Nikon Camera D610 Users Manual

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White Balance
White balance ensures that colors are unaffected by the color of the light source. In 
modes other than  P,  S,  A , and  M, white balance is set automatically by the camera.
 
Auto white balance is recommended for most light sources in  P,  S , A , and  M modes, but 
other values can be selected if necessa ry according to the type of source:
White balance is set by pressing 
the  L (U ) button and rotating 
the main command dial until the 
desired setting is displayed in the 
control panel.
OptionColor temp.* Description
v Auto
3,500–
8,000 K White balance is adjusted automatically. For best 
results, use type G, E, or D lens. If built-in or optional 
flash fires, results are adjusted for flash.
Normal
Keep warm lighting colors
J Incandescent 3,000 K Use under incandescent lighting.
I Fluorescent Use with:
Sodium-vapor lamps 2,700 K•Sodium-vapor lighting (found in sports venues).
Warm-white fluorescent 3,000 K•Warm-white fluorescent lights.
White fluorescent 3,700 K•White fluorescent lights.
Cool-white fluorescent 4,200 K•Cool-white fluorescent lights.
Day white fluorescent 5,000 K•Daylight white fluorescent lights.
Daylight fluorescent 6,500 K•Daylight fluorescent lights.
High temp. mercury-vapor 7,200 K•
High color temperature light sources (e.g. 
mercury-vapor lamps).
H Direct sunlight 5,200 K Use with subjects lit by direct sunlight.
N Flash 5,400 K Use with built-in or optional flash.
G Cloudy 6,000 K Use in daylight under overcast skies.
M Shade 8,000 K Use in daylight with subjects in the shade.
K Choose color temp. 2,500–
10,000 K Choose color temperature from list of values 
(
0 120).
L Preset manual —Use subject, light source, or existing photograph as 
reference for white balance (
0121).
* All values are approximate and do not reflect fine-tuning (if applicable).
(P, S, A, and M Modes Only)
L  (U ) button Main command
dialControl panel 
						

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AThe Shooting Menu
White balance can also be adjusted using the  White balance 
option in the shooting menu ( 0214), which also ca n be used to 
fine-tune white balance ( 0117) or measure a value for preset 
white balance ( 0121).
 The  Auto  option in the  White balance  
menu offers a choice of  Normal and Keep warm lighting colors , 
which preserves the warm colors produced by incandescent 
lighting, while the  IFluorescent  option can be used to select the 
light source from the bulb types.
AStudio Flash Lighting
Auto white balance may not produce the desired results with large studio flash units.
 Use 
preset white balance or set white balance to  Flash and use fine tuning to adjust white 
balance.
AColor Temperature
The perceived color of a light source varies with the viewer and other conditions.
 Color 
temperature is an objective measure of the color of a light source, defined with reference to 
the temperature to which an object would have to be heated to radiate light in the same 
wavelengths.
 While light sources with a color temp erature in the neighborhood of 5,000–
5,500 K appear white, light sources with a lo wer color temperature, such as incandescent 
light bulbs, appear slightly yellow or red.
 Light sources with a higher color temperature 
appear tinged with blue.
 The camera white balance options are adapted to the following 
color temperatures:
• I (sodium-vapor lamps):  2,700 K
• J  (incandescent)/
I (warm-white fluorescent):  3,000 K
• I (white fluorescent):  3,700 K
• I (cool-white fluorescent):  4,200 K
• I (day white fluorescent):  5,000 K•
H  (direct sunlight):  5,200 K
• N (flash):  5,400 K
• G  (cloudy):  6,000 K
• I (daylight fluorescent):  6,500 K
• I (high temp. mercury-vapor):  7,200 K
• M  (shade):  8,000 K
ASee Also
When  WB bracketing  is selected for Custom Setting e6 ( Auto bracketing set, 0 241), the 
camera will create several images each time the shutter is released.
 White balance will be 
varied with each image, “bracketing” the value currently selected for white balance ( 0156). 
						

