ePHOTOzine's Christmas Gift Guide 2016

Every year, ePHOTOzine lay on a Prize Draw extravaganza designed especially for photographers at Christmas, giving you the chance to win some really awesome photographic kit and accessories. Make sure you check back each day to see what's new and be sure to enter each draw to be in with a chance of winning.

For those of you looking for inspiration and ideal gifts for the photography lover in your life, we've put together a gift guide to help you choose the ideal present for them this year. Take a look below:

 

Nikon D5600 Kit

If you or a loved one are in the market for a new DSLR, the Nikon D5600 with 18-55mm lens should be a serious consideration. It features a 24.2-megapixel DX-format image sensor making it capable of capturing any scene in crisp detail. An ISO range of 100-25600 and an expanded ISO sensitivity of 6400 in Night Landscape mode, ensures low-light scenes and difficult lighting situations are handled with ease. 

Take advantage of Nikon's winter cashback offer and get up to £510 cashback on selected lens and DSLR body combinations this festive season. 

 

 

Tamron 16-300mm Lens

For the adventurous photographer who wants to travel light, Tamron's 16-300mm lens provides an extremely wide range of focal lengths, that will enable the shooting of almost any scene imaginable with ease. It also has a close focusing distance of 39cm, so even macro work isn't out of reach. When used with a weatherproof body, the lens can be used in less than ideal weather thanks to its splashproof and dustproof capabilities. 

Read ePHOTOzine's review of the lens to find out more about it. 

 

 

Pentax K-70 Kit

Another fantastic choice if a loved one is in the market for a new DSLR, the Pentax K-70 offers the highest shutter speed in its class, enabling you to capture 1/6000 sec and freeze the action. It has a 24-megapixel sensor and is weather sealed, enabling you to use it safely in a variety of weather conditions. The camera can be used in temperatures as low as -10 degrees centigrade! 

With Full HD video capabilities, at 14-bit RAW, you'll be sure to capture every detail. If you are likely to be shooting in night-time conditions, then the night vision LCD mode will mean that no distracting or unnecessary light is given off by the screen, while still allowing you to see everything clearly.

Find out more about the K-70 DSLR in our review. 

Pentax are offering a £100 trade-in bonus against your old camera when you buy a Pentax K-1. Find your local dealer on the Ricoh website. 

 

 

Samsung 32GB MicroSDHC PRO + Memory Card

Memory, no matter what the gadget, is very important these days and it's also important that the memory card you purchase is reliable, to avoid losing your memories. Samsung's PRO + memory card range delivers extremely high-performance speeds up to 95MB/s and 90MB/s. They are also guaranteed to survive up to 24 hours in seawater and endure operating temperatures from -13°F to 185°F and non-operating temperatures from- 40°F to 185°F (-25°C to 85°C and -40°C to 85°C, respectively). Data in the cards will not be affected by X-ray machines and they can resist up to 15,000 gauss magnetic force. 

The PRO Plus microSD cards are ideal for use in smartphones and tablets, as well as fulfilling the security, capacity, performance and environment requirements inherent in newly emerging audio and video consumer electronics, specifically action cameras and drones that are capable of 4K video recording and demand fast read and write speeds to avoid lag when transferring files and capturing video.

Find out more on the Samsung website. 

 

 

FRANZIS NEAT Projects Software

For the travel photographer who wants to capture flawless images of the world's most famous landmarks without people milling all over the image, FRANZIS' NEAT Projects software is the ideal gift. You simply take multiple images one after the other and NEAT Projects combines them to create one image with an unobstructed view of your subject. 

With almost 100 available study packages, experiment boxes and construction kits, FRANZIS wants to make new technology accessible, impart basic and expert knowledge as well as excite young and old about technology. FRANZIS' developments in the realm of photography have been competitive since the beginning of photo software in 2004 and have impressed professional photographers and photography magazines alike.

You can currently save up to 87% on FRANZIS software with their special seasonal deals. 

