If you can’t afford a new camera and think renting one is like throwing money away, Panasonic Japan has introduced another way: a leasing service.
Leasing is a super interesting option, especially now that the cost of living for many people will last until 2024. In such challenging times, items considered luxuries are usually the first to go, so a no-obligation rental agreement for a creative tool like a camera has my vote.
So far the service is only offered by Panasonic Japan and there is a limited choice of cameras available, including one of the best video cameras, the Lumix S5 II. Would you lease a camera? Let’s take a closer look at the groundbreaking service.
Which Lumix cameras are available for rent and for how much?
Leasing the full-frame Lumix S5 II – the winner of Best Video Camera at Ny Breaking’s Choice Awards 2023, pictured below – with 20-60mm and 50mm f/1.8 lenses (‘DC-S5M2W’ kit) costs u 9,900 yen each. month (approximately $67 / £53 / AU$101). Elsewhere, the Micro Four Thirds Lumix G100 vlogging kit with 12-32mm lens and grip (‘DC-G100V-K’) costs 2,970 yen per 30 days ($20 / £16 / AU$30).
That monthly amount runs over a three-year lease period, and from it you get the new mirrorless camera, insurance that covers any repair costs, an annual cleaning service, competitively priced lens rental, And access to Panasonic’s Lumix Academy program.
At the end of the rental period you can cancel the payments and the product is yours. Alternatively, you can continue monthly payments at around 10-15% of the cost, presumably to maintain insurance for your full Lumix and discounted services.
As mentioned, it’s a no-obligation lease, so if you want to part with the camera before the three-year period, you return it and pay the equivalent of two months’ lease payments as a cancellation fee.
Shoppers in Japan can already rent many types of essential products from Panasonic, including washing machines and dishwashers. This leasing service, which is currently only available from Panasonic Japan, will therefore seem familiar, even though it is the first of its kind for serious cameras.
Leasing may not be the norm in many other countries, including the UK and US, and many people like to own the camera equipment they use. Personally, I don’t feel the same way, and I’m all for this new service. Imagine having an otherwise unattainably expensive model like a Leica Q3, Hasselblad .
Renting is a great way to get that kind of camera gear for a day or two, but the fee is understandably high and you obviously give the gear back. A leasing program feels like the best of both worlds: a small monthly fee for something that will ultimately be yours, although the option to adjust the lease term would be great (it’s a fixed three-year period for Panasonic’s new service Japan).
Cameras like the ones mentioned above are better than ever, but also unaffordable for most people. Even cheaper models can be a bit of a joke – what if you don’t like it, or just give up? That’s happened to me before.
I would like to see a leasing service rolled out more widely for camera equipment. It’s probably too big an ask for Leica to do it, but what about other leading Japanese brands, such as Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, Nikon or OM System? Could this be a new way of camera shopping? I certainly think so.