Shutter Mike Photography

So you have a photographer on this year’s holiday shopping list and you are at a loss?  fear not, buying a great Christmas gift for a photographer is a lot simpler than you may think.  Most photographers love the gear and gadgets of photography.  And there are a lot of photography gadgets out there.  Some are just gimmicks but many are very useful.  So here are a few gift ideas for the photographer’s on your holiday shopping list.

1) Hot Shoe Level – The “hot shoe” is the part on the top of the camera where you attach a flash.  But you can also attach other accessories.  And a level is one such gadget that attaches to the hot shoe.  I have one of these and love it.  For any photographer that shoots architecture or landscapes this little gadget that sells for $10 or less in most cases can be a valuable asset to insure your photos are nice and straight.

2)White Balance Lens Cap – This is no ordinary lens cap.  The serious photographers on your Christmas shopping list are probably not shooting with their camera on automatic.  That includes their white balance settings.  For advanced DSLR cameras today the photographer can set a custom white balance for the specific subject they are shooting. In simple terms that means they can make sure they are setting the camera up for the lighting situation they are in.  This special lens cap allows them to get the white balance customized to whatever lighting conditions they may be shooting under.  These run about $25.

3) Gloves for photographers – Even in mildly cold climates the fingers can be the first to go numb.  That makes it hard to operate a camera.  Mittens are definitely out, they are worse than numb fingers for clicking the shutter.  Regular gloves are often too bulky to manage the small dials and buttons of a camera.  There are of course fingerless gloves available, but that still means cold finger.  But fear not, there is a solution, the Freehands Ragg Wool Knit/Thinsulate Glove.  This glove has “grip dots” on the palm and finger tips that allow you to hold your camera securely as well as manage the controls.  It also has the option of only exposing the thumb and index finger to the cold for better camera control and more protection from the cold.  For only about $22 this can be a great photography gadget for the amateur or professional photographer on your Christmas list.

4) Cleaning supplies – Cleanliness is next to Godliness, especially when it comes to expensive (and even not so expensive) camera equipment.  One of the best gadgets I have ever spend $10 on is the Lens Pen.  This is a dual sided “pen” with a retractable brush on one side and a fancy patented cleaning tip on the other end.  Use the brush end for removing surface dirt and dust that if it were to get to the sensor could ruin your photographs and be much more costly to have professionally cleaned.  Use the other end for removing the oils and finger prints from the lens glass.  This little gadget does a much better job than microfiber clothes that often get dirty themselves being carried around in a camera bag and then don’t do much to remove dirt.  Every photographer should have one in their bag and at only about $10 you can be the great friend or family member that puts it in their stocking this year. (Have a cleaning theme going on with this year’s Christmas gifts?  Here is another good small gift idea in that category: Rocket Air Blaster

5)  Lego Camera – Does the photographer on your list already have every gadget known to photography?  How about something just for fun then?  Lego has a camera that looks like a toy but is a real working digital camera.  Granted it is only 3 MP, but the real appeal is the novelty.  And it was not that long ago that 3 MP was top of the line.  So for only $39.99 you can give the photographer who has everything a little camera fun in their stocking.