D600 / my settings / some questions… and yours?

Coming from a D7000 the D600 has been for me a huge improvement, everything works better and the PQ is outstanding, but still I have some settings that I’d like to resolve.

I shoot always RAW with the following settings so far and I invite other D600 users to help with theirs to keep improving.

I omitted several settings as they are related to specific or personal preferences but please feel free to add, modify and comment whatever you consider relevant.

SHOOTING MENU

White Balance: Auto 1

Picture Control: Neutral with Sharpening +6 (all others at 0)

Auto Distortion: ON Color Space: sRGB >> (I’m not sure about this one)

Active D-Lighting: Normal (although I use Bridge + Photoshop CS6 most of the time).

High ISO NR: NORMAL

Normal ISO Sensitivity Settings: ON with Maximum at 1600 and Minimum Shutter to Auto.

CUSTOM SETTING MENU

a1 and a2: Release

a3 Focus tracking: Normal >> (I’m not sure about this one)

a5 Focus wrap-around: OFF

a6 Number of focus points: AF39 >> (I’m not sure about this one)

a7 Built-in AF-assist illuminator: ON

b1 ISO Sensitivity step value: 1/3

b2 EV steps for exposure cntrl: 1/3

b3 Easy exposure compensation: OFF >> (some people here likes this ON)

b4 Center-weighted area: Avg >> (I’m not sure about this one)

b5 Fine-Tune optimal exposure: -1/6 on Matrix Metering and Center-weighted metering

c1 Shutter-release button AE-L: OFF

d3 ISO display and adjustment: Show ISO/Easy ISO

d5 CL mode shooting speed: 3

f1 OK button: RESET

f2 Assign button: Viewfinder Virtual horizon

f3 Assign Preview button: AE lock (hold)

f4 Assign AE-L/AF-L button: AF ON f6 Release button to use dial: OFF

SETUP MENU:

Clean Image Sensor: at startup/shutdown

My undecided settings are those related to Focus Exposure; very often when shooting during sunny days, my camera overexposes and I modify settings several times before getting balance exposure, and I wonder if this happens because I shouldn’t use Auto-ISO or other settings that I have as default.

I just learnt that it works better for me to use AFS +S for Focus in most situations, and I’m not sure yet about birds in flight and other moving situations.

Regards, Ed.