Canon once against dominates rental market share in 2020

    By 19 Comments1 Min Read Canon Business General
    lensrentalslogo - Canon once against dominates rental market share in 2020

    Lensrentals.com has posted their annual report on what gets rented the most over the course of the year, and once again Canon dominates the rankings. Canon actually gained market share, while Sony and Nikon saw a small decrease in overall rental performance.

    Canon accounted for 25% of all rentals at Lensrentals.com, a slight increase year over year. Nikon saw a small dip and Sony fell just over 2%.

    Most Popular Photography & Videography Gear of 2020

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    I suspect the 2021 list will look very different as the RF mount penetrates the marketplace, but the popularity of DSLRs won't be going away anytime soon.

    Head on over to Lensrentals.com for a complete breakdown of the numbers.

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    19 comments

    1. Valuable as an indication of installed (and currently being used) base, as people will rent something matching what they have and are using.

      (OK, having earned Captain Obvious of the Week...)

      Having it increase, though might mean for some reason, more people are wanting to try before buying.
    2. Valuable as an indication of installed (and currently being used) base, as people will rent something matching what they have and are using.

      (OK, having earned Captain Obvious of the Week...)

      Having it increase, though might mean for some reason, more people are wanting to try before buying.
      Or that no one but large rental houses can afford to buy it ;)
    4. Fascinating that the EOS R came in number 7?! Obviously the R5 and R6 came out during the year - but there was obviously an interest in the R system.
      That actually makes sense when deciding for availability and price for the newer ones, for rental customers sometimes saving the extra cost for something enough for use for the task or even familiar operation is champing those new buyers considering the remaining lifespan before going obsolete.

      Kind of like if I am renting it for some well lit daytime scenery, why go for a camera with better and faster AF and ISO? just save me the money.
    5. Or that no one but large rental houses can afford to buy it ;)

      I own five of those items, and have a strict policy of not loaning items unless the loaner gives me a kidney or his first born as a security deposit. I was called many things for teaching the kids how to make kidney pie ;) , a large rental house isn't one of them.
    7. Wake up, EF-M mount. It's not too late. :cry:
      Or, to put it another way, the EF-M lens showed the fastest rate of growth ; 475% up on last year, followed by the RF mount, at 410% growth y-o-y, leaving the rest trailing far far behind ;)

      In all seriousness, I'd guess one factor mitigating against EF-M rental is the low cost of lenses to start with: by the time you rent one a few times, you may as well have bought it. (I do expect demand from those that are into rentals is simply not that high for M camera gear anyway).

      Cheers!
    8. This does not look good for Nikon. Almost a 10% drop in F lens rentals with no increase in the very small number of Z lens rentals.
      Canon has about a 6% drop in EF lens rentals but a significant increase in RF rentals of over 400%, more than making up for the EF loss.
    10. This does not look good for Nikon. Almost a 10% drop in F lens rentals with no increase in the very small number of Z lens rentals.
      Canon has about a 6% drop in EF lens rentals but a significant increase in RF rentals of over 400%, more than making up for the EF loss.

      The 24-70, 70-200, and 14-24 S lenses have not be available to buy or rent. And the 50mm f/1.2 just came out. As for the other Z lenses, these are all f/1.8's and you might as well buy one for how much a rental costs. That to my mind explains Z, there hasn't been a Z lens to rent.
    11. Looks like Canon and Sony will be the last 2 DSC brands left standing when worldwide shipping numbers dip below 5 million per year.

      Sony's out of the dSLR market for the past 2 years. Focusing all their resources on mirrorless

      Canon's last dSLR may be the the Rebel T8i/850D and the 1D X Mark III. Both 2020 models.
    13. The 24-70, 70-200, and 14-24 S lenses have not be available to buy or rent. And the 50mm f/1.2 just came out. As for the other Z lenses, these are all f/1.8's and you might as well buy one for how much a rental costs. That to my mind explains Z, there hasn't been a Z lens to rent.
      I hate it when facts and logic get in the way of a good "Nikon is *******" meme.
    14. The 24-70, 70-200, and 14-24 S lenses have not be available to buy or rent. And the 50mm f/1.2 just came out. As for the other Z lenses, these are all f/1.8's and you might as well buy one for how much a rental costs. That to my mind explains Z, there hasn't been a Z lens to rent.
      Excuses doesn’t change the numbers. Most rentals are of DSLRs and lenses. There’s no excuse there.
    15. Excuses doesn’t change the numbers. Most rentals are of DSLRs and lenses. There’s no excuse there.

