POLL :: Do you loan your glass to your relatives?

[S.Horton]

My brother-in-law just purchased one of my 30Ds.

I 'gave' him a Sigma 18-125 with the body.

He got a very good deal.

He's had manual film 35mm cameras in the past.

He shoots indoor/flash and deer at > 100 yds from his back porch.

I suspect he'll be asking to borrow some glass shortly.

So, do YOU lend glass to your relatives?

I hesitate, not knowing who's going to pay when:
1. It gets damaged, and he admits it, or
2. It stops working / is damaged, and he denies it (or can't remember)

My instinct is not to loan it, because who knows when it will come back, and in what condition.

Sound off.

:p;):eek:

[kevin_c]

Not in a million years!

No


Never...




Did I say No?

[Travisj]

Wheres the poll?

Either way it's a big NO. Mine goes with me alone. It's too hard dealing with friends and relatives the way it is. If something were to happen it would be nothing but a fight at the end as to who owes who and why.

Tell em to rent it.

[S.Horton]

Dunno where the poll is -- I can see it.

Hmmmmmmmmm................. I'll bet I hosed an option...............

[S.Horton]

Let's press on.

It appears that I'm the creator of invisible polls.

So, does your SPOUSE ever loan your gear to relatives?

I'm willing to be wrong, but I'm just going to hazard a guess that mine will.

Forecasting rain in my house. Heavy rain.

[SoaringUSAEagle]

Yeah if I am there with them, including friends, I will. I just want to know what exactly goes on... Not that I really care I guess since its insured but it feels better to be in their presence when they are using my stuff.

[Permagrin]

my equipment is insured so if something happens, I'll still have it. That being said, I didn't vote because none of my relatives actually do slr photography.

have loaned a to someone (non-relative) who I knew would take care of it. And husband and I borrow each other's gear all the time. Bottom line, I think it just depends on the person, whether or not I'd lend out my gear.

[20droger]

We'd have to check with the Eternal Weather Service to see if Hell has frozen over before we'd let a relative touch our gear..

[timnosenzo]

I would if I was there, and I might if I wasn't (depending on which relative). Like Permagrin says, everything is insured so if something did happen, there shouldn't be an issue.

[tomd]

I'll let them try a lens that I don't want anymore! That way when they break it, they have to buy it.

[Kathy H]

Only if I'm there with them. I have had friends ask to borrow a lens or a flash, really puts me on the spot. I only loan the equipment that I know I can live without for awhile if they break it. My main equipment...no way! The less expensive stuff that sits on the shelf a lot...most likely as long as I trust they have the sense to take care of it properly.

[liquidhands]

HEHE, heck no.... I might... might let them hold it and press the shutter button... maybe, if I'm in a good mood. my gear is all fairly cheap, but still no. I would hate to have to hate the person who dropped my camera.... but I still would, so I try and avoid that by not letting anyone use it=)

[neil_r]

I loan to a limited number of friends, they reciprocate. It works

[Woolburr]

I not only trust relatives with glass...but some friends too.;)

[::John::]

never to relatives - even the wife knows she is not allowed to even touch the gear.

There are some people I have met through photography who I have observed looking after their gear and, yes, there are a couple I will lend gear to - but that is very rare.

[JWright]

The only relative I loan my gear to is the one I'm married to... I sometimes swap lenses with other members of my photo group when we're out shooting. It creates an opportunity for both of us to get a feel for something we don't normally shoot with.

[Buck Russell]

No. We call my uncle "grabby hands" because every time someone pulls out a decent camera he's all over it like white on rice. When I first got my 20D he ripped it out of my hands at thanksgiving. My grandmother promptly grabbed it back and said - "its not yours - buy your own". HA!

[FZ1dave]

My wife and I are the only ones remotely into photography in out families, so we've got nothing to worry about. If I were to lend someone a lens though, it would only be one of the cheapos.

