Nikon D3100 Review: Digital Photography Review

Menus (cont.)

Setup menu

There are very few changes here compared to the D3100 - just a couple of additional languages, and the ability to configure the camera's HDMI output.

A green superscript one (¹) indicates the default setting. Asterisk (*) indicates new or changed from the D3100.


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
Reset Setup Options	• Yes • No	Returns all setup options to default settings
Format memory card	• Yes • No
LCD brightness*	• LCD brightness -3 to +3	'Auto Dim' no longer available
Info display format	• Classic Blue Black Orange • Graphic Green Black Brown
Auto Info Display	• On • Off
Clean image sensor	• Clean now • Clean startup/shutdown Startup Shutdown Startup & Shutdown ¹ Off
Mirror lock-up	• Start	Locks mirror up for the sole purpose of manually cleaning the sensor
Video Mode	• NTSC • PAL ¹
HDMI*	• Output Resolution Auto ¹ 480p (progressive) 576p (progressive) 720p (progressive) 1080i (interlaced) • Device Control Off ¹ On
Flicker reduction	• 50 Hz • 60 Hz
Time zone and date	• Time zone Select • Date and time Date set Time set • Date format yy/mm/dd mm/dd/yy dd/mm/yy • Daylight saving time Off On
Language	• Czech* • Danish • German • English • Spanish • French • Indonesian* • Italian • Dutch • Norwegian • Polish • Portuguese • Russian • Finnish • Swedish • Turkish* • Chinese Traditional • Chinese Simplified • Japanese • Korean
Image comment	• Done • Input comment Text entry • Attach comment	When enabled the comment is written into the header of each image.
Auto image rotation	• On ¹ • Off
Dust Off ref photo	• Start • Clean sensor and start	Used to capture a 'dust reference image' for the 'Dust Off' feature of Nikon Capture NX/2. (RAW only).
Auto Off Timers	• Short • Normal • Long • Custom Playback/Menus Image review Live View* Auto meter off	Sets the amount of time before a function or menu screen is deactivated after a period of inactivity, up to a maximum of 5 minutes (Live View), 10 minutes (Playback/Menus, Image Review) or 30 minutes (Auto meter-off)
Self-timer delay	• 2s • 10s ¹	The 5 and 20s options of the D3000 have been removed.
Beep	• On ¹ • Off
Rangefinder	• On • Off ¹
File number sequence	• On • Off ¹ • Reset
Buttons	• Self timer/Fn button Image quality/size ISO sensitivity ¹ White balance Active D-Lighting • AE-L/AF-L AE/AF lock¹ AE lock only AF lock only AE lock (hold) AF-ON • AE lock On Off ¹
Slot empty release lock	• Release locked • Enable release
Date imprint	• Off • Date • Date and time • Date counter	Imprints date information at the bottom right corner of captured images
Storage Folder	• Select folder • New • Rename • Delete	Selects the preferred folder for recording images or creates a new folder on the memory card
GPS	• Auto meter-off On ¹ Off • Position
Firmware Version	• Version No. A x.00 B x.00 L x.00	Information display only.

Retouch menu

The D3100 adds a few useful new features to what's already probably the most comprehensive in-camera processing suite available. You can now correct barrel or pincushion distortion (again for D- and G-type Nikon lenses only), rotate images which aren't quite straight, and apply perspective correction (most obviously to fix converging verticals when pointing a wide angle lens up or down).


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
D-Lighting	• Select image Normal Low High
Red-eye correction	• Select image	Corrects redeye automatically in portraits. Ignores images that do not contain faces
Trim	• Select image Zoom / Scroll Aspect ratio
Monochrome	• Black-and-white Select image • Sepia Select image Lighter/Darker • Cyanotype Select image Lighter/Darker	'Lighter/Darker' changes saturation of toning in Sepia and Cyanotype modes
Filter effects	• Skylight Select image • Warm filter Select image • Red intensifier Select image • Green intensifier Select image • Blue intensifier Select image • Cross screen Number of points Filter amount Filter angle Length of points • Soft Low Normal High
Color balance	• Select image Adjust color
Small picture	• Select image • Choose size 640x480 320x240 160x120
Image overlay	• Image 1 • Image 2 • Preview
NEF (RAW) processing	• Select image • Choose parameters Image quality Image size White Balance Exposure comp. Set Picture Control Execute
Quick retouch	• Select image • Select level Normal Low High	Automatically adjusts contrast and saturation
Straighten*	• Select image Adjust	+/- 5° rotation in 0.25° increments
Distortion Control*	• Auto • Manual
Color outline	• Select image
Perspective Control*	• Select image Adjust	Adjust horizontal and vertical perspective (+/-20 scale)
Miniature effect	• Select image Adjust
Edit movie	• Choose start point • Choose end point • Save selected frame

Recent settings/My menu

To help speed up the use of such long menus, the D3100 allows fast access to commonly-used menu options by grouping the twenty most recently used settings in the 'Recent Settings' menu. Because this menu is fluid, it is less versatile than a customizable 'My Menu'-type tab, of the sort found in Nikon's higher level DSLRs; the advantage is that it requires no user intervention.