Photographers are generally a pain to get gifts for. With all the tech out there, it can be confusing and a lot to process, especially when trying to buy someone a gift that is personal, practical, and unique. As the UK's largest online photographic specialist, we have collated a more user-centric gift guide that covers more than just camera accessories.
The first thing to note is that this Gift Guide is not just a list of branded mugs, counterfeit clapperboards, and novelty lens mugs. Here at Wex, we have combined our own sales data, review metrics, and search demand numbers to craft a comprehensive list of the top products you can gift!
But that’s not all. We have wrapped this up with industry-leading experience, professional-level insights, and staff-lead suggestions. What is left is not just a list of the most popular products, but a catalogue of what works and what we love!
To keep things simple, we have focused the majority of this list on gift ideas that require little to no prior knowledge of photography. In some cases, however, you may need to know the type of camera or brand of photography that your gift recipient is into. When a little bit more insight is required, we will guide you through it to guarantee a smooth, hassle-free experience!
And so, on to the ideas...
Photography gifts under £50
The following gift ideas are all priced under £50. We think they will make the most useful and unique stocking fillers or small gifts for photographers and videographers.
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The ILFORD Sprite 35-II is a compact point-and-shoot film camera that’s easy to use, featuring a fixed shutter speed and automatic metering. Weighing just 122g, it’s lightweight and portable, making it perfect for spontaneous shots on the go. You can reload it with 35mm film, available in both black-and-white and colour options. You might also want to add a roll of film to your gift to get them started like a roll of simple monochrome stock e.g. Ilford HP5 or FP4 (both without blowing your £50 budget.)
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The Domke F-34M 15-inch Protective Wrap is designed to keep delicate equipment safe during travel or storage. Its nylon interior prevents scratching and dust build-up, while hook-and-loop fasteners allow for easy customisation of the fit. Available in multiple sizes and colours, this wrap will help protect your camera or lens in any bag.
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The RucPac Solo camera strap is designed with functionality and comfort in mind, featuring an SD card holder, a quick-release buckle, and a moisture-resistant pad. Rated to hold up to 100kg, it’s perfect for heavy cameras and lenses, offering both durability and ease of use during long shoots.
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The JOBY TelePod 325 is a versatile, lightweight tripod designed for smaller cameras. Its maximum payload is 325g, so it’s best suited for action cameras rather than DSLRs. It can function as a tripod, monopod, or selfie stick, making it perfect for travel. And, it’s small enough to fit in your pocket, making it an excellent choice for on-the-go photography.
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Hahnemuhle German Etching is a premium 310gsm high-quality photo paper that provides excellent texture and detail for fine art prints. It’s designed for archival-quality printing, and as such is perfect for high-end images and portfolio work. However, make sure your recipient has an A4-compatible photo printer.
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Photographic film of all types has become more and more popular in recent years, with photographers rushing to rediscover the charms of analogue shooting. Ilford HP5 Plus is a versatile, high-quality black-and-white film, popular among both beginners and experienced film photographers. It offers a great balance of contrast and grain, making it suitable for a wide range of lighting conditions.
There are some things to consider. First, the type of camera your giftee is using will dictate what type of film they need. SLRs and point-and-shoots will take 35mm film, while larger format cameras will need 120 roll film or 5x4 inch sheet film. Instant cameras have their own film packs – you can’t mix and match Polaroid film and Fuji Instax film, you need to get the right brand. It’s best to do some sleuthing or ask, rather than just guessing.
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Photography Beyond Auto is an easy-to-follow guide for anyone wanting to learn more about taking control of their camera settings. Written by Chris Gatcum, this book covers key concepts like aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and more, helping the reader understand how to make intentional creative choices instead of relying on automatic modes.
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The Godox LR120B LED Ring Light is a compact, portable lighting solution ideal for portrait and video work. It includes a smartphone holder and a flexible gooseneck attachment for easy setup. The ring light provides soft, even lighting, perfect for capturing flattering portraits or creating content for social media.
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The Manfrotto TwistGrip Smartphone Clamp is an easy-to-use adapter that allows you to mount your smartphone to professional tripods, gimbals, monopods, or other camera accessories. This is great for those who want to combine their smartphone with the stability and versatility of professional equipment.
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The Think Tank EDC Tech Pouch 5 is a practical and compact storage solution designed to keep essential tech items organised and accessible. With multiple compartments and durable construction, this cable bag is ideal for photographers and videographers who carry around camera cables, small camera accessories, and personal items. It is also small enough to fit within a larger backpack or camera gear bag when travelling. An organised photographer is a happy photographer.
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The Think Tank Emergency Rain Cover is designed to protect cameras and lenses from light rain. It’s available in three sizes, so be sure to choose the right one for the recipient’s camera gear. The cover is seam-sealed and packs down small, making it easy to carry and a must-have for outdoor photographers.
