As June brings warmer weather, most of us spend our time outside to catch some rays, firing up the grill for backyard BBQs, and getting ready to celebrate the special father figures in our lives. This Father's Day, no matter what type of dad he is, we've got the camera gear he needs. We’ve narrowed down the best gifts for two kinds of dads—the adventurer and the vlogger.
Adventure Dad
To start off this Father's Day gift guide, if your dad is someone who is always out and about, hiking the trails, and striving to get the perfect shot, then this is for you. Come June 19th, make sure you're prepared to make dad the happiest guy with a thoughtful gift to help take his photography to the next level. If you want to give something a little more personalized, try printing and framing his favorite photo to display in your home. There's no doubt he would love it! If you’re looking to add something to his gear bag, take a look at our recommendations below.
A Travel Tripod
An essential tool that almost any adventure dad needs is a reliable tripod, especially if he is out scouting for the ultimate landscape shot. He’ll need a tripod that is both lightweight and sturdy, making it easy to take on the go. A few great travel tripod options are the highly-rated Benro Rhino and Peak Design Travel Tripods.
A Traveler's Backpack
In addition to a travel tripod, most likely your adventure dad will need a backpack to hold all of his equipment. This bag will need to be large enough to fit everything, yet light enough to take on long trips. Comfort is also a main concern. Make sure the bag you choose comes with a waist belt for additional support. One bag that we have been a huge fan of is the Atlas Athlete Backpack. In terms of size, there is a medium or large. The backpack itself is the same size but if your dad is taller than 5’8, get the large.
An Action Camera
For the dad that wants to be right in the action, the GoPro Hero10 Black is a no brainer. With hyper image stabilization, unbelievable image quality, rugged construction and more, this travel-sized camera will be dad’s constant companion. For optimal phone stabilization, dad will love the DJI OM 5.
Capture From Above
What’s even better than an action camera, you ask? A drone that can capture video or photos from the sky like the affordable DJI Mini SE. Since the Mini SE is only 249g, there’s no need for external registration so dad can fly it as soon as he activates it! Not to mention, 30 minutes flight time, 12MP photos, and 2.7K video capability. It’s the perfect tool to document dad’s awesome adventures!
Vlogger Dad
For the dad who wants to document family moments and at-home videos, these next product recommendations are for you. Of course, make sure to get dad in front of the camera every so often to capture the occasional dad joke or two. Even though photography puns are out of most people's depth-of-field, dad and family members will cherish them for years to come! So, take a look at some gift ideas to help boost dad’s next home video.
An External Monitor
To help dad have a more optimal view of what he is recording, he’ll need an external monitor. The one we recommend is the Atomos Ninja V. This external monitor has a bright 5” screen and allows dad to bypass any on-board camera record limits for those long recitals or dance performances he wants to document. Currently on sale for $399, make sure to get the Angelbird SSD and reader if dad plans on recording straight to the monitor itself.
On-camera Microphone
Audio can make or break a video, so make sure dad has a quality microphone. Take dad’s content to the next level with the ultra-lightweight and compact, Rode VideoMic Go II. This particular on-camera mic exhibits powerful features that are simple to use and multifunctional with the ability to use it with either a camera, smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Polarizing Filter
For higher contrast while shooting in during midday, one piece of equipment dad will love is a circular polarizer. A circular polarizer is like sunglasses for your lenses and will remove reflections. Ultimately, this makes the leaves look greener, the skies bluer, and the beautiful rocks at the bottom of that secret mountain lake revealed. Make sure you know the lens diameter of dad’s lens to get the right size, but dad will be thrilled.
Small LED Panel
Opposite of midday shoots, and for the times when there isn’t much light available, get dad a small LED panel to brighten any scene. A few options we love here at the store are the Aputure MC or the LumeCube Panel Pro. Both have bi-color and RGB capabilities for more creative work and endless possibilities for dad.
Accessories
Memory cards, readers, UV filters, microfiber cloths, lens cleaning spray, and more. You can never go wrong when it comes to stocking up on camera supplies for dad. Of course, gift cards are always a great option too or even a sensor cleaning to help his camera feel like new again. Other small accessories we recommend are camera straps like the Peak Design SlideLite, or the Peak Design Capture Clip. Not to mention, a piece of equipment that can always come in handy is the Rode Thread Adapter.
Lookout for special Father’s Day deals on brands like Panasonic, Sigma, Tamron and Sony. We wish all the hard-working dads out there a Happy Father’s Day!