How to Format the ISO on a Nikon D40

ISO settings affect your photography in a big way. If you have never used a film camera and had to choose your film speed, or ISO, the various settings may be a bit of a mystery to you. Digital cameras like the Nikon D40 have carried on with "film speed" settings to provide a greater range of customization for your photography; they have merely digitized the process. ISO on a Nikon D40 is an exposure setting, similar to shutter speed: lower ISOs like 50 or 100 are slow speeds, and therefore take in less light than higher speeds like 1600 or 3200.You can vary these speeds depending on what you are shooting, for example, slow speeds are great for stationary images like buildings, portraits, or still life. They produce a very fine image with a lot of detail. Higher, or faster, speeds are best for action shots, or low light shots where a tripod or flash is not being used. Faster speeds help prevent blurring, but they can also result in increased graininess in your image.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Nikon D40 Digital SLR Camera

Manual Setting

1. Determine the appropriate ISO setting for your photography shoot. Lower speeds are best for photographing static objects, or shooting with plenty of available light. Higher speeds are good for action shots and low light. Typically, shooting outdoors on a sunny day will require an ISO of 200 or 400. If your subject is moving a bit, 800 may also be appropriate. Shooting at night or photographing a sporting event may require 1600 or 3200 speed ISO settings. Try out different settings, working out what you like best.

2. Set your Nikon D40 shooting mode to P, S, A, or M (Programmed Auto, Shutter-Priority, Aperture-Priority, or Manual). When in Auto or Digital Vari-Program modes, the camera will automatically set the ISO for you, depending on available light, so you will not be able to manually set your ISO is these modes. If you would like to use Auto ISO in all modes, go to Section 2, try the Auto ISO on Your Nikon D40

3. Press the "Info" button, located just behind the shutter button. This will display shooting information on the LCD screen, such as shutter speed, aperture and ISO setting.

4. Press the "i" setting button, located to the left of the LCD screen on the bottom. The ISO setting on the display should be highlighted. It will be on the right side of the screen. If it is not highlighted, use your Multi-Selector arrow keys to highlight it.If it is grayed out and thus you cannot highlight it, you are in the wrong mode. Check your mode selector dial to ensure you are in P, S, A, or M modes.

5. Press "OK" on your Multi-Selector button. This will lead you to an ISO menu.

6. Use your Multi-Selector arrow keys to choose your ISO setting. You may set it to 200, 400, 800, 1600, or H1. H1 is equivalent to a 3200 ISO setting on your Nikon D40.

7. Press "OK" on the Multi-Selector button. You have now set your ISO film speed. Check the shooting display to ensure the proper ISO setting was selected, and shoot away.

8. To change the ISO speed again, repeat Steps 1 to 7. To return your ISO setting back to auto, change the shooting mode to Auto, or to a Digital Vari-Program such as Landscape or Portrait.

Auto ISO

9. Choose a shooting mode. If you choose Auto or one of the Digital Vari-Program modes (Landscape, Portrait, Child, Sports, Close up, or Night Portrait), the ISO setting is always automatic. If you choose P, S, A, or M (Programmed Auto, Shutter-Priority, Aperture-Priority, or Manual) modes, you will need to change your custom setting.

10. Press the "Menu" button, located to the left of the LCD screen, second button down. This will lead you to the Menu screen on your LCD.

11. Press the left arrow on your Multi-Selector key to highlight the icons on the left side of the screen. Press the up or down arrows until the pencil icon is highlighted. Press "OK". This will take you to the Custom Settings menu.

12. Press the right arrow on your Multi-Selector key to highlight the menu items in the middle of the screen. Press the up or down arrows until "10 ISO auto" is highlighted. Press "OK". This will take you to the ISO Auto settings. If you do not see the "10 ISO auto" option on the Custom Settings Menu, skip to Section 3: CSM/Setup Menu Options, then repeat Section 2: Using the Auto ISO on Your Nikon D40.

13. Press the up or down arrows to choose your preferred setting:Off: ISO must be manually set (see Section 1)On: ISO will automatically be adjustedMax Sensitivity: ISO can be limited to a certain rangeMin Shutter Speed: When in P or A mode, this allows the camera to automatically adjust the ISO only when the light at your set shutter speed is insufficientOnce you have chosen your setting, press "OK".

CSM/Setup Menu Options

14. Press the "Menu" button, located to the left of the LCD screen, second button down. This will lead you to the Menu screen on your LCD.

15. Use the arrow keys to highlight "CSM/Setup Menu." Press "OK." This will lead you to the CSM/Setup Menu.

16. Use the arrow keys to highlight "Full". Press "OK". This will allow all available custom settings to be displayed in your user menus.

17. Return to Section 2: Using the Auto ISO on your Nikon D40 to set the ISO auto custom settings.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with different ISO settings on your Nikon D40 in different shooting situations. Become familiar with the effects on your photographs—eventually, you will be able to intuitively determine the correct ISO setting for any situation.

Resources

• Nikon D40 User Manual
• Nikon D40 User's Guide

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