Where to Rent Photography Studio Equipment in Every Major US City
Working as a photographer means you will often find yourself traveling to unfamiliar cities to shoot. After you have secured your photography studio rental, there is still work to be done when it comes to sourcing cameras, lenses, lighting, grip, and backdrops. Some of the biggest cities have so many stores offering camera and equipment rental that it seems nearly impossible to know where to begin. Other times, you may find yourself in a smaller city with so few choices for photography rentals that the pickings can seem slim.
Fortunately, we have created a thorough list of the best places to rent photo studio equipment in major US cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Austin, Philadelphia, Boston, San Jose and more. Whether you’re adventuring into uncharted territory or shooting in your own ‘hood but hoping to try out some new equipment, we’ve found the best places in the United States to rent photo studio equipment. And don’t worry if you’re not near one of these majors cities; we also have you covered with 3 rental services that can be entirely ordered online and delivered directly to your door or photography studio rental. You already have the skills, now read on to find out where to rent the gear.
New York
Manhattan Location: 33 West 19 Street (Bet 6th & 7th Aves) Ground Level New York NY 10011
Phone:212.243.7368
Email: ordersbk@csirentals.com
Brooklyn Location: 154 Bogart Street Brooklyn NY 11206
Phone: 718.366.7368
Email: ordersbk@csirentals.com
CSI Rentals has two outposts in New York, one in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn which means there will be a convenient option depending on in which of the two boroughs you plan to shoot. They offer a wide array of photography studio equipment for rent including cameras, lenses, grip and lighting, which means you can pack light and focus on your upcoming shoot while knowing you’ll have have access to the best gear in the industry. A few things to note: first time renters must register online and verification may take 2 business hours, and a certificate of insurance or a deposit is required when the replacement fee is upwards of $5000.
Address: 546 West 48th Street New York, NY 10036
Phone: (212) 244-8300
Scheimpflug is a premier provider of all the gear you’ll need to outfit your photography studio rental. Located in midtown, Scheimpflug offers a wide array of cameras (including DSLR and speciality cameras), tripods, mattebox, filters, and monitors available for rental on a daily or weekly basis, depending on the scope of your project. They also provide van and grip truck rentals and are open 7 days a week making Scheimpflug a convenient one-stop shop for all your photography rental needs.
Manhattan Location: 50 W 17 St, New York, NY 10011
Brooklyn Location: 370 19 St, Brooklyn, NY, 11215
Phone: 212.627.8487
Email: rent@adorama.com
Adorama Rental Co (ARC) offers exceptional customer support through their website including a feature that allows you to check-in on the status of your rental at any time. With locations in both Manhattan and Brooklyn, ARC aims to make your photography studio equipment rental seamless; they even offer complimentary curbside pickup and dropoff for your rental, so you don’t have to park or even get out of the car. They are closed Saturdays.
Address: 225 West 39th Street, 6th Floor New York, NY 10018
Phone : 646-649-3600
Email: rent@focusgear.com
Focus Gear started on a small scale in 2007 when the founders began renting photography studio equipment out of an apartment in the East Village. While the business has grown immensely since then, their values of creating a personalized experience for each renter while keeping their prices honest and affordable still hold true. They are now able to offer cameras and lenses, lighting, grip, and audio equipment, as well as technical support and quality customer service. Focus Gear is closed on weekends and the last slot for rental pickup and dropoff is 5:30 pm on Friday evenings.
Address: 43 West 22nd Street Ground Floor, New York, New York 10012
Phone: 212.741.2991
Email: rental@fotocare.com
With 50 years in business, Foto Care understands a photographers’ dreams and are there to support that journey. Their friendly staff offers expert guidance and are always happy to answer questions and address any concerns or confusion you may have. They carry an extensive inventory available for rent including essentials like cameras and lenses, and cumbersome accessories you may not want to store yourself including light stands, tripods, and tables. For ultimate New York convenience, your equipment can be picked up directly, or a messenger service can be hired to deliver the equipment directly to your photography studio rental for an added fee.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles Location: 855 N Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90038
Phone: 323.469.8900
Email: equipment-la@milkstudios.com
The iconic Milk Studio is more than just photography studio rental service; they also have a full scale photography equipment rental program available in both Los Angeles and New York. Whether you are shooting in their studios (lucky you) or off-site, Milk has you covered with 24-hour production and shoot support, and all the equipment you’ll need to succeed.