 

 

Peak Design Photography Backpacks

In need of a new camera bag? Peak Design offer innovatively designed carry options for all tastes. Designed by a team of adventurers, photographers, creatives and urbanites, the Everyday Line is optimised for the needs and workflows of photographers, but ideal for everyday carry. Orders from Peak Design ship quickly and affordably from warehouses in the US, UK, Canada, Hong Kong and Australia. There are 4 bags in the range:

• Everyday Backpack - The creme de la creme of everyday and photo backpacks. An intelligent pack that adapts to your gear and lifestyle. Available in 20L and 30L sizes.
• Everyday Messenger - The bag that started it all. An active messenger bag for cameras and essential carry. Available in 2 sizes.
• Everyday Tote - A complete reimagination of the classic tote bag. A premium, feature-rich tote for everyday carry. Wear as a backpack or shoulder bag.
• Everyday Sling - An active sling bag optimised for light everyday carry. The ideal bag for beginners, or pros who want to carry just the essentials.

Find out more about Peak Design on their website. 

 

 

Nikon KeyMission 170 Action Camera

For the action photographer who never wants to miss a moment, the KeyMission 170 action camera will be an ideal choice. Record in 4K UHD quality with a 170-degree ultra wide angle lens and capture your outdoor pursuit easily with Nikon's KeyMission range.

This tough camera goes places other cameras can't, with a housing that keeps out dust and grit and a waterproof performance down to 10 metres without additional housing. It is also shockproof to 2 metres and freezeproof, defying temperatures as low as -10°C.

You can currently get up to £510 cashback on selected Nikon DSLRs and lenses - take a look at the Nikon offers page for more information. 

 

 

Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/1.4 Lens

For DSLR users, ZEISS is the pinnacle of quality for lenses. Available for Canon and Nikon mount, the ZEISS Milvus 50mm f/1.4 lens gives a field of view relative to the human eye on a full-frame camera, meaning that the lens is ideal for a wide range of purposes.

The lens gives outstanding imagery across the image field, even when used at full aperture. It offers a future-proof solution for high-resolution camera systems, thanks to its specialised optics.

Even in the most difficult lighting conditions, the lens is able to take fantastic images due to outstanding stray light reduction techniques. Special types of glass have been used displaying anomalous partial dispersion, reducing the occurrence of colour fringes at high-contrast edges of subjects to an absolute minimum.

You'll be able to achieve extremely accurate manual focusing thanks to its good ergonomic design and a top quality focusing mechanism.

The Milvus 50mm f/1.4 is weather sealed, meaning you can still use it without issue in dusty or wet conditions.

Find out more about the ZEISS Milvus 50mm f/1.4 lens on the ZEISS website.

 

 

Ricoh WG-M2 Action Camera

For the action and adventure photographer in your life, the Ricoh WG-M2 will make a welcome addition to their kit.

With a high-resolution 4K movie mode and a 204-degree ultra wide f/2 lens, you'll be able to capture more of the scene. Thanks to its innovative compact shape, the camera won't be a burden no matter where you travel.

You can even take the camera underwater, up to 20m deep for 2 hours, and make stunning videos with optimised white balance for underwater shooting.

Shock resistant from a 2m fall and able to work in temperatures as low as -10 degrees C, no matter what happens, you'll still be able to capture amazing footage.

The WG-M2 has a stereo microphone for recording crystal clear sound and chunky camera buttons mean that the camera can easily be controlled with a gloved hand. Built-in Wi-Fi for ease of sharing your creations is also included.

Find out more about the Ricoh WG-M2 on the Ricoh Imaging website.

 

 

Cullmann Sydney Pro Maxima 425+ Messenger Bag

The new SYDNEY pro bag series is the ideal companion for ambitious photographers and videographers who attach great importance to simple design and high quality.

One of the most popular bags found in the SYDNEY range is the Sydney Pro Maxima 425+ bag which is ideal for medium-sized DSLR cameras and tablets up to 13 inches.

