Originally posted by Lord Lucan I'm not undertanding what all this kit is for, assuming that any pro covering the event will bring their own cameras and appropriate lenses with them (or will they?). I can understand Canon and Nikon being there for repairs, and to sell replacements for any totalled write-offs, possible thefts and oversights, but are they really expecting this many cameras and lenses to break down during the games? A poor advert for their kit if they are
Yes, photographers have their own cameras and lenses, and yes, some of this loaner gear is for breakdowns, accidents, and theft. And yes, Canon and Nikon are expecting equipment losses during the events. Itʻs sometimes due to accidents such as impact, but a pro can easily shoot 10,000/day with 8 fps, and in extreme cold, things break.
But breakdowns may represent only 10% of the loaners, and if your are a NPS or CPS member, this gear can be borrowed (Nikon=free; Canon=depends on your level of membership) for backup use or to compliment your kit. For a pro, you may even have an assistant that will caddy all your gear.
In your kit, you may be still shooting with a D4s or D810, and after borrowing a D5 or D850, will discover you canʻt live without it and will buy a couple for future events where loaners are not available.
I donʻt see it as a poor advert for them. Yes, when Nikon has a recall on the D610 or I have a Takata airbag recall on my Toyota, itʻs a bummer. But Nikon and Toyota doesnʻt deny the problem, recalls and fixes it, and I even had a loaner from Toyota for a month until the replacement airbag arrived. I used to own Mitsubishis and they would never admit to a defect. And with my sonʻs K-50.......but I digress...