Selects: Top Gift Ideas for Photographers

Looking to buy a gift for the photographer in your life, but don’t know where to begin? Created by our experts, this gift guide covers all bases with options for every budget—so you’re bound to pick out the perfect present. 

What if you’re the photographer in question? Well, you can either treat yourself and upgrade your camera bag, or send this guide to your friends and family as a not-so-subtle hint. 

It’s simple and secure to go circular and save. All used gear is MPB Approved with a free warranty for total peace of mind. So, let’s start unwrapping the options. 

Budget-friendly Gifts for Any Photographer (Under €150)

You don’t have to spend much to get a gift that will be an essential tool for any photographer. Even the smallest extras will go a long way to help. And pretty much every camera needs a memory card and bag. So, there are plenty of gifting options open to you. Let’s look at a few of those now. 

Memory Card: SanDisk 128GB Extreme Pro 170MB/s

Most cameras work with an SD card, and photographers are always happy to have a little extra space. We’d recommend a minimum storage of 64GB and read–write speeds over 100MB/s. These should be sufficient for most stills photographers.

The SanDisk 128GB 170MB/s SDXC card offers great value for money, and is our recommended memory card gift for most stills photographers.

Some cameras—like the Nikon D4 and Canon EOS 5D Mark II—only use CF or XQD cards, so you might need to check beforehand to make sure the memory card is compatible.

Camera Bags or Cases: Lowepro Flipside 400 AW

An important part of any photographer’s setup, a dedicated camera bag helps to keep camera gear secure, dry and more comfortable to carry. 

As a sure-fire upgrade from a regular backpack, you can find some great options when you buy used. Our free warranty covers these, so you can gift them with total peace of mind. 

Need help deciding which type of camera bag to get? Check out our review of hard vs soft camera cases.

For the price, the Lowepro Flipside 400 AW is a great backpack with compartments for a camera and each individual lens. That’ll take a load off the photographer’s mind—and ease the load on their back, too.

Camera Battery Grip: Sony VG-C3EM

A battery grip helps to expand the battery life of the camera. Most DSLR and mirrorless cameras will work with a battery grip, but the type of grip will depend on the brand and model. Some will require specific batteries, while others will take standard (preferably rechargeable!) AA batteries. 

Battery grips often provide added functionality to the camera as well, like buttons to allow you to shoot more naturally in portrait orientation. They can also add weight to a camera to make it feel more balanced and sturdy. 

One of our most popular camera bodies is the Sony A7 III, so we’d recommend its compatible Sony VG-C3EM battery grip.

Next-level Gifts for Photographers (€150–€300)

Have extra budget to spend? Get more for your money—and a better gift for the photographer in your life—by buying used. In this range, we suggest looking at a flashgun, tripod or action camera. These are all sure to be useful gifts. 

Think about the photographer’s interests. If they’re into street photography, they’re unlikely to need a tripod—but if they shoot landscapes or still life, chances are they’ll need one (if they don’t have one already!) If the photographer is into outdoor activities, consider getting them an action camera instead.

Flashgun: Canon 430EX III-RT

A flashgun can help photographers by providing an instant light source. With the right know-how, a flashgun can help light almost any scene or subject perfectly. 

The Canon 430III-RT Speedlite is one of our favourite flashguns for Canon cameras. It has a recycle time of just 3.5 seconds max, flash coverage of 24-105mm and impressive power in a compact package. 

Tripod & Ball Head: Manfrotto BeFree Adv Twist & Sirui K-30x Ball Head

Photographers can always use a little support. When shooting longer exposures in low-light conditions, even the steadiest hands have their limit. So, to eliminate motion blur entirely, a tripod is a must-have for many photographers—making them the ideal gift. 

Some tripods are super lightweight, and are ideal for travelling photographers. Meanwhile, heavier tripods will offer maximum support when shooting in even the windiest locations. 

As a well-balanced option, we recommend the Manfrotto Befree Adv Twist tripod and Sirui K-30x ball head. This pairing offers a great combination of usability, portability and price. 

Action Camera: GoPro Hero 10

An action camera is a great option for any photographer who wants to capture quick video or behind-the-scenes footage. 

Older GoPro and DJI Pocket models, in particular, offer excellent value for money and are good enough for the job. Check out our top GoPro cameras.

