Before the days of Power Mac Centers, there was Digital Walker. For the longest time, they were one…read moreof the few stores that were authorized retailers of Apple products. I got my first iPod from them. I continue to frequent their store for other Apple-related products and accessories. Of course, over the years they've expanded their product lines and are now among the top retailers for premium gadgets including smartphones, tablets and cameras. If you're looking for a gift for your technophile husband or you simply need a good gadget for yourself, make sure you check out this store first. I highly recommend their line of headsets/earphones. They have big brands like Marshall, Urbanears, JBL and Sennheiser. For those into photography, Digital Walker carries Canon and Nikon cameras. All set on your gadgets? Then protective gear might be a good purchase for you. They carry brands like Speck, Belkin and Crumpler, too.

This printing place's name always slips my mind. I'm horrible at remembering numbers, and this one…read morehas far too many on its name, but I do remember Studio 58 Lab 10's service pretty well. If you're an artist/designer and need your artwork printed for an exhibit/show/archival purposes, this place is known for producing high-quality prints in small to large formats. I had my exhibit piece printed digitally on canvas years ago, and it came out beautifully. The colors are accurately reproduced, and the materials they use are sure to last long, as my artwork still hasn't faded after more than 3 years. For film aficionados, they also offer professional film processing, and are among the few places left in Manila that still do this. Turnaround time here isn't always speedy as sometimes they have too many jobs queued up, but they're pretty reliable. Best to have your prints made at least a week or two before you need them, especially if they're big, major projects.

If you're a professional photographer or a serious hobbyist working with film and you have…read moreimportant rolls you need taken care of, the only photo lab who can do justice to them is Studio 58 in Makati. Even if the whole world thinks that film is dead, it still lives in the fiery hearts of passionate loyalists. These same people of course, won't take kindly to scratched negatives or mucked up film processing. This is why Studio 58 has survived for so long even if some of its contemporaries are nothing bit a blip in history now. They exude quality and have remained consistent all throughout. The most important service they offer is processing for slide or E-6 films. While most film shooters are happy with cross-processing slides, nothing beats the vivid awesomeness of E-6. Since it's niche now, you usually would have to wait for a whole batch of films to be processed so that they can maximize the chemicals they're using. If you have at least five rolls though, you're good to go!

This is a very inexpensive place to have your one hour or less pictures taken at. We had 1"x1"…read morephotos taken, and it was only 75 Pesos for a set of more than 4 pictures. The other photo shop nearby charges double the price for 4 photos. I have also had them make refrigerator magnets for a great price. You just need to log onto their WiFi and upload your picture onto their site. They make oil paintings of your picture which are created by a local artist. Now that is something that I have not done here yet.

Sometimes the convenience of having an ID photo taken can be difficult. I've noticed that there are…read moreless and less photo developing stores and photography stores now in Makati. When I was young, I remember having to wait to develop my 24 or 26 rolls of photos. I would be so excited even when I had to wait to get my ID photos done for school IDs, passports, etc... I think because not a lot of people print out photos anymore. Most people have their photos directly on their phones, on their laptops, or even in digital frames. But for whatever reason you may be needing an ID photo done and you can't wait more than 15 minutes to have your photo taken and printed, theres a small nook in Greenbelt 1 that is more convenient that the regular photo shops. I prefer to go to Tronix because in just ten minutes you basically get four to six pieces your ID photos for as low as Php60. No fuss, no 30 minutes to 1 hour waits.

Have you ever tried getting an ID photo from a makeshift street corner studio? Well, I had. And the…read moreexperience can only be described as hilarious. These establishments sure use digital cameras. But before they print your photo, they apply questionable amounts of retouching techniques via Photoshop. Why? I have no idea really. Maybe Mr. Kodaker, as photographers are fondly called, is of the opinion that everyone wants to look 'chinito' or K-Pop-ish and white. One time I was surprised that my hair was obviously dark brown and straight in the photo when in reality my hair is undoubtedly curly and black. There was also an instance when my eyes looked slanted after my eye bags were magically erased in the picture. In order to prevent these things from happening, I decided to just get my ID pictures from photo booths of old. And there is one near the entrance of Landmark Department Store. It's Foto-Me and I call it my old reliable. For PHP 80.00 you get unadulterated ID pictures almost instantly. My appearance is far from perfect, but I want my photos to look exactly like me, especially when I have to submit them to companies and government agencies. Only one person operates the Foto-Me booth, so it closes whenever the staff is on break. Operating hours correspond to that of Landmark's.

Nikon or Canon? Which one is the best? I bet every professional photographer or even the…read moreenthusiasts face this question at least once in their lifetime. It's like soccer in Brazil (or basketball here in in the Philippines) - everyone has a favorite team and defends it with passion. If you're part of Nikon team, then this store will be like heaven for you. There you'll find not only the latest cameras and lenses, but also all the accessories you may need to make the most of your photo experience. I like the store because I know I'll find everything I need in just one place. The staff really knows about photography and they can suggest you the best products to fit your needs. The interiors are modern and clean, with the cameras elegantly displayed. There's also a section for servicing, if you need your camera or lenses to be repaired.

There are a lot of tutorials online on how you can clean your camera's dirty sensor or how you can…read morecalibrate your lens yourself. I have nothing against the spirit of DIY but when it comes to gear that costs upwards of 100,000 Pesos, I'd rather pay for professional help. You've already spent that much. Why cheap out now? For Canon users, the only Customer Care Centre is in the Paseo De Magallanes Commercial Center in Makati.This is the go-to place to have accredited technicians take a look at your gear and fix it up good as new. From basic sensor cleaning, changing shutters, to salvaging parts, the guys at Canon will do their best to help you out. Even if your unit is already out of warranty, they'll give you decent quotations on the cost involved for repairs. The rub is that the turnaround time is usually 2-3 weeks. But hey, better a job done correctly, right?