2008 Holiday Gift Guide

Black Friday looms. . . do your share and help the economy!

By Heath McKnight

It's that time of year again: the leaves change color, the temperature drops, and your wallet is feeling just heavy enough to drop a few bucks on gifts for friends and family. I'll help walk you through some of the hottest tech gadgets, for both the consumer and professional in your life. Let's get started!

Photography
In the consumer arena, I've heard a lot of great things regarding Canon's SD880 digital camera, which features a 10-megapixel (mp) sensor, 4x optical zoom, and more. The pictures I've seen taken with this camera are wonderful. The price is anywhere from $259 to $299, and I recommend shopping at quality e-sellers, like Amazon.com, B&H, Ritz Camera, and Adorama.

If you're looking for something a little more professional, I recommend the Nikon D60 DSLR, which is the next step up from the D40 and D40x. With a 10.2 mp sensor, far more image controls, a much better 18-55mm VR (vibration reduction) lens, and more, this camera is a winner at around $599. Throw in the great 55-200mm VR Nikkor lens (around $249), and you're in business!

Nikon D60

Need something a little higher end? The Nikon D90 has been said to be better than both the D3 and D300 (which came out in 2007; price is $999.99 without a lens), and Canon's newest full-frame DSLR, the Canon 5D Mark II (price is $2,699.99, which is affordable for a full-frame). Find out more about Nikon and Canon cameras at www.nikonusa.com and www.canonusa.com.

Video cameras
Consumer videographers have it great: plenty of HD cameras featuring full HD sensors (1920 x 1080p) that produce stunning images. One of the best is the Canon Vixia HD20 AVCHD camcorder, which even shoots frame rates of 24p, just like filmmakers do! At around $649, this is an incredible deal for this tapeless camera.

For professionals, I have to admit that I've fallen for two Sony cameras. I love the JVC cameras (HD250), Canon (XLH1s), and Panasonic (HVX200a), but I really, really dig the Sony HVR-V1u HDV camera, probably the best in its class, and the Full HD Sony PMW-EX1 XDCAM EX, which is perhaps my favorite sub-$10,000 camera on the market. It uses SxS flash memory cards, and the images are stunning. The V1u (which still takes MiniDV tapes) costs between $3,000 and $3,399, and the EX1 is going for around $6,499. 8GB SxS cards start at $449.
   For more information, visit www.canonusa.com, www.sony.com/hdv, and www.sony.com/xdcamex.

HDTVs
I am enjoying the current crop of flat panel Full HD televisions that have been coming out lately. For those with deeper pockets, try a Sony BRAVIA 52" LCD HDTV (KDL-52V4100), which costs around $1,999. I also really dig the Vizio 42" HDTV LCD (SV420XVT1A), which costs around $1,099.

   Westinghouse Digital has a great 40" HDTV LCD/DVD ( VK-40F580D ) combo for around $1,049. Find out more about these HDTVs at www.sony.com/bravia, www.vizio.com, and www.westinghousedigital.com.

Blu-ray
Since earlier this year, when Blu-ray won the hi-def DVD format battle, many have considered taking the plunge and buying a player. Well, with prices coming down (average of around $249 to $299 for Sony, Samsung, Panasonic players, and more), and rumors of $149 to $199 Blu-ray players coming soon, I recommend taking a look.
For me, though, I still think the Playstation 3 with a built-in Blu-ray player is your best best. At only $399, it's still a great deal! Find out more about Blu-ray at www.blu-raydisc.com and www.sony.com/playstation.

Movie/TV Download Device
Out of all the movie download devices I've seen, including the Apple TV and Netflix's Roku, I love the VUDU the best. It costs only $299, and at Best Buy, you get a $200 movie credit. The HD and SD versions of movies look great, like regular Blu-ray discs and SD DVDs. Find out more at www.vudu.com.