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  2. D3500 Online Manual
  3. P, S, A, and M Modes
  4. Preserving Detail in Highlights and Shadows

Preserving Detail in Highlights and Shadows

Active D-Lighting

Active D-Lighting preserves details in highlights and shadows, creating photographs with natural contrast. Use for high contrast scenes, for example when photographing brightly lit outdoor scenery through a door or window or taking pictures of shaded subjects on a sunny day. Active D-Lighting is not recommended in mode M; in other modes, it is most effective when used with L (Matrix metering; 0 Metering).

Active D-Lighting: Off

Active D-Lighting: On

  1. Display Active D-Lighting options.

    Press the P button, then highlight Active D-Lighting in the information display and press J.

    P button

  2. Choose an option.

    Highlight On or Off and press J.

Active D-Lighting

With some subjects, you may notice uneven shading, shadows around bright objects, or halos around dark objects. Active D-Lighting is not available with movies.

“Active D-Lighting” Versus “D-Lighting”

Active D-Lighting adjusts exposure before shooting to optimize the dynamic range, while the D-Lighting option in the retouch menu (0 D-Lighting) brightens shadows in images after shooting.