Would you lend your gear to a friend

Nah don't think I'm comfortable with it either D:! It took me a long time to finally get my paws on my 5D MKII & I just don't trust anyone with it. I just don't have the £ to replace or repair equipment unfortunately.
 
Last edited:
I do regularly. I've one lens that a member on here uses at every airshow that we go to or meet up we have. Loaned him other lenses and the D3s before also.
We have an understanding. Damage it and you die. :D

Kev.
 
I do "lend" or rather I would phrase it "let them try" my lenses with me there, might be at a race meeting for example. I don't think I'd lend out an expensive lens, but don't have any problem letting mate have a go with it.

It certainly is a big help, I've been on the other end of this, borrowed a lens - whilst the other person was there and it helped me decide to get one.
 
yes I will. If he is my friend (obviously he passed the friendship test :-) ) and he is into photography (most likely we did things together as we share the same hobby) then I know he will look after them and I am sure he will do the same for me.

Yep no problem.
 
No problem for me either, i'm sure they'd take great care but at the end of the day it's only 'stuff'.
 
don't lend anything to any other friends but David (the other guy i work with mainly), i lent my old 400 out before and it came back all in horrible places in the bag, strap off of it, settings played with, wasn't too happy.
 
Certain people I will lend to (and borrow from) normally when we are out together or short term no problem. It helps to know what certain lenses are like before choosing and also if a lens would be useful to both only one needs to buy, giving more choice.


......but I need a 70-200mm f2.8 for a wedding so I am hiring one as there will be lots of people about and I would not want to risk a friends lens. ( not that I am anticipating any trouble!)

Heather
 
I won't mind lending my gear to my friends if they are my photography buddies and I know that they will (and know how) to take care of my equipment.
On the other hand, if it's someone who wants to borrow my gear to learn more about DSLR, I will still do it but only under my supervision.. :)
My gear is not the most expensive thing out there, but I love them all and take good care of them so I would like to know that they are in good hands when they are not in my hands. :D
 
Canon Bob said:
It really beats me how people can be so possessive and protective about an inanimate, impersonal and replaceable object.

Bob
Click to expand...
if you had a 500.000 ferrari would you lend it to a mate,
its not about it can be replaced its about the cost and if they and you can afford to replace it or get it fixed, do you think all your friends know the cost of one of you 1dmk4 and if you leant them it and they broke it would they be able to just pay a couple grand like that.
im certainly not rich and i know my friends ar not, i may have spent £6000 pound on gear but it took me time to save and alot of hard work, and a friend i leant my gx20 to i knew if he broke it he coulnt afford to pay me back just like that.
 
No problem if I'm with someone. If I wasn't there, I'd not lend out my bodies or expensive lenses, but might lend other bits.
 
Difficult one that as I would find it difficult to afford to replace my most expensive lens (100-400)
Have lent my mate stuff while we were out together but probably would say no to an extended loan
Am out all the time using my gear anyway
 
I've loaned out a couple of lenses and flashes to two Nikon shooting friends in the past when they were thinking of buying something similar, and I have borrowed a lens off of one of them (which I subsequently bought:)).

It has worked quite well as we've bought and sold stuff to each other as a result of this. I'm happy that both would replace anything lost or damaged.
 
I lent a lens to a friend at my camera club , he was unsure if to buy one or not after using mine and getting on well with it he is now going to buy one .:thumbs:
 
Was always amazed that the first time I met Damian (slimbert) he let me use his 70 - 200 2.8 for hrs, yes I would lend some of my gear
 
I lent my old EOS600 and 35-70 to a friend of a friend. It came back with the front element hanging off. Lesson learned.

Would lend again to a serious tog, but not a novice.
 
I've never "lent" camera gear to anyone as such.
I suppose it's due to many incidents over the years of loaning out tools etc etc and either never having them returned, having them returned damaged or worse finding out that the person to whom I loaned to has loaned out to his mate!!!
I would always allow friends to use my gear if for example they were shooting alongside me but I don't think I would feel comfortable to let them borrow for a week or so.
 
I wouldn't lend to anyone who didnt understand the value of it and couldn't afford to replace anything they damage, i would also insist on a UV being left on a expensive lens for protection
 
The guy I bought my studio lights off contacted me a few months after the purchase and asked if he could rent them back for a job....I said if he had insurance in place and signed for accepting any damage to the kit then he could rent them...he declined !! I was glad too !!
 
responded to wrong thread
 
Last edited:
I have a few friends who are into photography and understand how to use my gear and how much it is worth. They can borrow anything in my inventory they like without issue. I know they are decent folk so if anything came back faulty it would be dealt with.

