Loaning equipment

Thecageyone · 05-02-2011 12:21am #1

Surprised there's not a trade/loan thread here, if it's not allowed, lock away. But I doubt there's a harm in it.

I think it'd be cool for those of us on very limited budgets to request gear on a loan basis, it would be very handy if you have an upcoming job that requires some specific weaponry.

I have my sister's wedding to do in June for example, and I'd love to have the opportunity to borrow a good Portrait/macro lens for it. Also an f/1.8/1.4 prime, just for the few days around it.

Obviously there would be a lot of trust involved, you're not going to lend a completely new member with 1 post your beloved 70-200 f/2.8! But that will be completely up to yourself. Should be more a request and await offers thread, so there's no refusal, only offers.

What do you lot think? Arrangments for swaps would be up to the loaner and loanee.

For a start, i'd love to borrow a Nikon macro lens for a couple of weeks. I am intending to buy one when I can scrape enough together, I just want to be certain. In return to whoever was willing, I would hand over some of my gear as insurance.

It'll be great to see results from the loaned gear also.

kevinhalvey · 05-02-2011 12:59am

you can rent from several different stores which are set up for this

http://www.connscameras.ie/equipment-rental-243749cm2.html

http://www.dml.ie/rental.asp

Thecageyone · 05-02-2011 1:01am

Renting isn't cheap, and they ask for a security payment on top. Hence the idea to temp-trade for free. But that is something I probably will do when the time comes. i won't be getting paid for my sister's wedding, it's my gift to her. Don't want to spend a small fortune renting used gear.

Hugh_C · 05-02-2011 9:40am

In principle I think it's a good idea, but how would you handle a situation whereby a piece of kit gets lost or damaged? That's why Conn's take a hefty deposit and look for id. My insurance wouldn't cover my equipment under someone else's control.

Say I gave you my 50mm f/1.8 for a loaner and you went off to shoot your sister's wedding and your father and her father-in-law had too much to drink and started a scrap, say you dove in to get some, eh, action shots of a perfect uppercut but got a little too close and the camera connected with a 27 tier layer cake and submerged into 6 inches of cream. What then? 'Sorry dude, your lens went into 6 inches of cream' wouldn't cut the mustard as it were.

There'd have to be some class of contract to cover misadventure like that.

PCPhoto · 05-02-2011 9:58am

Hugh_C wrote: »

My insurance wouldn't cover my equipment under someone else's control.

There'd have to be some class of contract to cover misadventure like that.

My insurance only allows me to loan gear to other professionals....I specifically asked for to be allowed to loan out gear as I always get asked can I borrow this ...or borrow that.

Fajitas! · 05-02-2011 10:03am

There is some lending going on here, but it's kept to PM, there doesn't need to be a thread saying "I'm turning up here with my €2,400 lens". And it's generally only between people who know and/or trust each other (I guess that's the clique the OP always gives out about :pac:).

If anyone I lent gear to broke something, and it wasn't covered by insurance, I would expect the repair/replacement to be covered.

sineadw · 05-02-2011 10:37am

Do you have a medium format with a metered viewfinder I could borrow al? I have that 120 colour infrared film coming and need something I'm not fiddling about with external metering to make my life a bit easier. Dakar's bronica has one that controls the lens shutter too, but he smells (and is in Sligo).

Fajitas! · 05-02-2011 10:41am

I've a Mamiya 645Pro if that's any good to you Sinead? Waist level viewfinder and metered prism, 110mm and 80mm. PM when & where suits!

Might have a roll or two of Col. neg with it

sineadw · 05-02-2011 10:46am

Grand so:) I have that 4 lens polaroid here if you want to swap. Snarah's taking custody tonight for a bit though.

DaireQuinlan · 05-02-2011 10:52am

sineadw wrote: »

blah blah blah except for the bit about dakar, which is probably true

Speaking of which, I want my go on the four-eyed instantocular wonder, damnit ! Also, must get that stuff from MB, moar PMs are in order methinks.

