12 Live View Photography

Palouse Country © 2016 Michael R Goodman (mrginhop)

Live view photography mode in the Nikon D500 is a mature still-imaging system that’s easy to use and full featured. It allows you to take your eye away from the camera and use the Monitor on the back as your viewfinder.

If you need to shoot with your camera at arm’s length, such as in a crowd while taking pictures over the top of people’s heads, the big 3.2-inch (8.13 cm) tilting Monitor makes it easy to see your subject. If you need to take pictures that require you to bend over, such as when shooting closeups (macros) of plants or insects, the Live view mode will save your back a lot of pain.

The contrast-detection autofocus used by Live view photography mode detects contrast at the pixel level, providing literally microscopic focus accuracy. Additionally, you can move the focus square to any point on the Monitor that will give you the most accurate autofocus.

Live view is divided into two parts in the Nikon D500: Live view photography mode and Movie Live view mode. In this chapter, we will examine Live view photography mode, which is used exclusively for shooting still images. You cannot shoot video in Live view photography mode; the Movie-record button will not respond.

In the next chapter, we’ll investigate Movie live view mode for special format (16:9) still images and broadcast-quality videos.

Live View Mode

To enter Live view photography mode you’ll flip the Live view selector lever to its top position (figure 12.1A, image 1) and press the Lv button. To exit Live view photography mode, simply press the Lv button again. Figure 12.1A, image 2, shows the Live view screen you’ll see first. Normally, this screen would show the subject you are about to photograph, but I left the lens cap on to provide maximum contrast for all the controls we will discuss.

Figure 12.1A – Entering and exiting Live view mode

Opening Notes on Using Live View Photography Mode

As discussed in the previous chapter, Live view photography mode uses contrast-detection autofocus, which is activated by the Shutter-release or AF-ON button if you are using Single-servo AF (AF-S) mode, or automatically if you selected Full-time servo AF (AF-F) mode.

You can move the red focus square to any location on the screen to select off-center subjects. When you have good focus, the red square turns green. You are not limited to the 153-point AF area as you are when you’re looking through the Viewfinder.

Screen Blackout During Exposure

The screen doesn’t black out while autofocus is active because the camera focuses by detecting contrast changes on the imaging sensor. When you fire the shutter, the Monitor will black out briefly while the picture is taken. The blackout is necessary to allow the camera to fire the shutter, which blocks light to the imaging sensor briefly. The reflex mirror does not drop when you are taking a picture in Live view photography mode; therefore, the blackout period is brief.

Extreme Focusing Accuracy

Use Live view photography mode when you need extreme autofocus accuracy. Contrast-detection AF is slower than phase-detection AF but very accurate. You can zoom in to pixel-peeping levels with the Playback zoom in button (second button below MENU) before starting autofocus. This is great for macro shooting because you can select specific sections of the subject for accurate focusing (figure 12.1B).

Figure 12.1B – Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) captured in Great Smoky Mountains National Park with a mid-70s AI Nikkor 200mm f/4 on a bellows for macro, from about six feet (two meters) away.

Taking Pictures in Live View Photography Mode

Hold the Shutter-release button down all the way and wait a moment for the camera to take the picture. It’s usually slower than taking a picture with the Viewfinder because auto-focus takes more time. When you take a picture in Live view photography mode, it appears on the Monitor. To return to Live view photography to take more pictures, just press the Shutter-release button halfway down.

According to Nikon, one important consideration in Live view photography mode is to close the Eyepiece shutter when using Live view. Very bright external light coming in the eyepiece of the Viewfinder may influence the exposure detrimentally.

However, I experimented with this by shining an extremely bright LED flashlight directly into the Viewfinder eyepiece while I was metering the subject with Live view and saw a minor change in exposure. I then switched to standard Viewfinder-based photography mode and found that shining the flashlight in the Viewfinder eyepiece had a large effect on exposure.

You may want to test this for yourself and see if your D500 reacts to light through the Viewfinder during Live view photography. Or, you can play it safe and close the Eyepiece shutter.

