How to Save Money on Photography Gifts This Holiday Season

Nov 06, 2024

Abby Ferguson

Three camera items against a red bokeh background: a Nikon DSLR body on the left, a Canon camera lens in the center, and a Canon G10 compact camera on the right.

With Christmas only a couple of months away, it’s not too early to start planning holiday gifts. The season can quickly drain your wallet, so saving money on thoughtful gifts is always a great idea.

Full disclosure: This article is brought to you by MPB.

The high cost of giving gifts can be especially true if you are shopping for photographers since photography-related items can be pricey. Thinking ahead can help you better budget for any gifts you’ll be giving, but it could also save you quite a bit of money. With a bit of forethought, you can find better deals on gear and find ways to earn money for gifts, putting you in a better position come the holiday season.

Trusted resellers such as MPB can be a great resource for such planning, whether you are giving photography gifts or not. After all, MPB is the largest global platform for buying, selling, and trading used photography and videography gear. That gives you more options come this gift-giving season, which is always a good thing.

Screenshot of a website showcasing used camera gear from MPB. The top text promotes DSLR and mirrorless cameras. Below, images depict various cameras and equipment. There's a "Shop by brand" button and a "Shop by category" section.

Buy Used To Save Money on Gifts

Shopping for deals is the most popular way to save money when shopping during the holidays, but it puts you at the whim of companies and hoping the deals hit at the right time. Plus, sometimes those deals are far from exciting, especially when it comes to camera gear. For example, while $50 off a $1,500 camera is better than nothing, it isn’t all that helpful.

Shopping used, on the other hand, can save you significantly more money. It also lets you shop more on your timetable instead of waiting and watching for potential deals. While you may hesitate about buying a used item as a gift, there’s more of a benefit than just your wallet. Buying gear that is already in circulation is also better for our environment. The holiday season is already rife with waste, so anything that can lessen that is a good thing. It’s simply a win-win.

Buying used can indeed be a risky endeavor when shopping from online marketplaces. After all, you don’t necessarily know if you’re going to get what was advertised. It could be a broken piece of equipment that doesn’t work, or may not be in the condition mentioned. Plus, you have to jump through all the hoops involved in those sites, including back-and-forth messages, ghosting, and meetups, not to mention worrying about scams.

However, buying from a well-known platform such as MPB is safe and easy. It has trained specialists who inspect every single piece of equipment that comes through its doors to verify its condition. That way, you can trust that what you buy works and is in the condition listed, with no annoying back and forth needed. You can also shop on your schedule instead of dealing with someone else. As an added benefit, each item from MPB comes with a six-month warranty for even greater peace of mind.

Buying used also presents the challenge of finding what you are looking for. Luckily, MPB recirculates over 570,000 cameras, lenses, and accessories each year. It offers a wide range of gear, spanning just about any category, from bags to memory cards to drones, cameras, and lenses. As a result, chances are high that you’ll be able to get what you want.

Screenshot of a website offering free instant quotes for selling gear. A hand holds a camera lens on a bright pink background. Below is a form to input gear details, with options to rate condition and a search bar at the top.

Sell Your Old Gear To Earn Money for Gifts

If you are more concerned about getting money for gifts than finding particular items, MPB is also a great resource. Selling your spare gear is a great way to earn extra money for gifts. If you have a few lenses or old cameras sitting on a shelf that you never use, you might as well get some cash for them. There’s no sense in those items taking up space and collecting dust if you could instead get something for someone else (or as a treat to yourself).

While you can sell your gear on your own through various marketplaces, that’s not always the best idea. Selling on your own takes up a lot of time and effort since you have to take photos of the gear and write up the listing. Then, you’ll be dealing with things like low-ball offers, back-and-forth messages, ghosting, and driving somewhere to meet the buyer. There are also plenty of scams out there on those marketplaces, which could leave you without your money and your gear.

MPB is a much safer option for selling your photography equipment. It is a very streamlined process, saving you loads of time. You simply fill out a form at MPB’s website to generate an instant quote, print the provided pre-paid shipping label, package up your gear, and drop it at a FedEx location (or schedule a home pickup).

