It’s the holiday season, and Christmas is right around the corner. Maybe you want to give a gift to your photographer friend or family member something that they will absolutely love. Perhaps your spouse, child, grandchild, or niece/nephew is interested in following in your footsteps, and are hoping to find their first “real” camera under the tree. If you are shopping for a fellow photographer or budding photographer, I’ve got some gift ideas for you!

For my 40th birthday, my wife got me a Fujifilm X100V, which was such an incredible gift! For her 40th birthday, I gave her a Fujifilm X-T4. While those were certainly wonderful presents, they were very unusual for us, as we don’t typically spend anywhere near that much for birthdays and Christmas, and probably a lot of you reading this don’t either. There are tons of great more affordable options and it’s easy to get overwhelmed, so for this article I’m going to narrow the premise, which hopefully will provide some of you with a little better clarity.

First off, I’m assuming that you don’t have a small fortune to spend, and so you don’t mind buying used gear, which is more affordable, and perhaps a bit more practical as a gift. MPB, the sponsor of this article (where all my suggested gift ideas can be purchased from), is the largest global platform where you can buy, sell, or trade used photo and video gear—each piece checked by hand before being MPB Approved. If you’re thinking about upgrading or gifting gear this holiday season, embracing used is a great way to keep costs down without compromising on quality. Secondly, this website is Fujifilm-centric, so all of my suggestions will be related to that brand of gear.

Let’s jump right in!

Fujifilm X-T1 — Best learning camera

For someone who wants their first “real” camera to learn photography on, the Fujifilm X-T1 is my top recommendation. First, it has manual tactile controls to learn the principles of photography with (such as the exposure triangle). Second, while it is “old” for digital technology (released in 2014, a full decade ago), it is still very capable. This was Fujifilm’s flagship model when it was introduced, and 10 years later it holds up pretty well. Interestingly, in 2021, Antonio Faccilongo won the World Press Photo Story of the Year with a photograph captured with this model. Third, the X-T1 is quite affordable, and can be purchased for less than $500. You will need a lens to go with it, and my top recommendation is the Fujinon 35mm f/2, which can be had for less than $300 used. Depending on the exact copies you pick, you can get a camera and lens combo for under $800, and even under $700 if you don’t mind a few scuffs.

Fujifilm X-S10 — Affordable hybrid for videography

While many cameras are great for photography, some don’t excel at both stills and video. My top recommendation for an affordable hybrid—a camera that’s good for both stills and video—is the Fujifilm X-S10, which has in-body-image-stabilization (IBIS), an important feature for videography. If you are buying for someone who has shown an interest in creating TikTok or YouTube videos, you’ll want to strongly consider the X-S10. It can be had for under $900, which makes it the most expensive camera in this list; however, I think it pairs well with the Fujinon 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6, which is one of the more affordable lenses at about $150.

Fujifilm X-A2 – Most affordable camera

I get asked somewhat frequently what is the cheapest way to get into Fujifilm, usually from those wanting to buy a camera for their child or grandchild. Is it possible to do so under $500? Well, it is possible, but just barely. The Fujifilm X-A2 can be had for under $350, and the Fujinon 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 is about $150, which brings you in right around $500. The X-A line was Fujifilm’s most budget-friendly series. The X-A2 was released in 2015 and is approaching 10 years old; however, it is still surprisingly capable, with similar technical stats as the Fujifilm X-T1.

Fujifilm X30 — Fun for the one who has everything

For the photographer who has it all, the Fujifilm X30 is a fun little camera! There’s a pretty good chance that the photographer you are shopping for doesn’t have this model. It’s older, and doesn’t have particularly impressive stats, but what it lacks technically it more than makes up for in pure joy. Nobody is going to make a career out of this camera, but for fun snapshots that have a ton of character, the X30 is one to take a close look at. It’s not necessarily cheap at around $700, but at least you don’t have to buy a lens for it, since it is a fixed-lens camera.

Fujinon WCL-X100 II & TCL-X100 II — Conversion lenses for X100-series cameras

If the photographer you are buying for already owns a Fujifilm X100-series camera, like the X100VI, X100V, and X100F, a great addition are the two conversion lenses: WCL-X100 II and TCL-X100 II. These two lenses add versatility to any X100-series camera, and are especially great for travel photography. They’re not terribly expensive, either: the WCL-X100 II is about $200, while the TCL-X100 II is about $230. Choose one, or choose both. If it’s just one, I would give first consideration to the WCL-X100 II.

If you are searching for a holiday gift for the photographer or budding photographer in your life, I hope that this list provided you with some clarity. I always enjoy receiving camera-related clothes and coffee mugs and things like that as gifts, but if you really want to give a camera or lens, those do cost a lot of money, and I think that this list has some excellent suggestions; however, feel free to browse MPB’s current inventory, as you just never know what you might find.

See also:
Fujifilm X-Pro2 — The camera that got away (again)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 23mm F/2 = Interchangeable-Lens Fujifilm X100VI??
Leica Q2 from the perspective of a Fujifilm photographer
Fujifilm X30 — Fujifilm’s Forgotten Retro Compact Zoom
Close Up with the Fujinon XF 30mm F/2.8 R LM WR Macro
Traveling Light with the Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II & TCL-X100 II Conversion Lenses