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Canon EF long lens rental Florida US



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 22nd 04, 09:01 PM
Michael C. Smith
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Default Canon EF long lens rental Florida US

I'd like to rent a Canon EF long lens to photograph birds at Ding
Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida, USA (300mm,
400mm, 500mm, or 600mm). I prefer to pick up the lens in Florida
instead of shipping it, as rental fees accumulate during the shipping
period. If you ship the lens overnight, that's at least 2 extra days
of rental (in which case a week-long rental may be more cost
effective).

Does anyone know a shop in southern Florida that rents?

Should no one answer, the following may help someone in the future.

http://www.harmonphoto.com/
Harmon Photo, Ft. Myers, FL doesn't rent

Companies that will rent & ship to your location:

http://www.aperturepro.com/
Aperture Professional, Miami, Florida. Miami is 3.5 hours (per Yahoo)
from from Sanibel.

http://www.carouselstudios.com
Carousel Studios, Miami, FL.

http://www.samyscamerarental.com
Samy's Camera, Los Angeles, California CA.

http://www.adorama.com
Adorama, New York, NY.

http://www.acecam.com/rmcindex.html#Rental
ACECamera manufacturer & rental links; Doug Clifford.

Thanks.
--
...Mike Smith . Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
  #4  
Old June 23rd 04, 03:56 AM
Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)
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Posts: n/a
Default Canon EF long lens rental Florida US

Michael C. Smith wrote:
I'd like to rent a Canon EF long lens to photograph birds at Ding
Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida, USA (300mm,
400mm, 500mm, or 600mm). I prefer to pick up the lens in Florida
instead of shipping it, as rental fees accumulate during the shipping
period. If you ship the lens overnight, that's at least 2 extra days
of rental (in which case a week-long rental may be more cost
effective).


What is a typical rental charge for, say, a 500mm lens?
I assume you would want insurance too.

If it is as high I think it is, and considering how wonderful
a big lens is, might iot not be better to take out a
loan and just get one? How many days rental before
you've paid enough to buy it?

On a separate note, if you never been to Ding Darling, be
aware that opportunities are hit or miss. I've been to it
a fair number of times the last couple of years and
many hours, even a full day can go by with not much.
But if it is slow at Ding, there are other wonderful
places to go too.

Roger

Does anyone know a shop in southern Florida that rents?

Should no one answer, the following may help someone in the future.

http://www.harmonphoto.com/
Harmon Photo, Ft. Myers, FL doesn't rent

Companies that will rent & ship to your location:

http://www.aperturepro.com/
Aperture Professional, Miami, Florida. Miami is 3.5 hours (per Yahoo)
from from Sanibel.

http://www.carouselstudios.com
Carousel Studios, Miami, FL.

http://www.samyscamerarental.com
Samy's Camera, Los Angeles, California CA.

http://www.adorama.com
Adorama, New York, NY.

http://www.acecam.com/rmcindex.html#Rental
ACECamera manufacturer & rental links; Doug Clifford.

Thanks.


  #7  
Old June 24th 04, 05:01 PM
Michael C. Smith
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Canon EF long lens rental Florida US

"Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)" wrote in message ...
Michael C. Smith wrote:
I'd like to rent a Canon EF long lens to photograph birds at Ding
Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida, USA (300mm,
400mm, 500mm, or 600mm). I prefer to pick up the lens in Florida
instead of shipping it, as rental fees accumulate during the shipping
period. If you ship the lens overnight, that's at least 2 extra days
of rental (in which case a week-long rental may be more cost
effective).


What is a typical rental charge for, say, a 500mm lens?
I assume you would want insurance too.


Aperture Pro's (Miami) largest lens, a 400/2.8 L, rents for $125
daily, $500 weekly, and a $7,500 deposit. Adorama is $100 daily, $300
weekly, and $6,500.00 new. Adorama rents a 600mm/f4 (call for price).
Insurance isn't listed; thanks for the reminder.

If it is as high I think it is, and considering how wonderful
a big lens is, might iot not be better to take out a
loan and just get one? ..


SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed). Need I say more? I hope to get
one some day. The Canon 400mm f/4 DO is intriguing , only 4.3
lb/1,940g, light enough for hand holding.
http://www.adorama.com/CA4004ISU.html?searchinfo=canon%2040mm%20do&item_n o=5

Is 400mm too short for birding? I can afford (monetarily and
politically) only one long lens.

On a separate note, if you never been to Ding Darling, be
aware that opportunities are hit or miss. I've been to it
a fair number of times the last couple of years and
many hours, even a full day can go by with not much.
But if it is slow at Ding, there are other wonderful
places to go too.

Roger


Thanks for you suggestions, Roger. Great images & info on your site!
--
...Mike Smith . Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

Does anyone know a shop in southern Florida that rents?

