Buy your own lenses/accessories or borrow?

[hokkaido88]

It's quite normal if we lend our lenses/gears to someone close to us who happen to be a photographer.

But what's your reaction if you found out that they exploit you and have a mindset 'If I can borrow why should I buy'?

Thus indirectly you'd be the one sponsoring them for their hobbies.

 

[Ninja23XX]

It's quite normal if we lend our lenses/gears to someone close to us who happen to be a photographer.

But what's your reaction if you found out that they exploit you and have a mindset 'If I can borrow why should I buy'?

Thus indirectly you'd be the one sponsoring them for their hobbies.

If you lend someone your stuff, perpare yourself that it would not receive the same care you would give to the items. And be prepared for damages, bruises or even malfuction. And the infamous excuse "I don't know, it just happen like that"...


GMAN

 

[tokrot]

If you lend someone your stuff, perpare yourself that it would not receive the same care you would give to the items. And be prepared for damages, bruises or even malfuction. And the infamous excuse "I don't know, it just happen like that"...


GMAN

:bsmilie::bsmilie::bsmilie:
Nice ones.. But I agree.... :bsmilie::bsmilie:

 

[coolsigg]

It's quite normal if we lend our lenses/gears to someone close to us who happen to be a photographer.

But what's your reaction if you found out that they exploit you and have a mindset 'If I can borrow why should I buy'?

Thus indirectly you'd be the one sponsoring them for their hobbies.

this kind of mindset is very common and I do see it happening personally. hence, I don't lend or borrow any equipment to/from anyone. if I want something, I make sure I can afford and buy one. If I cannot afford, I will have to make do with what I have on hand or rent it.

of course, if during a photo outing, my kakis want to try something out on the spot its perfectly ok. but I wont lend out for an extended period of time.

 

[coolsigg]

If you lend someone your stuff, perpare yourself that it would not receive the same care you would give to the items. And be prepared for damages, bruises or even malfuction. And the infamous excuse "I don't know, it just happen like that"...


GMAN

yep, something like that happen to my friend. he can only LLST and had to put up with the inconvenience of not having a DSLR while it was being repaired.

 

[night86mare]

i might lend gear that is not important to me and costs relatively less

or lend when i am around, to people i think i can trust

otherwise, you can forget about touching my gear, kthxbai!!! after all, it is easily justified - i am saving you the trouble of having to fork out money if you damage my gear.

 

[coolsigg]

i might lend gear that is not important to me and costs relatively less

or lend when i am around, to people i think i can trust

otherwise, you can forget about touching my gear, kthxbai!!! after all, it is easily justified - i am saving you the trouble of having to fork out money if you damage my gear.

if they cannot afford to buy, they most probably cannot afford to pay you if they damage it! :bsmilie:

so, end of the day, better not to lend out one's gear.

 

[night86mare]

if they cannot afford to buy, they most probably cannot afford to pay you if they damage it! :bsmilie:

so, end of the day, better not to lend out one's gear.

:bsmilie:

maybe cannot afford, but not willing to buy, so most likely , not willing to afford to pay if damage..

i don't know, i don't like touching people's gear unless they are close to me, and always with the knowledge that i could pay them back if i damage their gear.

do unto others what you would have them do unto you, i guess.

 

[coolsigg]

i don't know, i don't like touching people's gear unless they are close to me, and always with the knowledge that i could pay them back if i damage their gear.

yep, my sentiments exactly. i also dun like to touch touch see see other people's camera stuff. similarly, I also dont like people to touch my things, especially people whom I had just got to know. this is to prevent arguements when things go wrong!

 

[hokkaido88]

yep, my sentiments exactly. i also dun like to touch touch see see other people's camera stuff. similarly, I also dont like people to touch my things, especially people whom I had just got to know. this is to prevent arguements when things go wrong!

No wonder. I noticed that some ppl wearing rolex and driving nice car still begging you to lend them.They give all sorts of excuses i.e last minute plan trip and need the gear asap and only you could help.

Another group is as you all pointed out, has high chance of unable to pay for the damage or think it's not worth buying it.
But do you really feel upset if you get to know their altitude( i.e telling someone of your friend and somehow the rumour gets to you) ,'why should I buy and waste my money if I can borrow?'

I had experience lending some cheap gear to someone close with me and it get scratched. She said it's still working and anyway the equipment would wear off. I think for those who really cae of their equipment and never let it scratch, but somehow those ppl borrow from you scratched it has this kind of altitude. What's more to pay for the damage.
At least if she said 'Sorry I don't or I it's my fault, etc etc'.

But anyone has ask for compensation if your equipment get scratched?

