7 replies to this topic

[3@5]

i have been contacted by a (reputable) production company that would like to rent out my seacam housing for 3 weeks.
i am still not sure if i want to do that or not , but in any event i'd like to know if someone could point me to where i could get a reasonable idea of what rental costs could be, or if you have any idea of what would be a fair charge?

any info would be helpful
/paul

edit: ps any advice, gotchas etc that you could share would be great as well

[echeng]

I've seen rates as high as $500/day for the housing. But maybe offer a weekly discount...

and make sure they're liable for the entire cost of the housing + opportunity cost of replacement time.

i'm talking about of my ass, since i've never rented mine out to anyone.

[Poliwog]

Hi:

I thought about this scenario also. What I thought I would do is:

Check the local camera rental shop and see what your camera rents for. (My Nikon D2x goes for $250.00 CAN a day with a discount of 7 days for a 5-day payment). I would do the same for any lenses they request from you. I would charge those prices, as they seem to be the going rate. You also have to realize that you won’t have the use of your camera for the time the client has it. If you make your livelihood, or part of it, with your camera, then this is down time for you where you will be unable to generate any income.

The amount I paid for my housing with ports and extension rings if fairly close to what I paid for my camera body. Work out a percentage cost for the principal outlays for the camera and all the housing equipment and charge accordingly.

If my underwater housing cost 75% of what I paid for my camera body, then I would charge 75% of the camera rental price or $187.50 (camera rents for $250.00 a day) for the housing and ports, with the same discount for a week’s rental. I would also do the same for any underwater strobes and sync cords requested. Don’t forget memory cards cost money too.

Finally, if the dive is not too technically oriented, I might offer cameraman services and be able to keep an eye on the equipment and also get some free diving out of it to boot. You might want to offer a further discount, as you would be able to minimize the risks to your equipment this way.

While others may feel you should charge more for the underwater equipment because of its’ specialty and scarce nature, the above should put you in the ball park for a reasonable amount to charge.

Now, if you are really brave, you could try offering camera and underwater housing insurance for say 10–15% of the total rental price by self insuring the equipment. i.e. You take the money, hope everything goes well and that you get a dry working camera when the client returns, otherwise the client gives you a soggy digital camera and housing and walks away without any responsibility for pooching the camera -- at this point the insurance premium will turn into a down payment for another camera and possibly underwater housing. You have to have very good nerves and really pray that the client doesn’t pooch your camera and housing while it is in their care to be able to do this though.

Let us know how it goes.

[james]

Hi Paul,

The way I read it, they only want to rent the housing. My guess is they're going to do a pool shoot and already have a 1DsmkII.

Firstly, write up an airtight rental agreement that spells out EVERYTHING and make sure they understand and agree. They pay insurance for shipping, and if the housing is lost or damaged, THEY pay you to get a new one and THEY get to hassle w/ the insurer. Same goes for flood insurance. Also, they have to agree that the camera and housing have arrived in good condition and agree to that before putting it in the water. Then if you don't get it back in good shape? They pay. A normal rental place - like Steven Frink probably isn't this extreme, but they are not hobbyists. You provide the shipping container and packing materials too btw. Pack it well!

I would rent it out at the same rental rates as they have to pay for a camera body, or a little bit less.

HTH
James

[bvanant]

Go down to your local Calumet shop and see what they are charging for renting their gear, normalize to the housing/port price and add 30% or so. The 30% is to compensate for the fact that you are probably one of a very few folks that can actually rent them the gear. Get a copy of the Calumet rental agreement and make something that looks like it. I wouldn't be surprised if they were renting the camera too so the contract won't look to unusual.
BVA

[3@5]

found out a little more about this:
the photog is a known french one, and yes they do already have the camera and want to rent housing and ports; they will be going to the red sea for 3 weeks and want to shoot dolphins, dugongs and some other wide angle stuff.

thanks for all the input from all of you, i'll keep you posted on what happens.

/paul

[Paul Kay]

I sometimes rent out hosings BUT generally I do so with myself attached (expensive!) and include all cameras/lenses, etc - I then 'run' the camera for them phototographer (all he/she has to do is to use it and hand it back to me for prepping and downloading, etc.). For a big shoot this is not a problem but it isn't viable when funds don't permit. The gear MUST be insured and again, this is not a problem if the shoot is serious. Be aware though, that if you go down this route, you may need to carry liability insurance yourself as a failed housing may cost the shooter big bucks!

[3@5]

well i decide not to rent the housing out...

paul(pgk) you have a pm...

/paul