Christmas has always felt like a season made for film photography. The glow of tree lights, the softness of snowfall and the slower rhythm of winter all seem to nudge us toward taking our time. Shooting film during the holidays feels almost ceremonial – load the roll, wind the lever and let the moments unfold at their own pace.
This year, there’s no shortage of film-friendly gifts to delight the analog photographer in your life (even if that photographer is you). From cameras and film to developing, scanning and printing, here’s a look at some of the standout tools that can bring a little extra magic to this season.
Film & Cameras: Capturing the Holiday Glow
There’s something special about slipping a fresh roll of film into a camera on Christmas morning. For the casual shooter, single-use cameras like the XP2 Single Use Camera and the HP5+ Single Use Camera are perfect for parties and family gatherings. They produce beautiful results straight out of the box and their simplicity makes them ideal for handing out to guests or better yet – kids.
If you want something reusable, the Harman EZ35 camera is a great option – easy to use, compact and surprisingly capable. Pair it with fresh film like Harman Phoenix 200 (available in both 35mm and 120 formats), FP4+ (24 or 36 exposures) or Delta DP400 for those indoor evening celebrations. Each film brings its own look to the season, from FP4+’s classic smooth grain to Phoenix 200’s distinctive character in colour.
Large format photographers will benefit from great prices on Delta DP100 in 120 rolls or 4×5 sheets. For those who love to create prints directly in-camera, the Direct Positive FB Gloss 8×10 sheets make a truly unique gift. Imagine handing someone a one-of-a-kind portrait you created right on the spot.
Developing: The Darkroom as a Winter Retreat
Once the celebrations wind down, developing your film feels like the perfect winter ritual. Whether you’re a seasoned darkroom worker or a newcomer, there’s something deeply satisfying about watching images appear for the first time.
For anyone just stepping into home development, the Paterson Darkroom Starter Kit is the perfect gateway. It includes everything needed to start processing film confidently. If space is tight – or you want a portable setup for the cottage or holiday travel – the Ilford Pop-Up Darkroom creates a fully functional lightproof workspace wherever you need it.
Digitizing: Bringing Christmas Memories to the Screen
For hybrid shooters who love film but appreciate digital convenience, the Negative Supply system continues to shine. Start with a light source: the 4×5 Light Source Basic MK2 in both 99 CRI and 97 CRI versions or the 4×5 Light Source Pro with its 99 CRI illumination, offers incredibly consistent lighting for evaluating negatives or preparing for contact printing. These tools bring a professional-level control to your workflow, even in a compact holiday setup. If you’re digitizing B&W only, the 97 CRI Basic MK2 is all you need. For colour work, choose either of the CRI 99 light sources for near perfect colour reproduction.
The Basic Film Carrier 35 MK2 makes scanning 35mm fast and precise. Medium format shooters will appreciate the 120 Full Border Scanning Cassette, perfect for preserving the look of your entire frame – including those beautiful film edges.
To get your camera to the perfect height, the Basic Riser MK3, the compact Basic Riser Mini MK2 and the larger Basic Riser XL all offer sturdy, vibration-free scanning setups. Those who want the full professional-level experience can upgrade to the Pro Riser MK3.
For convenience, the Essential 35mm Kit (2025 version) bundles the key pieces into an accessible all-in-one setup for 35mm slides and negatives. Large format photographers should opt for the XL Pro Kit, which include everything needed to digitize 35mm, 120 and 4×5 film with exceptional accuracy. Whether you’re scanning your Christmas morning negatives or a year’s worth of memories, these tools ensure clean, detailed results.
Printing: Turning Images Into Gifts You Can Hold
Once your images are developed and scanned, the final step is the one that truly brings them to life: printing. Winter is a perfect season for it – quiet evenings, warm drinks and the soft hum of an inkjet printer turning memories into something tangible.
When it comes to paper, this season includes a dazzling lineup of options. Let’s start with one of my favourite papers: Hahnemühle William Turner, available in cut sheet and large rolls, offers a rich textured feel ideal for fine art prints. Natural Line Agave 290gsm is another standout, blending environmental responsibility with beautiful tonality.
For those looking for bright, crisp results, Hahnemühle PhotoRag® Bright White shines. If you prefer smooth, glossy finishes for everyday or holiday prints, Ilford Prestige Smooth Gloss comes in 4×6 and 5×7 packs – perfect for printing stacks of Christmas cards or family photos. For something more luxurious, Ilford Prestige Gold Cotton Smooth and Prestige Gold Mono Silk add richness and depth to any image.
Artists will appreciate the Ilford Prestige FineArt lineup, which includes textured Silk papers, Smooth Pearl and, for something truly unique, Raster Pearl. Photographers with a taste for traditional or handmade finishes can explore Ilford Prestige Washi Torinoko – a gorgeous way to add a unique tactile quality to your images.
For prints with depth and an organic feel, Ilford Prestige Textured Cotton Rag and Smooth Cotton Rag offer natural beauty and archival permanence. Cotton Artist Textured paper in 4×6 and 5×7 sizes gives smaller prints a distinctive handmade look, while Ilford Prestige Fine Art Smooth offer clean, modern perfection.
Looking to gift your images? Hahnemühle PhotoRag® Metallic 4×6 cards in a metal tin create eye-catching prints that look stunning under Christmas lights.
If you need to cut your prints down to smaller sizes, don’t ruin your dining room table! A good cutting surface makes all the difference. The Rotatrim Cutting Mat gives you a reliable, self-healing workspace for trimming borders, cutting cards or preparing prints for framing or gifting.
Finally, for long-term organization and preservation, the 35mm Negative File Spare Pages and 6x6cm Negative File Pages keep your film safe, flat and ready for scanning or printing long after the Christmas tree comes down.
A Season Made for Making Things
Christmas and film photography share the same spirit: slowing down, paying attention and finding beauty in small things. Whether you’re loading a simple single-use camera, processing your own film, digitizing your archives or creating museum-quality prints, this season invites us to reconnect with why we fell in love with photography in the first place.
Here’s to a Christmas filled with good light, fresh rolls, beautifully cut prints and images you’ll treasure for years to come.
Author: Will Prentice
A portrait, fine art and commercial photographer for 30 plus years, Will Prentice is not just a contributor to PHOTONews magazine, but also host of PHOTONewsTV, owner of Captura Photography+Imaging and Technical Support/Brand Manager for Amplis Foto, Canada’s largest distributor of photographic equipment.
Will teaches photographers of all skill levels how to improve their craft – from creative photo projects to picking the right gear for their needs to flattering lighting to getting the best expressions to creating final images for screen and print. His unique style of highly detailed images with perfect tonality, wide dynamic range and stunning colour is instantly recognizable. Commercial clients rely on Will’s creative eye and mastery of lighting.
When he’s not behind the camera or in front of a class, you’ll find Will outdoors in any weather – usually on one of his bikes or enjoying time with his grandchildren.
