Looking for great gifts for Dad this Father’s Day? Whether he’s into casual snapshots or capturing more serious photography, nothing beats a brand new camera. Here are some of the latest models from some of the best brands on the market. Choose the one that best suits his shooting style – and your budget – knowing it’ll make his day.
Fujifilm Instax Mini EVO
There’s a lot to like about this great little instant camera from Fujifilm. From its pocketable dimensions to its classic styling, this is the kind of camera any dad would be happy to take anywhere. And it’s packed with some pretty cool features too.
As a hybrid camera, the Instax Mini EVO combines conventional instant film output capability with the power of cutting-edge digital image capture, allowing you to print your pics in the moment as well as save them digitally for reprinting later. You can also get pretty creative with its 10 lens effects and 10 film effects, which combine to produce 100 different ways to enhance your images.
Instax Mini film is available in affordable packs of 10, 20 or 50 exposures, and in colour, with a black border, or in monochrome.
Leica Sofort 2
The Leica Sofort 2 is a very similar kind of hybrid instant camera – it even uses the exact same film – with a comparable shape, size, layout and functions. Aesthetically, it swaps out the retro vibe in favour of a cleaner, more contemporary look, and the Leica logo clearly announces its premium pedigree.
You pay a more premium price, of course, but you also get the unmatched precision of German engineering, which, in this case, translates into highly reliable colour fidelity in the printed pics.
Similarly, images are captured by the Sofort’s digital sensor and can be stored on a microSD card. Review your photos on the LCD screen and then choose only the ones you’d like to print, thanks to the Sofort’s selective printing capability. You can also transfer pics to your smartphone and share them seamlessly using the Leica FOTOS app.
Leica D-Lux 8
If you want to get Dad something even more sophisticated, you can’t go wrong with the latest model in Leica’s popular D-Lux line of premium point-and-shoot rangefinder cameras. The new D-Lux 8 continues a tradition established by the original D-Lux and takes it to the next level with a modest but thoughtful redesign that puts the focus on simplified user-friendly controls and a menu system inherited from the higher-end Leica Q.
The camera sports a higher-resolution rear screen and an updated viewfinder. It’s also the first D-Lux model to employ the versatile DNG file format in addition to conventional JPGs, and it comes bundled with its own handy on-camera flash.
Panasonic Lumix DC-S9
Landing at roughly the same price point, the new Panasonic Lumix S9 is another full-featured compact camera but with a couple of obvious advantages: a 24MP full-frame sensor and interchangeable-lens versatility, for starters. Lightweight, slim and highly portable, this is the perfect camera for anyone ready to make the switch from smartphone snapshots to more serious photography.
It’s also a great choice for someone who’s getting into content creation. The S9 is capable of recording 4K and 6K video with powerful image stabilization, flexible open-gate framing, and a revolutionary Real Time LUT function that lets you directly apply a selection of cinematic looks in-camera without the hassle of time-consuming post-process editing.
It’s easy to operate, and the generous full-frame sensor gives shooters a definite edge in less than ideal low-light scenarios. And in addition to classic black, the S9 also comes in handsome red or blue versions.