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F5 Custom Menu
F5
Custom Setting Guide
by Don Ferrario
Click
here for Don's F100 Custom Menu guide
1.
Select a menu number by
rotating the Main-Command Dial (rear dial) while pressing the
Custom Setting button (CSM).
2.
Select the desired option value (number or character) by rotating
the Sub-command dial (front dial) while pressing the CSM
button.
Initial
factory settings are shown in italics.
To
return all settings to initial factory values press the CSM
and BKT buttons simultaneously and hold for more than
2 seconds.
| Sections
in grey background are same custom function number on F100 (easier
to remember!) |
| # |
Description |
Options |
My
Personal settings
(none means same as default) |
| 0 |
Custom
Program set. You can have two completely separate groups
of settings, in memory, for different applications. |
0:
set #1
1: set #2 |
|
| 1 |
Focus
Priority with
Continuous Servo AF |
0:
release priority
1: focus priority |
see
notes at bottom |
| 2 |
Focus
Priority with
Single Servo AF |
0:
focus priority
1: release priority |
see
notes at bottom |
| 3 |
Bracketing
order |
0:
center, down, up
1: negative value to positive value |
1:
Seems more intuitive to me |
| 4 |
Autofocus
activated with
shutter release button |
0:
Enabled
1: Disabled |
see
notes at bottom |
| 5 |
AE-lock:
Shutter speed/
aperture shift |
0:
Enabled
1: Disabled |
|
| 6 |
Sense
of rotation,
input dials |
0:
Default
1: Reversed |
|
| 7 |
Auto
Exposure lock when
shutter release pressed |
0:
Disabled
1: Enabled |
|
| 8 |
Film
advance with closing
the camera back |
0:
Disabled
1: Enabled |
1:
Not much point of putting film in without loading!
|
| 9 |
Film
advance speed in C-high |
0:
8fps
CH8: 8fps
CH6: 6fps |
see
notes at bottom |
| 10 |
Film
advance speed in C-low |
0:
3fps
CL5: 5fps
CL4: 4fps
CL3: 3fps |
|
| 11 |
Warning
LED blinks during
bulb exposure |
0:
Disabled
1: Blinks |
|
| 12 |
Film
advance stop |
0:
Disabled
E35: stops after frame 35
E36: stops after frame 36 |
|
| 13 |
Multiple
exposure mode cancellation |
0:
Cancelled after 2nd exposure
1: Enabled until reset manually |
|
| 14 |
Diameter
of 75% area in
center-weighted metering |
0:
12mm
C8: 8mm
C12: 12mm
C15: 15mm
C20: 20mm
A: average over full frame
PC: custom set via PC link |
|
| 15 |
delay
time for meter
auto switch-off |
0:
16 seconds
L4: 4 seconds
L8: 8 seconds
L16: 16 seconds
L32: 32 seconds |
|
| 16 |
delay
time for self-timer
continuously variable from
2 to 60 seconds |
0:
10 seconds
L2: 2 seconds
L3, L4,...up to L60: 60 seconds |
|
| 17 |
Bracketing
in manual exposure mode. |
0:
shifts shutter speed
11A: shifts speed + aperture
10A: shifts speed (same as default)
01A: shifts aperture
00A: shifts flash output |
Note
sequence of "1"s in pattern of settings. First
"1" turns on shutter speed shift. Second "1"
turns on aperture shift. If neither is on (00A), flash
output is shifted. |
| 18 |
Focus
screen compensation |
0:
zero
-2.0 to +2.0: variable in .5 EV steps |
|
| 19 |
Extended
time exposure range |
0:
Disabled
1: Enabled |
|
| 20 |
TTL
flash sync speed. This is the default speed. You
can still set speeds in Manual mode. |
0:
1/250 sec
1/300, 1/250, 1/200, 1/160,
1/125, 1/100, 1/80, 1/60 |
|
| 21 |
AE-L
/ AF-L button |
0:
Simultaneous AE/AF lock
AEL: AE lock only
AFL: AF lock only
L-L: double-lock (same as default) |
|
| 22 |
Aperture
set by front dial |
0:
Enabled
1: Disabled |
|
| 23 |
<
and > focus indicators |
0:
Displayed
1: not Displayed |
|
| 24 |
Bracketing,
existing light or flash |
0:
both existing and flash
01E: existing only
10E: flash only
11E: both (same as default) |
|
Thoughts
on F5/F100 focus options
In certain situations, one of the biggest
advantages of the F5/F100 over earlier models, is the AF-ON button.
