Where to rent a lens?!

snips86x · 14 Jan 2013 at 08:00

I'm looking to rent a Canon 70-200mm F/2.8 before I buy one, but I'm not sure where to go, or the recommended sites.

I've found LensForHire and LensLocker, but I genuinely have no idea where to start.

Can you help please?

Derek W · 14 Jan 2013 at 08:28

There's been a few folk including myself who have used lens for hire. Personally i cant fault them.

snips86x · 14 Jan 2013 at 08:33

Derek W said:
There's been a few folk including myself who have used lens for hire. Personally i cant fault them.

Are either of the above genuine or do you have any recommendations?

Derek W · 14 Jan 2013 at 08:37

Yeah that's what I mean I've used lensforhire. Its genuine and provide a great service.

Shoei · 14 Jan 2013 at 08:38

I've used Hire a camera before. Very good.

Raymond Lin · 14 Jan 2013 at 08:39

Lensforhire.

a1ex2001 · 14 Jan 2013 at 10:56

Raymond Lin said:
Lensforhire.

I'll second or third that, rented a 100-400mm L for a trip to India shooting tigers and the service was beyond fault, Stewart who runs the company is a great guy and was very understanding when my lens return was slightly late due to a classic Indian Holiday bug!

If I were to need a specialist lens again I wouldn't hesitate to use Lensforhire again and similar have no qualms about recomending them to others as I did every time someone in India commented on the equipment I was using.

AtticusFinch · 14 Jan 2013 at 12:56

I use lenses for hire too - really great service.

I also regularly use Calumet in London as that's where i live - don't know whether they post though as I pick up and drop off fromt he store directly.

londonbairn · 14 Jan 2013 at 13:27

If it's the IS II you are after, I doubt you will be disappointed with it. It's one of Canon's best lens (IMO). Very sharp wide open across the focal range, with very fast AF and excellent IS (4 stop). One of my most used lens

Gaffer · 14 Jan 2013 at 14:33

snips86x said:
I've found LensForHire and LensLocker, but I genuinely have no idea where to start.

In the old world, lens rental was geared round pros. That was ok for press 'togs - they would ring round, find who had the lens they needed *today*, send a bike to collect it, have the weight of their newspaper or agency to take care of the insurance/risk coverage, pay for every day that the lens was off the shelf and not really care what the cost was.

Lenses for Hire broke that mold. Now you can book in advance, you pay only for rental days (shipping days not counted), they have very competitive rates and in general, they work a system which is geared round the way that the rest of the world works(*)

They have changed the landscape of lens rental in the UK.

I have used them several times. First class service. Can't fault them.

Andrew

(*) That said, I'm sure they do their fare share of pro rentals. But the are amateur friendly.

PistolPete · 14 Jan 2013 at 20:56

I've used Lens For Hire several times and would recommend them in a heartbeat.

K.C. Leblanc · 15 Jan 2013 at 18:03

AtticusFinch said:
I use lenses for hire too - really great service.

I also regularly use Calumet in London as that's where i live - don't know whether they post though as I pick up and drop off fromt he store directly.

I think it's collection only, they also don't hold much stock on some of their stores.

I spoke to their Bristol store about hiring a 70-200 f2.8. They only had one and it was out, turned out they only had about 4 Nikon lenses.

HappySnapper · 15 Jan 2013 at 18:51

If it's the Mark 2 you're looking at, don't hire unless you're actually prepared to buy one. Because you will

PistolPete · 15 Jan 2013 at 21:23

HappySnapper said:
If it's the Mark 2 you're looking at, don't hire unless you're actually prepared to buy one. Because you will

Tell me about it!!!