If you’ve been in photography for a while, you’ve probably decided to expand your photography gear at some point.  Some photography gear on the market is cheap while other gear is expensive.  If you buy some cheap gear and later become unhappy with your purchase, then you aren’t out a lot of money.  However, the problem comes when you buy some expensive gear which you become unhappy with.  Then you’re out a significant chunk of money.  How do you avoid this problem?  There’s a simple answer: rent camera gear before buying it.  That’s what we’re discussing today.

You probably already know just how expensive camera gear can be.  Camera bodies and lenses are the most expensive gear which you purchase.  You can easily sink hundreds to thousands of dollars into a complete system.  Then, a few years later, camera technology advances and your camera body becomes outdated.  Alternatively, you discover you like a different kind of photography which you aren’t currently equipped to succeed at.  To sum it up, there are plenty of reasons why you might want to buy new expensive camera gear.  You know your situation here.

Why You Should Rent Camera Gear Before Buying

If you’re like me (and there’s a good chance you are), then you’ve researched out different options on the market. Perhaps you’ve been lusting after it for a while.  You’ve read reviews written by others about how a particular piece of gear worked for them. You’ve even viewed examples of photos taken using said gear. Now you must decide if said gear will work for you and your needs. I’m going to counter that next step with: “how do you know until you try it for yourself with your rig?” What if it doesn’t work with you current gear? What do you do if the new equipment doesn’t meet your needs once you buy it? This is why you should rent camera gear before buying it.

Perhaps this statement should go without saying, but make sure you rent the EXACT model of camera gear which you are planning to buy.  You will gain little useful information by renting something similar and no useful data by renting something different than the item(s) you plan on buying.

I’ve rented a couple of pieces of camera equipment in the past. One was a lens. The other was an expensive accessory. I learned what I liked and didn’t like about each during the time I had access to them. Because of this, I ended up buying another version of the accessory after I was done renting it. I still use it to this day and other photographers ogle over it. I didn’t buy the lens because it didn’t end up working for me and my needs. Think of the money I saved by renting the lens for a week instead of buying it outright untested.

What Kinds of Camera Gear Can You Rent?

Now, one question which should cross your mind is “what camera gear can I rent?”  The answer is a lot.  You can rent camera bodies, lenses of all kinds, flash units, batteries, tripods and other mounting accessories, filters, memory cards, off-camera lighting, camera bags, tons of different accessories, and more.  However, what you can rent highly depends upon which source you choose to rent from.  You are, of course, limited to rent from what they currently have in-stock at the moment.

If you have any questions about what you can rent, I suggest checking the online inventories of various camera gear rental agencies to see what they have to offer.  Also, consult each company for information about rental prices and how long you can rent for.

Where Can I Rent Gear From?

Another question which you should quickly be asking yourself is: “where can I rent camera gear from?”  You can find your answer with a simple internet search.  However, I will offer a list of a few which I found.  I’m not endorsing any of these companies by listing them here.  I list them for informational purposes only.

If you wish to rent camera gear before buying, consider consulting one or more of these companies or many others.  I’ve used Borrow Lenses myself and was satisfied with their service and rental gear.

Conclusion

If you want to buy new camera gear, then you should rent it first.  Then you learn if it’s right for you and your rig without the over-encumbering cost of buying it first.  There are plenty of companies to rent from with inventories full of camera equipment.  You should easily be able to find what you need and test it out before buying.  Then you can be certain that you’re making the right choice buying camera gear.