What is the * button?

slyone wrote in post #2358702
I assume you mean external flash not the built in? Also, is there any advantage to shooting this way..or is it just a personal preference thing?

With custom function set to 0...
Without flash, the * button is AE Lock (locks the exposure in Av, Tv or P mode for 4 seconds or as long as you hold down the shutter button halfway). It allows metering on a certain part of the scene, then recompose and shoot.

With a dedicated flash connected to the hotshoe and turned on, or with the built-in flash popped up, it's FEL (Flash exposure lock). It will fire the E-TTL preflash and memorize the flash metering for 16 seconds.

Now, as for the advantages of setting custom function 4 to 1 or 3, there's a 28 page thread about that here.

I sincerely believe by using the words, "Read the manual" I was answering the question. Philosophically speaking, isn't it the best answer?

Please confirm whether or not this is an acceptable way to answer the same sort of question in the future:

"Please see page 13 of your manual. There you will see a diagram that explains the functionality of the * button. There it also prompts you to visit pages 92, 99, 109, 110, and 134 where it will describe in depth how to use each of the various functions of the * button."

I think it took me about 4 minutes to find the answer and I don't even own a Canon XT.

Also, will it be acceptable to the forum constables for contributors to comment on the merits of reading a manaul in its entirety and refering to it often? I doubt there is any seasoned and experienced photog and contributor who would disagree with that bit of helpful advice.

If these are unacceptable ways to answer this kind of question please let me know and I will refrain from offering my advice on these matters in the future.

Hawg Hanner wrote in post #2359024
Please confirm whether or not this is an acceptable way to answer the same sort of question in the future:

"Please see page 13 of your manual. There you will see a diagram that explains the functionality of the * button. There it also prompts you to visit pages 92, 99, 109, 110, and 134 where it will describe in depth how to use each of the various functions of the * button."

I think it took me about 4 minutes to find the answer and I don't even own a Canon XT.

Also, will it be acceptable to the forum constables for contributors to comment on the merits of reading a manaul in its entirety and refering to it often? I doubt there is any seasoned and experienced photog and contributor who would disagree with that bit of helpful advice.

If these are unacceptable ways to answer this kind of question please let me know and I will refrain from offering my advice on these matters in the future.

Read the POTN manual.

jfrancho wrote in post #2359036
Read the POTN manual.

LOL! Good one.

Thought you'd like that .

Alright I don't think this is in the manual, whats the benifit from changing the shutter button to the star button? I did it now I focus with the star button not the half pressed shutter button.

The thing you missing is that when you half press the shutter, you are locking exposure. Then you can recompse, set focus with the * button and shoot. Or the opposite - lock focus, lock exposure. It makes things easier in many situations. It actually becomes second nature after about 10 minutes.

More than you ever wanted to know about focusing with the * button:
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=46965

Another example of using the * button to focus:

I don't always have a subject to work with as I am learning or testing things out so I must be photographer and subject. It's a pain in the neck but I've found tricks to make it easier.
I'm ok with manual focus but if you don't feel comfortable with it or don't have the knack and you must use AF then the obvious question comes to mind about how you focus when you're not in front of the lens and how to release the shutter without the camera re-focusing.
Using the * button as the AF button solves this problem.
First, you use the self timer in the camera. Then you place an object (for me it's a lightstand with a teddy bear on it) where the subject (me) will be standing and give it enough depth of field and focus. Then I can press the shutter button, stand in position and take the shot. My focus never changes as long as I don't press the * button and I can trip the shutter as many times as I want without the camera re-focusing.

The Kennelmaster must agree - the majority of respondents say the same thing - 'read the manual'
Yes we were all newbies once but when I got my first 'seious' digital camera, a G5, I spent two full days in the armchair with the manual and camera just finding my way around my new aquisition.

