Ever lend your gear to friends?

[cosworth]

I've never lent a piece of gear to someone without me being there. I let people try my lenses at the track or out on shoots no problem.

Are you freaky anal about your lens only touching your hands or is it an open marriage with your glass? :cool:

I'm sure there is a horror story or two out there and some tales of marriage straining purchases after using a buddy's lens. Gujustud and Saturnin got to use my 300 2.8, 1.4 tc and 70-200 2.8 and I think it was good for them to try some new stuff.

Ever been inspired by another person's glass on your body? Using a lens in the store to shoot across the street sucks. Renting is the way to go if you have no friends that love you. :p

[JAZZ D.P.G.]

:shock: :shock: :shock: Even considering this makes me ill.

I have let others use my gear under my close supervision, just so they can see what and how each lens or piece might work.

Lend it out.

NO

Edit: Even the thought of borrowing someone elses gear unsettles me. Rent yes, borrow not so sure.

[Jon, The Elder]

I've got a 100-400 L that I loan to a friend a couple times a year. He doesn't see spending $1700.00 for a lens he only needs occasionally.
I do not shoot with people who do not respect and understand their gear.
He knows and understands that in his posession, the lens is his responsibility, period.

[In2Photos]

Only to friends whom are as anal as I am about their gear. I can only think of a couple of friends that would even want to use it and only 1 or 2 who are brave enough to ask. ;)

I did however ask a co-worker if I could borrow his 430EX while mine was being fixed. I wonder how he really felt when he handed it over. :lol:

[gjl711]

I have few friends who are close enough that I would not hesitate to loan out my equipment; however, this has never been tested as none are Canon shooters. I have loaned many a tool and borrowed many as well. I have even loaned out my car and at times my kids will go with them on a family outings, so if I am willing to loan out my kid, a lens is trivial.

[rhys]

Lend only the things you don't want back.

Lend expensive camera gear - NO WAY.

[blonde]

i lend all my lenses to friends. i have a friend that takes my 100-400 every time there is a air show and takes my 24-70 whenever he wants to do some portraits. i just recently got the 500 f4 but if he wants it, he can have it. i trust him to take care of it and even if something happens, it is just gear and it is insured. i am like that with everything i own by the way and my friends used to take my cars whenever they needed it..

[Glenn NK]

I will let someone hold my camera, but I always put the strap around their neck first.:D

Does this constitute anal?;)

Lenses don't have straps.:lol:

[Zilly]

i lend to my dad thats about it

[cosworth]

Lenses don't have straps.:lol:

some do!

[In2Photos]

i lend all my lenses to friends. i have a friend that takes my 100-400 every time there is a air show and takes my 24-70 whenever he wants to do some portraits. i just recently got the 500 f4 but if he wants it, he can have it. i trust him to take care of it and even if something happens, it is just gear and it is insured. i am like that with everything i own by the way and my friends used to take my cars whenever they needed it..
I don't know about that kind of borrowing. It seems like you are being used. If you borrow something of his the same way and you like that arrangement then fine. I had some "friends" that used to be the same way. They only called when they needed something. I stopped answering the calls...

[saravrose]

My cousin shoots with my gear.. when I'm around. I very rarely let her take anything without my being there... But I do trust her with it. I don't think there's anybody else i'd be as accomodating with..

sari

[condyk]

I am happy for people to play with my gear under close supervision. My proper, rather than virtual, friends don't really know a camera beyond a P&S and aren't interested, so I'm pretty safe.

[DigiGrin]

Never!!!
Not even my girlfriend .. errr, hi honey .. :p

[cpd23]

Well I guess I look at it a little different. I would only loan what I was willing to borrow and a lens or frame I would not even think about borrowing.

[blonde]

I don't know about that kind of borrowing. It seems like you are being used. If you borrow something of his the same way and you like that arrangement then fine. I had some "friends" that used to be the same way. They only called when they needed something. I stopped answering the calls...

i have borrowed many things from the same guy and he has been there for me every single time i needed help. i have no problem calling him right now and telling him that i need a 5D for a shoot and i can pick it up 20 mins later.

i also had friends like you had and i did the exact same thing you did. the OP question was about lending gear to friends and people that only call when they need you don't fall under that catagory for me.

[SuzyView]

This is an interesting discussion because I would never have considered switching lenses or borrowing someone else's gear, but when I met up with some POTN friends here, we had no trouble handling each others' equipment and I would lend Jon just about anything I have. He's great. I just offered the soccer coach's wife my 70-200 IS to shoot on Saturday while she had her 70-300 on her XT, which she refused without batting an eyelash because the white lens was more lens than she'd ever handled and would be too nervous with it. I wouldn't have minded because I would be helping her learn more about using the gear. But I let my sons and my husband use the equipment when I'm there. It's silly to think I can't replace the gear. I can't replace my family. And if anything were to happen to me (heaven forbid), someone should know how to use the stuff. It would be a shame not to pass it to my own family.

