RentGlass.com

After reading again and again how fantastic the canon EF 70-200 f/2.8 L IS USM lens is, I decided that I would have to see for myself. With a street price of about $1700, at least for me, it's not a casual purchase. So rental it would be.

I started checking the web sites of several retail camera shops in the St. louis area and found that while many of them sell the lens, and would let me try it out in the showroom, they had no short term rental program. Determined to find a way to test this lens in the kinds of environments that I frequently shoot, I resorted to mail order rental.

There are several rental by mail lens companies on the net, but a quick check of a few photography forums and news groups lead me to a company called RentGlass.com. After a few more searches on the web, I also found an article describing a photographers experience with this company. Not only did he have a good experience, but the reader comments were also unanimously good. It was settled, I went to the web site and registered to be notified when the lens I was looking for became available. My first thought was that this process could take a VERY LONG TIME....... Lenses can be rented for up to three weeks and when you get the email to let you know it's available, it's first come first serve!!

To my surprise the email came within two days!!! I happened to be in front of my computer at the time and was able to respond immediately. Again, I was surprised as my order went through!!! Within an hour or so I received a confirmation email that my order was being shipped via USPS and that my rental period of one week would start when I signed for the package. The estimated time to delivery was two days!!!

The packaged was delivered wrapped in a plastic USPS Express Shipping bag and sealed in a foam filled cardboard box. On top was the return shipping information and another USPS Express bag with a label already attached. The lens was well protected in the box by both the contoured foam blocks and the original lens carrying bag. The lens looked as though it was in perfect condition. There were no scratches, none of the control switches were worn, and the glass looked great. When I mounted it on my camera things went down hill fast!

I turned on the camera aimed it at the far wall of the room and pressed the shutter release half way to focus. The lens hunted and hunted and would not lock. I checked all the switches used to control image stabilization and auto focus and still could not get it to work. Then I tried the zoom ring...... It would only move between 70 and 135mm, and even then, did not actually change the focal length. So now I am starting to feel sick to my stomach!!!

I then made several attempts to call RentGlass.com only to get an answering machine. Then I notice a note at the bottom of their web page saying that for fastest customer service please use email. I thought, yea sure.... So I sent an email, and I kid you not, I received a response from a customer service rep. named Brian within 45 seconds!!! He said in the email that he had another lens that he would send out immediately and that he was sorry for the inconvenience. He asked that I package up the broken one and send it back ASAP. A few hours later I received another email from him with a new USPS tracking number.

In my opinion it sucks that they let a bad lens go out to a customer, but I also have to say that it has been a while since I have experienced such fast customer service. The lens is due in sometime tomorrow and I will post an update as soon as I know more. I am hoping to take this thing to the Microfest this weekend.

UPDATE!!!!!!

It arrived on Thursday! So far it's AMAZING! See for yourself:



This is a VERY sharp lens. I would say it is sharper at 200 f/2.8 then my sigma 55-200 is at 55 f/8, and the IS is fantastic! I will post some more photos from the show this weekend.