Settings Recommendation: You can use Live view photography mode on or off your tripod. I normally use Live view for macro images (figure 12.1B), for which I especially need the extra accuracy and focus positioning capability. It can be used in almost any situation where standard Viewfinder-based photography will work.

One exception is action shooting. Live view photography is not as good for many types of action shots because the autofocus method is slower and the shutter lag seems longer. If you are prefocused in Live view, you might capture some action, but I wouldn’t try it for action shots that require rapid autofocus.

Live view photography mode is for when you have the time and inclination to stand back from your camera and take excellent photos in a more contemplative manner. To my way of thinking, it is like using a small view camera instead of an HD-SLR. If you’ve not been in the habit of using Live view, I would suggest you give it a try. The D500 makes it a lot easier and more effective to use.

Live View Photography Mode Screens

There are five screens available in Live view photography mode. You move between these screens by pressing the info button repeatedly.

Note: One of the screens will not be visible unless you have selected Exposure preview mode with the OK button. We will discuss how when examining screen 4.

Live View Photography: Screen 1

Figure 12.1C shows numerous symbols that allow you to see how various features are configured. I have numbered the symbols and provided an explanation of each one.

Figure 12.1C – Live view photography – main screen

1. 1. Shooting mode: Selected by holding down the MODE button on top of the camera while turning the rear Main command dial. The available selections you will see on the Monitor are Programmed auto (P), Shutter-priority auto (S), Aperture-priority auto (A), and Manual (M).
2. 2. Autofocus mode: Set with AF-mode button and rear Main command dial. Available settings are AF-S and AF-F.
3. 3. AF-area mode: Set with AF-mode button and front Sub-command dial. Available settings are Face-priority AF, Wide-area AF, Normal-area AF, and Subject-tracking AF (uses graphical symbols).
4. 4. Active D-Lighting: Controlled by Photo Shooting Menu > Active D-Lighting, with settings Low to Extra High and Auto or Off (L = Low, N = Normal, H = High, H* = Extra high, A = Auto, Off).
5. 5. Picture Control: Controlled by Photo Shooting Menu > Set Picture Control. You can also control this setting by pressing the Protect/Help/Picture Control button and selecting a Picture Control from the Monitor with the Multi selector pad. See the upcoming subsection Selecting a Picture Control in Live View for more detail.
6. 6. White balance: Set the camera’s White balance by holding down the WB button and rotating the rear Main command dial. Select from nine white balance settings: Auto (A), Incandescent, Fluorescent, Direct sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, Choose color temp., and Preset manual (uses graphical symbols).
7. 7. Image area: Controlled by the Photo Shooting Menu > Choose Image area setting. You can select any of the available image areas, including: DX (24×16) and 1.3x (18×12). The Monitor will display an image cropped to the various sizes selected in Image area.
8. 8. Image size: Controlled by Photo Shooting Menu > Image size, with settings of Large (L), Medium (M), and Small (S) for JPEG images and Large (RAW L), Medium (RAW M), and Small (RAW S) for NEF (RAW) images. You can also hold down the QUAL button on top of the camera and rotate the front Sub-command dial to select this value. This setting is combined as a single line item with the Image quality setting (#9). The position occupied by the L (Large) on the left is for the NEF (RAW) image (RAW L), and the L (Large) on the right is for the FINE JPEG image (F L).
9. 9. Image quality: Controlled by Photo Shooting Menu > Image quality, with settings of NEF (RAW) + JPEG, NEF (RAW) + JPEG, NEF (RAW), JPEG, JPEG, and TIFF (RGB). You can also hold down the QUAL button on top of the camera and rotate the rear Main command dial to select this value. This setting is combined as a single line item with the Image size setting (#8). The abbreviations you’ll see on the Monitor for these settings are FINE, FINE, NORM, NORM, BASIC, BASIC, RAW, and TIFF. My camera is using RAW L + FL (i.e., NEF (RAW) Large + JPEG FINELarge).