TMR Design wrote in post #2360824
Another example of using the * button to focus:

I don't always have a subject to work with as I am learning or testing things out so I must be photographer and subject. It's a pain in the neck but I've found tricks to make it easier.
I'm ok with manual focus but if you don't feel comfortable with it or don't have the knack and you must use AF then the obvious question comes to mind about how you focus when you're not in front of the lens and how to release the shutter without the camera re-focusing.
Using the * button as the AF button solves this problem.
First, you use the self timer in the camera. Then you place an object (for me it's a lightstand with a teddy bear on it) where the subject (me) will be standing and give it enough depth of field and focus. Then I can press the shutter button, stand in position and take the shot. My focus never changes as long as I don't press the * button and I can trip the shutter as many times as I want without the camera re-focusing.

Yes, I see how this custom function would be valueable under those conditions!

"Silence gives consent" as per 'Roberts Rules of Order', so I will assume that my proposed verbiage above will be acceptable to forum constables for similar matters in the future. If not, please let me know and I will refrain from commenting on such matters at all.

No need for the drama. I think it's pretty simple. If your objective is to help the person posting a question then offer help. If the answer is to "check the manual", I'm sorry, that is not real help. If the poster read the manual and can't get out of it what is so obvious to others then there's no reason to make that person feel badly. Just offer help.

What kills me is how some will go to great lengths to look up pages in a manual or 'scold' the poster when it wold have taken less time and evergy to just offer a friendly helpful response... or for that matter, say nothing and let others that are more than willing to offer solutions contribute.

Hawg Hanner wrote in post #2359024
I sincerely believe by using the words, "Read the manual" I was answering the question. Philosophically speaking, isn't it the best answer?

Please confirm whether or not this is an acceptable way to answer the same sort of question in the future:

"Please see page 13 of your manual. There you will see a diagram that explains the functionality of the * button. There it also prompts you to visit pages 92, 99, 109, 110, and 134 where it will describe in depth how to use each of the various functions of the * button."

I think it took me about 4 minutes to find the answer and I don't even own a Canon XT.

Also, will it be acceptable to the forum constables for contributors to comment on the merits of reading a manaul in its entirety and refering to it often? I doubt there is any seasoned and experienced photog and contributor who would disagree with that bit of helpful advice.

If these are unacceptable ways to answer this kind of question please let me know and I will refrain from offering my advice on these matters in the future.

jfrancho wrote in post #2359036
Read the POTN manual.

Hawg Hanner wrote in post #2359057
LOL! Good one.

jfrancho wrote in post #2359140
Thought you'd like that .

Please note that jfrancho did provide the link to the information he was referring to. A broad, sweeping "Read the Manual" assumes that OP hadn't even cracked the cover on it. Referring to the page in the manual where a question is answered is acceptable. Sending someone off on a wild goose chase looking for something they haven't been able to find in previous attempts is absolutely no help whatever. And I'll further note that unless you know what Canon calls the button, you won't find a reference in the manual to the *. It's not referenced as such in either the table of contents or the index. It's only when you find a section referring to it that you'll see the * notation.

TMR Design wrote in post #2362422
What kills me is how some will go to great lengths to look up pages in a manual or 'scold' the poster when it wold have taken less time and evergy to just offer a friendly helpful response...or for that matter, say nothing and let others that are more than willing to offer solutions contribute.

No one is scolding anyone. I did not know a suggestion to read the manual would be met with such interference. If you disagree that it is sound advice, please let me know, because I suspect you are the only one. Frankly, I'm not sure there is a polite way of putting it.

I firmly believe the manual is the single greatest source of information for learning one's camera. And while it does an excellent job of explaining what each and every feature does on the camera, it doesn't explain 'how' to take good photographs. Those questions, regardless of how rudimentary, are perfectly acceptable in my mind. But if someone is not using the manual, much as I do myself when I buy a new piece of stereo equipment, kitchen appliance, automobile, television set, etc., I found that they are doing themselves a tremendous disservice. Reading and knowing the manual for my Canon 20D and 5D was the single greatest piece of literature available...bar none. I am not scolding 'newbies' for not reading their manual, I am merely suggesting that knowing the manual and every single feature of their camera is the first major step toward taking excellent photographs.

That said, I appreciate Jon's feedback. That's all I wanted and I got it. I now know how to respond to similar matters in the future. After all, I wouldn't want to be booted off of POTN.

Hawg