Rear of camera controls

On the back of the G3 you'll find the flip-out LCD with a variety of buttons surrounding it. It's good to see that exposure compensation and white balance (probably the two most modified settings) have been taken out of the camera's menu and placed so that they can be changed with a single button press.

Record Mode

Flash Mode

Toggles through the flash modes: Auto Flash, Redeye reduction Auto, Redeye Reduction Fill-in, Fill-in, Forced Off. (The availability of different flash modes varies with the selected exposure mode). Flash mode is displayed on the top LCD and rear LCD (if enabled).
Metering

Select a metering mode: Evaluative, Center-weighted Average, Spot
Macro Focus

Switches the cameras autofocus system between normal focus range (50 cm +) and macro focus range (5/15 cm - 50 cm). Available in all exposure modes except Landscape.
Manual Focus

Press the MF button to enter manual focus mode, roll the control dial to change focus position, click the dial to lock the focus. During manual focus the center area of the frame is magnified to help pick the focus point, at the same time a ruler is shown on the right side of the frame with a distance readout.
Exposure Compensation

Displays the exposure compensation meter on the screen, use the command dial to modify exposure compensation +/-2.0 EV in 0.3 EV steps. Press the command dial to remove the meter.
White Balance

Displays white balance selection bar: Auto, Sunny, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Fluorescent High, Flash, Manual 1, Manual 2. Use the command dial to change white balance, press to hide selection bar.

Auto Exposure Lock (AE-Lock / FE-Lock)

Takes an exposure reading and locks it for the next shot. Only available in P, Tv and Av exposure modes. If you have the flash enabled the camera will fire the flash and take a meter reading against the flash output (known as FE Lock), lock it and use it for the next shot. Note that you can select equivalent exposures (exposure shift) in P, Av and Tv after AE-Lock by rolling the command dial.
FUNC button

The FUNC button displays an overlaid menu which provides access to several photographic settings. In Auto exposure mode you can only modify the Image Size / Quality, in Scene exposure modes the available settings vary. All settings are available in the creative record exposure modes (P, Tv, Av, M or C). Settings appear in a column down the left side of the display, use the arrow keys to move up and down each option and the roll the command dial or press left / right arrow keys to change. The meter button is used occasionally to change sub-options. Click here to view an animation of FUNC settings. Note that the icons used below to represent each setting are the default for that setting and that the icon will change once a setting change is made.
Sensitivity Auto, ISO 50, ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400
Photo Effect Off, Vivid, Neutral, Low Sharpening, Sepia, B&W, Custom (Contrast, Sharpness, Saturation)
Bracketing Exposure: 3 frames: 0/+/- 0.3 to 2.0 EV
Focus: 3 frames: +/- 1, 2, 3
Flash output +/-2 EV in 0.3 EV steps
Three levels in manual flash mode
Image size / quality 2272 x 1704, 1600 x 1200, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480,
RAW, Super Fine, Fine, Normal
Display Mode

Toggles between three LCD display modes: Image only display, Image and brief frame information, Image and detailed exposure information with histogram.
SET / AF Frame selection

In record mode pressing this button allows you to move the AF area around the frame to any one of 345 positions (a 23 x 15 grid). Press and hold to reset the AF frame to the center area.
Enter / Leave the Record Menu

Pressing this button in record or play mode enters that mode's settings menu (described in detail on the next pages of this review).

Record review mode (during image review after taking a shot)

Erase image

Erases the image, requires confirmation: Erase / Cancel.

Record voice annotation

Allows you to record a voice annotation which will have the same filename as the recorded image, the review image is overlaid with a record bar, this allows you to record a WAVE file of up to 60 seconds.
FUNC button

Pressing the FUNC button during record review provides you with the option to change the current image to RAW format. This means that you can shoot JPEG and if you realize you have a very important shot you can press FUNC and save it as a RAW instead. Very useful, very clever.
SET / Shutter release button

Freezes the image review until the shutter release is half-pressed.

Play Mode

Toggle Thumbnail view

Toggles between display of full screen image or 3 x 3 thumbnails on the LCD screen.
Jump

Enters a special mode which allows you to jump through playback images by 10 frames forward or backward.
Record voice annotation

Allows you to record a voice annotation which will have the same filename as the recorded image, the review image is overlaid with a record bar, this allows you to record a WAVE file of up to 60 seconds.
Erase image

Erases the image, requires confirmation: Erase / Cancel.
Display Mode

Toggles between three LCD display modes: Image only display, Image and brief frame information, Image and detailed exposure information.
Setting / Menu confirm

Used to confirm changed camera settings or options in the camera menus.
Enter / Leave the Play Menu

Pressing this button in record or play mode enters that mode's settings menu (described in detail on the next pages of this review).

Note that you can use the command dial as well as the more traditional four way controller to browse through images in play mode.