Using a custom image button in a navigation bar

UIButton *button = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
[button setImage:[UIImage imageNamed:@"myImage.png"] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[button addTarget:self action:@selector(blah) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
[button setFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, 32, 32)];
self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithCustomView:button];

***the title of the nav controller will be auto resized this way. If you do it your way (subview of the nav bar) the text will go behind or ontop of the image

***it will also stay on the screen as you pop and push view controllers.

***once again, you can use an imageview as the custom view and not the button. Here is code:

UIImageView *iv = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0,0,32,32)];
[iv setImage:[UIImage imageNamed:@"myImage.png"]];
self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithCustomView:iv];
[iv release];