Feeling generous? Do you have a gift-giving budget of $500-1000 for a very special photography person in your life? Here are 11 outstanding gifts, chosen because they could either help a casual shooter become more serious, or give a serious hobbyist just the tools he or she needs to go pro.
Feeling especially wealthy? Scroll to the end for four cameras in the $2,000-9,000 range that, if you give them as a gift, could make a photographer’s dreams come true.
Prices are accurate as of October 8, 2015.
Lytro Illum Light Field Digital Camera
Adorama price: $999.95
Want to give a gift that’s on the bleeding edge of photographic technology? The Lytro Illum is a pro-level light-field camera that lets you refocus the image after the fact. It’s built on a unique light field CMOS sensor that produces 40 Megaray resolution images. Yes, Megarays. It has a built-in 30-250mm f/2.0 lens, close focusing down to the front of the lens, dynamic focus range, auto and manual exposure and focus. An “Editable Living Picture” can be edited (and refocused) on your Apple or Windows-based computer.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1P Camera/Smartphone
Adorama price: $997.99
This is camera that also happens to be a smartphone (usually it’s the other way around). It features a 20MP 1-inch sensor and a 28mm f/2.8 Leica Elmarit lens that promises edge-to-edge shaprness. This puts it on a higher level, optically and image quality-wise, than any other smart phone on the market. A lens-mounted control ring lets you access and manually control aperture, shutter speed, ISO and focus. The near-DSLR-sized sensor has an ISO range of 100-12800, extendable to ISO 25,600. And, it shoots RAW. As for the smartphone part, it uses Android 4.4 KitKat, and has Bluetooth, NFC and Wi-Fi connectivity. Oh…and you can make calls on it.
Flashpoint Classic Softbox Tri-Light 620M 3 Monolight Kit
Adorama price: $749.95
Give your loved one the gift of a full studio lighting setup. The powerful Flashpoint Tri-Light 620M kit gives you three lights, ideal for portrait photography thanks to the inclusion of two softboxes. One light can be the key light, a second could be a fill light, while the third can be used as a rim light to separate your subject’s hair from the background. Each 620M monolight has a modeling light and provides 300 Watt Seconds of brightness. The kit includes stands, 2 24×36 and 1 24×24-inch softboxes, a barn door modifier set, and a boom—everything you need to get started.
Flashpoint StreakLight 360 Ws Creative Collection
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If you are giving a gift of lighting to someone who doesn’t want to be stuck in a studio but wants full lighting control, the Flashpoint StreakLight 360 Creative Collection offers a ton of options for modifying, shaping and coloring light using a wireless camera-mounted/off-camera portable flash. The system of reflectors, snoots, diffusers, chargers and wireless controllers is built around a Flashpoint Streaklight 360, a 360 Watt Second camera mount flash. The system can be supplemented with additional Streaklight flashes and modifiers. Great for event, fashion, and portrait photographers.
Studio Dynamics Europa Series 16×20′ Muslin Background, Balducci
Adorama price: $524.90
This opulent special-order backdrop is hand-painted on high-quality muslin using special paints that won’t crack or rub off on clients. Cleanable with a mid cleaner and a sponge, the Europa background is big enough for photographing larger groups while filling the background and foreground with a consistent look.
Sony Alpha A6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 16-50mm E-Mount Lens
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A great camera for aspiring street photographers as well as a nice, compact companion for travel image capture, the Sony Alpha A6000 offers outstanding bang for the buck. It is one of the least expensive MILCs to provide an eye-level viewfinder, has a highly-rated 25MP APS sensor, and takes the entire Sony line of E-mount lenses plus Alpha lenses via an adapter. Assignable control dials and knobs let you control focus and exposure, although you can also shoot at auto-everything mode. With a basic 16-50mm zoom included, you’re all ready to go.
Canon T6i with kit lens
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A good old-school gift, the Canon EOS Rebel T6i combines state-of-the-art features with ease of use, and is compatible with Canon’s entire lineup of lenses and flashes. Advanced Scene Analysis automatically adjusts the camera’s settings based on the scene being shot, but manual exposure is available for those who want to take full control over their images. With a 24MP APS-C sensor and wireless shooting and sharing via built-in NFC and Wi-Fi It’s a great camera to grow with.
Nikon D5300 with kit lens
Adorama price: $696.95
Not only is the Nikon D5300 a great deal for a mid-level, 24MP APS DSLR, it houses one of the highest-rated sensors available, which means it will deliver superb images even when enlarged, and even when you’re shooting in low light. The first Nikon with built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, the D5300 can turn your remote device into a remote control unit. More experienced photographers can use the manual exposure, focus and flash for greater control, but beginners can fly on automatic. And of course, there are all of those Nikon lenses you can add to your system.
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 IS Kit
Adorama price: $999
The Canon 24-105 f/4L I USM is a workhorse lens that professional photographers with full-frame Canon DSLRs consider a must-have, but it’s also a great value and superior lens for APS shooters, providing a roughly 35-155mm range. Because it’s a pro-quality lens with Super-UD glass and three aspherical elements, it will give you outstanding image quality with very little chromatic or linear distortion. Even better: This kit comes with a 77mm filter kit and other goodies.
Nikon 105mm f/2.8G Micro
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Give your photography enthusiast a door to a new world of seeing—macro photography! One of the most popular lenses in Nikon’s world-renowned lineup of optics, the 105mm f/2.8 Micro provides 1:1 true macro focusing, but it is also an excellent focal length for portrait photography. It is super sharp, has vibration reduction, and internal focusing so the distance from the front element to subject won’t change as you focus—an important feature especially for macro work. Nano Crystal coating and ED glass help to reduce flare and deliver sharp and contrasty results. This lens is bundled with UV, neutral density, and circular polarizer filters.
Canon Pixma Pro-10 Professional Photo Inkjet Printer
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The Canon PRO-10 lets you bring your high-end photographic printing in-house. Designed for professionals and serious hobbyists, the Canon Pixma Pro-10 is a 10-ink printer that uses lifetime-lasting pigment-based inks. Three different black inks assure outstanding monochrome prints, while both color and black and white are said to be long lasting with high dynamic range. Create prints up to 13×19 inches on all kinds of media.
3 Dream Cameras for Folks with Unlimited Budgets:
Nikon DF with 50mm f/1.8 lens
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The retro-designed Nikon Df is a full-fledged digital SLR with an analog throwback control layout. But don’t let its externals fool you into thinking you’re just paying for fancy bells and whistles. Inside it houses a 16MP full-frame sensor that is rated one of the best in its class, according to DxOLabs independent image quality tests, with very low noise and high dynamic range, while the AF system is one of the best. The 50mm standard lens lets you learn to shoot like a legend. Nikon is throwing in an external GPS and Wi-Fi unit to sweeten the deal.
Sony A7S
Adorama price: (body only)
With a top ISO of 409,600, the Sony A7S can almost see in the dark and produce low-noise results. This is for the photographer with pro aspirations and low-light subjects. If you know someone who wants to jump away from DSLRs, this mirrorless interchangeable lens model just may be the camera to jump to.
Leica M Monochrom (Original)
Adorama price: $5,950
It only shoots black-and-white…but delivers the highest resolution and dynamic range, and noise-free images at ISO 5000. This is for well-heeled hobbyists and professionals who have zero interest in color photography but want to produce the best black-and-white images possible, money no object. Get it with the Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M for the ultimate street photography setup.