1. 10. AF point (focus): Can be moved around the screen with the Multi selector pad or Sub-selector joystick to select the subject for autofocus. This focus rectangle will vary in size and color according to the AF-area mode selected (#3) and whether the subject is in focus.
2. 11. Frame count (remaining pictures): Approximately how many more pictures can be taken and stored on the currently selected memory card.
3. 12. ISO sensitivity: Controlled by Photo Shooting Menu > ISO sensitivity settings, with choices of ISO values from Lo 1 (ISO 50) to Hi 5 (ISO 1,638,400). The “normal” ISO range for the D500 is ISO 100 to 51200. You can also control this value by holding down the ISO button and turning the rear Main command dial. The ISO values will change on the Monitor.
4. 13. ISO mode: Controlled by Photo Shooting Menu > ISO sensitivity settings. You can also control this value by holding down the ISO button and turning the front Sub-command dial to select from ISO or ISO AUTO on the Monitor. ISO lets you control the ISO sensitivity, while ISO AUTO lets the camera control the ISO sensitivity.
5. 14. Exposure compensation: This symbol will appear only when +/− exposure compensation has been dialed into the camera. Adjust this value with the +/− Exposure compensation button to the right of the ISO button.
6. 15. Aperture: Set by turning the front Sub-command dial, with aperture minimum and maximums that vary according to the mounted lens. Manual change is available only in Aperture-priority auto (A) and Manual (M) modes. The Camera controls this value in Shutter-priority auto (S) and Programmed auto (P) modes.
7. 16. Shutter speed: Set with the rear Main command dial, with settings from 30 seconds to 1/8000 second (8000). Manual change is available only in Shutter-priority auto (S) and Manual (M) modes. The Camera controls this value in Aperture-priority auto (A) and Programmed auto (P) modes.
8. 17. Metering mode: Set by holding down the Metering button and turning the rear Main command dial, with the following choices: Matrix, Highlight-weighted, Spot, and Center-weighted.
9. 18. Battery low symbol: This symbol appears only when the battery is very low. If you see this symbol in red, please change your battery before shooting many more shots.
10. 19. Center of Frame Dot: This small dot appears when the AF point square is directly in the middle of the frame. It will be red when out of focus and green when in focus, following the color of the surrounding AF point. Unless it is reassigned to a different function, pressing the Multi selector center button will immediately move the focus point to the center position.
11. 20. Tap shooting symbol: Touch this symbol to enable or disable Touch shutter/AF or Touch AF. Touch shutter/AF allows you to touch your subject on the camera’s Monitor to initiate and lock autofocus and to fire the shutter (take a picture). Touch AF lets you touch the Monitor to autofocus, but not to fire the shutter.

Note: As a reminder, you must press the info button repeatedly to scroll through all five of the Live view photography overlay screens. We have considered the main (default) Lv screen. Now, let’s consider the other four.

Live View Photography: Screen 2

Figure 12.1D shows a much cleaner screen with an almost blank area at the top and a single line of information along the bottom, which matches descriptions #11 through #17 in figure 12.1C. This is for users who prefer an uncluttered screen while shooting still pictures.

Figure 12.1D – Live view photography mode – clean screen

Live View Photography: Screen 3

Figure 12.1E shows a screen that is similar to screen 2 except that gridlines are added. Use these gridlines to level your subject, as is necessary when photographing things like a horizon in scenic photography, or buildings, doors, and walls in architectural photography.

Figure 12.1E – Live view photography mode – gridline screen

Live View Photography: Screen 4

Figure 12.1F shows a live histogram and Exposure preview screen that you will not see unless you have pressed the OK button and turned on the Exposure preview indicator before you start scrolling through the overlay screens with the info button.

Figure 12.1F – Live view photography mode – Exposure preview screen (histogram)

When you press the OK button, a small exposure indicator will appear on the right side of the Monitor (figure 12.1F, red arrow), allowing you to manually adjust exposure compensation with the Exposure compensation button until the exposure looks good to you on the Monitor.

