SL2 unacceptable surprise after unboxing

[Vip]

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I bought a new SL2  (exchanging my old SL) I was suprise how poor was the content in the box: no connecting cables , very short battery recharging box (less than 30 cm), no hot shoe protection but more than everithing no istruction book!

I had asked to the national Leica office and the answer was : you can dowload a PDF file from the Leica website . Well 220 pages! I had to print those, and after paying 6000 euro for a complex camera ( is not a point and shot) having the istruction on an hand made way, with all pages flyng around. Even the cheapest camera on the palnet has an istruction book ( as we had in the SL) This is the customer care that Leica plan for the future?

[adan]

Even in 1984:

 

[not12bhere]

While print may be dead, the SL2 is arguably a Veblen good and therefore it is more important to create a premium experience. I was surprised and a little disappointed at the lack of manual. Interestingly, you can order one for free from Leica using your camera’s serial number on their website but it takes a month or more for it to arrive. 

[Marckyokay]

I had the same reaction when I unboxed my last two Leicas. Even experiencing it for the second time, I always get excited about taking out the manual and having a good read for an evening...

BUT you should NOT print it out yourself, you can order a proper manual book from this website: https://order-instructions.leica-camera.com
They will send it to you free of charge. 

[Jeff S]

Took a few weeks to receive my hard copy manual from Leica. No recent Leica models come with printed manual...good for trees, with a minor inconvenience.  The less fancy packaging also helped moderate SL2 costs, which are lower than M models in a much more competitive market segment.

Jeff
 

 

[LocalHero1953]

Smartphones don't come with a full manual. I can't think of a modern tech device I've bought recently that came with anything other than a quick start manual. I received a new wireless microphone kit a day or so ago where even the quick start manual was printed on the inside of the box.

I am happy with saving the planet and using a pdf.

Edit. The original SL came without a hotshoe cover. This was a feature, and because the SL is weather sealed and didn't need one. I assume the SL2 is the same. The CL, which came after the SL and is not weather sealed, has a hot shoe cover. If I take it off, I often lose it - temporarily so far.

Edited July 16, 2020 by LocalHero1953

[FlashGordonPhotography]

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I would vastly prefer to have a PDF of an instruction manual on my phone than rely on a paper book that's out of date as soon as a firmware update is released.

Gordon

[Jeff S]

5 minutes ago, FlashGordonPhotography said:

I would vastly prefer to have a PDF of an instruction manual on my phone than rely on a paper book that's out of date as soon as a firmware update is released.

Gordon

Does Leica actually revise electronic versions based on FW updates, or for other edits/corrections?

Jeff

[FlashGordonPhotography]

4 minutes ago, Jeff S said:

Does Leica actually revise electronic versions based on FW updates, or for other edits/corrections?

Jeff

No idea. I never read them...

If I did I'd want it electronically.

Gordon

[LocalHero1953]

The SL was the only Leica I ever needed the manual for, and that was because I got it accidentally locked in video mode and couldn't get out. I was in the middle of a French town and wouldn't have been carrying the manual anyway. Reading it on a phone screen was a bit of a challenge. For everything else and every other Leica I've just worked through the menu. I occasionally refer to the manual later for the lesser settings, to know exactly how they work.

[pgk]

4 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

Edit. The original SL came without a hotshoe cover. This was a feature, and because the SL is weather sealed and didn't need one. I assume the SL2 is the same. The CL, which came after the SL and is not weather sealed, has a hot shoe cover. If I take it off, I often lose it - temporarily so far.

Out of genuine curiosity, why would you need a hotshoe cover. It has never occurred to me that one would have any use other than decor. My Sony has multiple small contacts in the hotshoe but doesn't have one (or mine doesn't) so of what benefit is such a cover?

[wjdrijfhout]

This topic has been discussed several times and most seem to prefer electronic over paper. 
But Leica puts a lot of effort into making the use of its products easy. So rather than discussing how a manual should be distributed, perhaps we could focus on what information people look for in the manual. With that info Leica can make future products even more user-friendly. 
 

Oh, and this forum beats any manual when it comes to finding answers to things you run into when using Leica products. 

[Vip]

Since the SL 2 is a much flexible and with much more option and tool  instrument than a mobile phone  no instructions can not be acceptable, because to get the free book from the company takes weeks while printings is not the same than a book and waste much more paper than the usual previous traditional book. 
in addition no instructions waste the joy of the first unboxing and first days of use, and the pdf file has never been updated with firmware changing so no benefit. Any way this should be an option ( the pdf) not a way to save cost on a 6000 euro camera

[Joakim]

And yet for some of us the current solution is perfect since we prefer the electronic version and appreciate that we don't get a printed manual that will never get used. Hard to satisfy everyone I guess.

[Jeff S]

Right now, both options exist to satisfy user preference.  The only change I would advocate is that one could more easily order a hard copy, if desired, to arrive at the same time as camera delivery.  Some people had to order multiple times through the poorly designed site, and still waited for months. That’s just bad service.

Jeff

[SrMi]

IMO, printed manuals are such a waste. I always throw them away (recycle). They also become outdated once the first firmware release is published. Leica's approach (printed manual for those who want it) seems sensible.

[masjah]

For further discussion, see my post of 22 May entitled  "Just got my SL2".

[thighslapper]

I'd prefer trees to be growing and saving the planet than made into Leica Manuals.

I have all my manuals for almost everything in a folder on dropbox ..... which I can access  with any internet connectable device from anywhere in the world.

The paper manual is dead. 

[Jeff S]

I still prefer hard copy books, not e-readers. At least I avoid newspapers and magazines. 
 

Jeff

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[RMF]

I would always strongly prefer a searchable PDF or .doc file, so much easier to manage, store and just quickly find any info you need. Besides, an electronic version I can also resize so I won’t need to find a pair of reading glasses 🙂 and it’s also self illuminating via the device.