Frequently Asked Questions

How does it work?

The short version is this: Rent, shoot, return. You choose what you want and how long you want it, and we ship it to you on the date specified with a return label inside the box. When your rental is up you put the lens back in the box it came in, affix the return label and drop it off at FedEx. Once we receive the equipment we inspect it and assuming there's no damage your rental is complete. Wasn't that easy?

Can I reserve a rental item?
Yes, we take reservations for any item, for any duration of rental. Simply place the order for the rental item(s) and when you checkout enter the date you wish to receive the equipment into the calendar application we have created. Once the order goes through and you get an email confirmation from us, meaning the gear is reserved for your rental. If any situation comes up that jeopardizes your reservation, we will contact you ASAP.

When reserving an item for a particular date that is a hard deadline (say a wedding shoot, leaving for vacation, birthday celebration, etc.), please pay special attention to the shipping options. While FedEx almost always delivers packages on time, some packages do not arrive on time due to unforseen circumstances. Unfortunately, when shipping things across the US, we cannot guarantee a delivery date with 100% certainty. Thus, if you do have a hard deadline for the arrival of the rental and it's critical that you receive it by that date, please give yourself a buffer by requesting the item to arrive 2-3 days before the day you actually need it. Fed Ex is usually extremely accurate, but we would hate for you to be left without gear for a wedding shoot, birthday party, vacation, sporting event, etc. Please give yourself a buffer if the shoot date is unchangeable and very important!

Can I place an order for an item that is out of stock?
Yes, you can place an order for an "out of stock" item, either for reservation or immediate shipment when the rental item becomes available. You should be able to tell when an item will be available by the "Expected xxx Date" message. When placing an order, please indicate the date you would like the rental item shipped to you via the calendar application on the checkout page.

What does "Expected xxx Date" message mean?
This means that all of our copies of the rental item are currently being used by other customers, but as long as they come back on time and in good condition (which is typical), we can have them shipped out on or before the expected date of return.

Can I place orders for items with different rental durations?
No you cannot. If you want two items for two different rental periods, please place two different orders.

When does my rental period begin?
The rental period starts the day the package carrier delivers or attempts to deliver your package for the first time. For example, if FedEx delivers your rental on Wednesday, your rental period begins on Wednesday. If you miss the delivery and receive the rental the next day, you are on day two of the rental so please pay close attention to the Fed Ex tracking numbers that you receive from us in order to avoid this situation.

When does my rental period end?
The rental period ends 3 days, or 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks after day one of your rental period, depending on your order. Using the above example, if your rental period begins on a Wednesday, your package must be post-marked by the following Wednesday. The paperwork you receive with your rental will note the return date, and we'll also email you one day before your rental is due back to remind you of this fact.

What comes with a lens rental?
We try to ship each lens with all the accessories it came with brand new. Each lens will arrive with front and rear caps. Many bigger lenses may have an accompanying padded case. The lenses that come with lens hoods from the factory will have one as well. Most lenses (except for fisheyes and most super telephoto) will come with protective UV filters. Everything you receive must be returned with the equipment when the rental period ends.

Sometimes, however, we may not be able to include minor ancillary items, such as pouches or lens hoods (especially if the lens doesn't ship with a hood from the manufacturer). Additionally, during our busier season, we may run out of bags or pouches for lenses. Since we assume you'd rather have a lens and no pouch than no lens at all, we do ship lenses without them from time to time.

What comes with a camera rental?
We will ship all camera bodies with a body cap, a camera strap, a charger, and a battery. Extra batteries and memory cards are available for rent. Please note that cameras do not come with any lenses and you must rent a lens if you want to shoot with the SLR you rented. Also, we will make every effort to ensure the battery inside the camera is chared to 100% but there are times when we are unable to do this due to time constraints. If a fully-charged battery is important to you, we ask that you simply put it in the order notes and we will make sure the battery is charged for your rental.

Does all equipment come with manuals?
We have manuals for most of the equipment that we carry. However, we notice that when we send manuals out with every order, they only come back 50% of the time. So if you need a manual, please explicitly request one in the notes on your order and we'll include it.

May I extend my rental?
The short answer is... maybe. Please contact us before your rental period expires if you wish to extend. If there are no other customers waiting in line for your item, we will be happy to extend your rental. However, if somebody else has already placed an order for your item and is awaiting its return, we will need you to return the item in order to fulfill the next order.

