The holidays are just around the corner, and most of the world is getting into the Christmas spirit of gift-giving. If you’ve got a photographer in your life, we’ve rounded up a selection of some of the best stocking stuffers you can buy for them without spending too much.
All the items listed in this article are under USD 200, but it’s not like all of them are in the upper range of this limit. Some are even genuinely tiny enough to fit inside a Christmas stocking. We’ve also tested every single item on this list so we know for sure that they’re worth the money.
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SZ Filters – Midas Touch
Transform your portraits instantly with this creatively designed screw-on filter by the team at SZ Filters. Embrace strong sun rays and (literally) give these filters a whirl to get some unique-looking portraits and landscape shots. The glitter inside is encased in a clear viscous liquid which allows it to slowly fall with each spin, giving you a good 4 to 5 shots each time before requiring another spin. It’s something you absolutely cannot recreate with software, so being able to do this in your camera makes the experience very magical. No two images created with this can ever be the same – it’s completely randomised magic. Read more about them in our review.
PhotoPlug – The Best Way To Test Your Vintage Camera’s Shutter Accuracy
Here’s something that analog photographers will absolutely love. This tiny gadget helps you test the accuracy of the shutter speed settings on your analog 35mm and 120 cameras by effectively measuring the light that passes through the shutter with each click. The best part is that it doesn’t require anything aside from your smartphone to do this. This type of testing was previously an expensive endeavor, but now you can conduct it right in your own home and even save the deviations on the app to refer to as a calibration guide. Read our review to understand why it took home our Editor’s Choice Award
Godox V480 Speedlight
Godox is really acing it with great photography accessories these days, and their V480N speedlight is one of the best stocking stuffers you can find for the holidays. It’s small, powerful enough for portraits and still life, and looks like something you could confidently use without it coming off as a cheap 3rd party flash. The leatherette exterior is a nice finish for something at this price point, and the touchscreen LCD is enjoyable to use. If you know a photographer looking to experiment with flash photography, this one is a great choice.
Godox iT30 Pro – Tiny And Fun
If you don’t want to buy a fully loaded flash, then the Godox iT30 Pro might be more your size. Smaller than the palm of your hand, when paired with the Godox Tr adapter for bounce effect, it really makes your photos pop. It even works as a trigger for your remote flashes. Grab yours from under USD 75 today
Promaster AS431 Air Support Monopod
You don’t normally see monopods that can hold their own against tripods when it comes to keeping your camera steady unaided. However, the Promaster AS431 Air Support Monopod is one of those rare models that can. It does this because the base can fold out into three sturdy legs. But aside from this, it’s quite a capable monopod for sports photographers. We tested it out and found it to be surprisngly better than we thought it would be. And it’s under USD 120 today.
TTArtisan Mini LED Lights
At the price these go for, every photographer should own one. It’s a great conversation starter when someone spots it on your keys, or hanging on your camera bag. But they aren’t just good to look at – the can be a great accessory for light painting or adding a bit of color splash to your portraits. The TTArtisan Mini LED Lights come in two versions – a bi-color version and a full RGB LED version.
Viltrox 28mm f4.5 Pancake Lens
This is one of the most fun lenses I’ve used in recent years. Yes it’s a little quirky as the aperture stays fixed at f4.5, but you soon get used to the idea of only being able to adjust your shutter speed and ISO while using it. It’s available in multiple mirrorless camera lens mounts, and if you’re quick you might be able to find one for around USD 100 today.
Lemur Strap
One of the more unique camera straps we’ve ever seen, the Lemur camera strap is an accessory that will bring peace of mind to any photographer that’s on the move constantly. It’s shoulder pad sticks on to your clothing with a grip that you’ve never seen before in a camera strap. With a quick release system that allows your camera to slide up easily when needed, you can grab either of the two variants of the strap for under USD 100 today.
The Phoblographer’s Lightroom and Capture One Editing Presets
Know someone who frames shots really well but needs a bit of help with editing their photos? We’ve got just the right solution. Our presets for Adobe Lightroom and Capture One software are available in various styles. These have all been developed by our staff who have decades of experience in photography and image editing. Head over to our online store today to browse for the looks you want and buy some of them.
