Monday, December 30, 2013

REVIEW: Fujifilm XQ1–A Canon s120 Killer or a Compact X20?

Fujifilm XQ1 Digital Camera
Fujifilm XQ1 Digital Camera

The Fujifilm XQ1 is designed to address an important need in the market right now – a well-build compact camera that takes decent images, yet easily fits in a shirt pocket. Sure, cell phones like the Nokia Lumia 1020 are getting very good and pocketable, but there’s still no substitute for a good zoom lens and physical buttons to enhance the shooting experience.

In this mini review I’ll give my high level thoughts about what I think of this camera as it compares to my X20 and the Canon s110 & G16.

Fujifilm XQ1 Rear View (Silver)
Fujifilm XQ1 Rear View (Silver)

Notice the E-Fn button on the bottom right

From behind it’s your typical compact camera layout which means buttons are kept to a minimum. This limits functionality to little more than what you’d get with your cell phone, so it can be rather frustrating at times not having more ways to change your most important settings (like you can do with the Q mode on other Fujifilm cameras).

There’s also a silver model, shown above, but I find that the silver shows scratches easily so I don’t care for it. I also have a harder time reading the text versus the black model.

Compared to the Canon s110/s120

Canon PowerShot s120
Canon PowerShot s120

At the time this article was written, the s110 and s120 were both available. Due to the holiday season orders, I was only able to test with a s110 but I was concurrently testing a G16. I’ve had hands on use of the s120 already, and the big improvement it offers is the DIGIC 6 processor also found in the G16. Beyond this they are near identical, so consult my s110 review and upcoming G16 review (see index to the right) to see how they compare from an image standpoint.

Canon s120 Rear View
Canon s120 Rear View

I’ve always been a fan of the physical size of the Canon S-Series compact cameras, and the controls are very nicely laid out. With excellent improvements in video autofocus and a very handy touch screen, both the s110 and s120 offer the best ease of use on the market. For as nice as the XQ1 is, it’s lack of a touch screen give Canon a big usability advantage. Specifically, the Canon’s ability to tap to set the focus point (and optimally shoot), as well as swipe to change pictures and pinch to zoom make the Canon feel more phone like – but in a good way. 

Compared to the X20

Fujifilm X20 Digital Camera (Silver)
Fujifilm X20 Digital Camera (Silver)

The XQ1 is said to be a skinny compact version of the x20, and from an image quality standpoint that might be pretty close to the truth. However, the x20 (see my review) offers much better ease of use thanks to its wealth of physical buttons and knobs. Most importantly, it’s Q menu and fast access to focus point changing really makes it my hands down winner for usefulness/ergonomics.

When given a choice, I’d take a X20 over a XQ1 – but I’m willing to sacrifice size for hard button controls. Some people – especially significant others – might not be so willing to make that tradeoff.

For the record, my wife (who isn’t a tech or camera geek) prefers the X20 because she feels it is easier to use. I had finally taught her the value of moving the focus button and exposure compensation, so the lack of easy access to those x20 features made the XQ1 a no go for her.

Side by Side Comparisons – Canon s110, Fujifilm XQ1 & X20


Canon s110, Fujifilm XQ1, Fujifilm X20 - Front View

As previously mentioned, the s110 and s120 are the same basic size, so these comparisons include the cameras I had on hand – specifically the s110.

Head on the s110 & XQ1 are basically the same size with the same basic design. Naturally the X20 is much larger, but you’ll notice added features like the viewfinder (which I admit is useless) and the switch for the auto focus drive modes (very handy). There’s also a larger AF illumination assist light which can come in handy with low contrast dark objects.


Canon s110, Fujifilm XQ1, Fujifilm X20 - Rear View

From behind the s110 and XQ1 are very similar, but the X20 adds more helpful buttons and knobs. These allow for faster changes which can mean the difference between getting the shot or not – especially with kids and moving objects.


Canon s110, Fujifilm XQ1, Fujifilm X20 - Side View

Form the size you’ll notice that the s110 is definitely thinner, but the XQ1 isn’t any harder to pocket. The X20 on the other hand is a beast that only fits in the back pockets of men wearing jeans with a size 32 or larger waist. Realistically the x20 has to go into a SnapR or Mirrorless Mover, whereas the thinner s110 & XQ1 offer more storage options when you’re on the go.

