Buyers’ guide Dreamkit From renting pro kit to saving money on nearly new gear, hiring and second-hand buying can get you the cameras and lenses you crave. Here are some trusted services to try…
get more gear for your budget. Feel free to hunt out the most recent models of cameras and lenses, but remember to investigate previous- generation gear, too, because that’s where the greatest savings are. See yourself kitted up for a fraction of the price. These days, you can rely on reputable sellers to offer money-back guarantees and extended cover on the kit you’ve chosen, as well as friendly and expert advice. Of course, you’ll be able to trade-in unwanted kit against the price of what you want. Hire your dream gear Develop a ‘hire state of consciousness’, and the benefits will become clear. Lots of lenses and bodies are perfect for specific situations, but out of reach to most of us. If you hire the kit instead, you could pay the tiniest
fraction of the purchase price, while enjoying all the benefits. High-res pro bodies and fast lenses can be expensive, running into tens of thousands of pounds. But hire them, and you could be using the same gear as an elite photographer this weekend for only hundreds. Renting is also a chance to try before you buy. If thinking about a big purchase, or even switching systems, you’ll feel more assured after a few days spent with the equipment on loan. Get kitted out So, check out our top picks for hiring and pre-loved buying, as well as some of the options we spotted on these company sites. All references to current sales items and hire prices were correct as PN went to press – so be quick if you want to snag them!
ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS GET GAS – and not just the digestive kind. Gear Acquisition Syndrome is a real thing, and keeps us flipping through magazine ads and web pages as we look for new kit to raise the quality of our photography, or solve limitations. And GAS can be an expensive problem – unless you’re smart enough to look for solutions other than shopping at regular stores. Two great options for saving money are renting and buying second-hand. Thankfully, the market has never offered more reliable and easy-to-use options for both.
LensPimp › lenspimp.com › 01752 310132 The excellently named LensPimp was set up to help photo and video creatives get their hands on the latest cameras and optics for a fraction of the purchase price. Yes, it’s not just lenses on offer here, but bodies from all the major brands, flash equipment, accessories like battery grips – even sound recording kit, if you’re expanding into movies. Rental options run from a day to four weeks’ hire, and gear is couriered direct to your door, while deposits aren’t usually required. Why not try out a Fujifilm X-T4 for three
MPB › mpb.com › 0330 818 0756 One of the world’s largest dealers in pre-loved photo gear, MPB prides itself on giving customers an honest and hassle-free experience. There’s a spectacular range of cameras and lenses, including DSLRs, CSCs, action cams, digital rangefinders and medium format bodies, as well as tripods, bags, filters and batteries. Expect next-working-day delivery, a Shop second-hand Buying pre-loved kit, whether in like-new or well-used condition, will always save money compared to the list price. And that means you can enjoy your photography for less, or
days? Along with an XF50-140mm f/2.8 WR OIS lens, this will set you back £195.99 – 7% of the list price.
seven-day return policy and a six-month warranty, while all product photos are shot in- house, so you can see exactly what you’re buying. Selling is just as easy – consider what you could trade-in against your chosen gear. As of right now, you can pick up a used Nikon Z 7 body in excellent condition for only £1749 – that’s nearly £1000 less than the regular price.
TRYFUJIFILM
Fujifilm offers a free 48-hour loan on its latest X Series and GFX System cameras and lenses. In the X Series, current models in the loan scheme are the X-E4, X-Pro3, X-S10, X-T4 and X100V. If something bigger is to your taste, the GFX 50S II, GFX 100 and GFX 100S are on offer. The Try Fujifilm scheme allows five free 48-hour loans a year. To try a camera body and lens free for 48 hours, use two of your five annual loans. Of course, you still need to pay deposits for both items, and any extra charges if you want an extension beyond two days. If you do, and then go on to buy any equipment that you’ve tried, log on to your Fujifilm Connect account. Select Refunds/
Cashback, choose the voucher relevant to your loan, upload proof of purchase and you’ll get a refund of any loan charges. A live availability function allows you to check stock, and you receive a live update of any charges for a loan period longer
than the two free days. fujifilm-loan.com/en-gb
16 Photography News | Issue 97
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