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The Visible Dust EZ Cleaning Kit Plus is a complete sensor cleaning kit that includes everything needed to maintain a dust-free sensor. It comes with a 1.15ml Smear Away fluid, a sensor cleaning brush, and five swabs, making it easy to keep your camera’s sensor clean and free from unwanted spots or smudges. This is a very delicate process and we’d suggest taking a look at our how to clean your camera sensor tutorial.
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Taking a step up from a cable bag, the field pouch is an expandable storage solution for cords, accessories, batteries, hard drives, and so much more. They can strap it to their belt, stuff it in their backpack, or wear it as an ultralight sling bag! This expandable pouch is perfect for anyone who needs to keep their smaller gear organised and easily accessible. This is definitely for people on the go and a practical choice for creatives and tech enthusiasts alike.
Photography gifts over £50
The following gift ideas are all over £50 and under £200. They would make great main gifts for birthdays or festive periods. Or, banding together with your family or friends can make gifts like these more financially viable.
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These binoculars offer a 10x magnification for crystal-clear viewing, perfect for spotting wildlife or scenic landscapes. They’re designed to be compact and waterproof, ensuring durability in various weather conditions. Ideal for photographers, birdwatchers, and nature lovers, these binoculars help spot subjects quickly without draining camera batteries by relying on the viewfinder. If you want to read a little more about how binoculars work, check out our in-depth binoculars guide here!
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This telescope is an excellent starting point for beginners. It has a simple setup and gives you a clear view of objects like the Moon and Saturn’s rings. It’s pre-assembled for ease of use and is great for those interested in astronomy or astrophotography. It’s an ideal way to introduce children or adults to stargazing, providing a solid introduction without overwhelming them.
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The Plamp II is an essential tool for macro photographers who need to hold plants, flowers, or other delicate subjects still for perfect focus. It attaches easily to a tripod, and its fully adjustable design allows you to position it out of the frame. Whether shooting in the wind or needing a steady subject for macro shots, this is a must-have tool for serious close-up photography.
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This screen calibrator ensures that monitors display true-to-life colours, making it a key tool for anyone working in digital photo or video editing. It’s perfect for professionals who need to ensure their work is colour-accurate, especially when used alongside high-end monitors. Be sure to check the type of monitor the person your gifting uses as calibrators are designed for specific screen types.
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Trail cameras are designed to capture wildlife in their natural habitat, and have become a crowd-favourite in recent times. Easy and simple to set up, this one affordable and exciting imaging tool that’ll let you document animals unaffected by human interruption. All you need is an SD card to store the footage, which can easily be transferred to a computer. Whether it’s for documenting local wildlife or setting up in a rural garden, this camera provides a great way to capture nature up close.
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The Lensbaby Spark 2.0 is designed to create distinctive, dreamy images by producing a sweet-spot focus effect, perfect for artistic portraits or creative photography. It offers a unique Squeeze-to-Focus mechanism that provides a hands-on, tactile experience while shooting. The Lensbaby Spark 2.0 is available for the following lens mounts: Sony E, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon F, Canon EF, Nikon Z, Canon RF and Fujifilm X. Double-check your recipient’s camera has one of these mounts (Olympus, OM System and Panasonic cameras will all fit Micro Four Thirds).
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The JOBY GorillaPod 3K is designed to support heavier camera gear (up to 3kg) all while offering flexible positioning. It’s perfect for content creators who want to shoot from creative angles with their heavier high-end kit. Whether it’s for a vlog, a creative photo shoot, or casual video work, this tripod can be twisted and bent into all kinds of positions, ensuring maximum flexibility. Its sturdy build makes it a reliable choice for mirrorless cameras and lightweight DSLRs.
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This is a fun way to quickly turn digital images into physical prints – instant printers can receive images directly via Bluetooth and spit them out as Instax-style photos within seconds. The Fujifilm Instax Square Link Instant Printer is a great inexpensive option and can be augmented via the use of the SQUARE LINK app to add stickers and text to images before printing. The printer takes Instax Square film, so be sure to pick up a pack or two.
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This vlogging kit includes the flexible GorillaPod, a mobile microphone, and a Beamo Mini LED light, making it an ideal starter pack for anyone interested in creating social media content. The GorillaPod allows for flexible camera angles, while the microphone ensures clear audio and the LED light provides professional-level lighting for videos. It’s a versatile and affordable option for budding content creators looking to upgrade their equipment.
Gift Vouchers
Finally, there's the humble gift voucher. While we can wholly recommend the gift ideas in the guide, some people are just too difficult to buy for and/or have what they want. That's why gift cards are always a winner.
Who’s it good for?