Please note that in terms of billing the extensions are treated as if they were new orders - this is due to the overhead of handling new transactions (accounting, scheduling, inventory control, etc). Thus, if you think you may want the lens for a longer period of time up front, please do so. The rate will be less expensive for a 2 week rental than it would be for two 1-week rentals.

Can I charge an extension to a different credit card than the one I placed the order with?

Yes, but it creates a lot of paperwork for us, so we charge a $15 convienience fee in order to do so.

Do you offer custom rental periods?
Yes. If the generic 3 day or 1, 2, 3 or 4 week increments do not work for you, please contact us or simply enter the dates you need the gear into the order notes and we'll do our best to accomodate your n eeds.

Can I take the rental outside the US?
As long as you take care of the equipment, we have no policy against taking it abroad. However, please keep your rental receipt with you while travelling so that customs knows you did not purchase the items abroad as they might want you to pay a tax on them.

What if I wish to rent something you do not currently offer?
We are constantly striving to provide you with the most complete and extensive inventory in the business. Please contact us and let us know what you need. If we get enough feedback about a certain item or category of items, we will definitely consider adding them to our inventory.

My rental ends on Sunday -- what do I do?
If you're rental ends on Sunday you can return the item to us on the following day, which is a Monday. Our system is designed to ignore Sundays if your rental ends on that day, so our records will indicate that its being shipped/returned on Monday already.

I don't know what lens/camera/accessory/doohickey to rent! Can you help me?
Sure! Call or email us with your questions and we'll try and help you out (within reason, of course). Remember, however, that we suggest equipment based on the data you provide, but there's simply no way for us to anticipate your every requirement. Additionally, the suggestions we provide are done as a courtesy only and are not intended as a substitute for your own research. If we ship you a piece of equipment and it's what you ordered, but you find that it's not suitable for one reason or another, you're still going to be responsible for the rental cost. We won't be able to credit you for the order if you order something you end up not liking. 

Help! I left my images/audio/video on a CF Card/Hard Drive I rented from you.
Bad news, folks. Going through customer data is something we do not do as a matter of policy. Cards and drives get wiped as soon as they come back into our possession, so please make sure you get all your data off any cards or drives you rent from us before sending them back. If you don't do so, your data will be wiped off the returned gear. There are no exceptions to this rule and we cannot do anything to retrieve that data for you.

Do you charge a deposit?
We typically place a hold on the funds required for the rental as opposed to a deposit equal to the full value of the gear being rented. However, in some cases, we reserve the right to request a full-value deposit.

When is my credit card charged?
If your order is placed and due to ship within 7 days of your order date, an authorization in the full amount of the rental will be placed on your card immediately. On your ship out date, the authorization will be charged on your card in full.

If your order is placed and due to ship 7 days later than your order date, an authorization in the amount of $1 will be placed on your card immediately, then released within 24 hours. Then, 2 days before your order is due to ship, we will authorize your card for the full amount of the rental. The day your order ships the actual funds will be transferred from your account to ours.

Note - This process works differently for debit cards, see next question for details.

I thought you said you only charge the card when my order is shipped. Why do I see a charge immediately after placing the order?
You must be using a debit card. Debit cards work differently than credit cards. When an authorization hold is placed on a debit card, the system actually withdraws the money needed for the hold and places it in a special intermediate account, but it is not transferred to us. Once the order is shipped, we "capture" your debit card and only then are the funds transferred from the intermediate account into ours. Kind of makes you want to use a credit card, doesn't it?

Do you charge taxes?
Yes, if your order is shipped to or picked up in the state of California sales tax is applied.

Do you charge late fees?
Unfortunately, yes. We determine if you owe a late fee based on the time stamp of the return shipment. The late fee is 1/4 of one week's rental fee per day late. The fee is easily avoided by extending your rental period.

In some cases, an extension may not be available for items that are severely constrained. A lens you rented might be scheduled to go out as soon as it's returned. In such cases, returning an item late may cause Loss of Use fees to be applied in addition to the late fees. The amount of the Loss of Use fees will be calculated on a case-by-case basis. This is to avoid other customers being impacted by late returns and to recoup our costs when they are.

What is the cancellation procedure?
If you must cancel the order, please contact us. Note that a cancellation fee may apply.

