Looking for the perfect gift to get your family member or friend? Has he or she recently take up photography as a hobby? If you answered “yes” to these two questions then do we have a list for you. Today, we’ve rounded up 10 gifts that you’ll want to pick up for the ultimate photo enthusiast. From the kitschy to the chic, from the expensive to the cheap, we’re sure that you’ll find something here that they’ll love.
1. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4
Though not yet available to the public, Adobe recently released a free public beta version of Lightroom 4 for both professional and amateur photographers which expires on March 31, 2012. The beta version will give you a taste of what’s to come, which includes a completely new book-creation module, expanded support for video, soft proofing capability, and geo-tagging of still and video images via a Google Maps-powered module. Image editing tools have also been significantly updated. A standard tool for most digital photographers today, Lightroom 4 will help anyone bring out the very best in their photography.
Price and Availability: TBD (Expected in spring 2012)
2. Tote & Shoot Camera Bag
Your friend already has a fancy camera, now they need something stylish yet functional to hold it in. Enter the Tote & Shoot by internationally acclaimed wedding photographer Jessica Claire. This fully-padded tote bag was created for the active DSLR owner in mind. It features the first ever side-loading camera pocket, holding a camera with a full size lens attached in an outside pocket – ready to shoot. The rest of the bag is free for extra lenses or for personal items. There’s even a back pocket for holding your magazine, Kindle or iPad.
Price: $229
3. Gorillapod
Gorillapod by Joby is the ultimate tripod. Its bendable legs can attach almost anywhere, helping you take pictures at virtually any angle. It doesn’t require an elevated flat surface, like a normal tripod. Instead, you can wrap the Gorillapod’s flexible, multi-jointed legs around poles, handlebars, tree branches, fences or anything else that you think might work. There’s several different variations of this product including ones that can hold your standard point and shoot camera, your iPhone 4 and even your heavy SLR. Compact and light, it’s the perfect gift for those photographers that love to travel.
Price: Original $19.95, SLR-Zoom $49.95
4. Polaroid SC1630 Camera
For your trendsetting, early adopter friend, check out Polaroid’s new SC1630 Smart Camera. Powered by Android, this camera, that looks like an iPhone, has features you’ll find on a standard digital camera like 3X optical zoom, 16 megapixel sensor and a microSD storage of 32GB, but it also has a 3.2 inch touchsreen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and it holds Android apps. This camera also integrates 18 different scene modes and has a 3.2-inch rear display. Best feature? You can easily edit your photos – crop, remove red eye, resize them – and then you can share your photos and videos to your social networks all with a touch of a button.
Price and Release Date: TBD (Expected sometime this year.)
5. Easy Macro Cell Lens Band
If your friend is never far from his iPhone, even snapping pictures with it wherever he goes, get him the Easy Macro Cell Lens Band, found at PhotoJoJo. This rubber band with a built-in macro lens promises to transform ordinary cellphone photos into extraordinary works of art! The small, convex lens magnifies objects until they look quite big. The band is inexpensive and easy to store. This item is perfect for those that want to get creative with their photography but don’t want to invest in expensive gear.
Price: $15
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