AdrianWarren.com: Reviews: Canon EOS 400D
Many of the buttons on the back of the camera are dual purpose. The purpose usually depends on whether you're within a menu, or have the camera in shooting mode. Five of the buttons are grouped together as a replacement for the Quick Control Dial which is fitted to the higher models in the Canon range.
| Button | Shooting mode (Creative zone only) | Menu mode |
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Selects ISO | Moves the selection point to the up |
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Metering mode: Evaluative, Partial, Center-weighted average | Moves the selection point to the left |
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Adjusts Flash Exposure Compensation | Selects/sets the current selection |
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AF mode: One Shot, AI Focus, AI Servo | Moves the selection point to the right |
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White balance: AWB, Sunny, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash, Custom | Moves the selection point to the down |
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Enters Menu | Quits Menu |
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Turns off the display | Shows the Camera Function Setting screen |
| Button | Shooting mode (Creative zone only) |
Playback mode |
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Select AF point | Zooms in on the currently selected image |
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AE/FE lock | Zooms out on the currently selected image, displays 3x3 thumbnail view if already zoomed out |
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Adjust exposure compensation in Creative Zone (except M). In M use with the Main Dial to set Aperture |
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Play mode jumps through images, Menu mode jumps to next menu |
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Shows stored images |
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Direct Print, when attached to compatible printer |
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Drive mode: Single shot, Continuous, or Self timer |
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Delete one or all images when in play mode |
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CF busy indicator |
To the left of the lens there are three buttons on the camera body. At the top is the control for the pop-up flash when the camera is in the Creative Zones, flash pop-up is automatic in the Basic Zones. In the middle is the lens mount/release button; push the button in to unlock the lens, then rotate the lens to remove it. Finally, at the bottom, there's the Depth of Field Preview button. When the camera is in the Creative Zone, pressing it stops down the lens to the currently selected aperture so that DOF can be assessed. If you have compatible external Speedlite(s) mounted, then they will be strobed at 70Hz to allow light modelling to be checked.
