BUY, LEASE OR RENT?
Digital Photographer|Issue 251
When investing in expensive, high-end and professional camera equipment, is it better to own it outright or to hire the kit whenever you need it? We explore the pros and cons of each option
BUY, LEASE OR RENT?

Whether you’re an enthusiast or a professional, there’s no denying that photographic kit is expensive. There are certainly ‘budget’ options for lenses and accessories, but it can often take many paid shoots to reap back the initial outlay on gear, so any purchase you make should be carefully considered against your business budget in the first place.

While it is sometimes possible to save money by using creative solutions on a shoot– for example, choosing to use a kit zoom lens over a premium prime – when you’re producing high-end content for clients, you simply need the best tools for the job at hand.

Of course, buying new gear isn’t always necessary, especially if you’re only planning to use an item for one or two jobs (we’re looking at you tilt-shifts), so have you considered renting or leasing specialist cameras and lenses? That way, you can build the cost into client quotes, or you can make payments gradually instead of in one big splurge.

Over the next few pages, we’ll look at your best options for buying, renting, and leasing equipment – and the advantages of each.

Buying camera kit

Bu hikaye Digital Photographer dergisinin Issue 251 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Digital Photographer dergisinin Issue 251 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Apply a stylised detail enhancement
Digital Photographer

Apply a stylised detail enhancement

Give your photos a movie aesthetic with the bleach bypass effect in Photoshop

time-read
1 min  |
Issue 280
Sony FE 16-25mm f/2.8 G
Digital Photographer

Sony FE 16-25mm f/2.8 G

Matthew Richards investigates this lightweight wide-angle zoom lens with a unique focal range

time-read
1 min  |
Issue 280
Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR
Digital Photographer

Nikon Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR

This lens offers everything from wide-angle to super-telephoto reach, says Matthew Richards

time-read
1 min  |
Issue 280
Novo Helix T50 Carbon Fibre Tripod
Digital Photographer

Novo Helix T50 Carbon Fibre Tripod

Adam Waring discovers an unfeasibly small yet feature-packed travel tripod

time-read
3 dak  |
Issue 280
OM System OM-1 Mark II
Digital Photographer

OM System OM-1 Mark II

James Artaius finds the OM-1 Mark II has features that you wish your camera did

time-read
4 dak  |
Issue 280
How do I get into events photography?
Digital Photographer

How do I get into events photography?

Jules Renahan, owner of Jules Renahan Photography and co-founder of PhotoHound, tells us what to expect when photographing events

time-read
2 dak  |
Issue 280
Career advice
Digital Photographer

Career advice

This issue, Claire Gillo looks at the logistics behind running a photography business and talks to an events photographer

time-read
2 dak  |
Issue 280
My dream photo kit
Digital Photographer

My dream photo kit

With help from used camera gear specialists MPB, we've created an expert photographer's fantasy camera kitbag

time-read
1 min  |
Issue 280
Create wet plate portraits
Digital Photographer

Create wet plate portraits

Recreate the collodion process for enhanced detail

time-read
1 min  |
Issue 280
Fine-tune colour and saturation
Digital Photographer

Fine-tune colour and saturation

Use Lightroom's extensive controls to enhance individual colours in your shots

time-read
1 min  |
Issue 280