Spending 1500+€ for a camera doesn't entitle you of having a decent manual

Spending 1500+€ for a camera doesn't entitle you of having a decent manual - Printable Version

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Spending 1500+€ for a camera doesn't entitle you of having a decent manual - stoppingdown - 06-06-2024

Cameras are more and more packed with options, many are also sophisticated, but the manual (and the online help) often doesn't contain anything more than the setting name, just reworded in a complete statement, but without providing further information. For instance:

Quote:Phase Detect. Area

Sets whether or not to display the Phase Detection AF area.

MENU → (Focus) → [Focus Area] → [Phase Detect. Area] → desired setting.

Menu item details
On:Displays the Phase Detection AF area.
Off:Does not display the Phase Detection AF area.

LOL. A short paragraph follows about the fact that not all lenses support this feature, but nothing more. At least a picture with the lookout of the display would be fine (I had to search through the internet to find a screenshot, it's a pair of brackets) and possibly a hint about how to use the feature in practice would be welcome.

RE: Spending 1500+€ for a camera doesn't entitle you of having a decent manual - thxbb12 - 06-06-2024

Fully agree. I noticed this with both my Fuji cameras manuals and now Sony (I just purchased a Sony A7cII).
Their manuals are utterly useless.
The manual is simply a paper version of what you see in the menus. There is absolutely no additional info. Such info would be very valuable as many entries or settings are quite cryptic and difficult to understand.

RE: Spending 1500+€ for a camera doesn't entitle you of having a decent manual - Klaus - 06-06-2024

The Sigma CEO also criticised that cameras are too expensive and too complicated.
I'm a rather simple guy who doesn't change my settings too often, so I'm not all that stressed about complicated menus.
I'm more stressed about getting headaches when changing camera systems and facing a new ergonomic philosophy whenever doing so. ;-)

I still enjoy the X-H2's handling and set up the most—it is a very underrated camera (with overrated lenses).

RE: Spending 1500+€ for a camera doesn't entitle you of having a decent manual - mike - 06-06-2024

(06-06-2024, 09:56 PM)Klaus Wrote: The Sigma CEO also criticised that cameras are too expensive and too complicated.
I'm a rather simple guy who doesn't change my settings too often, so I'm not all that stressed about complicated menus.
I'm more stressed about getting headaches when changing camera systems and facing a new ergonomic philosophy whenever doing so. ;-)

I still enjoy the X-H2's handling and set up the most—it is a very underrated camera (with overrated lenses).

Yes, I'm a plug-and-forget about it person myself. Spend a few evenings setting it up. Then a few days shooting to find out where I misunderstood the directions.

At least cameras allow you to set the most used settings to one of the function buttons.

I remember being in Japan and the express trains got you to the next stop fast.......

RE: Spending 1500+€ for a camera doesn't entitle you of having a decent manual - stoppingdown - 06-07-2024

Quote: I'm a rather simple guy who doesn't change my settings too often, so I'm not all that stressed about complicated menus.

I'm more stressed about getting headaches when changing camera systems and facing a new ergonomic philosophy whenever doing so. ;-)

Yes, that's the point. Having three camera bodies, I'm striving to keep them as consistent as possible — when I shoot fingers should go automatically to the proper places for most common operations, I don't want to stop and think (this is obviously mostly related to moving objects and AF tracking, landscape is always simple). Of the triplet a6600/a6300/a6000 the last one was the most inconsistent because of its old menu system; phasing it out didn't reduce the entropy as hope, because the a6700 has yet another menu system, and Sony also moved some custom buttons around...