 
built-in flash will pop up automatically when the shutter-release 
button is pressed halfway ( 045).
 If the flash is raised, photographs 
can only be taken when the flash-ready indicator ( M) is displayed.
 If 
the flash-ready indicator is not displayed, the flash is charging; 
remove your finger briefly from the shutter-release button and try 
again.
To save battery power when the flash  is not in use, return it to its 
closed position by pressing it gently downward till the latch clicks 
into place.
AUsing a Zoom Lens
Use the zoom ring to zoom in on the subject so that it fills a 
larger area of the frame, or zoom out to increase the area 
visible in the final photograph (select longer focal lengths 
on the lens focal length scale to zoom in, shorter focal 
lengths to zoom out).Zoom in
Zoom out
Zoom ring