It's two weeks 'til Christmas, so people are scrambling to find the right gift for others or themselves. I made a little selection of -- possibly last minute -- gifts for the motorcyclist / traveler /photographer / designer / geek / artist in your life.
PHOTOGRAPHY
FUJIFILM X30
In the sub-$1000 range, it’s hard to beat Fuji’s tiny but capable X30. It does low-light well, has Fuji’s signature colors and is beautifully designed. But best of all, it’s just really damn fun to use.
LEICA TABLETOP TRIPOD
Stabilize handheld shooting and easily take long exposures with this pocketable tripod from Leica. If you balance it by pushing it against your chest (no joke) you can take handheld shots with 1-2 more stops.
Best with the matching ball-head.
SIGMA ART LENS
If you or someone you care for uses a Canon, Sony, or Nikon SLR, Sigma’s new ‘Art’ line of lenses offers unparalled performance and quality. Personal favorites: the 35mm f/1.4 and the 18-35mm f/1.8 zoom lens.
FUJI INSTAX
Polaroid is dead – long live Polaroid! The Fuji Instax takes instant photos much like the older Polaroid cameras. A pack of film is a bit pricey (expect a dollar per shot) but nothing beats instant photography.
capturing those shots
For film, consider a used Leica M6/M6TTL or M7. They go for $1200-$2500 on eBay and offer the nicest film-shooting experience known to man. A brilliant lens for Leica-mount cameras is the Zeiss ZM 35mm f/2.
GAMING
PC & Console alike
ASTRO A50
A good pair of headphones: check. Integrated microphone with switch: check. Completely wireless: check! Astro’s PC / Mac and console-compatible headphones are very well designed and sound great. Xbox One and PS4 versions.
RAZER MAMBA
It’s been about four years since I stopped looking for the best mouse, and despite my furiously trying many new gaming mice, nothing beats the Razer Mamba. Wireless and wired, Mac & Windows, good for gaming and work.
EVERY DAY IS PLAY
Insanely beautiful book featuring art from some of my favorite artists and designers either from games or paying homage to video games and their culture.
A must-have, or must-give at such a low price.
THE OFFICE
productivity and decor
I’ve compared many headphones over the years and often swore by what reviewers and audio authorities said. But personally, nothing is more comfortable, breathing, and excellent sounding than the DT-880. Various versions availalble for use with or without a pre-amp.
BEYERDYNAMIC DT880
M-STAND
Easily the best laptop stand I ever owned is now even better: the new and improved M-Stand by Rain Design has a swivel base for rotating your laptop. Still as stylish as ever.
Grovemade makes a stunning iMac stand that elevates it to eye level on most desks. There’s several other options like the Slimkey and Highrise, but none are as well-made and easy on the eyes as Grovemade’s.
HEADPHONE STAND
If you are like me, you often have your headphone hanging out on top of your iMac or display, or somewhere random on your desk. Give it a home!
It’s a screen and a drawing tablet in one. I love the Cintiq; as a guy that can’t draw on a tablet and have my eyes on something else, the Cintiq satisfies my doodly needs.
KITCHEN
SCHOTT TRITAN
I was gifted a set of these wineglasses, and I was overwhelmed with their quality. Not only do they have a unique and gorgeous styling, but they’re nearly indestructible German crystal. Comes in several shapes.
KAASSCHAAF
Kaaswhat? A Dutch kaasschaaf is a critical kitchen and dining table utensil for making perfect slices of Gouda (and other!) cheese. Makes for a great Dutch / cultural gift!
MANDOLINE SLICER
Speaking of slicing, if you want to dice vegetables, make fries, potato chips or anything else, why settle for anything less than the slicer that is used by the Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts? It’s a piece of art.
$190
MOTORCYCLE
BELL BULLITT
Some of the most stylish stuff has been released this year for motorcyclists: I'm a big fan of the Bell Bullitt helmet. If you order through Amazon, the excellent return policy means you can always get the size adjusted if it's not a perfect fit.
A nice alternative is the Gringo by Biltwell. Great helmets.
BROOKS TOOL BAG
A nice leather tool bag for bicycle and motorcycle rider alike, easily affixed to the saddle or elsewhere. Comes in various leather treatments. Also check out their leather tape for stylish wrapping of handlebar grips.
Sena makes Bluetooth headsets that can easily be inserted into any helmet, letting you listen to music, answer or respond to calls or even talk over an intercom function to other Sena-equipped riders. Absolutely essential.
SENA SMH10
OUTDOORS
Easily the most stylish of pocket blades, the French-made Laguiole has such exquisit handmade detail that it makes a great practical gift. My personal runner-up and most used pocketknife is, of course, a Victorinox. Also great.
LAGUIOLE POCKET BLADE
The best gift for any outdoorsman / woman is a water filter that can last a lifetime. Katadyn makes the absolute best; accept no substitute. A more expensive, all-metal version is also available with a few extra perks.
KATADYN WATER FILTER
“Hobo knife” sounds a bit harsh, but it’s a term for a set of very useful camp cutlery. Case Cutlery marries utility to quality craftsmanship and aesthetics. A great gift.
CASE HOBO KNIFE
BOOKS
MAGNUM CONTACT SHEETS
THE AMERICANS
VIVIAN MAIER
A5/05: LUFTHANSA AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
UNCOMMON PLACES
YOU AND I
THE OLDEST LIVING THINGS IN THE WORLD
THE ART OF TRON LEGACY
AMERICAN SURFACES
All of these books are gorgeous coffee table books that are great for anyone who loves beautiful things.
$20-80
You can give me thanks by buying stuff through any of these links, or buy me something from my wish list, or buy my set of 5K wallpapers for your Mac. For more good stuff, check out Shawn Blanc’s Tools and Toys.
Happy Holidays!