canon camera user doc style

[Al Geist]

Jessica Weissman wrote:

>I bought a new Canon camera over the weekend.   
>  
>

We have both Canon film and digital cameras.  Best auto focusing
available today.

>The thing came with several manuals (some with English and Spanish
>versions bound separately), including a "Basics" manual and a complete
>user manual. There is also a separate software manual.  What's
>interesting to me is that the advanced manual is full of details, but
>does not cover the basics of operation in any way.  There's a list of
>functions that operate in different modes, there's lots of detailed
>coverage of all the obscure options, there are several diagrams of all
>the controls with names, but there is nothing that says "Here's how you
>turn on the camera, here's how you select among the major modes, here's
>what this strange button does."
>  
>
Both of our cameras came with the English/Spanish manuals; although, the
film model had the basic and advanced incorporated in one document.

>Fortunately, the Basics manual has all that laid out in an easy to
>understand format.
>
>What's your opinion of this way of configuring the manuals?  I'm glad
>there's a short non-intimidating manual that gives the basic operational
>information, but found the advanced manual odd.  Why not add a few pages
>on the basics to the advanced manual?
>

I think the philosophy behind the two manuals for the digital camera is
most buyers of digital cameras under 8 MegaPixels tend to use them more
for family snapshots, or family vacation pics.  They don't use all the
whiz bang features built into the camera.  Those of us who have been
shooting forever and take photography a bit more seriously (I started
over 30 years ago with a Minolta SRT101 fully manual SLR) can quickly
figure out the basic features and are more interested in the advanced
features.  The problem I've discovered is that regardless of which book
I use, there are so many features available on today's cameras, that it
is difficult to remember how to access, or fine tune them for the
particular shot you are taking at the time.  However, like any tool, the
more you use it, the better you know how to use it.  I still carry the
advanced manuals in the camera case, but I haven't taken them out for at
least a year.  The video camera is another story.....

With that said, having a few basic pages in the front of the advanced
manual doesn't seem like an unreasonable request.

Al

-- 

Al Geist
Technical Writing, Online Help, Marketing Collateral, Web Design, Award
Winning Videos, Professional Photography
Voice/Msg: 802-658-3140

Cell: 802-578-3964
E-mail: al.geist at geistassociates.com <mailto:al.geist at geistassociates.com>
URL: www.geistassociates.com <http://www.geistassociates.com> (online
portfolio/resume)

See also:
URL: www.geistimages.com <http://www.geistimages.com> (fine art prints
for home or office and note cards for all occasions)

"When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether
to answer "Present" or "Not guilty.""
                         Theodore Roosevelt