      I didn't mention DSLR's and their lenses. The numbers are broken down and show Z has low rental numbers and we know full well there have been no Z lenses you would rent. Why would I rent a 50mm f/1.8 for near on $100?, I would on the other hand rent the 50mm f/1.2 that just came out, it isn't a lens I would own. On RF they started on the expensive leases, lenses you would want to rent before you buy.
    16. I didn't mention DSLR's and their lenses. The numbers are broken down and show Z has low rental numbers and we know full well there have been no Z lenses you would rent. Why would I rent a 50mm f/1.8 for near on $100?, I would on the other hand rent the 50mm f/1.2 that just came out, it isn't a lens I would own. On RF they started on the expensive leases, lenses you would want to rent before you buy.
      The main point that needs to be looked at is that 10% drop in Nikon’s DSLR rentals. What happened to those pros who are the main renters from this company? Besides, the lens situation is Nikon’s fault. It’s not some natural phenomenon. Whether people will continue to look at Nikon as lagging in focus capability, the ability to come out with brand new cameras, rather than relatively minor reworked designs, etc.

      ‘right now, with Nikon’s financial difficulties, they may have lost the ability to compete with the latest and greatest from both Canon and Sony. Look at all the criticism of the D6. A slightly reworked D5, often called the D5+, even buy many of those who are Nikon supporters. A disappointing last effort to replace their flagship pro DSLR. Compare that to the reception of Canon’s D1x mkIII. A totally new model with significantly improved specs everywhere.

      to me, that was the first major indication that Nikon was in trouble, which had been acknowledged by Nikon itself over the last four years, or so, where in its quarterly reports, it continually emphasized that its main concern was in “maintaining profits”. As a result, people such as Nikon supporter Thom Hogan has reported on the declining state of affairs of Nikon’s QC, support, marketing, etc., so this is nothing new. Nikon’s continued declining marketshare is notable.

      so the startling drop in Nikon’s rentals is nothing more than confirmation of this decline.
    17. The main point that needs to be looked at is that 10% drop in Nikon’s DSLR rentals. What happened to those pros who are the main renters from this company? Besides, the lens situation is Nikon’s fault. It’s not some natural phenomenon. Whether people will continue to look at Nikon as lagging in focus capability, the ability to come out with brand new cameras, rather than relatively minor reworked designs, etc.

      ‘right now, with Nikon’s financial difficulties, they may have lost the ability to compete with the latest and greatest from both Canon and Sony. Look at all the criticism of the D6. A slightly reworked D5, often called the D5+, even buy many of those who are Nikon supporters. A disappointing last effort to replace their flagship pro DSLR. Compare that to the reception of Canon’s D1x mkIII. A totally new model with significantly improved specs everywhere.

      to me, that was the first major indication that Nikon was in trouble, which had been acknowledged by Nikon itself over the last four years, or so, where in its quarterly reports, it continually emphasized that its main concern was in “maintaining profits”. As a result, people such as Nikon supporter Thom Hogan has reported on the declining state of affairs of Nikon’s QC, support, marketing, etc., so this is nothing new. Nikon’s continued declining marketshare is notable.

      so the startling drop in Nikon’s rentals is nothing more than confirmation of this decline.

      What on earth has any of that to do with my comment? I don't have any comment or interest in DSLR lenses in this discussion. I haven't brought up nor looked at those numbers, they are irrelevant to my comment.

      My comment is in regard to the original post is that until very recently there hasn't been a Z lens that anyone would consider renting. Only now do we have the 50 f/1.2 and the trinity, expensive lenses that people would want to try before buying or rent for a specific assignment.

      Canon RF started with the expensive lenses and went backwards in comparison so they had lenses people would want to rent.

      I can't think of a soul that would rent a 50mm f/1.8, but I can think of plenty that wants to rent a 50mm f/1.2.
    18. What on earth has any of that to do with my comment? I don't have any comment or interest in DSLR lenses in this discussion. I haven't brought up nor looked at those numbers, they are irrelevant to my comment.

      My comment is in regard to the original post is that until very recently there hasn't been a Z lens that anyone would consider renting. Only now do we have the 50 f/1.2 and the trinity, expensive lenses that people would want to try before buying or rent for a specific assignment.

      Canon RF started with the expensive lenses and went backwards in comparison so they had lenses people would want to rent.

      I can't think of a soul that would rent a 50mm f/1.8, but I can think of plenty that wants to rent a 50mm f/1.2.
      Except that your comme nt is perhaps somewhat irrelevant to what is happening. Maybe in c couple of years, mirrorless will be a major force, but not now.
    19. Except that your comme nt is perhaps somewhat irrelevant to what is happening. Maybe in c couple of years, mirrorless will be a major force, but not now.

      My comment is specifically on logical reasoning for lower Z rental than RF. Until just a month ago we had nothing that would fit the rental category on Z but we did have lenses you would want to rent on RF. If we do go back to the old tech we can see Nikon F rentals are down 1.75% and Canon EF rentals are down 2.72%. Which given a global pandemic, suggest both systems are still in strong demand.

      Unless we are to believe Canon and Nikon are ******* to fail to Apple or someone else because their rental numbers are slightly lower on their legacy systems in 2020 from 2019?

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