[Paul Tinworth]

I've lent my gear (not very expensive by comparison to the majority of the gear that belongs to people replying to this thread, but I hold it dear all the same!) to close friends for photography assignments and such. Anyone who I wouldn't consider a close friend, or someone with whom I had no mutual contacts with, I wouldn't lend things to as a general rule of thumb.

My only provision was that they pay for the cost of repair if they break it and that they should have the common sense to keep the strap around their necks at all times!

[Lord_Malone]

I've never lent a piece of gear to someone without me being there. I let people try my lenses at the track or out on shoots no problem.

Are you freaky anal about your lens only touching your hands or is it an open marriage with your glass? :cool:

I'm sure there is a horror story or two out there and some tales of marriage straining purchases after using a buddy's lens. Gujustud and Saturnin got to use my 300 2.8, 1.4 tc and 70-200 2.8 and I think it was good for them to try some new stuff.

Ever been inspired by another person's glass on your body? Using a lens in the store to shoot across the street sucks. Renting is the way to go if you have no friends that love you. :p


Jason, loan me your 300L for a few weeks. I'm good for it.

[cosworth]

Actually, you are. But you live too far away. So, no. :)

[Lord_Malone]

Actually, you are. But you live too far away. So, no. :)

It was worth a shot. I'd still buy you a beer. How about I send you part of my half-eaten turkey on rye? It should get to you before it goes bad.

[steved110]

I never lend anything I can't afford to lose. I can afford to lose any thing except my friends. I have a few good ones, who are worth more to me than all my possessions put together. I would lend gear to them, but fortunately they don't do photography and would rather borrow my P&S....;)

Lucky or what!

[Jon, The Elder]

Seems like there are 2 profiles showing up in here.

Givers and keepers.

[thomascanty]

I've borrowed a lens from a friend once. But, I can't recall ever lending one. I may have let someone use one of mine while I was there, but I don't think I've ever let one out of my sight. I wouldn't have a problem with it though, as long as it was someone I trust.

[JAZZ D.P.G.]

It was worth a shot. I'd still buy you a beer.

Yeah, but it would be an American beer. :confused:

[In2Photos]

i have borrowed many things from the same guy and he has been there for me every single time i needed help. i have no problem calling him right now and telling him that i need a 5D for a shoot and i can pick it up 20 mins later.

i also had friends like you had and i did the exact same thing you did. the OP question was about lending gear to friends and people that only call when they need you don't fall under that catagory for me.
I figured that was the case. Those kinds of friends are great to have and not always easy to find.

[Steve Parr]

I don't do it often, but I do it.

Like Jon, I only lend it to people who I know will treat it as if they'd invested their own hard-earned money into it.

I've never had a bad experience loaning my gear to anyone...

[Woolburr]

I have loaned lenses to a couple of different forum members...and did a lens swap with a member for the weekend...he needed a 24-70 and I needed a 300...worked out great for both of us. Hell...if a person is serious enough about photography to own a 5D or a 1D series...I suspect they probably could be trusted with a lens. Most of my glass is L stuff...so it is designed to be used.

[thewavebb]

I will lend any of my gear to my wife and my mother. I got them both into photography and they have more respect for my gear then I do. I will let somebody demo a lens in a very controlled environment, but thats about it. if they wanted it for an extended period of time, I direct them to a local shop that rents gear for low cost.

[Tapeman]

All my gear is borrowed. Can someon lend me their 500 4L?

[liza]

Lend my gear? Never, ever, ever.

[Ronald S. Jr.]

No chance in hell. No one touches my stuff if I can help it. Twice, I've unfortunately had to hand my camera to someone to hold onto (both times, a relative), and both times I literally felt a bit sick after letting go of it. I guess it's because my gear isn't insured, and I can't afford another. That's pretty much why no one touches it.

[Woolburr]

No chance in hell. No one touches my stuff if I can help it. Twice, I've unfortunately had to hand my camera to someone to hold onto (both times, a relative), and both times I literally felt a bit sick after letting go of it. I guess it's because my gear isn't insured, and I can't afford another. That's pretty much why no one touches it.

I didn't drop your camera dood! Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh....

[Ronald S. Jr.]

Dan, you just grabbed the MkIIN. I didn't give it to you. :lol:

[ANali]

Lend to my brother - yes. Anyone else? Probably not. I loaned my film SLR to a BIL once, and it came back with something sticky on it...I don't even want to think about what that was...

I know that my brother will take care of anything I loan him - but he is not allowed to take it to Hawaii with him. The last camera he took there was destroyed in a car accident! :) (however, the CF card was fine, and he did not lose any pictures.)

