1. The Canon PowerShot ELPH 530 HS compact camera (IXUS 240 HS outside the U.S.) has Wi-Fi connectivity, the hottest feature in casual digital cameras. Your graduate will be able to share photos and 1080p Full-HD video with family members and friends, regardless of where the next stage in his or her life may occur. This PowerShot camera is the perfect complement to a young, independent teen or adult with its sleek and contemporary design. The Canon PowerShot ELPH 530 HS also includes a 10.1-megapixel sensor, 3.2-inch touch panel LCD and a 28mm wide-angle lens with 12x optical zoom.
This camera can be ordered in white or black from Amazon for $268 or from Adorama for $259
2. If your graduate is serious about digital photography as a hobby or a career, then an excellent entry-level DSLR camera is the new Nikon D3200. This new Nikon model includes a 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor that is almost 60% bigger than its predecessor’s (D3100). The Nikon D3200 is also rather lightweight for a DSLR at just 1 lb. (0.45kg). Photographers new to DSLRs are able to refer to the D3200’s Guide Mode, which explains all the techniques in a step-by-step manner that beginners need to know.
The Nikon D3200 DSLR is priced as a tremendous value. Bundled with the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18–55mm f/3.5–5.6G VR kit lens, the body and lens is available for pre-order from Amazon for $596.95 or from Adorama for $596.95
3. The Tamron AF 18–270mm f/3.5–6.3 is rated one of the best all-purpose zoom lenses; in fact, Professional Photographer magazine selected it as a 2012 HOT ONE Award winner in the Telephoto Zoom Lens category. As the world’s smallest and lightest 15x zoom lens, the Tamron 18–270mm is easy to use all day. It zooms in close for creative wide-angle views, covers portrait photos in the 70mm to 150mm range and captures distant wildlife at the longest focal length.
Through 6/30/12, the purchase of the Tamron AF 18–270mm f/3.5–6.3 zoom lens qualifies for a $100 mail-in rebate, which makes the net price only $549 when ordered from Adorama
4. If your graduate is a young woman that is as equally serious about digital photography as any man, but is also a fashionista, then the perfect gift for her is an Epiphanie Camera Bag for Women. She will no longer have to carry a separate bag (and an ugly, black camera bag at that). The Clover Bag, just one of seven in the Epiphanie line, is a stylish, trendy alternative. For Spring 2012, Epiphanie is introducing teal and fuchsia, as the newest colors for the Clover Bag. It accommodates a 15" MacBook Pro with a battery cord, a DSLR camera body with lens attached, a long lens and 2 extra lenses.
Order the Clover bag directly from Epiphanie for just $184.99 from its Web site: http://epiphaniebags.com/#/shopclover/.
5. The X4 Eric Tripod from Three Legged Thing is another essential tool that every photographer needs. As one of the company’s second-generation tripods, monopods and multipods in the Rock Legend Range, the X4 is named for Eric Clapton. It’s designed with the stability, strength and versatility for DSLRs, HDV cameras and Micro 4/3 cameras. What makes the X4 Eric as legendary as its namesake is Three Legged Thing’s new 26mm, 8 Core Stealth Carbon Fiber™ and the highest aircraft-grade T6061 magnesium alloy.
The X4 Eric Tripod is available from Amazon for $359 and from Adorama for $359
6. Many 2012 graduates are happy to suggest that the new iPad would make an excellent gift. Beyond its use for watching movies and playing games, the iPad has become an important tool for all levels of photographers. The incredible resolution of the new Retina Display is what many photographers like most about the new iPad. It’s also the first device from Apple that interfaces with the 4G LTE network.
To make even better use of the iPad’s photography capabilities, give your graduate one of the hottest apps for the iPad, Snapseed 1.4 from Nik Software. The new version of this mobile photo editing and sharing app is fully optimized to enhance the use of the photo-editing palette on the Retina Display. It’s only $4.99 from the Apple’s iTunes Store.
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