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Picture Control for Free Image Creation

Simple, flexible image-creation system control is ideal for a broad spectrum of shooting situations and preferences

The Nikon D3 and D300 incorporate Nikon’s original image-creation setting Picture Control System, enabling you to flexibly control the appearance of your images to suit your exact preferences. To apply the desired effect, simply select via the LCD monitor from Picture Control files preinstalled in the camera. Image adjustment is remarkably easy — by selecting from different Picture Control files and adjustments to match your subject matter and creative intentions, image creation becomes much more rewarding and enjoyable. By using the same Picture Control settings, users of Picture Control System-compatible cameras can shoot images of virtually identical sharpness, contrast, brightness, saturation, and hue, even with different camera models.

Four Kinds of Picture Controls

[Standard], [Neutral], [Vivid], and [Monochrome] Picture Controls are incorporated in the camera. [Standard] produces bright, balanced images suitable for any need. [Neutral] is designed to reproduce accurate color and gradation, ensuring that your images look as realistic as possible. [Vivid] produces distinct, colorful, fresh-looking images with just the right emphasis on your subject’s contrast and contours, making it ideal for emphasizing primary colors. [Monochrome] provides monochromatic shadings, such as black-and-white or sepia.
[Standard], [Neutral], and [Vivid] allow adjustment of parameters such as sharpening, contrast, brightness, saturation, and hue. With [Monochrome], sharpening, contrast, brightness, filter effects and toning can be adjusted.

Images taken using Picture Controls

[Standard][Neutral][Vivid][Monochrome]

Optional Picture Control

In addition to the four Picture Controls that come with the cameras, Optional Picture Controls are available with Nikon ViewNX software (included with the camera) and optional Capture NX software, enabling you to apply color reproduction that approximates that of the D2X and D2XS. Collectively, these four kinds of Picture Controls and Optional Picture Controls are known as Nikon Picture Controls. Optional Picture Controls that allow you to create a range of image types, including those for the D2X/D2XS, will be available on Nikon’s website. Up to four* optional Picture Controls can be registered via memory card.
*For the D3 and D300. For camera models launched in the future, the number of optional controls may change.

Custom Picture Controls

Allow you to designate as you like Nikon Picture Controls you’ve adjusted, then register them as custom Picture Controls. You can also input and register custom Picture Controls created on another camera or computer by reading them from a memory card. With the D3 and D300, you can store as many as nine* custom Picture Controls.
*For the D3 and D300. For camera models launched in the future, the number of controls may change.

Custom Picture Control Up to nine Picture Controls can be registered (with D3 and D300)

Quick Adjust

Quick Adjust enables easy, balanced adjustments of [Standard] and [Vivid].
Adjustments can be made at five levels, from [-2] to [+2], with Sharpening, Contrast, and Saturation adjusted automatically. Moving toward the minus side results in images with more subdued [Standard] and [Vivid] characteristics; moving toward the plus side results in images that emphasize those characteristics.
With Quick Adjust, you can make fine adjustments to all five parameters, including Brightness and Coloration (Hue), to suit your needs and preferences.

Quick Adjust of Standard

  • [-2]
  • [0]
  • [+2]

Quick Adjust of Vivid

  • [-2]
  • [0]
  • [+2]

Grid Display

Pressing the [Thumbnail/Playback Zoom] button while making adjustments changes the screen to a grid display, depicting the Picture Controls stored in your camera as relative Contrast and Saturation coordinates.

Check Quick Adjust on grid display

[-2][+2]

Adjusting Brightness

While making adjustments for overall image brightness, you can choose among [-1], [0], or [+1] for even richer expression of gradation, in either the black or white areas.
Setting to [-1] subdues brightness and smoothes gradations of the black areas; setting to [+1] increases overall brightness and softens gradations of the white areas.

Adjusting Brightness

[-1][0]
[+1]

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