The best photography gifts for Christmas 2012

Clik Elite Klettern bag

£180, amazon.co.uk
Camera backpacks are usually about as attractive as the rear end of a bus, but the Klettern looks back to traditional klettersack bags for design inspiration. There’s plenty of space inside too: room for a 17-inch laptop as well as a standard DSLR and flash or extra lens. There’s even a pull-out tripod sleeve.

Lensbaby Composer

£165, lensbaby.co.uk
Available for almost every DSLR lens mount system around, the Composer features twin lenses joined by a ball and socket, allowing you to move them around and defocus parts of the frame while your subject stays sharp.

Sony Alpha SLT-A77

£1660 (w/16-60mm lens), sony.co.uk
It might look like a DSLR, but Sony’s enthusiast camera actually features a translucent mirror, allowing it to shoot at 12fps with barely any shutter lag. There’s an electronic viewfinder as a consequence, but its huge and uses OLED technology, making it one of the best we’ve ever clamped eyes (or eye) on. The sturdy body and quick autofocus are other pluses, and the image and video quality? Nothing short of stunning.
Read our review

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5

£930 (w/14-42mm lens), panasonic.co.uk
If you’re looking for something a little less hardcore than the Olympus OM-D but compact and still capable of taking stunning shots and video, the G5 is well worth a scope. It’s not quite as much of a master in low light, but it delivers a winning level of control, a classy UI and good images and videos.
Read our review

Think Tank Retrospective 10 bag

£115, harrisoncameras.co.uk
This unassuming shoulder bag lets you heave round a veritable treasure trove of gear, including a DSLR with lens attached and two to four additional lenses. It’s also rainproof, and opens silently – ideal if you don’t want to scare away any of your subjects.