As a photographer myself, I can attest to the fact that photographers can never have enough camera gear in their arsenals. There is always something we want to get, upgrade, or experiment with. If you are on the lookout for cool gifts to give your loved ones who are photographers/travelers, this article is for you.
Within this article, I have compiled a comprehensive list of the coolest, most unique gifts you can buy that I guarantee will send your photographer loved ones to the moon when they realize what you are giving them.
Without further ado, here are the 12 coolest gifts for photographers to buy this year. Let's begin with one of the most important pieces of gear a photographer should have: a camera bag.
- A Cool-Looking Camera Bag
- Peak Design Capture Clip
- Peak Design Anchor Link
- A Lightweight Travel Drone
- A Travel Tripod
- A Portable Vlogging Camera
- Moment's Phone Cases and Lenses
- Wanderlust Photo Books
- A Camera Lens Mug
- Photo Presets
- A Fun Polaroid Camera
- A Portable & External SSD Hard Drive
- Further Reading for Photography Gear
A Cool-Looking Camera Bag
A camera bag is one of the most important pieces of gear a photographer can have. The bag is what we use to carry all our precious and expensive camera gear with us when we are out and about. We basically live out of these bags, and if your loved one's camera bag is getting a little worn out, maybe it is time to get them a new one.
One of my favorite camera bags is the Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack, one hell of a stylish camera backpack that comes equipped with multiple utility pockets, a vintage-looking exterior, and water-resistant fabric material that will guarantee to last for many years to come.
It also comes with a camera compartment that can fit 5 lenses and one camera body in the lower part of the bag, which you can quickly access with a front zipper. The upper compartment is reserved for other travel essentials, making it a great travel/hiking camera backpack. If your loved ones love a vintage-looking camera bag, you should definitely consider Langly.
If your loved ones prefer something with a more modern and utilitarian look, the Wandrd PRVKE Backpack is another great option that you should consider. It comes with all the great features you can expect from a camera bag, but with a more modern touch than Langly's backpack.
If your loved one is more of a city dweller than a traveler, you can also get them a 11 Best Camera Sling/Shoulder Bags For Travel that they can quickly grab and go for a quick photoshoot around the city.
There are a ton of cool camera sling/shoulder bags out there with varying designs and features, but my favorite is the Peak Everyday Sling, which comes packed with features that make our lives much much easier when we go out and photograph something.
Peak Design Capture Clip
A Peak Design Capture Clip is one of my favorite gears that I recently got for myself, and I am in love with it. I think your loved ones will love it too.
This unique utility is one of the greatest innovations from Peak Design, a camera accessory company that specializes in coming up with new and creative solutions to photographers' trivial problems.
The Capture Clip allows you to attach your camera anywhere on your backpack or belt instead of having it hung around your neck like a regular camera strap. This redistributes the camera weight to other parts of your body, relieving strain on your fragile neck, while also freeing up your hands to do other things.
I hike a lot when I travel and having a capture clip is such a lifesaver. I am no longer weighed down by the camera weight around my neck, and it has also freed my hands so that I can hike easier and scramble up a mountain without having to worry about my camera swinging around, hitting rocks, and trees.
If you are looking for a small photography gift to buy for your loved ones, the Peak Design Capture Clip is something you should consider purchasing.
Peak Design Anchor Link
Peak Design Anchor Link is another great solution to a trivial photographer's problem. This time, it solves the annoyance of a camera strap always attaching to your camera when you don't need it.
The Peak Design Anchor Link is an innovative lock-and-release mechanism for camera shoulder/wrist straps that allows you to quickly detach or switch between each camera strap you might want without having to fiddle with the complicated knots often seen in other camera straps.
The Anchor Link is not just compatible with the Peak Camera Straps, but also adaptable to other camera strap systems. This makes it a great gift to buy for photographers who may currently be using other camera straps.
It's also affordable and easy to install, so if you are interested in buying the Peak Design Anchor Link as a gift, be sure to click the link below and check the current price.
