Lensrentals
Lensrentals is the largest US online rental house for photography and video equipment, renting cameras, lenses, lighting, and audio gear from 80+ brands to professional and hobbyist creators on a usage-based, direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform founded in 2006.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersCordova, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Lensrentals does
Lensrentals (legal entity Lens Rentals.com, Inc.) is a privately held, bootstrapped online rental company for photography and video equipment, founded in 2006 by Roger Cicala in Memphis, Tennessee. Operating exclusively via a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform at lensrentals.com, the company rents cameras, lenses, lighting, audio gear, and accessories from 80+ brands including Canon, Sony, RED, ARRI, Nikon, and Leica for periods ranging from 1 to 90 days. The company self-identifies as the largest rental house in the United States by inventory and has processed over 1 million cumulative orders. Underlying operations center on an integrated shipping-logistics and inventory-management platform with equipment shipped nationwide via FedEx and UPS and prepaid return labels included. The company employs 100+ photo and video professionals who support customers and perform rigorous pre-rental testing on inventory.
The business model combines core day-based equipment rental revenue with three adjacent revenue streams: the Keeper used-gear marketplace (direct sales of retired rental inventory), the Lenscap+ protection plan (an opt-in insurance product capping renter liability at the lesser of 10% of replacement cost or actual repair costs), and the Lensrentals HD annual subscription (free annual shipping for frequent renters). Pricing is usage-based and equipment-value dependent, with longer durations receiving lower per-day rates; example 7-day rentals span roughly $20 for accessories to $243 for high-end professional lenses with protection. Customer segments are primarily individual professional photographers and videographers, with hobbyist photographers and audio content creators (podcasters, field-recording users) as secondary segments. The company pursues an organic plus M&A growth strategy, having acquired ATS Rentals in 2017 and the assets of BorrowLenses in March 2024 to consolidate the US online rental market for creative-industry equipment. Distribution is entirely self-serve online with no physical retail footprint; marketing relies on owned content (a long-running blog and a 75-episode podcast), social media across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest, and a customer referral program.
Lensrentals firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lensrentals
- Legal name
- Lens Rentals.com, Inc.
- Website
- https://lensrentals.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Lensrentals is the largest US online rental house for photography and video equipment, renting cameras, lenses, lighting, and audio gear from 80+ brands to professional and hobbyist creators on a usage-based, direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform founded in 2006.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lensrentals industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Camera and Lens Rental Services
- NAICS
- Consumer Electronics and Appliances Rental (532210), Consumer Electronics and Appliances Rental (53221), Other Consumer Goods Rental (53228)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350), Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861), Services-Equipment Rental & Leasing, Nec (7359)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Camera, Grip & Lighting Equipment Rental (MPADAFAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Equipment & Tool Leasing (Consumer) (FSAKANAF), Lenses & Optical Accessories (Lenses, Filters, Adapters, Teleconverters) (CRACAPAF), Camera & Lens Retail (Photo Cameras, Lenses & Optical Accessories) (CRACAHAA)
Keywords
Where Lensrentals is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cordova
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lensrentals business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Equipment Rentals: Day-based rental of photography and video equipment including cameras, lenses, lighting, audio gear, and accessories. Rental rates vary by equipment value and rental duration. Longer rental periods offer lower per-day rates.
- Used Equipment Sales (Keeper): Direct sales of used and tested equipment from rental inventory through the Keeper marketplace.
- Lenscap+ Protection Plans: Optional insurance products (Lenscap and Lenscap+) that limit customer liability for damaged or lost equipment in exchange for additional fees.
- Lensrentals HD Subscription: Subscription service offering free shipping for a year on rentals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Standard 7-day rental for mid-range professional lenses |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Standard 7-day rental for telephoto lenses |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Professional field recorder rental |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Podcast recorder rental |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Accessory rental |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Lensrentals product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lensrentals rents photography and video equipment (cameras, lenses, lighting, audio gear, and accessories) from 80+ brands on a daily usage-based basis for periods of 1–90 days, with nationwide US shipping via FedEx and UPS and prepaid return labels included. The core rental service is supplemented by the Lenscap+ optional protection plan capping renter liability at 10% of replacement cost, the Keeper marketplace selling retired rental inventory, and the Lensrentals HD annual free-shipping membership for frequent renters.
Product overview
Lensrentals operates a core online rental platform for photography and video equipment, offering 1–90 day rentals of cameras, lenses, lighting, audio gear, and accessories from Canon, Sony, RED, ARRI, Nikon, and 80+ other brands with nationwide shipping. The business is anchored by its core rental service and complemented by the Keeper used-gear marketplace, the Lenscap+ insurance protection plan, the Lensrentals HD annual membership (free shipping), a Rewards program, and an educational blog and podcast. The company has expanded through acquisitions including ATS Rentals and BorrowLenses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lensrentals.com Core Rental Platform Online photography and video equipment rental service offering lenses, cameras, lighting, audio gear, and accessories from Canon, Sony, RED, ARRI, Nikon, and 80+ other brands for rental periods of 1 to 90 days with nationwide US shipping and prepaid return labels. Targets individual professional photographers, videographers, filmmakers, and hobbyist enthusiasts.
