In search of the perfect holiday gift for a photography or cinematography lover? Look no further than ProGrade Digital’s holiday gift guide for 2021. Whether you’re looking for a good camera bag, comfortable camera strap, or vital accessories like ND filters, lens identification stickers, and batteries to power the flash, we got you covered.
Our 2021 holiday gift guide is compiled to give you the best recommendations ideal for photography newcomers and professionals alike. These gifts are safe bets, practical, and guaranteed to bring a wide smile to the recipient’s face, whether that recipient shoots with Canon, Sony, BlackMagic, Nikon, or any other camera.
You can never go wrong with a good camera bag.
Even if someone already has one, a new camera bag is always ultra-welcomed, especially by pros who haul around a ton of equipment.
A ThinkTank Photo has high-quality bags for every scenario that you can imagine. Like the Airport Commuter or the Airport TakeOff V2.0, these bags are perfect for anyone traveling with a camera, lenses, laptop and other gear. They meet both international and US carry-on requirements and have special compartments for laptops and tablets as well. Plus, since traveling photographers often shoot in hardly accessible locations and can only take a rolling bag so far, the Airport TakeOff V2.0, which can be converted to a backpack, is especially practical.
For all the adventurous photographers and cinematographers, we highly recommend PhotoCross 15″ Backpack. This lightweight yet rugged backpack packs a lot of bang for the buck. It’s tough and weatherproof zippers and materials offer the best protection for camera gear from punishing trips into the wild, all that for a very affordable price.
Everyone love’s a good camera strap. Emphasis is on the word good.
A sturdy, comfortable camera strap is something that every photographer loves. Just make sure it’s a good one.
Remember these old-school, around your neck straps? Yeah, these things are out now. They made chiropractors curse when people came in looking like a hunchback from carrying their cameras in front of them. So, when going for a strap, get one from BlackRapid. BlackRapid slings and harnesses are ergonomic, super comfortable, and made for action. No wonder top photographers like Jasin Boland, Johany Jutras, and Jeff Cable, among many others, are all devoted users.
Give the gift of light.
A flash is an essential part of every photographer’s kit. However, if something is essential, an enthusiastic photographer already probably packs it. That said, giving them the much-needed power to keep their flash firing is practically priceless.
Powerex PRO batteries from Maha Energy are out of this world. Starting from just $11.95 for a 4-pack, these bad boys carry insane value, considering they can be charged up to 500 times. Needless to say, these high-capacity batteries are built for performance and optimized for high-drain devices like camera flashes.
Pack a Powerex Smart Charger or Turbo Charger with it, and you are all set.
Bring ease of mind.
Cameras and lenses cost a fortune. Step too close to someone’s camera, and that someone may easily smack you. Photographers and videographers take protecting their gear very seriously. So, pretty much anything helping them do that makes a great gift. Filters are one of them.
Even though the primary function of a lens filter is to give the image a specific look, some of the filters are designed specifically for protection.
Tiffen Protection and UV Control filters protect lenses from dust, scratches, dirt, moisture, and fingerprints. Some also absorb UV light. Go with any one of the clear or haze filters to be on the safe side. These filters do not alter the image quality in any way. Meaning they are solely for protection and do not give the image an artistic look. They can be kept on the lens at all times and can even be combined with other filters.
It’s usually wise to leave all the creative decisions to a person holding the camera. However, if you know that person well and are well aware of what they are missing or could benefit from, be sure to check out the entire collection of Tiffen Filters. They sure are something else.
Have you considered stickers?
We are not kidding. It may sound like something minuscule, but it ain’t. Lens and camera body identification stickers are what help professional photo and videographers to keep their sanity during those demanding shoots where they need to switch lenses quickly. From Sony and Canon cameras to Nikon and Fujifilm lenses, Field Made has a corresponding sticker.
Not quite sure what type of cameras and lenses to buy stickers for? Go with a Field Made Gift Card instead.
Make that special someone stand out.
The camera and lens skins from Alphagvrd make an awesome stocking stuffer. These creative vinyl skins are not only fun but also provide protection without adding weight.
Finally, check what we’ve got on the shelf for the holidays.
We at ProGrade Digital make high-performance Memory Cards and Card Readers for professional photographers and cinematographers. Ask anyone owning a camera, and they’ll tell you there’s no such thing as too many memory cards. So go take a look around our online store. Who knows, you may even stumble on some holiday discounts.
Happy holidays! From ProGrade Digital
[Note: None of the links in this article are affiliate links they are just references to great products from great brands that we love working with.]
