Few questions about EA50OH

Chris Hurd · January 17th, 2013, 11:20 PM

Now, now... I would prefer that we please not go down the "RTFM" route, which seems to spoil other forum sites... thanks in advance!

Steven Digges · January 17th, 2013, 11:39 PM

OK, your right, I get it. I will play nice.

Steve

Chris Harding · January 17th, 2013, 11:45 PM

Thanks Chris

We always try to be civil and helpful ... being the only really decent forum online we do value DVInfo immensely. Everywhere else the EA-50 hadly gets a mention and here we have a core of wildly enthusiastic people giving and receiving critical information. It's my first visit in the morning (and half a dozen times a day too!!)

It's tough to just read the manual..what I like to do is use the PDF version and have it up on the computer and physically have the camera in your lap so you can actually try each section out that interests you and apply it to the camera.

On average manuals are not that well written (the worst were my HMC80's) The Sony manual is actually quite good but you remember how things work much better if you read and apply then and there...well for me anyway.

Sometimes we are impatient and want results fast!!

Chris

Rod Pike · January 18th, 2013, 06:24 AM

Hi all,
not a 50 owner but the RTFM quote got me going for a while- I thought WTF does that mean? but then I got it! ( a bit slow after a couple or five of red wine!) and you are so right CH. There are some unbelievably pompous sites around. I am a Tiffen steadicam owner and the tiffen site is so elitist I will never post there!

Regarding manuals- I always send the PDF to my local printer and get it bound with any hard copy supplied- my 160A manual came to $30 NZ which is a real bargain to have in the jolly ol' camera case on location.. when you think it is about a third of the cost of a decent SDHC card, for me it is a no brainer.
Cheers!
Rod

Chris Harding · January 18th, 2013, 06:40 AM

Hi Rod

I gave the EA-50 some cutaway footage on Saturday as a trial shoot (learn't a lot since then!!!) and I wanted to play back the clips to see what went wrong and guess what? I never checked that part of the manual and yes, it was on my computer and I was 300kms South..!! Logic tells you to switch the mode to playback, right? Sony don't have a playback mode ..just video/photo ...After I got home I found to view the thumbnails you need to press the "Visual Index " button... could have used a manual then!

Hmmm maybe a hard copy IS a good idea !!

Chris

Eric Olson · January 18th, 2013, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Hmmm maybe a hard copy IS a good idea !!

Does the camera come with only an electronic copy of the manual?

Chris Harding · January 18th, 2013, 09:09 AM

Hi Eric

Not at all...it comes with a very useful pocket sized manual which could easily be kept with your gear BUT did I put it with my gear?? Nope!! Panasonic have this annoying feature of giving you a two part manual ..Part A is hard copy which tells you stuff a monkey could understand ..ie: push the start button to record but absolutely no settings etc etc ..The part B is on a CD which isn't much use in the field.

The Sony manual is actually a lot more "understandable" than others too !!

Chris

Chris Hurd · January 18th, 2013, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

what I like to do is use the PDF version and have it up on the computer and physically have the camera in your lap

I do this as well but these days, my variation is PDF on the iPad...

January 17th, 2013, 11:20 PM	#16
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Re: Few questions about EA50OH Now, now... I would prefer that we please not go down the "RTFM" route, which seems to spoil other forum sites... thanks in advance! __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

January 17th, 2013, 11:39 PM	#17
Steven Digges Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,828	Re: Few questions about EA50OH OK, your right, I get it. I will play nice. Steve __________________ www.CorporateShow.com Been at this so long I'm rounding my years of experience down...not up!

January 17th, 2013, 11:45 PM	#18
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Few questions about EA50OH Thanks Chris We always try to be civil and helpful ... being the only really decent forum online we do value DVInfo immensely. Everywhere else the EA-50 hadly gets a mention and here we have a core of wildly enthusiastic people giving and receiving critical information. It's my first visit in the morning (and half a dozen times a day too!!) It's tough to just read the manual..what I like to do is use the PDF version and have it up on the computer and physically have the camera in your lap so you can actually try each section out that interests you and apply it to the camera. On average manuals are not that well written (the worst were my HMC80's) The Sony manual is actually quite good but you remember how things work much better if you read and apply then and there...well for me anyway. Sometimes we are impatient and want results fast!! Chris

January 18th, 2013, 06:24 AM	#19
Rod Pike Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: new zealand Posts: 52	Re: Few questions about EA50OH Hi all, not a 50 owner but the RTFM quote got me going for a while- I thought WTF does that mean? but then I got it! ( a bit slow after a couple or five of red wine!) and you are so right CH. There are some unbelievably pompous sites around. I am a Tiffen steadicam owner and the tiffen site is so elitist I will never post there! Regarding manuals- I always send the PDF to my local printer and get it bound with any hard copy supplied- my 160A manual came to $30 NZ which is a real bargain to have in the jolly ol' camera case on location.. when you think it is about a third of the cost of a decent SDHC card, for me it is a no brainer. Cheers! Rod __________________ "a set of high quality paintbrushes don't make you Rembrandt" www.voxvideoproductions.co.nz

January 18th, 2013, 06:40 AM	#20
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Few questions about EA50OH Hi Rod I gave the EA-50 some cutaway footage on Saturday as a trial shoot (learn't a lot since then!!!) and I wanted to play back the clips to see what went wrong and guess what? I never checked that part of the manual and yes, it was on my computer and I was 300kms South..!! Logic tells you to switch the mode to playback, right? Sony don't have a playback mode ..just video/photo ...After I got home I found to view the thumbnails you need to press the "Visual Index " button... could have used a manual then! Hmmm maybe a hard copy IS a good idea !! Chris

January 18th, 2013, 09:09 AM	#22
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Few questions about EA50OH Hi Eric Not at all...it comes with a very useful pocket sized manual which could easily be kept with your gear BUT did I put it with my gear?? Nope!! Panasonic have this annoying feature of giving you a two part manual ..Part A is hard copy which tells you stuff a monkey could understand ..ie: push the start button to record but absolutely no settings etc etc ..The part B is on a CD which isn't much use in the field. The Sony manual is actually a lot more "understandable" than others too !! Chris