This is The Digital Story Podcast #715, Nov. 26, 2019. Today's theme is "Photographer's Gift Guide - 2019 Edition" I'm Derrick Story.
Opening Monologue
Photographers aren't the easiest bunch to buy for, that is, unless you have a fully-vetted gift guide at your disposal. And that's exactly what I'm going to share with you today - 5 items ranging from affordable to well, slightly more than that, each and every one will be a delightful surprise for the visual artist in your life, even if that person is you.
Photographer's Gift Guide - 2019 Edition
Feeling a little stumped for gift ideas this holiday season? Take a gander at this list.
- Nitecore P12 LED Tactical Pocket Flashlight ($42) - Built for durability, the light features an aluminum housing with a Type III hard-anodized black finish that resists scratching and corrosion. It is O-ring sealed to be IPX8-rated submersible to 6.6' and impact-resistant to 5'. A textured diamond pattern is machined into the handle to provide a sure grip, and there is a removable tactical ring that fits on the handle for use with a 'cigar-style' two-handed pistol grip. Using separately sold Nitecore mount and remote switch accessories, it can be used as a weapon light. The light can run on 1 x 18650 or 2 x CR123 li-ion rechargeable, or 2 x CR123 disposable batteries. There is reverse-polarity protection that prevents damage to the light's circuitry if the batteries are put in incorrectly.
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- Nanlite LumiPad 11 Bi-Color Soft LED Panel ($49) - Handy for use on or off-camera, the LumiPad 11 Bi-Color Soft LED Panel from NanLite is a versatile 6.5 x 4.5 x 1.4" light source with solid control features at a price point that makes it a good choice for both part-time and full-time shooters. Its wide beam spread, and soft output are well-suited for portrait, wedding, group video, and photography, while its thin 1.4" profile allows placement where larger lights can't go. The light has color that's CRI-rated at 95 for accurate rendering and variable from 3200 to 5600K to meet any ambient light challenge or to blend in seamlessly with other fixtures. Light intensity is variable from 0 to 100%, while the fixture's quiet air-cooling is an asset, especially in sound-sensitive situations. The LumiPad 11 is ready for worldwide use via an optional 110-240 VAC power adapter, but it can also run on separately-purchased batteries when mains power is unavailable via its NP-F battery plate.
- SanDisk 500GB Extreme Portable USB 3.1 Type-C External SSD ($89) - Designed for saving and editing high-resolution photos and videos, the 500GB Extreme Portable USB 3.1 Type-C External SSD from SanDisk provides users with up to 500GB of storage for their creative content work, as well as a 10 Gb/s USB 3.1 Type-C interface, which is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 2 and delivers read speeds of up to 550 MB/s. Additionally, this SSD is IP-55 rated and features resistance against water, dust, and shock. It can withstand a water flow of up to 30 kPA for 3 minutes, 1500 g of shock, and 5 gRMS of vibration @ 10-2000 Hz. It can also withstand drops of up to 6.5' on a concrete floor and temperature extremes, with operating temperatures ranging from 32 to 113°F and storage temperatures ranging from -4 to 158°F.
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- FUJIFILM INSTAX SHARE Smartphone Printer SP-2 with Instant Film Kit (Silver) ($94) - The silver FUJIFILM INSTAX SHARE Smartphone Printer SP-2 allows you to print photos shot with a smartphone or tablet using FUJIFILM's free downloadable INSTAX SHARE app for Android and iOS. Each print measures 2.4 x 1.8" with up to 320 dpi resolution and prints in approximately 10 seconds. A reprint button lets you make additional copies. Choose from several templates and filters, and upload your images to social networking sites. The SP-2's battery recharges in approximately 90 minutes. This twin pack of FUJIFILM INSTAX Mini Instant Film contains 20 sheets of instant color film that is compatible for use with the INSTAX Mini series of cameras.
