Lens Rentals

Our Rental Process
The Equipment
Damage and Lenscap Protection Plans
When Things Go Wrong
Billing, Cancellation and Early Returns
Shipping
Lensrentals HD
Rental Extensions & Late Returns
Memphis Pickup
Nashville Pickup
Other Questions

Rental Process

How does this whole thing work?

Our rental process is designed to be as easy and convenient as possible. Simply find the item you’d like to rent, hit the big orange “Rent Me” button and follow the steps to checkout. Your order will arrive on the day requested with a prepaid return shipping label. At the end of your rental, just close the box back up, slap the return label over the original label, and give the box to the appropriate shipping carrier. You’re done! For more information on our process, check out this page we’ve created that explains it in even more detail.

Can I reserve an item?

Absolutely! To reserve an order, simply indicate the date you want to receive it and the day you want to send it back on the calendar of the checkout page. The shopping cart will automatically calculate your rental and shipping prices. We will confirm your reservation by email. Your credit card will not be charged until your order is ready to ship.

Rentals cannot begin or end on Saturday or Sunday (no shipping is available).

Please plan on getting the lens a day before you absolutely must have it to allow for shipping irregularities. UPS and FedEx guaranteed arrival dates are met well over 95% of the time, but problems still do occur, especially during the winter months. We promise to ship your order on the day necessary to have the first scheduled delivery attempt as the day you request your rental to begin. After that it’s out of our control.

If I’m a first time renter, is there an approval process?

All orders are sent through an order verification process. The goal of this process it to make sure that no identify theft has taken place, and that the person placing the order is who they say they are. Another goal of the process is to make sure that each potential customer is the type of person we want to entrust our valuable equipment to.

After you submit your first order, our website will ask you a series of questions. By answering these questions, you give us information that we can then cross check so that we can establish your identity, and your trustworthiness. For most customers, the information provided at this state is sufficient to approve their order. For some customers, we may email or call and ask for some additional information, or to get something clarified.

If we ask for more information and never hear back from you, your order will be cancelled at the end of the day on the scheduled ship date. Occasionally, even when all additional information is provided, we are not able to approve an order without a deposit, although this is rare.

How is the rental period calculated?

The rental period is calculated beginning at the close of business on the day of the first delivery attempt, or the first scheduled date of your rental, whichever is later. Your rental period then runs in 24 increments from that time, and must be returned to the shipping carrier by the end of the rental period.

Example: A 7 day rental, scheduled to begin on a Tuesday, begins accruing rental time at 5 PM on Tuesday, meaning it must be dropped off at the shipping carrier by 5 PM on the following Tuesday.

Are there any special requirements for renting certain items?

Unfortunately, yes. With several of our very high value professional items, there are additional requirements for rental. Occasionally, even if you don’t rent one of these items, but you rent a very large amount of equipment, there are also additional requirements.

In these cases, we ask you to obtain independent insurance, if you don’t already carry production insurance. We will need to have a certificate of insurance that covers rented production equipment for at least the replacement value of the items on your order. The certificate must name LensRentals as an additional loss payee.

We require this insurance even if you pay for our damage waiver. We do this because, with high value items or large orders, our primary worry is that some of our equipment might be stolen from you on a busy set or shoot. With the high value of these items, the amount owed to us if it gets stolen is more than most people can pay out of pocket. The insurance gives us some measure of security that if the equipment disappears, we’ll be compensated.

Equipment

Is the equipment in good condition?

All of our equipment (except legacy items) is bought new and sold after 2 years of rental use. Before and after each rental we check each lens visually, test it for focus and sharpness, and take pictures with it. We guarantee the glass is clear, the lens works normally, the pictures it takes are sharp. These lenses are used regularly so there will probably be some scuff marks on the barrels, etc. There may be a little internal dust in some lenses (the telescoping zooms are especially known to collect it). If there is any effect on image quality the lens goes off for servicing, otherwise it remains in service.

What comes with the equipment?

Most item pages will have an “Item Includes” list stating what will arrive with the equipment. Equipment comes to you as it came to us from the manufacturer: if the lens comes with a hood when purchased, it will come with a hood when you rent it. Most lenses will have a hood included, but non-L Canon lenses do not include a hood. Cameras come with one battery, a manual and a charger.

What comes with your order needs to come back: lens hoods, battery chargers, cases, and tripod rings are expensive and the next renter expects to receive them. If the order comes back without them we’ll have to charge you for a replacement. Lens hoods, for example are $40-$80, tripod rings are $140 and up.

Can I ask for help in deciding what to rent?

