Nikon D700 Review: Digital Photography Review

Menus (contd.)

The camera's custom settings are split into six alphabetical color coded categories, this makes it easier to remember a specific option and quicker to enter the custom settings menu at the correct position. You can still scroll through all custom settings options as one big menu if you wish. Note that on this menu an asterisk (*) next to a custom setting means that it has been changed to something other than the camera default. A green superscript one (¹) indicates the default setting.

The D700 is certainly one of the most customizable cameras we've held in our hands so far, even a tad more customizable than the D3. You now have the option to assign the 'Top item in MyMenus' to the FUNC, AE-L or Preview buttons, which effectively means that you can assign virtually any item that appears in the D700's menus to a hard button. This should certainly satisfy even the most exotic customization requirements.

Custom Settings Menu (a: Autofocus)


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
a1 AF-C priority selection	• Release ¹ • Release + focus • Focus	Defines if camera must have focus lock before shutter release.
a2 AF-S priority selection	• Release • Focus ¹	Defines if focus lock is required before shutter release.
a3 Dynamic AF area	• 9 points ¹ • 21 points • 51 points • 51 points (3D-tracking)
a4 Focus tracking with lock-on	• Long • Normal ¹ • Short • Off	Controls how focusing is affected by subject distance changing and how quickly the system should react.
a5 AF activation	• Shutter / AF-ON ¹ • AF-ON Only
a6 AF point illumination	• Auto ¹ • On • Off
a7 Focus point wrap-around	• Wrap • No wrap ¹
a8 AF point selection	• 51 points ¹ • 11 points
a9 Built-in AF-assist illuminator	• On ¹ • Off
a10 AF-ON for MB-D10	• AF-ON ¹ • AE/AF-L lock • AE lock only • AE lock (reset on rel.) • AE lock (hold) • AF lock only • Same as FUNC. button	Customize the function of the AF-ON button on the vertical grip.

Custom Settings Menu (b: Metering / exposure)


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
b1 ISO sensitivity step value	• 1/3 step ¹ • 1/2 step • 1 step	Set the steps used for selection of ISO sensitivity.
b2 EV steps for exposure ctl.	• 1/3 step ¹ • 1/2 step • 1 step
b3 Exp comp/fine tune	• 1/3 step ¹ • 1/2 step • 1 step
b4 Easy exposure compens.	• On (Auto reset) • On • Off ¹	Enables 'Easy Exposure Compensation' which can be accessed by turning a dial.
b5 Center weight area	• 8 mm • 12 mm ¹ • 15 mm • 20 mm • Average
b6 Fine tune optimal exposure	• Yes Matrix metering Center-weighted Spot metering • No ¹	Allows you to fine tune metered exposure values in the range of -1.0 EV to +1.0 EV in 1/6 EV steps.

Custom Settings Menu (c: Timers / AE Lock)


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
c1 Shutter-release butt. AE-L	• On • Off ¹	Define lock AE during shutter release half-press.
c2 Auto meter-off delay	• 4 s • 6 s ¹ • 8 s • 16 s • 30 s • 1 min • 5 min • 10 min • 30 min • No Limit
c3 Self-timer delay	• 2 s • 5 s • 10 s ¹ • 20 s
c4 Monitor off delay	• Playback 4 s 10 s 20 s ¹ 1 m 5 m 10 m • Menus 4 s 10 s 20 s 1 m 5 m ¹ 10 m • Shooting info display 4 s 10 s ¹ 20 s 1 m 5 m 10 m • Image review 4 s ¹ 10 s 20 s 1 m 5 m 10 m

Custom Settings Menu (d: Shooting / display)


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
d1 Beep	• High ¹ • Low • Off
d2 Viewfinder grid display	• On • Off ¹
d3 Screen tips	• On ¹ • Off	Activates help comments in the quick settings display
d4 CL mode shooting speed	• 7 fps • 6 fps • 5 fps • 4 fps • 3 fps ¹ • 2 fps • 1 fps	Define shooting speed for the Continuous L drive mode.
d5 Max continuous release	• 1 - 100	Maximum shots in a burst.
d6 File Number Sequence	• On ¹ • Off • Reset
d7 Shooting info display	• Auto ¹ • Manual Dark on light Light on dark	Defines if shooting info display should automatically change color in dark
d8 LCD illumination	• On • Off ¹	When on any button will light the control panel.
d9 Exposure delay mode	• On • Off ¹	Shutter release is delayed 1.0 sec to avoid vibration.
d10 MB-D10 battery type	• LR6 (AA alkaline) • HR6 (AA Ni-MH) • FR6 (AA lithium) • ZR6 (AA Ni-Mn)
d10 Battery order	• Use MB-D10 batteries first • Use camera battery first

