Today’s cameras can be customized like never before. On workshops I help participants with the same body, and yet each camera has buttons performing different functions. The good news is photographers get better performance specific to their needs assigning various functions to different buttons. But beyond the camera many lenses also have assignable buttons on them. What functions, if any, should a photographer assign to their lens buttons?
Probably the one function many folks are familiar with is ‘focus recall’ assigned to the front four buttons on high end lenses (different lenses will have different button options on them). My prime glass has a button (focus recall) that I push and hold at a certain focus position, and then this focus distance is assigned to the front buttons on the lens. I use this when I am in a blind or fixed position and know where my subject will return to in the frame. This feature also works great for sports photography.
But there are others buttons available as well. Take a look at the image above, a L-Fn and L-fn2 button that can be assigned a function. These buttons are also located mid lens so they are easy to find while hand holding the lens. I often will assign one of these buttons to use single point autofocus. Single point autofocus does not use subject tracking on Nikon cameras, so if I am having a hard time getting eye focus on a subject I can just hit the L-Fn button to disengage subject detection, and use single point.
There are lots of other choices you might like to assign a lens function button. Other ideas would be going from FX mode to DX crop, silent shooting and other autofocus modes. These choices will be different for every photography, what they shoot, and how much button pushing they want to do operating their camera. Try out different functions and see what works for you. Also, many lenses allow you to assign a control ring on the lens as well. Some photographers love to set exposure compensation this way, eliminating the need to find the small exposure compensation button.
For me, personally, less is more. My Z9 is so incredible (like other top brand cameras) that I just change a few buttons like using my video button to Cycle AF Modes and set focus recall to lens buttons. I’ve noticed on workshops that if folks over program their camera they might miss photos trying to remember all the different button choices they have. How you customize your camera is up to you, there are no right or wrongs. But knowing a few lens button options may help your camera craft. Try out different button settings, and set up your camera so it works for you!