A Tip For Travelling Photogs

[corkyg]

Carrying a lot of stuff these days when flying commercial, especially abroad, here's a way to have your camera manuals handy without having to carry them.

All of my cameras have the manuals in PDF format - so I just download them and store 'em in the My Documents folder under My PDF Files. They don't weigh anything that way, and are often very handy, including the 580EX II Speedlight manual.

If your PDA can store and read PDFs, that's even handier. Here's an example - the docs for the new EOS 5D MKII in PDF format for download.

Sample

 

[996GT2]

I have my D200 manual in PDF on my iPhone. Very handy when you're out and about.

 

[sygyzy]

I store PDF's on my iPhone too but let's face it, it's a terrible idea. It's better than nothing but have you tried reading a 200 page manual that's originally ~4x5.5"? Obviously that's not an exact measurement but scrolling sideways, up and down, no search, etc is a PITA.

 

[soydios]

I've got all the Nikon camera and speedlight manuals on my laptop.

 

[angry hampster]

I've memorized mine word for word.

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: angry hampster
I've memorized mine word for word.

I doubt that.

But I've used my cameras enough that I don't need one.

I could probably pickup and Canon DSL and shoot without much time figuring out any of the minor differences.

 

[angry hampster]

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: angry hampster
I've memorized mine word for word.

I doubt that.

But I've used my cameras enough that I don't need one.

I could probably pickup and Canon DSL and shoot without much time figuring out any of the minor differences.

Yeah I should've added a smiley in that post. I've never opened my 5D's manual. All the controls are identical to the 20D that i used to own, so I'm used to the interface enough that I never need reference.

 

[Deadtrees]

Pretty good idea but the best way is to store them in your own brain.

 

[randomlinh]

I've never really understood carrying around the manual. Do you really have time to sit there and look up stuff? Especially those who do it on vacation.. I'm on vacation, I don't want to dig through a manual.

I understand if you're just shooting around, with a new camera... but after a while I'd hope you'd know the camera well enough to not need the manual.

 

[corkyg]

Nice to be in the company of geniuses. Sometimes it is not easy to store all the menus and settings for three cameras abd a complex flash in ones brain. Sometimes I just have the need to look something up that I don't do very often, and there is no standardized menu system. Nikon's are different from Canon, etc. (Much more layered to modes.)

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: corkyg
Nice to be in the company of gerniuses. Sometimes it is not easy to store all the menus and settings for three cameras abd a complex flash in ones brain. Sometimes I just have the need to look something up that I don't do very often, and there is no standardized menu system. Nikon's are different from Canon, etc. (Much more layered to modes.)

ok, well, if you're using a system of cameras, I guess it's more useful. I'll give you the flash, as I rarely ever carry mine. If I need to use it for something major, I usually refresh the week before, or just switch to manual and chimp.

I guess that begs the next question, how many of you are carrying different camera systems going out?

 

[corkyg]

I often do testing and evaluating new cameras - and very often I need to look up something about how tio do a specific setting. Not all cameras have the same buttons and menus. My next trip abroad will see me with probably 3 cameras.

For routine stills in P mode, I don't need the manual, but sometimes I find it convenient to look up the parameters for other modes. And, if I am trying out the video capability of a camera, I always have to look that up.

So, back to the pasic point of the thread - no one says it is required to carry a manual with you - but if you do want it, and you travel with a laptop - the PDF file makes it easy - it also makes the pages BIGGER.