It's no secret that photography can be an expensive hobby. Us photographers have wishlists of the gear that we constantly dream about as we're always on the hunt for the next bit of camera kit that will help us improve our photography game.
Christmas is a great time to gift the photography lovers in your life a new gadget or gizmo that will expand their creative possibilities and help them take better photos, whether that's a new lens, camera bag, tripod, memory card or even a humble cleaning cloth.
There's a huge amount of choice when it comes to photography gifts that it's easy to be a bit overwhelmed, so in this guide we aim to make it easy to buy perfect presents for Canon photographers. So if you want to treat your better half, family member or friend to a new piece of photo kit and know they shoot on a Canon camera our top 30 picks below are for you!
1. Canon EOS M50
This budget-friendly mirrorless Canon EOS is small and mighty with a 24.1MP APS-C sensor for brilliant image quality, Dual Pixel CMOS AF for rapid autofocusing and a DIGIC 8 processor for speedy image processing. Too add to its impressive spec sheet is 4K video and 5-axis in-body image stabilisation as well as WiFi and Bluetooth!
2. PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine subscription offer!
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3. 3 Legged Thing Ellie L-bracket
The Ellie is a brilliant L-Bracket that the PhotoPlus team has enjoyed on multiple photoshoots. It makes it a breeze to shoot in both the portrait and landscape orientations when working on a tripod and comes with tools for adjustment to help get a snug fit to your specific camera. It also comes in slightly different size variations and copper and grey colours.
4. Lensbaby Spark 2.0 Sweet 50 lens
Get amazing and unique shallow depth-of-field effects with this 2nd generation of Lensbaby's popular Spark lens. The new model comes with a bellows style design so you can push and pull the focus into place for incredible results. It also comes with a Sweet 50 lens and built-in aperture ring. Available for Canon cameras EF and RF mounts.
5. Canon PowerShot G7 X II
If you're after a pocketable but formidable camera then look no further than the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II which packs professional camera features into a compact camera that fits in a pocket.
Boasting a 1.0-tуре ѕеnѕоr, brіght f/1.8-2.8 lеnѕ аnd ѕuреrіоr DІGІС 7 рrосеѕѕіng еngіnе, thіѕ росkеt-ѕіzеd, lаrgе-ѕеnѕоr соmрасt оffеrѕ DЅLR-lіkе сrеаtіvіtу whеn сарturіng bоth ѕtіllѕ аnd Full НD vіdео.
6. Canon RF 35mm F1.8 IS Macro STM lens
If you own one of Canon's mirrorless full-frame bodies, such as the EOS R, EOS RP or EOS R6, then this may be the perfect lens for you. This 35mm optic is specifically made of Canon's full-frame mirrorless RF mount and is incredibly versatile with a wide-angle 35mm focal length, super wide f/1.8 maximum aperture for shallow depth-of-field effects and creamy bokeh as well as 0.5x macro functionality so you can super close to subjects too!
7. Manfrotto XPRO Ball Head 200PL
Quickly compose your scene with this fantastic ball head from Manfrotto, featuring the traditional 200PL quick-release plate. This reliable and sturdy ball head weighs just 500g but can support up to 10Kg of camera equipment!
8. Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3 Pocket Photo Printer
Create ‘real’ 2x3" photo prints wirelessly direct from your smartphone for instant memories and a retro aesthetic - it's the perfect stocking filler!
9. SRB Photographic Elite Bundle Kit
This brilliant SRB Filter Kit comes complete with a circular polarizer, 10-stop neutral density filter, filter holder and protective carry pouch.
10. Lowepro Flipside BP300 AW III backpack
The latest generation of Lowepro’s legendary Flipside camera backpacks takes on a new layout and improved usability and durability. It also has an addition of a secure primary rear-access panel with an easy-grab rear handle. It boasts thеrmоfоrmеd frоnt rеіnfоrсеmеntѕ whісh оffеr hіgh аbrаѕіоn rеѕіѕtаnсе, аnd а РU соаtіng оn thе ехtеrіоr соаtіng whісh рrоvіdеѕ ехtrа рrоtесtіоn frоm thе еlеmеntѕ. Looking for a reliable camera backpack that can withstand whatever you throw at it? Look no further than the Lowepro Flipside BP 300 AW III.
11. Canon PIXMA TS6350/6320 printer
The perfect choice for printing of both documents and high-quality photos.
12. Canon EOS 2000D / Rebel T7 DSLR
If you're looking to see a big step up in quality from your phone, compact or even bridge camera then a DSLR would be a great choice for you. Canon's EOS 2000D / Rebel T7 is their most budget-friendly model, costing around £329 with a kit lens. Though an entry-level model, the EOS 2000D is packs some impressive features include a 24.1Mp APS-C sensor 19x larger than that of an average smartphone so you'll see a huge step up in image quality. It also has a robust build quality, optical viewfinder for easy composition, is capable of recording Full HD video clips and features WiFi and NFC connectivity so you can pair it to your smartphone. It also boasts Canon's EF-S lens mount allowing you to fit any of Canon's vast array of EF and EF-S lenses.
13. Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens
The 18-55mm kit lenses that come with the latest Canon cameras have fantastic autofocus and impressive sharpness, however they don't give you a very wide angle at the 18mm end (28.8mm full-frame equivalent). That's a where a wide angle lens comes in!
Canon's 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens gives you a much wider perspective to play with and is an affordable optic that compliments Canon's budget-friendly APS-C cameras, such as the EOS 2000D and 250D.
Having used this lens extensively, we found it to be super sharp and very fast to autofocus too thanks to its STM motor. It also features IS (Image Stabilisation) to help curb camera-shake when taking stills and recording video handheld.
14. Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens
Every photographer should own a 50mm prime lens. Not only because they're fantastic tools for getting creative with photography, often boasting super fast apertures like f/1.8 which makes it much easier to blur backgrounds for super shallow depth-of-field effects and beautiful bokeh. But because they are some of the most affordable lenses that you can buy for your Canon EOS DSLR or mirrorless camera. This Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM costs just £129 brand-new so could be the perfect stocking filler this Christmas and offers brilliant value for money.
15. LensPen DSLR Cleaning Kit
The basic LensPen design has been around for many years and now comes in various sizes to suit lenses from large DSLR optics down to tiny phone camera hardware. We like the NLP-1 variant, the original design, which is suitable for larger lenses. Its standout feature is its 12mm diameter tip. This has a slightly concave surface to follow the curvature of your lens’s front element, and is coated in carbon to enable it to remove grease and fingerprints without resorting to a liquid cleaner. Amazingly, the system works. Lenses with lots of fingerprints will require around 10 seconds of wiping with the carbon tip to achieve a perfect finish, but more typically marked optics come up gleaming in moments.
16. Canon Speedlite EL-100 Flashgun
An external Speedlite flashgun is useful for a huge range of photographic genres helping you illuminate dark scenes, fill in shadows or light your subjects creatively with off-camera flash. The EL-100 Speedlite is Canon's most budget-friendly flashgun that can be mounted to the hotshoe on your Canon EOS DSLR or mirrorless to provide more powerful lighting than the built-in pop-up, or can be used off-camera to get more creative with your lighting too. Although a very budget-friendly model, the EL-100 packs in impressive features like a stroboscopic mode, 2nd curtain sync, a manual zoom head that can be rotated and tilted to bounce of a wall or ceiling and has a powerful guide number of 26 too.
17. Canon BR-E1 Wireless Remote
The BR-E1 allows you to trigger Bluetooth-compatible Canon EOS cameras from 5m away, opening up creative possibilities for you and your Canon camera. Shooting with a wireless remote is handy for shooting selfies and group photos, as well as wildlife where you need to keep distance from your camera. This brilliant Bluetooth remote controller is compatible with many Canon cameras including the entire EOS R range.
18. BlackRapid Breathe Binocular Strap
While it’s billed as a strap for binoculars, this neck strap will attach to a camera equally easily. Its unique feature is a breathable, stretchy and very flexible neck pad. It also folds small and can be detached quickly. Its price might be a little high for some, but you do get an impressive amount of engineering for your money here. Plus, black never goes out of fashion.
19. SanDisk 32GB Extreme Pro 300MB/s UHS-II SDXC
Memory cards aren’t the most exciting of camera accessories, but if you want to get the best out of your device, they are essential. Not only does this 32GB SanDisk card provide enough capacity for over 4,000 22MP JPEGs (enough room for keeping you shooting all day without changing cards), but with shot speeds of up to 260MB/s, and transfer speeds up to 300MB/s, it’s easily fast enough to cope with 4K video recording and fast continuous stills shooting too. Put this SD card into a compatible Canon, and make card buffering a thing of the past.
20. Hahnel ProCube II
Never be left without power again. Hahnel’s ProCube II is able to quickly and simultaneously charge a pair of LP-E6 Li-ion batteries, commonly used in Canon's EOS DLSR and mirrorless cameras, or the LP-E8 batteries used in more entry-level models. Alternatively you can even recharge four AA batteries for flashguns which is incredibly handy. It also shows the current charge level on its LCD display.
The ProCube II also has an output for a USB-charged device like a smartphone or compact camera, and comes complete with adaptors for UK, European and US plugs, making it an all-in-one charging solution.
With a 12V car lead included, you can even recharge your equipment en route to locations, something that could save the day if you forget that vital charging session the night before a big shoot.
21. Hähnel Extreme HLX-E6N spare battery
Photographer's can never have too many spare batteries so they make an ideal stocking filler. We highly rate the Extreme batteries from Hahnel which not only have a bit more capacity than the stock ones from Canon, they're brightly coloured making them easy to find in your kit bag and have been injected with silicone making them super tough and more resistant to being drained quickly in cold weather.
Be sure to double-check you get the right battery though! These HLX-E6N batteries are very commonly used with Canon's DSLR and mirrorless cameras such as the EOS 6D Mark II and EOS R.
