dSLR Dad

Sigma has updated their APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM Lens. They improved the optical performance and minimum focusing distance to 100cm/39.4in and a maximum magnification of 1:3.5. Two SLD and three ELD glass elements are now used to provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations.

B&H Photo currently has the Canon mount in stock here. For those of you interested, they are available for pre-order in Nikon and Canon mounts over at the dSLR Dad Amazon Store. Of course, they will also be made available in a Sigma SLR mount. (more…)

Sigma has updated their 50-150mm EX DC HSM f/2.8 Large aperture telephoto zoom lens designed exclusively for digital SLR cameras. The new lens design ensures higher image quality at a minimum focusing distance of 100cm/39.4 in.

For those of you interested, they are available for pre-order in Nikon and Canon mounts over at the dSLR Dad Amazon Store. Of course, they will also be made available in a Sigma mount.

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The following is part nine of a much larger dSLR Dad Holiday Gift Guide:

I have tried a lot of different sensor cleaning products over the last year (never change your lenses at the beach, change them in your car). Visible Dust is the company that makes absolutely superior products. They are so good, whenever I went to my local camera shops, they all told me that while they could sell me some pad or swab, but they all used something from Visible Dust.

There are three steps to dust free images 1) Check 2) Dry Clean 3) Wet Clean. The Visible Dust 3 Step Dust Free 724 DSLR Sensor Cleaning Kit has (more…)

The following is part seven of a much larger dSLR Dad Holiday Gift Guide:

If you’re not looking for a new bag, how about a great accessory that anyone can use, the Pee Wee Pixel Pocket Rocket from Think Tank Photo. It stores four Compact Flash cards and three Secure Digital cards in an even smaller, more compact package. Can be attached inside of Think Tank Photo products or to your clothing.  That way, it just doesn’t fall out of your pocket, lost forever.  It can also hold business cards in the front face.  Available for just $13.50. Note, the slightly larger Pixel Pocket Rocket comes standard with quite a few bags (including the one I bought).

The following is part Six of a much larger dSLR Dad Holiday Gift Guide:

Think Tank Photo is a company that has burst onto the scene and come out with products that meet the needs of both professional and serious dSLR Dad’s alike. They carry any number of shoulder or belt bags, rugged airport carry-on, or their fantastic modular system. You can download a copy of their catalog (more…)

The following is part five of a much larger dSLR Dad Holiday Gift Guide:

Honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything from Really Right Stuff. But their new BH-40 Ballhead is that piece of equipment that makes you question why you struggled for so long with that other inferior tripod head you had. It is their mid-sized ballhead and is perfect for popular light to mid-sized gear such as 70-200mm/f2.8 and 300mm/f4 lenses. This ballhead is load-rated at 18-pounds but weighs only 13-ounces.

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The following is part four of a much larger dSLR Dad Holiday Gift Guide:

The Hoodman Professional LCD Screen Loupe is something that every dSLR Dad would love to have and would use every time they were outdoors. But since it’s $70, it also is something they would never buy for themselves. I know it seems a tad pricey, but that’s what makes it a great gift. Go ahead, see how much they smile when they open this box.

The following is part three of a much larger dSLR Dad Holiday Gift Guide:

Give them the Gift of More Pictures

A gift that all dSLR Dad’s could use, more memory cards. But the key to this gift is it can’t just be any old memory card. The key for a dSLR Dad is speed and reliability. The quicker the card, the quicker the camera can write to the card. This means you will actually be able to use the high frame rate (fps) more often, with less delay in between bursts. You will also be able to download to the computer 2 to 3 times faster. Which is a big deal when a fast 4GB flash card can still take 3-5 minutes to download.

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The following is part two of a much larger dSLR Dad Holiday Gift Guide:

If I may channel Randy Quaid as Eddie from Christmas Vacation, Clark, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Seriously though, magazines are a great gift. They can offer not only quality information, but inspiration throughout the year. Why not give them as a gift?

Popular Photography & Imaging
Outdoor Photographer
LensWork (a fantastic duotone, non-technical publication)
Photoshop User (which is a community membership for all things Photoshop, not just a magazine)

The following is part of a much larger dSLR Dad Holiday Gift Guide:

For all of you dSLR Dad’s (or dSLR Dad significant others) I have here the perfect gift idea. A B&H Photo gift card (they start at $20):

For those of you who may not know, B&H is pretty much where all the professionals go for their equipment needs. They have everything, and normally at the best price. There are only two places I purchase my dSLR gear, and that’s Amazon and B&H Photo. Great sites, with great prices, without the hassle.