Nikon Camera Coolpix P610 Reference Manual

							39
Shooting Features
When the camera detects a smiling face, you can take a picture automatically 
without pressing the shutter-release button.
•This function can be used when the shooting mode is  A (auto),  j, k , l , m  
or  M, or  Portrait  or Night portrait  scene mode.
1Press the multi selector J (n).
•Change any flash mode, exposure, or 
shooting menu settings before pressing  J.
2Select  a (smile timer), and press 
the  k button.
•If the setting is not applied by pressing the 
k  button within a few seconds, the 
selection will be canceled.
3Frame the picture and wait for the 
subject to smile without pressing 
the shutter-release button.
• Point the camera at a human face.
• If the camera detects that the face framed 
by the double border is smiling, the shutter 
is automatically released.
• Whenever the camera detects a smiling 
face, it automatically  releases the shutter.
4End automatic shooting.
•To end automatic shooting with smile timer, return to step 1 and select  OFF.
BNotes About Smile Timer
Under some shooting conditions, the camera  may be unable to detect faces or 
detect smiles ( E19). The shutter-release button can also be used for shooting.
CWhen the Self-timer Lamp Flashes
When using smile timer, the self-timer lamp flashes when the camera detects a face 
and flashes quickly immediately after the shutter is released.
Smile Timer (Shooting Smiling Faces 
Automatically)
Smile timer
25m 0s25m 0s25m 0s1/2501/250F5.6F5.6840840 
						

							40
Shooting Features
Set the focus mode according to the distance to the subject.
1Press the multi selector I (p ).
2Select the desired focus mode and 
press the  k button.
•If the setting is not applied by pressing the 
k  button within a few seconds, the 
selection will be canceled.
Focus Mode
Autofocus 
						

							41
Shooting Features
Available Focus Modes
BNotes About Shooting with the Flash
The flash may be unable to light the entire subject at distances of less than 50 cm 
(1 ft 8 in.).
CFocus Mode Setting
• The setting may not be available with some shooting modes ( E15).
• For shooting modes j , k , l  and  m, the setting is saved in the camera’s memory 
even after the camera is turned off.
AAutofocus
The camera automatically adjusts the fo cus according to the distance to the 
subject. Use when the distance from the subject to the lens is 50 cm (1 ft 8 
in.) or more, or 2.0 m (6 ft 7 in.)  or more at the maximum telephoto zoom 
position.
• The focus mode icon on  the shooting screen is displayed only 
immediately after the setting is made.
DMacro close-up
Set when taking close-up pictures.
When the zoom ratio is set to a position where  F and the zoom indicator 
is displayed in green, the camera  can focus on subjects as close as 
approximately 10 cm (4 in.) from the lens. When the zoom is at the position 
where  G is displayed, the camera can  focus on subjects as close as 
approximately 1 cm (0.4 in.) from the lens.
BInfinity
Use when shooting distant scenes thro ugh window glass or when shooting 
landscapes.
The camera automatically adju sts the focus near infinity.
• The camera may not be able to focus on nearby objects.
QInfinity
Use when shooting the sky and the fireworks show.
EManual focus
The focus can be adjusted on any subject at a distance from approximately 
1 cm (0.4 in.) to infinity (∞) from the lens ( A42). The closest distance at 
which the camera can focus varies  depending on the zoom position. 
						

							42
Shooting Features
Using Manual Focus
Available when the shooting mode is j, k , l , m  or  M, special effects mode, or 
Sports , Fireworks show , Bird-watching  or Time-lapse movie  (night sky, 
star trails) scene mode.
1Press the multi 
selector  I (p ), select 
E  (manual focus), 
and then press the  k 
button.
2Use the multi selector to adjust 
the focus while checking the 
enlarged view.
• An enlarged view of the center area of the 
image is displayed. Press  J to switch the 
view between 2× and 4×.
• Rotate the multi selector clockwise to focus 
on near subjects, or counterclockwise to 
focus on far subjects. The focus can be 
adjusted in higher detail by rotating the 
multi selector slowly  or rotating the 
command dial.
• When  K is pressed, the camera focuses on  the subject in the center of the 
frame with autofocus. The manual focus can be operated after the camera 
focuses with autofocus.
• Focusing is assisted by highlighting areas that are in focus in white (peaking) 
(A 43). Press  HI to adjust the peaking level. 
• Press the shutter-release button halfway to confirm the composition of the 
picture. Press the shutter-release button all the way to take the picture.
3Press the  k button.
•The set focus is locked.
• Press the shutter-release button all the way 
to take the picture.
• To readjust the focus, press the  k button to 
display the screen in step 2.
Manual focus
1/2501/250F5.6F5.6840840
0.30.3
×4×1
AF
Peaking level
1/2501/2501/250 F5.6F5.6F5.625m 0s25m 0s25m 0s840840 
						