Do you charge a cancellation fee?
If you cancel your order within 24 hours of placing the order, you will not be charged a cancellation fee. Also, if you cancel your order at least 7 days before it is shipped or picked up, there's no cancellation fee. However, if you cancel within the 7 day pick-up/ship window, there is a charge of a 3 Day Rental if it's a one-week or longer order. For example, say you requested to have an item delivered on April 15th. In order to get the item out to you on time, we will have to ship on April 13th. Thus, you have until April 6th to cancel your reservation and not incur any cancellation charges. If you have a 3-day rental and cancel within the 7-day window, there will be a $25 charge. Unfortunately we must have this policy to recoup some of the lost revenue of keeping the items on hold for you.

Do you refund if I return the camera equipment early?
We will issue you a store credit if you return the gear at least a week earlier than expected. So for example, if you have a 3 week order and we get the equipment back 12 days after you rent it, you are due a credit of 9 days. Orders that are returned within a week of the due date or 3-7 day orders are not eligible for credit. This is due to the fact that we are usually not able to rent out these items again on short notice and need to recoup our lost revenue caused by the early return.

Is there anything else I need to know or consider?
Please note that if you order very expensive items and are a first time customer, we will ask you to provide additional information regarding your identity, addressess for shipping and other details.

Can I pick up rental items in person in the Bay Area?
Yes, you certainly can. We have locations ringing the bay area to help you save money on shipping. If you are in or near San Carlos, you can even visit the mothership at 1664 Industrial Road, between Whipple and Brittan. Alternatively, you can pick up in San Francisco (2 locations), San Jose, Oakland, Albany, Santa Rosa, or Mill Valley for a $15 surcharge (to cover fuel/delivery/personnel costs).

How do I place an order for local pick-up?
You place the order through our website like you normally would. In the "Shipping Option" section, please select "Local Pick-up in XXXXX" depending on what's more convenient for you. Please note that you can't pick-up in one place and drop off at another.

What will I need on the day of my pick-up?
The person who places the order needs to be the one who picks it up as we cannot release rentals to friends, family members, etc.. Additionally, you will need to provide a state-issued picture ID and the credit card used during the ordering process to pick up the rental.

Where can I pick up my rental?
Please see below for the options available. All options after our main office are simple distribution centers with no access to billing, other rental items, etc. Please contact us directly with any questions regarding your rental. Also, if you pick up a rental, it has to be dropped off at the location you picked it up from. If you pick up an order at Rayko in San Francisco, it has to be returned there.

Can I pick up my rental at a drop-off location, and then ship it back via Fed Ex or UPS?
Sure, as long as you do not mind footing the bill for packaging and shipping and the equipment arrives back on the same day that it is due. However, if your drop off day is a Friday, and you drop it off at Fed Ex instead of your designated location on Friday, we will charge you an extension fee for the days beyond the rental period that the equipment is in transit and not available. We also ask that you send us the tracking info if you do this so we can adjust the rental calendar for the items in the order.

Can I pick up rental items in person in the central California?
Yes, you certainly can. We have locations in Roseville, Modesto and Stockton. There is a $15 surcharge (to cover fuel/delivery/personnel costs).

How do I place an order for local pick-up?
You place the order through our website like you normally would. In the "Shipping Option" section, please select "Local Pick-up in XXXXX" depending on what's more convenient for you. Please note that you can't pick-up in one place and drop off at another.

What will I need on the day of my pick-up?
The person who places the order needs to be the one who picks it up as we cannot release rentals to friends, family members, etc. Additionally, you will need to provide a state-issued picture ID and the credit card used during the ordering process to pick up the rental.

Where can I pick up my rental?
At any of the locations we offer, and please keep in mind all options that are NOT our main office are just distribution centers with no access to billing, other rental items, etc. Please contact us directly with any questions regarding your rental. Also, if you pick up a rental at a certain store, it has to be dropped off at the same location. If you pick up an order at Rayko in San Francisco, for example, it has to be returned there.

Can I pick up my rental at a drop-off location, and then ship it back via Fed Ex or UPS?
Sure, as long as you do not mind footing the bill for packaging and shipping and the equipment arrives back on the same day that it is due. However, if your drop off day is a Friday, and you drop it off at Fed Ex instead of your designated location on Friday, we will charge you an extension fee for the days beyond the rental period that the equipment is in transit and not available. We also ask that you send us the tracking info if you do this so we can adjust the rental calendar for the items in the order.