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- Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 Mirrorless MFT Digital Camera with 12-32mm and 45-150mm Lenses (Black) ($448) - This is a deal with $550 in savings making it more than half off. Complementing the imaging attributes (16MP sensor with dual stabilization), the camera also incorporates both a 2.76m-dot electronic viewfinder as well as a 3.0" 1.04m-dot touchscreen LCD, which has a tilting design to better enable working from high and low angles. Built-in Wi-Fi is also integrated into the design, which facilitates wireless image transferring and remote camera control from linked smartphones or tablets.
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- DJI Mavic Mini ($399) -The Mavic Mini from DJI is a compact drone that offers professional-quality results with no restrictions. Thanks to its small size, the Mavic Mini can fly where larger drones are legally not permitted, or where a drone license is required. This freedom of flight is combined with a stabilized 3-axis gimbal and sophisticated flight modes, which can achieve up to 12MP images, 2.7K Quad HD videos, and complex cinematic shots with just a touch in the DJI Fly app.
Another advantage of the Mavic Mini's size is that it can stay in the air longer. The Mini drone features up to 30 minutes of flight time on a full battery charge. The included controller is designed to work with Android and iOS smartphones, letting you easily fly the drone while maintaining a low-latency HD video feed from the gimbal from up to 2.5 miles away. To help get started, DJI includes a flight tutorial in the DJI Fly app, making the Mavic Mini an ideal drone solution for beginners to professionals alike.
How I Became a 40mm Lens Guy
There's something about 40mms that's just perfect for me. I have a bit more breathing space for composing than I do with a 50mm optic. Yet, it's not too wide like I often experience with 35mm lenses. It's just right for this street photographer kind of guy.
But this revelation didn't come to me overnight. It evolved over years, beginning with a lens that wasn't 40mm at all: the Zeiss Tessar 45mm f/2.8 for my Contax film camera. I wanted this lens because it was a super compact pancake that would travel nicely on my Contax Aria. I loved it from the beginning, even though it wasn't the fastest at f/2.8, or quite as wide as a true 40mm. I still shoot with it today.
You can read the entire article here to see all the optics that I'm currently a fan of.
New Details for Our Upcoming LA Street Photography Experience
This 3-day event on March 13-15 explores classic Los Angeles locations and architecture. Our excursions will take us as far west as Venice Beach, as well as famous movie spots and the back streets of this fascinating Southern California area.
Our HQ will be in a cozy Santa Monica neighborhood, not far from the iconic Santa Monica Pier and the Metro Rail station. From there we'll ride the rail into the heart of LA urban culture, making stops along the way to explore. We will also spend a day photographing Venice Beach with all of its So Cal charm and charisma. What a dream for urban explorers!
You will learn new techniques for safe and effective street photography, how to capture the vibe of great architecture, and enjoy some classic California cuisine along the way.
Olympus Educator, Mike Boening, is our co-instructor. Those of you who have worked with Mike at our SF Street Photography events know how much he brings to the table. Not only is he an official Olympus Educator, he's an accomplished street photographer, and he's going to bring gear for you to test and learn about.
If you want to join Mike and me this coming March, just visit the information and registration page, or go to www.thenimblephotographer.com and click on the Workshops link, or go to the Olympus site - no matter how you get there, Mike and I are looking forward to working with you this coming Spring.
Do You Have a Film Camera that Needs a Good Home?
Over the last year, I've received donations from TDS members who have film cameras that need a good home. What I do is inspect the items, repair and clean as I can, then list them in TheFilmCameraShop where I can find a good home for them. If you're interested in donating, please use the Contact Form on TheNimblePhotographer site. And thanks for you consideration!
Updates and Such
Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!
B&H and Amazon tiles on www.thedigitalstory. If you click on them first, you're helping to support this podcast. (The Digital Story is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.) And speaking of supporting this show, and big thanks to our Patreon Inner Circle members:
Affiliate Links - The links to some products in this podcast contain an affiliate code that credits The Digital Story for any purchases made from B&H Photo and Amazon via that click-through. Depending on the purchase, we may receive some financial compensation.
And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.
See you next week!
More Ways to Participate
Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.
Podcast Sponsors
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