Father’s Day is fast approaching! Need gift ideas for your Dad, husband, or friend? For starters, ALL 500px Art Prints are 25% off until Thursday, June 5. So if you’re looking to give the man in your life an awesome framed photograph, shop now.
Is Dad a photographer? No problem! To give you an idea of what a photographer really, really wants, we asked 8 photographers (who all happen to be fathers themselves) to share wish lists of their most-wanted camera equipment and gear.
This Father’s Day gear gift guide features:
RYAN PENDLETON
BILL GEKAS
JAKE OLSON
JOHN WILHELM
HEGEL JORGE
ADRIAN MURRAY
DAVE BROSHA
J.J. TAYLOR
Scroll down, and happy gift hunting!
RYAN PENDLETON
Location: Outside St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Occupation: Marketing & Sales manager for a manufacturing technology company
Favorite subjects to photograph: His two kids
Father’s Day plans: “No formal plans – which is how I like it. I’ll spend the day with my kids and with my dad – whose portraits of my siblings and me as we grew inspired my own photography. Happy Father’s Day, Dad—I love you.”
Untitled by Ryan Pendleton on 500px
HIS WISH LIST
Nikon D800
“My Nikon D700 has been—and still is—a great camera. Over the last several years, I’ve put this machine through the ringer, shooting hundreds of thousands of pictures. It’s finally time for an upgrade, and despite recent trends toward mirrorless systems, the specifications of the D800 are calling my name.”
Macbook Pro with Retina Display
“Also having served me well for years is my existing Macbook Pro. If I ultimately do purchase a Nikon D800, I’ll want to upgrade my computer & storage system as well, in order to keep up with the requirements that come with the larger image files. A new Macbook Pro with Retina Display would complement the D800 nicely, allowing me to process images quickly within my go-to editing software, Aperture.”
Nikon 24mm f/1.4 Lens
“If I want subject isolation in my portraits, I can use my Nikon 85mm 1.4G or even my ‘fast 50.’ While both of these options are ultra-sharp and account for the majority of my photos, I would like to begin taking more environmental portraits which would benefit from a wider angle of view. Nikon’s 24mm f/1.4 Lens would allow me to better capture my kids in their surroundings, while also offering the fast 1.4 maximum aperture I love so much.”
Think Tank Photo, Clik Elite or Gura Gear backpacks
“My backpack is probably six or seven years old. While it could technically live another year or two, a new bag is something I’ve been eying for some time now. I’m considering a mid-size bag from either Think Tank Photo, Clik Elite or Gura Gear.”
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BILL GEKAS
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Occupation: Manufacturing/construction business owner
Favorite subjects to photograph: Portraits, abstracts
Father’s Day plans: “Father’s Day is usually a day of sleeping in, spending quality time with my daughter and wife at home. But most importantly it always involves me cooking a BBQ for the family, and then an evening trip for us to a cafe for coffee and cake. It’s a day of relaxing and reflection.”
Pleiadian by Bill Gekas on 500px
HIS WISH LIST
PhaseOne 645DF+ with IQ250 back
“I’ve had the opportunity to shoot with medium format digital before. For the style of work I do, where resolution and image quality is high, this system would allow me to print at much larger sizes with minimal image quality degradation.”
Elinchrom Quadra Hybrid RX
“As capable as my 640w/s monobloc light is, the assistant that’s usually holding it when I’m on location doesn’t appreciate it as much. These Quadra heads are more portable, being lighter at the end of the boom while still having enough power to tame down the midday sun.”
Fuji X100s
“Due to the bulk of DSLR’s I never usually carry a camera with me. This is the type of camera I’d have with me at all times—a huge step up from the iPhone camera that is always with me.”
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JAKE OLSON
Location: Blair, Nebraska, USA
Occupation: Full-time portrait photographer
Favorite subjects to photograph: Children, landscapes
Father’s Day plans: “Barbecue with my family—Ashley, Nathan, Conner and Adam at our house. And then I have a client family shoot in early evening!”
Spring Road by Jake Olson Studios on 500px
HIS WISH LIST
Canon EF 200mm F/2.0 IS Lens
“Because of its beautiful bokeh and incredible image quality.”
Canon 5D Eos 5D Mark III
“I already have this camera but I’d love to have a second body for shooting weddings.”
Tamrac 5588 Expedition 8x Photo/Laptop Backpack
“Not only is the bag elegant looking, but I’d love an upgrade of the Tamrac I already use on location that could carry my laptop as well as my camera gear.”
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JOHN WILHELM
Location: Winterthur, Switzerland
Occupation: IT Director at a Swiss university.
Favorite subjects to photograph: Animals, children
Father’s Day plans: “I guess I will do some crazy photo project, as usual.”
Mila Button and Lou-ke the Engine Driver by John Wilhelm on 500px
HIS WISH LIST
The Focus-Stacking Cam (perhaps a Sony A7R FS)
“I do a lot of focus stacking. Would be great to have a cam that worked like the Lytro, but the output image would be a clean and have an all-over sharp image. Of course, it should at least have 100-megapixels and full 16-bit dynamic range.”
A Hover-Pod
“A Back To The Future shoes-inspired “tripod” which can steadily hover above the ground with a mounted DSLR. A remote control with display should be in the box to control all DSLR functions. There should be also a special box with 4 hover-pods—3 for hovering flashes in the right place.”