Besides the modern design with accent colour, the Sydney Pro offers extremely robust and soft padding, which ensures optimal protection for all equipment parts. The bottom of the bag is made of rubberised, skid resistant material and the whole bag is durable and can be easily cleaned.

Find out more about the bag on the Intro2020 website.

 

 

Datacolor Spyder5ELITE Kit

The Datacolor Spyder5ELITE kit will make an ideal gift for the photographer who wants accuracy when editing images. The kit gives an expert colour accuracy solution for laptops, desktops and projectors with room light monitoring and unlimited settings for gamma, white point and advanced grey balancing, for ultimate control of your colour workflow.

Break free from the frustration of your prints not matching your screen. The first step in a perfect colour workflow to get closer to perfect prints is to calibrate your display. 

You can currently save up to 111 Euros on selected kits in the Datacolor Winter Promotion.

 

 

Wacom Intuos Pro Special Edition Tablet

Wacom's pen tablets offer photographers a convenient and effortless way to optimise their digital images. They are ideal for correcting exposure problems and removing unwanted objects, as well as improving the colour of pictures or dramatically altering the style of a photograph.

The Intuos Pro Special Edition makes normal everyday editing tasks much easier and more accurate. Take full advantage of the built in 2048 levels of pen pressure sensitivity and tilt recognition to create with accuracy and precision of traditional brushes and pens. Depending on how lightly you touch the pen to the tablet surface, you can control the line width and opacity.

The combination of pressure-sensitive pen input with multi-touch gesture support delivers a more fluid, more enjoyable experience as you create while multi-touch gestures let you pan, zoom, and navigate your work intuitively. Shortcuts can be stored for quick access to your often used functions. Thanks to the included Wireless Accessory Kit you can enjoy the freedom of working wirelessly.

Find out more on the Wacom website. 

 

 

Lastolite By Manfrotto Perspective Backgrounds & Support Kit

If you have a budding portrait photographer in the family, bring out their imagination with Lastolite by Manfrotto's Perspective Backgrounds. 

The Magnetic Background Support Kit enables photographers to quickly and easily attach a collapsible background with a steel rim to a lighting stand. It can support a background of up to 5kg in weight and the strong magnetic connectors hold the background firmly in position. The included bag means that it is easy to store and transport when needed, and during a photo shoot it is easy to switch between backgrounds by simply pulling one off and attaching another. The Lastolite By Manfrotto Perspective Background is double sided – with one side featuring a stone archway, and the other a set of Grecian steps. Collapsing to a third of its size, the background is extremely portable and easy to set up, allowing you to produce creative images in an instant – whether on location or in the studio.

You can currently get a free Manfrotto Advanced Active shoulder bag when you spend £100 or more on Lastolite by Manfrotto products on the Manfrotto website. 

 

 

Irix 15mm f/2.4 Lens

The Irix 15mm wide-angle lens is said to be the most innovative manual focus lens for DSLR cameras. It's available in two versions – Blackstone (premium) and Firefly (standard). On the Blackstone lens there is a magnesium and aluminium alloy with markings engraved with UV reactive paint while the Firefly is constructed from a high-quality lightweight material and markings are printed in a standard way.

The lens consists of a very complex optical construction based on 15 elements in 11 groups, its interior crystal glass lenses offer only 2% distortion and a 110-degree angle of view.

Find out more about Irix lenses on the Irix website.

 

 

Panasonic Lumix TZ100 Compact

If you're on the lookout for a new compact camera, the Panasonic Lumix TZ100 will be an ideal choice. 

The 4K PHOTO feature lets you shoot 4K Video and extract the perfect moment as a high quality still – while keeping as an exquisite movie too. A 10x optical zoom lets you shoot beautiful wides and close-ups alike and a 1-inch 20-Megapixel MOS sensor captures more detail, colour and clarity even in low light. Finally, you can even improve your shot after you've taken it with the Post Focus feature, letting you choose your focal point after you've taken the shot.

