4th Annual 20 Photography Gifts Under $100 (Plus 4 More)

It’s that time of year again – and I’m starting to see holiday gift guides pop up around the web – which means it must be time for our annual photography gift list!  As for the other lists?  Well, there are a lot of really good ones out there – so swing on by here in the next couple of weeks – and I’ll try to cobble together a large list for ya’ll to check out.

As for this year – I’ve decided to mix it up a bit – and give myself some ground rules:

• I really wanted 20 gifts under $100.  So – I gave myself “4 More” – just for fun to stretch the $100 budget.
• No Scott Kelby or David duChemin…  OK – just kidding.     I could fill an entire Christmas list with only super cool stuff from both of these guys.

The rule I really wanted to impose on myself this year– but just couldn’t:

I have tested, used, and love all of the gear on this list.

I tried (I really did) – but I just don’t buy that much gear in a year.  When I first tried to cobble together the list with that self-imposed rule – it included things like parachute cord just to keep the list up around 20 items (regardless – you should have some in the bottom of your bag for your next trip – seems innocuous until you really need it).  That said – I’ve actually used most of the gear here – but there’s some fun stuff on here I just haven’t had a chance to try yet.

So – in no particular order – here’s the 4th Annual 20 Photography Gifts Under $100:

1. Cowboy Studio Radio Triggers.  If your favorite photographer is thinking about taking their hot shoe flash off camera – this is a great tool at a great price to get them started.
2. Leatherman Squirt PS4.  On the very first list I had the P4.  But now there’s no reason to choose between pliers or scissors – they’re both on the PS4. 
3. REI Sahara Tech shirt.  A great shirt at a pretty good price.  Works both in the (casual) office and while traveling.
4. Diana F+ lens.  It’s plastic, inexpensive, and fun.  Just make sure to get both parts – the lens and the adapter to the correct camera brand.
5. Timex Expedition watch.  I was looking for something in non-descript black that had an alarm and this watch has done very well in the field.
6. Domke insert.  Turn a favorite messenger or backpack into a favorite camera bag.  I used one of these in Uganda (you can read my review here).
7. Photojojo is always a place to go shopping for your favorite photographer.  This year they’ve added the Ring Flash Adapter.
8. Lastolite TriGrip 1 Stop Diffuser. Great for those out-and-about portraits.
9. Another Photojojo cool gift:  The 360 Spinner from those Lomo folks.
10. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.  OK – so it’s not a photography book – but it’s a great read for trains, planes, or automobiles.  And it will probably do well in coffee shops or in that overstuffed chair next to the fire.  Highly recommended.
11. Scott Kelby’s new book – Light It, Shoot It, Retouch It.  Working on my full review of this book now. 
12. Hello Somebody watch.  OK – you can actually give this one to just about anybody on your list.  And while you’re stuffing your stockings with watches – you’re helping to feed kids in Africa.
13. People Pictures by Chris Orwig.  If your photographer takes photos of people – even if it’s just at family birthday parties – this is a great book.
14. Elements 10.  Is there a better value in photography software?
15. Wacom Bamboo Capture Pen Tablet.  This is one of the new tablets from Wacom.  The Capture allows for both pen and multi-touch input – and it includes some cool software, too – all for under $100.
16. BlackRapid.  What’s a list without BlackRapid?  Check out their new RS-Sport 2.  If they already have a BlackRapid strap and would like to make it more sporty – check out the Brad mod.
17. A year in the Craft & Vision community.  A gift that simply keeps on giving.  Great member only blogs, a monthly ebook, and a discount on the rest of the Craft & Vision library.
18. Cowboy hat.  Odd item?  Not if you’re going to get serious about shooting rodeos.
19. Costco canvas.  If your favorite photographer hasn’t yet printed a photo on canvas – treat them to one.  Now a lot of folks print photos on canvas these days – but it’s tough to match the Costco value.
20. Lowepro memory card wallet.  I can carry 4 compact flash cards with cases.   OK – so I modified it a bit by cutting out some parts – but it works great in the field for those big bit-burning days.
21. The LomoKino.  If experimenting with silent analog movies is your photographer’s thing – here’s the tool.  If you want to learn more about this camera – check out the LomoKino Vimeo Channel.

4 more for just a bit more:

1. The North Face Base Camp duffel.  From yaks to airplanes.  This is a great bag.  There are a few sizes and colors to choose from.  I like the medium and large versions for their versatility.
2. Zoom H2 recorder.  This is a great little tool.
3. Lensbaby Sweet 35.  The best Lensbaby optic yet?  Still working on my review.
4. For $1200 you can buy a Canon tilt-lens or for just about 1/10 of the price you could just head on over to Photojojo and you could pick up this tilt-shift camera!

Item I wish I could have put on this list:

1. F-Stop Loka.  Great pack – just too expensive to make the list.  You can find my review here.

 

Hope that helps – but if your photographer has all of this (or wants none of it) – get ‘em a Hawaiian shirt!

 

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And if you’re looking for more ideas – here are the lists from the first 3 years:  1, 2, and 3.

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(Disclosure:  Camera 47 is an Amazon.com affiliate.)