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20 Photo gifts for under $100

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Attention, bargain hunters!

By Mason Resnick

November 10, 2006

Warning: This was our buying guide for 2006, and some of the products listed here have been discontinued! Looking for the most up-to-date guide to photo gifts for under $100? Read 25 Photo-tastic gifts for under $100

Are you shopping for something special for the photographer(s) in your life--but want to keep within a reasonable budget? Here, presented from least to most expensive, are 20 clever, practical, inexpensive gifts that say "I love you" in a special way that only photographers will understand.

Under $25

Adorama Digital Media Storage Wallet $8.95 Memory cards and batteries are easily misplaced (we know, we've lost plenty!), so anything that will give them a place to stay is invaluable. The Adorama Digital Media Storage Wallet is specifically designed for CompactFlash cards. The soft nylon wallet holds up to four cards, and is an ideal el cheapo gift that's especially well suited for photographers who travel. This 4 1/4 x 3 1/4-inch pouch holds up to 4 memory cards and 2 AA batteries, and can be attached to a Slinger camera bag, carried on its own, or placed inside a camera bag.
Popabrella $19.95 We're not sure this umbrella-for-your camera is the most effective protection for your gear from rain, but it'll certainly get a lot of comments, maybe a few laughs--and might even keep some drops away. Features include a 360-degree ball socket and slide mounting system to position the umbrella just so (and by the way, it can also be used--effectively--to block sunlight and thereby reduce flare).
LumiQuest Soft Screen $12.95 LumiQuest has been making light modifiers for around 20 years--you see them at press conference on those big portable shoe-mount flashes. But now they've made one to fit over your digital SLR's pop-up flash. Use this to soften the harsh lighting that direct on-camera flash produces. It'll also reduce the chance of getting red-eye.
Alpine Innovations Spudz $19.99 Microfiber is the best material to use for cleaning a lens, but what if the cloth is dirty? Alpine Innovations has elegantly solved this problem by creating Spudz, microfiber cloths that live in their own tiny housings that you can keep in your pocket or gadget bag. This set includes three different microfiber cloths from 6x6 inches to 10x10 inches. As a bonus, they are 18% grey, ideal for taking accurate meter readings and establishing color balance.
LumiQuest ProMax Pocket Bouncer $19.95 The original, and still considered the best on-camera flash modifier, this flash light bounce unit attaches to your shoe-mounted flash as shown. Shadows are softer, and the more diffused light produced is more flattering when photographing people. A must for pros and serious amateurs alike.
Joby Gorillapod Mini Tripod $21.95 We love anything that will keep your camera steady and reduce the likelihood of camera shake. But most tripods are bulky affairs, while the small ones are limited to tabletops. The funky-looking Gorillapod secures your compact camera to just about anything it can get its three legs around, and has become an instant best-seller after being introduced earlier this year. Want to attach your camera to a pole or tree branch? No problem!
The Digital Printing Handbook $24.95 One of the weak links in the photography chain is digital printing--most photographers, if you inject them with truth serum, will admit that they know little about what it takes to produce beautiful, interperative prints and controlling the digital printing process. This book will point you in the right direction.

Under $50

Lastolite Ezybalance Collapsible Grey & White 12" Exposure Aid Card $29.95 Time to replace your grey card--this round 12-inch target folds down to a third of its full size and is easy to stuff in a gadget bag or even your pocket. In addition to offering 18% grey--ideal for fine-tuning exposure--the other side of the Ezybalance is white. Use this with your camera's custom white balance setting to set the best color balance for a specific shooting situation and reduce time Photoshopping later.
Lomographic FishEye Point 'n Shoot $39.95 Lomographers are a subculture that justs want to have fun with photography, and do it on the cheap. The Lomographic FishEye is a 35mm camera fronted by a 10mm lens with a 170-degree angle of coverage. This means super distortion and a topsy-turvy look to anything that comes its way--just the ticket to get kids (and kids at heart) excited about how photography can transform their world. Forget the viewfinder, shoot from the hip, and have fun with this Lomo. (Make sure you've bought some 35mm color print film to go with it.)
Pictronix Illuminated Flat Screen Photo Frame $39.95 Sure, you could watch your digital images on a large-screen plasma TV or a handheld digital "wallet," but we like this inexpensive, elegant brown faux leather framed 4x6-inch viewer. The same size as the most commonly-requested photographic print, the Pictronic is the least expensive digital photo frame we've seen.

Under $100

ExpoImaging ExpoCap $69.95 Screw this cap onto the front of your lens, then take a custom color balance reading to establish consistent, accurate color quality. The results--beautiful skin tones and more natural looking colors--speak for themselves. Made for DSLR lenses, the cap is available in 77mm. If your filter ring is smaller, you can buy a step-up filter ring.
Crumpler 4 Million Dollar Home Photo Bag $58.50 The company that never comes up with dull names for its bags has done it again. The Crumpler 4 Million Dollar Home Photo Bag looks more like an oversized purse, but it comes complete with configurable, padded dividers and five pockets to hold and protect your sensitive gear. Fashionable, and functional.
See our review of Huey.
Ansmann Energy 8 Battery Charger $79.95 In these days of multiple battery-operated devices, this multiple battery recharger is a necessity. It will charge up to 6 AA and AAA cells, or 4 C or D cells, or any combination of C, D, AA and AAA cells as well as two 9-volt batteries. It can provide a full charge for NiMH and NiCd cells in 3 hours, and can automatically detect and switch to the proper current.
Sunpak Auto 383 $79.95 Do you mourn the demise of the classic Vivitar 283 flash? Do you pine for a replacement for this simple workhorse, designed for 35mm SLRs that was discontinued recently? Well..here it is. Earlier this year Sunpak unveiled the 383, which is, for all intents and purposes, the Vivitar 283 with a swivel head. A treat for film SLR traditionalists, the 383 should not be used on digital SLRs.
Pro Optic 0.25x Super Fish-eye Auxiliary Lens $79.95 Turn your 50mm lens (or mid-range zoom lens) on your SLR into a quasi-fisheye lens that can take in 180 degrees of coverage. This simple, inexpensive accessory attaches to the filter thread of your lens and converts what you see into a whole new world. Available in 49mm to 67mm filter sizes.
Go Macro special to learn more about using life-sized subjects with macro tubes and other accessories.)
Kata Ergo-Tech Sensitivity V Backpack $89.95 The entire Kata Ergo-Tech line of camera bags is made of cutting-edge material that shifts shape to better hug the contours of your body. The result is greater protection of your camera gear and more comfort for you. As a bonus, the bags are about as cool-looking as a camera bag can get. We like the Sensitivity V Backpack not just for its good looks and ultra-flexible material, but because it can hold both a fair amount of camera gear plus a laptop, an MP3 player, and more. Cleverly designed pockets provide quick access to what you need.

The Adorama Gift Certificate
Still not sure about what you should get? No worries. Adorama Gift Certificates will always be appreciated. They come in amounts from $25 up to $500.

And don't forget...

Memory cards and batteries! There are plenty of choices for under $100. Remember, there's no such thing as too much memory or power!