Nikon Coolpix 4300 Digital Camera

Beyond Point-and-Shoot

Read this chapter for advice on the most frequently-used shooting controls, including:

Shooting-Mode Selection

Focus Mode

Digital Zoom

Flash Mode

Making Movies

Exposure Compensation

Keep or Delete

Sensitivity (ISO Equivalency)

Manual Focus

Shooting-Mode Selection

This section describes when to use each of the shooting modes. To choose a shooting mode, turn the mode dial to the appropriate position.

The table below illustrates when to use each of the shooting modes.

Mode	When to Use It
Auto	An automatic mode for simple, "point-and-shoot" photography. Use for snapshots. mode is also recommended for pictures that will later be retouched on a computer.
SCENE SCENE	In this mode, most camera settings are automatically adjusted to suit the chosen scene.
Manual	Various setting can be adjusted one-by-one to suit the composition.
Movie	Record silent movies 320 x 240 pixels in size (QVGA). Recording starts at rate of about 15 fps when shutter release button is pressed, ends after 40 sec. or when shutter release button is pressed again.

Focus Mode

The

Button

Choose a focus mode according to your subject and composition.

Setting	Description
No icon Autofocus	Camera automatically adjusts focus according to distance to subject. Use with subjects 30 cm (1 ft.) < at widest angle >, 60 cm (2 ft.) <at telephoto> or more from lens.
Autofocus + self-timer	Combines autofocus with self-timer duration of 10 or 3 sec. Use for self-portrait or prevent pictures from blurring when shutter release button is pressed.
Infinity	Focus is fixed at infinity, allowing camera to focus on distant scenes through foreground objects such as a window. Flash is disabled.
Macro close-up	In widest zoom range, icon in monitor turns yellow and camera can focus on objects as close as 4 cm (1.6 in.), measured from the lens. Use for close-ups.
Macro close-up + self-timer	Combines macro close-up with shutter-release delay of 10 or 3 sec. Use for close-ups to prevent pictures from blurring when shutter release button is pressed.

To choose a focus mode, press the

button repeatedly until the desired setting is displayed in the monitor

Macro Close-Up

At widest zoom position where

is displayed in yellow, you can focus as close as 4cm (1.6 in.) from the lens.

We recommend that you frame pictures in the monitor when using macro close-up.
While the flash can be used in macro close-up mode, it may sometimes be unable to light the entire subject. Take a test picture and verify the results in the monitor.

Self-Timer

Using the self-timer

Position the camera
- Mount the camera on a tripod (recommended) or rest it on a flat, stable surface.
Select a self-timer mode

Self-timer icon displayed in monitor.

Press the button until either or

Start the timer

Countdown timer in monitor shows number of seconds remaining until picture is taken

Compose the picture so that your main subject is placed closest the camera.
The self-timer lamp next to the flash window will start to blink when the shutter release button is pressed, and continue to blink until one second before the photo is taken. The self-timer lamp will stay lit during the final second to warn that the shutter is about to be released.
To stop the timer, press the shutter-release button twice with the 10-second delay and once with the 3-second delay.

Note on using self-timer

When using the self-timer with off-center subject, select Manual option in FOCUS OPTIONS : AF-Area Mode in

shooting mode and select appropriate focus area, then set the self-timer. Or, select Close Up in scene mode and select appropriate focus area, then set the self-timer.

Autofocus mode (Continuous AF/Single AF)

The autofocus system operates in one of two modes, depending on whether the monitor is on or off. In

mode, scene mode or Movie mode, the camera adjusts focus continuously while the monitor is on (continuous autofocus). When the monitor is off, the camera does not focus until the shutter-release button is pressed halfway (single autofocus). In either case, focus locks when the shutter-release button is pressed halfway, and remains locked as long as the button is held in this position (focus lock).

In

mode, single autofocus is used whether the monitor is on or off, although the Focus Options: Auto-Focus Mode item in the SHOOTING menu can be used to enable continuous autofocus when the monitor is on.

Getting Good Results with Autofocus

Autofocus performs best when:

There is contrast between the subject and the background. For example, autofocus may not perform well on subjects that are the same color as the background.
The subject is evenly lit.

Autofocus does not perform well when:

You attempt to focus simultaneously on two or more objects at different distances from the camera. For example, autofocus may not perform well when photographing an object inside a cage, because the bars of the cage will be closer to the camera than the main subject, and both the bars and the main subject will be in focus area at the center of the frame.
The subject is very dark (the subject should not, however, be too much brighter than the background).
The subject is moving rapidly.

