Lens rental

Does anybody know of or has anyone any experience of lens rental? I'm planning a trip to Africa next year and can't really afford a fast telephoto for the wildlife shots I'm anticipating and a teleconverter on my Sigma 70-300 would slow it down to much...
Any thoughts?

Calumet rent most things although I dont reckon they will do much with a Pentax mount. They ask for a deposit of the full retail value of the kit on your credit card in advance. I have always found that buying kit always pays for itself (OK I take pictures for a living) but you could always look out for an M42 telephoto as opposed to a zoom as a budget option, some people have been posting some impressive pictures here with lenses that cost less than £5.00!!!

Most of the rental places deal with the pros which means Canikon and Hassy stuff. I am not aware of anyone renting Pentax.

Kim

Alot of places have a two week return policy....
nice to know, if you're on the fence about buying....
be warned, it's really hard to take it back after you've had a week to get attached to it.....

I'd make the plunge on the lens, and cut back on the meals, if I were in your shoes......foriegn food would probably only give you the trots anyways...the photos will last a lifetime!!!

I took a 28-300 to Tanzania last year. It was fine. You can get close enough for good photos with a 300 generally. Given the light there you do not need a fast lens. I didn't change lenses much (I had the kit lens too) because of the dust.
I have now got a 50-500 which I would take next time, simply because it is a better lens.

Hmm, I've just had a look on the great "Bay" and found the 50-500 for £580 would you recommend this over the 100-300 f4?

I agree there is basically no chance of renting anything in a Pentax mount. You can however buy a lens (100-300mm and 50-500mm are both available from some shops), and then sell it on when you finish your holiday. As long as it's still in good condition, you won't have any trouble selling and you won't lose too much on it on eBay (or here!), because of the demand for long glass in the Pentax mount. This might even work out cheaper than renting!

The problem as Don said will be letting the lens go again


At £580 I might be inclined to. As long as it is in good condition, and as long as it is £580, not £580 plus customs duties etc. I can also see the 50-500mm being more flexible. The 100-300mm is obviously a more limited range, however the advantage is in the constant f/4, and in the image quality at all lengths and apertures. Personally I would rather own the 100-300mm, but for your trip I can see the 50-500mm might be more useful.

Do bear in mind that handheld shots at 500mm are not exactly easy. If you don't want to lug a tripod around, a shorter lens may be more practical.

G

If you are on safari a bean bag is a good idea, you can rest it on the jeep roof or window. Providing the other passengers aren't moving a bout too much even without a beanbag you can get a steady shot using the jeep bodywork. Take the bean bag empty and fill it there. The driver should turn off the engine to reduce vibration. If he doesn't ask him to. There is no room for a tripod and it would only be a nuisance to you and your fellow passengers. A monopod maybe an idea if you are in open jeeps like they use in South Africa. East Africa tends to use pop-roofed jeeps.
Don't forget some good binoculars. And don't spend your safari looking through the view finder.
Where are you going?

Good point, especially a 500mm lens at max f/6.3. Even with good light you'd probably be using the higher ISOs a lot. I was thinking a lens with more range might be useful if the trip is a guided one where your movements are a bit restricted; being stuck in a jeep etc. If you can move around more freely I'd go for the 100-300mm. Either way I like Gwyn's suggestion of a bean bag; that and SR would help.

Some top tips! Much appreciated, thanks, we're hoping to go on an overland tour through Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda over 3 weeks http://www.dragoman.com/destinations/tripdetails.php?cat=NNN
researching the best time of year to go at the moment.
And deciding on what kit to take!

For Rwanda and Uganda - for the gorillas I assume, the K10D will be perfect with it's weatherproofing. The 300 will be good for that part of the trip as a 50-500 is too heavy to carry any distance, let alone through a rainforest and up hill at that.
Ah just looked at the site.
In the truck you will have room for a monopod maybe, but not a tripod. It sounds like a great trip! Not for me as I must have a real bed to sleep in at night, (we stayed at tented camps) but great nonetheless.

Short rains in Tanzania are November-December, long rains are March to May approximately, but given global warming they are a bit erratic.
The Widebeest are in greatest numbers in Serengeti in February, when they give birth. We were lucky enough to see the birth of a calf.
Peak times in Kenya are summer months, in Tanzania January and February.