# Canon camera and camera manual - good or not so good?



## PJcam (Jan 4, 2018)

I purchased my new, entry level, Canon camera a few days ago. (See signature below)

Am I please with the camera? The reply has to be YES.

But what about the manual...

Do I find the manual detailed - yes

Do I find the manual helpful - yes and no

Do I find the manual frustrating - yes as a newby to the hobby I have to say I do

After all these years Canon has been making 'good' cameras, they don't supply a PDF manual with a search facility. I want to learn about my camera, I want to take pictures with it, but I am slowed down because I come across terms I am unaware of and struggle and waste time trying to find the answers. In this advanced technological age, we 'search' for answers, we find them fast. But not with the Canon camera guide, the PDF does not allow me to search the manual. 

I feel the manual is designed by people who deal with cameras, know all about the cameras and the various terms but, as a newby to the hobby, I come across something maybe from my camera menu and want to look up what it means in the manual, because I cannot search for the word I am unsure of, I have to glance over the menu, scroll through pages to find what it means. As a beginner to the hobby I do not know all the terms related to my new camera, there are many examples I could give, here is a very simple one, my camera gave 3 options in the menu, One Shot, AI Focus and AI Servo. It took me 20 minutes to find the data explaining what they are do, with search in the PDF manual file I would have found what all three meant in 20 seconds.

With any new hobby, there will always be things we don't know, I have to wonder why, in this day and age, Canon cameras do not have a manual with a search facility? 

I am sure Canon would reply to my comments, read the full manual first, easy said, there is so much to take in, it would not be possible to remember everything off every page read, and even if I could I would not remember what page I read it on if I needed to go back to it.

It is a shame, Canon make great cameras, I am really pleased with mine, in my view, as a beginner to the hobby, not being able to search the manual really does let them down.

Does anyone know a way round this problem?


----------



## Destin (Jan 4, 2018)

PJcam said:


> I purchased my new, entry level, Canon camera a few days ago. (See signature below)
> 
> Am I please with the camera? The reply has to be YES.
> 
> ...



Taking great photos requires years of practice. You can’t just read a manual and understand it instantly.

Those terms you can’t understand? You’ll need to learn them and understand them to take great images.

To get a searchable manual you can download the pdf from canons website, however.


----------



## Cortian (Jan 4, 2018)

Destin said:


> Taking great photos requires years of practice. You can’t just read a manual and understand it instantly.


In fact I learned what I know so far of my new-to-me Canon 20D from Ken Rockwell's _Canon 20D User's Guide_.  If I'd had to go just by the manual, I don't think I'd be as far along as I am.



Destin said:


> Those terms you can’t understand? You’ll need to learn them and understand them to take great images.


I regard that as a truism in _any_ field of endeavour.



Destin said:


> To get a searchable manual you can download the pdf from canons website, however.


Yup.  I was gifted my camera.  Did not come with the manual.  Downloaded the PDF from Canon's site.  Got it on my computer and saved to my iBooks stash so I can refer to it from phone or tablet.

Wish the manual had links in it, though.


----------



## stk (Jan 4, 2018)

Maybe this can help.


----------



## Overread (Jan 4, 2018)

The camera manual is just that; its a manual on how to use the various functions and features of your camera. I found the Canon ones for my 400D and 7D to be pretty good - BUT - they are about how to use your tool rather than how to do photography. 

As such to the newbie they are in need of some support - Scot Kelby's 4 book Digital Photographer series; Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson - indeed any good how-too photography book will cover the basics.


----------



## PJcam (Jan 4, 2018)

stk said:


> Maybe this can help.



I have this video stk, downloaded it day before yesterday, it was quite helpful. Thanks


----------



## PJcam (Jan 4, 2018)

Overread said:


> Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson



I downloaded the Kindle version night before last recommended to me by a another helpful guy on here Tcampbell. 

I think this is going to be a good book to read, just starting to read it.


----------



## PJcam (Jan 4, 2018)

Destin said:


> To get a searchable manual you can download the pdf from canons website, however.



Hi Destin, I just been back and downloaded the PDF Manual for the 1300D from canon.com and again it is the same as I already had, I cannot search it?

I have double checked my PDF Reader, it is Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. 

No search facility???  Any suggestions?


----------



## PJcam (Jan 4, 2018)

Overread said:


> The camera manual is just that; its a manual on how to use the various functions and features of your camera.



That is what I am wanting here Overread, quick search for terms relating to the camera.

I agree Canon manual is for the camera not the photographer.

As photographers (even learners LOL) we need to read about photography, or watch YouTube Videos about photography. I have items on both, my issue here is I cannot search the Canon camera PDF?

Strange if other people can there must be a reason.


----------



## Overread (Jan 4, 2018)

If memory serves doesn't the manual have an index at the end?