Once MPB gets your equipment, it will carefully inspect each piece and adjust the quote if necessary. You could even get more than you originally expected. Should you be unhappy with the offer, you can cancel the sale, and MPB will return your items. If you accept the sale, MPB will send the payment securely to your bank account. There’s no fussing with different payment apps or haggling, so you can focus on finding the perfect gift and attending all those holiday parties.

The selling process does, of course, take time, so if this is a route you’d like to go for gift money, it’s best to get the process started sooner rather than later. That way, you’ll have plenty of time to find and buy the perfect gift. Selling gear is also a great option if you think you’ll be getting new gear for the holidays or if you are going to give yourself a gift.

Gift Ideas for Photographers

Photographers can be tricky folks to shop for, especially if you aren’t a photographer yourself. However, as a photographer myself, there are a handful of items that most photographers wouldn’t mind getting, depending on their experience with the medium.

A compact black digital camera with a lens inscribed "GR Lens f=6.0mm f=1.9". The camera features a textured grip and buttons on the side. The brand "GR Digital" is printed on the front.

One type of camera surging in popularity right now is the compact. These cameras, as the name suggests, easily fit in pockets, though they offer a different experience than shooting with your phone. There’s no shortage of compact cameras available at MPB, so you can choose on that fits your price point and their style best.

A Nikon D3200 DSLR camera body against a plain white background, featuring the prominent Nikon branding and control buttons visible on its side. The camera lens is absent, showing the lens mount cover.

If you know someone itching to jump into the world of photography, a DSLR could be a great gift to surprise them with. While mirrorless cameras offer the latest technology, DSLRs are still more than capable and worthy of purchasing. You can find them cheaper than newer mirrorless cameras, especially used options from MPB, making them a more affordable option to get started with. Plus, if they eventually decide to switch to mirrorless, any lenses they pick up for their DSLR can also be adapted to mirrorless cameras, so they won’t be out all their investment.

A black Canon 100mm macro lens with an ultrasonic motor. The lens has a prominent focus ring and a distance scale showing measurements in meters and feet. It stands upright against a plain white background.

As they get started, many photographers will opt for the kit lens with a camera. While these are certainly useful, it can be limiting, especially in terms of creative options. If you know what camera system the photographer in your life uses, you could pick up a unique lens to jump-start their creativity and help them find new ways to capture the world around them. For example, a wide-angle lens could provide a much-needed fresh perspective, while a macro lens (or even macro filters) could open up an entirely new genre.

If you know someone who is the adventurous type, even if they aren’t a photographer, an action camera would make a great gift. Action cameras are extremely compact and portable and can be mounted in nearly endless ways. They offer superb image stabilization, so even the most rough and rugged activities can be recorded without resulting in jittery footage. MPB has a long list of action cameras available, including multiple generations of GoPros and various offerings from DJI.

A close-up of a GoPro Hero 12 Black action camera. The lens is on the right, and a small screen is on the left. The camera is black with blue speckled details and model branding on the front.

Lastly, while camera bags and cases may not be the most exciting gift on the surface, they are extremely practical and can open up new doors for where your photographer can take their gear. Camera bags can be surprisingly expensive, but MPB’s used offerings are much more affordable and cover the full spectrum of bag options. So, whether you know someone wanting to hike with their camera, or they are building out a massive kit for events that requires a sturdy case, MPB likely has a bag or case available.

A sleek, black backpack with a minimalist design is shown upright against a white background. It features a smooth exterior, zippered compartments, and adjustable shoulder straps, ideal for everyday use or travel.

How MPB Can Help You This Holiday Season

Gift-giving can be a challenging prospect. Knowing what to buy, where to buy it, and managing the cost can be overwhelming. MPB can help simplify the process if you are shopping for a photographer, as they are a trustworthy source for quality used gear that will save you money over purchasing new. Plus, if you have camera gear you no longer need, MPB is a much better way to earn money than selling it on your own, helping you prepare for the holiday season.

Full disclosure: This article is brought to you by MPB.

Image credits: MPB. Featured image created using an asset licensed via Depositphotos.