If the camera is unable to focus using autofocus, use focus lock to focus on another subject at the same distance.

Focus Lock

Depending on the effect you want to achieve, your subject may not be at the center of the final composition. In

and all SCENE modes except Portrait and Close Up, the camera automatically focuses on the subject at the center of the frame. If your subject is not located at the center of the frame when the shutter release button is pressed halfway, the camera will focus on the background and the main subject may not be in focus. Focus lock is used to focus first on your subject, then adjust the composition before taking the picture.

Focus
- Position the subject in the center of the frame and press the shutter release button halfway.
Check the autofocus lamp
- With the shutter release button pressed halfway, check that the autofocus (green) lamp next to the viewfinder glows steadily, indicating that the subject is in focus. Focus will remain locked while the shutter release button is pressed halfway.
Recompose the picture and shoot
- Keeping the shutter release button pressed halfway, recompose your picture. Press the shutter release button the rest of the way down to shoot.

Do not change the distance between the camera and your subject while focus lock is in effect. If your subject moves, remove your finger from the shutter release button and focus again at the new distance.

Digital Zoom

Using the Zoom-Nikkor lens
Your Nikon digital camera offers two kinds of zoom: optical zoom, in which the camera's telescoping lens can be used to magnify the subject up to 3X, and digital zoom, in which digital processing is used to further magnify the image up to 4X for a total magnification of up to 12X.

Digital Zoom

At the maximum zoom position, holding the T down for two seconds triggers digital zoom.

Autofocus lamp blinks slowly to show that pictures can not be accurately framed in viewfinder

The camera can be zoomed in and out in the digital zoom range by pressing the W and T. To cancel digital zoom, press W until the zoom indicator turns white or turn the camera off.

Optical vs. Digital Zoom

In digital zoom, data from the camera's image sensor are processed digitally, enlarging the center portion of the image to fill the frame. Unlike optical zoom, digital zoom does not increase the amount of detail visible in the picture. Instead, details visible at maximum zoom are enlarged, producing a slightly "grainy" image. Digital zoom also differs from optical zoom in that its effects are visible only in the monitor, not the viewfinder, meaning that the monitor must be on before digital zoom can be used.

Restrictions on Digital Zoom

Digital zoom can only be used when the monitor is on. Digital zoom is not available when:

The monitor is off
Image quality is set to HI.
Black& White is selected in the Image Adjustment sub-menu.
Multi-Shot 16 or Ultra HS is selected in the Continuous sub-menu.

Flash Mode

The flash mode can be chosen from the following five options.

Setting	Description
No icon Auto	Flash fires when lighting is poor. Best choice in most circumstances.
Flash Cancel	Flash will not fire even when lighting is poor.
Auto with red-eye reduction	Flash fires after a short delay. Use for portraits (works best when subjects are well within range of flash and looking at pre-flash lamp).
Anytime Flash (fill-flash)	Flash fires whenever picture is taken. Used to "fill-in" (illuminate) shadows and backlit subjects.
SLOW Slow Sync	Auto flash combined with slow shutter speed. Use to capture both subject and background at night or under dim light.

The Flash-Ready Lamp

A short pause is required between exposures for the flash system to charge. If the shutter release button is pressed halfway while the flash is charging, the red flash-ready lamp next to the viewfinder will blink. Remove your finger briefly from the shutter release button and try again.

The flash mode is controlled with the

button.

Press

button repeatedly until desired mode is displayed in monitor

Keep the Flash Window Clear

Keep your fingers and other objects away from the flash window when using the flash. If a shot seems dark even though the flash fired, this may indicate that you accidentally blocked the flash window; check that the flash is unobstructed and try again.

When Lighting Is Poor

When lighting is poor and the flash is off (

) or set to slow sync ( SLOW ), pictures may be blurred. Use of a tripod is recommended in these circumstances. At shutter speeds of below 1/ 4 sec., the shutter speed indicator in the monitor will turn yellow. Pictures taken when this indicator appears may be blurred or slightly mottled. At shutter speeds of below 1/ 4 sec., noise may also appear in the dark part of the frame. This noise in the form randomly spaced bright-colored pixels can be reduced with the Noise Reduction setting. Note that the flash will turn off (

) automatically when:

Autofocus is set to " " (Infinity)
(landscape), (sunset), (night landscape), (museum), (fireworks show) or (close up) is selected in scene mode or the mode dial is set to (movie).
BSS is on or a setting other than Single is selected for CONTINUOUS in mode
You use lens converter (LENS) settings
The AE Lock option in the Exposure Options sub-menu is on.

