Best Christmas Gifts for Photographers: From Tripods to SSDs

Best Christmas Gifts for Photographers: From Tripods to SSDs
Looking for the best Christmas gifts for photographers? Considering the cost and complexity involved, finding gifts for the lens lover in your life isn't easy. That's why TechRadar is here to help you finish off a photo this festive season. Photography can be a minefield, honestly – there are accessories, lenses, and lighting systems in all shapes, sizes, and prices, so we're here to help you capture what's right for you. resident photography lover. With that in mind, we've done the hard work for you, curating a selection of the best photography products and accessories, with a range of options for just about anyone. So whether you're looking for a few more photo-themed fillers or a slightly more expensive sleigh for your loved one (or just a small gift for yourself), you should find plenty of inspiration here.

Billingham Hadley One

something a little special

Reasons to buy + Premium finish + Stylish Reasons to avoid -Awkward ties -This is not cheap The Billingham Hadley One is a beautiful messenger bag for those who want to travel reasonably light, perfect for walking around town or for a short break. The elegant and classic design of the Hadley One certainly looks the part and is beautifully crafted from premium quality leather. In addition to space for a mirrorless or DSLR camera, there's also a separate compartment for a 13-inch laptop. If you want to give someone something a little special, the Hadley One, even with the high price tag, won't disappoint.

Manfrotto Pixi Evo

A great tripod to take anywhere

Reasons to buy + Good payload support + Handy ball head Reasons to avoid -It's flexible -Large enough Mini tripods are great take-anywhere options and great for those times when you don't think you need a tripod, but wants to bring one just in case. Some can be quite flimsy, but the Pixi Evo offers decent payload support and good flex. It comes with a handy ball joint and extendable legs, not for increasing height, but for use on uneven surfaces. The limited working height means you'll need to set it up on a wall or table, but take advantage of the low angle for some interesting vantage points.

(Image credit: Adobe)

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2021

Perfect for the avid photographer

Reasons to buy + Easy to use + Helpful Guided Edits Reasons to Avoid - Lack of advanced features - Might be too basic for some Adobe's latest Creative Cloud photography plan, including Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, and Lightroom Classic CC, is perfect for those who are looking for a lot of high-end features, but the monthly subscription payment model is not it. for everyone. This is where Photoshop Elements 2021 comes in. With many of the advanced features of the top-of-the-line version of the software, including a host of raw conversion commands, Elements 2021 still performs as smoothly as ever and is perfect for the avid photographer who look for a versatile photo editing program.

Samsung t5

(Image credit: Samsung)

samsung t5

Another fantastic external SSD for snappers

Reasons to buy + Very small and compact + Super fast Reasons to avoid - A little pricey - You may find you need more than one The Samsung T5 is still considered the benchmark for external SSDs among photographers, and now it's even more affordable than never. Its small size makes it especially suitable for life on the road, so you can save your photos while you shoot. And it's blazing fast too, using a USB Type-C connection to get all the performance of the SSD inside. It comes in 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB versions, with the two in the middle now offering up ideally for storing things.

Fujifilm InstaxShare SP-3

Bring the images on your smartphone to life

Reasons to Buy + Lots of Fun + Easy to Use Reasons to Avoid -Film can be expensive -A bit bulky Fujifilm Instax Share SP-3 lets you bring your smartphone pictures to life. This super small printer lets you wirelessly transfer images from your phone to the Instax Share SP-3, which will produce instant prints in a square format (image prints 62 x 62mm, total size 86 x 72mm) for you. There's a convenient reprint button, allowing you to share the same print with friends multiple times, while your photos on Facebook and Instagram can also be uploaded to the SP-3.

Lastolite Ezybox Speed-Lite 2

sculpt your light

Today's best Lastolite Ezybox Speed-Lite 2 deals Reasons to Buy + Provides a nice soft light + Easy to install Reasons to Avoid -For portraiture only -More affordable options A bare flash can provide quite an unflattering light, so this Lastolite Mini Flat Softbox fits comfortably over the front of your flash to soften the light. Its relatively compact size means it really only fits head and shoulder shots (larger versions are available), but that means it easily folds up to fit in your camera bag without taking up too much space.

Lee Filters DSLR Starter Kit

Master those long exposures

Reasons to Buy + Excellent Quality + Graduation ND and ND Filters Included Reasons to Avoid -Excellent-Adapter Required If you know someone who is shopping for a new DSLR for Christmas, this is a great addition to their kit. With graduated ND and ND filters, it helps balance exposures in extreme light conditions and also lets you widen exposures—great for blurring water, clouds, and people. You'll need an adapter ring to match the lens you'll be using it on, but this kit is a must-have for the budding landscape photographer.

(Image credit: Canon)

Canon Pixma Pro-100

Our number one photo printer is extremely versatile

Reasons to Buy + Exceptional Print Quality + Covers Most Paper Types Reasons to Avoid - Ink can be expensive - Not cheap The Canon Pixma Pro-100 is a great printer for the hobbyist or professional photographer, so it's our number one photo printer. Thanks to its 8-ink dyeing system, the Pro-100 offers excellent color accuracy, as well as a print resolution of 4800 x 2400 dpi, the same as its more expensive cousin Pixma Pro-1. It also produces exceptional black and white prints and has a decent print speed, making it an ideal all-rounder for the lovers of life.

(Image credit: Wacom)

Wacom Intuos Pro Small

Give your image editing a very precise hand

Reasons to buy + Pen is very responsive + Compact and portable Reasons to avoid -Small compared to its competitors -Lack of free software If you are going to use Photoshop regularly, making delicate selections and modifying parts of your images (dodging and burning, for example, or precise retouching), a graphics tablet can transform the way you work. If you use a mouse or trackpad, a graphics tablet like this one from Wacom offers much more precision and control. In addition to being able to use the supplied stylus to control the cursor, the tablet also supports multi-touch gestures. This allows you to use Wacom like a smartphone or tablet, with pinch and zoom control and gestures supported.

stamped photo book

Immortalize your printed photos

Reasons to buy + Easy-to-use software + Good variety of themes Reasons to avoid -More for family photos - Mac only Download the Motif app from the Apple App Store and you can start creating your own photo book, either as a gift or for you. It is quite easy to use and is ideal for family and vacation photos. If you're looking for a more 'serious' coffee table book, you'll probably want to look into alternatives like Blurb, which has more advanced models. Summary of the best offers of the day