There are several Custom Functions which affect this control, and the
setting of those Functions changes the useability of the AF-ON button.
Traditional AF operation is done by slightly
depressing the shutter button. If the subject is not on one of
the AF-points (most of the time, in my opinion), you can lock focus
by one of two methods:
1. hold the shutter button down partially
2. hold the AF-Lock button down
This method is offered on all Nikon AF
bodies, including the F5/F100. This method works fine if you intend
to shoot soon after focusing. The potential problem with this
method is that word "hold". If you are going
to watch your subject for a period of time, while either waiting for
the right pose (portraits), or shooting multiple frames (wildlife),
you are going to get quite tired of holding one of the buttons down.
The AF-ON button is one solution to this
dilemma, right? Yes, but only if you set up Custom Functions
correctly.
If you focus with the AF-ON button, when
you take the picture the camera will refocus, because AF is still activated
with the shutter release. Not good, if you have since reframed,
and the subject is no longer on the AF point. Custom Function
#4 is the intended solution. Setting #4-1 disables AF operation
with the shutter release. This setting number is the same on both
F5 and F100.
OK: #4-1 is set, you focus witih
the AF-ON button, reframe as desired, and take the picture. All
good now, right? Wrong... When you push the shutter button,
the camera will not fire. What?... Assuming you are using
Single Servo AF, the camera won't fire if the subject is not in focus.
Since you reframed for composition, the subject is no longer on the
AF-spot. The possible solution depends on your current selection
of Single or Continuous AF:
Single Servo AF:
On the F5, the answer to this is F5 Custom
Function #2 (Single Servo Release Priority). By default, Single
Servo AF works with "focus priority". If the subject
is not in focus, the camera won't fire. If you are going
to use the AF-ON button with Single Servo AF, you must set F5 Custom
Function #2-1, which changes Single Servo Release Priority to "release
priority".
Note the F100 does not offer a comparable
Custom Function. Therefore, on the F100, you must use
Continuous Servo AF, if you are going to use the AF-ON button.
Continuous Servo
AF:
On both F5/F100, this issue is
not a problem if you are using Continuous Servo AF, because
Continuous Servo AF defaults to "release priority".
By default, Continuous Servo AF will allow you to happily take mis-focused
pictures.
On the F5, the default setting for F5
Custom Function #1 (Continuous Servo Release Priority) is "release
priority". If you have changed that value to "focus
priority", however, you will need to reconsider how that will
affect the use of the AF-ON button.
There are situations where you would
like the F5 to lock focus each time between multiple frames (focus
priority). In such situations, however, you will have the subject
on one of the focus points, and you would probably be better off activating
AF with the shutter release.
The F100 does not allow you to alter
this action. Continuous Servo AF always has "release priority".
Summary:
F5:
As you can see, these settings interact.
You could end up spending a lot of time in the field, setting up multiple
options (and probably lose the shot while setting up...). The
F5 has a great feature in Custom Function #0, which is a choice of
Custom Program "Sets".
I have F5 Set #0-A for traditional AF
operation with the shutter button. This uses #1-1, #2-0, and
#4-0. I also use #9-CH6 in this set.
I have F5 Set #0-B for AF-ON button operation.
This uses exactly the opposite: #1-0, #2-1, and #4-1.
I also use #9-CH8 in this set.
F100:
On the F100, you only need to toggle
#4-0 and #4-1. Just make sure to have Continuous AF set when
using #4-1.
The ability to split release
priority options is a significant advantage of the F5, vs the F100,
that is often overlooked.
Also,
don't forget there are many situations where manual focus is a better
option. You can turn the AF system off!
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