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eBay Manuals
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Apr 13, 2019 08:04:30   #
Paul60 Loc: Lowestoft, UK
 
Hi chaps!

I think one of the best accessories I've bought so far for my new camera, is the full, printed manual.

I refer to it whenever I use the camera and it's invaluable for a beginner like myself.

Got it on eBay for less than $20.00. A4, spiral bound, great professional quality print.

It would have been a total pain to print this myself. Over 200 pages.

I don't have any printers in miles of me so this was the only option.

Remember the good old days when stuff came with proper manuals ?

Just thought I'd share that.

Paul :)

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Apr 13, 2019 08:23:12   #
suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ
 
I like the spiral bound component. Sounds like it is easy to flip through and make notes. Thanks for posting.

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Apr 13, 2019 08:29:00   #
A10 Loc: Southern Indiana
 
Wish I had ebay back when I had my 1969 A-65 BSA Lightning. I learned "on the job" how to repair and work with Lucas electrics.

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Apr 13, 2019 08:51:22   #
Old Timer Loc: Greenfield, In.
 
I have never used ebay for manuals but I every camera that I have bought field guides or manual from Amazon written by different authors. I have found the ones by Wiley publishing to be well written and gives some good tips as well and explain info so you can understand it.

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Apr 13, 2019 09:02:36   #
Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York
 
Most camera manuals can be downloaded to a PDF file and loaded onto your phone. It should be burned onto a CD-ROM disk. We have got to save the trees. There may be a PhotoBob's cheat sheet available too for your new "baby". My advice, don't put it in your camera bag. It will add weight and make it easier for someone else (like a thief) to know how to play with it.

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Apr 13, 2019 09:13:43   #
gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast
 
I like the PDF manuals. Most can be easily searched.

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Apr 13, 2019 09:16:31   #
Dannj
 
I like printed manuals...easier to flip thru and find what I’m looking for. Same way with books...downloads and e-books don’t cut it for me. I get the “tree saving” but I can find other ways to save paper.
Just my 2 cents😊

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Apr 13, 2019 10:31:15   #
CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City
 
gvarner wrote:
I like the PDF manuals. Most can be easily searched.


I agree. The major vendors, especially those still in business now in 2019, have PDF copies of all their product manuals on their websites for all their modern equipment, even discontinued models such as older digital cameras. The files are free for download and saving locally to your computer and / or phone. Rather than printing the entire document or paying for someone else to use our trees, you can print individual pages or just view them electronically.

Many others have scanned the old documents from the time before PDF and have posted those files to the internet too.

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Apr 13, 2019 10:55:56   #
Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York
 
I just purchased a PhotoBob's Cheat Sheet for my Canon 5D Mark IV. It wasn't expensive either. It saves me the aggravation of pulling out the manual. I am more confident without my 600+ page manual.

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Apr 13, 2019 11:17:00   #
Paul60 Loc: Lowestoft, UK
 
Well I am really happy to have an easy to read manual at hand.

You can't beat a proper book.

Trying to load, manipulate & read anything on a computer screen is a horses arse.

By the time you have farted around loading the pdf file etc, I'm done and having a beer.

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Apr 13, 2019 11:46:17   #
Dannj
 
Paul60 wrote:
Well I am really happy to have an easy to read manual at hand.

You can't beat a proper book.

Trying to load, manipulate & read anything on a computer screen is a horses arse.

By the time you have farted around loading the pdf file etc, I'm done and having a beer.



👍
Also, I’m not in the habit of carrying my laptop around with my camera...and I sometimes play around with the camera at the beach or other places not computer friendly.
I’ll join you in that beer.😊

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Apr 13, 2019 11:46:22   #
rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA
 
Paul60 wrote:
It would have been a total pain to print this myself. Over 200 pages.


But do you really need a hard copy of all 200 pages?
I print out a slimmed down version, limited to the sections most useful to me, which is typically less than half of the manual. For example, pages listing accessories, distributors, how to take care of the camera or basic information that I'm already completely familiar with remain in pdf format only. This not only makes looking up stuff much easier, but the printed manual is more compact, ideal for the camera bag.

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Apr 13, 2019 12:09:59   #
AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire
 
I have the manuals downloaded onto my phone, in PDF format, so they are always handy and easily searchable.

I have a number of user guides, from Speed Graphic to Nikon d7100, but they stay home.

Andy

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Apr 13, 2019 12:18:12   #
Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York
 
I got what you're writing. Can I join in that beer, too?

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Apr 14, 2019 06:03:58   #
Delderby Loc: Derby UK
 
I have recently purchased a UK ebay printed manual for my GX7. Cost was £5.60 delivered. A5, 380 pages of text and diagrams printed on both sides and spiral bound. Great value.
Several on-line companies offer manuals for free download, but all of them confuse the issue, (and the prospective downloaders) in order to trick them into buying other apps - to the point where I, for one
became wary and shut them down.
I'm so glad I have the printed version - I seem to learn more easily from a book.

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