The best Christmas gifts for photographers by genre

Nikon Team Technology & know-how21 Dec 20238 min read
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This year’s best Christmas gifts, whether you’re a wildlife photographer or vlogger

From tripods and gimbals, reflectors and backdrops, our experts weigh up the very best in gear to shop for this Christmas. Whether you’re treating yourself or your loved one, anything on this list is guaranteed to impress come Christmas morning.  

 

Wildlife and landscape
  • Insulated bottle
    To keep liquids cold or hot.

 

  • Thick thermals
    Essentials include thermal base layers, mid-layers, waterproof outer jackets and trousers, a hat, stout boots and gloves.

 

  • Hand warmers
    For instant heat.

 

  • Nikon School wildlife and landscape voucher
    Nikon School offers a range of wildlife and landscape photography courses and tuition, from in-person experience days to online courses. You can purchase a voucher of multiple values to be redeemed across an array of courses. Find out more here.

 

 

  • Ultra-wide lenses
    The NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S is a great landscape lens for both FX and DX photographers, providing the latter with an equivalent of 21-45mm. If you’re looking for an FX lens on a tight budget, the NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 delivers, along with a usable focal length and a fast maximum aperture. Landscape photographers often carry a telephoto lens to ‘crop’ into scenes. With that in mind, the NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR would make a fine FX wide-angle-to-telephoto, one-lens setup.

 

 

  • Teleconverters: Z Teleconverter TC-2.0x and 1.4x
    This small piece of kit can double your lens collection in an instant. For our quick guide to teleconverters click here.

 

  • Filters
    Varying in purpose and design, lens filters can help you do everything from cutting reflections and glare, to capturing great long-exposure images. Nikon has a range of high-quality filters that perfectly match NIKKOR lenses. Check them out here.
Nikon Team
What’s in our kitbag?
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Portraiture
  • Profoto collapsible reflector
    An inexpensive way to add more light (whether natural or artificial) to your photograph, reflectors bounce light and remove dark shadows, changing the tone, colour, and brightness of an image. We recommend Profoto.

 

 

  • Primes offering beautiful bokeh
    An 85mm prime is a portrait photographer's best friend, making the NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S almost essential, plus throw in the NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S for wider portraits. If you have a DX Z camera, that same lens will get you in the 85mm ballpark, while the NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 will provide a 35mm-equivalent angle of view roughly akin to a 50mm lens. A budget-friendly option is the NIKKOR Z DX 24mm f/1.7 prime, which allows for close-up shots with beautiful wide aperture.

 

  • Backdrops
    All portrait photographers require backdrops. Many are available in a variety of colours and materials.
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Street and travel

 

  • Gimbals
    Gimbals are well suited for run-and-gun filmmaking – where you film reactively, normally while moving with your subject – and for when you’re shooting on the fly.

 

  • Drones
    Drones allow for a guaranteed ‘wow-factor’ by offering another viewpoint and are essential for upgrading your travel or street stills and film. Check out our guide to using drones here.

 

  • Carry-on gear bag
    A high-capacity, airline-approved camera backpack is a must for any travel photographer.

 

Nikon Z8 USDD Ambassador shoot series
Vlogging

 

  • RØDE or Sennheiser shotgun microphone
    Take your videos to next level with a microphone that sits on top of your camera. Both Sennheiser and RØDE make excellent ranges of microphones for camera work that will give top, pro-quality sound.

 

  • Manfrotto mini tripod
    A small and unobtrusive table tripod is perfect for level and shake-free footage, instantly upgrading your films.
YouTuber Cathrin Manning's YouTube thumbnails for Nikon magazine. Nikon magazine assets.

Unboxing the *new* Nikon Z 30 + sharing the settings I use to film my videos

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Videography
  • RØDE Wireless Go II
    A remote mic set-up is a must to help you get crystal clear audio in your content on location.

 

  • SmallRig cage
    Camera cages allow you to attach all manner of accessories, (including a monitor, ring light and wireless mic receiver) and can immediately help your workflow. Read our guide to cages here.

 

  • Stabilizers and gimbals
    Level up your filming and allow your camera to glide, tilt and pan smoothly with a gimbal. Gimbals come in all different sizes and weights. Check out our guide to gimbals here.

 

  • f/2.8 lenses
    For full-frame videographers, the NIKKOR Z 70-180mm f/2.8 is a lightweight, compact lens perfect for getting closer to subjects and creating smooth bokeh. Plus, at 180mm, you can really create drama with your landscape or travel shots. Match it with the NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8, and the NIKKOR Z 28-75mm f/2.8 and you’ve got a superb f/2.8 trinity at an affordable price.

 

Read more: Why f/2.8 is the magic aperture

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Weddings
  • Nikon Z 9, Z 8 or Z 7II mirrorless cameras
    For professional-quality stills and films. Check out specifications here.

 

 

 

Nikon Z8 USDD Ambassador shoot series
Macro and food photographers
  • Profoto reflector
    Bounce light and remove dark shadows with reflectors. We recommend Profoto.

 

 

 

  • Fairy lights for added bokeh circles
    Whether white or coloured, adding fairy lights to the background, using masking tape that isn’t visible in the frame, adds beautiful bokeh circles. Remember the further away you are from your subject, the greater the separation and the opportunity for bokeh.

 

  • Manfrotto tripods
    Whether mini tripods perfect for the table, or full length, tripods allow you to free your hands and reduce the camera shake, allowing you more freedom for creativity.

 

Need more inspiration? Check out our Christmas gift guide by skill level and budget, or our 10 affordable Christmas gifts for Nikon photographers here.

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