Renting Vs. Buying Camera Lenses

Trying to decide between renting or buying that latest piece of camera lens equipment you’ve been pining over?

Every photographer or video professional faces this dilemma as they further advance in the industry. With improving image standards, better specs, or simply just nicer possibilities, new camera lenses always present a shiny temptation to invest in. But before you swipe that credit card, you take into consideration the advantages of renting lenses instead of buying. You never know just how much time, money, and hassle you could save!

  • Experimentation 
    • Isn’t the whole point to have a little fun and flex your creative muscles? Renting lenses gives you the option to experiment and explore with what’s on the market, trying a variety of products and stylistic possibilities. For example, the tilt-shift is hardly an everyday lens but is fun to rent for a weekend in the city. This will help narrow your scope of products you’re interested in without forcing you to be married to a lens for a long time.
  • Flexibility 
    • Have a job that requires a specific piece of equipment? It’s totally worth renting instead of letting it sit on your shelf for months at a time. You can also factor the cost of the rental into your bid, passing the cost to your client. You should never feel limited by your equipment and production possibilities.
  • Extra Gear
    • You never know when a piece of equipment is going to fail. You’d hate for that to happen in the middle of a job where a reshoot is impossible. It’s better to stock your bag with additional lenses to give you options and a piece of mind. Security is always a priority, especially in such an industry where equipment can be so volatile or fragile.
  • Bottom Line
    • Renting equipment saves you money, period. Not tying up your cash flow in lenses allows you to spend it on other parts of your business like marketing, or to save up and enjoy. And you never have to worry about the hassle of retiring your piece of equipment either.
  • Comparison
    • Are you trying to decide between a 400mm prime or the 100-400 zoom? Take them both for a test drive by renting! This will let you see which result you like best and help you make a decision before purchasing. That, or you can rent both to enjoy a variety of shooting possibilities.

Before you make a big purchase, try renting several lenses to weigh your options. You might find what you don’t like as much or what is more cost effective to rent on an as need basis compared to outright purchasing. This will give you piece of mind when you’re ready to purchase a new lens.

Ready to give something a test run? Give us a call or read the How-To-Rent page to rent Camera Lenses with Bolt Productions today.