Lens Rentals

[pjacobi]

I'm weighing my options between buying a used 85mm f/1.8 and renting the 85mm f/1.4.

It takes weeks/months/years to develop the skills to get the most from a particular lens. I would rather use an old trusty lens, fully aware of the strengths and weakness, rather than something new and unfamiliar.

90% of photography is skill which can't be short-cut by a credit card and a "majic" lens.


-Paul

 

[Suburbanmom]

It takes weeks/months/years to develop the skills to get the most from a particular lens. I would rather use an old trusty lens, fully aware of the strengths and weakness, rather than something new and unfamiliar.

90% of photography is skill which can't be short-cut by a credit card and a "majic" lens.


-Paul

I'm not looking for a magic lens. I am photographing an event in very low light and I know that that lenses in my bag right now won't cut it; my 70-200mm f/2.8 at ISO 1600 will not be fast enough and even though my D300 is excellent at higher ISOs, I'd like to avoid setting it any higher given the nature of the event. I know this from experience.

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. It is much appreciated.

 

[BorisMD]

I've used lensrentals.com and rentglass.com on a few occasions. I was quite satisfied with both places, and would rent from them again.

Regards,

Boris

 

[scgalloways]

i've used rentglass all the time for many years and never had any issues

 

[spinetnglr]

I too have used lensrentals.com. It was a very good experience and I wouldnt hesitate to use them again.

 

[pjacobi]

I'm not looking for a magic lens. I am photographing an event in very low light and I know that that lenses in my bag right now won't cut it; my 70-200mm f/2.8 at ISO 1600 will not be fast enough and even though my D300 is excellent at higher ISOs, I'd like to avoid setting it any higher given the nature of the event. I know this from experience.

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. It is much appreciated.

If flash is appropriate, I suggest using an external flash. This will provide the best results if you have the skills to use an external flash.

If you can only use available light and must shoot at f/1.4, then you must be extremely critical on the focus point because of the short depth-of-field. The distance between the eyes and nose is significant at f/1.4. Lens sharpness will be at the worst at this aperture. You may need to use manual focus. That is why f/1.4 may not be the majic answer to you problem. It can help in this situation, but you needs skills to use it effectively.


-Paul

 

[matthew_hull]

Does anyone know of a store in/near Hartford, CT where I can rent some Canon lenses?

 

[lap3]

I've never used them before but you can try Try & Buy Lens. They are in CT but I'm not exactly sure where.

 

[matthew_hull]

Thanks, but I was hoping for a local camera shop. I have a vague memory that one of the stores does rentals, but I cannot remember which.

 

[Abby's Dad]

Found this with a Google search:
http://www.simondsphoto.com/rental.ivnu It says that they have a brick and mortar location in East Hartford. Know nothing more about them than that.

 

[matthew_hull]

OK. The name doesn't ring a bell, but we'll check them out. Thanks.

 

[Cellthing]

Is there any place locally (or in the Disney vicinity) where I can rent a lens for our trip? Last minute decision as we will be arriving Friday.

 

[ChiSoxKeith]

Never used them, but there is this place...

http://thelensdepot.com/index.php?pr=Local_Customers

 

[AlbertZeroK]

You would be best to send the lens to the resort.

As for someone locally, that company looks okay, but they don't carry much high end stuff.

 

[Golf4food]

So I wasn't going to rent a lens to take with us in a couple of weeks, but just got some good news and decided to celebrate and rent one anyway.

So now I have to decide which one! Help!

Equipment:

Pentax K-7
Pentax 18-55 DA
Pentax 50-200 DA
Pentax 35 f2.8 DA Ltd Macro

I generally use the 18-55 for walking around, the 50-200 for shows like Beauty and Indiana Jones, etc., and the 35 for food shots and sometimes walkaround (great for anything, not just macro - LOVE this lens).

Mostly I would like something faster for dark rides since the 35 is only 2.8 and I've not had great success with it in the past on dark rides.

So I'm trying to decide between the following:

Pentax 31mm f/1.8 Limited (Black) smcP-FA - $45 for 7 days

Pentax 50mm f/1.4 smcP-FA - $23 for 7 days

Pentax 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM - $55 for 7 days

Sigma 28MM f/1.8 for Pentax - $23 for 7 days


I'm leaning towards the 55 f1.4 DA* just for the quality and weathersealing, but the wider angle of the 28 or 31 might be better for the dark rides than the 55, even if they are a hair slower... decisions, decisions, decisions...

 

[Groucho]

So I wasn't going to rent a lens to take with us in a couple of weeks, but just got some good news and decided to celebrate and rent one anyway.

So now I have to decide which one! Help!

Equipment:

Pentax K-7
Pentax 18-55 DA
Pentax 50-200 DA
Pentax 35 f2.8 DA Ltd Macro

I generally use the 18-55 for walking around, the 50-200 for shows like Beauty and Indiana Jones, etc., and the 35 for food shots and sometimes walkaround (great for anything, not just macro - LOVE this lens).

Mostly I would like something faster for dark rides since the 35 is only 2.8 and I've not had great success with it in the past on dark rides.

So I'm trying to decide between the following:

Pentax 31mm f/1.8 Limited (Black) smcP-FA - $45 for 7 days

Pentax 50mm f/1.4 smcP-FA - $23 for 7 days

Pentax 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM - $55 for 7 days

Sigma 28MM f/1.8 for Pentax - $23 for 7 days


I'm leaning towards the 55 f1.4 DA* just for the quality and weathersealing, but the wider angle of the 28 or 31 might be better for the dark rides than the 55, even if they are a hair slower... decisions, decisions, decisions...

I don't see a fisheye on that list...

But seriously. I would go with the 31mm. I rarely use my 50mm F1.4 any more while my 31mm still gets a lot of use (almost certainly my most-used prime.) The 50mm is great but a bit long for Disney. The 55mm would be even more so. The Sigma... well, I've never used that lens, but those don't have great reputations from what I've seen.

Besides, the 31mm is "the princess" and by all reports is one of the greatest autofocus lenses ever made. With the price continuing to appreciate on them, renting is a good way to experience a legend. (I got lucky on mine, I bought it during the last time Pentax did big rebates on a long list of lenses, a few years ago, so paid way less than you could get one for today.)

Although, to be fair, you've already for the 35mm F2.8 macro, which Mike Johnson at The Online Photographer called maybe the best lens ever made, so everything else will be a step down for you.

 

[Golf4food]

I don't see a fisheye on that list...

But seriously. I would go with the 31mm. I rarely use my 50mm F1.4 any more while my 31mm still gets a lot of use (almost certainly my most-used prime.) The 50mm is great but a bit long for Disney. The 55mm would be even more so. The Sigma... well, I've never used that lens, but those don't have great reputations from what I've seen.

Besides, the 31mm is "the princess" and by all reports is one of the greatest autofocus lenses ever made. With the price continuing to appreciate on them, renting is a good way to experience a legend. (I got lucky on mine, I bought it during the last time Pentax did big rebates on a long list of lenses, a few years ago, so paid way less than you could get one for today.)

Although, to be fair, you've already for the 35mm F2.8 macro, which Mike Johnson at The Online Photographer called maybe the best lens ever made, so everything else will be a step down for you.

One of these days I'll rent a fisheye.

How much better performance would I likely get from the 35 f2.8 to the 31 f1.8? Will the few stops really make that big a difference on the K-7 in low light on, say, pirates or spaceship earth? If not then the extra 4mm is hardly worth the money and I'll just use the 35 Ltd...