Best Father’s Day gift ideas: Here’s a quick snapshot of the coolest picks for photographers

Finding the perfect gift for a photography-loving father doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience, because the best Father’s Day gift ideas are ones that come from the heart. Of course, it helps that we’ve narrowed down the options for you. The photography gifts for dad in this guide are great choices for both professional shutterbugs and those who just love capturing life’s everyday moments with their camera. 

For example, the best point-and-shoot camera, or perhaps an upgrade to the best mirrorless camera, can be an excellent gift for dads who are just getting started, while a customized camera strap or a portable light might be a better option if your dad has been shooting pictures for a long time and is more particular about his camera gear. Heading out on vacation to a national park? One of the best drones could be perfect. And if you’re not sure about a bigger investment, a classic photo book is a welcome gift for all varieties of photographers, especially if you’re unsure of your dad’s favorite camera equipment brands. These are 10 of the best Father’s Day gift ideas that we think your dad would love to unwrap.

• Best mirrorless camera bundle: Canon Mirrorless EOS RP Camera with Accessories
• Best camera for a dad who loves to vlog: Sony ZV-1 4K HD Camera
• Best lens for the creative dad: Lensbaby Creative Bokeh Optic
• Best instant camera for Father’s Day: Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay Hybrid Instant Camera
• Best portable LED light for dad: Lume Cube Broadcast Lighting Kit
• Best drones for Father’s Day: DJI Mavic Mini Combo
• Best action camera for dad: GoPro HERO8 Waterproof Action Camera
• Best photobook for a Father’s Day gift: “The Americans” by Robert Frank
• Best Father’s Day gifts for the dad who is hard to shop for: Cuff-Daddy Men’s Cufflinks

Best mirrorless camera bundle: Canon Mirrorless EOS RP Camera with Accessories

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Gifting dad a camera for Father’s Day can be tricky, but if he already owns Canon DSLR gear you can make the switch to mirrorless easier. This best mirrorless camera bundle includes a full-frame EOS RP digital camera body, an ED-EOS R adapter (which means he can use his old lenses on a new lighter body), a 64GB memory card, a battery, and tons of other helpful accessories. The EOS RP has a 26.2MP CMOS sensor, fast autofocus, 4K video capture, and a DIGIC 8 processor that makes it excel even in low-light situations. It’s much lighter than a DSLR, meaning that dad will be able to capture all of life’s adventures.

Best camera for a dad who loves to vlog: Sony ZV-1 4K HD Camera

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If dad loves going live or creating content for YouTube, the ZV-1 is the camera for him. It features a vari-angle LCD screen, a directional three-capsule mic with a windscreen, and a one-touch bokeh switch to make his videos look more interesting with minimal effort. It can shoot 4K video and Full HD up to 120 fps, plus support for HLG and S-Log2/3, which means that dad can color grade his footage in post-production. Although it’s designed with vloggers in mind, it’s plenty able as a stills camera, too. This kit comes with an all-in-one Bluetooth grip and a memory card.

Best lens for the creative dad: Lensbaby Creative Bokeh Optic

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Photographers love bokeh as much as they love chasing that good light, and this unique lens from Lensbaby will give your photography-loving father the unique opportunity to control those out-of-focus bright points into incredible shapes. The lens has s single uncoated 50mm glass element, an internal 12-bladed aperture, and 11 magnetic drop-in apertures features shapes such as hearts, stars, seagulls, and more. This optic is designed to work with Lensbaby’s Optic Swap lenses, which are compatible with a wide variety of digital camera systems.

Best instant camera for Father’s Day: Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay Hybrid Instant Camera

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They say a picture is worth 1,000 words and this unique camera from Fujifilm will actually let dad record a few of those precious words as he gets a mini Instax print. The Instax Mini LiPlay is the best point-and-shoot camera because it also functions as a printer and allows users to record a snippet of audio that can be played by scanning a QR code printed on the piece of film. It’s a great way to hold onto the sounds that might have accompanied the moment that a picture was snapped. This bundle comes with two packs of film, a 32GB microSD card, and a compact carrying case.

