By David Gewirtz
As I'm sure you well know, photography isn't an inexpensive hobby. Yes, you can get away with an inexpensive camera, but if you want anything that'll work well, you're still talking about a gift in the hundreds of dollars.
But what if you want to control your costs? Are there good, useful gifts for under $100? You guessed it, there are. Otherwise we probably wouldn't have named this article "10 useful stocking stuffers under $100 for your favorite photographer," now would we?
Our goal in collecting this list was to make sure each item was actually useful, not a novelty throw-away item. As a result, we've got some great software, accessories, and even a scanner and a printer.
Let's kick off the list with two rather useful tools from Adobe, makers of Photoshop.
1. Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0
Photoshop Elements is something like an entry-level Photoshop. While it's missing some very useful features for photographers (like channels), Elements shares some of the amazing utility available in Photoshop. While there are other low-cost image editing programs out there, at under $100, Photoshop Elements is a must-buy for any photographer who doesn't already own Photoshop. Although this program has many great features, one we really like is the Quick Fix feature, which will do some very nice adjustments to your image with a few simple clicks.
Although Photoshop Elements lists for $99, we found it for as low as $58 on PriceWatch (at http://www.pricewatch.com), a price-comparison service. Of course, be careful when you buy any product online. Be sure to check out the merchant carefully.
2. Adobe Photoshop Album
Adobe calls this the "fast and easy way for active picture takers to share a lifetime of photos." Smooth integration with Photoshop Elements makes it easy to add extra enhancements to your digital photos. At first glance, we were somewhat underwhelmed with this application. It's basically an image library. If all you want to do is catalog the images you've downloaded off the Web, Photoshop Album isn't for you.
Where Photoshop Album really shines, though, is in managing all of the digital images you capture with your digital camera. Unlike film, you can't go thumbing through slides or negatives to look for an image. You need a way to keep and represent all those "rolls of digital film." Photoshop Album is an ideal tool for this purpose. At $49 list, it's also a pretty good deal.
3. Your First Digital Camera audio workshop
OK, I have to admit, this is my product. But it's really quite good and I'm (I think) justifiably proud of it. If you're thinking about getting a digital camera, want to know how one works, want to know what all the terms mean, and want to really understand the "system" that is a digital camera, this workshop is great.
I know, it seems weird to do an audio workshop for something as visual as a camera. But we're not teaching focus or composition here. Instead, we're taking you inside each subsystem of the camera and you'll learn a lot, even as you drive to work. Before I move onto the next product, I'll give you two great tips for this product. First, to celebrate the launch of Connected Photographer, we've got a special savings coupon code for everyone who buys this month. It's in the Product Availability and Resources section at the end of this article. Second, at under $30 with the discount code, it makes a great gift if you don't know what camera to buy (or if you want to save some money).
4. Memory cards
Again, using PriceWatch, we've actually found flash memory cards with 512MB for under $100. This is an amazing price, and with a 512MB card, you can save a whole lot of pictures. These cards are extremely useful (make sure you get the right card for the camera owned by the person you're buying for), and current prices are exceptional.
5. A tripod
A tripod is an excellent tool for taking pictures. It holds the camera steady and lets you compose your images. A full size tripod can be found for well under a hundred dollars. We even found a mini tripod, the TR-036CL, for under $5 at Wal-Mart.
6. A camera bag
Yes, you can spend well over a hundred dollars for a camera bag, but you can also get quite an assortment for under $100 as well. There are as many camera bags as there are camera choices, so you should choose based on what you think will support the camera. We've recently started seeing backpack-style camera cases, like the Targus DPMV02. For under $40, you can give a case that's rugged, holds quite a bit, and will keep your favorite photographer's hands free to hold onto handlebars, burgers, or the side of a mountain.
7. Buy a book
Like camera bags, there are a whole lot of books out there. One of our favorites is the "Down & Dirty Tricks" series by Photoshop guru Scott Kelby. This series has been around for a while, but one of the things we like best about it is that it showcases a given effect and then gives step-by-step instructions for accomplishing the effect.
8. A good scanner
Everyone should have a scanner. Even if you take digital pictures, you're bound to want to scan in an old photo, touch up an image, or just scan in a body part. Scanners are shockingly inexpensive. The Canon CanoScan LiDE 30 Scanner is under $70 at Amazon and there's an even less expensive unit for under $50!
9. An inexpensive photo printer
We actually found a photo printer on Amazon for under $10. We're not going to recommend it. But you can find very inexpensive printers that print surprisingly nice photos. You will absorb some additional cost due to the paper and ink, and some printers will be slow, but printers like the HP PhotoSmart 7260 Inkjet Printer are available for under $60.
10. Batteries
Every digital photographer knows that batteries are essential. We were rather amused by the battery belt packs we found when researching this item. While you can buy batteries at your local Radio Shack, battery belts are worn around the waist and either recharge your camera's batteries or provide a backup service. The Bescor PRB-15 12V 14.4amp Two Pouch Battery Belt Pack is one such pack, and it's available for just about $99.
There you go. Ten useful products for under $100 each.