| Type of camera |
Single-lens reflex digital camera |
| Lens mount |
Nikon F mount (with AF coupling and AF contacts) |
| Effective angle of view |
Approx. 1.5 × lens focal length (Nikon DX format) |
| Effective pixels |
16.2 million |
| Image sensor |
23.6 x 15.6 mm CMOS sensor; total pixels: 16.9 million |
| Dust-reduction system |
Image Sensor Cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX 2 software required) |
| Image size (pixels) |
4,928 × 3,264 [L], 3,696 × 2,448 [M], 2,464 × 1,632 [S] |
| File format |
NEF (RAW): 12 or 14 bit, lossless compressed or compressed. JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine (approx. 1:4), normal (approx. 1:8) or basic (approx. 1:16) compression (Size priority); Optimal quality compression available. NEF (RAW) + JPEG: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and JPEG formats |
| Picture Control System |
Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape; selected Picture Control can be modified; storage for custom Picture Controls |
| Storage media |
SD (Secure Digital), SDHC and SDXC memory cards |
| Double card slots |
Slot 2 can be used for overflow or backup storage or for separate storage of copies created using NEF+JPEG; pictures can be copied between cards |
| File system |
DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) 2.0, DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), Exif 2.3 (Exchangeable Image File Format for Digital Still Cameras), PictBridge |
| Viewfinder |
Eye-level pentaprism single-lens reflex viewfinder |
| Frame coverage |
Approx. 100% horizontal and 100% vertical |
| Magnification |
Approx. 0.94 x (50mm f/1.4 lens at infinity, -1.0 m-1) |
| Eyepoint |
19.5 mm (-1.0 m-1) |
| Diopter adjustment |
-3 to +1 m-1 |
| Focusing screen |
Type B BriteView Clear Matte screen Mark II with AF area brackets (framing grid can be displayed) |
| Reflex mirror |
Quick return |
| Depth-of-field preview |
Pressing depth-of-field preview button stops lens aperture down to value selected by user (A and M modes) or by camera (other modes) |
| Lens aperture |
Instant return, electronically controlled |
| Compatible lenses |
DX NIKKOR: All functions supported. Type G or D AF NIKKOR: All functions supported (PC Micro-NIKKOR does not support some functions); IX NIKKOR lenses not supported. Other AF NIKKOR: All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II; lenses for F3AF not supported. AI-P NIKKOR: All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II. Non-CPU: Can be used in modes A and M; color matrix metering and aperture value display supported if user provides lens data (AI lenses only); electronic rangefinder can be used if maximum aperture is f/5.6 or faster |
| Shutter |
Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter |
| Shutter speed |
1/8,000 to 30 s in steps of 1/3 or 1/2 EV, bulb, time (requires optional Remote Control ML-L3), X250 |
| Flash sync speed |
X = 1/250 s; synchronizes with shutter at 1/320 s or slower (flash range drops at speeds between 1/250 and 1/320 s) |
| Release mode |
S (single frame), CL (continuous low speed), CH (continuous high speed), Q (quiet shutterrelease), (self-timer), (remote control), MUP (mirror up) |
| Frame advance rate |
1 to 5 fps (CL) or 6 fps (CH) (CIPA guidelines) |
| Self-timer |
2 s, 5 s, 10 s, 20 s; 1–9 exposures at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2, or 3 s |
| Remote release mode |
Delayed remote, quick-response remote, remote mirror-up |
| Exposure metering |
TTL exposure metering using 2,016-pixel RGB sensor |
| Metering method |
Matrix: 3D color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses); color matrix metering available with non-CPU lenses if user provides lens data. Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to 8 mm circle in center of frame; diameter of circle can be changed to 6, 10 or 13 mm, or weighting can be based on average of entire frame (fixed at 8-mm when non-CPU lens is used). Spot: Meters 3.5 mm circle (about 2.5 % of frame) centered on selected focus point (on center focus point when non-CPU lens is used) |
| Metering range |
Matrix or center-weighted metering: 0 to 20 EV. Spot metering: 2 to 20 EV (ISO 100 equivalent, f/1.4 lens, 20°C/68°F) |
| Exposure meter coupling |
Combined CPU and AI |
| Exposure mode |
Auto (auto; auto (flash off)), Scene (Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close up, Night portrait, Night landscape, Party/indoor, Beach/snow, Sunset, Dusk/dawn, Pet portrait, Candlelight, Blossom, Autumn colors, Food, Silhouette, High key, Low key), programmed auto with flexible program (P), shutter-priority auto (S), aperture-priority auto (A), manual (M), U1 (user settings 1), U2 (user settings 2) |
| Exposure compensation |
-5 to +5 EV in increments of 1/3 or 1/2 EV |
| Exposure bracketing |
2 to 3 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 or 1 EV |
| Exposure lock |
Luminosity locked at detected value with AE-L/AF-L button |
| ISO sensitivity |
ISO 100 to 6400 in steps of 1/3 or 1/2 EV; can also be set to approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1 or 2 EV (ISO 25600 equivalent) above ISO 6400; auto ISO sensitivity control available (Recommended Exposure Index) |
| Active D-Lighting |
Auto, Extra high, High, Normal, Low or Off |
| ADL bracketing |
2 frames using selected value for one frame or 3 frames using preset values for all frames |
| Autofocus |