Walkthrough Video

In this video walkthrough I compare the physical size of this camera to its sibling the x20 and the popular Canon G16:


Click here to view on YouTube

Real World Sample Photos

As always, these images ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (yes, even the lame ones <g>). You may not save, edit, print, redistribute or otherwise use them without expressed written permission.

The full set of images is available at http://photos.ronmartblog.com/fujifilm/xq1, but here’s a few noteworthy images. Click the image for the original and view using the gallery to see EXIF information. All major settings were camera defaults unless otherwise mentioned. In most cases I’m using the SR+ scene recognition mode or Aperture Priority, DR Auto, and Auto White Balance.


f/2.1 @ 6.7 mm, 1/60, ISO 200, No Flash


f/1.8 @ 6.4 mm, 1/60, ISO 1250, No Flash


f/3.2 @ 6.4 mm, 1/100, ISO 3200, No Flash

I’m not too happy with how this camera renders red – it feels too pink


f/4.9 @ 25.6 mm, 1/20, ISO 3200, No Flash

The x10 EXR mode was great at getting these shots exposed perfectly with no hassle, but the XQ1 fails in a big way! A manual exposure was required (here) to get it right.


f/11 @ 6.4 mm, 15s, ISO 100, No Flash

f/1.8 @ 6.4 mm, 1/26,ISO 100, No Flash f/11 @ 6.4 mm, 1.3s,ISO 100, No Flash
The tiny sensor means there’s often not a huge difference between f/1.8 and f/11 as shown above.


5760x1624 In-Camera Pano (f/2.5 @ 7.4 mm, 1/90, ISO 1600, No Flash)

Pano’s are still awesome


f/4.7 @ 16 mm, 1/9, ISO 3200, No Flash
, Handheld
Definitely better than a phone and reasonable mid tone performance


f/2.1 @ 6.7 mm, 1/240, ISO 100, No Flash
, +1 EV
Outdoor reds do much better than those indoors


f/4.9 @ 25.6 mm, 1/60, ISO 250, No Flash

Loved the in-camera orange of this plane carrying Boeing 737 bodies


f/6.4 @ 6.4 mm, 1/6, ISO 100, No Flash

This camera doesn’t have the dynamic range to do this scene justice,
but that’s true of all compacts from what I’ve seen


f/7.1 @ 10.1 mm, 2.5s, ISO 100, No Flash

Using Velvia and Shade preset, I got some gorgeous colors


f/7.1 @ 13.2 mm, 15s, ISO 100, No Flash

Long exposures were hard because there’s no “simulate exposure” option for long exposures.
As a result I had to guess at this exposure.


f/5.6 @ 16 mm, 2.3s, ISO 100, No Flash

Better than a phone, worse than a DSLR but acceptable performance with tricky lights


f/4 @ 6.4 mm, 1/14, ISO 3200, No Flash

The in-camera reds really disappoint – even in Velvia film simulation

To see images taken with similar cameras, please consult my reviews found to the right and the bottom of this article.

Real World Sample Video

Here’s a sample video I took from a fairly stable location in low light around sunset on an overcast day. The video performance mirrors what I typically see on my x20:


Click here for the full 1080p video

Conclusion

See my conclusion in the article entitled REVIEW: Fujifilm XQ1-The Ultimate Compact Point & Shoot? (Review Part II of II).

Where to order

Click here to learn more or order the Fujifilm XQ1 at B&H.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

NOTE: This site requires cookies and uses affiliate linking to sites that use cookies.

If you enjoyed this article, please support future articles like this by making a donation or saving money by using my discount coupon codes. Either way, your support is greatly appreciated!

This blog is intended for freelance writing and sharing of opinions and is not a representative of any of the companies whose links are provided on this site.

