Camera

In this fourth video of the series, Ram Balmur talks about the Nikon Z system and cameras such as the Nikon Z7 Mark II, Z6 Mark II as well as the older Nikon Z7 and Z6. Starting off with the specific advantages that the Z system offers over DSLRs, Ram also talks about his experience using this system extensively and shares some insight based on his learning. Ram then moves on to a discussion on how to set up a Nikon Z system camera for best autofocus performance for event, portrait, documentary and landscape photography.

In the third video of this series, Ram Balmur takes a look at one of the oldest full-frame mirrorless systems, the Sony Alpha series of cameras, currently encompassing bodies such as the Sony A7R Mk III, A7R Mk IV, A7 Mk III, A1 and A9 Mk II bodies. Ram discusses the benefits of using a Sony Alpha system, particularly on account of this system being around for a longer period of time.

In the second video of this series, Ram Balmur takes a closer look at the Canon EOS R system and bodies such as the Canon EOS R5, R6, R and RP, enumerating the specific benefits of this mirrorless system over DSLRs. Ram also goes on to show how to configure an RF body to optimise autofocus for shooting events, portraits and landscapes.

DSLR vs Mirrorless

Mirrorless cameras have been around for a while now and they have been evolving thanks to continuous iterations and innovations by manufacturers. In this first of a series of four live videos, Ram Balmur talks about the key differences between DSLR cameras and mirrorless cameras and the advantages and disadvantages of mirrorless cameras.

As we enter 2020, we have once again drawn up a list of the most rented gear of 2019. Before I get to the numbers, the usual disclaimer: this is just data. This list only shows what was the most popular gear in 2019, among the customers we served. Other than the information that this gear went out the maximum number of days, this list does not offer any additional meaningful insight. It is certainly not a reflection on the quality of any particular gear. This data also does not reflect emerging trends because the sheer numbers of copies of older equipment crowd out newer equipment until it achieves critical mass (which explains why you do not see too much mirrorless gear here yet).

The lists below are ranked in the order of the number of days each item went out during the year across all its copies. Figures in brackets indicate the position of the item in the Most Popular Gear of 2018 list.

If you are new to photography or just migrating from a cellphone or compact camera to a DSLR camera, these pointers can help you select the right kit for starting out:

The Budget:

Photography is an extremely expensive hobby and there really is no end to the amount of money you can spend on gear and still wish for something better! This makes it very important to set a budget for yourself so that you do not get carried away. As of 2019, a good starter budget should be in the range of Rs 35,000 – Rs 60,000 for a camera body and one or two lenses. It is best not to buy too much equipment before you get a good idea of what you will be shooting. We strongly recommend that you rent from Primes & Zooms (P&Z) and try the equipment before buying it.

The Camera System:

Ever wonder what gear we rent out most at Primes & Zooms? I have been curious to know and we now carry sufficient inventory for the numbers to not get swayed by outliers. So we put together the numbers for 2018 and drew up the rankings. Before we get to the numbers, though, a few disclaimers:

1. These rankings are simply a listing of gear ranked by the number of rental days each item has completed during the year across all its copies.

2.These rankings should not be interpreted as an indication of how good or bad a certain piece of gear is.

3.The rankings depend to a large extent on the number of copies we carry for each item. Hence, newer items with few copies will not show up on this list right away.

The 15 Most