It’s no secret that high-end gear is expensive.
And it is pretty hard to remember a time when this was different.
But there are more options now than ever before to help you get the latest stuff in your hands without having to outlay thousands of dollars.
Panasonic is entering that market with a novel solution for cameras but a pretty standard one as far as other things are concerned such as cars, apartments, and even smartphones.
The only catch is that it looks like it is just in the Japanese market at this stage and it is only for the G100 and S5II models. Still, it is an interesting idea and one that people would probably like to see expanded outside of the Japanese market.
Initially spotted by 43rumors.com, the leasing plan from Panasonic caused something of a stir on the Internet with many people pointing it out as yet another sign of the times as to how expensive things are becoming.
PetaPixel clarifies the situation somewhat and notes that there is a premium to leasing these cameras compared with purchasing them outright. While that is pretty standard, lessees get some cool benefits such as access to Panasonic’s Lumix Academy. Primarily aimed at content creators and vloggers, the two cameras have fairly manageable monthly fees and give a broader audience access to cameras that otherwise might be cost-prohibitive.
Again, it’s only in Japan at this point, but it sounds like a great idea for moving people beyond the smartphone to other formats.
What do you think of leasing out cameras? Smart move given the marketplace’s accelerating prices or would you rather own your camera outright? Let us know your thoughts on this in the comments.
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