You see, some ppl just pleading you and threat you nicely when they want it from you. If anything happen, they don't even want to pay and end up losing a friend.
But if you dont' lend it, they said you're not a friend of them.
Or if it's happend to be your gf, then she might threaten to this and that and said 'what's more important for you, your gear or me?'

Nowadays DSLR is quite common.So either your best friend/gf who happen to be don't know anything 'bout camera would request you to lend to them. I think for this case it'll be quite rude if you ask them to buy for their own and said 'you can afford it'.

I think for those who've experience any of the above would understand the situation. It's not as simple as saying 'NO' and 'I love my equipment'.

 

[coolsigg]

Another group is as you all pointed out, has high chance of unable to pay for the damage or think it's not worth buying it.
But do you really feel upset if you get to know their altitude( i.e telling someone of your friend and somehow the rumour gets to you) ,'why should I buy and waste my money if I can borrow?'

I wont feel upset becos they arent going to get anything form me lor...

Or if it's happend to be your gf, then she might threaten to this and that and said 'what's more important for you, your gear or me?'

if my gf ask, I will let her use my camera. but she also know I super ngeow, so most likely she wont want to use my DSLR. maybe only use the PNS or film camera.

Nowadays DSLR is quite common.So either your best friend/gf who happen to be don't know anything 'bout camera would request you to lend to them. I think for this case it'll be quite rude if you ask them to buy for their own and said 'you can afford it'.

I think for those who've experience any of the above would understand the situation. It's not as simple as saying 'NO' and 'I love my equipment'.

my friend did try to borrow, i just explain to them that its my principle not to loan out my equipment to friends due to prior bad experience.

if they are true friends, they will understand my point of view and won't insist.

 

[shaoken]

Actually if you are a frequent user of that particular lens (e.g. wedding photographers and wildlife photographer), you might as well buy the lens.
It may save you a lot in the long run.

But for people taking photography as a hobby, renting (I won't say borrow) it rather than buying it is more worth it if you think you will only use the lens once in a while.

 

[adamadam]

It's quite normal if we lend our lenses/gears to someone close to us who happen to be a photographer.

But what's your reaction if you found out that they exploit you and have a mindset 'If I can borrow why should I buy'?

Thus indirectly you'd be the one sponsoring them for their hobbies.

No worries. We were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.

Last time I lent out my 17-85 for 6 months+
I haven't seen my 12-24 and 70-200 (f/2.8 IS) for months, lent out my 35L for a couple of days last week... no worries.... I'm infecting them all! BAHAHAHAHAAHAHA

 

[nakashimamika]

Usually i dun lend people equipment unless I know them well + I know they take care of equipment..

If I am taking on assignment, I will rent it from shops or from willing friends (paying them of course)..

I did borrow a body from a friend for an assignment once, but it jus feels wrong to borrow something to earn money.

 

[aryanto]

You see, some ppl just pleading you and threat you nicely when they want it from you. If anything happen, they don't even want to pay and end up losing a friend.
But if you dont' lend it, they said you're not a friend of them.

I dont need this kind of friend

Or if it's happend to be your gf, then she might threaten to this and that and said 'what's more important for you, your gear or me?'

I dont need this kind of gf. Let say you borrow their expensive branded bags and proceed to put groceries inside it like um.. say fish and prawn and sotong ... what will she say?
what is more important for you, your bag or me?

 

[night86mare]

Or if it's happend to be your gf, then she might threaten to this and that and said 'what's more important for you, your gear or me?'

if i had this sort of gf, i would dump her, period.

in the first place, if i knew she was like that, i would not have gone out with her. simple, isn't it?

 

[Headshotzx]

A few friends and I regularly allow lenses to be borrowed within our circle, sort of a 'pooling', if you will.

Benefits of such pooling is that it meets the need of a particular shoot without the photographer having to purchase/rent the gear. Also, since the borrower has already tried it, he/she should get a general idea about the features / IQ of the gear. The lender might want to sell it next time to the borrower and it might be easier that way.

Of course, the drawback is that in case someone breaks / damages something, you'll be left with the decision whether or not to charge the borrower. Thankfully nothing serious has happened while I've been lending/borrowing gear for the last year and a half.

 

[tkbonz]

If its friends who want to borrow for a day to "try" or shoot for some "event", I'll just smile and say "Sorry, its not convenient". Don't need to tell long story or lie.

 

[WuffRuff]

My principle is, I only borrow things that I am willing to lend too.
That means if I borrow something from you, I must be willing to lend you my similar thing too. If I will not want to lend you something, I will not borrow it from you too. It is like doing unto others what you would have them do unto you. And I am not comfortable with borrowing expensive stuff even if I am willing to lend my own expensive stuff.

What I am most pissed with is people who want to borrow your stuff and will not lend you their similar things! :angry: