Rent Pentax Lens in Sydney?

NicoleAu · 02-14-2011, 01:37 AM

Hi,

I'm shooting a wedding for an old school friend in early April. I mainly shoot portraiture and street and haven't done a wedding before. These friends simply don't have the money to pay for a photographer and they like my shots, so asked me. And before you say I should pay, I can't afford it either! Anywayyyy I was wondering if anyone knew of anywhere that rented fast glass in Sydney. I live on the Central Coast and the wedding is in Newcastle, but Sydney is easy enough to get to. I have found places that rent out Nikon and Canon, but no luck so far with Pentax. I'm hoping someone else here can help!

Cheers,

Nicole

DaveHolmes · 02-14-2011, 04:54 PM

Are you currently just using the kit-18-55mm?

NicoleAu · 02-14-2011, 05:12 PM

I have the Tammy 18-250 and will have the FA 50 f1.4 by this Saturday as well as a Sigma flash, which I will be practising like a madwoman with until April.

DaveHolmes · 02-14-2011, 05:29 PM

Originally posted by NicoleAu

I have the Tammy 18-250 and will have the FA 50 f1.4 by this Saturday as well as a Sigma flash, which I will be practising like a madwoman with until April.

I reckon you'll get away with what you have... Stop down (f8 at the wide end) on the zoom as much as shutter speeds will get away with (K-x's iso quallities will help here)... But most important make sure you get the shots the happy couple want!! After those 'must have' shots are out the way... Document the day in the style they're expecting

If possible get down to the venue (or somewhere like it at a similar time of day) with a couple of friends who are willing to pose (fake couple) for practice shots... get one of them to wear a white top...

Learn bounce-flash for indoors and fill-flash for outside... if poss get a reflector and have someone t hold it (and your gear) so you can move around...

There are a couple of really good 'wedding shooting' threads on this website with some top-drawer advice... check them out asap

NicoleAu · 02-15-2011, 03:44 PM

I love the Tammy, just worried the shots won't look as sharp as the 50mm. I plan on using the Tammy outdoors during the ceremony (it's an outdoor wedding) and the group photo and the 50mm for the posed shots & at the reception. I'd have liked something that had more DOF for the zoom, but I guess beggars can't be choosers. It's a shame nowhere seems to rent them out here. If I was a canikon person I'd have no issues.

I have a diffuser for the lens and I'll be practising indoors with the flash after Saturday. I'll have to grab someone to help me use the fill flash outdoors as well.

epqwerty · 02-15-2011, 05:29 PM

Don't want to sound like Mr. Negative but are you sure that the 50mm will be wide enough for a group photo? You might have to step far away for it to work. Keep in mind that 50mm on a DSLR is not the same as a 50mm on a FF body crop factor wise. In reality it is a 50mm but will look like a 75mm. You might consider running some trials runs before the big event. I would use the zoom lens and make sure you get the exif data out of it and see what focal range would work best the 50mm is a good lens and all but for group shots I've had very little success unless I take the photo from the other room.

Good news is you have plenty of time for trial and error before it really counts.

twitch · 02-15-2011, 06:06 PM

50mm is too narrow for long for sure, I know 'cause I tried

As to renting a lens; you'd have a far better chance of making a call for help on this forum to borrow/rent someones lens for the event IMHO.

NicoleAu · 02-15-2011, 06:09 PM

I actually said the tammy for the outdoor and group photos, but I probably didn't punctuate correctly

I guess Twitch, but who would be game to do that for someone virtually unknown to them? It's a pretty big ask.

epqwerty · 02-15-2011, 06:22 PM

The Pentax community is so small it wouldn't be hard to track down the lens again.

Joking....

Yeah I misread that last post. Sorry.

**wizofoz** · 02-15-2011, 06:27 PM

I think Twitch is right, ask on this forum. I had a call from a previously unknown person asking if he could rent/borrow the 50-135 I had for sale. Much the same story, shooting a wedding, didnt have the gear, etc, etc.

I lent him the lens (and a few other things), made him sign a waiver that promised me his firstborn, his left testicle and a few other things if he didn't return the stuff in good order and all went well.

Try it, you may be pleasantly surprised.

(oh, and charge them a nominal fee for your time and trouble, just a token, maybe even the rental fee if you need to rent a lens. Try not to undercut the pro's too much / too often.)

