Friends borrowing your expensive lens

[TheoDR]

Just wondering... Have anyone here had their friends wanting to borrow your lens... Especially the expensive ones? I have a friend and a colleague always asking me if they can borrow certain lens. Just today, the colleague, upon hearing that I just purchased a certain lens, immediately asked if he can borrow to shoot for our company's function next week. I will not be shooting as I am put in charge of other things that day. How do you reject them without making them feel offended? I can't say that I need it since I am going to be there as well.

I will never lend any of my cam or lens to anyone. Better that they feel offended than me feeling that way upon finding out that they've damaged my equipment. Just reply "Sorry, I don't lend out my stuff." can already. If they press the issue, then recommend them some rental centres like other people have suggested.

 

[adamadam]

your story reminded me of a helpful local trying to help a couple take photos..... keep asking them to stand further away to frame the picture and then run road with the cam

I remember this one!

TS try borrowing THEIR lens or body sometime .......

ANYONE who lends .... does it at their own risk

ALWAYS make sure you let the borrower know that anything wrong (even ONE scratch) , you will expect it to be replaced ..... NOT repaired .... BUT REPLACED....

p/s I recently borrowed a Leica 28mm f2.0 Summicron from Cactusjack and in my carelessness my cigarette butt burnt a tiny little dent on the side of his rectangular lenscap ........ cost me $50 (for a lenscap no more) ...... manned up and replaced it for him with a brand new one

Last time I was in Singapore, my friend lent me M6 + 35cron+90elmarit.
I got addicted and ended up buying some of my own

 

[edutilos-]

p/s I recently borrowed a Leica 28mm f2.0 Summicron from Cactusjack and in my carelessness my cigarette butt burnt a tiny little dent on the side of his rectangular lenscap ........ cost me $50 (for a lenscap no more) ...... manned up and replaced it for him with a brand new one

What if the cigarette butt burnt a tiny little dent on the lens exterior?

 

[small pig]

TS try borrowing THEIR lens or body sometime .......

ANYONE who lends .... does it at their own risk

ALWAYS make sure you let the borrower know that anything wrong (even ONE scratch) , you will expect it to be replaced ..... NOT repaired .... BUT REPLACED....


p/s I recently borrowed a Leica 28mm f2.0 Summicron from Cactusjack and in my carelessness my cigarette butt burnt a tiny little dent on the side of his rectangular lenscap ........ cost me $50 (for a lenscap no more) ...... manned up and replaced it for him with a brand new one

you need to borrow any more lens?

 

[snappy55]

For me, I'll lend it (the more expensive stuff) only if I know that person will repair/replace it should something bad happen to it. Otherwise, I'll say no.

You never can tell whether anything might happen to your stuff. Once I lent a new PnS to someone who went on a holiday. The Pns was not of the more expensive range but still I didn't feel good when it came back with a dent. The person told me that it fell when she slipped (on what I don't remember) and showed me the dent. That was it. No offer to repair or replace.

Some people are like that, so it would be wise to know what kind of person you're lending it to.

This is all about the psychological principle called "ownership". If the lens or camera is not acquired through their own hard-earned money, then the users would subconsciously not be bothered about take good care of what they borrowed. I had the same experience as you did. The PnS camera came back with a dent, and the borrower just shrugged it off. On another occasion, I lent my brand new GF1 to another person for 1 day, and it came back with patches of black paint missing on one corner.

Best thing is ask your friend to go and rent one.

 

[small pig]

borrow them old camera lor .... it doesnt make sense to borrow ppl new stuff and came back in a old condition... it just not shiok ..

 

[biglittlebean]

TS try borrowing THEIR lens or body sometime .......

ANYONE who lends .... does it at their own risk

ALWAYS make sure you let the borrower know that anything wrong (even ONE scratch) , you will expect it to be replaced ..... NOT repaired .... BUT REPLACED....

p/s I recently borrowed a Leica 28mm f2.0 Summicron from Cactusjack and in my carelessness my cigarette butt burnt a tiny little dent on the side of his rectangular lenscap ........ cost me $50 (for a lenscap no more) ...... manned up and replaced it for him with a brand new one

At least you are responsible enough to pay up because you are a photographer yourself.. There are some people like one of the CS member's friend who didn't understand the fuss when he returned something different from the original condition.

 

[Fezqu]

At least you are responsible enough to pay up because you are a photographer yourself.. There are some people like one of the CS member's friend who didn't understand the fuss when he returned something different from the original condition.

I think it's not about being a photographer or not. There are people who just don't care about their gadget, let alone others. My ancient mini PSone, PSP and PS2 still look like new.

Some people I know after one month, their new stuff become like old stuff that had been through countless war.

Cause they simply just throw into thir bag, bed or whatever when thy are not using it, without thinking it might hit something hard or sharp.