Best portable LED light for dad: Lume Cube Broadcast Lighting Kit

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Photographers love good light and the Lume Cube Broadcast Kit makes it easy for dad to look his best when he hops in front of the camera. This bi-color LED light panel comes with a monitor mount and a desktop tripod with a 360-degree rotating ball head for easy adjusting. It’s a great tool for video chatting, presenting at digital conferences, or throwing a bit of extra light on a subject while shooting. Lume Cube products are known for being extremely portable, easy-to-use, and durable, and this lighting kit checks all of those boxes.

Best drones for Father’s Day: DJI Mavic Mini Combo

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The rules around flying drones can be complicated and depending on where you live, everchanging. The DJI Mavic Mini is one of the best drones because it’s compact enough that it can be flown without registering it—a great choice if your dad is curious about drone photography and videography. The Mavic Mini can stay in the air for up to 30 minutes at a time, and this bundle comes with a camera that shoots 12MP aerial photos and 2.7K video, and works with the DJI Fly app, which takes the headache out of flying it. This kit comes with the drone, mini remote controller, three flight batteries, three pairs of spare propellers, two micro-USB cables, an RC cable, spare control sticks, a two-way charging hub, and a carrying bag—everything dad needs to launch his drone photography passion.

Best action camera for dad: GoPro HERO8 Waterproof Action Camera

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The GoPro HERO8 is a versatile, easy-to-use action camera that will allow dad to capture all of his adventures with ease. The GoPro HERO8 features HyperSmooth 2.0 stabilization system for smooth footage regardless of the activity being captured. If your dad loves to enjoy the outdoors, this is the camera for him. It shoots 12MP photos, 4K 60fps video,  8x slow-motion video, and the ability to livestream. It’s been redesigned so it’s easier to swap out mounts and a lens that is more resistant to impact when dad is capturing all of his adventures.

Best photobook for a Father’s Day gift: “The Americans” by Robert Frank

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No photo book collection is complete without Robert Frank’s “The Americans,” a photo project that changed the way the world thought about photography. Originally published in 1958, the book was initially panned by critics in the United States, but over time his asymmetrical black-and-white images have gone on to inspire countless photographers. The book contains 83 photographs captured during Frank’s road trip across America that revealed a less-than-rosy view of the so-called “American dream.” Frank is a photographer’s photographer, and looking at the photos feels a bit like reading a poem. As photography gifts go, it’s as relevant today as when it was first released and deserves a place on every photography lover’s coffee table or bookshelf.

Best Father’s Day gifts for the dad who is hard to shop for: Cuff-Daddy Men’s Cufflinks

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Photographers can be tricky to shop for, and if dad is picky about his camera gear it might make more sense to get him a photography-themed gift instead. Cufflinks are an old-school gift that can transition from the office to nights out. These clever cufflinks are shaped like a camera dial found on most modern digital cameras and will make for a fun accent piece for your photography-loving father.

The final word on the best Father’s Day gift ideas for photographers

If your dad loves photography, chances are he has an eye for detail. We know these photography gifts will show dad that you appreciate nuances as well. The best Father’s Day gift ideas show that you did the research about what your dad loves when selecting the perfect gift to show him that you care. The best point-and-shoot camera or the best mirrorless camera can be an amazing upgrade if he tends to do most of his shooting on his phone, while a dad who has been shooting pictures for longer might appreciate fun camera accessories or a classic photo book. Whether selecting the best drones and action cameras or something more stationary, these camera gear gifts show you’re, well, focused on supporting what makes him happy.

Here’s another gift guide, in case you also need help finding the the best Father’s Day gifts under $100. Popular Photography wants to help you find the most useful and expert shopping recommendations for the best gift ideas. Searching for more unique gifts? Check out more gift guides here: books for photographers, practical gifts, the best photography gifts for Mother’s Day.