A Lightweight Travel Drone
The DJI Mini 4 Pro is an extremely lightweight but highly capable travel drone that comes with advanced camera features. It has a size as compact as a smartphone (while collapsed), allowing photographers to carry and fly it wherever they go without being slowed down by the weight.
Weighing only 249 grams, the DJI Mini 4 Pro is an engineering marvel of a device. With its new object avoidance system, remote transmission technology with a better range, 4K camera, and many new features packed in such a small body, I guarantee you, that you will send your friend to the moon when you unveil this gift to them.
A Travel Tripod
A lightweight tripod is a travel photographer's best friend, and if you are looking for the very best lightweight and heavy-duty tripod to buy as a gift for your loved ones, there is no better tripod than the Peak Design Travel Tripod.
The Peak Design Travel Tripod comes in at only 1.29kg (2.81 lbs) in weight, and it can extend up to 152.4 cm (60 in) high when fully deployed and only 39.1 cm (15.4 in) in length when collapsed, making it one of the most compact tripods to get for your photographer friends.
It is also one of the best-designed tripods out there, with every feature extremely well thought out and engineered. That said, with so many innovative features, the Peak Design Travel Tripod is not exactly affordable. However, if your loved ones have been great and you would like to reward them with something meaningful, you can't go wrong with this tripod.
A Portable Vlogging Camera
If your loved ones are looking to get into vlogging, one of the greatest gifts you can get for them is the DJI Pocket 3, a pocket-size camera that packs a punch.
The DJI Pocket 3 uses a 1-inch sensor, which is bigger than most action cameras and phones, allowing you to shoot in smooth footage even in low light. It comes with many features to help you vlog more efficiently like a mechanical gimbal, which allows you to shoot smoothly as you walk, the Active Tracking 6 feature that will keep you in frame no matter where you move, and so much more.
If you buy the Creator Combo version, it will also come with a wireless mic, a small tripod, and a wide-angle filter, a complete package that will allow your friends to start vlogging right away with very little to no learning curve.
Nothing will make your friends happier than buying something that supports their hobbies or future careers, and currently, there is no better vlogging camera than the DJI Pocket 3. Click the link below to check out the price:
Moment's Phone Cases and Lenses
If your loved ones are into phone photography and often go around taking photos with their phones instead of a proper camera, you should definitely consider buying Moment's Phone Lenses, one of the best and most versatile lens systems for any smartphone out there.
From wide to telephoto to macro, the Moment's phone lenses will open up your loved ones to all kinds of great photo opportunities that they might not have been able to experience without a dedicated lens like this.
You can also gift them the Moment's phone case as well, which comes with its own quick-release system that works with all Moment's lenses, allowing them to quickly switch lenses while keeping their phones safe and secure.
There are tons of options for lenses and phone cases for both iPhones and Android phones, so make sure to browse through the list in the link below and find the right gear for your loved ones.
Wanderlust Photo Books
Buying huge picture books may not seem very special, but you will be surprised at how many of us enjoy simply flicking through these travel books full of stunning photos of the world, especially if they love traveling as much as I do.
Books like NatGeo's Destinations of a Lifetime and Wanderlust USA are filled with inspiring places and stunning photos to the brim. They are a great source of inspiration for photographers like us to get out there and start capturing the world.
I have a bookshelf full of these kinds of books at home, and I always enjoy looking through it. If you have a friend who is anything like me, they are going to appreciate these travel picture books you buy for them.
A Camera Lens Mug
I know buying a mug that looks like a camera lens might seem like a cliche, but I still think it is a fun little gift you can buy for photographers who are looking to express their love for photography outward.
There are several of these lens mugs out there with varying sizes, most with a Canon lens design on them, so be sure to browse for the ones you like most with the link below:
Photo Presets
Photo Presets are a great gift for your photography friends, especially those who are starting out, as they will allow them to quickly edit their photos without having to know much about post-processing, which often takes years to master.
