The Best Holiday Photo Gifts (and How to Get Them for Free)

A camera might just be a tool, but it sure is fun to have shiny tools. This holiday season, you’re bound to find dozens of “gift guides” for photographers, but this one tells you how to get the best gear for free – well, almost free. You just have to win an international photo contest or two, and the riches will be yours!

Hasselblad X1D

Swedish camera maker Hasselblad turned a few heads this Summer with the release of its 50MP medium format X1D, which is smaller than many full-frame DSLRs. But beauty comes at a steep price of $8995 for the body only. No need to fear that maxed out credit card because Hasselblad’s annual “Masters” photo contest awards one of their coveted cameras (to be fair, they haven’t announced which camera is slated for the prize bucket).

Enter here: Hasselblad Masters

Nikon D5 +  AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR

The Nikon flagship has arguably the fastest and best autofocus system on the market, plus incredible low light performance. The newly tooled 24-70mm lens is no slouch either and the combination would be a nice stocking stuffer. The biennial award is celebrating Nikon’s 100th anniversary in 2017, so it’s a great time to go for the gold.

Enter here: Nikon Photo Contest

Leica M

You’re gonna need to save your pennies for a lens, but we’re pretty sure you’ll be happy with a $7,000 body that forged like a tank and has an historic pedigree. And if you win, you’ll also get a hell of an exhibition at Paris Photo like Scarlet Coten.

Enter here: Leica Oskar Barnack Award

Leica M Monochrom

Unlike all the other contests, the “I Shot It” contest awards a winner each quarter for its black-and-white competition, and quite frankly, the competition isn’t that stiff. In our opinion, this is the easiest path to the camera of your dreams.

Enter here: I Shot It: The Best Photo Competition

Zeiss Lenses

Did you freak out when Zeiss released the 85mm Otus lens, considered one of the best lenses ever made? How’d you like the 28mm and 55mm to go along with that. With close to $15,000 in Zeiss lenses as its prize, the newly minted Zeiss Photography Award might not make you a better photographer (you already are one if you win), but it’ll sure make your photos sharper.

Zeiss Photography Award

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

Serious photojournalists and sports photographers dig the 16 frames per second and 170 RAW image buffer on this second version of Canon’s flagship DSLR. A faster autofocus system combined with 4K video support means you’re ready for the future, even if you’re still watching TV in HD.

World Press Photo

Epson SureColor P7070

Printing 8x10s on your home printer got you in a rut? You’ll probably feel better with a 10-ink, 24” printer to your name. Yes, it will require you to submit some panoramic images, but at least you’ll know that you can print them out if you win.

Epson International Pano Awards

€40,000 Gift Certificate to Yodobashi Camera

Turns out you already own the Leica, Hasselblad, Nikon and Canon and want something else. How’s a €40,000 gift certificate to one of Japan’s largest retailers sound? Sounds great, right? The bad news is that you have to wait until 2019 because the Red Bull Illume Image Quest contest is only held every three years, but that should give you enough time to take a killer photo.

Red Bull Illume Image Quest

***

Get all our recommendations on 42 different photo contests by downloading the Photographers Guide to Photo Contests for free!