Once you have enabled the Exposure preview, the +/− indicator will stay on the right side of each screen in the entire series of overlay screens. In order to see and use the live histogram, the Exposure preview must be active. Otherwise, the camera will skip the Histogram screen shown in figure 12.1F and go directly to the Virtual horizon screen (next section).

The little black rectangle with the white bell-curve graph between the red AF point and the Exposure compensation indicator is a live histogram. It will show you the proper exposure in a visual way. Having a live histogram is a powerful tool in Live view photography. Use it for very accurate live exposures. For more information on using a histogram see the chapter titled Metering, Exposure Modes, and Histogram (page 508).

How to Use the Exposure Preview

To adjust the exposure, hold down the Exposure compensation button and turn the rear Main command dial. You will see the small exposure indicator displaying your exposure compensation changes, up to three (3.0) stops plus or minus. You can actually adjust exposure up to five (5.0) stops +/− but the little indicator shows only an arrow point when you have exceeded three stops in either direction.

Note: Exposure in Live view may differ from exposure in Viewfinder-based photography. The exposures in Live view are automatically adjusted to better work with the Live view display. What you see in the Live view display will closely match the final exposure.

Live View Photography: Screen 5

The final screen, shown in figure 12.1G, displays a Virtual horizon that allows you to level the camera in a dual-axis horizontal and vertical direction. If you are an aviation pilot, you’ll feel right at home with this new tool because it resembles the artificial horizon used to keep an airplane’s wings and nose level.

Figure 12.1G – Live view photography mode – Virtual horizon screen

Selecting a Picture Control in Live View

Picture Controls are easy to change in Live view photography mode. Interestingly, you can see their effects on the subject actually displayed on the Monitor as you select each Picture Control. You can see some samples applied to my Lego blocks image in figure 12.1H.

Figure 12.1H – Samples of Vivid, Flat, and Monochrome Picture Controls

To choose a Picture Control in Live view photography mode, you can press the MENU button and select Photo Shooting Menu > Set Picture Control while a Live view session is active, or you can use external camera controls as described in the following steps. (See the Set Picture Control subheading [page 129] in the chapter titled Shooting Menu for more detail on how picture controls work.) Your Picture Control choices are as follows:

• Standard (SD)
• Neutral (NL)
• Vivid (VI)
• Monochrome (MC)
• Portrait (PT)
• Landscape (LS)
• Flat (FL)

The camera displays a special screen when you press the Protect/Help/Picture Control button, as seen in figure 12.1I, image 2.

Figure 12.1I – Selecting a Picture Control while in Live view photography mode

Use these steps to select a Picture Control while in a Live view photography session:

1. 1. With the camera already in Live view photography mode, press the Protect/Help/Picture Control button (figure 12.1I, image 1, red arrow). The button has a key symbol.
2. 2. The Picture Control screen will appear while the camera is still in Live view photography mode (figure 12.1I, image 2). The current Picture Control in use will be highlighted in yellow. Select a different Picture Control by scrolling up or down with the Multi selector pad and highlighting one of the others; then press the Multi selector center button (or OK button). Notice on your camera’s Monitor how the sharpness, clarity, contrast, brightness, saturation, and hue of the subject being viewed changes when you select different Picture Controls.
3. 3. The camera will switch back to the Live view photography screen with the new Picture Control now providing services. It will be listed at the top of the screen (figure 12.1I, image 3, red arrow).

Note: Any Picture Control you select while using Live view photography mode will still be selected when you exit Live view.

