Photography equipment. Image: Angela Aladro mella/Shutterstock
If you’re trying to think of some good gifts to buy for that loved one or friend who is a big photography buff, then check out these affordable gifts for happy snappers.
When it comes to deciding on some potential photography gifts this Christmas, there is no shortage of possibilities, given the wealth of accessories available not only to established photographers, but also budding smartphone snappers.
So, while we are even seeing some professional photographers putting down their DSLR cameras in favour of an iPhone, there are still those with an affinity for the days of retro physical film and Polaroids.
To suit all of these tastes, here are five gifts we thought might go down well with established and up-and-coming photographers alike.
Lomo’Instant White instant camera
The idea of an instant camera is somewhat lost in an age when you can receive, edit and delete an image within the space of a few seconds, but the device of old is making a comeback.
In the same way that audiophiles herald the quality of music on vinyl, those with an aesthetic interest appreciate the subtle tones of an instant photo, or Polaroid as they are more commonly known, thanks to the famous camera brand.
Image: Lomography
The Lomo’Instant White is one such example that it claims features a “Scandinavian-inspired design” of all-white.
Coming with a flash and an advanced lens system, the Lomo’Instant White also lets you try out some advanced creative flair techniques, including shooting long exposures and adding some colourful filters.
Currently priced at €80, with free shipping, it might work out as an ideal gift for the retro lover you know.
Olloclip
If you’re looking to spend something in this price range but think the person you’re buying a gift for might prefer the modern familiarity of an iPhone to take photos, then another option might be the Olloclip.
Few third-party products are promoted by Apple, but the Olloclip lens for the iPhone 6 and above manages to make the cut as a lens that is attached to the phone to seriously boost the camera’s performance.
With four different options – including fisheye, wide-angle, 10x macro and 15x macro – the lens should be able to handle most needs of a budding photographer, and can easily be clipped on and off.
Again, the Olloclip will set you back almost €80.
5-in-1 camera connection kit
Those considering buying one of the expensive new MacBooks might be familiar with the reality that they will be carrying around a number of different dongle adapters for their various devices.
Well, now iPad users can join in on the fun with a dongle that is actually quite useful if you plan on uploading a number of photos from your camera to your tablet.
Contained within the one dongle is a USB 2.0 slot, SD card slot, Micro SD card slot, AV output and a Sync data and charge cable.
Although – to top off the need for more dongles – its connection relies on the older dock connector so an adapter for that would also likely be needed.
Still, not a bad deal for less than €40.
Snack Cap lens caps
Aside from sounding like quite the mouthful, Snack Cap lens caps are a fun item for a cheaper present or even a secret Santa.
There is nothing complicated about them, but these lens caps offer photographers the chance to turn that boring old black lens cap into something that looks quite tasty, at least visually.
You can get them in either a burger or donut design, depending on whether they are a sweet or savoury person, and they can be bought for cameras that have a 52, 58 or 72mm lens, costing just $10.
Image: Photojojo
Bokeh Masters Kit – Snapchat lenses for DSLRs
Snapchat users will be very familiar with the abundance of filters available to turn everyday photos into something marginally more interesting.
But what if you could do that with DSLR cameras without the need to edit in Photoshop?
That’s where the Bokeh Masters Kit comes in, with its range of filters that allows someone using a DSLR camera to experience a variety of different lens sizes.
Photo taken using a Bokeh Masters Kit. Image: Stephanie Fry/Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Particularly useful for night-time shots, the lenses can show anything from a simple smiley face to a series of arrows pointing in a particular direction, if you want to convey some sort of message with your photography.
Priced just a little more than €23, the Bokeh lens collection is certainly cheaper than editing software that can typically run into the hundreds price bracket, or even thousands.
