Gifts for photographers in the UK

Find out what they shoot

Photographers split into groups, and a gift for one is often useless to another. Film shooters burn through rolls. Mirrorless shooters want better carry gear. Phone photographers and Instax owners want prints.

Look at the camera they carry most. A 35mm film camera points to a roll of Flic Aurora or Ilford HP5. A mirrorless body points to the Leash or the Capture clip. A phone points to the Mobile Tripod. An Instax Mini points to a film pack.

Do not buy lenses, memory cards or bodies unless they have named the exact model.

Film and first film cameras

Film is the easiest gift for a film shooter because it gets used up. HP5 is the forgiving black and white roll; Flic Aurora is a colour ISO 400 roll for dim light. Buy two or three rolls if you can.

For someone new to film, a simple camera beats a secondhand SLR. The Kodak EC35 and the RETO Pano need no settings. The Vecco kit suits someone who likes building, and the ActionSampler suits someone who wants playful, odd results. Add a DubbleStrap for a light compact.

Developing costs extra every roll, and black and white needs a lab that handles it. Many UK labs take film by post, so a note covering the first roll finishes the gift.

Budget and timing

Under £20: a roll of film, the Vecco kit, the DubbleStrap or an Instax twin pack. £20 to £45: the RETO Pano, the EC35, the ActionSampler, an Instax triple pack and the Leash. The Capture clip and the Mobile Tripod are the bigger spends.

Film and straps are light and post easily, so they are good late buys. Order a photo calendar by early December so it arrives before Christmas post slows down.

If you are torn between two picks, choose the one that gets the camera out more often. A strap that adjusts in a second does more for their photos than another gadget in a drawer.

Questions people ask

What do you buy a photographer who has everything?

Buy something that gets used up or worn out. Two or three rolls of a film they have not tried, such as Flic Aurora, or a Peak Design Leash to replace the strap from the box, both get used. A calendar of their own photos is the other answer, because almost nobody prints their best shots.