Unhelpful Camera Help Files

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Ethan Ace
Aug 01, 2017

In recent tests when trying to get some quick clarity on specific functions, we've been noticing that camera help files are often useless.

For example, looking at a Hanwha camera, which has multiple IR modes, simply named Auto 1 and Auto 2 with minimal performance difference we could see:

The help file says this, which doesn't tell me anything more than that mode names themselves.

Or this example from a Uniview manual, trying to get an answer to what "smoothing" does (which it doesn't answer).

This doesn't seem to be getting better over time, either. Has anyone else seen this? Any other offenders/examples to point out?

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Aug 01, 2017

The manual lists the difference - weighting an object only in the center or anywhere.

Previous generations on Hanwha/Samsung did not have built in help.  In many places, I have found it to be pretty amazing, describing various menu items.

 

A lot of other manufacturer cameras I have worked with do not have help. I have seen one where they specifically removed it in a firmware update to make working with multi-language easier for global models. (And it was pretty useless....)

U
Undisclosed #2
Aug 02, 2017

Localization is hard, but I would like to see quality built-in she context-aware help documentation for more internet enabled devices.

They can even use a single language in the firmware, then provide a link to online documentation which might be in additional languages.

I have never successfully used onboard help on a camera. And I have had a need for it many times.

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