In the sense that they cover the same functions and controls as does the Nikon manual, sure. In the sense that they actually explain not only what the function or control is used for, why you might want to use it, and what things you need to know in order to get the most from it, no, the byThom Complete Guides go far beyond what Nikon supplies. This is most obvious in areas like focus or exposure, where Nikon's manuals don't tell you much at all about how the system is making its decisions and why that might be important to you.
Thom Hogan has been writing better instructional manuals for high-tech products for over 30 years, and his work has been acclaimed by many throughout that time. So much so that a few manufacturers have sought out his works and included them with their products (Microsoft and Fujifilm, for example).
