Nikon D4 Camera Settings

The D4 is my most used camera. It has great image quality, especially at high ISO, is very rugged and wonderfully quick autofocus.  These are the settings I use.

 

PLAYBACK MENU

Playback Folder- all

Playback Display Options- check highlight only

Image Review- off

After Delete- show next

Rotate Tall- off

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SHOOTING MENU

File Naming- something that identifies you or the camera.

Slot 2- Varies depending on situation. All 3 options can be valid but I usually shoot overflow or backup.

Image Quality- Your choice JPG Fine or Raw preferred.

Image Size- Large

Image Area- Auto DX Crop on

JPEG Compression- Optimal

NEF Recording- 14-bit, lossless compressed.

White Balance- appropriate for your shooting situation.

Set Picture Control- Standard, with Saturation dialed down one increment for shoooting people. Vivid for shooting landscapes.

Color Space- AdobeRGB. sRGB if large amounts of prints from commercial lab are to be made.

Active D-Lighting- Off unless needed.

Vignette Control- Off.

Long Exp NR- Off unless needed shooting in contrasty situations. Then low or normal.

High ISO NR- Normal

ISO Sensitivity- As low as practical. Excellent quality achievable up to 6400. Usable up to 10,000.

Vignette Control- Off

Multiple exposure- off

Interval timer shooting- off

Live View Photography- Silent

Movie Settings: 1080/24fps, High quality, Microphone 9, ISO Range 200-12800

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SETUP MENU

Monitor Brightness- -1

Video Mode- NTSC

HDMI-auto

Image Comment-on add your name here

Auto Image Rotation-on

Voice Memo- manual

Voice Memo Overwrite- off

Voice Memo Button- press and hold

Audio Output- via speaker

USB-MTP/PTP

Image Authentication-off

Copyright information- Input your name and copyright date.

Firmware Version- check nikonusa.com for current firmware.

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RETOUCH MENU- use to your heart’s content.

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MY MENU- set up the menu items you use the most. These are the items in my, my menu.

Frame size/Frame Rate

Battery Info

Set Picture Control

Active D-Lighting

Shooting Info Display

JPEG Compression

Slot 2

CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU

AF-C Priority- Release

AF-S Priority- Focus

Dynamic AF Area-21

Focus Tracking with lock-on-short

AF Activation-off (AF-on only)

Focus point illumination-on/on/ normal

Focus point wrap around-off

AF point selection-AF51

AF-On button- af on

ISO step value- 1/3

EV steps- 1/3

EV comp/fine tune- 1/3

Easy expsoure com.- off

Center-weighted area- 12mm

Fine tune optimal exposure-no

Shutter release AE-L-off

Auto meter off- 16secs

Self-timer delay- 10secs

Monitor off delay- 20 secs

Beep -OFF!

Shooting speed- high 10fps, low 5fps

Max continuous release- 200

File Number Sequence- ON!

Control panel/viewfinder- rear control iso, viewfinder frame count

Shooting info display- Auto

LCD illumination-off

Exposure delay mode- off

Flash sync speed -1/250 auto fp

Flash shutter speed- 1/30

Modeling Flash- off

Auto Bracketin Set- AE

Auto Bracketing Mode M- flash/speed

Bracketing order- under>mtr>over

Multi selector center button- shooting mode:select center focus point. Playback mode- zoom on/off medium magnification.

Multi selector-off do nothing

Photo info/playback- off, info up/down, playback left/right

Assign Function Button- Func button press-spot metering. Func button+dials-choose image area.

Assign Preview Button- Preview button press-virtual horizon. Preview+command-none.

Assign AE-L/AF-L- AE-L/AF-L button-AE/AF lock. AE-L/AF-L+command dials- none.

Customize Command dials- reverse rotaion and change main/sub: off. Aperture setting on: sub-command dial. Menus and playback on.

Release button to use dial- off

No Memory Card-lock

Reverse Indicators- minus on left, plus on right.