Have you ever lent a camera? Or borrowed one, for that matter?

I have lent some to good friends when they want to try something out. I keep a baseball bat handy when I get them back in case there's a scratch or a ding ;)
 
My experience is that of "borrowing" a large format camera for a class I was taking in large format photography. I posted on the large format photography forum that I was taking the class. A very kind individual offered to let me borrow his camera for the class. He did ask for a $300 deposit, which I thought was very reasonable, in case I walked off with his camera. He stated he would not cash my check unless absolutely necessary and he has not to this date. The large format camera still sits in my house. I have tried to return it to him several times but I have never actually have given it back to him but it was not due to lack of trying.

He wanted to help out a LF newbie, and even showed me how to use it. He was extremely generous, even though I was a complete stranger to him.

I wish there were more people like him in the world.

Ellen
 
I've borrowed lenses. I lent my D2x to an artist/art teacher friend who did an edgy piece exploring the relationship between herself and her younger boyfriend. It came out pretty good, so I'm glad to have been a part of it. She used her own lens.

I lent my OM-1n to a neice, who kept it way longer than she was going to, and when she returned it, the MD cap was missing. I asked her, and she said she had lent it to her art teacher, who didn't want to give it back. Goes to show, there is variance in art teachers, or more sinisterly, that male art teachers of teenage nieces who ask to borrow their personal equipment are not to be trusted.

I have also given away cameras and some pretty hefty lenses. I have been given digital cameras, film cameras, lenses, tripods, and other stuff.
 
It depends on the camera and the person I lend it to. My first camera, a Spotmatic and Leica M2 will never get loaned out.

As for borrowing camera equipment, I can't say I'm partial to the idea, but I did borrow a lens which I later bought.
 
One time in Hong Kong I loaned a complete stranger my then new 35mm Summilux ASPH so he could try it out then and there. About 20 minutes later I realized maybe that wasn't a good idea when I lost sight of him in the crowd but then he and the lens turned up! Maybe my faith in humans was a bit on the overoptimistic side!
 
I've given cameras and lenses away...nice stuff too and I have also received them as well and I have let various folks that have expressed an interest in my cameras and photography borrow lenses. I have a lens out right now to someone I don't know well. She was lamenting the other day how her lens was messed up and she couldn't take any pictures. I have a camera I wouldn't loan out. I might check out a person's viewfinder or something if a nice camera was proffered to me. I might even make a snap or two. I wouldn't want to borrow it though.
 
Often! I lent my M6 for a couple of weeks, a Fujifilm 645 for a couple of months, lent out an M3 for a week too. I must have loaned out other cameras and lenses too, but can't remember which. I only lend to friends, and I know they would take care of things.
 
Roger Hicks said:
Loaned or borrowed? Of course. What are friends for?

But that's real friends, not facetube style 'friends'.

Cheers,

R.
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I think I might trust you Roger, I believe you have professionally borrowed a few, and they keep giving you more.

I try to keep at least stuff that gets used insured with all risk insurance

I have had friends break things, perhaps it is better than what strangers have done to my car while parked Last time it was painted after finally getting damage to all panels, and it was only 4 days until a hit /run artist damaged three panels at one time because she lacked the skills to turn around on a street.

I try to think that people are more important than things, sometimes I succeed.

Regards, John
 
I loaned my friend's son a Leica Mini for a trip to Europe and stocked him with film.

Of all his friends, his photos were the best by far, and as it turns out, the only ones, all the digital ones were stolen while they slept on an overnight train trip. They left the Mini. ;-)

His parents borrowed a Canon Elph APS, and were amazed that film made better vacations shots than the later digital, but they bought digital.

Regards, John
 
Johnmcd said:
I was recently on the end of a 'borrowed' camera from one of the members here, Hung Tran, a fellow Aussie. It was an offer he made quite out of the blue after my M4 had to go back for some shutter repairs prior to a European trip I was taking.

It was a fantastic offer of which I first refused but his philosophy was, 'As long as it's not abused intentionally (which I don't see any reason for that to happen), I don't have any concerns with it in good hands. If it does die of out natural causes, then such is life.' So I accepted the kind offer of an M3 and a vc 50/1.5.

I am back now and hope to post some pics today. Images I would never have taken otherwise. Thanks Hung.

BTW, Hung and I have never met in person, just as fellow RFF'ers.

Cheers - John
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That is one big reason I love this forum...

I have a friend with a Hasselblad that I would love to borrow one day...I have expressed my desire to shoot with one and he has offered to allow this to happen...now I just have to line something up to use it...
 
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