Panasonic is offering you up to £100 cashback when you purchase selected LUMIX G 4K Photo cameras. For more information on this promotion and how to submit your claim, visit the Panasonic website. 

 

 

Lensbaby Composer Pro II System Kit

The Lensbaby Composer Pro System Kit II includes a selection of some of their most popular creative effects lenses and includes the Composer Pro II with Sweet 35, Sweet 50 and Edge 80 Optics, Macro Converters and Lens Cloth, all conveniently packaged in a Lensbaby System Kit bag.

The Sweet 35 Optic adds unpredictable depth and movement at 35mm. The Sweet 50 Optic helps you illuminate essential elements at 50mm. The 80mm Edge 80 Optic tilts your focus into a slice, revealing smooth, round bokeh. Lensbaby Macro Converters help you hone in on the details. Add an included cleaning cloth and system bag, and you've got the essentials to explore your unique and changing view of the world.

More information about Lensbaby products available in the UK can be found on the WEX Photographic website.

 

 

Transcend Dash / Body Cams

Transcend produce a range of cameras for added peace of mind on the road as well as out and about. 

The DrivePro 520 car video recorder is ideal for those concerned with safety on the road. The dual lens system allows you to record events both inside and outside the car in brilliant clarity. The camera is easy to install and has wireless connectivity to let you stream, download and share videos on mobile devices.

The DrivePro 200 car video recorder captures full HD video of the road ahead, making it easy to gather reliable evidence and examine events. It also includes smartphone connectivity to allow easy streaming, downloading and sharing of videos.

The DrivePro Body 10 is a wearable camera ideal for use day or night, indoors and outdoors. It's a great companion for police officers, security guards and other professionals. It has a wide 160-degree viewing angle and records in Full HD 1080p. It's also waterproof and shockproof.

For more information, take a look at the Transcend website. 

 

 

Manfrotto Backpack & Lighting Accessories 

Manfrotto offer some great solutions for carrying your gear and also lighting portraits effectively.

The Manfrotto Pro Light RedBee 210 Backpack is designed for photographers who are looking for a lightweight, spacious bag that can hold two camera bodies and a 400mm lens with accessories. Offering easy access to your gear from both the sides and the top, the interior features the Manfrotto Camera Protection System to provide the highest levels of protection for your gear. 

The Lastolite By Manfrotto Ezybox Speed-Lite 2 is lightweight and easy to use, and suitable for both on and off camera use. It has removable internal and external diffusers which can be used together to produce a 2 stop light loss to deliver unrivalled softness of light on a subject, and, at 22cm by 22cm, represents the best small and compact solution for photographers who need peerless softness of light. The silicon strap enables the user to adjust the strap tension according to the flashgun to ensure a secure fit.

The Lastolite By Manfrotto TriFlip 8 in 1 Reflector Kit offers photographers an unprecedented 8 in 1 solution, allowing them to be ready for any lighting scenario. The kit includes TriGrip which replaces the need for a regular shaped reflector – using a triangular design which provides a stronger and more stable structure. The moulded handle features a securing strap to allow for accurate positioning with one hand.

Manfrotto are currently running a promotion allowing you to receive a free Nilox action camera when you buy selected Manfrotto backpacks. For more information take a look at the Manfrotto special offers page.  

 

 

Cokin Gradual ND Kit + Holder

The Cokin Gradual ND Kit is a must-have purchase for landscape photography fans. Featuring three of the most popular filter types, plus a P-Series filter holder, the kit contains all of the filters landscape photographers need.

The Cokin Gradual ND Kit includes:

• Gradual ND2 filter (P121L) with 1-stop density and hard-edged transition
• Gradual ND4 filter (P121M) with 2-stop density and hard-edged transition
• Gradual ND8 filter (P121S) with 3-stop density and soft-edged transition
• P-Series filter holder ('M' size)

For more information on the kit, take a look at the Intro2020 website. 