West Hollywood: 1011 N Fuller Ave. West Hollywood, CA 90046
Griffith Park: 4585 Electronics Pl. Los Angeles, CA 90039
Phone: 323.851.5030
Email: bookings@Quixote.com
Started by two UCLA English majors in 1992, Quixote is one of the most convenient photography studio equipment rental outposts you’ll find. They provide trucks and vans preloaded with everything you will need for a successful shoot including a Sprinter with a lift gate, and Q375 lighting truck with an onboard generator and gear. They will travel to your location (no matter how obscure it may be) and if you’re short on time, Quixote offers pickup and drop-off for all equipment and vehicles and flexible hours (by appointment) to accommodate any production schedule.
Phone: 310 502 3060
Address: 1149 North Gower Street
Los Angeles Camera Rental has all the gear you’ll need to bring to your photography studio rental. Frederico of Los Angeles Camera offers rental equipment ranging from prosumer MiniDV/HDV cameras to top of the line cameras, accessories, lenses, Steadicam rigs, audio and lighting equipment, and is renowned for his fair prices and ability to accommodate last minute requests. They are open from 9:30 am to 8 pm but are available after hours upon special request.
Chicago
Address: 1740 W Carroll Ave, Chicago, Il, 60612
Phone: 312.376.3770
Email: info@progearrental.com
ProGear Rental prides themselves on having excellent customer service and making sure their gear and equipment is expertly cleaned, thoroughly inspected, and safely packed and loaded so it arrives at your shoot in excellent condition. They have any equipment you can imagine available for rental, plus partnerships with photography studio rental agencies including the gorgeous and airy Studio Rental Chicago so your shooting experience can be seamless and streamlined.
Address: 333 N. Western Avenue Chicago, Il 60612
Phone: 312-850-4900
Email: Jacob@filmgearchicago.com
Filmgear is Chicago has an abundance of available rental options including grip, lighting, electric, generators, camera support, and truck packages that can come preloaded or customized for your specific photography studio rental needs.
San Francisco
San Francisco Location: 1090 Bryant St. San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: 800.321.4726
Email: sfrentals@samys.com
Samy’s has multiple photography rental locations across Southern California and they are open to renting to anyone from new students to industry professionals. Samy’s Camera rents a large assortment of photography equipment, including digital cameras, lenses, photo lighting and grip gear, camera kits, tripods, scanners, underwater photography equipment, video gear, and film cameras in a range of sizes and capabilities.
One of the major convenience factors in renting from Samy’s Camera is that they are happy to ship gear to your specific location or photography studio rental. You are also always welcome to pick it up and drop it off yourself at any of their 7 affiliated locations.
Address: 2121 Bonar Street, Berkeley, CA 94702
Phone: 510.848.6026
One major detail that sets Studio B Camera Rentals apart is that, should your project require it, you can rent a professional production crew. If you’re just after the usual inventory needed to equip your photography studio rental: cameras, lenses, lighting, and grip, then Studio B also has you covered. They provide all the gear you’ll want at competitive rates including a weekly rate that is just 3 times the daily rate. Studio B has been successfully servicing the Bay Area since 1993, and they stay current on the latest cameras, gear, and accessories so you’ll have the latest technology at your fingertips.
