Nikon D7200 For Dummies
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When you capture a photo using the JPEG Image Quality Setting, the Nikon D7200 applies different color, sharpness, and contrast adjustments depending on the Picture Control setting. If none of the prefab Picture Controls suits your needs, you can modify them by following these steps:

  1. Set the Mode dial to P, S, A, or M.

    These are the only exposure modes that enable you to modify a Picture Control setting.

  2. Open the Photo Shooting menu and choose Set Picture Control.

  3. Select the Picture Control, such as Vivid, you want to modify.

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  4. Press the Multi Selector right to access the available adjustments.

    What characteristics you can modify depends on the Picture Control. The figure here shows options available for the Vivid Picture Control.

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  5. Modify the settings as you see fit.

    Use the Multi Selector to highlight an option and then adjust the setting by rotating the Sub-command dial or pressing the Multi Selector right or left. To set the option to Automatic (the camera chooses the right level of adjustment), press the Zoom In button.

    A few pointers:

    • Some Picture Controls offer the Quick Adjust setting, which increases or decreases the overall effect of the Picture Control. A positive value produces a more exaggerated effect; set the slider to 0 for no adjustment.

    • The Monochrome Picture Control offers a Filter Effects setting, which varies the way colors are rendered in black and white, and a Toning option, which adds a tint to your photo. For details, highlight either option and hold down the WB (Question Mark) button to display a help screen. (Press the Mutli Selector up and down to scroll the page.)

    • Reset all options to their defaults by pressing the Delete button.

  6. Press OK to finalize your changes.

    An asterisk appears next to the edited Picture Control on the menu and in the camera displays to remind you that you have adjusted the settings.

To create a new Picture Control, choose Manage Picture Controls from the Photo Shooting menu. You can then choose an existing control, adjust it, and store it under a custom name.

Note that Picture Controls also affect movies. By default, the camera uses the same Picture Control currently selected in the Photo Shooting menu. To go in a different direction, open the Movie Shooting menu and select a setting other than Same As Photo Settings. You can choose from the full list of Picture Controls, modify a Picture Control, and store a custom control from that same menu.

Consider these steps as just a starting point for playing with Picture Controls. Serious Picture Control enthusiasts should also investigate the Picture Control Utility, a separate software tool you can download from the Support section of the Nikon website.

You can find additional Picture Control details in the camera manual.

About This Article

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About the book author:

Julie Adair King's history as a digital photography author dates back to 1997 with the publication of the first edition of Digital Photography For Dummies. Since then she has authored over 50 books on digital photography, cameras, and photo editing and design software. She also teaches workshops at various locations including the Palm Beach Photographic Centre.

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