The opinions provided are of Ron Martinsen alone and do not reflect the view of any other entity

Friday, December 27, 2013

REVIEW: MindShift Gear Rotation 180° – FINALLY A Proper Hiking Backpack (Special Offer)

MindShift Gear Rotation 180°

Anyone who has followed this blog for a while knows that Think Tank Photo makes my favorite camera bags, so outside of Kelly Moore Bags I’ve been reluctant to spend much time reviewing bags from other makers. This isn’t because I haven’t used other bags, but more because I’ve been so disappointed with others that I’ve tried that it hasn’t been worth my time to write about something that I wouldn’t feel comfortable recommending to my readers. My camera insurance article explains why I take my camera bags so seriously, so when I first heard about this new company called MindShift Gear (which is actually a spin off of Think Tank Photo), I was a bit skeptical.

The Problem

I wondered, why would ThinkTankPhoto mess with a winning formula? They make bags that are brilliant for travel and rough and tumble photojournalist, so what’s there to improve upon?

North Cascades, Washington State
North Cascades, Washington State 2007 – Ron Martinsen

I live in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest where I can literally drive 5 minutes away from my house and take beautiful mountain hikes, so I can relate with the numerous complaints I get about gear and camera bag weight. Personally when I hike these days I just take my X20 (or a camera I’m reviewing like the X100s) because I don’t want to be bogged down with a heavy bag and gear. However, some of the best photo opportunities happen on those hikes so often I really wish I had my 5D Mark III or a camera like the D600. Given the conditions under the forest canopy, a tripod like my Gitzo GT1541 is handy to have too, but things add up quick so who wants to do that? Well, from what I hear from my friends – pretty much everybody wants to! This leads to people doing silly things like putting their gear in their hiking backpack where stuff bangs against each other and gets scratched, and finding what you need can be a mess. This has caused me to get asked NUMEROUS times if there was a good hiking backpack that could also hold camera gear, but still hold things like water, a change of clothes, food, etc… that you’d typically want on a long hike.

The Solution

MindShift Gear Rotation 180° Rotating Animation
Here’s what they mean by Rotation 180
Get to your camera and basic gear without taking off your backpack!

It turns out the folks at Think Tank Photo got this question so much that they decided to do a Kickstarter Campaign to gauge the interest in them forming a new company dedicated to making camera bags for the outdoorsman instead of the traveller or photojournalist. This different focus would place weight, comfort, and ample storage above all others – yet there would still be the things we love about TTP bags – like durability! The result of that campaign was that people gave an overwhelming YES by contributing over $100,000 more than the $30,000 they needed to form this new company and develop this new bag in just 30 days! This extra funding resulted in the hikers dream bag becoming a reality with all the bells and whistles you could hope for! Based off the old Think Tank Photo Rotation 360 Camera backpack design, this bag offers a small bag to hold your camera, and some basic essentials. The photos below show some possible configurations that I think cover most photographers real world configurations when going out for a hike:

MindShift Gear Rotation 180° inside the rotating compartment
Camera and a
70-200mm? – No problem

Rotating beltpack can be configured to hold a wide array of pro size camera equipment. It will hold a pro size camera with up to a 70-200 f2.8 lens attached.Camera & lenses or a flash? Sure, no problem!

While the mini-bag isn’t huge, it covers about as much gear as most people would want to carry on a hike. If you keep your camera on something like a BlackRapid RS-Sport, then you can carry even more like up to 5 standard size lenses as shown above. For me the configuration on the far right most accurately represents how I plan to use this bag.

Yeah, but what about my other stuff?

The large 17 liter back/top access upper compartment can be used to hold essential non-photo gear. Way more than a camera bag, this bag is ready to hold gear that can save your life

My blog readers literally scale mountains on the weekend here in the Northwest (example), so sometimes the extra stuff in the bag can literally save your life. The photo above shows that this bag is designed with serious outdoor hiking in mind. Of course, MindShift Gear realizes that there will be other times where you just want a camera bag and ideally you want one investment that can serve both needs. This is where this handy insert comes in to make your big compartment a full-on camera bag like you are used to from Think Tank Photo:

The padded camera gear insert holds photo gear up to a 70-200mm lens with body attached and several other lenses.
Insert this into your main compartment to convert this bag into a traditional camera bag

Water Anyone?

