If you are looking for a new camera or lens, you might be tempted to buy it online without trying it first. But what if you end up with a product that doesn't meet your expectations or needs?
I was in need of a new zoom lens in 2022 for an upcoming big travel baseball tournament in Lexington, KY. It was my first time at that venue and I didn’t know how close I could get to the players, what kind of fence would obstruct my view, or if I could access the field or not.
My longest lens at the time was a Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, practical, but not great at reaching across the ball field if needed. I started looking for ways to try out lens that could really get in close to the subject. Unfortunetly I do not have access to any camera shops in my area.
That's where Lensrentals.com comes in. Lensrentals.com is a company that lets you rent photo and video equipment online and have it delivered to your door. You can choose from a wide range of gear, from DSLRs and mirrorless cameras to cinema cameras and drones. You can also rent lenses, audio gear, lighting gear, and accessories.
My goal for this rental was two-fold.
- First, I wanted to find a lens that was within my budget.
- Second, I wanted to find a lens with a good range.
Back to LensRentals.com I started to narrow down my search for my upcoming trip.
Filters I used were: Applied Filters:For Rent - Crop - Canon EF - Focal Length
While the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III ($76 for 7 Day Rental) line has a nice aperture and other features, but the zoom on it was lacking. The retail on this lens was also pushing my budget. This type of lens probably excels at indoor sports due to its f/2.8 aperature.
The Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II ($101 for 7 Day Rental) had more of the zoom I was looking for. This lens was at the top of my budget for a lens to purchase.
I then looked outside Canon and found the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Sports DG OS HSM ($97 for 7 Day Rental) lens. The Sigma defenitly has the enough zoom at 600mm, and combinded with the 1.6x crop factor this is effectively a 960mm zoom! Did my due diligence with reading review sites and endless reviews to go ahead a decide to rent it for this event.
I really enjoyed this lens and its capabilities so it was time to decide to make a purchase. Lensrentals.com has two purchase programs that let you test the equipment before you buy it: Keeper and Keeper Test-Drive.
The Keeper program allows you to buy pre-owned gear that has been refurbished, tested, graded, and priced by the Lensrentals team. You can see the condition and rating of each item on the website, as well as the technical specifications, product summary, and user manuals.
The Keeper Test-Drive program lets you rent the equipment first and keep it if you like it. You just need to contact the Lensrentals team and they will give you a unique price based on the age and condition of the item. You can also deduct up to seven days of rental fees from the final price. This way, you can make sure the gear suits your purpose and has received Lensrentals' high-quality of product care.
This has quickly became my goto lens on any game day. I've used it for baseball, football, soccer, and much more, all with consitently great results. A monopod is a must for this large, heavy lens on long events like multiple game tournaments. I went with the COMAN KX3232 73.2 inch Professional Monopod and couldn't have been happier with it.
Lensrentals.com is a great option for photographers and videographers who want to try before they buy. You can save money, avoid buyer's remorse, and get access to a huge selection of gear.