Fajitas! · 05-02-2011 10:55am

Oh, Daire, will send you a PM about that SX70. I have some 35mm B&W slide film too if you wanna try!

sineadw · 05-02-2011 11:04am

Just give me a shout Daire. I'm keeping Snarah on a tight leash. She could run off to belgium with it and all.

kensutz · 05-02-2011 11:09am

Al, can I loan some of your Hassy gear? Been dying to try it out lately.

Fajitas! · 05-02-2011 11:11am

No probs K. Will be in Waterford next week. Give me a PM.

AnimalRights · 05-02-2011 11:36am

Ken your 400 2.8L I would'nt mind having a go at to try my hand at an upcoming game, hell can you even throw in ur Accreditation and ur little chair?

Cagey as someone said earlier U just post when u need a loan of something, I've loaned to a fair few here but ofc I only loaned if they were people I knew here for at least 13 months.

sineadw · 05-02-2011 11:40am

Actually, would anyone have a loan of a 5x4 fuji back by any chance?

sineadw · 05-02-2011 11:44am

Peel apart that is..

ihastakephoto · 05-02-2011 11:54am

Hey Al, did I see that you had a sweet canon portrait lens, I think I saw it on one of your posts... Anyway, I borrowed a canon body, not sure which number it is, just to see if wanted to swap systems, would love a borrow if you're feeling generous, I can give you some of my film stuff as security (if needed)

Cheers,
Keith
Ps love your recent stuff

stabo · 05-02-2011 12:05pm

sineadw wrote: »

Actually, would anyone have a loan of a 5x4 fuji back by any chance?

Whats that Sinead?

Paulw · 05-02-2011 12:13pm

PCPhoto wrote: »

My insurance only allows me to loan gear to other professionals.

I've the same clause. To other professionals is fine, but a very large percentage of posters here are not professionals, so gear would not be insured when loaning to them.

I have, on many occasions, loaned out gear to people on boards. But, I would only do it to people I knew, and someone I feel I could trust. I have been burned on boards before, but nothing too serious.

It's a case of being cautious and knowing who you are dealing with.

sineadw · 05-02-2011 12:33pm

stabo wrote: »

Whats that Sinead?

It's an instant film back for a large format camera. I use them to take test shots for lf film portraits. The one I have use of is polaroid, but I'm almost out of film and it's impossible to get. Fuji sell 5x4 peel apart film, but the back is different and expensive..

Thecageyone · 05-02-2011 1:14pm

It's very simple lads. Why the confusion? Someone asks for a loan of something and you only offer if you want to. You don't have to explain why you can't or won't. I'm sure swaps do go on, and pm would be the way to set up after request. Thought that should go without saying. As for this pro thing, well only lend to another pro in that case. Again, the idea is you don't have to say no, only yes or nothing.

stabo · 05-02-2011 1:24pm

I think if you put up what you have and are willing to lend and let someone else make the offer of ok ill swap you this X lens and so on. Also have a clear agreement of how much lens cost if anything should happen,and how quickly you can pay them back.

Thecageyone · 05-02-2011 1:28pm

Thecageyone wrote: »

Obviously there would be a lot of trust involved, you're not going to lend a completely new member with 1 post your beloved 70-200 f/2.8! But that will be completely up to yourself. Should be more a request and await offers thread, so there's no refusal, only offers.

What do you lot think? Arrangments for swaps would be up to the loaner and loanee.

For a start, i'd love to borrow a Nikon macro lens for a couple of weeks. I am intending to buy one when I can scrape enough together, I just want to be certain. In return to whoever was willing, I would hand over some of my gear as insurance.

It'll be great to see results from the loaned gear also.

The idea is you hand over some gear as close to the value of the loaned gear, if you break something, you pay for replacement (or be shamed on here) - that's part of the reason for the requests and confirms open, not via pm. of course you make arrangements by pm, but it's there for all to see who has what belonging to whom. Again, it's a Trust thing. Not everyone will want high end stuff either. I borrowed a kit lens through here before, because I was going to view a Nikon and I was using Sony at the time. It was sent back in one piece, just so you know

I don't get people saying why they wont loan stuff, just don't say anything at all, don't offer.

Also listing stuff you can offer is leaving yourself open to refusing someone, say you don't like them, and you're bitter like that ...