Sure! We have customer service representatives answering the phones every weekday from 8 AM – 5 PM CT, and they can get you transferred to the appropriate technician that has expertise with the particular camera system you would like some advice with. We also answer emails and chats all day. We also have staff monitoring emails at night and on the weekend, so you can contact us then as well.

Damage and the Lenscap Protection Plans

What if I damage the equipment?

Let us know immediately. Our contract states if the equipment is broken you are responsible either for replacing it or paying for repairs. If it is not repairable, we’ll charge you the cost of a used lens of comparable quality. We do not charge you a new lens price, nor do we charge you rental fees while the lens is being repaired as long as you let us know about damage before you send the lens back.

What do you consider damage?

Any major scratches or scuff marks on the glass and impact damage to the body or the mechanicals. Minor scuff marks to the barrel or hood are considered normal use, not damage. Because we believe filters degrade image quality to a slight degree, we do not put UV filters on the lenses unless you specifically order them. Because that is our choice we do not consider the renter responsible for minor hairline scratches to the front element.

What are the Lenscap Protection Plans?

The Lenscap protection plans are optional add-ons that limit your liability in the case of a covered event causing damage or total loss of products on your rental.

Simply, if a covered event occurs to equipment protected by a Lenscap plan, your liability is limited to the lesser of the cost to repair the equipment or 10% of the replacement cost.

What is covered by the standard Lenscap Protection Plan?

Effectively, the standard Lenscap protection plan replaces the pre-existing Lensrentals Damage Waiver program and covers accidental damage to our equipment as long as you can return it to us. In the case of damage, your liability will never exceed 10% of the replacement cost of the damaged equipment, no matter how expensive the repair actually is.

So what is considered negligence?

Our definition of negligence basically means: you did something really stupid with our equipment. Meaning if you decide to attach our Canon 70-200 to the roof of your car with a suction cup and then drive on the freeway, the damage waiver doesn’t cover you when it falls off. Please note, in all cases (except when renting gear clearly labeled for use underwater), we consider water or sand damage to be negligence.

What isn’t covered by the standard Lenscap Protection Plan?

The standard Lenscap protection plan does not cover theft, water damage, intentional damage, or any other situations which leave you unable to return the items you rented.

What is covered by the Lenscap+ Plan?

Lenscap+ offers the same protection as the standard plan for accidental damage to the equipment, but additionally protects you against certain situations that make it impossible to return the equipment that you rented.

Was the equipment stolen? You’re covered. Did it get sucked up in a tornado? You’re covered. Did it fall off an aircraft (seriously)? You’re covered.

Just like with the standard Lenscap plan, your liability is limited to 10% of the replacement value of the covered equipment.

In cases of total loss of the equipment (as opposed to damage), you must provide Lensrentals.com with documentation of the loss, as well as allow for an investigation into the claim before your liability is limited.

I’m taking the equipment out of the country? Does Lenscap+ still cover me?

Yes, Lenscap+ protection is worldwide.

On high-value equipment, can Lenscap+ take the place of the certificate of insurance requirement?

Yes. On some high-value equipment, we typically ask for a certificate of insurance covering rented production insurance. Purchasing Lenscap+ will waive that requirement in most cases.

I paid for the Lenscap+ plan, and the equipment was stolen from me. Now what?

First, call or email us and let us know what has happened. If it was stolen from you, you’ll need to provide us with a police report. If something else happened to the equipment, we may ask for other documentation including a statement of what happened. After that, we’ll ask you to pay the deductible.

In some cases, Lensrentals.com or an agent acting on our behalf may contact you again regarding the loss. If our investigation uncovers evidence that the equipment can be returned, whatever the condition, then the equipment must be returned or you must pay 100% of the replacement value of the equipment.

When Things Go Wrong

We try and be the best rental company around. That being said, we aren’t perfect. We do make mistakes from time to time. Sometimes, even when we are perfect, fate intervenes, or FedEx screws up.

Can you guarantee my order will arrive on time?

We guarantee that we will ship your order on time so that when we hand it to the shipping carrier, it has a scheduled arrival date on or before the date you requested it to arrive. Past that, it is completely out of our control. Although both UPS and FedEx are highly accurate, they do make mistakes, and sometimes, bad weather intervenes as well.

If your package is delayed, we will try and notify you if we find out, so that you can prepare contingency plans. However, the best contingency plan is to order the equipment to arrive a day or two before you actually need it. That way, if something happens in transit, we can get it fixed in time to still arrive.

What are my options if my package is delayed?

If your package is delayed because of a carrier error, we can offer a refund of the outbound shipping, as well as either extend your order by the length of the delay, or offer you a refund for the portion of the rental that the equipment didn’t arrive in time for.

