If you’re reading this, you’re either a photographer or you love the photographer who sent you this, and you’re looking for Christmas Gift Ideas. From stocking stuffers to gifts for photographers over every genre and budget, we have you covered. Santa approved!
Stocking Stuffer Surprises
Forget the oranges and walnuts, photographers appreciate thoughtful and useful gifts such as Hahnel Remote shutter releases. My personal favourite is the HR 280 Pro Wired Remote – no batteries and works in all temperatures. It’s available for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Panasonic and Fujifilm cameras.
Do your images have a lot of spots on them? If so, you need to clean your sensor. Available in two sizes (1.0x for full frame and 1.6x for APS-C sensors), Visible Dust VDust and EZ Plus kits are the pros choice for cleaning. Visible Dust is used by all the camera manufacturers and is also perfect for home use. Watch their YouTube videos and follow the directions.
For the birders on your list, Meade’s Travel View 10×25 binoculars are compact enough to fit in a pocket when folded. Clear viewing and easy to use, these are also great for hikers or introducing children to the beauty of our feathered friends.
Spekular KYU-6 Light wraps will surprise the macro photographer in your life. Available in bi-colour and RGB versions, these compact yet bright lights feature the unique ability to “wrap” around anything. You really can put light almost anywhere. They’re so light that you can take them out in the field – ideal for flowers and insects on location. They’re also ideal for light painting at night and product photography.
Are you only exchanging stockings but want to make it special? The class-leading Laowa 9mm f/2.8mm Zero-D is available for APS-C mirrorless cameras, including Canon M, Nikon Z, Sony E and Fujifilm X mount. This incredibly sharp yet tiny lens will put a huge smile on the face of any recipient.
I like to take pictures of people and products
For the “natural light” portrait photographer on your list, fast lenses should be top-of-mind. For the mirrorless camera crowd – Laowa’s stunning Argus f/0.95 lenses offer the rare combination of very sharp optics with some of the creamiest backgrounds you’ll see. The extreme depth of field is so shallow that your subjects will just pop out of the background. The Argus 33mm and 35mm are ideal for environmental portraits while the Argus 45mm may just be the perfect “normal” lens – your Nifty Fifty on steroids!
Hahnel accessories are must-haves for speedlight photographers. Get a clamp – Module 360 (for most small speedlights) or Module 600 (for most large speedlights) – plus a Module Softbox, Module Light Effects Kit and Module Creative Lantern Kit. Hahnel Module speedlight accessories are light and easy to pack. Module Clamp is required as it has the magnet to attach the modifiers. The Module system quickly became one my favourite speedlight accessories.
I like to take photos of the places I visit
Many travelers ask for a lens that is lightweight, offers a lot of zoom range and is still suitably sharp. The Tamron 18-400mm for Canon and Nikon APS-C DSLRs is widely regarded as the ultimate travel lens as it meets all those criteria. Mirrorless photographers use this lens with an adapter and rave about it.
For the biggest view on full-frame Sony E, Nikon Z and Leica L cameras, Laowa 10-18mm f.4.5-5.6 Zoom is the widest zoom lens for full frame cameras. Lightweight and compact, this fully manual lens lets you create imagery that no other lens can. An added bonus is the new aperture system that produces the absolute best sun-stars in the market.
Vistas and cityscapes are my jam
Sony E photographers demanded a fast, light and sharp wide-angle lens. Tamron delivered with the 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD. If you have a Sony landscape or street photographer on your list, this is the lens to gift them. You might even get an extra helping of ice cream with your pie at dinner.
Vanguard Range T Series backpacks are a great gift for the photographer who spends hours hiking to the perfect location – whether it’s for photos of stunning vistas or the Northern Lights. Carry your camera, lenses, drone, tablet or computer and tripod in comfort. Molé straps offer multiple mounting options to balance your weight and carry more gear.
It’s too people-y here – I prefer birds and wildlife
Wildlife and bird photographers need long lenses so they can capture their subjects from safe distances while capturing all those fine details of the birds and animals they prefer to photograph. Tamron is world-renowned for their stellar super-telephoto lenses and the 150-500mm Di III VC RXD for Sony E mount is no exception. This lens is one of the sharpest and lightest long lenses used by some of the best wildlife photographers in the world.
