It’s Christmas time. You may have someone in your life that wants to be a photographer. Maybe you want to encourage them this Christmas with the gift of photography. So what should you buy?

First of all, this list assumes you aren’t looking to buy something used. That’s perfectly acceptable though, especially if you’re buying for someone who might grow out of their photographic interests very quickly.

Secondly, I’m making this list as inexpensive as possible without sacrificing quality.

With all that said, let’s do this.

1. The Camera. So for the camera, I am recommending the Sony a6100. Sony isn’t the only game out there, but they have the most inexpensive options for lenses, making Sony the most cost-efficient system for starter photographers. The a6100 is the successor for the revolutionary a6000 camera. It is an entry-level camera that is incredibly easy to learn with and will yield great results. It costs roughly $750. For a bit more, you can get the a6400 which has better video features. I don’t think a new photographer needs that, but it is an option.

2. A Wide-Angle Lens. For a starter lens, I would recommend a 35mm. It has a nice range so that it can be used easily for any kind of photography. However, in this case, I am specifically recommending the Sigma 30mm f/1.4. I owned it. It’s a killer lens and it is very inexpensive. I love Sigmas.

3. My Favorite Lens (Kind-of). So my favorite focal length for lenses is the 85mm. As someone who loves portraits, the 85 is just perfect for me. Here I am recommending the Viltrox 85mm f/1.8. Its a great lens that will only run you $400. I own it. It is well worth the price. However… my actual favorite lens is the Sigma 85mm f/1.4. Man, there is nothing like the look that you can get with this lens. I love it. It’s much more expensive though.

4. The Camera Strap. Trust me, you need a good camera strap. Use them as much as possible. The ones they include with the camera suck. I like the Peak Design strap. Its the most functional camera strap I’ve ever used and they have their own eco-system for photography products that function together.

5. The Tripod. This isn’t completely necessary for a newbie, but I do recommend getting a tripod at some point. Even though it isn’t cheap, I am still recommending the Peak Design travel tripod. It’s pretty great. You can always get a cheaper tripod to start off though.

So there you go. That’s the list. I’ll say this. If I were starting out, this is the gear list I would want. This is a very solid setup for any photographer. If they put in the work, this gear will give them amazing results.