Gift Guide #1 - DSLR Cameras

DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras are sure to be one of the hottest gifts this year. With prices dropping and features and quality increasing, many people will be moving to this platform from their point-and-shoot cameras.

One mistake many people make, however, is that they believe that a better camera will give them better pictures. This may be true, but to a very small degree. And depending on what kind of camera you are moving up from, it may not be true at all. For example, if a person is moving to a DSLR from a high quality point-and-shoot, the image quality may be so similar that it is hard to tell the difference. So why spend the money to move move up to a DSLR? It’s about the potential. DSLR’s offer the potential to take better pictures if you know how.

If someone in your family is getting a DSLR this holiday season, the best gift you can give them is knowledge.  I recently purchased my first DSLR.  My first pictures did not look any better than the pictures I had taken with my point-and-shoot.  Then, on Thanksgiving day, one of our guests was a professional photographer.  I spent about an hour with him pointing out and explaining the features on my new camera.  He gave me a very abbreviated lesson on photography and some of the “rules”.  My pictures were at least 50% better because of that. (Thanks John!)  That discussion sparked my interest in learning more.  There is nothing like actually getting better at something that ignites the fire to want to improve.

So what do you buy the person with that brand spanking new camera?  Good books.  When I asked about books, my photographer friend told me about one straight off the top of his head.  The Book is Learning To See Creatively. I have ordered the book myself.  Click the pic for the link.

I am a huge fan of black and white photography.  After some extensive research, I have found what many professionals agree is the best book on the subject.  Professional Techniques for Black and White Digital Photography is available from Amazon.  Click the pic for the link.

What is a book list without at least one “Dummies” book.  Digital Photography All-In-One Desk Reference for Dummies is said to be a wonderful resource.  I am sure it will teach me all about f-stop, aperture etc.  And besides, isn’t a “Dummies” book a pre-requisite for any new hobby?  Click the pic for the link.

Finally, you can also buy them books or magazines with lots of beautiful pictures in them.  Looking at well taken pictures while reading a book on photography adds a level of reinforcement to the equation.  I recently purchased a Life Magazine publication entitled Strange But True that covers 100 of the world’s weirdest wonders.  The photography, in true Life form, is amazing.

So there you go, a guide to gifts all of which are priced around $20 and are sure to add value to that new DSLR.