2. D6 Online Manual
  3. Other Shooting Options
  4. Combining Multiple Exposures in a Single Photo (Multiple Exposure)

Combining Multiple Exposures in a Single Photo (Multiple Exposure)

Use the [Multiple exposure] item in the photo shooting menu to record two to ten NEF (RAW) exposures as a single photograph.

Multiple Exposure Options

Option

Description

[Multiple exposure mode]

  • [On (series)]: Take a series of multiple exposures. To end multiple exposure photography, select [Multiple exposure mode] again and choose [Off].

  • [On (single photo)]: Create one multiple exposure.

  • [Off]: End multiple exposure photography.

[Number of shots]

Choose the number of exposures that will be combined to form a single photograph.

[Overlay mode]

  • [Add]: The exposures are overlaid without modification; gain is not adjusted.

  • [Average]: Gain is adjusted before the exposures are overlaid.

    • The gain for each exposure is equal to 1 divided by the total number of exposures taken. For example, in a photo made by combining two exposures, the gain for each exposure will be set to 1/2, while in a photo combining three exposures, gain will be set to 1/3.

  • [Lighten]: The camera compares the pixels in each exposure and uses only the brightest.

  • [Darken]: The camera compares the pixels in each exposure and uses only the darkest.

[Save individual images (NEF)]

  • [On]: Save both the multiple exposure and the shots that make it up; the latter are saved in NEF (RAW) format.

  • [Off]: Discard the individual shots and save only the multiple exposure.

[Overlay shooting]

  • [On]: Earlier exposures are superimposed on the view through the lens during live view photography. The earlier exposures aid composition of the next shot.

  • [Off]: Earlier exposures are not displayed while shooting is in progress.

[Select first exposure (NEF)]

Choose the first exposure from the NEF (RAW) images on the memory card.

Creating a Multiple Exposure

  1. Highlight [Multiple exposure] in the photo shooting menu and press 2.
  2. Choose an option for [Multiple exposure mode].

    • Highlight [Multiple exposure mode] and press 2.

    • Highlight a multiple exposure mode using 1 or 3 and press J.

    • A n icon is displayed in the top control panel when [On (series)] or [On (single photo)] is selected.

  3. Choose a value for [Number of shots] (number of exposures).

    • Highlight [Number of shots] and press 2.

    • Choose the number of exposures using 1 or 3 and press J.

  4. Choose an option for [Overlay mode].

    • Highlight [Overlay mode] and press 2.

    • Highlight an option using 1 or 3 and press J.

  5. Choose a setting for [Save individual images (NEF)].

    • Highlight [Save individual images (NEF)] and press 2.

    • Highlight an option using 1 or 3 and press J.

    • To save both the multiple exposure and the shots that make it up, select [On]; the individual shots are saved in NEF (RAW) format. To save only the multiple exposure, select [Off].

  6. Choose an option for [Overlay shooting].

    • Highlight [Overlay shooting] and press 2.

    • Highlight an option using 1 or 3 and press J.

    • Select [On] to superimpose earlier exposures on the view through the lens in live view.

  7. Choose an option for [Select first exposure (NEF)].

    • To choose the first exposure from existing NEF (RAW) photos, highlight [Select first exposure (NEF)] and press 2.

    • Use the multi selector to highlight the desired picture.

    • To view the highlighted picture full frame, press and hold the X button.

    • To view pictures in other locations, press W (M) and choose the desired card and folder in the [Choose slot and folder] dialog.

    • After highlighting the desired picture, press J.

    • If an NEF (RAW) image taken at an ISO sensitivity of Hi 0.3 to Hi 5 is selected as the first exposure, the electronic shutter will not be used to record the remaining shots even if [Enable] is selected for Custom Setting d6 [Electronic front-curtain shutter].

  8. Start shooting.

    • The n icon will flash.

    • Take the selected number of shots. If you used [Select first exposure (NEF)] to select an existing NEF (RAW) image as the first exposure in Step 7, shooting will start from the second exposure.

