RTFM. Do you?

[Ryan85]

When I get a new camera I'll turn it on and play with it, take a few shots, set up bbf and basic stuff like that then I read the manual. But I'll still use the camera before I finish it. Then I'll refer to it from time to time.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Zim.
Wow that was a blast from the past, I had to learn AutoCAD at college, the lecturer was building a steam launch, various parts of the boiler and engine were programmed by assorted students. It made it a bit more interesting working on a tangible item rather than just an example from the book. I worked on the top boiler tube support plate. No idea if the boiler has the plate we made in it, but the boat was finished or as finished as boats like that get.

Cheers, Graham.

I could actually answer yes to three of those options

is it sad that I enjoy reading manuals!!!

I used to have the full set of every AutoCAD manual, the hardback period was gorgeous

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi takesome1.
I expect to see at least 1 vote in option 8. : ;D
I have added your preferred response for you. It is all really just for fun, not intended to be too meaningful but it is interesting to see at least 3 have done the twist pull push damn experience! I honestly thought no one would vote that.

Cheers, Graham.

Not enough options in the poll

There should be a line "When all else fails read the manual".

 

[tcmatthews]

My first Canon DSLR Rebel XS I read the manual and bought a book aftermarket manual that when into greater detail on featurs. 60D messed with the Camera I think I skimmed the manual once to go over some of the new features. 6D I don't know where the manual is. It is probably in the box. Dads NEX 5n skimmed the manual set up camera through in camera help. Nex 6 no idea where the manual is probably in box turned off in camera help it was annoying me. EOS M became annoyed had to read the manual to find out how to get it out of idiot mode. I could not even find the menu with out manual.

Olympus OMD EM-5 played with camera settings became confused. Read manual became more confused. When in doubt Google. Found several good guides online covering the settings.

 

[martti]

I often Google things that I cannot figure out instead of looking them up in the Canon manual which is written in such a complicated way that I cannot understand what is said there unless I know it already. Frankly I am sick and tired of being told that I should not swallow the battery or give it to a child to eat, either.

 

[rpt]

I often Google things that I cannot figure out instead of looking them up in the Canon manual which is written in such a complicated way that I cannot understand what is said there unless I know it already. Frankly I am sick and tired of being told that I should not swallow the battery or give it to a child to eat, either.

;D ;D ;D

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi martti.
What you mean you have never mistaken that shiny silver disc for a chocolate button?

Cheers, Graham.

Frankly I am sick and tired of being told that I should not swallow the battery or give it to a child to eat, either.

 

[martti]

The nasty little button batteries are a real risk if swallowed. They have corrosive chemicals inside and if they burst while doing their passage through the digestive system, there is a real and imminent risk of perforation and peritonitis. Those particular batteries should definitely be kept out of the reach of small children.

Would I mistake an LP-E6 for a Mars bar...? With a lot of whisky and then some, I guess, possibly.

 

[GaryJ]

Then there is always You Tube...

 

[AlanF]

I read CR first. Lots of key points come up, like don't put in the CF card sideways into your new 7D II, which aren't in the manual. Then Google.

 

[Eldar]

The irritating thing about manuals is, as has been pointed out previously in this thread, that they spend page after page on security and safety and the don´t dos and load batteries and turn on and what color the on-light is etc. etc. Then, when you´re really stuck, or you have multiple options and want to know their differences and you really need a good manual, the thing is given a shallow and short description. As an example, how many of you learned how to setup and master the 5DIII/1DX AF system by reading the manual? (come to think of it, I did not even try to read the manual ... :)

I charge the batteries, load them, turn the thing on and then I go through a time consuming learning by doing process. But when I figure something out, I don´t forget it. And when I´m stuck, I usually find good information by searching the web.

 

[Joey]

Flamin'? Have I been reading that acronym wrong all these years???

 

[moushu]

Hello all, this is my first post on this Forum, and picked this thread as it's amusing me
I've submitted my vote ("use manual when stuck").
The thread reminded me of my all-time favourite manual - for a Lubitel 166B TLR I had in the 80's. It looks like it was translated from Russian into English, but by someone who wasn't fluent in either!
Features such classic advice as:
"“It is enough to raise a little reflex viewfinder cover to see deep between the light protective hoods large and for any illumination distinct clear image according to which it is easy to fit frame limits when the object is already found or to find a new scene.“
Got that straight?
Cheers,
Marlon

 

[rpt]

Hello all, this is my first post on this Forum, and picked this thread as it's amusing me
I've submitted my vote ("use manual when stuck").
The thread reminded me of my all-time favourite manual - for a Lubitel 166B TLR I had in the 80's. It looks like it was translated from Russian into English, but by someone who wasn't fluent in either!
Features such classic advice as:
"“It is enough to raise a little reflex viewfinder cover to see deep between the light protective hoods large and for any illumination distinct clear image according to which it is easy to fit frame limits when the object is already found or to find a new scene.“
Got that straight?
Cheers,
Marlon

Wow! I had one too! Not sure of the exact model but look at my profile pic

 

[martti]

Oh, yes, Lubitel!
I took my sister's graduation pictures with a Lubitel with a light leak (cracked bakelite) and a stuck shutter.
I remember grabbing the camera by the neck band, circling it a couple of times and throwing it in a lake after I got the pictures. The only things Russian that actually do their job (that are sold to civilians) are pickles, caviar and vodka. Even the prostitutes, get an Estonian or a Czekh.

 

[AlanF]

"Lubitel" is meant to come from the Russian "Lubyitel". meaning amateur, dilettante, connoisseur etc. But, I reckon it is a portmanteau word derived from the Russian "Lublyu", I love, "tel", telephoto.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Joey.
I put the safe for work and children version! ;D

Cheers, Graham.

Flamin'? Have I been reading that acronym wrong all these years???

 

[Joey]

Hi Joey.
I put the safe for work and children version! ;D

Cheers, Graham.

Flamin'? Have I been reading that acronym wrong all these years???

;D :

 

[shining example]

I'm very much the "learn by doing, refer to manual when I get stuck" type. As others have observed, manuals tend to start off with a whole lot of tedious "try not to eat the packaging" admonishment, and then there's loads of fairly self-evident stuff like how to insert the battery and turn the thing on, and my attention span is somewhat limited, so by the time they get to anything of actual interest, my mind will be miles away. But I always take them with me (on my phone, nowadays), and refer to them when needed.

The 7D was my first DSLR, and my previous SLR was a different brand, so I did get stuck a fair bit and was glad to be able to look stuff up. I think the really sticky spot is when you have enough experience to know what you want to do, but insufficient experience of the tech in hand to figure out how to do it. I've also had to refer to the manual for the EOS M rather more than I would have expected. Part of that was admittedly that weird talent I have for overlooking menu items that are clearly right there... :

 

[Marsu42]

I'm very much the "learn by doing, refer to manual when I get stuck" type.

The good thing abut not rtfm'ing is that you might end discovering things you'd have missed when just going for what you intended in the first place - it's like exploring the countryside without a map or ***, but just a general idea which direction your destination is