02-14-2011, 01:37 AM	#1
NicoleAu Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 539	Rent Pentax Lens in Sydney? Hi, I'm shooting a wedding for an old school friend in early April. I mainly shoot portraiture and street and haven't done a wedding before. These friends simply don't have the money to pay for a photographer and they like my shots, so asked me. And before you say I should pay, I can't afford it either! Anywayyyy I was wondering if anyone knew of anywhere that rented fast glass in Sydney. I live on the Central Coast and the wedding is in Newcastle, but Sydney is easy enough to get to. I have found places that rent out Nikon and Canon, but no luck so far with Pentax. I'm hoping someone else here can help! Cheers, Nicole

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02-14-2011, 04:54 PM	#2
DaveHolmes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,501	Are you currently just using the kit-18-55mm?

02-14-2011, 05:12 PM	#3
NicoleAu Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 539 Original Poster	I have the Tammy 18-250 and will have the FA 50 f1.4 by this Saturday as well as a Sigma flash, which I will be practising like a madwoman with until April.

02-14-2011, 05:29 PM	#4
DaveHolmes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,501	Originally posted by NicoleAu I have the Tammy 18-250 and will have the FA 50 f1.4 by this Saturday as well as a Sigma flash, which I will be practising like a madwoman with until April. I reckon you'll get away with what you have... Stop down (f8 at the wide end) on the zoom as much as shutter speeds will get away with (K-x's iso quallities will help here)... But most important make sure you get the shots the happy couple want!! After those 'must have' shots are out the way... Document the day in the style they're expecting If possible get down to the venue (or somewhere like it at a similar time of day) with a couple of friends who are willing to pose (fake couple) for practice shots... get one of them to wear a white top... Learn bounce-flash for indoors and fill-flash for outside... if poss get a reflector and have someone t hold it (and your gear) so you can move around... There are a couple of really good 'wedding shooting' threads on this website with some top-drawer advice... check them out asap

02-15-2011, 03:44 PM	#5
NicoleAu Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 539 Original Poster	I love the Tammy, just worried the shots won't look as sharp as the 50mm. I plan on using the Tammy outdoors during the ceremony (it's an outdoor wedding) and the group photo and the 50mm for the posed shots & at the reception. I'd have liked something that had more DOF for the zoom, but I guess beggars can't be choosers. It's a shame nowhere seems to rent them out here. If I was a canikon person I'd have no issues. I have a diffuser for the lens and I'll be practising indoors with the flash after Saturday. I'll have to grab someone to help me use the fill flash outdoors as well.

02-15-2011, 05:29 PM	#6
epqwerty Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ontario Posts: 550	Don't want to sound like Mr. Negative but are you sure that the 50mm will be wide enough for a group photo? You might have to step far away for it to work. Keep in mind that 50mm on a DSLR is not the same as a 50mm on a FF body crop factor wise. In reality it is a 50mm but will look like a 75mm. You might consider running some trials runs before the big event. I would use the zoom lens and make sure you get the exif data out of it and see what focal range would work best the 50mm is a good lens and all but for group shots I've had very little success unless I take the photo from the other room. Good news is you have plenty of time for trial and error before it really counts.

02-15-2011, 06:06 PM	#7
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	50mm is too narrow for long for sure, I know 'cause I tried As to renting a lens; you'd have a far better chance of making a call for help on this forum to borrow/rent someones lens for the event IMHO.

02-15-2011, 06:09 PM	#8
NicoleAu Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 539 Original Poster	I actually said the tammy for the outdoor and group photos, but I probably didn't punctuate correctly I guess Twitch, but who would be game to do that for someone virtually unknown to them? It's a pretty big ask.

02-15-2011, 06:22 PM	#9
epqwerty Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ontario Posts: 550	The Pentax community is so small it wouldn't be hard to track down the lens again. Joking.... Yeah I misread that last post. Sorry.

02-15-2011, 06:27 PM	#10
wizofoz Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Melbourne, Outer east. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,695	I think Twitch is right, ask on this forum. I had a call from a previously unknown person asking if he could rent/borrow the 50-135 I had for sale. Much the same story, shooting a wedding, didnt have the gear, etc, etc. I lent him the lens (and a few other things), made him sign a waiver that promised me his firstborn, his left testicle and a few other things if he didn't return the stuff in good order and all went well. Try it, you may be pleasantly surprised. (oh, and charge them a nominal fee for your time and trouble, just a token, maybe even the rental fee if you need to rent a lens. Try not to undercut the pro's too much / too often.)