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Photo gifts for fantastic moms

Your mom is the memory-keeper of the family, so how about giving her a camera to help her catch all those great moments?

Joshua Goldman
Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.
Lori Grunin Senior Editor / Advice
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
Expertise Photography, PCs and laptops, gaming and gaming accessories
Joshua Goldman
Lori Grunin
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1 of 9 Joshua Goldman/CNET

Olloclip camera lenses

If your mom loves her iPhone's camera but feels it could use some help in the lens department, consider some add-on lenses like those by Olloclip.

The company has a full lineup for both old and new iPhones including a 2x telephoto lens paired with a circular polarizer lens, a three-in-one macro lens, and its mainstay  four-in-one lens featuring fish-eye and wide-angle lenses as well as two macro lenses that focus at 0.7 inch (18mm) and 0.5 inch (12mm) from a subject.

The newest 4-in-1 Photo Lens for iPhone 6/6 Plus fits over the top of the phone and centers a lens over the back camera and the other over the front camera.

See all our tech picks for Mother's Day gifts.

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2 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Fujifilm Instax Share

Most people don't make prints anymore because they keep their photos on their phones. The Instax Share, though, isn't your ordinary printer, allowing you to wirelessly send shots to it straight from your smartphone. It's an instant printer, too, delivering Polaroid-like 2x3-inch prints without the need for ink cartridges, but with a little touch of nostalgia.

See all our tech picks for Mother's Day gifts.

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3 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Olympus Stylus SP-100EE

Want to get Mom a camera that's equally adept at group portraits and shooting from the sidelines? You want the SP-100EE. It has a built-in dot-sight positioned just above the electronic viewfinder. Put the dot on your favorite soccer player and you'll be set to shoot. The 50x f2.9-6.5 24-1,200mm lens with optical image stabilization means you have a lot flexibility when it comes to framing your shots, too.

See all our tech picks for Mother's Day gifts.

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4 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

A good choice for a family camera, the SX60 HS is great for photos as well as for video and has one of the smartest auto modes around.

See all our tech picks for Mother's Day gifts.

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5 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

It's not cheap, but if you're feeling generous and Mom's an experienced photographer, then get her the best advanced compact we've seen to date.

See all our tech picks for Mother's Day gifts.

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6 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II

This compact camera is more affordable than the LX100 but still makes a great compact choice if you want to help Mom to step up to better photo quality than what her phone can manage.

See all our tech picks for Mother's Day gifts.

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7 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Nikon D3300

If you want to get Mom a camera for photographing the kids, pets and travels, this affordable entry-level dSLR should do the trick without breaking your bank.

See all our tech picks for Mother's Day gifts.

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8 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Nikon D750

It may be pretty expensive as a gift from the kids, but if Dad or Mom's looking to gift herself with a great camera that's a nice step up from an entry-level dSLR, the D750 is a great choice.

See all our tech picks for Mother's Day gifts.

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9 of 9 Sarah Tew/CNET

Lensbaby Spark

If Mom already has a dSLR, a lens is a great idea to stimulate her creative juices. The Lensbaby Spark is an inexpensive and fun special-effects lens that comes in multiple mount options.

See all our tech picks for Mother's Day gifts.

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