Photographic equipment rental figures on increase

“Rental is on a pronounced upward trend” said Bendan Thompson, Calumet’s London-based Rental Manager, “This sector is growing at 25% -30% a year. More and more photographers are choosing this option both to reduce capital outlay and simplify their workflow challenges on shoots.

"Since 9/11 checks at airports have increased dramatically and for photographers working on international commissions it’s so much easier to collect the equipment they need on arrival rather than deal with the inevitable hassle at the check-in.

"For film-shooters there is always the added anxiety of X-Ray machines at airports – and for many of those customers the digital option abroad has now become the preferred choice.”

He added: “And of course rental enables customers to test drive latest technology without making a purchase decision. Some photographers don’t want to risk investing thousands of pounds until they are 100% sure of the product”

Calumet UK has invested almost £400,000 this year alone in building a vast rental inventory of popular camera, lighting and grip equipment and the group plans further expansion in the market over the next five years.

Said Calumet MD Andy Morris: “Increasingly customers want one-stop solutions – and that’s definitely the way we are heading. Photographers want to make a call, get a studio, organize the models, the props and the make-up artists, facilitate cameras, lenses, lighting, digital assistants, complete retouching and post production and get disks burned all in one place.”

We are looking at more rental units across Europe – supplying absolutely everything a photographer needs with just one phone call.”