[Sailor]

Has anybody ever looked at the K20D Magic Lantern Guide? Is it anything more than the manual restated?

Thanks,

Jer

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Last edited by Sailor; 12-15-2008 at 04:40 PM.

[8540tomg]

I have the Magic Lantern Guide for the K10 and while it offers more than the Pentax Manual it is not significantly better in my opinion. Perhaps they did better with the K20 guide.

Cheers,

Tom G

[Prairie Dog]

I purchased both Magic Lantern guides for the K10D, and K20D when I purchased the cameras. Books are okay, but don't really tell you anything more than reading the owner's manuals accomplishes. Although, I could say that I can stay awake a little longer reading the Magic Lantern guide than the owner's manual.

I have spent most of my professional life answering customer's questions about electronics equipment by reading the owner's manuals (for them) that they won't bother reading, so with that in mind, the Pentax manuals are pretty much excellent, far more detailed than many others. It would be virtually impossible for any manufacturer to fully explain every minute detail. ( I sell ridiculously expensive professional audio and recording equipment, some of which is hand or custom built, including microphones costing 10 to 20 times what a K20D costs and many of these things don't even have a manual; the builders expect the users to know what to do with the products!) So, count your blessings that a company like Pentax cares enough to have a wonderful manual like we all get with our cameras.

I've found that the best thing for me is to just use the camera and when something perplexes me, I read the manual section addressing the feature, then I get the idea.

In the favor of the Magic Lantern Guides, they seem to take the approach of writing them for someone who potentially does not have vast photographic experience, so that could be very beneficial for a beginner who has not had all the experience yet.

[Sailor]

Thanks Tom and Prairie Dog.

Pentax manuals (I've been reading 'em since '78) are quite good in my experience, but cruising through Amazon I noticed the Lantern which instigated my curiosity. So I wanted to hear from someone who'd actually read one.

Thanks again,

Jer

Good thing about the Magic Lantern Guides I find is that they go one step further than the manuals by giving advice on what settings to use and when to use them which is great for beginners. The handy little cheat sheet they provide is also useful.

[tybeck]

Good thing about the Magic Lantern Guides I find is that they go one step further than the manuals by giving advice on what settings to use and when to use them which is great for beginners. The handy little cheat sheet they provide is also useful.

Agreed. When I bought my K10D I was coming from using some kind of point and shoot for 10+ years and really only knew the basics of photography. As a beginner the Magic Lantern Guide helped me practically apply good photographic practices to the use of the camera. After a year of shooting with a DSLR exclusively I don't use the guide that much anymore, but still use it as a reference for types of photography I don't explore that much, like flash photography. So if you are a newbie it's worth it. Otherwise the camera manual should be just fine.

[stewart_photo]

Has anybody ever looked at the K20D Magic Lantern Guide? Is it anything more than the manual restated? (snip)

The owners manual is a solid reference source, while the Magic Lantern Guides are a decent enough read (in the bathroom or elsewhere) with occasional good how-to advice.

A beginner will obviously benefit most from the Magic Lantern Guides, but even the more experienced will likely find something interesting, even if that's nothing more than agreeing or disagreeing with the author - experienced users tend to be rather obstinate in their opinions.

stewart

[ta131js]

Aha! How timely!
I got my K200D last Wednesday, and my Lantern book today.
My initial impression is positive.
There is a pocket outside of my camera bag that is just the right size for this book.
It also came with a handy laminated wallet size cheat sheet.
I'd like to keep my owner's manual in pristine condition - for the next owner of the camera.
So this is going to be my primary learning curve material.

Now - how long is it going to take to put me to sleep?
I will find that out tonight...

[SpecialK]

I believe the Magic Lantern guides are written by someone whose first language is English, so at least the writing makes sense if the subject doesn't.

They also give a bit more reference material, such as lens mount/uses.

Kind of silly to have B&W photos illustrating white balance, though.

If I lost my manual, I would buy a ML book rather than printing out the manual again....

The little cheat sheets take more time than just navigating the menus.

[Sailor]

Thanks all. As a couple of us have said, Pentax manuals generally are pretty straightforward - a pleasure compared with those that come with professional-level electronic keyboards (those manuals are written only for people that don't need them). Yamaha actually helps sponsor a website, monitored by a Yamaha employee, to help customers unravel the mysteries of their instruments; the website address is actually written in large letters on the box the instrument comes in. Don't leave home without it.

Jer