If the package arrives too late for you to use it, we can recall the package and issue a full refund. In many cases, we can also send out a replacement order to meet you at a different destination if your order was for a trip out of town and the delay means the package will arrive after you depart.

Can you guarantee the equipment will work as promised?

I wish we could, but sadly, we can’t. I can promise that we will do everything we can to make sure the equipment is working. We will inspect the equipment both when it returns from its prior rental, and before it goes out on your rental. We will clean it thoroughly. We will have a minimum of two people check off all the items that should be included in the rental. We will pack it securely.

Even with all these precautions, stuff still happens. A box can be jarred during transit hard enough to break something inside the lens. An internal component we can’t check eventually wears out and breaks during your rental. Occasionally, we can even make a mistake and forget to include something, although it is really rare.

What happens if the equipment doesn’t work as promised?

We are 100% committed to making everything right. If it isn’t working right, just email or call and let us help you check it out first. Often times, the issue is something we can solve with you over the phone or via email.

Occasionally, an item really does arrive broken. If this happens we will replace it immediately within the limitations of our stock. If time constraints prevent us getting a replacement to you (if you’re leaving for vacation for example) we will refund the rental price and shipping costs as soon as you return the lens. By renting, you agree that if you don’t notify us of a problem within 24 hours of receiving the equipment we are not responsible for replacing or refunding the equipment.

If you ordered the wrong item, don’t know how to use it, or didn’t know the limitations of the equipment, etc. we will work with you to get you something more suitable, but we will not be able to give you a complete refund. We will always, however, issue an account credit for unused over the minimum 1 day rental charge if you return it early.

Billing

Do you charge a deposit?

In almost all cases, no. Occasionally, we aren’t able to gather enough information to properly verify an order, and we may ask for a deposit in those circumstances. Also, in rare cases, because of the high value of the equipment, we may ask for a deposit for certain items if you cannot secure independent insurance coverage.

If we decide a deposit is necessary, we will always contact you and ask your permission before we accept the order and proceed with the deposit.

For 99.9% of orders, no deposit is ever necessary.

When do you charge my credit card?

We charge your credit card on the day your order is shipped. This will be between 1-3 days before your scheduled arrival date.

What is your policy on cancellations?

If you cancel your order before it leaves our warehouse, there is no penalty or fee for cancelling your order. If you decide to cancel your order while it is in transit, we will refund you all of your rental fees minus the lesser of $100 per box that you have cancelled or the 1-Day rental rate for the cancelled order.

Can I return an order early for a refund?

Yes. If you’d like to return your order early, or you need to cancel it after it has left our warehouse, we will refund you the difference between the rental fees you paid and the rental fees that would have been charged for the length of time you actually had the equipment. Keep in mind that for rentals under 7 days, there is very little difference in price, therefore the amount of a refund between a 4 day rental and a 2 day rental, for example, is very little.

Please note: Our minimum rental length is 1 day, meaning that even if you return it to FedEx immediately after they deliver it, you will be charged our 1-Day rental rate.

Examples:

Product	Original Rental Length	Original Rental Price	Returned After	Modified Rental Price	Refund Amount
Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II	7 Days	$84.00	1 Day	$50	$34.00
Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II	4 Days	$63.00	3 Days	$59.00	$4.00
Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II	14 Days	$147.00	7 Days	$84.00	$63.00

Shipping

What shipping carrier & service do you use?

Our default carrier is FedEx. Depending on the amount of time between the day you order and the day you request the equipment to arrive, our current stock level of the items in question, and your location, we may ship your order via FedEx Overnight, 2nd Day Air, 3rd Day Select, or Ground. Simply put, we will select a service that FedEx guarantees to arrive no later than the date you have specified for your order.

If you prefer UPS shipping, we can gladly switch it to UPS. Simply click the drop-down shipping options menu to switch from FedEx to an equivalent UPS service.

What time is my package guaranteed to arrive by?

For both standard and overnight shipping, packages are not guaranteed to arrive until the end of the business day on the arrival date you selected. If you require an A.M. delivery, please leave a note in the special instructions box during checkout and one of our team members will contact you about your shipping options.

I hate FedEx, can I ship using UPS?

If you prefer UPS shipping, we can gladly switch it to UPS. Simply click the drop-down shipping options menu to switch from FedEx to an equivalent UPS service. Unfortunately, there is a 25% surcharge associated with shipping via UPS. This is because our volume with UPS is lower, which means they don’t offer pricing as low as FedEx does.

Is a signature required?

Yes. A direct signature is required on all of our packages.