Wildlife photographers put unique demands on their gear – they can hike for hours to get to the perfect spot, so they want the best gear to make sure they get the image they’re after. Fotopro Eagle Series Gimbal and Carbon Fibre Tripod kits are some of the most stable tripods for long lenses, including mighty 800mm telephoto lenses, while remaining relatively light and surprisingly compact – perfect for long hikes to those idyllic photo spots. The gimbal heads allow for perfect balancing to ensure your camera is ready to take sharp images.
Protecting your lenses, cameras and gear while hiking to that secret spot is paramount, but comfort is also important. The Vanguard Alta Sky 45D Backpack is a great choice for those with super-tele lenses and large camera bodies, plus a tripod. The ergonomic back panel and wide waist strap spread weight so you can hike longer and further in comfort.
Bugs and Flowers don’t Creep me out!
Macro photographers love to look at things up close – and that’s where the true beauty of insects and flowers can be found. The best gift for the macro photographer is a new and unique macro lens – either the award-winning Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2:1 Ultra Macro or the unique 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5x Macro. Both lenses are available for all the popular camera systems (some might require an inexpensive adapter – available separately). The standout feature of the 100mm is its two-to-one magnification – there is no other 100mm macro lens that can reproduce images at double magnification. The 25mm features a 2.5-5x magnification range – unmatched by any lens currently available. Both lenses allow macro photographers to get incredibly sharp and detailed close-up images, just like Don Komarechka. Add a KYU-6 light to their stocking for a complete macro kit.
Action! The more rad the better!
Wiral Lite is the perfect gift for those into action and extreme sports. Compatible with all smartphones, action cameras, 360 cameras and smaller DSLRs/mirrorless cameras, Wiral Lite is the perfect accessory to capture unique, cinematic camera angles.
Straight out of the Camera? No chance. The more editing the better!
We all know that photographer (yes, it’s me!) who rarely, if ever, shares photos straight out of the camera. Photos start from Smart Shooter 4 (for when I shoot tethered) and go straight into Lightroom (personal photos) or Capture One (professional or paid photos).
Ever since I got my hands on the TourBox controller, I can’t live without it. Read my review on PHOTONews to see what TourBox does and why I love it. Every photographer who edits images on their computer should have a TourBox! It’s also a great gift for gamers, as every button can be customized for each game.
The camera is okay but I prefer really long walks
If you prefer to hike, but happen to carry a camera, will love the Think Tank Perception 15 series backpacks. The daypacks offer removable storage for a small DSLR or mirrorless camera and a couple of lenses plus ample room for food, rain gear and other supplies for full-day treks in the wild. Don’t forget the Meade binoculars for their stocking!
Moving photos only – gifts for the Cinematographer
Laowa doesn’t just make crazy macro lenses for photographers, they make some of the sharpest and coolest lenses for video use also. The craziest and most sought-after video lens is currently the 24mm T14 Cine Probe (also available for stills photographers). The Probe lens is waterproof (up to the USB port), which has made it a favourite for food and drink videos. It’s also a macro lens that focuses just millimetres from the front element. There’s nothing like it. The Cine version fits Arri PL, Sony E and Canon EF cameras.
The ultimate gift for your video creator: OOOM 25-100mm T2.9 Super 35 zoom lens comes with Arri PL, Sony E and Canon EF mounts. This all-in-one zoom cinema lens is also available in a bundle with a 1.33x Rear anamorphic adapter and 1.4x Full frame expander. There is no better gift for the professional video artist.
I’ve got more gear than a rental house
Photographers love to collect gear. Some of us take far more gear to a shoot than others – my studio gear, including light shapers, tripods, lenses, sand bags and more can fill my car. To help organize and transport that gear, the Think Tank Retrospective Duffel and Freeway Longhaul bags make great gifts for those who carry a lot of gear. These come with a bonus – the recipient can carry the rest of the Christmas gifts home!
About the Author – Will Prentice
A portrait, fine art and commercial photographer for 30 plus years, Will Prentice is not just a contributor to PHOTONews magazine, but also host of PHOTONewsTV, owner of Captura Photography+Imaging and Technical Support/Brand Manager for Amplis Foto, Canada’s largest distributor of photographic equipment.
Will teaches photographers of all skill levels how to improve their craft – from creative photo projects to picking the right gear for their needs to flattering lighting to getting the best expressions to creating final images for screen and print. His unique style of highly detailed images with perfect tonality, wide dynamic range and stunning colour is instantly recognizable. Commercial clients rely on Will’s creative eye and mastery of lighting.
When he’s not behind the camera or in front of a class, you’ll find Will outdoors in any weather – usually on one of his bikes or enjoying time with his grandchildren.