Side hydration pocket accepts bladders up to 3 liters and keeps water separate from other gear.
Store up to a 3 liter
water bladder in a dedicated hydration pocket

that includes a tube pass-through where you see the water drop graphic Long hikes require water and typical hiking bags keep this in mind by having a place to store your water bladder. This bag was designed this this in mind, so there’s a dedicated compartment just for your water that also works to hold things like your Rogue XL Pro Lighting Kit when you aren’t scaling mountains.

What about that darn tripod?

One of the most frustrating things when you are hiking is trying to carry a tripod because do-it-yourself solutions end up beating you to death with the tripod, and holding it in your hand gets old QUICK. As a result, many people leave the tripod at home for an activity where the tripod is often needed the most (for long exposure landscape shots).

There are multiple options for attaching and carrying the tripod, including a multi-purpose removable tripod cup (included) that can also be used for securing a snow shovel.Easily hold a Really Right Stuff BH-55 head with a Gitzo GT1541
in any of the three ways shown here

Mindshift Gear thought of this too by offering three ways to hold your tripod without having it beat you to death! The photo above shows three possible configurations. The far right offers the most stability, but I prefer the middle configuration the most for my BH-55 head with a Gitzo GT1541 combo. However, there’s also times when you have the tripod already out and you need to trek around the trail a bit for some additional shots. This scenario was covered to in this awesome tripod extended configuration:

The Tripod Suspension Kit is an innovative accessory that allows hands-free mobility with your tripod-mounted camera attached to the shoulder harness.Tripod Suspension Kit
I literally shouted out BOOYEAH when I saw this feature on my bag!
I want this on EVERY bag I own from henceforth!

But wait, there’s more… (sorry, no Ginsu knives included)

MindShift Gear Rotation 180° AccessoriesA wealth of accessories available (some sold separately)

These guys literally thought of everything, so unlike a normal bag there’s a crap load of accessories (some included, and some sold separately). I’m sure this is just the beginning too as readers like you are probably thinking “yeah, but what I need is…”.

Video Walkthrough

This bag has so much to show that a video is really helpful to appreciate it all. Even though I didn’t go into all the details I still ended up with two videos that are over 8 minutes long each! My bag has all of the accessories on it when I start the video so you can see how they work. I start with my video review which just goes over the bag itself with no gear inside:

Next up I have a video with a bunch of stuff inside including clothes, keys, flashlight, and more...

Hopefully my videos give you a better idea of what this bag has to offer. It's my understanding that MindShift Gear will stand behind these bags the same as Think Tank Photo, so if you are dissatisfied for any reason just contact them so they can make things right or issue a refund.

Conclusion

When I read about this bag I knew I wanted one, but more than anything I knew A LOT of my readers would want one too. As a result, I contributed $500 to the Kickstarter Campaign with the no gift option because I wanted to see this bag happen. I never imagined that so many people would give away their money to see this product happen, but they did (many receiving nice gifts for their donation). Of course this prompted some people to say “hey, what the heck does Think Tank Photo need donations for – those guys are probably super loaded and driving Ferrari’s!”. Well the reality is that Think Tank Photo is still only a small 30 person company that reinvests heavily in itself, so Kickstarter donations were the only way to make this new bag and company happen. They were also generous enough to send me a bag to review so I could bring this article to you. I’m really loving what I see with this bag and I can’t wait to put it to heavy use this summer. I’ll report back if I see any issues that give me cause for concern.

Where to order & SPECIAL OFFER

Click here to order today and enter the discount coupon code RONMART to get FREE SHIPPING.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these reviews:

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this. I was given a bag to review for this article, and I contributed to the KickStarter campaign for this company. This is NOT a sponsored review (in fact, it’s just the opposite) and I’m NOT an investor or part owner in this company.

NOTE: This site requires cookies and uses affiliate linking to sites that use cookies.

If you enjoyed this article, please support future articles like this by making a donation or saving money by using my discount coupon codes. Either way, your support is greatly appreciated!

This blog is intended for freelance writing and sharing of opinions and is not a representative of any of the companies whose links are provided on this site.

The opinions provided are of Ron Martinsen alone and do not reflect the view of any other entity

Best of the Blog: Topaz Adjust 5 Review

Save 15% when you enter the RONMART discount coupon code.

