Help!!! Firmware and "fn" button

Hello all,

Can anybody explain me what the button FN is for? I didn't find it in the instruction manual. Also, I have seen through Google that the D3200 requires a firmware update. Is it true? Should I do it? Thanks folks!!!

Edubarca said:

Hello all,

Can anybody explain me what the button FN is for? I didn't find it in the instruction manual. Also, I have seen through Google that the D3200 requires a firmware update. Is it true? Should I do it? Thanks folks!!!

Click to expand...

The Fn button is for the Function mode. For instance, press Fn button to select self timer mode. In your instruction manual, in the table of contents, it should be under Menu Guide/Custom Settings.

Press the Fn button and rotate the command dial to select shooting mode.
Press the Fn button and rotate the command dial to select image quality and size.
Press the Fn button and rotate the command dial to select ISO sensitivity.
Press the Fn button and rotate the command dial to select white balance (P,S,A, and M modes only)

If your camera needs a firmware update, I suggest you do so.

I dont know if the D3200 Fn works the same as my D300 but i cant why it wouldnt. I set my Fn button to bring up a function that i set in the menu system. That way i dont have to delve into the menu for say, bracketing or whatevere you feel like using it for. Then as Jack says, just press the Fn and rotate appropriate dial, depending on what you set your Fn button to do

And yup, always get a firmware update if available

Thank you very much friends. I have seen in several web pages about firmware. One even says it was posted in 2010 but it mentions the D3200 which as you well know was released in April this year. What is the most reliable page to look up firmwares?

I'd suggest straight from the horses mouth...

http://support.nikonusa.com/app/ans...rmware-downloads-available-for-nikon-products

Nice expression: "Straight from the horses mouth"!!! Thanks a lot!!!

Just checked and it says "No firmware updates available" It gives me some sort of relief!!! And better the horses mouth than any page out there on the web.

No problem, I think there's an RSS feed or email you can sign up to on the Nikon site, for notifications specific to your model.

Nikon don't put many firmware updates out, guess they like to sort any known issues in one go, rather than inundate their users.

Hello again, One small question just to satisfy my curiosity: Are the lens elements in the 18-55 kit lens that came with my D3200 made of glass or plastic? I haven't been able to find this information anywhere!!! Thanks!

My guess would be plastic...

Thanks Pedro, is it only a guess? Nothing confirmed? I don't understand why this information is hard to obtain.

Plastic?? No offense, but that is just plain silly. What you may find is that the glass lenses in cheaper lenses, are coated with or overlayed with a plastic (hybrid lenses) material to give similar optics as lenses that are hundreds of dollars more. But all plastic lenses within a lens, even an 18-55, is not correct. We are not buying Fisher Price cameras here.

The 18-55 lens is indeed glass. Just not the high end multi coated precision ground lenses that are in the more expensive lenses out there. However, the 18-55 is a workhorse of a lens and not to be discounted. It is quite a reliable lens for what it is.

On Page 29 of the included manual from Nikkor Optics, they use the word GLASS as apposed to PLASTIC.

http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/pdf/nikkor_lenses.pdf

On Page 10 (left side near top) is the standard D3200 lens; AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

There is also an internal cut-away of the lenses used, and a series of the lens features:

VR (Vibration Reduction)
SWM
AS
A-M
(The other codes are noted on Pages 28&29).

This .PDF document shares a lot of detail! You may find this download useful!

Hope this assists!


Michael