Like all digital cameras, the Nikon D700 tends to be a bit conservative when light values get too bright. If the D700 encounters a situation where the light values exceed the range of the sensor, it will tend to expose for the highlights and let the darker areas of the image lose detail. We’ll talk more about this in the section Histogram of this chapter. In all cases, it tries to keep the bright values from “blowing out” by preventing the meter from fully approaching pure white with no detail. In my experience, the D700 tries to keep the exposure from to stop below the maximum white value.

Fortunately, Nikon has given us a way to fine-tune the Matrix meter to closely match our type of shooting. As a stock shooter for Photoshelter.com, I’m always concerned about shooting images as noise free as possible. Therefore, I generally try to expose as close to the maximum brightness I can get without completely blowing out the highlights. Underexposure means noise, so I tend toward the highlight or bright edge of normal exposure to keep noise under control. I’ve found that setting my D700 about stop over what the Matrix meter suggests gives me images that have no serious blowout and very little noise. From time to time I have a little problem with white subjects, but I generally do well with a half-stop over.

If you want to experiment with fine-tuning your Matrix meter to see what you can get away with, please refer to Chapter 6, and see the section Exposure or Flash Compensation. This setting allows you to fine-tune each of the exposure meters individually in stops. I leave my D700 set to stops over exposure, which equals one-half stop. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your D700 because you can always change your fine-tuning back to zero.

You might find that stop is too much for your liking or that you don’t need any compensation at all. The point is that you are not limited with this camera. You can use the Matrix meter with factory settings or fine-tune endlessly.