Using the i Button Menu in Live View Photography Mode

Pressing the i button while in Live view photography mode gives you access to six convenient control functions:

• Image area: Use this function to change the size and shape of the pictures you take in Live view photography mode. This is the same as the Photo Shooting Menu > Image area function, and includes the following Image areas: DX and 1.3x.
• Active D-Lighting: Use this function to enable various levels of increased image dynamic range (contrast reduction) with shadow and highlight detail enhancement (D-Lighting). Your choices are: Off, Low (L), Normal (N), High (H), Extra high (H*), and Auto (A). This is the same as the Photo Shooting Menu > Active D-Lighting function.
• Electronic front-curtain shutter: Using MUP Release mode while in Live view photography mode allows you to disable the camera’s mechanical front shutter curtain and use the electronic version instead for less vibration and sharper images.
• Monitor brightness: When you are using Live view, there are times when bright ambient light may interfere with your ability to see details on the Monitor. At other times, when shooting in dark areas, the brightness of the Monitor could be blinding. You may want to use this function to change the backlight intensity of the Monitor from quite bright to very dim.
• Photo live view display WB: Use this setting to apply a separate White balance (WB) to the Live view monitor only, not the images captured by the camera. In other words, this function only applies to the preview image shown on the Monitor. It does not affect the image the camera captures, which is governed instead by the Photo Shooting Menu > White balance setting. Your choices are: None (– –), which uses the camera’s assigned WB on the monitor, Auto, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Direct sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, Choose color temp (K), and Preset manual (PRE). You cannot modify adjustable WB values with this function (i.e., Auto, Fluorescent, K, or PRE); it is for selection only. If you want to use a particular WB value for the Monitor, you can make an adjustment to the Photo Shooting Menu > White Balance setting and it will then show up in the i button WB menu.
• Split-screen display zoom: Use this function to split the view on the Monitor into two parts: left and right. You can then view two separate areas of the subject to check focus or image alignment. You can also zoom in all the way to pixel-peeping levels. By switching back and forth between the two sides of the split screen, you can scroll to separate parts of the subject for viewing details.

Let’s discuss each of these functions in detail.

Image Area

This convenient function allows you to choose one of the four Image area selections found in the Shooting Menu > Image area setting. You can select from the following values: DX (24×16) and 1.3x (18×12).

Figure 12.1J – Setting the Image area

Use the following steps to choose one of the Image area settings:

1. 1. With Live view photography mode active, press the i button and the Live view photography menu will open, or press the i button again to cancel.
2. 2. Choose the first item on the menu and Choose image area will be displayed on the top right of the screen (figure 12.1J, image 1). Scroll to the right.
3. 3. The Image area menu on the right side of the screen will allow you to select the Image area you want to use for this Live view session (figure 12.1J, image 2). Scroll up or down with the Multi selector pad and choose one of the two Image area values (DX or 1.3x).
4. 4. Press the OK button or Multi selector center button to lock in the Image area.

When you choose an Image area value, you will see the rear Monitor adjust to the new image area. It will immediately reflect the new image size and shape.

Note: The Image area you select while in Live view will remain the same when you close Live view and go back to shooting with the Viewfinder.

Active D-Lighting

This function provides an easy way to change the Active D-Lighting value (for extending the dynamic range of your images) while using Live view photography mode.

For more information on how Active D-Lighting works, please see the Active D-Lighting subheading in the chapter titled Photo Shooting Menu (page 150). Your Active D-Lighting choices are as follows:

• Auto (A)
• Extra high (H*)
• High (H)
• Normal (N)
• Low (L)
• Off

Figure 12.1K – Configuring Active D-Lighting

Use the following steps to select one of the Active D-Lighting settings:

1. 1. With Live view photography mode active, press the i button to open the Live view photography menu, or press the i button again to cancel.
2. 2. Choose the second item on the menu and Active D-Lighting will be displayed on the top right of the screen (figure 12.1K, image 1). Scroll to the right.
3. 3. Select one of the five Active D-Lighting values or Off (figure 12.1K, image 2).
4. 4. Press the OK button or Multi selector center button to lock in the value.

Note: Whatever Active D-Lighting value you select while in Live view photography mode will still be active for Viewfinder shooting when you close Live view.

Electronic Front-Curtain Shutter

The Electronic front-curtain shutter (EFCS) is available only when the MUP setting on the Release mode dial is engaged. You can use MUP mode while in Live view photography mode. This function is the same as the Custom Setting Menu > d Shooting/display > d6 Electronic front-curtain shutter function.

