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Best 2024 Photography Gifts for Every Budget
Introduction
The holiday season is coming and many people are slowing down work to spend more time with their families. This is a great time to spread some joy and rekindle the love of photography with some inspiring presents! Most people have been working really hard this year due to the state of the economy, so it is understandable that budgets vary.
In this new 2024 Photography Gift Guide, the awesome gifts below are arranged by budget. You will find items under $50 and up to $500 for those who can afford it. Stores know that this is when people spend the most, so be sure to look for specials that may bring higher-end products down to your budget! Remember that prices are slightly different locally but all these gifts are available from Adorama which ships to almost anywhere in the world. Amazon now has the majority of them as well.
Find The Best Gifts from below $50 to $500 in this 2024 Photography Gift Guide
The majority of gifts shown here are universal and compatible with any digital camera. A few items, as noted below, are available in different versions or sizes to match a specific camera or lens. Check that specifications match the intended camera or lens for compatibility before ordering.
NOTE All prices listed below are shown in USD before taxes without discounts. When buying internationally, some duty may apply depending on your location, the point of sale and the origin of the product. Many countries have an exemption for small personal gifts under a certain value.
Best Photography Gifts Under $50
A tripod opens up the world of Low-Light Photography and plenty of creative options like no other accessory. Many people avoid buying them because they are bulky to transport. The affordable solution is a Joby GorillaPod, a compact flexible tripod that is immensely versatile. Joby makes several models according to the maximum weight it can support. For under $35 USD, one can choose between the GorillaPod 500, for cameras up to ½kg or 1lbs, and the GorillaPod 3K, that supports up to 3kg or 6½lbs.
When using a tripod, and particularly with a GorillaPod that is lighter than a full-size support, a Remote Control is essential. Modern Mirrorless Digital Cameras can often be controlled over Bluetooth via a smartphone but that is cumbersome and reduces battery-life. Instead, it is better to buy dedicated camera remote:
Here are the most common remotes for recent digital cameras:
- The Pentax O-RC1 works with any Pentax camera with an infrared receiver. Pentax is the only maker with a waterproof remote. This is a great complement to one of their DSLRs or remote-enabled cameras.
- The Nikon ML-L7 is compatible with most recent Nikon DSLRs, all their Mirrorless cameras and some of their premium compacts. Check current Nikon IR-Remote enabled cameras.
- The Sony RMT-DSLR2 which is very sophisticated and also serves as a viewing remote when the camera is connected to a television! It is also inexpensive at $30 USD.
- Canon offers a remote, the Canon BR-E1, that is truly affordable yet surprisingly difficult to find in stock. There are a few third-party clones though such as the Aodelan BR-E1A.
Camera straps are a big thing among photographers. While cameras all come with a strap, the included straps are absolutely basic. Higher-end models are not so expensive and can make an immense difference in comfort and photography speed.
At below $50 USD, the Zeiss Air Cell is the most comfortable and cheapest way to own the Zeiss name. This ultra-padded shoulder-strap makes heavy cameras feel light! It provides the security of a standard strap with much less stress on your neck.
Best Photography Gifts Under $100
One thing that makes macro and product photography significantly easier is a light tent. This makes a very night gift for collectors and crafty people to document their items. One of the best-rated is the Neewer 24" Light-Tent. It also comes in smaller 16" and 20" sizes. Any of these sizes is available for less than $100 USD.
Sometimes a new head is all that is needed to improve photography! Although they can be quite costly, there are some quality tripod ball heads available for under $100 USD. This includes the Manfrotto 490 Center Ball Head with Quick-Release. This model can easily handle a 4kg load, which is sufficient for the vast majority of camera and lens combinations.
Leveling up from a simple Remote Trigger is switching to an Intervalometer. Those sophisticated controls can repeatedly trigger a camera at specified intervals and are commonly used to capture Time-Lapse. There are even hybrid models such as the DLC Wireless for Sony E-mount cameras. It can connect wirelessly to a receptor mounted on the hot-shoe or be tethered to the camera.
Best Photography Gifts Under $250
For under $250 USD, there are quite a few gift choices for photographers in your life. Photoshop and the other image processing software may offer thousands of digital filters but there are a number of filters that cannot be simulated by software. Such filters are very helpful when properly used under the right conditions.
The most useful filter is arguably the Circular Polarizer. This type of filter cuts out glare and surface reflection, producing more vibrant images and deeper blue sky.
