2023 Most Rented at Lensrentals

Lensrentals posted their most rented gear of 2023.

Lens Rentals | Blog

It often seems like everyone has switched to Sony. Yet, here, 7 of the top 10 are Canon (in terms of revenue and frequency rented), the other three being Sony. Also, Sony's top gear seems skewed towards video for revenue...batteries for frequency...but not the A1, A7RV, etc.

What actually interests me more...old gear. The EF 24-70 II is #6 in terms of revenue, #2 most often rented in terms of frequency. The 5DIV is #14 for income. Also, for lenses, EF mount area rented 26% of the time compared to RF mount's 21%.

The transition is happening....but slowly.

Most rented by revenue:

Most Popular Photography & Videography Gear of 2023
1	Canon EOS R5	11	Canon EOS R6
2	Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L	12	Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS
3	Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS	13	Sony FX3 (Body Only)
4	Sony Alpha a7S III	14	Canon 5D Mark IV
5	Sony FX6 Full-Frame Cinema Camera	15	Canon EOS R6 Mark II
6	Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II	16	Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II
7	Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS	17	Sony FX3 Full-Frame Cinema Camera
8	Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III	18	Sony Alpha a7 IV
9	Canon EOS C70 Cinema Camera (RF)	19	Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM
10	Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II	20	Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM

A-1 like the R3 is something you own vs rent.

Lens rentals are if interest the 28-70 f2. Is this for a purpose or a try before you buy. Ton of $$$ for an f stop we never had before and still managed to make a living, make wonderful images.

My 2 cents.

For what it's worth, I currently own four EOS R-series cameras and I have yet to purchase an RF lens. Why?

1) I already had a decent collection of lenses before investing in mirrorless bodies.

2) Mirrorless lenses may be better in terms of size, sharpness, and technology... but EF lenses are more than adequate for my needs.

3) There are distinct benefits to using EF lenses with R bodies. The adapters allow me to use filters with lenses I could never use filters with, or otherwise easily combine filters (such as a polarizer in the adapter and a variable ND on the lens, or vice-versa) without introducing increased vignetting.

4) Great DSLR lenses are bountiful on the marketplace as photographers transition to mirrorless systems and they can be found at incredibly good prices. I recently picked up used versions of the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM and EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lenses. There's no way in hades I could have afforded those lenses in any other climate than what we have today.

Oh, and hi everyone. :-)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sean Setters

For what it's worth, I currently own four EOS R-series cameras and I have yet to purchase an RF lens. Why?

1) I already had a decent collection of lenses before investing in mirrorless bodies.

2) Mirrorless lenses may be better in terms of size, sharpness, and technology... but EF lenses are more than adequate for my needs.

3) There are distinct benefits to using EF lenses with R bodies. The adapters allow me to use filters with lenses I could never use filters with, or otherwise easily combine filters (such as a polarizer in the adapter and a variable ND on the lens, or vice-versa) without introducing increased vignetting.

4) Great DSLR lenses are bountiful on the marketplace as photographers transition to mirrorless systems and they can be found at incredibly good prices. I recently picked up used versions of the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM and EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lenses. There's no way in hades I could have afforded those lenses in any other climate than what we have today.

Oh, and hi everyone. :-)

---

Hi Sean!!

You're absolutely right, but to me the occasion to buy new RF lenses is where they offer something different over and above the existing EF collection. An example would be the RF 600mm and 800mm f/11 - which for me at least was the first time I could justify a very long prime like that. And I can recommend the 600mm highly. For me, again, the RF 100-400mm is a highly affordable and high quality lens, and would beat even a good 2nd hand EF equivalent.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jethro

Hi Sean!!

You're absolutely right, but to me the occasion to buy new RF lenses is where they offer something different over and above the existing EF collection. An example would be the RF 600mm and 800mm f/11 - which for me at least was the first time I could justify a very long prime like that. And I can recommend the 600mm highly. For me, again, the RF 100-400mm is a highly affordable and high quality lens, and would beat even a good 2nd hand EF equivalent.

---

First post! Welcome to the forum!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sean Setters

For what it's worth, I currently own four EOS R-series cameras and I have yet to purchase an RF lens. Why?

1) I already had a decent collection of lenses before investing in mirrorless bodies.

2) Mirrorless lenses may be better in terms of size, sharpness, and technology... but EF lenses are more than adequate for my needs.

3) There are distinct benefits to using EF lenses with R bodies. The adapters allow me to use filters with lenses I could never use filters with, or otherwise easily combine filters (such as a polarizer in the adapter and a variable ND on the lens, or vice-versa) without introducing increased vignetting.

4) Great DSLR lenses are bountiful on the marketplace as photographers transition to mirrorless systems and they can be found at incredibly good prices. I recently picked up used versions of the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM and EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lenses. There's no way in hades I could have afforded those lenses in any other climate than what we have today.

Oh, and hi everyone. :-)

---

Yep, even though I just dipped my toe into the RF world (24-105 f/2.8 and 200-800), there is nothing wrong and a lot right about EF glass.

An affordable EF 400 f/2.8 II you say....yeah, I would be tempted by that.

At which point I laugh at myself as I am trying to clean up my kit :rolleyes:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jethro

Hi Sean!!

You're absolutely right, but to me the occasion to buy new RF lenses is where they offer something different over and above the existing EF collection. An example would be the RF 600mm and 800mm f/11 - which for me at least was the first time I could justify a very long prime like that. And I can recommend the 600mm highly. For me, again, the RF 100-400mm is a highly affordable and high quality lens, and would beat even a good 2nd hand EF equivalent.

---

That is true. Canon's transition to mirrorless has allowed them to create lenses that would otherwise have been impractical (too big/heavy/expensive) with the EF mount. Many are quite tempting... :-)