A Distorted View of New York (c) Ron Martinsen - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Much fun can be had with Adjust 5 to get the Trey Ratcliff look

In my previous review of Adjust 4, I covered some of the cool things you can do with tis product. In this review I’ll mainly focus on what’s new from there. I encourage you to read the old review as well as it will show what some of the presents included can do to your images.

For those of you who are big fans of Trey Ratcliff’s HDR work, this product is part of his secret sauce. Now he’s moved away from the “Harry Potter” look of old, but it still shows up from time to time and Topaz Adjust is the key ingredient to the look that either you love or hate. For fun, I applied a little bit of that touch to the shot above that I took in New York with the Canon 8-15mm fisheye zoom lens (review). Here’s how the shot looked when it came out of the camera:

To give it the look you see in the final picture, I started with a little noise reduction which can be done with Topaz Denoise (or other noise reduction products) as this was shot at ISO 1600. After that I applied the Dramatic preset:

I was able to use the transparency feature in the finishing touches section to tone down the effect before finishing my Adjust. I also added the Spicify filter as a separate layer in case I changed my mind later on. I didn’t like what it did to my sky so I used the adjustment brush to brush out part of the effect as shown below:

I could have easily kept these changes together using the Apply button and used the Snap feature to go back and forth between applied filters, but in my workflow I prefer to just do one effect at a time.

What’s New

A big improvement in this release is the ability to do local adjustments in addition to global adjustments. You can now create a brush to remove the effect or do some basic dodge, burn or smooth actions. This feature works really well, so it’s a great improvement.

Another important improvement are the “Finishing Touches” where some will find enough goodness that when you leave Adjust, your work is done. The inclusion of the check boxes to enable/disable a given finishing touch is super handy as well!

Other improvements include:

  • Histogram
  • Individual tab reset buttons,so you can experiment and reset only that one tab rather than the whole image.
  • Split screen has been added
  • More presets with a better grouping (legacy groups are maintained as well)

Learn more

Topaz has put together this nice sneak peek video to help you see some more of the new features:


Play in HD

Where to Order (Discount Info - Save when you get the bundle)

Topaz has a bunch of cool products for reasonable prices, but you save the most when you buy the bundle. No matter what you choose, you can use my discount coupon code RONMART to save 15% off on one or more products.

Please CLICK HERE to order your copy or simply learn more.

Conclusion

Topaz Adjust 5 is much like Nik Software’s Color Efex 4 in that it features a series of unique filters that are much more challenging to mimic manually in Photoshop. I don’t really consider these products to be competitors to each other as both have their strengths, and both are very unique in the filters offered. While the Topaz line of products lack Nik Software’s powerful U-Point controls, HDR Efex Pro users will find Adjust 5 to be a critical part of their finishing touches. The new features added, like the adjustment brushes and finishing touches, will make it easier to get the final result you are looking for without having to do much work in Photoshop. Lightroom users will especially enjoy this fact.

This is a fun product whose user interface keeps getting better, and the performance has drastically improved. It’s a great tool to make your photos pop, and it will simplify post-processing so you can get more work done. My advice for that this is great for stylized looks so if you are into that sort of thing, you’ll really enjoy it. It’s definitely worth the upgrade for previous users – especially if you are only using Lightroom.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

NOTE: This site requires cookies and uses affiliate linking to sites that use cookies.

If you enjoyed this article, please support future articles like this by making a donation or saving money by using my discount coupon codes. Either way, your support is greatly appreciated!

This blog is intended for freelance writing and sharing of opinions and is not a representative of any of the companies whose links are provided on this site.

The opinions provided are of Ron Martinsen alone and do not reflect the view of any other entity

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

REVIEW: Picture Collage Maker Pro


Picture Collage Maker Pro (Win & Mac)

Pearl Mountain Software contacted me several times this year asking me if I would take a look at this app, but due to my busy schedule I refused. As the holidays got near I found myself needing to do a collage so I decided to take them up on their offer to check out Picture Collage Maker Pro (available for both Windows and Mac).

It turns out that this is one of the most useful collage programs I’ve used thus far, and it’s very fast and responsive. There’s lots of free templates available too so that you can hit the ground running very quickly.

