Best gift (lens or anything else photorelated) that you've received

What was the best photography-related gift you've ever received? lenses are usually the best things, but anything can be shared.

For me,
when i turned 17, my late father bought me a 40D+28-135 kit.
he got my started in digital photography. of course, he got me started in film too by lending me his Elan.
Probably the best photo gift i've received. Truly thankful for it.
I ended up selling the lens, but the 40D body has become sentimental to me and i refuse to sell it, lol.

iwasinvertedx wrote in post #12368461
What was the best photography-related gift you've ever received? lenses are usually the best things, but anything can be shared.

For me,
when i turned 17, my late father bought me a 40D+28-135 kit.
he got my started in digital photography. of course, he got me started in film too by lending me his Elan.
Probably the best photo gift i've received. Truly thankful for it.
I ended up selling the lens, but the 40D body has become sentimental to me and i refuse to sell it, lol.

wow you're lucky & spoiled...sort of

dingdong wrote in post #12368469
wow you're lucky & spoiled...sort of

i definitely was spoiled while my dad was still around.

since then, i've funded all my gear with the money i earn from working in a laboratory.
luckily, i have a scholarship and that covers living expenses.
so i've been able to blow my paychecks on equipment.

My dad footed the bill for my T1i+18-55+55-250 kit last summer a week after I bought it with my own money. I don't get presents that big for my birthday ever, so I was extremely grateful for it. Now that I know more about photography, I'm also happy that I was able to get the lenses that I have now fairly quickly. They're much more appropriate for what I like to shoot and I'd be behind if he hadn't helped out.

iwasinvertedx wrote in post #12368477
i definitely was spoiled while my dad was still around.

since then, i've funded all my gear with the money i earn from working in a laboratory.
luckily, i have a scholarship and that covers living expenses.
so i've been able to blow my paychecks on equipment.

good job! keep up the good work! =D

Wife bought me a Manfrotto 055CXPro4 tripod for my b-day/xmas last year

i had three....
my wife for my 40th got me the 7d and tamron 28-75 f2.8
and then my dad for the same event got me the 100 macro...
and my mom the 430exii....
so basically - almost my entire set....

and I would say that I was amazingly lucky and I am thankful for such!

My wife got me an AB1600! That was it though... Now I get nothing.

i got a 7d and 24-105

85mm 1.2L my wife gave me. I don't use it often, but it is nice when I do.

The 1Ds MKII that I own was a nice hand-down from my father. I had bought his 1DMKII prior to it, but since he was gonna sell his 1DsII, he decided to give it to me and have me sell the 1DII instead. Now I have Full Frame and 16MP. A Very nice upgrade over 1.3x crop and 8MP.

85L, no questions asked. It's basically the only part of my kit I didn't completely pay for. Needless to say, my level of shock nearly put me in a coma

5dii, 24-70L, 24L, and x100 from my girlfriend.

7d and 24-70 for my birthday

My birthday is next week (May 14th). Let me get back to this thread in a week, but I might have a Think Tank Retrospective 30 coming my way :3