Jon Sienkiewicz Blog

Looking for great holiday photo gifts that are affordable and sure to be appreciated? Here’s our lineup of sub-$50 swag.  From prints to printers, from pillows to penholders, we’ve prepared a panoply of photo presents you’ll be positively proud to proffer—or possess.

Fisheye lenses abound, and many are priced under $199. Products like the Meike 6.5mm f/2 ($129) and 7artisans Photoelectric 7.5mm f/2.8 ($139) plus offerings from Bauer, Rokinon, Opteka, Samyang, Venus and some camera manufacturers are very affordable, exciting and—by and large—pretty damn sharp. But using one effectively can be tricky. Here’s what extensive hands-on practice has taught me so far.

Well, the birds are queuing up in the backyard and you know what that means. Three calling birds, four French hens and two turtle doves—or is it four calling birds? They won’t stand still so it’s hard to count. And no one knows where in hell the partridge went. She was last seen talking to a couple turkeys who were all paranoid about some big feast that’s supposed to be happening soon. Anyway, you do know what this means, right? Time for our intrepid list of holiday photo gifts that cost less than $100.

Last week’s fun test was all about film. But if you started in photography within the last 20 years, you might be more comfortable with a quiz about digital cameras. In that case, this is for you.

Photokina, the photography “show of shows,” opens in Cologne, Germany on September 20. The size of this biennial event is monstrous—you have to experience it to believe it. In 2014, a total of 1,074 exhibitors from 51 countries hosted 183,297 attendees. We’re taking serious show here. In honor of Photokina, here’s a pop quiz to test your knowledge of photography. 

It’s summer, and that means it’s time for a fun photo quiz. There are 13 multiple choice questions in all, and most of them are as easy to figure out as a zakuska menu in Moscow. Are you up for it? Great. Answers at the bottom. The winner gets…