----------



## Destin (Jan 4, 2018)

PJcam said:


> Overread said:
> 
> 
> > The camera manual is just that; its a manual on how to use the various functions and features of your camera.
> ...



Try using ctrl+f or cmd+f (on Mac). Sometimes that will open a search bar for you. 

I've never used a canon manual as I'm a Nikon guy, but I've always been able to search the manuals for my Nikon gear if needed.


----------



## Cortian (Jan 4, 2018)

PJcam said:


> Hi Destin, I just been back and downloaded the PDF Manual for the 1300D from canon.com and again it is the same as I already had, I cannot search it?


Searching is a function of the PDF reader, not the PDF.


----------



## PJcam (Jan 4, 2018)

Overread said:


> If memory serves doesn't the manual have an index at the end?



Just seen it Overread, thanks mate.  At least until I find out why it won't search terms I can find them here.


----------



## PJcam (Jan 4, 2018)

Destin said:


> Try using ctrl+f



That works, thanks Destin


----------



## PJcam (Jan 4, 2018)

Thanks guys, sorry Canon.

There are some really helpful guys on here. Thanks everyone.


----------



## ronlane (Jan 4, 2018)

I know you are not enamored with the manual. However, I'll give you the same advice that I got back in 2012 when I got my first dslr and joined this site. *Read the manual 3 times.* 

Is it overkill and boring, yes. But, as mentioned above, it will let you learn about the tool. Which is a piece of the puzzle to getting good images. You will then also have a brief reference of the manual and will be able to reference it in the future should you need to as you are learning.

It's part of the process of the hobby and everyone must go through it.

Have fun with it, you won't know everything next week.


----------



## zombiesniper (Jan 4, 2018)

Completely agree with the above but I'll give a slightly different direction.

Read the manual cover to cover with your camera in hand. Follow along with the manual and learn the menus. Don't skip things because "I'll never use that!"
Do this 3 times. Don't go out and try to take pictures tonight. Read the manual.

Then take the camera out and shoot with it. Keep the manual close. Having followed along with the manual 3 times you will have started to build up a bit of memory where things are.

If you just read the manual without a camera in hand you will only learn terms and what they mean. Not how to apply them to your camera.


----------



## PJcam (Jan 5, 2018)

ronlane said:


> I know you are not enamored with the manual. However, I'll give you the same advice that I got back in 2012 when I got my first dslr and joined this site. *Read the manual 3 times.*
> 
> Is it overkill and boring, yes. But, as mentioned above, it will let you learn about the tool. Which is a piece of the puzzle to getting good images. You will then also have a brief reference of the manual and will be able to reference it in the future should you need to as you are learning.
> 
> ...



Everything you say is true ronlane, I have always had a saying, men don't read manuals (until they get stuck.) 

I realise the issues, I just got frustrated wanting to know the meaning of something I read in the camera menu but couldn't search the manual. CTRL+F I kick myself now, but in the frustrations I couldn't find search in Adobe Reader and right click, the obvious one, didn't give it me either.

My frustrations I know are not unlike many other people have had...

I have a new toy I want to play
I am reading, a) the Canon camera manual and photography at the same time
I am searching things as they are discussed and trying them out
I am watching YouTube how to Videos, camera model use and photography.
I am doing to many things and I have only had the camera 7 days today.

And one more... I am loving every minute of it, yesterday I did my first Manual photo, indoors, with a glossy computer mouse with a ceiling light directly above. A lot of reflections and lights to baffle the manual shot, but I think it turned out quite well. The question is no doubt, PJ can you do it again, at this stage probably not. 

There is such a lot to learn, to me a combination of reading and playing helps gel what is learnt, better than reading a manual 3x first, good advice, I would probably learn faster, but we are all different, as we get older we do things the way we have done in life, my way is suitable for me not everyone, my way probably takes longer to learn, but eventually when I get a cracking photo I can say as the song goes. I did it my way. I just hope I live long enough      

Thank you for your excellent advise


----------



## astroNikon (Jan 5, 2018)

Back when I bought my Nikon D7000 I found the Manual to be the same way as you.
but even reading it didn't really give me the answers that I wanted.
I found those answers in a book called "Mastering the Nikon D7000" ==> https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Ni...744&sr=1-1&keywords=mastering+the+nikon+d7000

For your T6/1300D they also make books similar to that such as ==> https://www.amazon.com/Canon-1300D-...&sr=1-4-fkmr0&keywords=mastering+the+canon+T6

Though I've never perused that book you'll find out "how" to use your camera effectively instead of just "how it works/settings" that the manual provides.  The manual was very informative, after I actually learned how to use the camera with the above book I mentioned.

There's also websites out there similar to the books though the book I found much more detailed and more rich information than most websites.


----------



## PJcam (Jan 5, 2018)

Hi astroNikon, many thanks for the details and links, I have noted the Canon book for consideration later.

