The Best Equipment Choices for Rental Companies

Renting out photography equipment isn't uncommon these days, with more students, amateurs and hobbyists getting involved in a profession that costs a lot to get started in. Renting equipment can be a great choice for photographers for a number of reasons such as:

  1. When they can't afford to purchase the equipment, or they only do photography as a side hobby
  2. When they want to try out equipment without the commitment of buying it
  3. When they only need equipment for one shoot but won't use it past that e.g. specialist equipment or very powerful lights
  4. When they don't have a studio or space to store equipment 

So what if you're interested in setting up a rental service, or if you already run one but you are looking at expanding your catalogue? We've put together an updated list of equipment that we would recommend rental services invest in to make sure your customers have everything they need!

Flash

CITI1200 PRO:

  • 1200Ws Battery Powered Flash, our most powerful Battery Flash option
  • Long-Lasting Battery with Approximately 500 Full Powered Flashes Per Charge
  • Pack and Head System, allows you to position the lighting in multiple locations without adjusting the heady control box

The CITI1200 Pro is a great option to hire out, as many photographers don't need a 1200w light for their work. It may be useful when photographers are shooting something new or are on location, thanks to it's ability to power over the sun, but due to it's cost, it may be easier for many photographers to rent one rather than purchasing for themselves.

 

 

Godox P2400:

  • 2400Ws Studio Flash, our most powerful flash option available
  • Pack and Head System, similar to CITI1200 PRO, making it easy to transport
  • Can be used with one or two flash heads at a time, allowing it to be a twin light set-up from a single power pack

Similarly, not everybody will need a 2400w light. The £4,449 price tag also puts the Godox CORE P2400 out of many hobbyist and student price ranges.

 

 

STORM MKIII Series:

  • Available for 400ws, 600Ws and 1200Ws power output options
  • Super-Fast Flash Durations and Recycle times, perfect for Motion Photography such as dance and sport
  • Stable-Colour Mode to capture colours in the subjects accurately

 The STORM MKIII Series is the newest model of the STORM strobe series, following on from the MKII. The MKIII models benefit from an updated LED modelling light and faster flash times over their predecessors. Many photographers are avid users of the STORM series, and it is a popular choice for studios, but many people may want to try the new models before purchasing them to replace their MKII's.

LEDs

Godox M600D:

  • 740W Daylight Balanced, our most powerful LED continuous lighting unit
  • Can be powered via mains power or 2x V-Mount batteries, for both studio and location use
  • Built-in Lighting effects, such as broken bulb, camera flash and lightning, to create a unique lighting style

The KNOWLED M600D is a powerful LED with a range of special effects that aren't always needed for everyday shooting. The unit is also very suitable for filmmaking, and as many cinematographers and filmmakers rent their lighting equipment due to high costs and different needs based on each shoot, continuous lighting LEDs such as this one are a great option to keep on stock.

TL120:

  • RGB Lighting with the option to choose between 36,000 colours to suit your shooting environment
  • Daylight and Bi-Colour Lighting (2700K – 6500K) to match the ambient lighting in your shooting environment
  • Slim Light Tube Design, allow this to be positioned in a variety of different places

Godox TL120 Light Tubes are a great way to pack a punch in creative work with a huge range of colours to choose from, but the TL120 isn't always needed for the everyday. Especially if a photographer/videographer is after more than one tube to add to the background and add more colour tones to a shot, it's not always easy on the budget to purchase whenever you need them, which makes renting a sensible option for the TL120 or any other RGB Tubes.

 

 

Godox S60D:

  • Focusable lighting between 6° and 55° to either throw a light across a large distance or flood an area with light
  • Silent Mode, to remove any noise from the fan, perfect for shooting video interviews
  • Can be controlled by either DMX, Godox App or 2.4GHz Wireless Remote Control

Similarly, the S60D, which specialises in producing a spotlight effect, is another special effects piece of equipment which means that it isn't necessarily always economical to purchase them whenever they're needed. Renting out special effects equipment is a great way to target creative videographer audiences.

Modifiers

180cm x 120cm Softbox:

  • Due to the size, this can be used to create a Pure White Background, ideal for Portraits and Headshots
  • Twin Diffusion Layers to create a soft and even lighting and Honeycomb Grid to restrict the light spread to reduce unwanted spill
  • Interchangeable Speedring fitting to allow this to be used with a variety of different lighting brands

Let's be honest, it's not every day that you need an almost 6ft tall softbox! The 180x120cm gridded softbox is great for spreading out light and reducing light wastage. 

 

 

Godox Parabolic Reflectors:

  • Available in 88cm, 128cm, 158cm size options to match your shooting requirements
  • Allows you to create three different lighting positions to create three unique lighting options from a single modifier
  • 24-Facet Design to create a perfectly circular light source, perfect for creating a spotlight effect

 The new Godox Parabolic Series is another case of new equipment that doesn't always fit with the average photographer's budget. With the 88 coming in at £1,225.99 and the 158 at £1,575.99, these are a great option to have on stock for when they're out of a person's budget or when they just want to try them out before purchasing.

 

 

Butterfly Diffuser Panel:

  • Two Size options, 150x200cm and 240x240cm, to better suit your shooting environment
  • Diffusions makes it a perfect solution when shooting on location in harsh sunlight to reduce shadows and highlights
  • Large sizes makes it ideal for shooting larger subjects such as vehicles and furniture

 Another case of very large equipment, the Butterfly Diffuser Panels are great to have on hand when people either don't have the space to store them, or when they're needed temporarily on a film set.

Stands

Heavy-Duty Wheeled Stand:

  • 20KG Load Capacity, perfect for holding almost any light and modifier combination available
  • Wheeled Base to allow for easy movement around a Studio Location to help with lighting positioning
  • Spring-Loaded System to prevent any sudden drops from the central column that may cause damage to the equipment

 The Heavy Duty Wheeled Stand is another example of specialist equipment that isn't always needed. It can hold up to 20kg, which isn't always necessary on most shoots, but it's always good to have around for hire for particular shoots.

300cm C-Stand with Boom Arm:

  • Boom Arm allows you to position the lighting in positions not usually available with standard light stands
  • Comes with 2x 2.5” Grip Heads, to allow this to be used with additional modifiers such as flags, diffusers and reflectors
  • Detachable base to allow for easy storage and transportation between different locations

C-Stands are essential for most film-sets for a multitude of reasons, but it doesn't always make sense to have them around when you don't have the storage space for them or when you only need them for short films. Having them on stock for rental purposes pretty much guarantees that some creatives in your area will get in touch to use them.

 

 

225cm Wheeled Column Stand:

  • Features unique Pistol-Grip Handles to hold the light in place, and additional Grip Handles can be added to the central column to hold multiple lighting options at a time
  • Wheeled Based to allow for easy movement around a studio environment without having to completely adjust your set-up
  • Collapsible Leg Design to fold up around the central column, perfect for saving space during storage as well as transportation

The 225cm Wheeled Stand is a great multipurpose piece of kit for when you need to shoot in a small, enclosed space. Being able to mount more than one light makes it a great solution for tricky shoots, but it isn't always needed on a list of studio must-haves for every situation. 

For more information about any of the equipment mentioned, please get in touch with our Customer Support team at 0121 553 3113.