robirdman

Yes I like reading online because you can search and make print bigger. but you can't if you are in a remote area with no phone service. "Welcome to the 21st Century" where everyone is staring at their cell phone and walking into things. "buy a 3rd party manual" In case one wonders why companies no longer bother, those are the attitudes that allow them to get away with it. Another is that so many amateurs don't even read them. Someone wanted field lessons from me and asked more about shooting in manual. I have Nikon, she had Canon. I said, OK first put your camera in manual. "How do I do that." I was always solving problems for someone else shooting birds with Canon, 600mm F4 lens, who never read the manual. Never used a Canon, but because I understood things from my Nikon could figure things for them, despite the different names and settings. Attitudinal enablers.

wetreed

I also buy how to books for any camera I buy.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Actually the PDF versions of manuals contain even more useful information than printed materials. Plus they can be updated with new firmware details, hard print versions cannot be.
It is important to some photographers to have the latest information possible. Camera companies are complying with this request.

cdayton

I see a certain irony in purchasing one of the latest, most technologically advanced camera systems and being disturbed that the necessarily voluminous user’s manual is not produced in the manner of Gutenberg (1398-1468).

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Too funny!

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Also, the preference is cell phones over DSLR's.

Red6

This is a hot topic in many industries, not just photography. The printed manual as we know it is nearly obsolete. In reality, the real reason manuals are no longer included in many items we purchase today is simple - cost and maintenance. It is expensive to put together a book, manual, printed instruction sheets etc. Printing costs have increased, and having a staff of people in the company to write, maintain and update manuals has become too expensive for many companies. Manuals in electronic form can be corrected and updated much faster and if maintained online, can be available to the end user immediately, requiring no printing or sending out of printed update material. This is very important and pertinent today where our software driven devices can change with periodic updates. When a software update is released to be downloaded, the online documentation can be updated at the same time and end users will have immediate access to the information. Shipping costs, which have increased greatly in recent years, also come into play. Imagine all the paper that was being shipped across the world supporting printed materials.

Another benefit is that online or electronic manuals take up little or no space. Several examples come to mind. I spent many years in the Air Force maintaining electronic systems aboard various aircraft. When troubleshooting a problem, the applicable manuals were checked out for reference. These manuals were thick, heavy, hard-bound volumes with schematics, diagrams etc. They were often carried out to the aircraft. The manuals for a single type of aircraft would number in the dozens, possibly several hundred, and would require several rooms to hold them all. If we traveled to a remote location, many of these would need to be packed and carried with us. There was also a full time person who did nothing but maintain all these manuals. Now a technician has access to ALL of these manuals in a laptop or ipad. The tech carries this pad to the aircraft and they instantly have access to every piece of information available to troubleshoot and repair the aircraft. The only maintenance needed is periodic downloads and updates.

This is repeated in nearly all industries now. As an electronics manufacturer engineer, our company often purchased very expensive, complex assembly equipment. Nearly all of the technical documentation for programming, updating, operations, and maintenance was provided in electronic form. Manuals for all this equipment would have numbered in the dozens.

The last time I had an home appliance repaired, the service people arrived with only their tools and an ipad. They had the data for almost any manufacturer's equipment on the ipad and were able to access all the equipment data needed to repair it AND locate, check stock and order parts directly from the ipad. After repair was complete, the repair bill was available on the ipad which also accepted my credit card and signature, and then sent me a receipt by email. Not a single piece of paper involved from start to finish.

For myself, several years ago, I used to carry books and magazines with me when I went on vacation or even waiting in the doctor's office. Now, I just carry my ipad with dozens of books and current magazines. It also has the manuals and tech info for my all cameras and other hobbies. This info is also duplicated on my phone so if I am in the field and have a question about some aspect of my camera, I can pull my phone out and search the manual.

Like it or not, embrace it or not, electronic documents are here to stay.

Like a current popular TV show character states: "This is the way."

leftj Loc: Texas

Probably the only ones pissed off are the computer illiterate.

robirdman

So maybe you think having an online manual means they shouldn't even bother with a printed one. Or it would be such a burden on the company to ALSO print something that might slightly lessen their profit on cameras that cost thousands of dollars. Our views differ, but they are paying more attention to yours and we can thank you for being an enabler.

cedymock Loc: Irmo, South Carolina

PDF only way to go for old tired eyes you can increase font size and if you want it will read it to you!

Leitz Loc: Solms

Can you not download a manual onto a smart phone and read it the same as on a computer with no internet service? If not, couldn't you do so with an inexpensive tablet?
I have neither a smart phone or tablet, and my camera came with a manual larger than I want to carry in the field. I have written down the most important settings I may not remember in a small notebook which is easier to carry than the manual. I find this to be more productive than complaining.

robirdman

I like electronic documents but it doesn't have to be a case of either or. A camera manual is a small thing, not weighing much compared to the cost of shipping a heavier camera. Companies use robots and used to have no problem with shipping paper manuals. They save and make more money, but do the cost of things ever likewise decrease? You increase your electric or phone usage and pay what they save. Maybe you have a satellite phone and are never in areas where there is no Internet or cell phone service. I am often for weeks.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

I Love that part!
Have a Merry Christmas
And a Safe and Healthy New Year!
Smile,
JimmyT Sends

leftj Loc: Texas

Majority usually rules.

Morry Loc: Palm Springs, CA

Quite right. Recently I wanted to download an operating manual for something and it was going to be 76 pages long. Would much rather pay $20., $30. or $40. (or whatever the price would be) for a preprinted factory manual and pay for it in the original cost of the product.