Photography has always been an important part of the travel process, and increasingly it’s a way for content creators to fund their adventures.
Like many travellers, you may be planning to document your next trip on your phone and share the images on Insta. We take travel images for social media and our website, and produce video for our YouTube channel. And while smartphone photography has dramatically evolved, the image quality produced by a professional camera remains unchallenged. That’s especially true if your goal is to print out and frame your photos when you get home, publish them on a blog, perhaps sell them as canvas prints and other merch, or make v-logs and travel videos.
So, what if there was a way to capture the highlights of your holiday with a professional camera instead — and without having to pay out thousands of dollars to do it? The exciting news is: there is!
Making great travel content starts with having a great camera. But depending on how often you go away, it might not be worth the expense of buying a brand-new set-up. Enter: camera hire, which is an awesome option for many travellers and could save you a motza. It’s definitely ‘a thing’!
Camera hire is a great way to save on the cost of purchasing a quality camera (which can run into the thousands of dollars) and is becoming increasingly popular with travellers. Instead of buying brand-new equipment, certain camera retailers like Ted’s Cameras offer short-term camera hire. All you have to do is choose the gear you need (you can browse the options online), place your order, collect it in-store, then return it in tip-top condition.
Ted’s also gives you the option to put the hire cost towards purchasing the camera if you decide you want to keep it. This is a helpful option for those who are new to photography, or seasoned pros who want to test out a new camera while travelling.
We’ve put together a list of the key reasons to rent a camera for your next trip.
1. You only pay for using gear when you need it
Whether you want a new camera body, lens, or both, to use on your next holiday, hiring it will be much cheaper than purchasing it outright. And if the camera isn’t something you’ll need once your trip is over, why buy it — only to have it sit in a cupboard for most of the year? Renting means you can return it after your holiday, and you only pay for time you actually use it.
2. You have the opportunity to use more expensive options
Always dreamed of working with a particular top shelf camera? Now you can, but without the hefty price tag! The camera equipment hire route opens the door to bigger ticket options that you might not normally be able to afford — such as a full-frame mirrorless camera and quality zoom lenses (which can often be more expensive than the camera itself!).
3. You can ‘rent to buy’
If you end up loving the kit you hire and want to buy it, some stores will give you the option to put the hire cost towards the purchase price. Win-win! This is a great option if you’re keen to buy a particular camera, but want to test it out on holiday first.
4. You don’t have to make do with inferior gear
The quality of your set-up is everything when creating photographic content. And if you have your heart set on a new camera or lens for your next trip, but don’t quite have the funds to make it happen, don’t just put up with inadequate gear. Rent your dream camera instead and produce amazing results.
5. You can try before you buy
While an exchange period (which allows you to return and swap a purchased item that isn’t suitable) is great, they’re generally short and far more restrictive than if you rent the gear. If you hire a camera, you’ll know for sure by the end of your holiday if it’s the best fit for you. If not, you can simply return it once you get home. You might then consider renting a different camera and perhaps a lens with another focal length for your next holiday, and so on. This process will help narrow down your options and eventually find you the perfect set-up.
6. You can get help in store before making a decision
Having recently researched new camera options, we can tell you that the range of equipment out there is mindboggling! There are hundreds of models to choose from, with endless functionality. So, before you hire, drop into a store and get some expert advice. You’ll soon work out which camera you can handle and what aspects of its use you’ll need to master before the trip.
7. You can do a basics photography course
Not a photography assassin? That’s OK. Some Ted’s stores offer a free camera basics course to hire customers — meaning you can get some tuition on the use of the equipment before departing on your holiday.
This post was published thanks to Ted’s Cameras.
Do you have any suggestions to add to this list of key reasons to rent a camera for your next trip? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.
Additional images: Envato
About the writer
Adam Ford is editor of Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas, and a travel TV presenter, writer, blogger, and photographer. He has travelled extensively through Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and the Middle East. Adam worked as a travel consultant for a number of years with Flight Centre before taking up the opportunity to travel the world himself as host of the TV series Tour the World on Network Ten. He loves to experience everything a new destination has to offer and is equally at home in a five-star Palazzo in Pisa or a home-stay in Hanoi.