The GoPro Hero10 Black is our is our recommended action camera gift. The Hero 10 features 4K video, and even facial recognition. 

As a gift, an action camera will provide that all-important wow-factor without breaking the bank.

Luxury Gifts for Photographers (€300–€750)

If you really want to delight, these gifts will make a huge impression. By going used, you can bring the more luxurious cameras within reach. These gifts will blow their minds.

Compact Camera: Fujifilm X100

A premium compact camera is often at the top of most photographers’ wish lists. It is useful as a secondary setup or a pocketable camera for weekend trips. Pull it out, turn it on and start capturing great images. 

These compact cameras offer a fantastic compromise between the convenience of a smartphone and the quality of a full camera-and-lens setup. They would make the perfect gift for any photographer and are great cameras for street photographers and for travel photography in particular. 

The original Fujifilm X100 sparked the hugely popular Fujifilm X100-series range of compact cameras. And the original X100 is still an incredible camera today. Regarding value for money, we wholeheartedly recommend the Fujifilm X100 as a compact camera gift.

If you can stretch your budget a little further, Ricoh compact cameras are underrated prodigies in ultra-portable APS-C photography. As they say, small things come in small packages. We’d recommend the Ricoh GR III—if you want to learn more, check out our Ricoh GR III review.  

Drone: DJI Mini 3 Pro

Go over and above, and take your gifting to a whole ’nother level. At these prices, drones are no longer a pie-in-the-sky idea. A used drone lifts the lid on aerial imagery, helping photographers access the heady heights of storytelling from above. 

The DJI Mini 3 Pro is our choice for the ideal drone gift. Weighting under 249g, it’s perfect for first-time drone operators. It can shoot 4K video at 30fps, or up to 120fps (at 1080p) for silky-smooth slow-motion footage. For stills, while the Mini 3 Pro has a native resolution of 12 megapixels, it can quadruple this to 48 megapixels with some fancy sensor trickery. 

For the price, it’s an excellent introduction to the world of drones. The moment they open their present, they’ll be on cloud nine. So, let’s get this thing off the ground. 

Treat Yourself (€750+)

If you’ve read this far, chances are you’re the photographer in question. At this point, you’ll probably want to make the decision yourself. So, if you’re treating yourself to some stunning camera gear, let’s look at some of the most exciting options. You’ve earned it.

Leica Compact Camera: Leica Q2

Complete with its stunning Summilux 28mm f/1.7 lens, the 47.3 megapixel full-frame Leica Q2 really is spoiling yourself. 

Solid construction, with an aluminium top plate and a lightweight magnesium alloy body. And, of course, that famous Leica red dot on the front. 

Mirrorless Camera: Sony A7 III

The Sony A7 III is one of the most popular cameras out there right now—and for good reason. If you’re looking to get yourself a full-frame mirrorless camera, the A7 III offers outstanding value for money. 

The Sony A7 III is a fantastic all-rounder, providing fantastic low-light capabilities, reliable autofocus, and superb 4K video and HD slow-motion capture. 

Cine Camera: Sony FS7 II

Want to start filmmaking? You can get a dedicated video camera for less than you’d think. 

Blackmagic Design cameras—and Canon Cinema EOS C-series cameras—work with EF-mount lenses. So, if you’re already on a full-frame Canon DSLR, you can use your existing lenses. This will reduce the cost of getting started with video. 

Alternatively, you could get a camcorder. The legendary Sony FS-series cameras, like the FS-5 and FS-7, offer excellent value for money. You can use an adaptor to mount your existing lenses, too. 

The Sony PXW-FS7 II was—and still is—an industry-standard camera for short films and TV. To see it in action, check out our article on shooting establishing shots for TV with Steve Morgan, who uses a Sony FS7 II.

A Complete Upgrade

Want to move to mirrorless or switch between brands? It’s super easy to trade and upgrade. 

MPB offers free, fully insured shipping both ways. Simply enter what you’re selling, choose the gear to buy, and we’ll handle the rest. You’re dealing with us directly, so everything’s completely secure.

Depending on the gear, you could upgrade without spending any money at all. So, let’s get started.

Looking for more inspiration? Discover more camera gear guides on the MPB content hub.