R10

[SpringfieldPhoto]

One of my students has bought an R10. I was helping her to set it up and was amazed to find that it is even more complicated than my R6. I had bought her a full set of manuals from the EOS magazine shop and was disappointed to find these not as well written as they should be (No fault of EOS magazine shop as they are reproductions of the official Canon Manuals). My student is Lithuanian but speaks excellent English but thought it was her. I assured her it was not.
Once we sorted all the setup issues out, I had a chance to use the Camera. It is an incredible camera for the money, producing very good results. Shame about the manuals and the menu complexity. I do hope not too many novices will be put off by these two points as once setup it is a lovely little camera to use.

[Farider]

That’s interesting to hear Alan, the R7 may well be similar. It’ll be good to her how your student gets on with her R10

Ian

[antoeknee]

The R7 certainly has an 'extensive' range of options in the menus. I can understand it could be a bit daunting especially to a novice.

My friend has a Sony A7 and even he thinks their menu system is massively confusing.

Given all the features cameras have now perhaps it is something to be expected.

[Trev B]

A friend of mine like me got the R5, he used to work for British Aero Space - BAE Systems. He's a right Boffin but a lovely chap, takes hardly any pictures but can almost recite the manual off by heart. He downloaded the manual and got it printed all 919 pages (A4 size) and also done a copy for me. I thought he was giving me a copy of the Bible when he brought it over. I'm ashamed to say I never use it, not being technically minded when it comes to photography. I got my monitor sitting on it to give it a bit of height!

[John Liddle]

Alan - I got an R10 fairly recently (to replace my previous M5) and I would be interested to hear your view on what settings are preferrable and why.

[SpringfieldPhoto]

Settings are very dependent on the styles of photography you want to do so giving advice is only relevant if you know how the person wishes to use the camera.

[SpringfieldPhoto]

I have done a lot of work with my student, using the R10 and I'll stick wqith my initial comments, it is a great little camera and produces excellent results. She absolutely loves it and has taken many superb pictures with the camera. The menus are a little daunting but are well laid out so are easy enough to follow, my ealier comments about the manual, still stand. Not a lot of help for a novice. We found a book by David Busch on the R10 which has helped her a lot more than the manuals. I have used his books with other students and have used them myself to help me learn my new S---- cameras.

[El Sid]

...I have used his books with other students and have used them myself to help me learn my new S---- cameras.

I think you're allowed to use the S-word, I have managed to get away with the N-word on occasion...

i suspect the problem with manuals, and not just Canon or camera manuals in general, is they are written by the engineers that design, manufacture and program the item rather than by people who actually have to use them. I also suspect that said manuals are rarely if ever proof-read and tested by people unfamiliar with the item which might actually highlight any confusing or vague information...

[SpringfieldPhoto]

I agree, Nigel. They certainly appear to be written by techies. Thank heavens for EOS Magazine articles and books to help people.