Andrea

[Woolburr]

Dan, you just grabbed the MkIIN. I didn't give it to you. :lol:

I'll keep this in mind for future episodes.;)

[Moppie]

Seems like there are 2 profiles showing up in here.

Givers and keepers.


Looks like it.

I will gladly lend any of my gear to other Kiwi members, and I know that most of them will do the same.
Infact in the past, before I got my 30D, I have borrowed plenty of thier gear, including more L glass than I knew what to do with.

We work on a very simply understanding "if you break it you buy it, and if you can't afford to buy it, you don't borrow it."

[timbernet]

I lend gear to other POTN members that I know well.

One time, a friend and POTN member who shoots softball games wanted to try my 70-200 f/2.8. I let him take it and my mono-pod for a day, in exchange I took his 70-200 f/4.

But I wouldn't lend my gear for extended outings or to people I have just met... I may be blond, but I am not stupid ;-)

[gjl711]

I may be blond, but I am not stupid ;-) Someone has to make this into a bumper sticker. :)

[Mark_Cohran]

Sure. I loan gear to friends who I know will take care of it or will replace it if something happens. Cameras and lenses are just tools. They can be replaced. My gear is also insured.

Mark

[S.Horton]

Never done it, but I would only load it to someone who has more gear than I do, so knows what it is and how to handle it.

On the flip side, I'd never ask to borrow gear -- Kinda like borrowing a car.

[EOS Man]

I only will lend my 3 el-cheapo lenses and flash batteries, never the flash or L :lol: .

[blonde]

i would just like to ask a question to all the people that responded with "never" or " hell no". do you have insurance for your gear?

[JAZZ D.P.G.]

i would just like to ask a question to all the people that responded with "never" or " hell no". do you have insurance for your gear?

Yes, I do have insurance. My policy covers accidental damage and loss, and my deductable is quite reasonable.
I also have good automobiles with a good insurance policy too. I won't lend my Jeep Rubicon to someone to go off-roading just because I have good piece of equipment that they would like to use. Sorry if that comes across wrong, but the same principal.

My thought process on this is if I have a friend who does not have similar equipment, will they know how to treat mine properly?

There is not only the loss or damage to consider. Hassels with the insurance company getting everything done, running around, anger issues over the incident, etc.

It has taken me a few years to acquire this equipment without creating a dept load.

Mind you, this attitude may be why I have so few close friends. Even a few relatives have called me a "harda$$". I don't mind this title in the least. The close friends and relatives that I get along with are people that understand the value of working for what you want, protecting yourself because no one else will do it for you and valuing true friendship as just that: friendship.

And for these people, I would go and shoot the event for them. Even a wedding.:confused: :rolleyes:

[Toogy]

I lend stuff to my good photographer friend, in return he lets me use his studio whenever I need it, actually have my own key to his studio. So I think it's a pretty fair deal.

[rklepper]

I have one friend that I would lend my gear to. He is a pro and takes better care of his gear than I do of mine.

[S.Horton]

About to lend a 30D + 17-85, 24-70 to a friend who's considering an upgrade from an older XT for the holiday weekend.

Comes down to trust, and insurance.;)

[S.Horton]

@jazz great signature line

[neil_r]

I frequently lend and borrow gear within a small group of friends/colegues.

There is only one clearly understood rule. YOU BREAK IT, YOU REPLACE IT. (I take great care of the 600 f/4.0L when I borrow it)

[Jon, The Elder]

Like I said.....theres 2 kinds. Keepers and givers.

[JAZZ D.P.G.]

@jazz great signature line

:lol: :lol: Thanks! Not mine originally, and don't know who:o but when I heard it I had to use it!

[saturnin]

yah i will usualy be there with my gear and someone can use it, been ocasions where i know the guy and i fully trust him that if something should go wrong hed take care of it and i let him take my stuff out for a day or two... no problem. I tend to not make friends with IDIOTS or ppl that are just buddies for my gear..u know what i mean so i really dont have that issue.

[Sledhed]

I don't have a problem loaning gear to certain friends I shoot with. If they need a piece of my gear (lens, flash, extra body or whatever) for a shoot they can use it no questions asked and I would get the same from them. I help out my friends whenever I can.

[txduggan]

My shooting buddies and myself lend equipment to each other all the time.....even via mail...(fully insured...tracking...receipt..et al)

Kind of agree with Jon...givers/keepers...

If anything happened to a lens within our group, there would be no questions asked about replacing it. Even if we couldn't afford it; it's just the right thing to do....

Would I lend my gear out to a "non-shooter"?

My initial reaction was NO; but depending on who it was (as long as it was someone in my "circle of friends") I may consider it depdning on who it was....

Pax Canonictus....

Tom D

[belmondo]

I have loaned out my gear to people and I've never had a problem. I like to think I'm a good judge of character, and I only loan things to people I trust.