Displays

Record review & play displays

By default the Nikon D3000 provides a four second review display immediately after the shot is taken, which can be extended up to ten minutes in the Setup menu. Unlike some cameras, this instant review image can be zoomed in and out and also deleted, if required, and the display mode changed, to show shooting data and/or histograms, as shown below.

Display modes

There are six display modes available in image playback, which collectively offer a comprehensive amount of information - certainly impressive considering the level at which the D3000 is aimed. By default, only the plain screen and luminance histogram - the first two screens shown in this selection - are made available, but shooting data, separate RGB histograms and a highlight slipping display screen can be activated individually in the playback menu.

1: Large image + status line (shutter speed, aperture, date info, filename, file type and size)	2: small image + file info, key shooting data and luminance histogram
3: Large image + detailed shooting data, color settings and parameters (overlaid)	4: Large image + detailed shooting data, lens and flash settings (overlaid)
1: Large image showing highlight clipping + status line (shutter speed, aperture, date info, filename, file type and size)	2: Large image + WB setting (including fine-tuning bias) and luminance and RGB histograms

Play magnification

The Nikon D3000 has eight levels of magnification, (although in common with most digital cameras, at the most extreme magnification the image is visibly pixilated). Zooming is performed using the two zoom buttons to the left of the LCD screen, which in normal shooting double as the help and info buttons.

Play thumbnail index

The D3000 offers four thumbnail display screens, the final one, shown here at bottom right, being a calendar view that groups images according to the date on which they were taken. Caution is called for here though, because pressing the delete button in this mode deletes all of the images taken on whichever day is highlighted.

Help screens

As a camera aimed squarely at DSLR novices coming from compacts or even camera phones, the D3000 has to be as user-friendly as possible, without compromising on functionality. One of the ways that Nikon has approached this goal in the D3000 is by including a comprehensive database of help screens. when a menu option or setting is highlighted on the LCD screen, the ? button to the left of the LCD screen brings up a page of text, explaining the purpose of the particular setting.