I would like to announce upfront that this is NOT a sponsored post or part of any type of sponsorship. I recently rented a lens from LensProToGo, which I paid for in full, so I decided to review my experience with them. They have not consented to, asked for, or have any say in this review.
Last week I rented a camera lens for the first time. I went with the company LensPro To Go, because they had the lens I wanted in stock, and because, when comparing different companies, their prices and service seemed most appealing. before I even got the lens I knew I picked the right company.
LensProToGo is a company out of Concord, Massachusetts that rents lenses for personal and professional use. I compared many lens rental companies. I picked LensPro because they had the lens (the new Sigma Art 18-35mm, 1.8 lens) available. Another couple other companies also offered the lens, but one seems to only have 1 lens in stock at a time because the lens was out-of-stock. LensProToGo had multiple of this lens available for rental which I liked.
They also include shipping and handling in their price. So although their initial lens price seems higher than other companies, but once you pay for shipping and handling with the other companies, most other prices came out more expensive (not by much, but still more). LensProToGo had the best deals.
When I rented, I had multiple windows open in multiple pages. I called LensPro to confirm if a lens hood was included in the rental (it was), and proceeded to place my order. By accident, I had placed 2 lenses in my shopping cart on 2 different opened tabs and mistakenly ordered 2 of the same lenses. I immediately called LensPro back to explain what I did, and they told me, “Oh, no problem, we will fix that right now.” By the time I got off the phone with them, the double order was already fixed in my bank account.
While I was on the phone with LensPro, the man I was talking to (I’m sorry, I forgot to write down your name!) told me, “Well, when people rent with us for the first time we always call them back before approving the order, so we can do it now if you would like”. The “approval chat” consisted of them asking me things like: Do you shoot for fun or professionally? What camera do you have? (to confirm I ordered the correct lens for my camera) So what do you like to shoot? What is your website? What do you do for fun?
Basically it was a friendly chat just to get to know me, my shooting style, and to learn about why I shoot and if I have a website or social media where they can check out my photos. They were super friendly and offered their help if I had ANY questions about my lens, or settings, or anything else. They were also interested in my travels, as the man I was talking with had also traveled around South America. It was similar to talking with a friend. Never did I feel like I was being interrogated or put down because I am not a true professional photographer (yet).
I also learned during our chat that, unlike other companies, LensProToGo ships their lenses in Pelican cases. Most companies ship in boxes, but with Pelican cases, the lens is extra protected so you get the lens without any damage. They also fully check the lenses in between each rental for scratches and dust, and ship out only perfectly conditioned lenses.
They use UPS to ship lenses, because UPS is fully track-able from pickup to delivery. (FedEx will turn over ground shipments to the post office, so once the post office has it, you cannot track the exact location of your package. I have dealt with this issue on orders from Amazon and Ebay). You do have to wait around your house until UPS arrives, because you have to personally sign for your lens. Which I actually like better. I didn’t have to worry about my lens getting left on the porch, and it forced me to stay home and edit photos and work on pitching ideas for this blog.
When I got the lens 2 days later I was so excited. I opened the box, and as LensPro requested, I immediately took a few photos and checked it for any dust or scratches and to make sure it works. They told me if there was any issues with they lens, they will overnight a new one to you.
I opened the box to find the Pelican case, just as specified. Inside the Pelican case was my lens, all cushioned securely on all sides, with front and back caps and the lens hood. And not just my lens; there was also a letter from them, a business card, a flyer for an online still and film photography workshop with a discount code, and A TOOTSIE POP!. I never thought how much I would consider this act of a single Tootsie Pop such a welcome, and extra-nice touch. It showed that a real, live person took the time to pack your lens and think of you as a human being, not just a customer number in a computer program.
The lens worked beautifully, looked brand new, and I loved running around and using it at the 1920s themed party I rented it for.
When it sadly came time to ship the lens back, LensProToGo had provided a UPS pre-paid return sticker to ship the lens back. I just placed the lens back in the Pelican case, put the Pelican case back in the box, and put the return sticker over the old shipping sticker. Then I went down the block to UPS, handed them the package. UPS taped the top flap for me, printed me a shipping confirmation receipt and that was it. Super easy. You can also call UPS to pick up your shipment at your home or business if you want.
I love the personal touches; the friendly and interested in ME conversations and the Tootsie Pop, that LensPro To Go takes the time to do. They really show that they care about their customers and treat everyone like a human being, not a number. They also invited me to come check out their Concord store, and say hi in person, if I got a chance when I go back to the Boston area next month.
And a side note: If you pick live or are visiting the area, you can opt to pick up and/or drop off your lens at the LensProToGo store, and the cost of rental goes down (based on the lack of a shipping charge one or both ways).
I will definitely rent lenses through LensProToGo again, and I highly recommend them to anyone wanting to try a lens before buying, or just rent a specialty lens for a specific occasion.
Now for the info:
Website: https://www.lensprotogo.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lensprotogo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lensprotogo
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/lensprotogo
Instagram: http://instagram.com/lensprotogo
Phone Number: 1-877-578-4777
About Dani Blanchette