Portland
Address: 1801 NW Northrup Street Portland, OR 97209
Phone: 800-835-3314
Email: rental@prophotosupply.com
Pro Photo Supply Rental in Portland, Oregon’s premier space to rent photography studio equipment. Besides renting the latest cameras and gear, Pro Photo has a “try before you buy” policy; this means, if you fall in love with something you rented to use on your shoot and decide that you want to permanently own it (we’ve all been there), you can apply one day’s rental fee toward the purchase of the item. A perk of buying a camera in Oregon? No sales tax.
Always generous, Pro Photo also provides complimentary spare batteries and bulbs (if requested), frequently has rental promotions, and opens their window for pickup the afternoon before your rental officially begins, (Tuesday at 3 pm if you’re reservation is on Wednesday, for example).
Address: 4720 SE 26th Ave Portland, OR 97202
Phone: 503-542-3990
Email: gear@gearheadgrip.com
Often times, you probably find yourself wanting to use your own camera and lenses when shooting in your photography studio rental, but you still need access to accessories, grip, and other essentials. If you’re in Portland, Gearhead Grip is your place. They rent vehicles, grip, lighting equipment and production supplies including canopies and coolers, so you can use your own camera and still have your shoot comfortably equipped with the best of the best.
Seattle
Address: 517 Dexter Ave N. Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (206) 233-0211
Email: rentals@glazerscamera.com
With a huge selection of cameras including the latest technology from Canon and Nikon, AV equipment, lighting, modifiers, and any other gear you can dream up, Glazer’s Camera Rentals will be your go-to photography equipment rental spot in Seattle.
For longer projects or ongoing shoots, Glazer’s offers an amazing deal: a monthly rate of just 12x the daily rate which is over a 50% discount. Once you have your models and your photography studio rental taken care of, call Glazer’s for all your rental needs as they do not accept reservations via email.
Miami
Address: 385 NE 59th St, Miami, Florida 33137
Phone: 305.759.4327
Email: rental@aperturepro.com
Not only does Aperture Studios Miami boast two stunning photography studios available for rent just minutes away from Wynwood Art and the Miami Design District, but they also have one of the most well-maintained and abundant equipment rental services available in the Southeast. Aperture has a constantly evolving inventory, so they can stay ahead of the curve.
Aperture has the latest cameras available from Nikon and Canon, as well as Apple computers, Advantage Gripware, and Kino Flo and Arri lighting solutions. With daily or weekly rates available and fairly priced equipment, you will find anything you need to your studio rental (and maybe even the studio itself) at Aperture.
Austin
Address: 2438 W Anderson Ln B-4, Austin, TX 78757
Phone: 512.467.7676
Precision Camera & Video knows that buying everything you need for a photography shoot can be expensive at best and cost-prohibitive at worst. Their business model is geared towards providing the best cameras and accompanying equipment, whether you’re a professional photographer or a just a beginner looking to start taking high-quality photos. In addition to offering photography studio rentals that can be used for shoots or events, Precision Camera & Videos provides cost-effective state of the art cameras and equipment including cameras of course, but also lighting, video equipment, and projectors.
San Jose
Address: 1600 Winchester Blvd, Campbell, California 95008
Phone: 408.374.1880
San Jose Camera & Videos offers a bit of anything a photographer may need including photography classes, camera repair, data recovery, and passport photos because hey, you just never know. Most importantly, this retro-feeling one-stop shop has a well-curated inventory of photography equipment for rent including cameras, LCD projectors, filters, and Panasonic lenses, and they also offer rental insurance.
Phoenix
Address: 3902 E Broadway Road, Phoenix, Arizona, 85040
Phone: 602.286.6800
Email: rentals@reelmen.com
Reel Men, a premier spot for photo studio equipment rentals, knows that planning a shoot is hectic enough and that renting gear and cameras should be the easy part. Reel Men rents anything you will need for a shoot including top-of-the-line cameras, lighting and production supplies, foggers, fans, and more. In fact, they have the largest inventory of any rental company in Arizona. With 17 years in the industry, Reel Men prides themselves on having outstanding customer service and can-do attitude: they will work to keep you on or under budget, accommodate last minute pick-ups or deliveries directly to your set, find a solution if you if need assistance or have an after-hours emergency. They also have a large, bright photography studio rental space available that is both functional and affordable.