Can I pick up rental items in person in the southern California?
Yes, you certainly can. We have 4 locations in southern California including Hoopers Camera in Chatsworth, Thousand Oaks and Woodland Hills, and Tuttle Camera in Long Beach. There is a $20 surcharge (to cover fuel/delivery/personnel costs).

How do I place an order for local pick-up?
You place the order through our website like you normally would. In the "Shipping Option" section, please select "Local Pick-up in XXXXX" depending on what's more convenient for you. Please note that you can't pick-up in one place and drop off at another.

What will I need on the day of my pick-up?
The person who places the order needs to be the one who picks it up as we cannot release rentals to friends, family members, etc.. Additionally, you will need to provide a state-issued picture ID and the credit card used during the ordering process to pick up the rental.

Where can I pick up my rental?
At any of the locations we offer, and please keep in mind all options that are NOT our main office are just distribution centers with no access to billing, other rental items, etc. Please contact us directly with any questions regarding your rental. Also, if you pick up a rental at a certain store, it has to be dropped off at the same location. If you pick up an order at Thousanda Oaks, for example, it has to be returned there.

Can I pick up my rental at a drop-off location, and then ship it back via Fed Ex or UPS?
Sure, as long as you do not mind footing the bill for packaging and shipping and the equipment arrives back on the same day that it is due. However, if your drop off day is a Friday, and you drop it off at Fed Ex instead of your designated location on Friday, we will charge you an extension fee for the days beyond the rental period that the equipment is in transit and not available. We also ask that you send us the tracking info if you do this so we can adjust the rental calendar for the items in the order.

 

Can I pick up rental items in person in the Las Vegas?
Yes, you certainly can. We have one location in Las Vegas named Sahara Camera Center (map). There is a $20 surcharge (to cover fuel/delivery/personnel costs).

How do I place an order for local pick-up?
You place the order through our website like you normally would. In the "Shipping Option" section, please select "I will pick up the order:" and then select "Las Vegas Area." Please note that you will need to both pick-up and drop-off your rental at this location.

What will I need on the day of my pick-up?
The person who places the order needs to be the one who picks it up as we cannot release rentals to friends, family members, etc. Additionally, you will need to provide a state-issued picture ID and the credit card used during the ordering process to pick up the rental.

Where can I pick up my rental?
At Sahara Camera Center. Also, please keep in mind this is just a distribution center with no access to billing, other rental items, etc. Please contact us directly with any questions regarding your rental. Also, you will need to both pick up and drop off your rental at this location.

Can I pick up my rental at a drop-off location, and then ship it back via Fed Ex or UPS?
Sure, as long as you do not mind footing the bill for packaging and shipping and the equipment arrives back on the same day that it is due. However, if your drop off day is a Friday, and you drop it off at Fed Ex instead of your designated location on Friday, we will charge you an extension fee for the days beyond the rental period that the equipment is in transit and not available. We also ask that you send us the tracking info if you do this so we can adjust the rental calendar for the items in the order.

Which shipping carrier do you use?
We ship packages via FedEx 2nd Day, FedEx Overnight or FedEx Ground. The packages that are within a 2 day delivery window for FedEx Ground will be shipped via FedEx Ground and the rest via FedEx Air. A tip for San Francisco Bay Area customers: FedEx Home/Ground packages get delivered overnight.

Is signature required?
Yes, a signature is required on all packages.

Where do you ship to?
We are proud to offer shipping within the whole Unites States (all 50 of them). While we would love to help our Canadian neighbors to the north, we have heard enough horror stories about shipments being stuck in customs for weeks at a time to not offer that option for now. However, our friends at LensLenders.com do service the country up north exclusively.

Do you ship to PO Boxes?
We've had so much trouble with the United States Postal Service that we no longer ship to PO Boxes or any other address that requires USPS service only.

Do you ship to hotels?
Typically we do not, however we are willing to do so if you will put down a full-value deposit. Hotels are risky becuase they will not accept any responsibility for lost or missing packages and our multi-thousand dollar shipments don't mix well with that policy :) Another option if you need gear shipped to a location away from home is to ship to a Fed Ex/Kinkos and have them hold the package for you using a service called "Hold at Location." You can find a list of FedEx centers that allow the "Hold at Location" service here.