Best just say you are willing to loan out when someone asks. Then make the conditions clear.

stabo · 05-02-2011 1:47pm

Thecageyone wrote: »

The idea is you hand over some gear as close to the value of the loaned gear, if you break something, you pay for replacement (or be shamed on here) - that's part of the reason for the requests and confirms open, not via pm. of course you make arrangements by pm, but it's there for all to see who has what belonging to whom. Again, it's a Trust thing. Not everyone will want high end stuff either. I borrowed a kit lens through here before, because I was going to view a Nikon and I was using Sony at the time. It was sent back in one piece, just so you know

I don't get people saying why they wont loan stuff, just don't say anything at all, don't offer.

Also listing stuff you can offer is leaving yourself open to refusing someone, say you don't like them, and you're bitter like that ...

Best just say you are willing to loan out when someone asks. Then make the conditions clear.

What im saying is stick up what you have and see if anyone wants to swap with you.

Thecageyone · 05-02-2011 1:54pm

Problem is though, if someone asks for a loan of something on your list then, you might have to say no, if they're fairly new, live too far away ... or some other reason. I like the idea of no refusals, just offers, to keep it all positive.

spinandscribble · 05-02-2011 1:59pm

Thecageyone wrote: »

Problem is though, if someone asks for a loan of something on your list then, you might have to say no, if they're fairly new, live too far away ... or some other reason. I like the idea of no refusals, just offers, to keep it all positive.

then within all reason, do likewise. pop up what you're willing to trade with and what for.

I'm gonna have to wait until I'm back in ireland for this but i'd be hella interested in the polaroid four lens and i've a polaroid land 110b but its fuji peel apart film ready.

05-02-2011 1:59pm

The only issue I see with this thread, is that it has the potential to start bugging some of the users a lot.

The thread sorta seperates people into two groups. I mean, when is PCPhoto ever going to need a lend of something? The guy is more than well equipped. On the other hand, when am I ever going to have something worth lending?

I think this helps create a bit of a moocher syndrome where most boardsies who aren't very well equipped, might start taking jobs or doing other bits and pieces once they get comfortable getting lends of other people's equipment.

If I were in PCPhoto's shoes, I'd be fairly quickly pissed off with the amount of requests (and no doubt PMs) that will be sure to follow when people see he helps out a lot early on. I think that could possibly lead to some users getting annoyed and not visiting the forum as much?

I'm covering a football game today. Only found out yesterday afternoon. First time I'll ever be covering any kind of sport. Was going to go looking for a place to rent a lens, as the only telephoto I have is most likely not gonna be much use, but I wouldn't feel too comfortable asking for a lend of it for nothing.

Plus it only takes a poorly kicked football in the wrong direction, and I'm in serious amounts of debt to another photographer.

Just a thought. (Though saying that, If i were planning to buy a fairly expensive lens, I'd probably muster up the courage to ask for a guide of it by a user who has one, as I'd like to get a hands-on before dropping hundreds of euro on something like that).

Thecageyone · 05-02-2011 2:10pm

the guys with the best gear do not have to participate, nobody does. You're depending on trust and generosity, but nobody is expected to offer up just because. I would completely understand why people wont want to hand over high end gear, that's why you don't ask someone specific. Just leave the request open. It's not about asking certain people for what you know they have. That would get messy. Just say what you'd like to try out, and either someone offers ... or not. No hard feelings involved.

ThOnda · 05-02-2011 2:24pm

I can see that you become a bit lazy to meter manually now, sineadw

But in fairness, with the quirkiest hardware and materials you are using, I am not surprised

AnCatDubh · 05-02-2011 3:47pm

It has happened many times before around the forum. Usually what happens is for a request to be posted - on the forum ie. i'm looking for a 35mm pentax prime f2.8 or better on 28th Feb and would anyone have a loan (simple as that), and then whomever wants to or feels that way inclined may offer a loan - if they don't, it's no big deal and avoids people potentially being bugged for loans if they don't feel constantly feel like being generous/adventurous. Plus because some people will have met up and established a trusting relationship with others, some may be more inclined to loan to certain forum members and not to others - again, that's no big deal - no different than most real life scenarios.

Loaning equipment

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