Image Recording Options (Image Area, Quality, and Size)

Adjusting Image Area Settings

Image area settings can be displayed by selecting [Image area] in the photo shooting menu.

Choose Image Area

Choose the image area. The following options are available:

Option		Description
c	[FX(36×24)]	Record pictures in FX format with an angle of view equivalent to a 35 mm format camera. Use this option when taking photographs with NIKKOR lenses for 35 mm format cameras.
6	[1.2×(30×20)]	Reduces the angle of view of the lens mounted on the camera to that of a lens with a focal length approximately 1.2 times longer.
a	[DX(24×16)]	Pictures are recorded in DX format. To calculate the approximate focal length of the lens in 35 mm format, multiply by 1.5.
b	[5:4(30×24)]	Pictures are recorded with an aspect ratio of 5:4.
m	[1:1(24×24)]	Pictures are recorded with an aspect ratio of 1:1.
Z	[16:9(36×20)]	Pictures are recorded with an aspect ratio of 16:9.

1	FX (36×24)
2	1.2× (30×20)
3	DX (24×16)
4	5:4 (30×24)

5	1:1 (24×24)
6	16:9 (36×20)
7	DX format image circle
8	35 mm format image circle

Auto DX Crop

Choose whether the camera automatically selects the [DX (24×16)] (DX format) image area when a DX lens is attached.

Option	Description
[On]	The camera automatically selects the [DX (24×16)] (DX format) image area when a DX lens is attached.
[Off]	Automatic image-area selection disabled.

Cropping

DX lenses are designed for use with DX format cameras and have a smaller angle of view than lenses for 35 mm format cameras. If [Off] is selected for [Auto DX crop] and an option other than [DX (24 × 16)] (DX format) is selected for [Choose image area] when a DX lens is attached, the edges of the image may be eclipsed. This is referred to as “cropping”. Cropping may not be apparent in the viewfinder, but when the images are played back you may notice a drop in resolution or that the edges of the picture are blacked out.

The Viewfinder Display

The viewfinder displays for image area options other than [FX (36×24)] are shown below. The area outside the current crop is shown in gray.

1.2× (30×20)

DX (24×16)

5:4 (30×24)

1:1 (24×24)

16:9 (36×20)

Choosing the Image Area via Buttons and Command Dials

If [Choose image area] has been assigned to a button using Custom Setting f3 [Custom controls], the image area can be selected by pressing the button and rotating a command dial.

The selected crop is displayed in the viewfinder.
The option currently selected for image area can be displayed in the top control panel and viewfinder by pressing the button to which [Choose image area] is assigned.
Camera controls assigned [Choose image area] cannot be used for image area selection when a DX lens is attached and [On] is selected for [Auto DX crop].

Image area	Display
[FX (36×24)]
[1.2× (30×20)]
[DX (24×16)]
[5:4 (30×24)]
[1:1 (24×24)]
[16:9 (36×20)]

Image Size

Image size varies with the option selected for [Image area].

Adjusting Image Quality

Choose the image quality option used when photographs are recorded.

Option	Description
[NEF (RAW) + JPEG finec]	Record two copies of each photo: an NEF (RAW) image and a JPEG copy. For the JPEG copy, you can choose from options prioritizing image quality or file size. Choose options with a star (“c”) to maximize image quality. Choose options without a star (“c”) to ensure that the JPEG copies all have more or less the same file size. Only the JPEG copy is displayed during playback. If only one memory card was inserted in the camera when the photos were recorded, the NEF (RAW) copies can only be viewed using a computer. If the photo was recorded with only one memory card inserted or with [Overflow] or [Backup] selected for [Role played by card in Slot 2] and two memory cards inserted, deleting the JPEG copy on the camera will also delete the NEF (RAW) image.
[NEF (RAW) + JPEG fine]
[NEF (RAW) + JPEG normalc]
[NEF (RAW) + JPEG normal]
[NEF (RAW) + JPEG basicc]
[NEF (RAW) + JPEG basic]
[NEF (RAW)]	Record photos in NEF (RAW) format.
[JPEG finec]	Record photos in JPEG format. ”Fine” produces higher quality pictures than ”normal” and ”normal” higher quality pictures than “basic”. Choose options with a star (“c”) to maximize image quality. Choose options without a star (“c”) to ensure that the JPEG copies all have more or less the same file size.
[JPEG fine]
[JPEG normalc]
[JPEG normal]
[JPEG basicc]
[JPEG basic]

