Lenses

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:

The 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is by far the most popular lens across camera systems, be it Canon, Nikon, Sony or any other system. It is part of the Holy Trinity of lenses: the 16-35, 24-70 and 70-200 but gets a lot more attention than the other two. The Canon and Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 lenses feature on our Top 15 Most Rented Gear for 2018 and one of them tops this list!

However, there are times when you cannot lay hands on one of these babies and need to look for alternatives. Or sometimes you just need to get out of a creative block by trying something different. Here is a list of 5 lenses that may be able to help you get the job done:

1. The 70-200mm f/4: If you are not shooting in low light or if your shoot is outdoors and you can control the distance between your subject and the background, this lens is a great substitute for the f/2.8. It is also

Sigma’s 50-500mm, nicknamed the Bigma, was an exciting lens when it was released more than 10 years back. Since then Sigma have released the 150-500, 150-600 Contemporary and 150-600 Sports lenses, all of which have been extremely popular. Sigma recently released the 60-600mm DG OS HSM Sports lens which also seems to be a hit. Most of the reviews of this lens are positive and almost all of our customers who have rented this lens are happy with it. If you are shooting wildlife and don’t mind a lens on the heavier side, the 60-600 is an excellent choice. It is sharp almost across the entire zoom range and focuses fairly fast. The lens comes with a new MO (Manual Override) focus mode that allows you to override focus even in Servo / AF-C mode – something most lenses do not allow you to do. It is built well and at 2700 gms, weighs less than the 150-600mm Sports. This lens is not easy to handhold for long periods of time although the optical stabilisation does a good job of preventing shake

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

Every DSLR owner worries at some point or another about dust on lenses. While dust on the body of the lens is fairly easy to clean, dust on the elements is more tricky. You can clean the barrel and rubber rings on the lens using a moist toothbrush or a soft cloth. You have to be careful not to let drops of water run into any of the cracks below the zoom and focus rings and enter the lens. Ditto with the switches on the lens.

Cleaning Lens Elements:

A disclaimer before we get into more detail – unless you know what you are doing, it is always better to leave a lens alone or seek expert help. We know – we have been in situations where we left a lens worse off than it was before we began cleaning it!

Prevention:

Prevention is definitely the better option. Which is why almost all of the lenses tha