NOTE Not all lenses accept filters and most fixed-lens cameras do not have a filter-thread. When a lens accepts filters, only one size fits directly on the lens. A larger one may be used with a step-up ring but will not let you use a lens hood at the same time.
The very best polarizing filters are Hoya HD. All filters that Hoya labels HD transmit more light than those of any other brand. Newer HD versions, such as the latest HD3-series are also extremely durable which protects the investment as this level of quality comes at a just price.
They are available for most photographic lens filter sizes:
- Hoya HD3 67mm Circular Polarizer from Amazon or Adorama.
- Hoya HD3 72mm Circular Polarizer from Amazon or Adorama.
- Hoya HD3 77mm Circular Polarizer from Amazon or Adorama.
- Hoya HD3 82mm Circular Polarizer from Amazon or Adorama.
Prices range from $120 to $200 USD. Also consider ND filters that come in various sizes and strengths. These filters are commonly used to lengthen exposure to obtain longer light trails and increase motion blur.
Best Photography Gifts Under $500
Photographers love looking at prints and display their art for others to enjoy. What better way to accomplish this is there than using a professional photo printer! Coming in at just $500 USD is the Canon PIXMA PRO-200 Large-Format Printer. This model prints 13"x19" borderless photos using 8 enhanced color inks. Exceptionally for its price, it also accommodates 13" wide paper rolls, making it possible to print 13"x39" panoramic photos.
Epson makes an affordable professional wide-format photo printer too: The Expression Photo HD XP-15000. This model also supports borderless 13"x19" prints, this time using a blend of 6 Claria Photo HD Inks. This versatile printer even supports thicker direct-fed media using a straight-path rear feeding slot.
There are many photo enthusiasts that use a Mirrorless Digital Camera with an APS-C sensor. Often those come with a low-quality kit-lens to get people started. Bring them to the lens level with a bright constant-aperture zoom lens such as the Sigma C 18-50mm F/2.8 DC DN. This lens is exceptionally affordable for the price. Sigma makes versions for Sony E-Mount, Fujifilm X-Mount, Canon RF-Mount and Leica L-Mount.
Another great way to change up photography is to get an ultra-bright prime lens. These lenses allow to capture images in very low-light and capture shallow depth-of-field to isolate subjects from their backgrounds. For just $370 USD, one can get the Sigma C DN 16mm F/1.4 DC Lens. This is also a lens designed for APS-C digital cameras. This lens comes in no less than 6 mounts: Sony E, Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, Leica L, Canon M and Micro Four-Thirds. There are also versions with different focal-lengths for a similar price.
Happy Holidays
Thank you for visiting Neocamera and enjoy the holidays! Hopefully, we made your holiday shopping easier. If you found any of our articles helpful, you can support us without spending an extra penny by buying from our affiliates using links on this site. Amazon stocks a huge amount of photography gear and all gifts above are also available from Adorama.
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Best Photography Gifts For Teens
Cellphones are at the center of teen lives and, when they think photography, a smartphone is most often their gear of choice. It is constantly available to them. Sometimes a memory needs to be more tangible.
For this, Fujifilm created a series of Instax Printers. The newest Mini Link 3 Smartphone Printer is barely larger than the 2"x3" prints it makes and connects directly to most modern phones via Bluetooth. It is available for $85 USD from Amazon and is often bundles with some compatible photo paper. It is also sold at Adorama for $100 USD.
Everything retro is hugely popular lately among teenagers. For the retro feel of photography without committing to spending on every frame, nothing compared to the Fujifilm Instax EVO. This is a hybrid Instant and Digital Camera that gives the experience of the former with the convenience of the latter, including image preview and a digital copy on Micro SD, sold separately.
Speaking of Micro SD, whether it is for the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo above or one of the many phones with extensible storage, teens will be happy with a large and speedy MicroSDXC card. Most phones support 256GB cards and some even up to 1 TB. Lexar makes some of the very best Micro SDXC cards on the market, including the Lexar 256GB Play UHS-I card that is also compatible with the Nintendo Switch Console. They also make a 1TB Play card which is very affordable.
NOTE Remember to check device compatibility before buying a 1 TB MicroSDXC card.
The Fujifilm Instax Film Variety Pack comes with 60 exposures in Macaron, Confetti and Candy Pop styles. It is compatible with the Mini Link 3 Printer, the Instax Mini EVO and several other Fujifilm instant cameras.
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