Ken Rockwell's Free Nikon SLR User's Guides

RushNP774 · Jan 28, 2009

I recently found a D90 user's guide written by Ken Rockwell that is awesome! He goes into detail on every function, feature, and menu item, and explains what it does, and what he changes. It was VERY helpful when I was learning my D90. He has manuals for most Nikon SLRs (but no Canon guides for some reason) from the D40 up to the D3. I'm sure many have already seen them, but for those who haven't, please check out the full listing I made on my blog:

Ken Rockwell Nikon Camera User Guides

He allows you to download them, but asks for a $5 donation if you do. In my opinion, it's worth it. Enjoy!

kundalini · Jan 28, 2009

From a respected author... Thom Hogan has the Nikon Guides too. KR has somewhat of a reputation on TPF.

puyjapin · Jan 28, 2009

Ive just been looking at some of his guides, for the D40 in fact. He says he only ever uses Program mode, and the other modes are not needed. Somehow if that were the case i doubt nikon would bother to build them into the camera. I find him slightly nutty, all that crap about live cheap/ frugal so u can do what you want to do. All he is doing is justifying what he wants to spend his money on. In his case cameras !

SlimPaul · Jan 28, 2009

Thanks for the info!

That's what I've been looking for. The manual isn't enough.

RushNP774 · Jan 28, 2009

kundalini said:
From a respected author... Thom Hogan has the Nikon Guides too. KR has somewhat of a reputation on TPF.

Wow, thanks for pointing me to those. That guy looks legit. However, he charges $50 for a copy of his D90 manual, and I can't see it before I buy it. Although it's probably better than Ken Rockwell's.

puyjapin said:
Ive just been looking at some of his guides, for the D40 in fact. He says he only ever uses Program mode, and the other modes are not needed. Somehow if that were the case i doubt nikon would bother to build them into the camera. I find him slightly nutty, all that crap about live cheap/ frugal so u can do what you want to do. All he is doing is justifying what he wants to spend his money on. In his case cameras !

I agree with you for the most part puyjapin. There's quite a bit I don't agree with him on (i.e. only shooting JPEG), but he still knows a lot about cameras. I just found his explanation of most of the settings quite helpful, but others may not I suppose.

SlimPaul said:
Thanks for the info! That's what I've been looking for. The manual isn't enough.

You're very welcome!

potownrob · Jan 28, 2009

puyjapin said:
Ive just been looking at some of his guides, for the D40 in fact. He says he only ever uses Program mode, and the other modes are not needed. Somehow if that were the case i doubt nikon would bother to build them into the camera. I find him slightly nutty, all that crap about live cheap/ frugal so u can do what you want to do. All he is doing is justifying what he wants to spend his money on. In his case cameras !

I highly doubt KR leaves his D40 in program auto mode. :lmao:

puyjapin · Jan 28, 2009

mee tooooo

kundalini · Jan 28, 2009

RushNP774 said:
Wow, thanks for pointing me to those. That guy looks legit. However, he charges $50 for a copy of his D90 manual, and I can't see it before I buy it. Although it's probably better than Ken Rockwell's.

He is legit. I bought a Field Guide (David Busch) for my D80 and was thoroughly unimpressed with it. I feel ya about the $50, but all I can say is to somehow cough it up. I got it for the D300. The guide is on CD that can be printed, but is 769 pages. It's not just that he explains all the functions and settings, he also explains when and why to use them, as well as which to best ignore. You will not absorb all the information at once, nor should you try. Eat it like an elephant. I keep the CD close at hand while on the computer and refer to it often..... I printed it out and read bits of it when in bed. There is quite a bit of ancillirary information to boot. Well worth the price of admission for me.

Just my 2¢.

Kegger · Jan 28, 2009

I have to agree with Kundalini. The Thom Hogan guides are the best thing you can spend money on for your camera.

As for anything Ken Rockwell says.... Well it's not gospel, and definitely completely biased, let's put it that way.

epp_b · Jan 28, 2009

Alright! Another thread to derail to a KR love/hate discussion!

I find him slightly nutty

Slightly? I'm surprised that Planter's doesn't pay his salary.

AdamBomb · Jan 28, 2009

When I bought my D90, KR's guide definitely helped me, as well as many guides on his site.

Mike_E · Jan 28, 2009

By all means read Ken's site.

But also read this one http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm

And this one Tutorial Links

And this Photography and Travel Taking Your Camera on the Road - Basic Nature Photography - Introduction

And this one if you like people Ask the 'ole pro' about photography

Enjoy.

dEARlEADER · Jan 28, 2009

Mike_E said:
By all means read Ken's site.

But also read this one http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm

And this one Tutorial Links

And this Photography and Travel Taking Your Camera on the Road - Basic Nature Photography - Introduction

And this one if you like people Ask the 'ole pro' about photography

Enjoy.

:thumbup: that's the spirit

cosmoepic · Jan 28, 2009

epp_b said:
Alright! Another thread to derail to a KR love/hate discussion!

Slightly? I'm surprised that Planter's doesn't pay his salary.

nice zinger!

MikeBcos · Jan 28, 2009

I had kept an open mind about the whole KR thing, until I started reading his D40 guide.

Apparently a 6MP jpeg Basic file, that's a 3000x2000 pixel 600k file, will look just fine printed 36 inches wide and examined closely.