Introduction Video

Here’s a little introduction video that shows how this product works:

Video Walkthrough

Here’s a simple video walkthrough I did to just show how I use this product:

Conclusion

If you are doing holiday greet pages, scrapbooking, disc labels, sports portraits or more you’ll love this app. It’s dirt cheap and you can download a free trial to see if you like it. I’m actually quite happy to have discovered it and highly recommend it!

Where to order

Click here to learn more and/or order.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

NOTE: This site requires cookies and uses affiliate linking to sites that use cookies.

If you enjoyed this article, please support future articles like this by making a donation or saving money by using my discount coupon codes. Either way, your support is greatly appreciated!

This blog is intended for freelance writing and sharing of opinions and is not a representative of any of the companies whose links are provided on this site.

The opinions provided are of Ron Martinsen alone and do not reflect the view of any other entity

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Ron’s Photography Holiday Gift Guide–2013

NOTE: FREE OVERNIGHT SHIPPING is available on many products right now

My apologies for those who hate the deals announcements on my blog, but I’ve got a subset of my audience that loves them and an subset that hates them. I can’t please both, and the donations this month total a whopping $60 so this pays the bills. Please know that this will be ending very soon and good reviews are coming soon on some of the hottest items from Fujifilm, Sony Sigma, Canon and more.

Here’s Christmas Deals Newsletter for this week (best deals of the year) and you can sign up for my deals newsletter to stay up on deals during the rest of the year when I don’t post them to the blog.

Here’s more gift ideas for last minute shoppers:

B&H Holiday Shopping Ideas - 2013
B&H Holiday Shopping Ideas - 2013

This time of year I get lots of emails from spouses asking me what should they get for their photographer junkie who seems to have it all.

Well, any photographer will tell you that there’s no way to have it all so there’s always plenty to buy. However, buying things that are wanted versus crap your local camera shop will sell you are two different things. There’s also various budgets, so I’ve tried to offer some ideas at a variety of budgets.

If you have a spouse who might be shopping for you, you may want to share this link with them so you can help steer them in the right direction!

Stocking Stuffers ($17.99 – $79.99)


Camera Creatures ($17.99 – $19.95)

My article entitled Camera Creatures–A Great Way To Get Your Kids Attention For Holiday Photos says it all, but this is a handy little gift to keep your photographer from using bad words when trying to take pictures of the baby who refuses to look at the camera. I HIGHLY recommend it!

Trey Ratcliff’s Lightroom Presets bundles are buy 1 get 1 free for only $19.97, so it’s a great gift for those new to photo editing:

Click here to learn more about how to get the special offer for Trey’s presets.

Camera Sutra T-Shirt
Camera Sutra T-Shirt ($19.99)

I got one of these back in April and it’s been a huge hit whenever I wear it. I try to use it at my workshops and private lessons because its always good for a chuckle – it also makes a grey card in a pinch too!

Rogue Flash Gels - Color Correction Kit
Rogue Color Correction Gels ($29.95)

This is something many photographers need, but don’t actually own. You probably won’t understand why even if I tried to explain it (which I do here), but your photographer will be both happy and shocked you managed to get these for them!

image
BlackRapid SnapR 20 ($39.95)

Did your photographer pick up a little camera this year that was kinda expensive? If so, they might want want a better way to hold that camera, yet keep it at the ready. For doing that the BlackRapid SnapR Camera Bag + Sling Strap is a great gift as it acts both as a case as well as a sling for the best of both worlds. If you’ve noticed that your photographer has lenses that come off their little camera, then order the SnapR 35 ($44.95).

If they like to carry a lot of junk with their camera, then consider the Mirrorless Mover listed in the next section instead.

BlackRapid RS-Sport Camera Strap
BlackRapid RS-Sport Camera Strap ($73.95)

The RS-Sport is a special camera strap that allows your photographer to keep the camera at the ready when they are out walking during vacation or during the little league game.

Hoodman HoodLoupe Professional LCD Screen Loupe for 3" Displays
Hoodman HoodLoupe Professional LCD Screen Loupe for 3" Displays
($79.99)

I don’t think I’ve had a single student own one of these before any of my classes or workshops, but I’ve most of them buy them after borrowing mine (which they often refuse to give back to me without force during my classes). It’s stupid expensive so most people refuse to buy it for themselves, yet they discover quickly they can’t live without it once they own one.

