D700 needs meter calibration

[jerrab]

Hallo all, my D700 meter needs calibration. The camera is well out of warranty, but Nikon service in Sydney still looks like the main option. Can anyone recommend a careful and thorough alternative in Sydney? The Nikon service centre lead time is a few weeks and this is my only camera!

[arthurking83]

The D700 has a feature to allow a global calibration setting to the metering system.

In the Custom Setting Menu, go to menu option b6 Fine tune optimal exposure.

Here you can set up to +/- 1.0Ev in 1/6th Ev steps to set your meter right.

You would do this against a plain grey or white wall, and try to expose it for a neutral mid point using each metering mode.

If you already know how much the camera's meter is out by, you would just set it as per your preference.

I guess that any meter inaccuracy above 1Ev either side, would then require a service ... but I'd try the camera's built in fine tune option first.

[jerrab]

Hi arthurking83, thanks for your comments. The variation is within the 1Ev, so fine tuning is definitely a better option to sending the camera off.

[jerrab]

Just an update: I set B6 at -2/3 of 1Ev. The camera is much 'cooler', and Zone 5 is now Zone 5!