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Fine-Tuning White Balance
White balance can be “fine-tuned” to compensate for variations in the color of the 
light source or to introduce a deliberate color cast into an image.
 White balance is 
fine-tuned using the  White balance option in the shooting menu or by pressing the 
L  (U ) button and rotating the sub-command dial.
❚❚The White Balance Menu
1Select a white balance option in the 
shooting menu.
To display the menus, press the  G button. 
Select  White balance  in the shooting menu, 
then highlight a white balance option and 
press 2.
 If an option other than  Auto, 
Fluorescent , Choose color temp. , or Preset 
manual  is selected, proceed to Step 2.
 If Auto , Fluorescent , or Choose color 
temp.  is selected, highlight the desired setting and press  2.
 For information on 
fine-tuning preset white balance, see page 125.
2Fine tune white balance.
Use the multi selector to fine-tune white 
balance.
 White balance can be fine-tuned 
on the amber (A)–blue (B) axis and the green 
(G)–magenta (M) axis.
 The horizontal 
(amber-blue) axis corresponds to color 
temperature, with each increment 
equivalent to about 5 mired.
 The vertical 
(green-magenta) axis has the similar effects to the corresponding  color 
c ompensation (CC) filters.
G  button
Coordinates
Adjustmen
t
Increase green
Increase magenta
 Increase blue Increase amber
Green (G)
Magenta (M)
Blue (B)Amber (A) 
						

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3Press J.
Press  J to save settings and return to the 
shooting menu.
 If white balance has been 
fine-tuned, an asterisk (“ E”) will be displayed 
in the control panel.
❚❚ The  L  (U ) Button
At settings other than  K (Choose color temp. ) and 
L  (Preset manual ), the L (U ) button can be 
used to fine-tune white balance on the amber (A)–
blue (B) axis ( 0117; to fine-tune white balance when 
K  or  L  is selected, use the shooting menu as 
described on page 117).
 Six settings in both 
directions are available; each increment is equivalent 
to about 5 mired ( 0119).
 Press the  L (U ) button 
and rotate the sub-command dial until the desired 
value is displayed in the control panel.
 Rotating the 
sub-command dial to the left  increases the amount of 
amber (A).
 Rotating the sub-command dial to the 
right increases the am ount of blue (B).
 At settings 
other than 0, an asterisk (“ E”) appears in the control 
panel.
L  (U ) button Sub-command
dial
Control panel 
						

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AWhite Balance Fine-Tuning
The colors on the fine-tuning axes are relative , not absolute. For example, moving the cursor 
to  B (blue) when a “warm” setting such as  J (incandescent) is selected for white balance will 
make photographs slightly “colder” but will not actually make them blue.
AColor Temperature Fine-Tuning
When  Choose color temp.  is selected, you can view the 
color temperature while fine-tuning white balance.
A“Mired”
Any given change in color temperature produces a greater difference in color at low color 
temperatures than it would at higher color temperatures.
 For example, a change of 1000 K 
produces a much greater change  in color at 3000 K than at 6000 K.
 Mired, calculated by 
multiplying the inverse of the color temperature by 106, is a measure of color temperature 
that takes such variation into account, and as such is the unit used in color-temperature 
compensation filters.
 E.g.:
• 4000 K–3000 K (a difference of 1000 K)=83 mired
• 7000 K–6000 K (a difference of 1000 K)=24 mired 
						

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Choosing a Color Temperature
When K (Choose color temp. ) is selected for white 
balance, color temperature can be selected by 
pressing the  L (U ) button and rotating the sub-
command dial.
 The color temperature is displayed in 
the control panel.
DChoose Color Temperature
Note that the desired results will not be  obtained with flash or fluorescent lighting.
 Choose 
N  (Flash ) or I (Fluorescent ) for these sources.
 With other light sources, take a test shot to 
determine if the selected value is appropriate.
AThe White Balance Menu
Color temperature can also be selected in the white 
balance menu.
 Note that the color temperature with the 
L  (U ) button and the sub-command dial replaces the 
value selected in the white balance menu.
L  (U ) button Sub-command
dial
Control panel 
						