But I won’t be home to sign for it, can you waive the signature requirement?

No, we can’t. We recommend having it shipped to a FedEx Office location where you can pick it up at your convenience. Our staff would be glad to arrange this for you if you don’t already have a specific FedEx location in mind. Just put a note in the special instructions box during checkout!

Where do you ship?

We ship to all 50 US states. Unfortunately we don’t ship internationally, but you’re welcome to take your rental anywhere you like while it’s in your possession. It just needs to be delivered to and from a US address.

Do you ship to hotels?

Hotels are tricky. Generally, they accept no responsibility if something happens to a package they are holding for you. This means, if they put it in a storeroom and a dishonest bellhop takes off with it, the hotel isn’t going to reimburse anyone for the lost package. If that happens, you might not be excited about the idea that you are going to owe us replacement equipment when you never even saw the package.

For that reason, we don’t typically ship to hotels. We are willing to make exceptions for some existing customers if they agree that they will be held responsible for reimbursing us if the hotel loses the package. We handle exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

We recommend having us ship to a nearby FedEx Office location instead. In most tourist areas, there is a location within walking distance.

You can locate the nearest FedEx pickup facility here.

We are happy to ship “hold for pickup” to a FedEx location at any time, just request it in the special instructions box during checkout.

What about PO Boxes?

We do not ship to PO Boxes. Unfortunately, we have just had too many problems with USPS shipping to feel comfortable ever sending anything via Priority Mail. For this reason, we can’t ship to your PO Box.

How about APO/FPO addresses?

Unfortunately, we no longer can ship to APO/FPO addresses. The shipping time varies up to 3 weeks in each direction. This makes it very difficult to guarantee the item will make it to your location on time. Because of the extremely long transit time, a one week rental could be out of stock for up to 7 weeks, whereas a typical one week rental is out of stock for about 1.5 weeks, and we just can’t offer the same pricing, so we have discontinued it entirely.

How are your shipping rates calculated?

Our shipping rates are calculated automatically in the shopping cart. The first item in your cart is $25. With a few exceptions, each additional item is an additional $5. Very small items that take up no room in the box such as extra batteries, memory cards or cables do not incur the additional $5 shipping charge per item.

What about return shipping?

A return shipping label will be included in the box. Just put everything back in the box, tape it up, and place the return label directly over the original label and you are all set!

Can I get my order shipped overnight?

Absolutely. Once you select your arrival date, our system will know automatically whether overnight shipping is the only option to have it arrive on that date. If so, it will upgrade your order to overnight shipping to ensure it arrives on time. Please note that our standard overnight shipping method is FedEx Overnight, which means it is only guaranteed to arrive by the end of the day. If you need it to arrive in the morning, simply click the drop-down shipping options menu and select Priority Overnight.

What is the latest time I can order and still get my order shipped out on the same day?

Our daily shipping cutoff is 4:30 PM CT. Any order placed by this time can be sent out that day. If you place your order close to the deadline, please monitor your email and phone for any communication from us. If we need additional information, there is a very short window of time that we can hold your order and still get it sent out that day, so it is imperative you respond as soon as possible.

Lensrentals HD

What is LensRentals HD?

LensRentals HD is a shipping discount program. By signing up, you’ll get free Standard Shipping on all the orders you place for one year, and you’ll even save 50% on all FedEx Overnight shipping.

No items are excluded from the program: if we carry it, we’ll ship it free. Need a jib in Los Angeles? It’s free. Need 10 tripods in Miami? Totally free.

Who is LensRentals HD For?

Everyone that wants cheaper shipping to the contiguous US. (Sorry HI & AK!)

At only $79 a year, LensRentals HD makes sense for everyone. Only rent a few small orders per year? You’ll still save money with LensRentals HD. You only expect to place a single large order this year? You’ll still save. You rent all the time? You’ll save even more.

What is Standard Shipping?

Standard Shipping is the most cost-effective FedEx service that will arrive by your selected arrival date — assuming there is a FedEx service that can arrive by that date other than FedEx Overnight. Standard Shipping may take the form of FedEx Ground, FedEx Express Saver or FedEx 2nd Day Air.

What about UPS?

Because we only ship via UPS upon customer request, we do not have sufficient volume to offer LensRentals HD on UPS shipments. If you select a UPS shipping service, you will receive no LensRentals HD discount.

Can I share my LensRentals HD subscription?

For now, we are unable to allow a single LensRentals HD subscription to be shared across multiple accounts. However, some businesses with multiple employee accounts may qualify for special pricing. Please contact us for more details.

Can I cancel LensRentals HD?