[condyk]

well the implications of a cock up are pretty severe, so being a communal kinda fella I would totally ensure there was clarity and agreement about full value/replacement if an item goes wriong or is damaged while someone was borrowing my stuff ... and if they ain't gonna agree to that then it won't happen. the problem will be where there is no clear agreement and sh** hits the fan. I would agree to the same if the boot was on the other foot.

[oaktree]

The only person I'd lend glass to is our son. We went with Canon so we COULD share lenses. Of course, we have 9 lenses and he has 2 (and we bought one of them)!

[Cybnew]

My good glass (basically the 2 L's) No, however...on occasion I do loan out my 20d and 18-55...but that is about it

[dave kadolph]

We keep a complete kit of some rarely used backup equipment specifically to loan out to selected friends and acquaintances.

We have brought several friends into the DSLR world and won them away from the dark side.;)

The better half is a photographer also so all of the gear is on a first come basis--and sometimes a basis for a "spirited" discussion--LOL

[elysium]

The only people who I know would do it are my cousins who are the same age as me, approx so I wouldnt mind keeping an eye on my glass.

If I was not supervising, my answer would be a solid no since they could drop or damage it and then just cause awkwardness between us in the future.

Always leave hobbies/professionals separate from family I say.

[steved110]

I have nothing that isn't replaceable, and my gear isn't that expensive anyway, and I don't earn my living with it - so, yes, I would lend glass. And the camera it goes on. and the flash, pods, bags etc.

BUT nobody in my family uses a DSLR except me - so I can afford to be high minded...;)

Seriously though, I love my relatives more than my gear - we are a close family, I guess I am lucky.

[Andrushka]

i only have one friend who cares enough about photography to even bother taking his lens off... so i will swap gear with him if we are out shooting together - i know he is good for it!

But yeah that is a sticky situation! Same kind of thing happens with music gear all the time - "hey man can i borrow your 'xyz' guitar/amp/pedal that costs more than all my gear put together?" uh no...

unlike ::John:: in the post above - my wife is more careful with my gear than i am!

fortunately the lending issue is not something i've had to face with the camera gear - music gear is a whole other story... i left for Ukraine in June, came home for Christmas/new years and i find out i have guitars and pedals and amps spread all over Orange County... dang it... i wonder who has that?? i need a spreadsheet just so i remember who to track down later, oh well...

[thomascanty]

I don't have any relatives who are into photography (except my dad and he died almost 16 years ago). So, there are no relatives for me to loan equipment to.

I have no problem loaning things to friends, though.

[jfred]

There are a couple of people I'd lend lenses to - because I know they'd look after them.

A couple of acquaitances are definite no-nos

And... I'm still hoping to find a friend or relative who will loan me a 100-400 IS "L" for my south africa holiday in March. Otherwise.. my credit card gets it!

[Echo63]

i sometimes loan my brother gear, the only thing i dont lend out is my 1dmk2n
my fiancee uses my lenses all the time (as im typing this she is shooting a wedding with her 40d, my sigma 24-70 and speedlite)

[shannyD]

i dont have great glass.. but i will say this.. i would never let my family use my glass because it would take me forever to replace it.

[FlyingPhotog]

Fortunately, I'm the only one in the family who owns a SLR (Film Or Digital...) The rest of the clan are straight P&S-ers.

[S.Horton]

Update: Brother-in-law appears to be using stealth approach by asking his sister about lenses...............

Film at 11.

[DocFrankenstein]

Sometimes I'd give a lens to a friend... relatives... I dont' have any that shoot canon.

[Mark_Cohran]

I sometimes loan lenses to friends who are photographers and who I know appreciate good equipment, but that's it.

[TSEE]

Simple for me: No, becuz no one in my family has canon gear or DSLR's for that matter, they're all P&S people! LOL
So far of course my lenses isn't that expensive so I guess no big loss. As far as breaking my baby (20D) well I guess it wouldn't hurt too bad cuz then I could order the 5D hubby promised me when my 20D dies. LOL :p I'd be in misery til the 5D came in tho.