Renting or Owning?

[WidestScreen]

I know that some equipment is cost prohibitive to own. But, is there a piece of equipment that you feel you have to own, as opposed to renting it? I know that some people are very particular about their equipment and would rather own their equipment than having to deal with the hassle of renting. Thoughts?

 

[Editor]

It comes down to affordability. If you ask any photographer, they'll tell you owning equipment is their ultimate aim. We rent as a temporary measure. I avoid renting cameras because of their delicate nature.

 

[TheBlueElephant]

With a young family, I have to be extra cautious with my equipment, so renting frightens me. I don't want to be held liable for my kid accidentally breaking something I rented. My kids know that they don't touch any of my cameras, but I would still rather have them break something of mine than something I rented.

 

[LifeCaptured]

I have to own a great camera that I can work with and a good computer that will allow me to quickly upload and edit images. Anything else is gravy, in my opinion. Anything else can be rented or borrowed.

 

[The Aire]

I never considered renting equipment an option. To me, it would be like leasing a vehicle in that it would be a waste of my money.

 

[EyeView]

If it's your career, renting wouldn't even be an option because it'd be a hassle in the first place. Maybe you can when you're on a tight budget and only starting. But at the least, your camera should be your own.

 

[Starry]

There's nothing wrong with renting, but regularly used equipment should be bought instead. In the long term, you may save more money by investing in your equipment rather than constantly having to rent from time to time.

 

[JamesinJ]

I'm going to echo what a lot of people have been saying. You're going to want to rent to start out, until you can afford to buy your own equipment. I have found that when you rent, you have to get reacquainted with each new camera. Every camera has its quirks. Having your own allows you to become very familiar with a certain camera.

 

[Goldflash]

I have heard in the past about school photographers that rent equipment. It's a side hustle for some, so paying out to buy wouldn't really make sense to them.

 

[Sweet Takes]

I would never rent because I wouldn't want to be held liable if something happened to it. I borrow from friends, but I'm extra careful! I like to buy most of my equipment.

 

[Lighthouse]

You can turn this question around, and ask if you would be willing to rent your equipment out.

Or better still, would you buy equipment for the sole purpose of renting it out?