I feel pretty confident in saying that most photographers love new gear. I am a habitual list maker and I have an ever-growing wish list of gear. Before I purchase new gear, I always rent it first to make sure that it will make a great addition to my camera bag. Click Away is only a month away and it is the perfect time to try out new gear. I already have my eye on a couple of lenses for my trip to San Antonio and these are a few things to keep in mind when deciding to rent new camera gear.
Rental length
No matter what kind of gear you choose to rent, whether it is a lens, camera or lighting equipment, the first decision you will need to make is how long you want to rent it. If you are planning on renting gear for Click Away, I would recommend scheduling your rental one or two days before your flight. Two days will give a little extra time to try out the gear before you leave and you will also have an extra day just in case the shipping carrier is delayed for some unforeseeable reason. For example, I am leaving for San Antonio on early Wednesday morning, so I will schedule my rental to arrive on Monday. I will fly home from San Antonio on Sunday and I will then send my rental back the next day. Scheduling a full week’s rental is a great way to have multiple chances to use the equipment and decide if it is something you will want to purchase in the future.
Cost and insurance
The expense of your rental is also a huge deciding factor. Often times a weekly rental is less expensive per day than a shorter rental period. The higher the replacement value of the lens, the more expensive your rental will be. For a small cost, I would recommend adding rental insurance onto your rental. Some rental companies have multiple insurance options. Make sure that if you add rental insurance onto your rental, that it covers accidental damage and theft. Chances are in your favor that nothing will happen to your rental but in case something does, you will want to have your bases covered.
Shipping or local pick up
Some rental companies offer local pick up for your rental gear. If you have the option near you, you can definitely save on shipping costs by picking up your rental instead of shipping it. Make sure to check pick up and drop off times to see if they fit into your schedule. My local camera store offers rentals but their drop off time does not always fit into my schedule. Shipping is convenient for me and with the included pre-paid return shipping label, it is my best option most of the time.
I did a quick comparison on what it would cost to rent a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II lens at four different rental companies that offer shipping. I compared 6 and 7 days rental periods – whichever was available. This lens is one of my very favorite lenses and I would highly recommend giving it a try if you haven’t before! I rented it many times before purchasing my own copy.
Lensrentals.com. For a 6 day rental, the cost is $77. Shipping is $25 and for full insurance, it is an extra $18 for a total of $120.
Borrowlenses.com. For a 7 day rental, the cost is $83. Shipping is 24.95 and insurance is $14 for a total of $121.95. Local pick up is also available.
Lensprotogo.com. For a 6 day rental the cost is $113. Shipping is included and insurance is $9 for a total of $122.
Aperturent.com. For a 7 days rental the cost is $113 and that includes insurance. Shipping is $63.68 (based on my zipcode in Utah) for a total of $176.68. Local pick up is also available.
