$50 to spend at Amazon

[Elaine]

I've got $50 to spend at Amazon.

I was thinking about a Lightsphere or Whale Tail Reporter, but I've decided to just make A Better Bounce Card for now. Although, I think a diffuser for mobile outdoor portraits come spring would be nice (kinda hard to bounce off the sky).

I've also been thinking about some sort of White Balance card, but I'm not sure what would be the most valuable. I've found that a coffee filter isn't too bad either.

Another option would be to purchase a hood for my 17-55 or 85. I can't believe how expensive they are, and to be honest, I've never been a big hood user. I've read things lately that make me think I should change that habit.

So...any thoughts on those three items? Other suggestions?

Thanks!

[Tee Why]

If it was me, I'd get the hood. Mainly for protection against bumping into things and keeping stray light out of the lens to decrease flare/loss of contrast.

Sto fen also is a nice compact and relatively cheap flash diffuser as well.

Expose disc is a nice custom WB setting tool as well.

[bauerman]

Elaine,

I started a similar thread just after Christmas as I received a $50 gift certificate to the local camera shop and wondered what I might spend the money on......might do you good to look through that thread as well for ideas.....

It is here: http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=79899

I ended up going with the remote shutter release.

[Elaine]

Thanks for the suggestions and for the link! Bauerman - is the remote you got the one with the 3ft cord?

[holzphoto]

Elaine,

I would get the hood off of ebay, you can get a generic one for around $10.

If you don't have the canon 50mm 1.8, i would take the $50 and get that...you would have about $20 in it.

[bauerman]

Thanks for the suggestions and for the link! Bauerman - is the remote you got the one with the 3ft cord?

No problem Elaine. I ended up getting a Promaster branded remote shutter release from my local camera shop. It was only $40 (compared to $70 for the Canon branded model) and it was unique in one very handy respect.

The one that I purchased is modular, meaning that there is about a 2 1/2 foot cord that you can use with the remote - but then it comes with a longer section of cord as well (about 4 more feet) that you can install as well making the total length with both sections a little over 6 feet - a nice length to use indeed. The switch itself has a nice quality feel to it and the button has a nice 'feel' to it for the half press for focus and then the full press for shutter release.

You can check it out here: http://promaster.com/products/products.asp?CatID=20&CatSM=&SubCatID=11&CatName=Accessories&SubCatName=Remote%20Releases&sm=sm2_2011&dir=&page=PROD&product=6608

Good luck on spening your dough!