The EFCS allows the camera to disable the first curtain of the camera’s two-curtain mechanical shutter (it has front and rear curtains). With the mechanical front curtain disabled, all the camera must do to start the exposure is turn on the sensor for the time specified by the Shutter-speed setting and then stop the exposure by closing the mechanical rear curtain.

By not using any mechanical parts until the very end of the exposure (the mirror is already raised in MUP mode), camera vibration is seriously reduced, leading to sharper pictures.

Figure 12.1L – Using the Electronic front-curtain shutter

Use the following steps to enable or disable the EFCS:

1. 1. With Live view photography mode active, and with the Release mode dial set to MUP mode, press the i button and the Live view photography menu will open, or press the i button again to cancel.
2. 2. Choose the third item on the menu and Electronic front-curtain shutter will be displayed on the top right of the screen (figure 12.1L, image 1). Scroll to the right.
3. 3. Select On or Off to enable or disable the EFCS (figure 12.1L, image 2).
4. 4. Press the OK button or Multi selector center button to lock in the value.

Settings Recommendation: If you enable the EFCS in Live view photography mode, it will remain enabled for the next time you use either the Viewfinder’s MUP mode or switch back to Live view photography mode. There is no harm in leaving the EFCS enabled since it will not be used unless you set the camera’s Release mode to MUP.

Monitor Brightness

You can change the brightness of the Monitor while you are in Live view photography mode. These changes do nothing to the pictures you are taking. If you are shooting in a very bright or dark area, you may need to quickly adjust the Monitor brightness. You can do that with this function.

In figure 12.1M, screens 2–4 show examples of the medium, high, and low screen brightness settings. The difference in brightness between the low and high settings is striking.

Figure 12.1M – Changing the Monitor brightness

Use the following steps to adjust the Monitor’s brightness level:

1. 1. With Live view photography mode active, press the i button to open the Live view photography menu, or press the i button again to cancel.
2. 2. Choose the fourth item on the menu and Monitor brightness will be displayed on the top right of the screen (figure 12.1M, image 1). Scroll to the right.
3. 3. You have 11 steps of Monitor brightness available (−5 to +5). Use the Multi selector pad to move the tiny yellow pointer up toward high (+5) or down to low (−5), as shown by the red arrows in figure 12.1M, screens 2–4. The default is the medium (0) setting shown in image 2. Screens 3 and 4 show the large range of Monitor brightness adjustment you can make.
4. 4. Press the OK button or Multi selector center button to lock in the value.

Note: Changing the Monitor’s brightness in Live view photography mode does not affect the Monitor brightness after leaving Live view, such as when viewing pictures on the Monitor, adjusting menu items, and viewing the Information display or Quick Menu.

This setting also does not affect how bright the Monitor appears when you are using Movie live view mode to record videos (see the next chapter). Movie live view mode also allows you to adjust Monitor brightness in a similar way.

If you cannot select Monitor brightness on your camera, you have Exposure preview enabled. If you enable the Exposure preview indicator, as discussed at the beginning of this main chapter section, the Monitor brightness setting becomes grayed out and unavailable. Exposure preview is enabled and disabled by pressing the OK button just after entering Live view photography mode. You can tell when Exposure preview is enabled because an Exposure preview indicator will appear on the right side of the Monitor. You can use this indicator to see how much +/− Exposure compensation you have dialed into the camera (+/− 5.0 EV steps).

Photo Live View Display WB

While taking pictures in Live view photography mode, you may have reason for the Monitor to display a different White balance (Hue) than the actual image the camera will take, which is governed by the Photo Shooting Menu > White balance function. Use the Photo Live View Display WB function to select a White balance (WB) value for the monitor only.

Why use this function? You might be shooting outdoors in NEF (RAW) mode, knowing that RAW mode does not write WB information into the actual image. It only stores it within the image metadata. RAW allows you to change the WB of the image after the fact.

