You’re probably wondering why I’m asking this question right? Personally, I prefer to borrow a friend’s gear first before I buy the same equipment. However, there are times when neither of my friends have the exact gear I am looking to buy. So what would you do? Would you go online and check out the ratings or the reviews? In addition to my online research, I also rent equipment if at all possible.
But why rent? Well for one thing, it’s a lot cheaper than buying it at the onset. Camera gear isn’t cheap and I can play with the equipment before I swipe my credit card. I also rent for specific events or special needs. Before I bought my Canon 70-200mm f2.8L, I went to my local store and rented it for the weekend. It was a great way for me to test out the lens without completely committing myself to making the big purchase. I’ve also rented specialty equipment such as Pocket Wizards, reflectors, and even camera bodies. It all depends on how much I think I’ll be needing a specific piece of equipment. Sometimes, it’s much more economical for me to simply rent it rather than buy it.
Have you been wondering about using a full frame body? Rent it. I usually rent my gear from BorrowLenses.com, a local rental outfit close to where I live. Renting from these guys couldn’t be any easier. I can either drive 20 miles to their store or go online and borrow the gear from there. Renting online is a snap! I choose which gear I need, a couple of days later, it arrives in a well packed box with a return label. All I need to do is repack the item, place the return address and drop it in the mail. It couldn’t be any simpler than that.
Try before you buy.
Most frequently asked questions and answers can be found here.
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