- Photographers and videographers who are hard to buy for
- Anyone saving up for a higher-priced piece of kit
- Amateur creatives looking for that extra boost to go pro
- Those who appreciate a practical yet thoughtful gift
What you need to know
Gift vouchers are a great way to help someone buy exactly what they want or need, from accessories to professional cameras. Wex Photo Video offers digital vouchers with a selection of £10, £25, and £50 vouchers available (or £100 if they have been extra good), making them a gift that’s easy to customise to your budget. Once purchased, the voucher can be used towards any item on the Wex website, so you can’t go wrong.
Unique Gifts for Photographers
Photographers are not the easiest people to buy gifts for. This is because they know so much about their chosen discipline and love what they do, which pushes them to put in vast amounts of research and even have purchases planned out years in advance!
Sometimes the best and most unique gifts you can give someone is not just a travel tripod, camera accessory, or brand-new bag. Instead, it could be something a little more out of the box…
Repair
Here at Wex, we offer authorised repair services through our sister company Fixation, the largest camera repair specialist in the UK! This would be great for someone with a treasured camera, lens, or flash system that has seen better days - where repairing their equipment could be the nudge they need to get back out behind the camera.
You can take a look at the Fixation Repair website or if you need a hand, give the Repair Team a call on: 020 7383 5127.
Rent
Another service we offer is Wex Rental. We have a huge range of kit that’s available for rent from a day to an entire month! Whilst this is a service that is often used by professionals for client commissions, it is also something that can be used to try out equipment before you go ahead with that all-important purchase. Is there a piece of equipment that often gets sprinkled into conversations? Has your special person been umming and ahhing over their next lens for a while? Well, have a look and see if you can hire it out for them to try before they buy!
You can take a look at the Wex Rental website or if you need a hand, give the Rental Team a call on 020 7383 5127.
Hiring a Creative Space
This can be anything from creating a DIY production studio at home to renting out a full photo studio for the day! Something like this could really be the push a young creative needs to think about developing their passion into a professional career.
Renting an Airbnb
Simply taking a trip and putting some time aside to be creative can be exactly what a working professional might need to reignite their love for photography. This could be a long weekend in London for street photographers, a cabin in the woods for wildlife enthusiasts, or a pre-planned adventure for wannabe travel vloggers.
Day out at the Zoo
If your gift recipient is pushing for a career in wildlife photography, a more affordable option is to book a trip to the local zoo, animal sanctuary, or wildlife cruise! This will allow them to get some hands-on experience with photographing different, sometimes non-native animals without the hassle of trying to find them first.
Festival Tickets
For music lovers, car enthusiasts, foodies, and everyone in between, there is a festival out there with loads of great opportunities to take quality photos and video content throughout the weekend. This would be an amazing experience for wannabe events, sports, and music photographers, as well as amateur vloggers and content creators looking to take the next step to internet stardom.
Camping on the Moors
A city-based stargazer would get so much from spending the night with an uninterrupted sky above them. Booking a camping trip to the Brecon Beacons, North York Moors, or Northumberland National Park would be an incredible experience for those with a passion for astronomy.
FAQs
What are the best photography gifts for beginners?
The best photography gifts for beginners are items that enhance their learning experience without overwhelming them. Think about practical gifts like camera bags, tripods, or basic lens filters. These essentials help beginners get to grips with their gear while improving their skills and confidence.
What makes a good gift for a professional photographer?
Professional photographers appreciate high-quality accessories that support their workflow. Items like external hard drives for backup, memory cards, or camera cleaning kits are perfect for professionals. Gifts that improve efficiency or provide convenience are always a win, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot!
How do I choose the right photography gift?
When choosing a photography gift, consider the recipient’s skill level, interests, and the type of photography they enjoy. For example, someone who loves wildlife photography may appreciate binoculars, while a portrait photographer might favour a new lens or lighting equipment. Focus on what complements their existing gear.
Are photography gifts over £50 worth it?
Yes, photography gifts over £50 can be great if you’re looking for something that adds value to the photographer’s gear or experience. Think about items like camera stabilisers, advanced editing tools, or high-quality accessories that can make a tangible difference to their craft.
What should I avoid when buying photography gifts?
Avoid buying overly technical gear unless you know their exact needs. Unnecessary equipment or incompatible accessories can be frustrating. Stick to well-reviewed, universally useful items like bags, tripods, or gift vouchers - all the things found in this guide!
How do we decide?
Our in-house photography experts, store staff and partners all work collaboratively to pour over our guides and tips articles. We also consider emerging trends and customer feedback to make sure our guides are always up-to-date and reflective of what people are truly looking for. By curating only the best products, our guides provide trustworthy recommendations, making it easier for customers to make informed choices with confidence.
If you would like more advice on any purchase our contact centre staff are here to help. Alternatively, you can reach us via email or social media. And don't forget. If you were to purchase anything based on our recommendations you'll be covered by our full returns policy
