Digital camera instructions
One of the big problems when buying a digital camera is the issue of digital camera instruction manuals, or rather the lack of them, especially with compact digital cameras. They usually come with a not very comprehensive “getting started” leaflet which just about gets you to being able to take a picture but nothing else. The main digital camera instructions which shows you all of the functions and camera features is more often than not found on a CD when you buy your camera and which you have to view on a computer.
Of course your digital camera is a complex piece of electronic equipment and trying to remember all your digital camera instructions which you sat for hour on the computer trying to memorise is just not practical. This does not help you much and trying to figure out how to work your new camera from memory can be very frustrating and will not help you to get the best from your camera. Another issue is that not everyone who buys a digital camera has access to a computer.
Digital camera manufacturers are not in the habit of saving rain forests, so why do you think they do not give you a comprehensive instruction manual in paper format? The main problem is that the digital camera market is extremely competitive and the margins of profit both for digital camera manufacturers and the retailers are not as great as you may think. On a compact digital camera after heavy discounting the profits can be as little as 10 dollars (one of the main reasons major photography retailers are finding it hard to survive at the moment).
To stay competitive, and without compromising on the camera components things like digital camera instruction manuals and other extras need to be curtailed.
Of course this does not help anyone who has just bought a new digital camera and without a manual at hand it is hard to get the best out of your camera. There is however a solution that can help. Probably most people would pay a little extra to have a comprehensive manual for there new digital camera and if the manufacturers are not prepared to produce the manual in a paper PDF format then there are other people who are. One such supplier that offers this service is “What digital cameras”. In the UK you can purchase the manuals for about 7 pounds and they can be found at (www.whatdigitalcamera.com/testreports). Another way to get a copy of your instructions manual could be to take the instruction CD down to your local printers and get a copy taken off, although this could be more expensive.
Manufacturers could have given this option to buy the manuals as an accessory like extra memory or batteries so have missed the opportunity to make a little bit of money and would have given retailers an add-on extra to allow those who want it the chance to purchase there digital camera instructions as a booklet and to keep the price down for those that do not want it. If the manufacturers made the digital camera instructions an paid for product then they could produce it to a much higher standard with a proper durable cover, better instructions and illustrations with coloured pictures. The cover could be made to withstand outdoor use. But its production would probably be welcomed by most new digital camera users and those upgrading to a more sophisticated model.
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