22. Western Digital WD Elements SE 2TB SSD
For backups when you’re working in the field, you need a compact, reliable and efficient storage solution. Look no further than the WD Elements SE portable hard drive. Available in a 2TB capacity, it will suit many different kinds of photographer, from a low-volume landscape shooters to a burst mode fanatic out capturing action, wildlife or location portraits. With a form factor that will easily fit in a camera bag (L x W: 11 x 8cm or 4.3 x 3.2in) and read speeds of up to 400MB/s when using the supplied USB 3.0 cable, the WD Elements SE will make the perfect Christmas gift.
23. Lowepro Photo Active TLZ-45 AW Toploader bag
Toploader bags are perfect for carrying around your Canon EOS camera with a lens attached all-day. This Lowepro Toploader Photo Active TLZ 45 AW offers brilliant protection, keeping your camera safe when you're out on a shoot and it's top-loading design makes it easy and fast to pull out your Canon EOS and get shooting so you never miss a moment. It can easily hold a Canon EOS 700D 18-135mm f/3-5.6 lens attached or similar, so it's great for a one camera and lens setup. It's also a great way to store and protect your camera when it's not being used at home too.
24. Canon EF-S 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS STM Lens
Telephoto lenses bring far away subjects into close view, allowing you to get frame-filling shots of distant birds, people, architecture and much more. A telephoto optic is one that has a focal length above 50mm, which is roughly what the human eye can see, so a higher focal length will be more zoomed in. These lenses are usually quite expensive but at £309 Canon's EF 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM doesn't break the bank.
In testing we found this lens to be super fast and responsive when using Canon's AI Servo mode to track moving subjects like birds. It's also impressively sharp for a such an affordable lens. As an EF-S mount optic it's only compatible with Canon EOS DSLRs that have an APS-C sensor, such as the 2000D, 250D, 700D and Rebel T5i.
25. Manfrotto Ezybox Speed-Lite 2
More of a flashgun accessory than one for your camera, the Ezybox Speed-Lite 2 has the power to dramatically improve the lighting in your images. A compact softbox that can be attached directly onto your flashgun on or off camera, it softens the previously harsh direct light of the flash for a much more flattering illumination.
Compatible with a variety of flashguns, the Ezybox Speed-Lite 2 attaches firmly with a silicone strap and a tensioning dial straight to its head. With an inner and outer diffuser, which can be combined or used independently of each other, the intensity of its effect can be customised.
26. Lee Filters Big Stopper
If there’s one landscape photography look that’s been on-trend in the last few years, it’s those streaky skies and ethereal misty water shots produced by ten-stop ND filters. Placed in front of the lens, these filters restrict the light that reaches the sensor, forcing the use of much longer exposure times than would normally be required.
One of the popular filters of this type is the Lee Filters Big Stopper, a pro-standard glass filter available in a range of sizes for use with the company’s various filter systems. Lee Filters even provides a free mobile app to calculate the exposure times required when using a Big Stopper and other filters the brand provides.
27. Canon EOS RP full-frame mirrorless camera
If you're really looking to impress the photography lover in your life you could do far worse than gift them a Canon EOS RP. This is Canon's most affordable mirrorless camera body to feature a full-frame imaging sensor so it delivers outstanding image quality.
The EOS RP features a full-frame chip with 26.2Mp, can shoot ridiculously detailed 14-bit Raw files and can shoot an ISO value of up to 40,000. It also boasts no less than 4779 individual autofocus points, a speedy DIGIC 8 image processor, articulating touch screen and is compatible with Canon's latest and continually growing range of RF lenses.
28. Peak Design Cuff Camera Wrist Strap
An elegant and unobtrusive way to protect your camera from drops, the Cuff is a stylish wrist strap available in a range of different colour options. Cords rated to hold up to 90kg are fitted through a camera’s strap eyelets, before then being clipped securely into the Cuff’s unique Anchor Lock housing.
The magnetic wrist loop of the camera strap is then threaded over the hand, where it can then either be fixed in the open position, or comfortably cinched down for added security. For those with compact cameras, it’s an ideal way to protect and carry your setup without adding bulk.
29. Manfrotto Pixi Evo mini tripod
Manfrotto’s Pixi mini tripods have been with us for several years, but this EVO version steps things up – literally – thanks to its extendable two-section legs. These can lock into six different extension points using an ergonomic push-button release on each leg. At full stretch there’s some flex when you mount a heavier DSLR, but Manfrotto’s 2.5kg load rating is reasonable. Keep the legs retracted to their shortest setting and the Evo feels much more stout, though this reduces the shooting height from 19cm to 15.5cm.
Alternatively, if you want to sink lower, the legs have a secondary angle setting selected using a simple but effective switch on the side of the ball head. This lets the head down to around 10cm off the deck. The ball head itself is of a usefully large size for a mini tripod and it clamps securely.
30. Spudz microfibre cleaning cloth
A microfibre cloth that tucks away inside a neoprene sleeve, Spudz cloths have been around for years and come in an array of different colours. As the 10 x 10in cloth never detaches from the sleeve, this product is a true all-in-one solution for keeping your lenses and LCD screens free of dust or streaks.
Simply attach the Spudz to your camera with the clip on the sleeve and you'll never have to reach very far for a cloth to clean your glass or screen. And as 15 different and fun sleeve finishes are available, you'll easily be able to match one to the personality of the photographer in your life.
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