Photo presets are also a great learning tool for new photographers out there who are looking to improve their skills, as they often lower the barrier of entry to complex post-processing software like Adobe Lightroom. They can tinker with it and extract the knowledge from these presets.
That was exactly how I learned how to edit photos on Adobe Lightroom and it helped me tremendously in understanding what each setting does and learning what works best for different types of photos.
It all comes full circle after I release my own photo presets, and maybe one day your loved ones will also be able to do the same with these photo presets.
A Fun Polaroid Camera
Polaroid cameras are always fun to have, whether you are a professional photographer or a beginner. The instant vintage-looking photos you get from these cameras allow you to quickly capture great memories while providing a physical copy instantly. You can gift these photos to people or store them in scrapbooks, etc.
Fujifilm Now+ Instant Camera is a great instant film camera with one of the best exposures you can get from this type of camera, all the while having a modern, vibrant look and compact form factor to go with it.
If you are looking for a fun gift to buy for your photographer friends, the Fujifilm Now+ Instant Camera is the best one to get, followed by Fujifilm Now Instant Camera for a more affordable option.
A Portable & External SSD Hard Drive
Last but not least, as a photographer, you can never have enough external hard drives. Your friends would definitely appreciate it if you get them the extremely fast and compact Samsung T7 SSD Hard Drive that comes in 3 sizes and colors.
The SSD hard drive is extremely compact, which makes it great for travel. It comes in 500 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB capacities, allowing your friend to store at least 1-2 years' worth of high-definition photos and videos before having to expand.
If you want a gift that is 100% guaranteed to make your loved ones happy, no matter what, the SSD hard drive is definitely the safest gift you can get for your photographer friends. Hit the link below to find the most recent price.
Want to take your photography game to the next level? Here are some resources to help you upgrade your work and photography gear:
Further Reading for Photography Gear
Looking for more articles on photography gear like this? Here is a collection of articles you might enjoy:
- For a complete list of travel lenses to buy for Sony APS-C cameras, check out: The Best Travel Lenses for Sony APS-C Cameras.
- Bought a new camera and not sure what camera accessories to buy? Check out: 14 BEST Sony Camera Accessories You Should Buy.
- Looking for a good-looking and functional camera strap to buy? You are going to love the Langly Tactical, Premium Leather, and Paracord camera straps. Check out my review here: A Traveler's Review: Langly Camera Straps.
- Want to start a YouTube channel and looking to buy new cameras for travel vlogging? Check out: 8 Best Cameras For Travel Vlogging to Buy.
- Finding a great camera bag you can travel with is not as easy as it sounds. If you are looking for one, here are the 10 Best Camera Bags for Travel, Backpacking, and Hiking You Should Buy.
- Now, if you are looking for a camera sling/shoulder bag instead of a full-fledged camera backpack to travel with, here are the 11 Best Camera Sling/Shoulder Bags For Travel.
- Looking for the most versatile camera sling bag? Check out: A Traveler's Review: WANDRD Roam (Rogue) Sling.
- For a smaller setup, the Nomatic McKinnon Sling is a great camera bag to check out. Here is A Traveler's Review: Nomatic McKinnon Camera Sling 8L.
- Traveling light with camera gear is all about balancing between what you need and what you want. Here are the 8 Best Tips For Traveling Light With Camera Gear.
- After years of research, I finally found the most beautiful camera backpack of all! Check this out: A Traveler's Review: Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack.
- Wondering which Sony Mirrorless camera is right for you? The Best Sony Travel Cameras to Buy in 2025.
- Looking for gift ideas for your traveler friends or family members? Here are 16 Best Gifts to Buy for Travelers/Backpackers.
- Or, if you are into gadgets, here is a quick guide on 10 tech gadgets you should buy this year.
- Want to learn how I was able to take so many good pictures of myself while I travel solo? Check out: How To Take Great Pictures of Yourself.
- For more photography resources like this, visit my Photography page.
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