It's almost that time again, folks. The Holidays. Yep, it's later than you think, and before long you're going to wish you'd started shopping for your favorite photography buff. Unless, of course, that is, you're one of those smart readers that follows our Holiday Gift Guides here at PhotographyTalk. We've done the shopping for you – all you need to do is pick one of the great gifts we recommend. If you've got a photographer (even if it's you) to buy for and have a budget of $150 to $249.99, you're in the right place!
1. Syrp Genie Mini Panning Motion Control System
Consistent, smooth panning can add impact to both time-lapse sequences and video. That's exactly what Genie provides, with a simple device that you can carry in your pocket! It works with your smartphone, GoPro, mirror-less camera or DSLR. You program it wirelessly through an included app, and factory presets make it easy to use, even for those with no experience.
2. Datacolor® Spyder®5PRO
Here's an advanced color accuracy solution, with room lighting settings for optimal monitor brightness, to help you get true colors on screen and in print. Advance-featured, interactive calibration for laptop and desktop displays.
3. MyStudio MS20 Professional Table Top Photo Studio
Having professional looking photos of your products is so important, especially in any kind of eCommerce, but it can be a very time-consuming, challenging and often expensive process for people without much (or any) photographic experience. The MyStudio® MS20 Table Top Photo Studio is a superior, all-in-one table top photo studio system that will help you take amazing product photos even if you don’t have a lot of photography experience. It is a very affordable yet versatile photo studio kit that provides everything you need to take professional quality photos of your products. Featuring a unique 20”x20”x12” seamless “cyclorama” background and soft, wrap-around 5000K “daylight” lighting, the MS20 will help you take your product photos to the next level.
4. Plustek ePhoto Z300 Photo Scanner
If you’ve got piles of printed photos laying around and want to digitize them, there’s no need to send them off to a third party when you can do it yourself with the Plustek ePhoto Z300 Photo Scanner. This scanner is designed specifically to gently handle prints to avoid damaging delicate surfaces. With a 300 dpi CCD scanner, the unit will create high-quality digital reproductions of prints ranging in size from 1x1” up to 8.5x11.7”. If time is of the essence, don’t worry - the Z300 takes just two seconds to fully digitize a 4x6” photo and can handle a printing load of up to 500 sheets per day. It comes bundled with software that auto-deskews and adjusts your photos, allows for easy editing, and has a one-touch social media share button. It will be a great addition to your collection of gear and makes an ideal gift for other photographers in your life as well. If you’re after a film to digital scanner, then another option worth considering is the Plustek Optic Film 8100.
5. HoldFast Gear MoneyMaker Multi-Camera Harness
If your photographer shoots with more than one camera – or wants to, here's a gift that will make that happen in style. This beautiful, high-grade leather harness is designed to hold two cameras near your hips, and allows them to slide up in an instant for that quick shot. All sorts of accessories can be added, including an option to carry a third camera!
6. Singh-RayLighter, Brighter” LB Warming Polarizer
There is no substitute for a polarizing filter when you need one. Not only does it make pale blue skies more brilliant, it's most important function is removing glare from your images, allowing you to do things like photograph what's under the surface of a body of water. It also restores color and details on reflective surfaces. This filter adds a subtle warming effect, adding a little more “punch” to your images.
7. Sirui Urbanite BP Camera Backpack
For photographers on the move, having a handy way to store, transport, and protect their gear is of the utmost importance. Why not give them something stylish too? The Sirui Urbanite BP offers plenty of space for a DSLR camera, up to 4 lenses, camera accessories like spare batteries and memory cards, and room for a 15” laptop and 10” tablet! For added security, all camera gear is organized in a padded, zippered compartment that’s accessed from the rear. On top is a zippered compartment for things like a phone, car keys, and other belongings that you might need quick access to. The unique internal flow-through design lets you safely store a long telephoto lens or compact travel tripod out of sight. Carry all you need in a great looking backpack that doesn’t scream “photo gear inside!”
Learn more about the Sirui Urbanite BP Camera Backpack..
8. MyStudio® MS20J Table Top Photo Studio w/ Jewelry Kit + Tripod
Jewelry photography can be a real challenge. Even if you don’t have a lot of photography experience, this all-inclusive jewelry photography kit from MyStudio® provides everything you need to start taking professional looking photos of your jewelry. Featuring the best-selling MS20 Table Top Photo Studio with a seamless cyclorama background and 5000K “daylight” lighting, and combining it with the MyStudio® 12pc jewelry photography prop and tool kit and a bonus tripod, you will have all the tools needed to make your photos stand out. The included DVD is packed with demos and tutorials that will help you take your jewelry photography to the next level.
9. SlickforceSystem Trilogy - Mastering Lighting, Retouching & Compositing
This incredible bundle from Slickforce will take you step-by-step through the process of becoming an expert at lighting, retouching, and compositing your images. Your favorite photographer is sure to love the way that master photographers deconstruct their methods and make ground-breaking photography processes accessible and easy to understand. Whether it’s lighting your subject like a pro, learning advanced retouching techniques, or building the skills needed to create stunning composites, the SlickforceSystem Trilogy has the photographer in your life covered from A-Z!
Learn more about the SlickforceSystem Trilogy.
Marumi 77mm EXUS Circular Polarizer Filter
If you don't need the added warming of the polarizing filter above, here's an extremely high-quality one that retains the cooler colors. The thin filter ring design is ideally suited for use with wide-angle lenses and features multiple light-blocking ridges, a satin finish, and a black ink coating to provide a surface reflectivity of less than 0.6% to reduce the likelihood of lens flare and ghosting. Additionally, the male threads of the filter ring are coated with Teflon to help eliminate filter jamming and promote easier installation and removal from lenses.