Meanwhile, I have watched two Youtube videos, 
Canon T3/T5/T6 & 1100D/1200D/1300D Overview Tutorial, 53mins, which was a good start for the camera and 
Exposure Explained Simply - Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO, 13mins, also very good start.

I am working slowly through the Canon D1300 Manual, but have just started to read the book..
Understanding Exposure, Fourth Edition: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera by Bryan Peterson. 

This looks to be a fantastic book, even better as a Kindle edition as it was about half price. I have only just started and so far only read to the end of Chapter 1, what I also like is that even at this early stage he say... put the book down pick up your camera, do this and see what happens when you change this and that. I learn better with hands on (playing) as I learn. 

Lots of...     

Many thanks for your suggestions (everyone), I am grateful for any/all suggestions, I am new to the hobby, 7 days old today.  But I am also very keen to learn and get shooting.


----------



## beagle100 (Jan 5, 2018)

PJcam said:


> Hi astroNikon, many thanks for the details and links, I have noted the Canon book for consideration later.
> 
> Meanwhile, I have watched two Youtube videos,
> Canon T3/T5/T6 & 1100D/1200D/1300D Overview Tutorial, 53mins, which was a good start for the camera and
> ...



reading the manual is a good idea,   youtube videos can help
The Bryan Peterson "Understanding Exposure"  and other books will certainly help -  and don't forget to check your local library on-line for photography books
*www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless*


----------



## TCampbell (Jan 22, 2018)

Camera manuals aren't meant to teach photography, they're just a technical reference on the features of the camera itself ... and that somewhat presumes you already knew why you'd want to use that feature.  

For example... somewhere in the manual it will tell you how to enable exposure compensation.  But it wont tell you why you'd care about "exposure compensation".  That's something you'd learn elsewhere and when the metered exposure is too high or too low (and your photos are too dark or too bright)... you'd realize that what you need is a little "exposure compensation" and the manual will tell you how to enable that for your camera model.   

Regardless of how many years a person has been doing photography... where you find a control might be different for any camera model.  So even experienced photographers read the manual.  But again... it's not to learn about photography, it's to learn what features the camera supports and how to access those features.

There are some books that offer a middle-ground... they are written specifically to one camera model only... and they go into depth to explain the feature (a little more depth than just a simple reference explanation found in the manufacturers manual).  These books also are not written to teach photography specifically... they're really just meant to go into more depth about the features.    

So for example, the David Busch's series has a book for most popular camera models.  There's a "David Busch's Canon EOS Rebel T6/1300D Digital SLR Photography" book.


----------



## Winona (Mar 5, 2018)

The "Dummies" book for my Canon has been extremely helpful. Larger print for one! I will be looking for some of the books listed above to move on to.


----------



## WesternGuy (Mar 6, 2018)

Is this of any use to you?

https://www.amazon.com/Canon-Rebel-...101&sr=8-1&keywords=canon+t6+book+for+dummies

WesternGuy


----------



## jcdeboever (Mar 6, 2018)

IMO....Manuals... Some are better than others. I learned more using a film camera, then bought a digital that worked like one, Fujifilm XT2. Today's DSLR's are very complicated and menu driven.  I like everything to be external, aperture ring, shutter dial, ISO dial, etc. That's just me I suppose. My D3300, then D7200 were very frustrating to me because I was shooting film at the same time. So I ditched those and switched to Fuji, never looked back. The manual for Nikon jumped around and was very confusing, Fujifilm a little better but here's the deal, if you can use a manual SLR film camera, you can pick up a Fujifilm camera and start shooting. The details of fine tuning the image can be found in the manual. For me, it's about taking pictures through the viewfinder, not looking at menus on LCD. I rarely look at my menu, I look through my viewfinder and feel with my fingers to take images, I could never get used to a camera that didn't offer total external control of Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, EC, and drive modes. You may or may not be experiencing that, it took me thousands of dollars to figure that out. I was teaching myself the art of photography through old (70's), John Hedgecoe books and I posted a similar rant and @Gary A. pointed me in the Fuji direction because he was keen at pinpointing my frustration. Mine was purely a SOP or physical approach that mirrored the Hedgecoe books and Gary picked up on it some how and I'm forever grateful.


----------



## ClickAddict (Mar 6, 2018)

Years ago  when I first got my T2i, I bought a "Canon T2i digital field Guide" by Charlotte something or other.  I see there is a 6D version out by Michael Corsentino but sold under the same Publishing company and has the same look.  I was new to DSLR at the time and found that book much more helpful in learning the camera and a how to use it in specific situations than the manual. (if i remember there was sections on shooting with back to the sun,  low light, fast moving objects....  and some settings to start you in the right direction and which to use depending on what you needed to tweak.  (If too much blur adjust this... if background too dark adjust that....)   If you can find one for the T6 you have, it's a good cheap book to have a round.  It's really aimed at someone starting out with a new camera and specific to that camera so it tells you where to find the settings.


----------

