Buy or Hire? A Photographer’s Guide to Gear
For months and months I’ve felt so limited with my photo and video gear… ‘I want to upgrade my camera, but which one do I go for?… I want to step up my videography game, so which gimbal is the best for my camera?…’ and so on. Can you relate? Everything changed when I started hiring gear. Now I can offer my clients more than I used to, without breaking the bank. So today I’d like to share my experience with hiring equipment as well as compare the benefits of hiring photo/video gear versus buying it.
Let’s go!
Benefits of HIRING photo/video gear:
Trying out new equipment
This one is my favourite! I feel like a child every time I get my hands on a new piece of equipment! Watching YouTube videos, figuring out how it works, testing and playing around… It’s such amazing feeling! And you can do it over and over again without limiting yourself by investing in just one piece of new gear.
Cheaper than buying (opportunity cost)
Every photographer has ‘the perfect’ kit they’re dreaming about getting… but the thing is you don’t need to buy it to be able to work with it. Considering how expensive photography as a ‘hobby’ is it can take years and years to save up to buy the ‘perfect’ camera and lenses, or to pay off the debt. Chances are by the time you finish paying off a brand new camera model is available with far better specs and (let me guess) you’d want to upgrade. New and better cameras are coming out all the time, and it’ll get expensive really quickly.
Get a backup (for events like weddings)
Are you planning photographing a wedding? Wedding photography always involves long hours and a huge responsibility… Did it make you want to buy another camera ‘just in case’? I don’t blame you! It’s life, anything can happen, and it’s definitely better to be prepared than cry over missed ‘key’ moments. But why not to hire a second camera it and pay a fraction of what you’d get payed for capturing a wedding instead of throwing 2-3 times more money than you’d get paid for that particular job?
For example, at WEX Photo Video hiring a camera body for a weekend would be on average £50-100 depending on a camera; a camera body with a lens/lenses would be around £100-200 while buying would cost you at least £1000!
Travel light and rent on the spot
I wish I realised this earlier. Honestly! A year ago I went for a photography assignment abroad. So I flew from London to Prague (Czech Republic) with ALL my gear (including light stands, soft boxes, umbrellas). As a result, with the strict rules for luggage I wasn’t able to bring much of my clothes…
You can research trusted photo rental services in the area you are travelling to and pack light. It will take a bit more preparation but you will be able to bring some clothes with you to the trip and a toothbrush 🙂
Try it before buying
The truth is we don’t always know exactly what we want… or need. Following a famous photographer and purchasing what they are using is one thing, another thing is getting it and realising it’s not the exact match to your photo/video needs.
When you have a play around with a new piece of gear, you will actually experience the workflow using it, test the footage/photos and SEE it for yourself if it’s the right gear for you.
Benefits of BUYING photo/video gear:
Knowing all ins and outs
When you own your gear, you have time to really get to know every button and function it has. Also, when it comes to a paid gig you’re confident in knowing how to handle your new piece of equipment. For example the battery life. Whether its a camera, a strobe, or gimbal that you just purchased, you don’t want to find yourself in the middle of a job and your battery just died…
No more reoccurring expenses
When you buy, it’s a one time purchase instead of continuous payments every time you hire gear out. Once the initial outlay in expenses are paid you can then keep a greater percentage of the profit from gigs.
No need to worry about collection/returning the equipment
Hiring equipment can get a bit daunting. You need to plan your photo/video shoots well in advance, making sure your kit arrives on time, or making time to go to collect it yourself. The hassle repeats once more when it’s time to return the gear.
No liability to any damage
Less stress of unknown repair costs in case something happens, and you can repair at your own leisure. You may not be too fussed about scratching the exterior of your camera, but a rental company may try and charge you for such damage.
I hope you found this post useful! As it’s based on my experience with hiring photography equipment, it might be different from your experience. How do you find hiring photo or video gear? Do you prefer hiring or buying gear for your photo/video shoots? Let me know in the comment section below!
Stay safe!
