Christmas gift guide for photographers

A first camera

If you know someone who’s keen on starting out with a real camera in order to take better photographs and video, Nikon’s DX series (the retro-styled Zfc, vlogger-centric Z30 and new Z50II) are the way to go. Fully featured and packed with technology but with a smaller sensor than their bigger full-frame siblings, they’re the perfect first camera. The new Nikon Z50II is the latest in the line-up, with features that give amazing control over colour and also make streaming and vlogging even easier than ever.

An upgrade camera

Every photographer loves to get their hands on a new camera and the new Nikon Z6III is at the top of many a photographer’s Christmas list. Nikon’s newest full-frame camera is the ideal gift for someone either making the move up from a smaller sensor DX camera or changing to mirrorless from a DSLR. Packed with the latest technology, it’s a camera for every situation, stills or video, with much of its performance and features up alongside the flagship Nikon Z9.

Lens cleaning kit

Keeping lenses clean is the easiest and cheapest way to help them last a lifetime. A lens cleaning kit usually comes with a small bulb blower to get rid of dust, a soft brush and some form of cleaning liquid, to keep that valuable glass shining like new. We recommend Urth’s Glass Cleaning Kit.

FTZ II adapter

If you know a photographer with a collection of older NIKKOR F mount lenses who has moved to mirrorless (or is thinking about it) the Mount Adapter FTZ II is for them. The FTZ II allows around 360 F mount lenses to be used with new Z mount cameras, many of which will retain full functionality and autofocus. There’s no loss of image quality and the lenses will be given a new lease of life with the Z mount system.

Speedlight

Using a flash is one of the best ways of controlling light when photographing stills, and Nikon’s range of Speedlights that attach to the camera is compatible with both DX and FX bodies. For tips on how to use flash effectively click here.

Gimbal

A gimbal keeps your camera movement smooth across three axes for really professional-looking video footage. DJI and Zhiyun make great gimbals and will take those panning shots to the next level. Need to know how to use a gimbal? Read here.

A lens to expand your creativity

Cameras often come with a ‘kit’ zoom lens but, when you want to expand your horizons, there are a few good places to start. A 50mm lens is in the bag of almost every serious photographer and is valued for its sharpness and incredible versatility, whether you’re taking portraits, landscapes, street shots or close-ups. The new NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.4 is a superb example, with that large aperture giving great low-light performance and beautiful bokeh. It’s the perfect first ‘prime’ lens for those moving up from their kit zoom.

For those who want something a little wider, the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.4 gives you the same amazing images but with a little more field of view – great for street photography and video.

And for the photographer who wants to put on one lens and have it do everything, from wide landscapes to wildlife close-ups, the NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR zoom is the perfect travel companion.

See here for all the NIKKOR Z mirrorless lenses available.

A new lens for wildlife or sports lovers

If a photographer in your life loves to take pictures of wildlife, they’ll be after a great telephoto lens. Serious amateurs will love the NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR zoom for its reach and quality, while pros looking for a prime lens can choose from 400mm, 600mm and 800mm focal lengths. The NIKKOR Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S and NIKKOR Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S both come with built in teleconverters that can extend the reach even further.

A NIKKOR S lens

Nikon’s NIKKOR lenses designated with an S are the epitome of optical engineering and image quality. Loved by professionals for their build quality and superb results, S lenses can take your work to a new level. There are S line primes, zooms, wide angles, normal length and telephoto lenses, all of which are made to the highest possible standards.

Filters

Inexpensive but so incredibly useful, filters that attach to the front of the lens offer effects ranging from UV protection, polarising to increase contrast, gradients for moody skies and colours. Filters are also a great way of learning how light works. 

Top tip: Filters aren’t ‘one size fits all’ – you’ll need to know the filter thread of the lens you are going to fit it to before buying. You can find your lens’ filter thread size on the ring around the front element and/or the barrel of the lens. It will be a number next to a symbol that looks like a zero with a line through it. For example, the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S has the Ø62, meaning a filter thread size of 62mm.

Tripod

A good tripod can be a gamechanger for photography and video, opening up new possibilities and creative options. Long exposure techniques, sweeping landscapes, astrophotography, smooth panning and, of course, vlogging, are all within your reach with a tripod. We recommend Gitzo and Manfrotto, who make a wide range of great quality tripods for every occasion.

Nikon School Gift Card

When you know a photographer but don’t know what gear they already have, buy the gift of learning with a Nikon School Gift Card. These can be redeemed against any of the Nikon School courses, which cover a huge range of techniques, for every skill level. They make an ideal gift for someone starting out on their photography journey.

Portable reflector

Inexpensive enough to be a stocking filler and yet almost indispensable, a foldaway reflector/diffuser has saved many an image over the years, helping to control light in difficult situations, bouncing it, removing dark shadows and changing tone. Most common are either circular or oval and they often come with different colours of reflectors including white, black, gold and silver for a variety of effects. Possibly the cheapest way to improve your photos and videos. Nikon recommends Profoto for top-grade reflectors.

Microphone

Great video footage can be spoiled by bad audio, and for vloggers a microphone is an essential piece of kit to take things to the next level. You can get shotgun mics which attach to the top of the camera (or a cage), lavalier wireless ones to attach to clothing and much more. Sennheiser and RØDE both make a range of mics that will add that professional sound to your footage.

Camera bag

A good, well-made bag is a vital part of any photographer’s gear, keeping it safe and having everything easily accessible. Brands such as Billingham, Urth, Manfrotto, Thule and Wandrd all offer fantastic bags in a variety of styles and sizes. Our advice is to buy a bag slightly bigger than you think you’ll need – you never know when that next lens is going to arrive!

Top tip: From now until 13^th January 2025, order a Z50II and you’ll receive a free roll-top Nikon backpack. For the full T&Cs click here. Backpack also sold separately.

Teleconverters

Many NIKKOR Z lenses are compatible with teleconverters, which change the focal length of the lens, either by 1.4x or 2.0x – so your 200mm lens can suddenly become a 400mm! Check out our guide to using teleconverters here.

Memory storage

Photography (and especially video) eats memory and more storage is always needed. Depending on the camera, SD, Micro SD and CFexpress cards take care of in-body storage (if you’re buying as a gift, be sure to check what cards the camera takes). External hard drives are also really useful to store all those images and videos. Brands like SanDisk, Lexar and Nextorage are reliable and fast. And for a stocking filler, a card holder is always welcome to stop extra memory cards getting lost in the bag.

Cage  

Camera cages allow the photographer or filmmaker to attach all sorts of accessories and additions to the camera, including microphones, monitors, lights and handles, as well as giving added protection. They’re an inexpensive way to hugely increase the versatility of the camera. Nikon recommends SmallRig, which makes cages for all Nikon mirrorless cameras.