If you have the opportunity to rent a piece of equipment before you buy I highly recommend this. Luckily photographers are able to borrow a lens, camera or lighting gear from friends, stores and rental specialty locations.
It is one of the best ways to try out a piece of gear before you lay down $Hundreds and even $Thousands in dollars.
If your not sure about a piece of equipment and rush out and buy it then realize it's not what you really "needed" But "wanted" you just used up your savings and unless that store has an amazing return policy, your piece of equipment because a very heavy paperweight and you'll have trouble getting what you paid for back.
There are times when I need a certain lens for an event, I rent a super wide angle lens for real estate photography, it's not something I do on a regular basis, I may photograph 1-4 houses a year which is not much, the lens I need is $1400 why spend that much money on a lens that's going to be used 4 times a year. Instead I rent that lens, if the agent wants to push more work my way, I would love to buy the lens but until I work at a job to pay for the equipment than renting is the way I will go.
Weddings is another event that you can rent and save money on specialty lenses and not have so much money sitting around.
Check out some of your local camera stores and ask them if they offer a rental program. Most stores offer a 1 day rate for weekends, which Is the best time to rent. You pick it up on Friday after lunch, keep it all weekend, return it on Monday before lunch for the price of 1 day. Thats a steal if your using that lens for a weekend of jobs. You save a few thousand dollars and you don't have to turn your profit into a paper weight
Owning is great once you know you are going to use that lens, or if you have to send your equipment off to be taken care of for maintenance and repairs, rent the equipment you need to keep from buying a second piece. I use my 70-200mm F2.8 pretty much daily, if that lens goes back to the manufacturer for some work, I am calling the local camera store and renting it for the jobs I have.
I do have multiple lenses in my arsenal but each one has a specialty and may not work. So before putting a bunch of money down and impulse buying, rent something to try for a week or two and then you'll know if you have to have it or just wanted it.
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