You can cancel LensRentals HD before your first discounted order is shipped. Once your first discounted order is shipped, LensRentals HD is non-refundable.

Extensions and Late Returns

Can I extend my rental?

As long as we have stock we’re happy to extend your rental. Extensions are charged at 90% of first week rates if requested on or before the ship-back date. If you wait until the order is overdue to request an extension, it will be charged at 100% of first week rates.

Please note, this means that it will ALWAYS be cheaper to rent an item for 14 days rather than renting it for 7 days and then extending for another 7 days.

Example: If an item rents at $43 for 7 days and you request a 7 day extension before the end of the rental, the extension will cost $38.70. This means you will pay more ($81.70) than you would have if you had originally rented it for 14 days ($75).

Why don’t you just charge extensions at the difference between the new rental length price and the old rental length price?

We do this to encourage people to rent for the maximum length of time they may need an item, and then return it early for a refund rather than rent it for the minimum length of time they may need it. We do this because it helps us have a better idea of when an item will actually return from a rental, so that we can accept future reservations for it.

If a renter selects the maximum length of time they may need an item, we can confidently accept a future reservation, knowing that the excepted arrival date is actually the latest possible time the renter will send back the equipment. If instead, the equipment is rented for the minimum length of time the renter may need it, a situation could arise where they assume they can get an extension on the item, but we have already reserved it for another renter.

What if I am late with my return?

We email you a reminder the day before the lens should ship back, and another reminder if it is a day late. If you took the lens to a UPS Store on time (not a drop box) but there was a delay in shipping, you are not responsible. If the lens has not been scanned into the UPS system by 6 pm on the day it is supposed to ship back, it is late.

How are late fees calculated?

On 4 day rentals, a late fee equal to 25% of the rental fee is charged for each day the lens is late, beginning with the first day overdue.

For rentals of 7 days or more, the late fee is assessed beginning on the second day overdue.

If the late return of your lens causes us to have to ship a lens to a waiting customer by overnight delivery, you will additionally be charged the actual overnight delivery charge we had to pay.

If at any time an extension is turned down and you do not contact us, we will have to turn your account over to collections.

The amount sent to collections is the retail cost of the items, plus our expenses in attempting to collect from you. At that point, if you send the equipment back, you will still owe the fees of the collection agency which are several hundred dollars. We cannot take it back, undo it, stop it or reverse it. Also, we will exhaust all civil and criminal remedies available in pursuing the matter.

Memphis Pick-up

Can I pick up lenses in person?

You may pick up between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays if you are in the Memphis, TN area at our office: 3221 Players Club Pkwy Memphis, TN 38125.

Local renters please note: We are an Internet-based business. You cannot come into our store and place an order in person. Your order must be placed over the Internet before coming to pick up your order. You cannot come in and browse our inventory.

Because we are not a brick-and-mortar store, we don’t have a large waiting area. We ask that you do not loiter, and we also ask that you try and keep your voices down while you are in the waiting area, as our employees are also trying to answer the phones and work with our non-local customers.

We do not accept cash or checks for rentals, the order must be placed with a credit card.

Nashville Pick-up

Where is the Nashville location?

214 Ward Circle, Suite #900
Brentwood, TN 37027

Hours: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Mon. – Fri.
Pickups available after 11:00 AM (Please contact us if you need to pickup earlier)

View Map

How do I put in an order for Nashville Pick-up?

It’s simple. Just select “Pick-up at Lensrentals’ Office” when selecting a shipping address during checkout. Then, select Nashville as the pick-up location you’d like to use. If an item in your cart will not be available on the selected pick-up date in Nashville, you will not be able to select a Nashville pick-up.

Is there any cost to pick-up in Nashville?

Absolutely not. There is no shipping or pick-up fee when you pick up in our Nashville location. When you arrive, we’ll have your order waiting on you and be able to answer any questions you may have.

Why can’t orders be picked up the same day?

Lensrentals stocks thousands of unique items. Unfortunately, we just can’t keep that many items on hand in a satellite location that is only catering to local customers. As soon as we get a feel for which items are the most popular in Nashville, we will begin stocking some items, available the same day, in our Nashville location. We will update everyone once that begins.

What if I need to pick-up my order early in the morning or drop-off outside of your normal hours?

We can’t guarantee your order will be ready for pick-up before 11:00 AM, without advanced notice. If you let us know that you’ll need to pick it up earlier than that, we may be able to have it ready for you earlier. Likewise, if you need to drop-off your order earlier or later than our operating orders, just let us know. We will work with you to make sure your order goes as smoothly as possible.

FAQ

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