Philadelphia
Address: 241 N. 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: 215-923-8380
Email: info@webbcamm.net
Webb Camm LLC offers a curated range of cameras, lenses, lighting, and grip. One of the things that makes Webb Camm, the Philadelphia-based company, so special is that in addition to rentals, they encourage customers to buy, sell, or trade new and used equipment. Maybe there is a camera or a lense that you know you will use consistently in your shoots, but you keep renting it again and again instead of buying it because the cost seems too high for your budget. Webb Camm LLC understands this predicament, and is a great place rent equipment or look to buy that camera you can’t live without.
Boston
Boston Photo Rental
Address: 236 Pearl St Somerville, MA 02145
Phone: 617.229.6200
Email: rental@bostonphotorental.com
Boston Photo Rental caters to all levels of photographers from professionals, to beginner weekend warriors, to, as they say on their website, “the poor soul who’s been roped into taking pictures at their cousin’s wedding.”
Their rental inventory includes Canon and Nikon DSLRs, a hand-picked selection of camera lenses, flashes, strobes, and projectors. Perfect for weekend shoots, they offer a fabulous weekend rate on all their gear: if you pick up your rental on Friday after 3:00 PM and have it back on Monday by noon, you will only pay for one day’s rental. Please note, Boston Photo Rental is closed on Sundays.
Houston
The spot for the photo equipment rental in Houston, Photo Rental Source stocks a variety of cameras and lenses including Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Go Pros as well as lighting, AV equipment and all the accessories you will need.
Equipment can be reserved online and picked up in-store or shipped directly to you. If you are located in Texas, the shipping rate will be lower than what is shown on their website, and all shipments come with a prepaid return label for easy returns. You are able to rent as much equipment as you want for as little as two days or as many as four weeks, with custom rental lengths available depending on your needs.
But what if I’m not near any of these cities? Not a problem! Below are two highly-regarded and innovative solutions for renting photo studio equipment if you are not near a major city.
Borrow Lenses has the most robust online selection of photo and video gear available for rental. Their unique business model is incredibly intuitive and efficient: browse for the gear you want to rent in their online database and select your period of rental, have the gear shipped directly to your home, a UPS pickup point, or one of their affiliated locations. Then use the equipment for your shoot and return. Easy! And don’t worry about astronomical return fees; each order comes with a prepaid return label to make the whole process seamless.
ShareGrid is a cool option for those on a tight budget. You can think of ShareGrid as the Airbnb or Uber of photography equipment rentals. Vetted individuals and certified vendors put their personal photography equipment up for rent on the website at affordable rates. The site has about 55,000 users and can be used all over the world. ShareGrid is also a wonderful resource to think about using if you have recently purchased a new camera and are looking to make back part of the money by renting it out (when it would otherwise be collecting dust) for others to use.
If ShareGrid is Airbnb, then Parachut is the Netflix of the photography equipment rental business. They are changing the culture of the rental industry with their subscription-based model which is made up of individuals sharing their sparsely-used cameras, lenses, and types of equipment, all of which are securely stored and professionally cleaned in the Parachut warehouse.
Ideal for both the sharer and the user, Parachut allows an individual to rent (they forego the word “rent” favoring the term “access”) gear for a fixed monthly rate. There are four pricing tiers depending on how much and how often you will be renting. You keep the gear for as long as you’d like or swap it out when you’re ready for something new. Each rate gives you access to a certain amount of points, and those points can be exchanged for cameras, lenses, and more. For example, their most popular tier is the “Adventurer,” and for $350 a month, you’ll receive 3500 points; as a reference point, the Nikon D3400 can be accessed for 497 points.
If we missed your city or your favorite place to rent photo studio equipment, please let us know in the comments below!