If you are in doubt as to what to get, it’s very hard to go wrong with this one!

Books

Books are always a good choice, but it’s tough to know what your photographer might have. Here’s some that are really fantastic, but not super common purchases:

There’s actually books that I recommend but these are pretty safe bets that your photographer with both love them and probably not own them already.

Affordable but Awesome ($35 – $329)

These items are a little bigger and will need to be wrapped, but

Mirrorless Mover
Mirrorless Mover ($35 - $70)

If you are worried that your photographer will think the SnapR looks too much like a purse for their little camera, then these are the macho solution for the man with the little camera.

image
Turnstyle 20 ($84.75)

Think Tank Photo TurnStyle 20 is a bag that will fit a DSLR, a small lens and a flash for a quick photography outing. It is the perfect lightweight bag for the photographer who has a crap load of bags already, but gripes that they are all too big/heavy.

Available in Black, Blue & Green for tablets up to 15” laptops
Think Tank My 2nd Brain Collection ($84.75 – $99.75)
Available in Black, Blue & Green for tablets up to 15” laptops

This one isn’t just for photographers it is for anyone with a laptop plus other gadgets (tablets, cell phones, Kindle, etc…), and it’s my favorite acquisition of 2013. In fact, I love it so much that I’m giving some of my friends this bag for the holidays!

It’s hard to describe why this is laptop bag is better than anything else on the planet, so check out my review and video to learn more.

Lastolite Ezybox Hot Shoe Softbox Kit - 24x24"
Lastolite Ezybox Hot Shoe Softbox Kit - 24x24"
($149)

If you photographer has more than one flash, then this is one that will both please your photographer and help him/her get MUCH better light on their photos. What’s more, s/he typically won’t mind if they end up with two of these!

Sennheiser MKE 400 Compact Video Camera Shotgun Microphone
Sennheiser MKE 400 Compact Video Camera Shotgun Microphone
($199)

A Sennheiser MKE 400 HDSLR Microphone is helpful for the would be videographer in your life who is only using the camera to record sound and that sound isn’t recording very well. This is nice one if you have kids too!

Wacom Intuos Pro Professional Pen & Touch Tablet (Medium)
Wacom Intuos Pro Professional Pen & Touch Tablet (Medium)
($329)

Go check your photographers computer desk. If they don’t have one of these tablets, then you can rest assured that they definitely want one. The Wacom tablet is a godsend for those doing photo editing, so this a slam dunk gift that is sure to please!

My Photographer Needs Help – Educational Gift Ideas ($17 – $225)

image
Kelby Training – the BEST educational gift you can buy!

If your photographer doesn’t already have Kelby Training, then getting this endless awesome online video training the best $179 (or $159 if you see them getting Photoshop User Magazine from NAPP) you can spend! Seriously, if I won the lottery I’d spend all my time just sitting back and enjoying these videos by the top photographers in the world so I could better my skills!


Click to look inside
on Amazon

Understanding Composition Book ($17) – If you don’t know how to tell your photographer that it’s not the camera and editing that suck, but the pictures they are taking – this is could be the ticket to more interesting photos.


Click to look inside on Amazon ~$35

If your photographer bought a color printer that they curse for not getting the colors right, then they will certainly benefit from reading a new book called The Digital Print. While it’s a little longer and more expensive than my Printing 101 eBook, it’s something that you can hold in your hand and give to your loved one this holiday season.


Click to look inside on Amazon ~$35

Welcome to Oz 2 by Vincent Versace changed the way I think about photo editing forever by teaching me how to control the viewers eye through a photo. While I still don’t always apply what I learned often enough, I think many photographers overlook this import book that can really help make them a much better at photo editing. If your photographer already has this book then they might enjoy his black & white book.


Get rid of Digital Noise ($87.91 after discount)
& Skin Blemishes ($189.91 after discount) with a few simple clicks

Is your photographer cursing at the little salt like spots on their images or complaining of digital noise? If so, then Noiseware is the solution I use to solve that problem when using Photoshop.

Are they taking photos of women and not making their skin look beautiful? If so, then I’d suggest Portraiture when using Photoshop.

