Question:
What does the Fn button do?

Answer:
The Fn (Function) button is a customizable button that allows quick access to predetermined menu options.

The Fn button options available are common menu items that are accessed frequently. The selections may vary from camera to camera, but some of the most common are MY MODE, TEST PICTURE, RAW, MF, ONE-TOUCH WHITE BALANCE, and PREVIEW. Your camera model may have additional options to select from.

The Fn button can be assigned in the camera’s SETUP menu under BUTTON/DIAL and then Fn FUNCTION. Once the menu option has been assigned to the FUNCTION button, pressing the FUNCTION button activates the preselected menu option. Some assigned menu options are only activated while the Fn button is pressed and held in combination with the shutter button (TEST PICTURE, for example), while other options are toggled on and off with each press of the Fn button (RAW, for example).

Here are two scenarios in which the FUNCTION button would come in handy:

In a studio shooting situation using electronic flash, it may take a number of test shots to refine a lighting setup. Rather than filling up the memory card with numerous test shots, set the FUNCTION button to TEST PICTURE. Before each test shot, press and hold the FUNCTION button and then shoot. The test shot will be saved to the camera’s buffer memory but not to the memory card. The test shot will appear on the LCD with the word “TEST” in the upper right corner of the LCD and remain there for evaluation until the OK button is pressed.

If your camera has ART FILTERS and you want to shoot with an ART FILTER but also want a normal image, you need to shoot in RAW+JPEG. If you are shooting JPEG and have the RAW option assigned to the FUNCTION button, when you press the FUNCTION button the camera is toggled into the RAW+JPEG shooting mode and you will get an ART FILTER JPEG and a normal RAW image at the same time. Pressing the FUNCTION button again returns the camera to the JPEG only shooting mode.

Your camera may have other buttons that can also be assigned menu options much like the FUNCTION button. For example, if you have an E-PL1 PEN and don’t shoot video, the direct video recording button can be assigned menu options as a second FUNCTION button. For the alternate buttons and the options they can be assigned, in the camera manual’s Index, look for FUNCTION options in the Symbols menu at the beginning of the Index.

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