Should no one answer, the following may help someone in the future.

http://www.harmonphoto.com/
Harmon Photo, Ft. Myers, FL doesn't rent

Companies that will rent & ship to your location:

http://www.aperturepro.com/
Aperture Professional, Miami, Florida. Miami is 3.5 hours (per Yahoo)
from from Sanibel.

http://www.carouselstudios.com
Carousel Studios, Miami, FL.

http://www.samyscamerarental.com
Samy's Camera, Los Angeles, California CA.

http://www.adorama.com
Adorama, New York, NY.

http://www.acecam.com/rmcindex.html#Rental
ACECamera manufacturer & rental links; Doug Clifford.

Thanks.

  #8  
Old June 24th 04, 05:09 PM
Michael C. Smith
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Canon EF long lens rental Florida US

W wrote in message ...
It is hit or miss at Ding Darling, what time of year are you going. I
also went to Merritt Island near Canaveral and had good luck. I brought
my 500mm this last trip in May and had better luck at Merritt Island.
Ding darling is better in early April. I found that most of the birds
are not fearful, you can get close, and I had good results with my
100-400mm zoom.

I don't know of any place that rents down there though.

Walter


Hi Walter,

Thanks for the Merritt Island suggestion.

Each lens has advantages (focal length vs. weight) but if you could
only have one additional lens for birding, would you want the
100-400mm or 500mm? (I have a 70-200mm/f2.8.)
--
...Mike Smith . Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

Michael C. Smith wrote:
I'd like to rent a Canon EF long lens to photograph birds at Ding
Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida, USA (300mm,
400mm, 500mm, or 600mm). I prefer to pick up the lens in Florida
instead of shipping it, as rental fees accumulate during the shipping
period. If you ship the lens overnight, that's at least 2 extra days
of rental (in which case a week-long rental may be more cost
effective).

Does anyone know a shop in southern Florida that rents?

Should no one answer, the following may help someone in the future.

http://www.harmonphoto.com/
Harmon Photo, Ft. Myers, FL doesn't rent

Companies that will rent & ship to your location:

http://www.aperturepro.com/
Aperture Professional, Miami, Florida. Miami is 3.5 hours (per Yahoo)
from from Sanibel.

http://www.carouselstudios.com
Carousel Studios, Miami, FL.

http://www.samyscamerarental.com
Samy's Camera, Los Angeles, California CA.

http://www.adorama.com
Adorama, New York, NY.

http://www.acecam.com/rmcindex.html#Rental
ACECamera manufacturer & rental links; Doug Clifford.

Thanks.

  #9  
Old June 25th 04, 04:58 AM
Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Canon EF long lens rental Florida US

Michael C. Smith wrote:

Aperture Pro's (Miami) largest lens, a 400/2.8 L, rents for $125
daily, $500 weekly, and a $7,500 deposit. Adorama is $100 daily, $300
weekly, and $6,500.00 new. Adorama rents a 600mm/f4 (call for price).
Insurance isn't listed; thanks for the reminder.


Hmmm. That's better than I expected. That's a big deposit though!

Is 400mm too short for birding? I can afford (monetarily and
politically) only one long lens.


It depends on location. In many places yes, others no.
For example, look on my site and see the focal lengths used.
http://www.clarkvision.com/galleries/gallery.bird
I also shoot with a second body and either a 300 f/4 or
100-400 f/5.6. But have few bird photos on the site
are with the shorter focal lengths (maybe one or two).
The images are about 40% 500mm + 1.4x TC, 55% 500mm straight,
and 5% other (lower FL and 500mm+1,4x+2x). So I use the 500
most of the time. While I've taken many images with
other lenses, the 500mm ones always seem better.

You might consider also the 300 f/2.8
as you can add a 2x and get 600 f/5.6. Or, as an intermediate
the 300 f/4 and you can add a 1.4x and get 420mm f/5.6 (cheapest
solution to get started).
Also check out used lenses.

Keep in mind that hand holding a 400mm f/4 lens may be possible,
but only for a short time, and you'll quickly become unsteady.
Try adding a weight to your longest lens to make it weigh
what it would with a 400mm f/4 and see how long you can hold
it up. I often wait many minutes pointing at one bird hoping
for some particular action. I can't imagine hand holding that
long.

Also, with any big lens be prepared to add the cost of tripod
and head to hold the lens. If you go 500mm you need something
like a good carbon fiber (or much heavier aluminum tripod).
I found the qitzo 1325/1328 the minimum for the 500 f/4.
I had a gitzo 3021, but it wasn't quite up to the task.
Then a good head able to carry the weight. A wimberly
really helps follow action with a big lens (if you rent,
you will still need all this too). The gitzo +
wimberly plus plates will run somewhere around $1200-1500.
(I know, its discouraging...I just went through this the last
couple of years). Large format lkandscape is cheap in comparison!

Thanks for you suggestions, Roger. Great images & info on your site!


Thanks,
Roger


  #10  
Old June 25th 04, 12:23 PM
Michael C. Smith
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Canon EF long lens rental Florida US

"Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)" wrote in message ...
..


These are great lens and tripod ideas, Roger! Thank you for your time.

Cheers,

...Mike Smith . Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
 




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