    • The number of exposures remaining in the current multiple exposure can be displayed by pressing the shutter-release button halfway between shots.

    • Once you have taken the selected number of shots, the pictures will be overlaid to create a multiple exposure. Multiple exposures are recorded in JPEG format regardless of the option selected for image quality.

    • If [On (single photo)] is selected, the camera will exit multiple exposure mode and the n icon will clear from the display once the number of shots selected in Step 3 has been taken and the multiple exposure has been recorded.

    • If [On (series)] is selected for [Multiple exposure mode], you can continue to take additional multiple exposures until [Off] is selected.

Multiple Exposure

  • Voice memos can be recorded once shooting is complete. You cannot record voice memos while shooting is in progress.

  • If you use the monitor for menu navigation or playback while shooting a multiple exposure, remember that shooting will end and the multiple exposure will be recorded if no operations are performed for about 30 seconds after the monitor has turned off. The time available to record the next exposure can be extended by choosing longer times for Custom Setting c2 [Standby timer].

  • Multiple exposures may be affected by “noise” in the form of randomly-spaced bright pixels, fog, or lines.

  • In

    Cl
    and
    Ch
    modes and during silent burst photography in mode Q, the camera will take pictures while the shutter-release button is pressed and record a multiple exposure once the selected number shots has been taken. If [On (single photo)] is selected for multiple exposure mode, multiple exposure mode will end once a multiple exposure has been recorded. If [On (series)] is selected, the camera will continue to record multiple exposures while the shutter-release button is pressed.

  • In self-timer mode ( Using the Self-Timer (E) ), the interval between each shot in the exposure is selected using Custom Setting c3 [Self-timer] > [Interval between shots]. Regardless of the value selected for the c3 [Number of shots] option, shooting will however end after the number of shots selected for the multiple exposure.

  • Shooting settings and photo info for multiple exposure photographs are those for the first exposure.

  • Do not remove or replace the memory card while a multiple exposure is in progress.

  • Memory cards cannot be formatted while a multiple exposure is in progress. Some menu items will be grayed out and unavailable.

Adjusting Multiple Exposure Settings

When [Multiple exposure] is selected for Custom Setting f3 [Custom controls] > [BKT button], [Multiple exposure mode] (Step 2) and [Number of shots] (Step 3) can be selected using the BKT button and command dials.

  • Hold the BKT button and rotate the main command dial to choose from the following multiple exposure modes: a ([Off]), 1 ([On (single photo)]), and b ([On (series)]).

  • You can choose the number of shots by holding the BKT button and rotating the sub-command dial until the desired value is displayed in the top control panel.

Multiple Exposure: Restrictions

Multiple exposure cannot be combined with some camera features, including:

  • Movie recording

  • Bracketing

  • HDR (high dynamic range)

  • Interval-timer photography

  • Time-lapse movies

  • Focus shift

Using the i Button

Pictures can be viewed by pressing the K button while a multiple exposure is in progress. The most recent shot in the current multiple exposure is indicated by a n icon; pressing the i button when this icon is present displays the multiple exposure i menu.

  • Highlight items and press J to select.

  • You can also have the option of using touch controls after pressing the i button.

Option

Description

[View progress]

View a preview created from the exposures recorded to the current point.

[Retake last exposure]

Retake the most recent exposure.

[Save and exit]

Create a multiple exposure from the exposures taken to current point.

[Discard and exit]

Exit without recording a multiple exposure.

  • If [On] is selected for [Save individual images (NEF)], the individual exposures will be saved separately.

Ending Multiple Exposures

To end a multiple exposure before the specified number of exposures have been taken, select [Off] for multiple exposure mode. A multiple exposure will be created from the exposures that have been recorded to that point (if [Average] is selected for [Overlay mode], gain will be adjusted to reflect the number of exposures actually recorded).

The multiple exposure will also end if:

  • a two-button reset is performed,

  • the camera is turned off,

  • the battery is exhausted, or

  • you press the K button followed by the i button and select either [Save and exit] or [Discard and exit]