Get both and more in the bundle for only $274.91 with my blog discount by clicking here.

You can check out my Imagenomic Portraiture Discount & Tutorial article (& video) which shows both products in action on a real photo so you can see how they work and I why I can’t live without them.

Click to visit X-Rite for more info on the i1Display Pro
i1Display Pro ($224 after discount)

Is your photographer cursing about the fact that the print they just got back from the print service are dull, dark and not matching what they see on their computer display at all? If so, then an X-Rite i1Display Pro Colorimeter might be just what they need. These are way geeky devices that help adjust you computer display to show colors the way they actually exist in their image files rather than super vibrant and bright like the display manufacturer shows you by default.

Beginner Photography Classes

ron-gary-wrkshp-053
Ron discuss flash techniques with a student
Photo by student Mike Wiebe

Do you think your photographer just needs a class? If so, then contact me to get on the wait list for my next Photography 101 and/or Photo Editing 101 course in Bellevue, Washington. Each course will be $299 for four 90 minute sessions held in the evenings after business hours.

Big Budget Gifts for the Photographer Who Has Everything ($329 – $1049+)

My smartest investment ever
My smartest investment ever ($328.95)

The Leica Tabletop Tripod ($119) and Leica Large Ball Head ($209.95) combo are stupid expensive ($328.95), so I never bothered buying them. However my mentor (a Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist shown above), swore that when used on the chest (as shown above) that it could help me get stable handheld shots that were never possible before. Despite his advice, it took me almost two years to bring myself to finally buy it myself. In short, it changed my life and helped me to realize how this little investment helped me a lot more than many of the $1000+ investments I made to improve my photography.

Given the ridiculous price of this combo, almost no photographer will buy this set for themselves, but like a great set of high quality steak knives – you never regret it (or can go back) once you own it.

Gitzo GT1541 with a Really Right Stuff BH-55 is a great choice
The Perfect Travel/Hiking Tripod ($554.99 with Rebate)

I call the Gitzo GT1541 - Perfect Travel/Hiking Tripod because it is. It’s lightweight and just short enough when closed that it can travel internationally with your carry on items. It’s super expensive because of the carbon fiber, but that also makes it super sturdy so that it’s a purchase you make once and never need to revisit again. While the tripod head is not included, no photographer will be sad to see this for the holidays (unless they own one already – rare given the cost).

NEC PA242W-BK Color Critical Wide Gamut Desktop Monitor
NEC PA242W-BK Color Critical Wide Gamut Desktop Monitor
($1049)

The NEC PA242W computer monitor is the ultimate photo editing monitor for both Mac and PC’s and it’s something that your photographer will happily add next to their current monitor if they currently already own one. It’s better than the sexier looking Apple displays, and it’s a luxury that few will splurge for without a business need. There’s also a 30” model ($2,389 on sale) that will have your photographer doing cart wheels and crying tears of joy like a like a little baby if they find this beast under the tree (warning, it’s huge).

High End Photography Experiences


Copyright Ron Martinsen – All Rights Reserved

Want to give the gift of a a photography workshop experience in Japan? Contact me for details of this amazing experience and pricing.


Copyright © Douglas Dubler – ALL Rights Reserved

If your photographer wants to be a part of a high end fashion shoot in New York City with a top fashion photographer who has shot hundreds of magazine covers, then. Contact me to learn more about this amazing experience! ($3000+) – limited spots remaining.

My significant other is just getting started, what do you recommend?

If they already have a camera then the items I’ve already discussed are good as are those found in my Things You Need AFTER You Buy Your New Camera - Must Have Photography Accessories article.

If they don’t have a camera or good lenses yet, then you should probably check out my Which camera should I buy? article.

My photography has all that, now what?!!!!


B&H also has a fantastic Holiday Shopping Guide here for all price ranges

Here's Amazon's Gift Guide with last minute deals:

Still stumped? Then feel free to contact me, but please do so only if you plan to make a donation and/or use my links in this article when making a purchase. However, please expect delayed responses due to my work schedule.

Conclusion

Hopefully this will help make you a holiday season hero with your significant other for getting the perfect photography gift! If so, do me a big favor and post your success story with a photo on my Facebook page!

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