The Brainwave-Cam
“Google Glass was yesterday. The brainwave-cam is able to bring stunning high-res images directly from your brain to the computer. Nothing you’ve ever seen will be lost.”
A reliable Operating System
“After every OS X update, I encounter something not working anymore or working different. The upgrade to 10.9.3. on my all new Mac Pro changed the way the display sync works for example. So I really really want a rock solid OS which does not disturb my productivity.”
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HEGEL JORGE
Location: London, United Kingdom
Occupation: Warehouse worker for retail business
Favorite subjects to photograph: Portraits, landscapes
Father’s Day plans: “Other than calling my father and receiving a handmade card from my son, I normally don’t think much about it—this year will be no different.”
power of light by Hegel Jorge on 500px
HIS WISH LIST
Canon 5D Mark III
“I shoot everything that catches my eyes, but the subjects that I really like are portraits and landscapes. I’m planing to start shooting professionally. For that, I believe 5D Mark III is the best choice for me.”
Canon 24-70 2.8
“A few weeks ago, I photographed my first wedding. The ceremony and the venue was in the same beautiful but small and dark space. My work would be easier if I could take wide and closeup shots with the same lens that could handle low light situations.”
Adobe Lightroom 5
“I believe every pro photographer should have Lightroom. It’s an easy and simple way to process images, and an excellent tool to keep all your files organized.”
Silver Efex Pro 2
“If you love black-and-white photography like I do, this program will be your best friend. Beautiful contrast, deep tones, and fabulous details with a touch of your own personal taste.”
Acer R7
“I spend a great deal of time commuting. With the versatility of this laptop, I can process my images in a cool and discreet way, and not just while I’m commuting.”
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ADRIAN MURRAY
Location: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Occupation: Dentistry student at the University of Louisville
Favorite subjects to photograph: His sons
Father’s Day plans: “I actually have an exam in Microbiology the day after Father’s Day, so I’ll probably be studying that day. I think my wife made some plans, but I don’t know what it is.”
Mini Indy by Adrian Murray on 500px
HIS WISH LIST
Canon EF 200mm f2L
“At the tippy-top of my list is the amazing Canon EF 200mm f2L. I’ve seen such amazing photographs come out of that lens. It offers some of the most buttery-smooth bokeh while presenting a perfectly crisp subject.”
Canon 85mm f1.2L
“I actually have the 85mm f1.8 from Canon, but it doesn’t have the quite the finished look I want to achieve. I know that Sigma offers a much sharper f1.4 lens, but I don’t think that photography is all about sharpness. I think that lenses should have their own character—much like your subjects do. I think that Canon’s L-lenses offers just that. I don’t have a fast wide lens, and this lens fits the bill perfectly. ”
Canon 50mm f1.2L
“Yes, I know there’s a pattern here, but I love my L-lenses. They’re just absolutely amazing compared to my others!”
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DAVE BROSHA
Location: Yellowknife, Canada
Occupation: Full-time photographer
Favorite subjects to photograph: Landscapes, portraits, weddings, commercial
Father’s Day Plans: “It’s a rare weekend when I’m not traveling, so I will take full advantage of my backyard, my BBQ grill, and the love of my three little children and wife.”
Frequency: North by Dave Brosha on 500px
HIS WISH LIST
Underwater strobe lights
“This past year, I’ve caught the underwater photography bug. My interests in photography are diverse. I’m always looking for stuff to keep me inspired. I’ve found that in spades with underwater photography. Now I want to take it to the next level, and underwater strobes will definitely help.”
An endless supply of lens caps
“I go through them like cups of coffee. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
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J.J. TAYLOR
Location: Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Occupation: Account manager at an international bank
Favorite subjects to photograph: Children
Father’s Day Plan: “My wife and kids plan Father’s Day for me, and that’s the way I like it. I’ve gotten gifts that are practical, gifts that are not, and gifts that didn’t even exist until a day or two before Father’s Day! It usually ends with my favorite food, favorite people, and few clicks of the shutter button.”
Homemade Hero by J.J. Taylor on 500px
HIS WISH LIST
Hasselblad H5D-200MS Medium Format DSLR Camera
“Just to see what I could do with that kind of power in my hands. What kinds of images could I produce with a $44,000 camera that has 50-megapixel resolution? I’m not sure, but I’m ready to find out!”
Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR Camera
“This camera features Dual DIGIC 5+ processors, which would double the processing speed of my current camera. It also has a continuous shooting speed of 12 shots per second, which would double my current continuous shooting speed. I find these features invaluable when capturing brief and genuine moments in portraiture.”
A Gitzo GK1580TQR4 Series 1 Traveler 6x Carbon Fiber Tripod Kit
“Unfortunately, someone stole my tripod. At 2.7 lbs., this tripod is extremely lightweight and has a 12.1 lb. load capacity. It would be an excellent replacement gift for Father’s Day.”
PAC SAFE Camsafe Venture 16 Anti-Theft Slingpack
“This slingpack would allow me to access camera gear quickly and conveniently. I also like the safety features.”
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What camera gear and gadgets are in your wish list? What are you getting the photographers in your life for Father’s Day? Comment below!