Have you ever let someone borrow your camera gear?

I've never understood why people ask to borrow expensive stuff from others.  Not that it happens that often, but I was just asked by my neighbor if they could borrow my camera and a couple lenses for an upcoming weekend trip. I was telling my wife about this earlier and just thought I would share here.  Curious what others say to people asking such questions.  I didn't mean to be rude or come across that way, but I told him I don't lend out my camera gear.  

Do you lend out your gear? If not, what do you say to those asking?

Tim Wiener wrote: Do you lend out your gear? If not, what do you say to those asking?

Never. Never ever ever. No explanation needs to be given. It's gear that costs several K... should be obvious that it's not going happening.

No, not even family for me.  Although family have never asked.  I just don't lend things out. 

Early on in my working life I loaned out a few tools, but they frequently came back destroyed or nearly so. The worst destroyed was a big heavy duty screwdriver, and I let him use it because it was so heavy duty that I couldn't imagine how he could damage it, but he did. He burned the whole end off of it while short circuiting an aircraft battery. Some others who I had loaned tools to, never returned them. So I decided to absolutely never loan any of my tools or possessions to anyone. Someone in my direct family might be allowed to use my basic tools occasionally, but no one outside my family has ever been loaned anything.

Each of my children has learned why I have such a rule of life when they too have loaned some of their things out and they came back damaged or not at all. They have now all begun following the "absolutely no loan law" when their friends ask. My 4 children are now almost retirement age and all have a lot of respect for someone else's property and follow this same rule about loaning things.

I have adjusted this tool rule a bit since I began teaching my grand daughter about photography. She has proven to be very reliable and respecting of my photography gear, following in her dad's footsteps and teachings, including this no loan rule that I originated. But if she wanted to borrow something of mine, under the right circumstances, she might be allowed to borrow something of mine for a specific need and duration. She may never ask though, and I'm very proud of my now 23 year old grand daughter for her ways that are so much like her dad's. 

Charley

Oh hell no!!  Big no no in my book.  

LOL absolutely NOT!!

Hard NO for me as well.  Whats funny is my sister asked to borrow my camera this past summer and I told her I don't lend out my camera gear. 

Um, NO.  No question, NO thought.  Just NO.  

Whats funny is the moment I saw this thread title, I chuckled. In case though there is question on what does that mean, no way. Not letting another sole use my gear. Nope, not doing it.

Absolutely no.  

One person, that is my sister and it was OK experience.  My camera body had a small scuff on it, nothing serious.  Just won't do it again.  

Hard NO.  

Been asked before and declined.  I'm not a fan of lending out anything, whether it be a camera or lawn tool.  I don't lend stuff.  

Oh no, not a chance.  Like others, I just don't want to be put into the position of having to deal with damaged stuff.  Not at least without my hands being the cause.  

Esseff wrote:

Tim Wiener wrote: Do you lend out your gear? If not, what do you say to those asking?

Never. Never ever ever. No explanation needs to be given. It's gear that costs several K... should be obvious that it's not going happening.

 well said and respectfully agree!!