Valentine's day gift ideas for camera geeks and techies

If your Valentine is a techie, do you really want to get them flowers? Just a few days in a vase, and then poof! A watch? Even a $10 watch can tell time quite accurately these days. Jewelry? That is so tacky and passe from a geek's perspective! Why not get them something fun they can use and have fun with instead? Something like a digital camera :)

Please note that these are ideas, not purchase orders. Different people have different preferences, philosophies, and expectations, so be sure to further investigate any items of interest to your satisfaction. Many of the cameras mentioned in this roundup are included in the Review Organizers.

Please also note that this is a short-term guide, for people looking for a camera right away. A number of the models mentioned below have already been replaced or will be replaced at some point in 2010, and most (if not all) will be replaced by the end of 2011.

Compact Cameras
Relatively compact yet with enough features and photographic power are the two dwelling compact RAWsumers, the Panasonic LX3 and its more recent rival, the Canon S90. They go for around $400 each.

For nearly half the price, but nowhere near as many photographic features, one can have a lot of photographic-fun with the compact fun-zooms. Entries in this segment include the Sony H20, Panasonic TZ7 (ZS3), Canon SX120 and such.

For the more techie-oriented giftees, there are some special-interest cameras to consider, like the Nikon S1000pj with the built-in projector going for under $400, the Sony WX1 (or TX1/TX7) with the backlit Exmor-R CMOS sensors at $300+, and the geeky yet practical back-and-front LCD display Samsung TL-series.

Affordable Compact Cameras that cry gift-me
In the under $100 segment, one cannot expect photographic miracles, but be sure to check reviews and samples to see if they pass your minimum requirements. There are a couple of cameras that could stand out as gifts for the sake of gifting. One is the Fuji Z30 with the cutesy and "gifty" looking white-whirl pattern, going currently for $78. The other is the red Coolpix L20, already dressed in Valentine's red for the occasion ;-) It is usually available for $90 or less.

Interchangeable Lens Cameras
If you are looking to get your Valentine a lifetime appreciation award in the $500+ price-range, then an interchangeable lens camera system may be in order! The cameras may not last as long as gold, but how much fun can a geek/techie have with a gold bracelet or shiny watch? :)

Once upon a time picking a camera in this segment was fairly straightforward, but now with the emergence of the EVILs things are not quite as simple. The purpose of this roundup is not to answer these questions, instead we go mount-by-mount.

We start with Nikon, where the two sweet spots at the moment are arguably the Nikon D5000 and the older but trusty Nikon D90. Both are available in body-only or with-lens configurations. Cameras may make better general-purpose gifts than lenses, but for many Nikon DX users, the 35mm f1.8 DX lens can be a practical addition to their arsenal at around $200.

Next we move to bitter rival Canon, where the Canon 50mm f1.8 lens at around $100 is considered by many a must-have item. In terms of DSLRs, things a little bit more tricky right now, since one or two Digital Rebels may be announced any day now. But they won't be here to give as a gift for this year's Valentine's day, so you have a choice between the XS, XSi and T1i.

The Pentax K-x in different body colors can be a good entry point into the past, present and future world of the K-mount and a good first DSLR. But first make sure your Valentine is not allergic to AA batteries, otherwise you may get yelled at!

It's hard to really pick one of the ten thousand overlapping Sony Alpha DSLRs as gifts. Their fixed prices and specs are currently misaligned with the rest of the market in a way that puts them at a disadvantage. Unless you are going for a big-time gift like the $2000 35mmFF Alpha A850.

Micro Four Thirds cameras look more like gift-cameras than the rest of the traditional-looking DSLRs, and one can make a good case for just about every one of them as a good choice for their Valentine, depending on prices and individual preferences. Depending on how patient and early-adopterish your Valentine is, perhaps they may (or may not) be thrilled with a $600 Olympus E-PL1 pre-order.

Speaking of Olympus, the two-lens kits for the E520 (under $500) and the E620 (under $700) could make good bang-for-the-buck DSLR starter kits. It's always fun to open a box and find a camera and two lenses inside!

How to use this post
Please note that the above are ideas, suggestions, opinions of cameras to further look into and research to your satisfaction as possible gift ideas. Do not buy something just because it is mentioned here. Different people have different preferences, requirements, demands, prerequisites, workflows and philosophies. As usual, we blog, you decide! This blog has a DIY component and it is not intended to be a digital-camera-101. For that, be sure to visit Digicam Help and many of the other beginner/tutorial websites.