NEF (RAW)

NEF (RAW) files have the extension “*.nef”.
The process of converting NEF (RAW) pictures to other highly-portable formats such as JPEG is referred to as “NEF (RAW) processing”. During this process, Picture Controls and settings such as exposure compensation and white balance can be freely adjusted.
The RAW data themselves are unaffected by NEF (RAW) processing and their quality will remain intact even if the pictures are processed multiple times at different settings.
NEF (RAW) processing can be performed in-camera using the [NEF (RAW) processing] item in the retouch menu or on a computer using Nikon’s NX Studio software. NX Studio is available free-of-charge from the Nikon Download Center.

Choosing an Image Quality Option

To choose an image quality option during viewfinder photography, hold the T button and rotate the main command dial. The selected option is displayed in the rear control panel.

The Photo Shooting Menu [Image Quality] Option

Image quality can also be adjusted using the [Image quality] item in the photo shooting menu. Use the [Image quality] item in the photo shooting menu to adjust image quality during live view.

“NEF (RAW) + JPEG”

The camera displays only the JPEG copies of photos recorded at image quality settings of “NEF (RAW) + JPEG”. If only one memory card was inserted in the camera when the photos were recorded, the NEF (RAW) copies can only be viewed using a computer.
In the case of photos recorded with only one memory card inserted, deleting the JPEG copies on the camera also deletes the NEF (RAW) images.
If [RAW Slot 1 - JPEG Slot 2] is selected for [Role played by card in Slot 2], the NEF (RAW) copies will be recorded to the card in Slot 1 and the JPEG copies to the card in Slot 2 ( Using Two Memory Cards ).

Choosing an Image Size

Choose a size for new JPEG pictures. The size for JPEG pictures can be selected from [Large], [Medium], and [Small]. The number of pixels in the image varies with the option selected for image area ( Adjusting Image Area Settings ).

Image area	Image size
[FX (36×24)]	Large (5568 × 3712 pixels)
	Medium (4176 × 2784 pixels)
	Small (2784 × 1856 pixels)
[1.2× (30×20)]	Large (4640 × 3088 pixels)
	Medium (3472 × 2312 pixels)
	Small (2320 × 1544 pixels)
[DX (24×16)]	Large (3648 × 2432 pixels)
	Medium (2736 × 1824 pixels)
	Small (1824 × 1216 pixels)
[5:4 (30×24)]	Large (4640 × 3712 pixels)
	Medium (3472 × 2784 pixels)
	Small (2320 × 1856 pixels)
[1:1 (24×24)]	Large (3712 × 3712 pixels)
	Medium (2784 × 2784 pixels)
	Small (1856 × 1856 pixels)
[16:9 (36×20)]	Large (5568 × 3128 pixels)
	Medium (4176 × 2344 pixels)
	Small (2784 × 1560 pixels)

Print Size

Print size in inches equals image size in pixels divided by printer resolution in dots per inch (dpi; 1 inch = 2.54 cm).

Choosing an Image Size

To choose a size for JPEG images during viewfinder photography, hold the T button and rotate the sub-command dial. The selected option is displayed in the rear control panel.

To choose a size for NEF (RAW) images, use the [Image size] > [NEF (RAW)] option in the photo shooting menu.

The Photo Shooting Menu [Image Size] Option

Image size can also be adjusted using the [Image size] > [JPEG] and [NEF (RAW)] options in the photo shooting menu.
Selecting a size of [Medium] or [Small] for NEF (RAW) pictures fixes the [NEF (RAW) recording] > [NEF (RAW) compression] and [NEF (RAW) bit depth] options in the photo shooting menu at [Lossless compressed] and [12-bit], respectively.