I've found guides written by 3rd parties ( like field guides to specific models) a lot more informative than the owner's manuals. Owners manuals tend to be more technical & one has to be fluent in their cameras lingo in order to find what they need. Those field guides explain things in a much easier to understand way.
I just downloaded the manual for my new canon DSLR camera, 408 pages. I took it to Staples and had it spiral bound in one hour for $45, double sided with premium paper. Not cheap but much easier to us in 8.5x11. There might be a cheaper place like Kinkos.
Want a manual or any camera book? Contact Petra Keller, 541-504-7620 or email at Pkell1014@aol.com. Petra has, oh, maybe a billion or so in stock.
I have learned more about my cameras and how to maximize their features by buying and reading books on the specific cameras by authors like David Busch and others. I also have the manufacturer's .pdf manuals on my iPad but rarely refer to them. The written paper manual is much easier to use and refer back to, for me, if I am looking up a specific subject.
Mfg's Owners Manuals have value but I have found that some of the best references are written by working Pros such as David Busch, Steve Perry and others. They work through many tips and shortcuts including the confusing array of settings available on todays' sophisticated bodies and lenses regardless of whether one is a Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji or any other system devotee. I have found David Busch's Field Guide and Darrell Young;s Mastering the Nikon D810 invaluable.
Pat
preacherman wrote:
Just got off the telephone with CanonUSA.COM and ordered the Owner's Manual for my SX60HS Canon bridge camera. I have been looking at the manual online and did not want to print the 203 pages myself. It was not a good experience looking at it online. If I had known that I could order the manual online at no cost I would done it much sooner. Just wanted to pass this info forward in case anyone else needs the owner's manual. Canon said it would be 2 to 4 weeks before I received it. Keep on shooting!
Just got off the telephone with CanonUSA.COM and o... (
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If I'm at home I look at the manual online because its easier to read and search for the topic I want. Canon's hard copy manuals are little tiny books with little tiny print. Very inconvenient to try to read.
Why not call your camera manufacturer's customer service to see they will send you a free owners manual? Might be free!
MadMikeOne
Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City
rgrenaderphoto wrote:
I find it far easier to download a PDF of the manual and load it onto an iPad. Portable, searchable and more sustainable.
That is exactly what I do. Very easy. If I need a hard copy of a page or 2, I’ll print only the pages I need.
My manuals are on my laptop and in a tablet. The tablet is always in my purse or backpack. It is a 10" widescreen tablet and the print is sizable, so no problem reading it.
I agree that the Canon PDF manuals are not well formatted for viewing on small screens, but I use the SX-60 manual on my 7" tablet, enlarging the pages to view half of the page in the width of the screen and find it quite readable. As others have mentioned, this also keeps it more available than a paper manual that is likely to be at home.
Nice to know that printed Canon manuals can be ordered at no cost, though, for those who want a printed version. Thanks to the OP for publicizing this!
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