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Preset Manual
Preset manual is used to record and recall custom white balance settings for shooting 
under mixed lighting or to compensate for light sources with a strong color cast.
 The 
camera can store up to four values for preset white balance in presets d-1 through 
d-4.
 Two methods are available for setting preset white balance:
❚❚ Measuring a Value for White Balance
1Light a reference object.
Place a neutral gray or white object under the lighting that will be used in the 
final photograph.
 In studio settings, a standard gray panel can be used as a 
reference object.
 Note that exposure is automatically increased by 1 EV when 
measuring white balance; in mode  M, adjust exposure so that the exposure 
indicator shows ±0 ( 078).
2Set white balance to  L (Preset manual ).
Press the L (U ) button and rotate the  main command dial until  L is 
displayed in the control panel.
MethodDescription
Direct measurement Neutral gray or white object is placed under lighting that will be used 
in final photo and white balance measured by camera (
0121).
Copy from existing  photograph White balance is copied from photo on memory card (
0124).
L  (U ) button Main command dial Control panel
AMeasuring Preset White Balance
Preset manual white balance can not  be measured during live view (049, 57), while you are 
shooting an HDR photograph ( 0139) or multiple exposure ( 0160), or when  Record 
movies  is selected for Custom Setting g4 ( Assign shutter button, 0 248). 
						

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3Select a preset.
Press the L (U ) button and rotate the sub-command dial until the desired 
white balance preset (d-1 to d-4) is displayed in the control panel.
4Select direct measurement mode.
Release the  L (U ) button briefly and then press the 
button until the  L icon in the control panel starts to 
flash.
 A flashing  D will also appear in the viewfinder. 
The displays will flash for about six seconds.
5Measure white balance.
Before the indicators stop flashing, frame the reference 
object so that it fills  the viewfinder and press the 
shutter-release button all the way down.
 The camera 
will measure a value for white balance and store it in the preset selected in Step 
3.
 No photograph will be recorded; white balance can be measured accurately 
even when the camera is not in focus.
L  (U ) button Sub-command dial Control panel
AProtected Presets
If the current preset is protected ( 0127),  3 will flash in the control panel and viewfinder 
if you attempt to measure a new value.
Control panel
Viewfinder 
						

							
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6Check the results.
If the camera was able to measure a value for white 
balance, C will flash in the control panel for about 
six seconds, while the viewfin der will show a flashing 
a .
If lighting is too dark or too bright, the camera may be 
unable to measure white balance.
 A flashing  ba will 
appear in the control panel and viewfinder for about six 
seconds.
 Press the shutter-release button halfway to 
return to Step 5 and measure white balance again.
DDirect Measurement Mode
If no operations are performed while the displays are flashing, direct measurement mode 
will end in the time select ed for Custom Setting c2 ( Standby timer, 0 227).
ASelecting a Preset 
Selecting  Preset manual  for the White balance  option in the 
shooting menu displays the dialog shown at right; highlight a preset 
and press  J.
 If no value currently exists  for the selected preset, 
white balance will be set to 5,200 K, the same as  Direct sunlight.
Control panel
Viewfinder
Control panelViewfinder 
						

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❚❚Copying White Balanc e from a Photograph
Follow the steps below to copy a value for white balance from an existing 
photograph to a selected preset.
1Select L (Preset manual ) for White 
balance  in the shooting menu.
Press the  G button and select  White 
balance  in the shooting menu. Highlight 
Preset manual  and press 2.
2Select a destination.
Highlight the destination preset (d-1 to d-4) 
and press  W (S ).
3Choose  Select image .
Highlight Select image  and press 2.
4Highlight a source image.
Highlight the source image.
5Press  J.
Press  J to copy the white balance value for 
the highlighted photograph to the selected 
preset.
 If the highlighted photograph has a 
comment ( 0253), the comment will be 
copied to the comment for the selected 
preset.
G  button
W (S ) button