You would like to preview what the image will look like if Direct sunlight WB (5200K) is selected. You could leave the camera set to Auto WB and then shoot your RAW images with the Monitor set to Direct sunlight. All images taken will display on the Monitor as if you were shooting with Direct sunlight WB, when in fact the camera is using Auto WB. Later, when you view the RAW image on your computer monitor, you can modify the RAW file to use whatever WB you would like and then save it as JPEG or TIFF.

There may be other reasons to have the Monitor display a certain WB color and capture the image with a different one, such as having one light source to frame the image (Incandescent) and another to actually take the picture (Flash). If so, you have the means to separate the image and Monitor’s WB values.

However, be careful when shooting JPEG or TIFF files while using this function because the true camera WB information is written directly into the image file and cannot be easily changed later. It would be a shame to have the Monitor WB set to display in Fluorescent (4200 K) and the camera WB set to capture images using Cloudy (6000 K), not realizing that you were actually creating much warmer JPEG images than the camera’s Monitor was showing you.

Figure 12.1N – Adjusting the White balance (WB)

Use the following steps to set the Monitor’s White balance to a different value than the camera is using to capture images:

1. 1. With Live view photography mode active, press the i button to open the Live view photography menu, or press the i button again to cancel.
2. 2. Choose the fifth item on the menu and Photo live view display WB will become visible on the top right of the screen (figure 12.1N, image 1). Scroll to the right.
3. 3. Select one of the nine WB values to change the hue of the monitor (figure 12.1N, image 2). Select None (– –) if you want the camera and Monitor to use the same WB value.
4. 4. Press the OK button or Multi selector center button to lock in the value.

Note: Using this function does not affect Viewfinder mode screens or Movie live view. However, the camera will remember your Monitor WB setting for when you return to Live view photography mode.

Split-Screen Display Zoom

This function allows you to view two separate areas of the subject in two side-by-side frames. You could use this function to align your subject, such as a building, with the horizon. Or, you could simply use it to zoom in and check the focus on two separate areas of the subject. Let’s see how it works.

Figure 12.10 – Using the split screen

Use the following steps to split the Monitor into two side-by-side sections:

1. 1. With Live view photography mode active, press the i button to open the Live view photography menu, or press the i button again to cancel.
2. 2. Choose the sixth item on the menu and Split-screen display zoom will be displayed on the top right of the screen (figure 12.10, image 1). Scroll to the right.
3. 3. There are several things you should take note of in figure 12.10, screens 2 and 3 (red arrows). First, notice that you can use the Protect/Help/Picture Control button (key symbol) to switch between the two sides of the split screen. You will see a small cross on the screen that has the focus (image 2, left arrow; image 3, right arrow). That cross is the target that you can use to focus and select the area of the subject you want. Next, notice that on the screen without the target, there is a small black horizontal rectangle with smaller yellow vertical rectangles (image 2, right arrow; image 3, left arrow). The size of the small yellow vertical rectangle shows the amount of zoom, as discussed in the next step.

Figure 12.1P – Using the split-screen zoom-in feature

1. 4. The small yellow rectangle in figure 12.1P, image 1, is full size and shows that the camera is not zoomed in on the subject. Image 2 shows the same subject, but zoomed all the way in. Notice how the yellow rectangle in is reduced in size to a mere yellow dot in image 2, signifying that the camera is zoomed in. As you zoom in with the Playback zoom in button, or zoom out with the Thumbnail/Playback zoom out button, you will see the subject and the yellow vertical rectangle change sizes to reflect whether you are zooming in or out. You can zoom in or out in four steps. Next let’s examine how you can scroll left or right in each side-by-side window.