							43
Shooting Features
CE (Manual Focus)
•The digits displayed for the gauge on the ri ght of the monitor in step 2 serve as a 
guideline for the distance to a subject that  is in focus when the gauge is near the 
center.
• The actual range at which the subject can be in focus varies depending on the 
aperture value and zoom posi tion. To see whether the subject is in focus, check the 
image after shooting.
• Set  Assign side zoom control in the setup menu ( A57) to Manual focus  to 
focus by using the side zoom control instead of the multi selector in step 2.
CPeaking
• The range of the contrast level consider ed to be in focus can be changed by 
adjusting the peaking level. It is effectiv e to set the level low for high contrast 
subjects, and high for low contrast subjects.
• Peaking highlights high contrast areas of the image in white. Depending on the 
shooting conditions, highlighting may not work properly or areas that are not in 
focus may be highlighted.
• You can disable the peaking display using  Peaking in the setup menu ( A57). 
						

							44
Shooting Features
You can adjust overall image brightness.
1Press the multi selector K (o ).
2Select a compensation value and 
press the  k button.
•To brighten the image, set a positive (+) 
value.
• To darken the image, set a negative (–) 
value.
• The compensation value is applied, even 
without pressing the  k button.
CExposure Compensation Value
•If the setting is applied in  j, k  or  l mode, it will remain saved in the camera’s 
memory even after the camera is turned off.
• When the shooting mode is  Fireworks show scene mode (E6) or  m (manual) 
( A 32), exposure compensation cannot be used.
• When the exposure compensation is set while using a flash, the compensation is 
applied to both the background ex posure and to the flash output.
CUsing the Histogram
A histogram is a graph showing the distributi on of tones in the image. Use as a guide 
when using exposure compensation  and shooting without the flash.
• The horizontal axis corresponds to pixel br ightness, with dark tones to the left and 
bright tones to the right. The vertic al axis shows the number of pixels.
• Increasing exposure compensa tion value shifts tone distribution to the right, and 
decreasing it shifts tone distribution to the left.
Exposure Compensation (Adjusting 
Brightness)
+2.0
-2.0-0.3
Exposure compensation
Histogram
Guide 
						

							45
Shooting Features
The following functions can be also set by pressing the w (function) button 
instead of displaying the corre sponding menu by pressing the  d (menu) 
button.
• This function can be used when the shooting mode is  j, k , l , m  or  M.
1Press the  w (function) button when the shooting screen 
is displayed.
• The  U Fn button  function menu or the setting items of the function 
(default setting is  Continuous) that was last assigned to the  w (function) 
button can be selected.
2Use the multi selector to select a 
menu item.
• To assign another function, select the  U 
Fn button  function menu and press the 
k  button. Then, select the desired 
function from the displayed menu.
3After you finish assigning the function, press the  k button 
or  w  button.
•The camera returns to the shooting screen.
Functions That Can Be Set with the Fn 
(Function) Button
Image quality ( A51) Continuous (A52)
Image size ( A51) ISO sensitivity (A52)
Picture Control ( A51) AF area mode (A52)
White balance ( A51) Vibration reduction (A57)
Metering ( A52)
Single
Apply selection 
						

							46
Shooting Features
Some functions cannot be used with other menu settings.
Functions That Cannot Be Used 
Simultaneously When Shooting
Restricted 
functionSettingDescription
Flash mode Focus mode 
(
A 40) When 
B (infinity) or  Q (infinity) is 
selected, the flash is not available.
Continuous 
( A 52) The flash is not available (except for 
Intvl 
timer shooting ).
Exposure 
bracketing 
( A 52) The flash is not available.
Self-timer/
Smile timer Focus mode 
(
A 40) When a setting other than 
A (autofocus) is 
selected, smile timer is set to  OFF.
AF area mode 
( A 52) When 
Subject tracking  is selected, the 
self-timer/smile timer is not available.
Focus mode Smile timer 
(
A 39) When smile timer is selected, the focus 
mode is fixed at A
 (autofocus).
AF area mode 
( A 52) When 
Subject tracking  is selected, E 
(manual focus) is not available.
Image quality Continuous 
(
A 52) When 
Pre-shooting cache is selected, 
Image quality  is fixed at Normal .
Image size Continuous 
(
A 52) Image size
 is set as follows depending on 
the continuous shooting setting:
• Pre-shooting cache:  A  (image size: 1280 × 960 pixels)
• Continuous H: 120 fps : 
f  (image size: 640 × 480 pixels)
• Continuous H: 60 fps : 
O  (image size: 1920 × 1080 pixels)
•Multi-shot 16 : 
D  (image size: 2560 × 1920 pixels)
Picture Control AF area mode 
(
A 52) Wh

en Subject tracking  is selected, 
Monochrome  cannot be set.
Active D-Lighting 
( A 52) When using 
Active D-Lighting , Contrast  
in manual adjustment cannot be adjusted.
White balance Picture Control 
(
A 51) When 
Monochrome  is selected, White 
balance  is fixed at Auto (normal) .
Metering Active D-Lighting 
(
A 52) When 
Active D-Lighting  is set to any 
mode other than Off , Metering  is reset to 
Matrix . 
						

