Crumpler 3 Million Dollar Home
Crumpler's camera bag designers eschew the typical black-fabric-and-zipper-tags look, taking a more stylish approach. The 3 Million Dollar Home shoulder bag has a water-resistant nylon exterior, external and internal pockets, and a padded brushed nylon interior with a configurable divider. It's sturdily constructed, but it has enough panache to replace a purse. It also won't announce to passersby that mom is carrying expensive camera equipment. The 3 Million Dollar Home is large enough to accommodate a compact SLR and comes in blue, red, black, and taupe. Crumpler makes Million Dollar Home bags in six other sizes, as well as a Brazillion Dollar Home.
$42
www.crumplerbags.com
Gitzo Traveler
These carbon fiber tripods are so compact and lightweight when folded up that they're easy to carry in a shoulder bag or even a large purse. The GT1550T and GT1540T Travelers weigh just 2.2 pounds but can support an SLR with a telephoto lens. Their legs fold 180 degrees to enclose the head when they're closed. That gives the five-section GT1550T and four-section GT1540T folded lengths of just 14 and 15.4 inches, respectively. Their twist-lock legs extend to bring them to maximum heights of 57.5 and 55.1 inches. For shooting close to the ground or making the Travelers even lighter, the center column can be reversed or removed. It also has a hook for attaching a weight to increase the tripods' stability. The GT1550T comes with a small ball head, while the less expensive GT1540T simply has a screw-mount platform for attaching a head or a camera directly.
GT1550T: about $640
GT1540T: about $560
www.gitzo.com
Vivitar 285HV
If your mom has an advanced camera but is still making do with a pop-up flash, the recently reissued Vivitar 285HV will give her a whole new take on flash photography. It's compatible with any camera with a hotshoe, and, unlike other flash units, it falls within what most people would consider a reasonable Mother's Day gift price range. Plus, it was a popular flash unit for decades before it was briefly discontinued, so it may be the same model your mom was used to using before she had to give up her photography hobby to change your diapers.
$90
Read a full review of the Vivitar 285HV .
Phanfare Lifetime Subscription Gift Certificate
The Phanfare Web gallery site takes the hassle out of creating and updating online photo albums by uploading images automatically from members' computers. It also archives all uploaded photos at full size, and they can be retrieved via the Web or sent to your mom on DVDs in case of a home computer disaster. Phanfare offers all the usual Web-gallery features -- print and gift ordering, basic image editing tools, a selection of album styles -- but also exceeds the offerings of run-of-the-mill competitors with advanced features such as video clip hosting, customizable slideshows with music and video that can be downloaded to run as screensavers, and photo sharing via RSS feed. Its album designs are attractive, customizable, and ad-free. Phanfare's automatic features and live phone support make it a good option for less computer-savvy mothers, while its advanced tools will accommodate mothers who are already at home on the Web. Gift certificates for lower-priced annual and six-month subscriptions are available, but a lifetime account will give your mom unlimited photo storage and sharing tools that she'll never have to renew.
$300
www.phanfare.com
LumiQuest Soft Screen
If your mom shoots with a digital SLR with a built-in flash, but an external flash unit is beyond the range of your Mother's Day budget, get one of these and slip it in a nice card. It's a diffuser that will take the edge off the pop-up flash. The 4x4-inch screen fits over the flash on most SLRs.
$13
www.lumiquest.com
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