Canon EOS 6D Digital Field Guide Paperback – June 4, 2013

GOODThe last four chapters were well done. The only brain freeze I saw was on page 205 where there is an inapplicable reference to CF (CompactFlash) cards in the Tip box. The EOS 6D of course only uses SD (Secure Digital) cardsBADMy humble opinion is that the pictures in the book are lo-key and dark, and lack any factor that would make you want to have a camera that could make the shots in the book. One of the pictures that I did find interesting was on page 73, (3.1), in the chapter Working with Exposure. Unfortunately, as described in the caption the picture was taken with a shutter speed of 1/8000, and the 6D offers a max shutter speed of 1/4000. I did a small amount of investigating, just looking at the "Look Inside" feature on Amazon of the author's previously published book on speed lights. Sure enough, the pictures 3.1, 3.5, 3.6 and 9.12 were there. The speed light book was certainly put together before the 6D was manufactured. It bothers me that the author/publisher/camera manufacturer have all missed a chance to actually show what the subject of the book can do. Would it be that hard to go and take some useable pictures with it, for a book you are getting paid to write?At the start of the book is the Quick Tour. On page 3 the author uses the symbol for the Quick Control button instead of the Quick Control dial. On page 4 there is a discussion of the Quick Control button, but no picture of it until page 23. This is in the so-called Quick Tour section, and by not showing this important button, I don't think a person new to the camera, or especially to the EOS system, will find the tour very quick. Likewise, in the Quick Tour, in a Tip box, the author recommends shooting in RAW to get the best image quality possible. To a newcomer to the DSLR world, this will not result in anything quick, especially when they discover there is a software component to RAW shooting. I would have just left the 14 page Quick Tour out of the book.Skipping to page 42, the author refers to the maximum burst rate with full resolution RAW files as approximately 4.54 fps. Wow, what exactitude, but alas an error; the real number is 14, as stated on his chart on page 46. The column of that chart is unfortunately marred by a heading that refers to UDMA Card. Again, this camera does not use Compact Flash cards, and UDMA is a CF card designation. Moving right along, the picture caption on page 53 (2.8) refers to a Canon 7.4-44.4mm, f2.8-4.8 USM lens. I don't know where all the extra 4's came from in Chapter 2. Other errors in picture captions occur on page 71 where there is reference to a picture taken at f/2.5 with a lens reported as Canon 28-70mm, f/2.8L USM, and on page117 (3.21) an exposure of f/2.8 with a Canon 17-40mm, f/4L USM. It would be great if our lenses could have wider apertures than expected!On page 84 the author begins the use of the word simultaneous, however, what is really meant, and correct is continuous. Our cameras only have one sensor, and therefore we cannot take simultaneous pictures. The Owner's Manual uses continuous, and it is hard to blame the author for trying to find a synonym, but simultaneous is not one.Another instance where copy/paste may have plagued the author is found on page 103 where he shows the symbol for the Metering mode selection button, but has WB next to it, as I believe some previous Canon EOS cameras have had. Unfortunately, the 6D does not have White Balance on a button, and it has been called out as a weakness by some, as you have to go to the menus to chose the White Balance.Finally, this sentence (?) concludes a paragraph on page 135: "In addition, even if you shoot JPEG, which automatically converts 14-bit files to 8-bit files in the camera." I guess it is just an editing, or lack thereof, problem.UGLYWait, there is more? This time the author is off the hook. This book is called a Digital Field Guide. But it is one of those books with only a glue binding. It will not lay flat. If you bend it too far the pages will start to pop out. I think they should drop the Field Guide (well, it's not Digital, either) from the title. If I cared about the book, I would be afraid to take it outdoors!This was the third disappointing book on the Canon EOS 6D that I have reviewed. I continue to recommend downloading the PDF from the Canon web site of the complete 404 page Instruction Manual (and using Send to Kindle), or the purchase of "Canon 6D Experience" an e-book by Douglas J. Klostermann for $9.99 (Plus, he has the advantage, and stated intention, of removing any of the gremlins that make their way into print).

Canon EOS 6D Digital Field Guide is a convenient hands-on reference to supplement Canon's pdf user's guide. I don't know about you, I still like having a physical book in my hands when it comes to complex product instruction manuals.As with other Digital Field Guides in the series, this book is well organized and intuitively digs deeper into a number of 6D features which require such detail. I appreciate the examples cited to bring relevancy to these features.By virtue of the author's clarity & thoroughness, I discovered and now employ a number of features I would have otherwise ignored. I also have gained clear understanding of other features I previously had limited knowledge. The sum of learning & understanding these features have expanded my field technique and "chops".I now use the Canon EOS 6D Digital Field Guide as my primary "go to" reference. Overall, a nice, solid & reputable reference book for your Canon EOS 6D.

My husband bought a new camera and was having difficulty learning all about it in a short amount of time. A friend recommended this and he sat for a few days and tried out some of the new features and quickly learned a few things. He takes it slow. He really likes this book as it's much easier to follow than the manual. When we left the U.S. for the Middle East in January, he left this book behind. I ordered him another so now he has no excuse for leaving his expensive camera sitting in it's bag and not taking pictures of the beautiful sunsets we see.

Noce book, it explains what the manual doesn'ti

Information in the book is correct and useful to the extent I"ve used it; the writing is mediocre. two instances of not being able to find "unknowns" in the index. It was the first and only book on the 6D with which I have any familiarity, I cannot make any comparisons.I would recommend it, but not to the exclusion of other books of the type.

The 6D is my first DSLR, so I have a lot to learn. I really like this book because unlike some other books that supposedly cover the details of a specific camera, this one actually does provide significant help and info for 6D users. There is some general photography stuff included, but for the most part it focuses on showing how to get the most out of the 6D. I think I've been able to find an answer to every question I've had over the past several months pretty quickly with this book.

It quickly taught me everything I need to know about this camera to get me up to speed in no time. It's filled with some interesting tidbits, not necessarily specific to the 6D. It also covers some very basic photographic concepts, like aperture verses shutter priority. I thought that was a bit of a waste, since that sort of thing should be covered in a general photography guide for beginners. But it does no harm and these sections are easily skipped over.

D. WilleminThis book is great. Extremely informative and easy to read. I have this same book for 2 other cameras and this is an excellent resource to have as general knowledge about the Canon EOS 6D or to answer any specific questions that may come up about the camera. The book misses nothing on the operation of the camera or explaining the different menus. It is definitely a guide to the Canon 6D camera!

I'm a very experienced photographer (30+ years!) and recently bought the Canon 6D. After a few months use with that fine camera I decided I needed a little more support info than the Canon manual provided. I looked at many reviews and 'have a look's before I settled on this Digital Field Guide by Michael Corsentino.The book is well written and laid out with a good balance for users from novice to pros.

This guide is very good as I did not get the book for the camera when I bought it every thing is in the guide you will need to knowAbout the 6D Canon camera and more.

Great

As the manual supplied with the camera is a "starter", this is a useful guide which adds some advice to the instructions and description. It is also a lot easier to use for reference than the full manual download (IMHO). It may be a little over simple for the experts but I found it very useful and it explains well what is,after all, a complex bit of kit.Recommended.

Well written with detailed explanation of most functions, the author is obviously well respected in the fields of wedding and portrait photography.A very helpful ,practical guide, one minor disappointment, there is very little on close up and macro photography. Anyone wanting to learn more about this area of photography would need a more appropriate guide.