How Many of you RTFB ?

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pk63015

Senior Member
How many of you Read the F#!$*?!! Book when you get a new Camera or piece of equipment ? I know I do ( it annoys the heck out of my wife ) if they do not give me a printed copy, I have tracked down a copy of the manual and have a PDF file somewhere that I can refer to. I took the PDF for my D3200 and sent it electronically to Office Max and had it printed and spiral bound.

But then again that's the retentive side in me showing...:):):)

When I was in the Air Force I had an E-7 that would help you IF you proved to him that you made an effort to find it on your own in the Manual first !!!
 
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480sparky

Senior Member
I have a spot where I keep all the paper copies of the manuals (I don't RTFB, I RTFM) I get for all the stuff I buy. If possible, I download the .PDF versions and keep them not only on all my computers, but my phone as well.
 
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mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Well i dont read the book as ime too thick to remember it all so lose the bits i need,i wait for a problem then find the answer,this could be an age thing though.
 
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J-see

Senior Member
I'm one of the "manuals are for other people" type. Most end in the paper bin. That doesn't always work out too well.
 
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Pretzel

Senior Member
Yeah, yeah, yeah... I will in a minute. But first, I just bought this really awesome camera. Tell me how to get good pictures?
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I don't read a manual like I would a novel but I do familiarize myself with them generally speaking and tend to keep copies (either printed or electronic) on-hand for future reference. Having the manual has saved my proverbial bacon more than once when something (typically electronic) went all haywire on me.

....
 
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Daniel Aegerter

Senior Member
All the manuals (paper) are collected in our 'manuals drawer', but usually not read at all.
I've got the D7100 manual on my Kindle as pdf for quick reference should something not be clear.
 
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Eyelight

Senior Member
I subscribe to Tim the Tool Man Taylor's philosophy of, "Real Men Don't need Instructions", which means I learn a lot of things no one else does. But the flip side is some common knowledge is still a mystery to me.:)

Seriously, if I may, I'll skim thru a manual before I buy something just to get an idea of what bells and whistles it may (or may not) have. Once acquired, reading just makes my brain go numb, so I tend to look at a bell or whistle, reference the manual for what it does and how it works and play with the gizmo. Kind of getting to the point where if I do not use the info, I lose it pretty quick.

Now what was the question?
 
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PapaST

Senior Member
Typically when I get new camera gear I put the box packed neatly with manual and stuff in a closet. I do this in case I sell the stuff later on down the road. Then I download the manual and keep a copy on my computer and iPad. If I run into problems or questions I just research it from the pdf.
 
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Krs_2007

Senior Member
I learn a little different than most. I usually play with every setting, not locking it in, but go through it on the camera and if I have questions I revert back to the book. I have a short attention span and if I am reading, my brain will wonder in a short time. I also watch a lot of videos and read various sites and such.

Now with that said, the first thing I do is download the pdf and put it on my mobile devices for reference in the field. I do buy other books that are formatted better than a manual, as they keep me engaged better.

If I want to take a nap then I pull out a manual and start reading and usually dont get past page 5 before I pass out. I'm more of a visual, hands on learner.
 
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pk63015

Senior Member
pk63015 said:
When I was in the Air Force I had an E-7 that would help you IF you proved to him that you made an effort to find it on your own in the Manual first !!!
Click to expand...

I forgot to mention: The "book" the E-7 was referring to was Air Force Manual 67-1 Vol II Part 2 Chapters 1-40 ( it took up 9 3 inch binders in a file cabinet) ( Supply Manual )
 
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Don Kuykendall_RIP

RIP :(
When I was in PhotoFinishing / Camera Sales. I taught all my managers the same thing.
1. Read the manual
2. Read the manual with the equipment in front of you going through what the manual was talking about.
3. Going through what you just learned without the manual in front of you but referring to it when you needed to.

I still do this plus going back after a while and doing it all over again to pick up what I missed. You would be surprised at what you miss.
 
Roy1961

Roy1961

Senior Member
Contributor
i dont want to answer this question as i think Fotojack will be monitering this :D

in short i read bits and pieces as i need to. i have it downloaded to my pc and phone and a larger print/copy in a hard binder.
 
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Whiskeyman

Senior Member
Yes. When I get a new camera, I inventory the item, then I skim the manual for W/C/N (Warnings, Cautions, Notes), and then I look at the interface section of the manual. After that, I refer to the manual as I need to, often researching the internet for the information instead. (That's how I came across Nikonites.com.)

I do find many manuals don't help in many instances. And now find online versions not only more prevalent, but also more useful as I can use the "Find" function to more quickly reach the information I'm after.

WM
 
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