Do you ship to Fed Ex/Kinkos?
Yes we do. See the question above this one for more details.

What are your shipping rates?
Please note that our rentals do not include the shipping rates. The shipping amount for each order will be displayed upon check-out. Our rates do include both the cost for shipping the package to you and your shipping it back to us. If you are ordering two small items, we may be able to combine shipping. In such a case, your credit card will not be charged for the additional shipping charges, and you will receive a new invoice by email.

How fast do you process the orders?
We make every effort to ship orders within 24 hours and are 99 % successful at it. If you require a same day rush order and you place the order after 2pm PST, please make sure to indicate that you want it shipped out same day and we will try to accommodate you.

How soon should I expect the delivery?
All orders will be scheduled to be delivered 1 or 2 days after the ship date based on your shipping selection. If you are in Hawaii or Alaska and are outside of major metropolitan areas (think Honolulu or Anchorage), the minimum delivery time is usually 3 days, so please plan accordingly and request the items a few days ahead of schedule.

Do you offer overnight shipping?
When you absolutely, positively need to get a rental item as soon as humanly possible, you shouldn't worry. If you order overnight shipping, we will make every possible effort to have FedEx deliver the package by the next business day. Placing your order before 2 pm PST will help us get your order out on time.

Also, please be aware that FedEx offers 3 Overnight services: Standard, Priority and First. When you pay for "1 day" service, you are paying for standard service that is guaranteed by FedEx to arrive by 4:30 pm the next day. Priority Overnight gets there by 10:30am and First Overnight by 8:30am. If you need any of these services, please indicate that in the order notes and note that additional charges (usually hefty especially for First Overnight) will apply.

Will my shipment arrive on time? What if Fed Ex is late!?
For the vast majority of orders, Fed Ex will arrive on time so you do not have to worry. We still recommend giving yourself a one-day buffer though if you have a date that cannot be missed such as a wedding or if you are travelling. From time to time things do happen that prevent Fed Ex from delivering on time though - this is a VERY small fraction of orders, but things do happen. When Fed Ex does experience issues, and we have done everything correct on our part (shipped the order on the correct day, etc) we will issue you a store credit for half the amount of the shipping on the order (essentially covering the cost of the outgoing shipping, since the incoming shipment will not be affected by any problems with Fed Ex).

Do you ship to Puerto Rico?
We do ship to Puerto Rico, but we cannot generate a return Fed Ex label to include in the box. To resolve this you will need to pay for return shipping, and send us the tracking info as well.

Do you ship to Hawaii and Alaska?
We certainly do! But due to the distance, shipping does take one day longer than usual, so it takes 3 days instead of 2.

 

 

How do I return the rental items to you?
You will receive detailed instructions with your package, but essentially you just put everything back in the box it came in and attach the prepaid return shipping label that came with your order to the box. You then take it to the nearest Fed Ex/Kinkos and hand it to them, and they ship it back to us. A copy of the instructions can also be found here. If you still have questions, please feel free to contact us.

Can I return my order by dropping it in a Fed Ex drop-box?
Please do not do this. You will amost always incur a late fee as Fed Ex does not pick-up from them on a timely schedule (based on our experience over the years). Since Fed Ex comes late, your order will be late, and you will have to pay a late fee. To avoid this, take your package to any Fed Ex/Kinkos location and do no use a curb-side drop-box. There is also the possibility when using a drop box that the gear you are "dropping" into the box will get damaged when you drop it into the box. Trust us -- do not use these drop boxes!

What if I leave my own equipment in my rental items?
This happens from time to time -- a memory card is left in a camera, or a tripod mount is attached to a lens collar, etc. We'll do our best to get your equipment back to you, but are NOT RESPONSIBLE for anything that is left with a rental, period. If you send something you own back to us, we will try to get it back to you but make no promises that it will. We're sorry but these are always small items and they have a tendency to become lost, misplaced, or to get mixed in with our own inventory.

What if I return my order early? Can I get a refund?
If you return an order with AT LEAST 7 days remaining on the order, we will issue you a store credit for the time remaining on your order. If you return your gear with less than 7 days left on the rental we will not issue you a credit as our system still has the gear "blacked out" so to speak and not available for rent during that period.