Nikon Multi-CAM 4800DX autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection, finetuning, 39 focus points (including 9 cross-type sensors), and AF-assist illuminator (range approx. 0.5 to 3 m/1 ft. 8 in. to 9 ft. 10 in.) |
| Detection range |
-1 to +19 EV (ISO 100 equivalent, 20°C /68°F) |
| Lens servo |
Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); continuous-servo AF (AF-C); auto AF-S/AF-C selection (AF-A); predictive focus tracking activated automatically according to subject status. Manual focus (M): Electronic rangefinder can be used |
| Focus point |
Can be selected from 39 or 11 focus points |
| AF-area mode |
Single-point AF; 9-, 21- or 39-point dynamic-area AF, 3D-tracking, auto-area AF |
| Focus lock |
Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (Single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button |
| Built-in flash |
Auto flash with auto pop-up. Manual pop-up with button release |
| Guide Number |
Approx. 39 /12, 39/12 with manual flash (ft./m, ISO 100, 68 °F/20 °C) |
| Flash control |
TTL: i-TTL balanced fill-flash and standard i-TTL flash for digital SLR using 2,016-pixel RGB sensor are available with built-in flash and SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600 or SB-400 (i-TTL balanced fill-flash is available when matrix or center-weighted metering is selected). Auto aperture: Available with SB-900/SB-800 and CPU lens. Non-TTL auto: Supported flash units include SB-900, SB-800, SB-28, SB-27 and SB-22S. Distance priority manual: Available with SB-900, SB-800 and SB-700 |
| Flash compensation |
-3 to +1 EV in increments of 1/3 EV or 1/2 EV |
| Flash bracketing |
2 to 3 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 or 1 EV |
| Flash-ready indicator |
Lights when built-in flash or optional flash unit such as SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, SB-400, SB-80DX, SB-28DX or SB-50DX is fully charged; blinks for 3 s after flash is fired at full output |
| Accessory shoe |
ISO 518 hot-shoe with sync and data contacts, and safety lock |
| Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) |
Advanced Wireless Lighting supported with built-in flash, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700 or Lighting System SU-800 as commander and SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600 or SB-R200 as remotes; Auto FP high-speed sync and modeling illumination supported with all CLS-compatible flash units except SB-400; Flash Color Information Communication and FV lock supported with all CLS-compatible flash units |
| Sync terminal |
AS-15 sync terminal adapter (available separately) |
| White balance |
Auto (2 types), Incandescent, Fluorescent (7 types), Direct Sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, preset manual (up to 5 values can be stored), choose color temperature (2,500 K to 10,000 K), all with fine tuning; white balance bracketing: 2 to 3 frames in steps of 1, 2 or 3 |
| Live View lens servo |
Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); full-time-servo AF (AF-F). Manual focus (M) |
| AF-area mode |
Face-priority AF, wide-area AF, normal-area AF, subject-tracking AF |
| Autofocus |
Contrast-detect AF anywhere in frame (camera selects focus point automatically when face-priority AF or subject-tracking AF is selected) |
| Movie metering |
TTL exposure metering using main image sensor |
| Metering method |
Matrix |
| Frame size (pixels) and frame rate |
[NTSC] 1,920 × 1,080 (24p); 24 (23.976) fps. 1,280 × 720 (30p); 30 (29.97) fps. 1,280 × 720 (24p); 24 (23.976) fps. 640 × 424 (30p); 30 (29.97) fps. [PAL] 1,920 × 1,080 (24p); 24 (23.976) fps. 1,280 × 720 (25p); 25 fps. 1,280 × 720 (24p); 24 (23.976) fps. 640 × 424 (25p); 25fps |
| Maximum length |
Approx. 20 minutes |
| File format |
MOV |
| Video compression |
H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding |
| Audio compression |
Linear PCM |
| Audio recording device |
Built-in monaural or external stereo microphone; sensitivity adjustable |
| Monitor |
Full-frame and thumbnail (4, 9 or 72 images or calendar) playback with playback zoom, movie playback, slide show, highlights, histogram display, auto image rotation and image comment (up to 36 characters) |
| USB |
Hi-Speed USB |
| Video output |
NTSC, PAL; images can be displayed on external device while camera monitor is on |
| HDMI output |
Type C mini-pin HDMI connector; camera monitor turns off when HDMI cable is connected |
| Accessory terminal |
Remote Cord MC-DC2 (available separately), GPS Unit GP-1 (available separately) |
| Audio input |
Stereo mini-pin jack (3.5-mm diameter) |
| Supported languages |
Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish |
| Battery |
One Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL15 |
| Battery pack |
Optional Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D11 with one Rechargeable Li-ion Battery ENEL15 or six R6/AA size alkaline, NiMH or lithium batteries |
| AC adapter |
AC Adapter EH-5a; requires Power Connector EP-5B (available separately) |
| Tripod socket |
1/4 in. (ISO 1222) |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) |
Approx. 5.2 × 4.1 × 3.0 in. (132 × 105 × 77 mm) |
| Weight |
Approx. 1 lb. 8.3 oz. (690 g) camera body only; approx. 1 lb. 11.5 oz. (780 g) with battery and memory card but without body cap |
| Operating environment |
Temperature: 32–104 °F/0–40 °C; humidity: less than 85% (no condensation) |