 

[wootsk]

p/s I recently borrowed a Leica 28mm f2.0 Summicron from Cactusjack and in my carelessness my cigarette butt burnt a tiny little dent on the side of his rectangular lenscap ........ cost me $50 (for a lenscap no more) ...... manned up and replaced it for him with a brand new one

There are stuff where finding a replacement is hard.;p So I always tell those who borrow my lens that in the event that they damage the equipment, they doesn't need to pay me back cash but get it back in the condition I lend it off or even better. (By hook or crook)

 

[pinholecam]

All depends on relationship with friend and how well you know they take care of OTHER PPLs STUFF.
Some folks are pretty narcissistic. They will take care of their own stuff well, but treat other ppls stuff like crap.

But if you colleague can ask to borrow an expensive newly purchased lens, it does seem either he/she treats the matter lightly or can pay of one at a whim if its damaged.
At least that would be my criteria if I wanted to borrow ppls stuff under similar circumstances.
What if I damaged it and can pay? Worst if its rare and not easily avaliable even if I can pay?


If your friends are always fine lending their stuff to you, then I think its only right to lend them.

Its your decision.
Don't really need to be ashamed of the decision.
Just say 'No' if need be.
It just let your friends know that its the line in the sand for you.
Don't think friendship is just based on lens borrowing.
If not, when something happens, it will just cause a lot more unhappiness (unless they easily pay without batting an eyelid which is possible too).

 

[zaren]

Lend ONLY if you are mentally prepared never to get it back, or to get it back in whatever condition with no strings attached and with no questions asked.

Otherwise, just politely say no.

 

[blurshot]

I can understand TS feeling about having hard time rejecting friends and I have 3 methods to help you.

1) Next time when he asked, just close your eyes and think into the future on how you would feel if he returned it with a dent or scratch or worst off? You would be angry and pissed off, so conjure this angry emotion and say "NO"

OR

2) Just tell him that you think the lens has focus shift and you need to do up an long extensive test before sending it to calibrate. When he saw you with the lens, just tell him it is back from calibration but you don't trust the result, so you are performing another test. Next time he sees you again, just tell him, you see some focus shift again, and wants to perform the same stupid long test again. Next time sees you again, just say still testing and you are trying something else... and sees you again, repeat from this paragraph again. It is a looping thing that will keep him away from your lens. But if he offers to try on his cam, just tell him, that you can't be using his cam if it works on his so tell him that you suck thumb, gotta do it on your cam. No matter how low is his EQ, he should be able to get your drift.

OR

3) Be like me, give him a long "errrrrrrrrr" followed by "I don't know if it is a good idea" expression on your face. If he dosen't stand down, then go to method 1 cos he deserves it

 

[ricohflex]

If you have high quality friends, you never have to doubt that they will take care of it and you will get it back in mint condition. Just lend.

If you don't have quality friends, remember it is also a reflection on you.

If you want to know the standard of a person, look at the kind of friends he keeps and mixes closely with.

 

[wootsk]

If you have high quality friends, you never have to doubt that they will take care of it and you will get it back in mint condition. Just lend.

If you don't have quality friends, remember it is also a reflection on you.

If you want to know the standard of a person, look at the kind of friends he keeps and mixes closely with.

Friend needs QC...

 

[matthew]

Sounds like a great way to turn a friend into an ex friend.

All comes down to how much you trust them to take care of your equipment and if the worst happens do you think your friendship would survive it - especially if they really don't have the capacity to pay for a replacement. That is something only you can decide.

I had managed to ruin a friends tripod once. (Bent one of the legs, it would no longer 'fold' after that, but was still usable). I managed to find an identical replacement, but he refused to take it in the end. We are still friends. (But it was a relatively cheap tripod, not a mega expensive bit of kit).

 

[kei1309]

If you have high quality friends, you never have to doubt that they will take care of it and you will get it back in mint condition. Just lend.

If you don't have quality friends, remember it is also a reflection on you.

If you want to know the standard of a person, look at the kind of friends he keeps and mixes closely with.

judge, and be judged with the same measure. it's good to be cautious, but also good to extend a helping hand when needed.

soon the negative feelings will definitely rule your heart and you'll find it hard to trust people anymore.

and that's just what is happening in singapore society

 

[vlg134]

judge, and be judged with the same measure. it's good to be cautious, but also good to extend a helping hand when needed.

soon the negative feelings will definitely rule your heart and you'll find it hard to trust people anymore.

and that's just what is happening in singapore society

ya right. I remember you lent me your 17-55 and 70-200 even though you barely know me. hahaha. what fart what lick . So yea, nice ppl still around

I also have another friend who always throws me his D700 and all his lenses: 24-70, 70-200 f2.8 etc but too bad, I don't know how to use Nikon. At first I dare not touch worried if it spoilt or got problem then I would be in trouble. But I guess he trusts me know how to handle his stuffs. I think he seems happy to let me use his stuffs too haha

 

[Sion]

"Lens can break.
Friendship cannot be broken." - Lao Zi.

 

[spree86]

"Lens can break.
Friendship cannot be broken." - Lao Zi.

Lao Zi must not be using very expensive equipment back in those days :bsmilie:

 

[Sion]

Lao Zi must not be using very expensive equipment back in those days :bsmilie:

Lao Zi only used Leica gear. His specialty was 6th century XMMs.