How often do you see photographers walking around with the latest cameras and lenses, or see high-quality photos online taken with expensive gear and you are wondering: where do they get those wonderful toys?

Well, I will tell you something that will blow your mind: instead of buying photo equipment, you can actually rent it. I know right? Until a friend suggested the idea, it had never occurred to me that I could do that and I was all bummed out that I’ll never be able to afford all that gear. Whether you are a photographer who occasionally wants to make some high-quality photos, or want to test a certain product before you decide to buy it, or you just have an important event coming up and you want it to be well documented, photo equipment rental may be the perfect solution for you. Here are some of the many advantages of photo equipment rental that you should have in mind.

Renting is a great way to evaluate camera gear. If you are thinking of buying some expensive camera, a lens, or other accessories, by renting it you have the chance to test it first. Sure, many stores will let you put a lens on your camera to try it out, but by renting it, you get to try it out on location. Also, when you want to purchase new gear, but you can’t decide between two or more items, renting it gives you the perfect chance to compere different pieces side-by-side and again, on-location. This way instead of relying on online reviews from random people, you can test the performance of certain gear before actually buying it.

Photo gear rental is also great in times of necessity. Sometimes you need gear for a certain occasion that you don’t really encounter that often. Whether it is a special lens, lighting equipment, back up gear, and so on, photo gear rentals will give you access to that gear. If you are shooting some important events, such as a wedding, renting some back up gear is a pretty cheap insurance in case your primary gear fails.

When you have to travel to different locations for a photography job, it can be such a pain having to pack all your gear and travel with it. Also, shipping your gear is expensive and doesn’t offer enough protection and security. Again, renting is a cheap way to have all the gear you need at a remote location.

Renting photo equipment will give you access to gear that is way out of your budget such as large format cameras, underwater housing, long lenses, specialty lenses, and so on. In other words, rental shops provide you access to stuff that is very unlikely you will ever buy.

Of course, you should do some math regarding rental costs and buying the actual equipment. If you are often using some gear, or need it for a longer period of time, then it is better to just buy new or used gear which you can always re-sell later.