But to someone who is not a good friend - no. To someone who does not have a clue how to use the gear - no.
 
This Sony 580 is my camera there are many like it but this ones mine-without my camera I am useless , without me my camera is useless

so NOT A CHANCE :lol::lol:

Les :D
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ah, you spotted that did you? Bag full of good kit but no friends...........;-)
 
iv'e lent camera gear to friends while out at different events but i would be a bit hesitant to let them lend it on their own
it's not something iv'e been asked because the friends i have who are in to photography are nikon users and i use canon so it a bit of a non issue

on the other hand a close friend of mine has loaned my car for the last 3 months while his is off the road but i hate lending tools out even to him
 
The motor garage where I lived used to have the following sign on the door.
' The bloke who lends the tools has had to go out to buy some more'.
Lending stuff is a bit like going on holiday with freinds, it can make or really break a relationship.
 
I'm lucky I have a 5Dmk2, 24-105L, 24-70L, Tokina 12-24 and 580mk2 on loan for a month. This is the second time I have had this, last time I had it from December to February as he's out of the country!

If I broke anything though I'd be honest and pay to get it fixed
 
If we were out shooting together I would let them borrow the lesser lenses but not the Tamron f2.8's and no way would i let them out of my sight,i know that's a selfish point of view but my kit has got to last me a fair few years and its gonna be damaged then i'll be the one who damages it
 
I have quite a lot of friends, but only a few I would happily give my gear to. I regularly lend/borrow camera gear with my good friends who are also into photography. They know how much they would have to fork out to buy me a new one if they broke it ;-)
I have had a mates 50mm f1.8 for about 3 months now, I keep offering to return it but he says he wont use it at the moment....
 
To my friends- I'd loan them anything- I've recently given my friends 5d MkII back because I'm so busy I was no longer shooting video with it- it's not like I'd use it for stills:lol::p.
I loan a lot of my kit out and borrow a lot from friends (even dodgy white lenses:gag:) but the key is, it's to friends.

I'd give my life for my friends easily- now while I don't expect the same from all of them I know if they broke the kit that was given to them they would replace it no problem at all.
Of the wider community I know, which is roughly about 1800 so not that much compared to most (I am fussy:lol:) , I wouldn't loan them a hair from my head. Equally so, I wouldn't expect them to ask to be honest. In fact, even my close friends would probably begin by telling me what they are up to and I'd be the one telling them it might be easier if they borrowed such and such.

It's quite interesting to see that the definition of 'friend' is the real key although it does seem that some can't let go at all but that's fair enough, all veyr interesting.

As an aside-three of us went to the driving range last year- 2 played golf and one didn't. My mate borrowed my mates driver- next thing we know the driver head was going about 50yrds- it actually went further than the ball:lol:
Now,as a bit of banter my mate who broke it was telling my other mate his club was faulty before he hit the shot- clearly that was total pi** but it was funny. Two days later my mate had another driver- like for like
 
People never look after things which arent theirs like they would if it were their own, I have always had bad experiences with loaning things to friends and family so now i dont any more, after all who's gonna replace it it it gets damaged? not them thats for sure.
 
Hotshots said:
People never look after things which arent theirs like they would if it were their own, I have always had bad experiences with loaning things to friends and family so now i dont any more, after all who's gonna replace it it it gets damaged? not them thats for sure.
Click to expand...

People you know then, not all people?

I always take more care of someone else's kit that I do my own. Saying that all people behave like a few you have experience is a little misguided don't you think?
 
RichardtheSane said:
People you know then, not all people?

I always take more care of someone else's kit that I do my own. Saying that all people behave like a few you have experience is a little misguided don't you think?
Click to expand...

Me too, i'm not that precious with my own, but very careful with somebody else's.
 
I've lent my kit out to people in the past. I lend them to people I trust implicitly, and no one else. The way I see it, as long as that condition is met, then I'm happy. Anything less and it's a no from me :) Lent my 24-70 to a good friend (Syx) which came back in precisely the condition I sent it in, and would therefore happily do the same again.
 
Last edited:
Hotshots said:
People never look after things which arent theirs like they would if it were their own, I have always had bad experiences with loaning things to friends and family so now i dont any more, after all who's gonna replace it it it gets damaged? not them thats for sure.
Click to expand...

I feel the same way.
 
Hotshots said:
People never look after things which arent theirs like they would if it were their own.
Click to expand...

I agree ... I take twice as much care if it's not my own.. and twice the worry.. so only borrow if desperate..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top