 

 

PermaJet Snapshut Folio

The SnapShut Folio from PermaJet is the perfect way to display your photos in a professional and easy-to-use book format. With your pages held in place by the ingenious "SnapShut" hinge, this glue-free system offers amazing flexibility - insert any paper type or material in seconds, with the option to reorder, edit and remove pages at any point without damage. Available in black or cream, portrait or landscape, 15mm or 25mm spine and multiple sizes.

There is currently a discount code allowing you to get 25% off a Snapshut folio. Use code SNAP016 at the checkout. 

 

 

Profoto B2 Lighting Kit

For someone looking for a new versatile lighting option, the Profoto B2 is a serious contender. Put the head on a bracket on your camera, the pack on your belt and stay moving or put everything on a stand and go off camera.

You can shoot in TTL with your Canon, Nikon and Sony cameras or shoot in Hybrid Mode and switch from TTL to manual control with the settings intact. Use it as a subtle fill light or crank up the power and take full control of the ambient light.

Connect one or two flash heads, use only the B2 or sync it with one of several other B1 Off-Camera Flashes. You can shoot with a bare head or choose from the widest assortment of Light Shaping Tools available and shape the B2's already beautiful light into any light you can imagine. For more information, take a look at the Profoto website.

 

 

Paramo Torres Jacket

Paramo's jackets are ideal for adventurous photographers. 

Páramo's effective alternative to the conventional layering system won't expose you to the cold and wet – the Torres Jacket is overlayered to both save you time and buy you time out on the hill. You just add synthetic insulation over your outer layers, to remain warm and dry with minimal hassle.

Torres Jackets complement Páramo baselayers and waterproofs. Instead of having to shed your outer layers to put on an extra fleece when you are cold – thereby losing all your precious body heat and letting the cold and wet in – you simply add your Torres over all your existing kit for instant, cosy warmth that can withstand rain, snow, wind and wild weather. The result: you stay out longer in more comfort and safety and capture those really dramatic skies, seas and scenes.

Paramo are currently offering you 3 for 2 on all Cambia performance base layers and accessories. Visit the Paramo website to find out more. 

 

 

LumeJet Print Voucher

The festive season is a perfect time to give personalised gifts to loved ones, letting you express your creativity whilst bringing a genuine personal touch to your gift. 

LumeJet is passionate about printing beautiful photography and offers the next generation of quality print to discerning photographers, photo enthusiasts and consumers who want ultra-high quality, natural and accurate printing. LumeJet offers an array of printing sizes up to and including one metre (39”) long panorama prints, and recently introduced a range of Acrylic Box Framed Panorama Prints.

For prints from 20” up to 39” (1 metre) in length, and using your choice of panorama image (including iPhone format), the new Acrylic Box Framed Panorama Prints allow you to showcase and share your magical photographic moments that will be treasured for many years to come.

Printed on Fujifilm DPII professional paper, the print is combined with a 53mm deep wooden box frame and precision cut 2mm thick acrylic to produce a stunning 3D effect that really catches the eye. Available in black, brown or white, the frame itself also has a 22mm wide lip to give your image a clean, stylish outlined finish. For more information, take a look at the LumeJet website.

 

 

ePHOTOzine 'Plus Membership'

If you or a loved one is into photography 'Plus Membership' will be the perfect gift this year! If you're already an ePHOTOzine member, you can upgrade your account to 'Plus' in the blink of a shutter!

'Plus Membership' is a yearly subscription service to take your ePHOTOzine experience to a whole new level. For just £15 per year you'll have a whole host of exclusive features and benefits at your fingertips, inaccessible to non-paying members.

So, whether you're buying yourself a little Christmas gift this year or treating the photography lover in your life, 'Plus Membership' is the way to totally enhance your ePHOTOzine experience!

Take a look at the 'Plus Membership' page now to upgrade your account and see all of the great features you'll have at your fingertips. For more information, take a look at the Plus membership page.