Making Movies

Making short movies
In

(movie) mode, the COOLPIX4300 can record silent movies up to forty seconds in length at a rate of about fifteen frames per second.

Set the mode dial to (movie).
- The exposure count display will show the length of the movie that can be recorded.
- The movie mode icon appears in the bottom left corner of the monitor.
Press to start recording.
Press again to end recording.
- Recording will end automatically forty seconds after recording starts or if no more memory is available on the memory card.
- The movie will be stored as a QuickTime movie file with a file name ending in ". MOV".

Notes on Movie mode

Digital zoom is not available.
Movies can not be recorded unless the monitor is on.
The flash turns off automatically.

For more information on Playing see: Playing pictures back

Exposure Compensation

The

Button

Alter the exposure from the value set by the camera to make pictures bright or darker.

Exposure compensation can be set to values between -2.0 EV (underexposure) and +2.0 EV (overexposure) in increments of 1/3 EV. Press

on the Multi selector while holding the

button.

Press to increase exposure value, to decrease exposure value while holding the button.
Confirm exposure value in monitor. Effects of compensation are visible in monitor; adjust until desired result is achieved.

icon is displayed in monitor.

By default, the camera "remembers" the exposure-compensation value restoring it the next time the mode dial is set to

. If desired, exposure compensation can be set to return to ±0.0 EV when the mode dial is turned to a new setting or the camera is turned off.

Keep or Delete: Picture Review

After each shot, the picture you have just taken will be displayed briefly in the monitor until being recorded to the memory card. The following operations can be performed while the picture is displayed:

To	Press	Description
Delete picture		A confirmation dialog will be displayed. Press multi selector to highlight option, press to select. Select No to save picture and return to shooting mode Select Yes to delete picture
Pause display		Display will be paused for twenty seconds and pause icon ( ) will change to REC. During this time, you can press button to record picture and return to shooting mode, or press button to delete photo as described above. Picture will be recorded automatically if no operations are performed for ten seconds.

Sensitivity (ISO Equivalency)

Adjusting Sensitivity

In

mode, the camera sets sensitivity automatically in response to lighting conditions. When the mode dial is set to

, you can choose a fixed value for sensitivity from four possible settings.

Setting	Description
AUTO (default)	Equivalent to setting of 100 under normal conditions; when lighting is poor, however, camera automatically raises sensitivity to compensate. ISO icon appears in monitor only when sensitivity raised above 100.
100	Approximately equivalent to ISO rating of 100.
200	Approximately equivalent to ISO rating of 200.
400	Approximately equivalent to ISO rating of 400.

Sensitivity is set by pressing the zoom button while holding down the

button.

Sensitivity can also be set using the "ISO" item in the

shooting menus.

A slight amount of mottling (noise) may appear in pictures taken at settings other than 100.
Changes to sensitivity have no effect in or SCENE operating modes.

Manual Focus

mode, manual focus can be used in place of autofocus for situations in which you are unable to achieve the desired results using autofocus.

Press the zoom button while holding down the button.
- Manual focus display shows approximate focus distance from lens between (4cm/ 1.6 in.) at widest angle) and infinity.
Using this display as your guide, continue to press the zoom button until your subject is in focus.
- The focus distance available depend on the focus mode setting. Note that the focus distances of 4-30cm (1.6-12 in.) are only available at (macro close-up) and (macro close-up + self-timer) at widest angle.

Unless Off is selected for Focus Options: Focus Confirmation, focus confirmation will turn on automatically when manual focus is in effect, and objects that are in focus will be outlined sharply in the monitor.
Manual focus can be canceled by pressing the button.

Notes on Manual Focus

When using the self-timer, be sure that the self-timer is selected before selecting a focus distance. Changing the focus mode after setting the focus distance will cancel manual focus.
Use autofocus when an optional converter lens is attached. In manual focus mode, the actual focus distance will differ from that shown in the monitor.
When manual focus is set to the end of the manual focus indicator, the camera may be unable to focus at some zoom positions. If the camera is unable to focus at the current zoom position, the manual focus display in the monitor will turn red. Zoom the camera in or out until the manual focus display no longer appears in red.