What is insurance?
Insurance purchased through BorrowLenses.com gives you peace of mind and protects you from liability for unintentional damage to the rental item after paying a deductible. If no insurance is purchased, you will be responsible for the full cost to repair damage to the equipment. If you do purchase insurance and an item is damaged, you only pay a deductible of 12% of the value of an item in similar condition to the item rented and the rest is paid by us.

How do I purchase insurance?
Most items we rent have an insurance purchase selection option below the rental period radio buttons. The "Yes" option indicates how much insurance will cost for a particular item. If you forget to add insurance to your order during checkout, please contact us and we can add it to your order if it has not yet shipped.

What is covered by the insurance?
Most unintentional damage to the item is covered under this optional insurance policy.

What is NOT covered by insurance?
Lost or stolen items are not covered, neither is water damage as that is considered to fall under the category of owner negligence. Also, any peripheral items in your rental are not covered including lens hoods, battery chargers, front and rear caps, cables, etc. If you lose and/or damage these items, you will need to pay for them to be replaced even if you purchase insurance. The insurance policy is for the lens and/or camera itself. Also, your renter's, homeowner's, or photographer's insurance policies might cover items and/or situations that our policies do not cover -- please check with your insurance agent regarding this before you rent if you have concerns.

Is the equipment in good working order when it arrives?
Prior to shipping your order, we verify functionality of each rental item. We will not send you a malfunctioning piece of gear! We perform visual inspection and if we notice any functional defects, the equipment will be sent to the repair shop instead of you. This is in addition to the checks and tests we run on gear when it is first returned from a rental. We will do our best to notify you of any issues in a timely manner and provide you with the opportunity to modify your order in case we get inoperable equipment back from a previous shipment.

What if the rental item becomes damaged in transit?
There is very little chance of this happening. We pack the equipment in special packaging material to guarantee its safety and have very rarely had problems with service from FedEx. However, if you notice that your package arrives in really bad shape, you must notify us within 3 hours of receiving it and provide pictures of the condition of the box.

We know that receiving broken equipment is a huge inconvenience and we will work with you on sending you replacement gear and working within your schedule. Please note that if we send you replacement equipment and the original equipment turns out to be functioning as expected, we will charge you rental fees for both rentals (we have, unfortunately, had to learn from experience on this one). Don't hesitate to contact us if you think something is amiss!

What if I damage the equipment and don't buy the insurance?
We understand that accidents happen. Please contact us immediately, then relax and take a deep breath. Return the rental to us as soon as possible and we will evaluate the damage. In cases where the damage is real and not operator error, we reserve the right to estimate the repair charges (based on our previous repairs), place a temporary authorization hold on your credit card for that amount and send the item off to the original manufacturer for repairs. However, our standard process is to send the equipment out for repair, then notify you when it returns with a final cost to you. If you purchased insurance you only pay repair fees, or 12% of the replacement cost- whichever is cheaper. If you did not purchase insurance, you pay 100% of the repair, or replacement cost, as well as rental fees (i.e. "loss of use" fees) for every day the gear was out for repair. We put a rush on all repairs to minimize the cost to you for the loss of use fees. Finally, if we do not hear back from you within 2 weeks of notice about the total fees owed for repair, your information will be sent to a collections agency.

What if I damage the equipment but I did buy the insurance?
Again, please contact us immediately and return the equipment ASAP. We will inspect the equipment and the damage, and send it off for repair. You will be charged a 12% deductible for the replacement cost and repair of each item. For example if a lens costs $1,000 and the repair costs $200 you will have to pay just $120. Once the item has been repaired we will tally up the charges and send you an invoice. Once we have received payment the matter will be closed. If the item is damaged to the point where repair is not possible, and it must be replaced, you will pay 12% of the street price for that item.

What do you consider damage?
Minor scratches to the lens barrel and hood are considered the results of ordinary wear and tear and will not result in damage assessments. Scratches to the glass, damage to the coupling or any other part that affects the lens' performance will be considered damage.

Also, please remember that you use any accessories not shipped with the gear we send you at your own risk. So, if you use a battery not shipped with a camera and it causes damage to that camera, that would be considered damage. In such a case, we might not be able to ship out a replacement for you and you might need to place a new order for another camera.

 

What is the BorrowLenses.com membership program?
Our membership program allows us to say thank you to all of our current and future frequent BorrowLenses.com customers. If you rent a lot of equipment or have lots of changes in your shooting plans, this program is for you!