- Lenscap+ Protection Plan Optional rental protection plan that limits the renter's maximum liability to the lesser of 10% of replacement cost or actual repair cost. Covers damage scenarios including theft, fire, lightning, windstorm, earth movement, breakage, and equipment dropped from or falling off an aircraft when bundled with Lenscap. Adds approximately 10–20% to the rental cost.
- Keeper Used Gear Marketplace Marketplace where Lensrentals sells retired rental inventory that has been tested, maintained, and certified, allowing customers to buy previously rented photography and video equipment directly from the company.
- Lensrentals HD Annual Membership Annual membership subscription program providing free shipping for a full year on all equipment rentals, designed for frequent renters of photography and video equipment.
- Gift Certificates Gift certificates available for purchase that allow customers to give rental credits redeemable against photography and video equipment rentals on the Lensrentals platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reached 1 million orders milestone
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Lensrentals
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Lensrentals technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Lensrentals partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.
- BorrowLensesmajorLensrentals acquired the assets of San Francisco-based competitor BorrowLenses, an online marketplace for photo and video equipment rental. This acquisition expanded Lensrentals' already industry-leading inventory.
- ATS RentalsmajorATS Rentals, an online video camera, lens and projector rental business based in Illinois, was acquired by Lensrentals. All active ATS Rental accounts were integrated into Lensrentals operating procedures, with account history synced for existing customers.
- Duclos LensesminorDuclos Lenses, a full-service cinema lens repair, retail, and modification company based in Los Angeles, was featured as the first guest on the Lensrentals Podcast. Founded in 2002 by Paul and Matt Duclos, specializes in lens mount conversions and cinema lens modifications.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lensrentals competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- LensProToGo: Online camera and lens rental company serving professional photographers and videographers in the US. Closely comparable business model and customer base to Lensrentals in the dedicated online rental category.
- ShareGrid: Peer-to-peer online rental marketplace for film and photography equipment. Directly comparable to Lensrentals in target customer (photographers/videographers) and equipment category (cameras, lenses, lighting), but operates an asset-light P2P model rather than owning inventory.
- KitSplit: Peer-to-peer rental marketplace for film, photo, and audio gear. Targets the same creative professional and SMB segments as Lensrentals and competes for share of online rental demand, though with a community-owned rather than owned-fleet model.
- BorrowLenses: Online photo and video equipment rental house historically based in San Francisco. Direct competitor in the owned-fleet online rental model before its March 2024 asset acquisition by Lensrentals; cited by Lensrentals as a key consolidation target.
- Aperturent: Specialty camera and lens rental house serving photographers and filmmakers. Directly comparable in product focus (high-end photo/video equipment) and rental-led business model.
Broad incumbents
- Adorama: Large New York-based camera, electronics, and pro audio retailer that also operates a rental program. Overlaps with Lensrentals in camera/lens/audio retail and rental but is a broad incumbent with a much wider product and service portfolio.
- B&H Photo Video: Major US retailer of photography, video, audio, and electronics equipment with a rental offering. Comparable customer base and category, but operates at much larger scale across retail, education, and used-gear channels beyond rental.
- Full Compass Systems: US retailer and rental provider for professional audio, video, lighting, and musical equipment. Comparable in the audio/lighting/event-production rental segment that Lensrentals is expanding into, but with broader pro-AV scope.
Regional players
- ProCam Rentals: Specialty cinema and professional camera rental house. Comparable equipment category and target customer (production professionals), though typically with a more regional or production-house focus rather than nationwide D2C reach.
Others
- Duclos Lenses: Full-service cinema lens repair, retail, modification, and rental company in Los Angeles. Adjacent ecosystem player in the cinema lens space; featured as a partner on the Lensrentals Podcast and comparable in customer base (cinematographers) and category expertise.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lensrentals social profiles
Digital presenceLensrentals financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lensrentals leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Lensrentals subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Lensrentals funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lensrentals M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lensrentals
What does Lensrentals do?
Lensrentals rents photography and video equipment (cameras, lenses, lighting, audio gear, and accessories) from 80+ brands on a daily usage-based basis for periods of 1–90 days, with nationwide US shipping via FedEx and UPS and prepaid return labels included. The core rental service is supplemented by the Lenscap+ optional protection plan capping renter liability at 10% of replacement cost, the Keeper marketplace selling retired rental inventory, and the Lensrentals HD annual free-shipping membership for frequent renters.
Is Lensrentals a public or private company?
Lensrentals is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Lensrentals founded?
Lensrentals was founded in 2006. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Lensrentals based?
Lensrentals is headquartered in Cordova, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lensrentals make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Equipment Rentals are the primary driver. The others are used Equipment Sales (Keeper), lenscap+ Protection Plans and lensrentals HD Subscription.
Who are Lensrentals's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are LensProToGo, ShareGrid, KitSplit, BorrowLenses and Aperturent. Broad incumbents are Adorama, B&H Photo Video and Full Compass Systems. ProCam Rentals is listed as a regional player. Duclos Lenses is listed as an others.
Does Lensrentals have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lensrentals.
What industry is Lensrentals in?
Lensrentals's product category is Camera and Lens Rental Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAFAB, Camera, Grip & Lighting Equipment Rental, with a secondary code of FSAKANAF, Equipment & Tool Leasing (Consumer). Its NAICS code is 532210 and its SIC code is 7350.