Custom Settings Menu (e: Bracketing / flash)


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
e1 Flash sync speed	• 1/320 (Auto FP) • 1/250 (Auto FP) • 1/250 ¹ • 1/200 • 1/160 • 1/125 • 1/100 • 1/80 • 1/60
e2 Flash shutter speed	• 1/60 s ¹ • 1/30 s • 1/15 s • 1/8 s • 1/4 s • 1/2 s • 1 s • 2 s • 4 s • 8 s • 15 s • 30 s	Slowest flash shutter speed.
e3 Flash cntrl for built-in flash	• TTL • Manual Full 1/1.3 1/1.7 1/2 1/2.5 1/3.2 1/4 1/5 1/6.4 1/8 1/10 1/13 1/16 1/20 1/25 1/32 1/40 1/50 1/64 1/80 1/100 1/128 • Repeating flash Output Times Frequency • Commander Mode Mode Comp. Channel	Set the mode for the built-in flash. Commander mode lets you choose a flash mode and flash compensation for the internal flash and flash groups A and B.
e4 Modeling flash	• On ¹ • Off	DOF preview button.
e5 Auto bracketing set	• AE & Flash ¹ • AE only • Flash only • WB bracketing
e6 Auto bracketing (Mode M)	• Flash / Speed ¹ • Flash / Speed / Apt. • Flash / Aperture • Flash Only
e7 Bracketing order	• Meter > Under > Over ¹ • Under > Meter > Over

Custom Settings Menu (f: Controls)


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
f1 LCD light switch	• LCD backlight • Both	LCD light switch can either only activate LCD illumination or LCD illumination and shooting information on the rear display.
f2 Multi selector center button	• Shooting mode Select cent. focus pt ¹ HL active focus point Not Used • Playback mode Thumbnail On/Off ¹ View histograms Zoom On/Off Choose folder	Multi selector center button function.
f3 Multi selector	• Reset meter-off delay • Do nothing ¹
f4 Photo info / playback	• Info <>, PB ^v • Info ^v, PB <> ¹	Multi selector role in single image playback.
f5 Assign FUNC button	• FUNC button press Preview FV Lock AE/AF lock AE lock only AE lock (reset on rel.) AE lock (hold) AF lock only Flash off Bracketing burst Matrix metering Center-weighted mtr. Spot metering Top item in My Menu Live view + NEF (RAW) None ¹ • FUNC button + dials Choose image area Shutter spd & apt lock 1 step spd / aperture Choose non-CPU lens Auto bracketing ¹ Dynamic AF area None	Define the function of the FUNC button (front of the camera below the DOF preview button), both a single press and a hold with dial turn.
f6 Assign preview button	• Preview button press Preview ¹ FV Lock AE/AF lock AE lock only AE lock (reset on rel.) AE lock (hold) AF lock only Flash off Bracketing burst Matrix metering Center-weighted mtr. Spot metering Top item in My Menu Live view + NEF (RAW) None ¹ • FUNC button + dials Choose image area Shutter spd & apt lock 1 step spd / aperture Choose non-CPU lens Auto bracketing ¹ Dynamic AF area None	Define the function of the preview button (front of the camera above the FUNC button), both a single press and a hold with dial turn.
f7 Assign AE-L/AF-L button	• AE-L/AF-L button press Preview FV Lock AE/AF lock ¹ AE lock only AE lock (reset on rel.) AE lock (hold) AF lock only AF-ON Flash off Bracketing burst Matrix metering Center-weighted mtr. Spot metering Virtual horizon None • AE-L/AF-L button + dials Choose image area Choose non-CPU lens None ¹
f8 Shutter spd & aperture lock	Shutter speed lock On Off ¹ Aperture lock On Off ¹
f9 Customize command dials	• Reverse rotation Yes No ¹ • Change main/sub On Off ¹ • Aperture setting Sub-command dial ¹ Aperture ring • Menus and playback On Off ¹
f10 Release button to use dial	• Yes • No ¹
f11 No memory card?	• Release locked • Enable release ¹
f12 Reverse indicators	• + ---- 0 ---- - ¹ • - ---- 0 ---- +