Camera Rental

[robpics]

As a pro photog they expect you to have the tools for the job. I know this is silly but you can't possibly have all the gears since camera nowadays range from $500 to $35,000, digital or film and the processing cost varies.

Do you guys add 'camera rental charge' for all of your assignment work? We usually don't but then some people suggest we should. More money to us but where we draw the line? Any of you had this dilemma?

Thanks for your feedback!

Rob

[FlyingPhotog]

If marking them up makes you uncomfortable, charge rental fees back "at cost." Why start an invoice from a negative sum?

[neil_r]

If you incur a cost for a specific request/need I don't see how you could not pass on that cost ?

[photoguy6405]

A business owner should always account for their costs in setting prices, but... I believe it would be a HUGE mistake to list rental charges separately on the customer's invoice.

First, it makes it appear you aren't capable of the job.

Second, it makes it appear that you are nickel-and-diming them to death.

And, third, they really don't care. All they want to know is the quality of your final product and how much it costs them. How you got from Point A to Point B is wholly irrelevant.

Things that they order or receive directly and individually, i.e. prints, CDs, etc., excepted, of course.

[ssim]

If you have to rent something that is out of the norm to accommodate the customers request I see no issue in an additional line item for equipment procurement. However, if we are talking about renting an everyday lens, a second body or standard lighting equipment I disagree with charging the customer for this. Either you operate as a business or you don't. If you want to be in business then you have to go out on a limb and get the basics to operate. There are many threads on here on what some list as the minimum they need to operate. Certainly the costs can add up but there are ways of using less than top of the line gear (particularly in lighting).

[photoguy6405]

If you have to rent something that is out of the norm to accommodate the customers request I see no issue in an additional line item for equipment procurement. However, if we are talking about renting an everyday lens, a second body or standard lighting equipment I disagree with charging the customer for this. Either you operate as a business or you don't. If you want to be in business then you have to go out on a limb and get the basics to operate. There are many threads on here on what some list as the minimum they need to operate. Certainly the costs can add up but there are ways of using less than top of the line gear (particularly in lighting).

I think this is reasonable. If you need to rent a crane to get an overhead shot of something, then fine, list it. If you're going to rent a lens, then no, it's just a cost of doing business and it doesn't matter to the client if you bought or rented the lens.