							47
Shooting Features
Continuous/
Exposure 
bracketingContinuous 
(
A 52)/Exposure 
bracketing 
( A 52) Continuous
 and Exposure bracketing  
are not available  simultaneously.
Self-timer ( A38) •
When self-timer is used, a single image is 
shot even if  Continuous H , Continuous 
L , Pre-shooting cache , or BSS  has been 
set. If  Intvl timer shooting  is set, 
shooting finishes automatically after one 
image is shot.
• Exposure bracketing  is not available.
Smile timer 
( A 39) •
When the camera detects smiling faces 
and the shutter is released, only one 
image is shot. If  Intvl timer shooting  is 
set, shooting finishes  automatically after 
one image is shot.
• Exposure bracketing  is not available.
Picture Control 
( A 51) When 
Monochrome  is selected, Exposure 
bracketing  is not available.
Multiple exposure 
( A 52) Not available simultaneously.
ISO sensitivity Continuous 
(
A 52) When 
Pre-shooting cache,  Multi-shot 
16 , Continuous H: 120 fps  or 
Continuous H: 60 fps  is selected, ISO 
sensitivity is fixed at  Auto.
AF area mode Smile timer 
(
A 39) The camera captures 
images using face 
detection regardless of the applied  AF area 
mode  option.
Focus mode 
( A 40) •
When a setting other than  Subjec

t 
tracking  is selected and  B (infinity) is 
selected as the focus mode for shooting, 
the camera focuses at infinity regardless 
of the applied  AF area mode  option.
• When set to  E (manual focus), the AF 
area mode  cannot be set.
Picture Control 
( A 51) When 
Monochrome  is selected, Subject 
tracking  cannot be set.
White balance
( A 51) When 
Target finding AF  is selected, and if 
the white balance is set to  Preset manual, 
Incandescent , Fluorescent  or Choose 
color temp. , or fine adjustment of white 
balance is performed, the camera focuses 
on a face or selects  one or more of the 9 
focus areas containing the subject closest 
to the camera.
Restricted 
functionSettingDescription 
						

							48
Shooting Features
BNotes About Digital Zoom
•Depending on the shooting mode or the current settings, digital zoom may not be 
available ( E104).
• When digital zoom is in effect, selectable  options for AF area mode or metering 
mode are restricted.
Autofocus 
mode
Smile timer 
(
A 39) When smile timer is selected, the autofocus 
mode operates using the 
Single AF 
setting.
Focus mode 
( A 40) When the focus mode is set to B
 (infinity), 
the autofocus mode operates using the 
Single AF  setting.
Active D-
Lighting
ISO sensitivity 
(A52)
When  ISO sensitivity  is set to  1600, 
3200, or 6400,  Active D-Lighting  is not 
available.
Multiple 
exposure Continuous 
(
A 52) Not available simultaneously.
Exposure 
bracketing (A52)Not available simultaneously.
Monitor 
settings AF area mode 
(
A 52) •
When  Subject tracking  is selected and 
after the subject has been registered 
(during subject tracking), the histogram 
is not displayed.
• The histogram is not displayed when 
Target finding AF  is selected.
Date stamp Continuous 
(
A 52)
When Pre-shooting cache, Continuous H: 
120 fps or Continuous H: 60 fps is selected, 
date and time cannot be stamped on images.
Digital zoom Smile timer 
(
A 39) When smile timer is selected, digital zoom 
is not available.
Continuous 
( A 52) When 
Multi-shot 16  is selected, digital 
zoom is not available.
AF area mode 
( A 52) When 
Subject tracking  is selected, digital 
zoom is not available.
Zoom memory 
( A 53) When 
Zoom memory  is set to On, digital 
zoom is not available.
Shutter sound Continuous 
(
A 52) When 
Continuous H , Continuous L , Pre-
shooting cache , Continuous H: 120 fps , 
Continuous H: 60 fps , BSS , or Multi-shot 
16  is selected, shutter sound is disabled.
Exposure 
bracketing (A52)Shutter sound is disabled.
Restricted 
functionSettingDescription