Rear of Camera Controls

The rear of the E-500 features almost the same number of buttons as the E-300 but the layout does seem a bit more logical and quicker to learn (for instance, play and erase buttons together to the left of the LCD). Each setting change (such as White Balance, AF mode, ISO etc.) displays a dedicated selection screen for that particular setting. In addition every adjustment (apart from flash mode) is repeated on the viewfinder LCD, once you get used to the position of controls it's easy to adjust settings without removing your eye from the viewfinder.

Buttons (Shooting mode)

Button
 
Function
 
UP

Flash up / Flash mode

The first flash button is an electronic release for the pop-up flash, note that the flash will only automatically pop-up in Auto mode otherwise it must be raised by pressing this button (even if flash mode is Auto). You can hold this button and turn the main dial to select flash mode:

 • Auto
 • Red-eye reduction
 • Flash on (Fill flash)
 • Flash off
 • Red-eye reduction & Slow-sync
 • Slow-sync
 • Slow-sync (Rear curtain)
 • Full *
 • 1/4 *
 • 1/16 *
 • 1/64 *

* With 'Manual Flash' enabled
Play mode

Enters a shooting priority play mode, you can return to shooting mode at any time by pressing the shutter release half-way or by pressing this button again.
MENU Menu

Enters the camera menu (described later in this preview).
INFO Control Panel display mode

Selects Control Panel display information level:
 • Off
 • Basic information
 • Detailed information
Drive mode

 • Single shot
 • Continuous (2.5 fps)
 • 12 sec Self-timer
 • 2 sec Self-timer
 • IR remote
 • IR remote with 2 sec Self-timer
WB White Balance

 • Auto
 • 5300 K (Daylight)
 • 6000 K (Cloudy)
 • 7500 K (Shade)
 • 3000 K (Incandescent)
 • 4000 K (Fluorescent 1)
 • 4500 K (Fluorescent 2)
 • 6600 K (Fluorescent 3)
 • Custom
 • Kelvin (2000 - 14000 K)
Metering mode

 • ESP
 • Center Weighted Average
 • Spot
 • Highlight based spot
 • Shadow based spot
AF Focus mode

 • Single-AF
 • Continuous-AF
 • Manual focus
 • Single-AF & Manual focus
 • Continuous-AF & Manual focus
ISO ISO Sensitivity

 • Auto (ISO 100 - 400)
 • ISO 100
 • ISO 125
 • ISO 160
 • ISO 200
 • ISO 250
 • ISO 320
 • ISO 400
 • ISO 500 *
 • ISO 640 *
 • ISO 800 *
 • ISO 1000 *
 • ISO 1250 *
 • ISO 1600 *

 * With "ISO boost " set to ON
OK Control panel setting change

Press the OK button to change settings directly on the Control Panel display, navigate around the display using the four way controller.

Buttons (Play mode)

In play mode the four way controller is used to browse through images (Up/Right = Next, Down/Left = Previous) or to pan around a magnified image.

Button
 
Function
 
Exit play mode

Returns to shooting mode, you can achieve the same by half-pressing the shutter release button.

Erase

Displays a 'Yes / No' confirmation dialog to delete the current image. If images have been marked (using the OK button) you can delete multiple images in a batch.

MENU Menu

Enters the camera menu (described later in this preview).
INFO Information Display

Rotates through the six different levels of information display:

 • No overlaid information
 • Basic overlay (quality, filename, file number)
 • More overlay (quality & size, date & time, filename, file number)
 • Histogram with detailed information (Y, R, G, B histograms)
 • Large histogram overlay
 • Blinking highlights (and quality)
 • Blinking shadows (and quality)
Protect / Unprotect

Protects (or unprotect's) the current image, this sets the file system 'Read Only' flag which means you can't accidentally delete the image using the erase button, however this does not protect against formatting of the storage card (an extra 'This card contains protected images, really format?' dialog would be good).
Copy / PictBridge Print

Allows you to copy images between the CF and xD cards (multiple images using the marking system, see below). If a PictBridge printer is connected to the camera via USB then you can print the currently displayed image.
OK Mark / Unmark image

Allows you to mark or unmark (tick mark) images as you browse, marked images can then be deleted or copied as a batch.