In conjunction with my camera guide for the new Nikon D500, Nikon D500 Experience, I have created a free Nikon D500 Setup Guide – a comprehensive spreadsheet with suggested settings for the applicable Menus, all of the Custom Settings, plus some shooting and exposure settings. It has complete and separate camera setup recommendations for different types of shooting, including:
General / Travel / Street
Landscape / Architecture
Action / Sports
Moving Wildlife / Birds
Studio / Portraits
Concert / Performance
Here is an example detail of just a small part of the Setup Guide spreadsheet:
The direct link to download the Excel spreadsheet is:
http://docs.fullstopbooks.com/forms/Nikon_D500_Experience-Setup_Guide.xls
To print the spreadsheet guide, you may wish to print it across several pages and then tape them together, so that the data is legible:
-First, be sure to set the print area, to avoid all the blank pages. Do this by manually selecting all the cells with data in them (drag the cursor from cell A1 to G190 and they will all appear blue.) Then access the menu for File > Print Area > Set Print Area.
-Then go to File > Print Preview and select the Setup button.
-Then set the page for “Landscape” and “Fit To” 2 pages wide by 3 pages tall.
This should result in 6 pages to be printed (as long as you have set the print area first).
Be sure to check the Print Preview to see that the data will print at a reasonable size, and that there are only 6 or so pages that will print.
In the past I have resisted requests for these types of quick-start “cheat sheets,” because I prefer that readers of my Full Stop camera guides read through all of the Menu and Custom Settings options, and determine which settings suit their shooting situations and preferences. This is one of the best ways to really learn the ins-and-outs of one’s new camera, so I still encourage you to do so. But I can appreciate the value and the handy reference features of this type of recommendation guide.
Please feel free to take the advice of dedicated Wildlife or Concert photographers, for example, above mine if it differs! And for further information, explanations, justifications, and caveats for the settings I specify, please have a look at my clear and comprehensive guide Nikon D500 Experience.
Version History of Spreadsheet
2016-05-22 – v1.0 – First version released
2016-05-24 – v1.1 – Minor formatting corrections