What are the benefits offered with member accounts?
As a BorrowLenses.com member, you are entitled to the following benefits:

• Automatic 10% off on all rental orders placed and shipped during the membership period. This will be applied automatically to your order at the time of checkout. To get the discount make sure to log into the account you purchased the membership with.

• An increased level of rental item availability. If something is not available, all possible efforts will be made to ship the order to you, up to and including drop shipping a lens or camera from our suppliers such as B&H, J&R, Adorama, and others. If one of these vendors has the item you need in stock, while we do not, we will ship the item straight to you from the vendor.

• Free BorrowLenses.com t-shirt. You will get one of these when you sign up for the membership account. If you place an order immediately, we will send one to you with the order. Please let us know which size you would like with the order containing the membership.

• Cancellations with no fees. If you need to cancel the order with us for any reason, and we would normally charge you a cancellation fee, this would be waived for Member level orders.

What is the cost of the membership?
Membership costs $99.00 for the duration of a calendar year and it can be purchased here.

Can the membership be cancelled?
You can cancel your membership within 48 hours of becoming a member. After that, you are signed up for the year. If you place an order using membership benefits during the initial 48 hours, then a cancellation will not be allowed.

How is the membership renewed?
Once your membership is expired, we will automatically renew the membership and send you a receipt via email. You can then cancel within 15 days of receiving this email and all membership dues will be refunded to your card.

 

Am I a good candidate for the consignment program?
If you have some camera bodies, lenses, or accessories that you are not using much or are looking to purchase some and want to help us offset the cost, you would benefit from the consignment program. Also, if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and like the idea of your gear making you money and then using it when not rented out, you are a good candidate as well. Please note that you would need to have around $25,000 of camera equipment to consign with us to get started.

How does the consignment program work?
Let us know which bodies, lenses, or accessories you have. If they match our demand for rentals, we then work out the logistics and both sign our Consignment Agreement. You then ship or deliver the items to us, we put them up on our site and rent them out to our customers.

We handle all the logistics, including packaging, shipping, receiving, cleaning of the lenses, billing, insurance, customer inquiries, etc. We even periodically calibrate and clean them for you using the equipment's official service center.

Finally, we keep a running total of your commission and pay you out at the end of each month.

What are the risks of the consignment program?
Every time there is a reward, there is also a risk (albeit a small one in this case). Your consignment gear could of course be damaged or lost. To curb your fears though, we pre-screen and check out all our customers and have many methods of recouping any losses (we wouldn't be in this business for long if we didn't). Furthermore, we treat your equipment as it were our own and use our standard procedure on it as dictated by the Equipment Lease Agreement.

How do I get started?
Please shoot us an e-mail with the list of items that you want to start making money on.

 

Do you ever buy used equipment?
Yes. We are always looking for new equipment to rent out, so please don't hesitate to contact us if you are selling some gently used camera equipment.

Do you ever sell your used equipment?
We occasionally sell camera gear. Take a look at our For Sale page here.

 

What is the affiliate program?
The affiliate program is a program whereby you can refer people to our site, and if they rent any time within 90 days after their first visit, you will get a commission. It's free to join, open to anyone, and you can read more details and sign up on this page.

 

I love what you guys are doing! Is there any way I can help?
Absolutely. We are always looking for new people who share our passion in providing low cost and convenient camera equipment rentals. Whether you are a potential investor or a future employee, please contact us and let us know how you can help.

Do you recycle?
Absolutely. As many of our customers have probably noticed, we reuse our materials extensively. From the boxes to the foam to the bubble wrap, we believe in recycling and reusing all the materials for multiple orders. We are very committed to leaving as small of a footprint as possible on Mother Nature. We have even been known to take oddly shaped pieces of foam and glue them together to form a usable piece and reduce waste. Be on the lookout for our recycling efforts in your next order :)

The Equipment Lease Agreement can be found here.

Do you have any customers who can provide testimonials about your service?
Unlike most places, we don't put up hand-picked testimonials that make us look good, but instead encourage people to leave feedback on a third party forum letting us know what they think of our service. Using this system, we have gained a lot of positive feedback and continue to tweak all of our sytems to obtain maximum customer satisfaction. Please follow these links to read what people have to say about us:

ResellerRatings.com
Yelp.com

If you have rented from us before, please don't hesitate to leave your opinion on our service on these websites. Thanks!