Unless you’re a working pro, it can sometimes be hard to justify shelling out the money for expensive camera gear. Heck, it’s hard for me sometimes, and I do gig this full time.
That’s why it makes sense to rent lenses, flashes and DSLR bodies from time to time.
Let’s way you’re headed to Alaska to photograph eagles or bears for a week and you think about how nice it would be to have a 300mm or 400mm, or even a 500mm telephoto lens for the trip.
Or you’re headed off to Italy and you’d love to have a PC or tilt shift lens for all the interiors and architecture you’ll be shooting.
Or you wonder if getting a few extra speedlights and going Joe McNally style just might help you nail that assignment you just booked.
While spending $7,000, or even a few hundred dollars on a lens, camera or flash(es) that you may not use very often might be a hard purchase, what about spending 1/20th of that amount for the chance to use some killer gear for a week?
That’s about how much California-based BorrowLenses.com and some of the other lens rental companies out there, like LensRentals.com charge.
And with a huge variety of equipent, (pretty much everything you’d ever want or need) fast shipping, and rental options that vary from 3 days to 4 weeks and everything in between, you’ll find that renting specialized photography equipment turns out to be a very reasonable option.
In fact one pro photographer friend of mine just competed an entire year-long project using a variety of rented lenses, which of course, means more profit for him.
Whether you need a specific item for an upcoming trip, photo assignment or personal project, or if you just want to try before you buy, consider renting camera gear. The money you spend will be made up in the increased quality of your imagery, which could easily turn into more stock sales or paying jobs, and the money you save will mean increased profits and a bigger budget for your trips and adventures.