Figure 12.1Q – Scrolling one side while zoomed in

1. 5. In figure 12.1Q, you’ll notice several things. First, the split screen on the left is selected in all three screens. Notice that the small vertical yellow boxes are very tiny, indicating that the camera is zoomed in on the subject. Now look at the position of the arrow in each of the three screens. Each arrow is pointing at the small yellow rectangle that represents the left side of the split screen. In image 1, you can just see the right edge of the Copper Top battery on the left of the screen. If you scroll to the left with the Multi selector pad you’ll see that the camera is scrolling across the face of the battery (image 2). Notice how the yellow rectangle in image 2 (red arrow) has moved toward the left edge of the black box, indicating the relative position of the zoomed image. In image 3, you can see the left edge of the battery and that the yellow rectangle is all the way to the left. This shows that you have scrolled as far left as possible.
2. 6. Use the previous six steps to position the split screens on various parts of your subject to align them or check focus. Use the Protect/Help/Picture Control button (key symbol) to switch between the two sides of the split screen, and then scroll around. Zoom in or out with the Playback zoom in and Thumbnail/Playback zoom out buttons. The zoom function affects both sides of the split screen; you cannot zoom each side separately. When you have the subject focused and positioned the way you want, take your picture.

Closing Notes on Live View Photography Mode

Movie Live View Still Images

An important fact to note is that when you first place your camera in Movie live view mode, before you press the Movie-record button, it can take 17.4 megapixel still pictures in a 16:9 format (5568 × 3128 pixels). The Movie live view still image size matches most HD devices, so if you are shooting stills for display on HD devices closely matching the 16:9 format, use Movie live view to take some pictures.

Nearly all the information we have considered in this chapter applies to Movie live view still images, too. Just flip the Live view selector switch to the bottom position, press the Lv button, and start taking excellent 17.4 MP still images for HD devices (e.g., tablets, HDTVs, and newer computer monitors). We will consider more about Movie live view in the next chapter.

Using Autofocus in Live View

Nikon strongly recommends using an AF-S lens when you are shooting in Live view modes. According to Nikon, “The desired results may not be achieved with other lenses or teleconverters.”

You may see darkening or brightening in the Monitor as autofocus takes place, and autofocus will be slower than it is with Viewfinder-based photography. From time to time, the focus indicator square may remain green (instead of red) when the camera is not actually in focus. Simply refocus when that occurs.

There are several issues that may cause the camera to have difficulty focusing in Live view, as follows (according to Nikon):

• The subject contains lines parallel to the long edge of the frame.
• The subject lacks contrast.
• The subject under the focus point contains areas of sharply contrasting brightness or includes spotlights, a neon sign, or another light source that changes in brightness.
• There is flickering or banding under fluorescent, mercury-vapor, sodium-vapor, or similar lighting.
• A cross-screen (star) filter or other special filter is used.
• The subject appears smaller than the focus point.
• The subject is dominated by regular geometric patterns (e.g., window blinds or a row of windows in a skyscraper).
• The subject is moving.

There are several issues that may cause focus tracking to fail in Live view mode:

• The subject is moving too fast.
• Another object gets between the camera and the subject, obscuring it.
• The subject changes visibly in size.
• The subject’s color changes.
• The subject gets brighter or dimmer.
• The subject gets too small, too close, or too light or dark.
• The subject is the same color as the background.

Live View Camera Protection System

If conditions may harm the camera when you are using Live view, such as using Live view for extended periods on a hot day, causing the camera to overheat, the D500 will protect itself by automatically shutting down Live view. A countdown will show on the Monitor 30 seconds before the Live view system shuts down. If conditions warrant, the countdown timer may appear immediately upon entering or reentering Live view. This countdown allows your expensive camera to protect its internal circuits from overheating and causing damage.

Author’s Conclusion

Live view photography mode in the D500 is a mature and very usable way to shoot still images. Using the Monitor is not just for point-and-shoot photographers any more. There are several good reasons for using the Live view system, such as extreme focusing accuracy when shooting macro images and when composing the image on the Monitor gives you a better feel for the subject than the Viewfinder.

The next step in learning about the Nikon D500 is to examine Movie live view mode. This mode can be used for special HD-format still images, but it’s primarily designed for shooting excellent, broadcast-quality HD movies. Let’s examine the powerful video subsystem in your D500 and see how it works.