Would you lend your gear to a friend

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When people ask what camera to buy often see the advice is get the same make as your friend(s) and that way you can borrow their lenses

Just wondered how many of you would lend your lenses out especially to a relative newcomer

Know I wouldn't and not so sure a lot of others would either, there again maybe I'm just a miserable possessive old sod

**exception** my daughter has a 10-22mm on what seems like permanent loan, I have only ever used it once
 
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Hmm, no way my lenses or bodies are going out on loan ... I'm in the miserable old git category I'm afraid.
 
A friend of mine who has established a photography business has been borrowing my 5d2, 24-105 and 70-200 2.8 regularly. He's on a tight budget, looks after the kit and is insured for any damage so I don't mind.

I've had a few helpful 'leg ups' building my (non photography) business, so it's nice to try and help someone else out where I can. But the caveat on that is that if I suspected any misuse or lack of care, it'd stop, and he is the only person I lend gear to. The other two friends I'd lend stuff to are both Nikon users, so it's not relevant anyway.
 
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I happily loan my stuff to friends if we're out at the same place and shooting stuff together, but I'm not sure I'd let them take stuff away with them or borrow when I'm not around.
 
I must have more honest friends than you have...shake
 
I hate saying no, so I keep my D40x plus 18-55 & 55-200 for this kind of thing. If it gets lost or broken then it's no big deal. Most of my mates are non toggers and just want something better than the point and shoot they bought 8 years ago when they go on holiday.

For my mates that are toggers then no problem with the other gear I have. They know how to treat the gear, and will replace without question should anything happen.

As a general rule I work out if the person I'm lending to can afford to replace the gear. If not they get the D40x kit ;)
 
malo50 said:
I must have more honest friends than you have...shake
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It's not so much honest friends,but my stuff does not come cheap,and I used some of it everyday,and if something did happen,I would hate the pressure of asking a friend,to cough up the money,to replace it :)
 
simonblue said:
It's not so much honest friends,but my stuff does not come cheap,and I used some of it everyday,and if something did happen,I would hate the pressure of asking a friend,to cough up the money,to replace it :)
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Yeah, hadn't thought of it like that. My stuff, like yours, cost a bomb, when I factor in my lights it's a scary amount. Still lend it to a mate ina heartbeat.
 
I lend lenses to mates if we are on a shoot together but am too busy to lend anything out any other time..
 
I would only lend my stuff to a proper friend and not just a friend of a friend. Myself and and my mates are all of the same mind, if we borrow anything and it is damaged while in our care, we simply replace with like for like. Most of the time we would replace the item with a slightly better item, just as a way to say sorry.
 
simonblue said:
It's not so much honest friends,but my stuff does not come cheap,and I used some of it everyday,and if something did happen,I would hate the pressure of asking a friend,to cough up the money,to replace it :)
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I can totally understand that. If I was sitting on 300, 400, 500mm primes then not a chance unsupervised.
 
Mandoo said:
I happily loan my stuff to friends if we're out at the same place and shooting stuff together, but I'm not sure I'd let them take stuff away with them or borrow when I'm not around.
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Same here. This has happened a few times with friends new to photography who I've gone out on a 'togging' session with - when they want to experiment with different lens lengths, away from their kit lens. It's always been at my instigation though.

I'm not sure that I know anyone well enough that I would trust enough to let them go off with my gear without me. I'm not talking about honesty so much as I am about care, knowledge, respect and responsibility. I'd worry too much.
 
it depends on how good a freind they are - for the close mate , blood brothers kind, you know the guy you'd give a kidney to if you had to, the guy you'd go in to a burning building for, the guy who if pressed you'd give your last rolo, then sure no problem its only a camera.

on the other hand if its the sort of 'mate' who you knew vaguely at school , didnt particularly like at the time , and hasnt improved with age and only comes out of the woodwork when he wants something... hell no , he can go to lenses for hire like everyone else.
 
only Dave Kiddle! :lol: or Keith (crusher) and Alby (ajphotog) but Alby's a cannon user and probably couldn't handle the weight :lol: or he might just spontaneously combust being contaminated by a Nikon ;)
 
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I've got a mate who shoots Nikon while I shoot Canon and if we're ouy at the same place we often swap for a bit. Having said that, my 5D3 has just been dispatched and he wont be getting his hands on that for a few weeks yet.
 
Something cheap (50mm, 70-300mm) to someone trustworthy, sure.

Any of my expensive stuff, not to anyone, not a single snowflake's chance in hell (well maybe with a 100% RRP deposit :D )
 
NO, particularly to someone 'new'. I've seen people mistreating gear in all the silly ways imaginable and unimaginable, and even some pros throw their gear like junk (all the scuffed big white lenses!). So really no. If anything happened it would be next to impossible to get anything back.
 
my mates are great and would lend me anthing but i wouldnt lend them nothing anymore, lent them cd dvd come back scratched and marked, i even lent a cd player to my mate once, i went round his and it had turned into a tea coaster, i look after everything i have to the best i can(and its hard with 4 young kids) but some people just dont respect stuff no matter the cost.
and my friends know what im like and think its funny, i take care of my stuff so well like my tv and stereo stuff i have remotes so no touching the fronts i hate finger prints, they just take the pee.
but i have leant one mate my samsung gx20 a couple times, so depends on how respectfull they are off there stuff and others stuff i suppose.
 
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I have been lent equipment by friends and have loaned then equipment back in return. A great way to try before buying.

If I am with a group I don't mind people trying a lens as long as I am there to see what is happening.
 
I'm not really in a position to lend out gear at the moment having not long owned my D7000. However, I do have a flickr friend (who I've never met in person) offer to lend me his macro lens which I thought was very nice considering he'd have to post it as well as he's in Bristol and I'm in Ipswich!
 
It really beats me how people can be so possessive and protective about an inanimate, impersonal and replaceable object.

Bob
 
I do lend gear out regularly to various friends.

All know to cherish my gear as I do myself though.
 
well - i've one camera that's actually out on loan to 19 members on here at the moment (in rotation, they're not in an unseemly scrum over it!) but that's a £20 piece of plastic.
 
I'd never lend anything I used regularly to anyone, stuff I use less regularly sure - I just lent a friend a laptop, and I wouldn't mind lending anyone my film stuff and manual primes, but my D700 and associated kit, nope.
 
I've lent stuff to friends before, only the people i trust though, not the acquaintance who is too cheap to buy his own.
Afterall it's just a camera
 
Lent and borrowed camera stuff.. couple of people off TP...Doubt I would lend my 400 or a 1d4 but other smaller lens I have.. Never been bitten yet ...or so far? :)
 
Have lent and borrowed... mainly to folk in my camera club. I know they are careful with their own gear and even more careful with someone else's. As I am - (though I never borrow something that I couldn't afford to replace if I broke it).

Great way to try a lens and have lent lenses and flashes and borrowed lenses and a body.
 
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I've lent lenses out :) They know if it breaks they replace it :)
 
EOS_JD said:
I've lent lenses out :) They know if it breaks they replace it :)
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how about a bit of dirt everywhere, maybe a tiny dent on the glass?

How will you know if it was dropped on the carpet (no visual signs) but consequently is somewhat out of calibration?

How about a really filthy sensor?

We had a lot of this in my previous camera club.
 
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