Nikon D200 User Manual

Reference—Image Quality and Size
31
The RAW Compression Menu
The following options are available for NEF (RAW ) images:
Mode Description
NEF (RAW)
(default)NEF images are not compressed.
Comp. NEF 
(RAW)NEF images are compressed by about 40–50 % with little drop in qual-
ity.  Recording time is reduced.
1 Highlight RAW Compression in the shooting 
menu and press the multi selector to the right.
2 High light the de sired op tion and press the multi 
se lec tor to the right.  The shooting menu will 
be...

Reference—Image Quality and Size
32
The QUAL Button
Press the QUAL button and rotate the sub-command 
dial until the desired setting is displayed in the con-
trol panel.
Image Size
Image size is measured in pixels.  Smaller sizes pro duce smaller fi les, making 
them suited to dis tri bu tion via e-mail or inclusion in web pages.  Con verse ly, the 
larger the image, the larger the size at which it can be printed without becoming 
noticeably “grainy.”  Choose image size according to the space available on...

Reference—ISO Sensitivity
33
ISO Sensitivity
“ISO sensitivity” is the digital equivalent of fi  lm speed.  The higher the ISO sensitiv-
ity, the less light needed to make an exposure, allowing higher shutter speeds or 
smaller apertures.
ISO sensitivity can be set between values roughly equivalent to ISO 100 and ISO 
1600 in steps equivalent to / EV.  Where high sensitivity is a priority, ISO sensi-
tivity can be further increased up to 1 EV over ISO 1600.  ISO sensitivity can be 
adjusted using the ISO...

Reference—ISO Sensitivity
34
 Noise
The higher the ISO sensitivity, the more likely pictures are to be subject to “noise” in the form 
of randomly-spaced, brightly-colored pixels.  Pho tos taken at ISO sensitivities over ISO 1600 
will likely con tain ap pre cia ble amounts of noise.
 High ISO NR ( 131)
This option can be used to reduce noise at ISO sensitivities of 400 or more (this reduces the 
capacity of the memory buff er).  Note that although high ISO noise reduction is always in 
eff ect at ISO...

Reference—White Balance
35
White Balance
The color of light refl  ected from an object varies with the color of the light source.  
The human brain is able to adapt to changes in the color of the light source, 
with the result that white objects appear white whether seen in the shade, direct 
sunlight, or under incandescent lighting.  Unlike the fi lm used in fi lm cameras, 
dig i tal cam er as can mimic this adjustment by processing images according to the 
color of the light source.  This is known as...

Reference—White Balance
36
White balance can be set using the White Balance option in the shooting menu 
or by pressing the WB button and rotating the main command dial.
The White Balance Menu
1 Highlight White Balance in the shooting menu 
and press the multi selector to the right.
2 High light  the  de sired  op tion  and  press  the  multi 
se lec tor to the right.  Selecting Choose Color 
Temp. displays a menu of color temperatures 
(
 38), White Balance Preset a preset white 
balance menu (
 39),...

Reference—White Balance
37
Fine-Tuning White Balance
At settings other than  (Choose Color Temp.) and PRE (White Balance Pre-
set), white bal ance can be “fi ne tuned” to compensate for vari a tions in the color 
of the light source or to in tro duce a deliberate “warm” or “cold” cast into an image.  
Higher settings (“+”) can be used to lend im ag es a blu ish tinge or to com pen sate 
for light sources with a yellow or red cast, while low er ing white bal ance (“–”) can 
make pho to graphs ap pear...

Reference—White Balance
38
 Take Test Shots
Take a test shot to determine if the selected value is appropriate to the light source.
 Color 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, defi ned with ref er ence 
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 temperature in the neigh bor hood...

Reference—White Balance
39
Preset White Balance
Preset white balance 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.  Two methods are available for setting preset white balance:
Method Description
Direct
measurementNeutral gray or white object is placed under lighting that will be used in 
fi nal photograph and white balance is measured by camera (
 40).
Copy from 
existing
photographWhite balance...

Reference—White Balance
40
Measuring a Value for White Balance
White balance can be measured with reference to a neutral gray object.  The new 
value for white balance is automatically stored in preset d-0.
1 Place a neutral gray or white object under the lighting that will be used in 
the fi nal photograph.  A standard gray card can be used as a reference in 
studio settings.
2 Press the WB button and rotate the main com-
mand dial until 
 is displayed in the control 
panel.  If the new value for preset...