The Most Popular Camera and Lens Rentals of the Last 19 Years

Lensrentals is celebrating its 19th anniversary this month, and to mark the incredible accomplishment, the company has posted a couple of fascinating blog posts that look at the most popular rentals of the past nearly two decades and a closer look at some landmark products released during its tenure.

“So let’s go back to 2006 — George W. Bush is the President, the Motorola RAZR is the number one phone in America, and MySpace is still the most popular social media platform, with Facebook still being invite-only for colleges. And in a garage in Memphis, Tennessee, Roger Cicala is organizing his personal camera gear, as he has found a small market for renting out lenses to his photography friends,” writes Zach Sutton for Lensrentals.

A great deal has changed in the photography world since 2006. Hopping into a time machine, 2006 saw the launch of notable cameras, including the Canon EOS 30D, Leica C-Lux 1, Fujifilm FinePix S9100, Leica M8, Canon PowerShot G7, Sigma DP1, Sigma SD14, and Nikon D40, among many others. There were more dozens of new point-and-shoot cameras hitting store shelves each year back then, and companies like Samsung, Kodak, Casio, and HP were still making a bevy of digital cameras.

As Sutton explains, Sony was only just getting its feet wet in digital photography, with the company focused on its Minolta A-mount DSLR models. Sony didn’t aggressively pursue mirrorless photography and the E-mount until years later.

Canon had just launched the original EOS 5D, which would ultimately evolve into one of Canon’s most important DSLR model lines ever. However, APS-C was still the big game in town for many digital photographers. Even Nikon had yet to get into full-frame photography when Cicala founded Lensrentals — the D3 arrived in 2007.

“2006 also marked the start of the megapixel race. As a marketing moniker, megapixels were known to many as an indication of camera quality, and this race continued for at least another decade, as each camera stretched its sensors’ capability of resolution, while ignoring more important indicators like low-light performance, autofocus capabilities, and dynamic range,” Sutton continues.

10 years later, when Lensrentals got serious about sharing rental data with readers, which has become an annual tradition and one of the best ways to get a sense of what photographers are interested in, Canon had already worked its way up to the EOS 5D Mark IV, which was the most popular new camera at Lensrentals in 2016. As Sutton explains, Canon was cruising, but Sony was gaining a foothold. Nikon was still popular among high-end photographers with models like the D5 and D500, and Fujifilm, a huge success story in 2025, was showing early signs of what it would become thanks to the X-Pro2 and X-T2.

Sutton reviews the most popular gear of 2019 and 2022, showing that the big players have remained popular. However, Canon and Nikon’s success in the full-frame mirrorless segment with their EOS R and Z systems was not immediate. It took time for each to channel their DSLR excellence into mirrorless appeal.

But over the past 19 years, which camera has been the most popular among photographers to rent? Lensrentals has the answer to that question, too.

Given the length of Canon’s reign of dominance, it is not surprising to see that the two most popular cameras are both Canon DSLRs: the Canon EOS 5D Mark III at number one and the 5D Mark IV in second place.

“The most popular camera in Lensrentals.com’s history is the Canon 5D Mark III, a camera that we still rent to this day, and you can still buy new on Amazon right now,” Lensrentals writes. “Perhaps that is what truly highlights the groundbreaking nature of the camera — the fact that you can still rent and buy new ones today, despite its debut back in March 2012. Over 13 years later, the Canon 5D Mark III is still being used on sets and for thousands of photoshoots.”

Of the top 20 most popular camera rentals of the past 19 years, eight are DSLRs (six Canon cameras and two Nikon ones, the D750 and the D850). The rest of the list comprises mirrorless cameras, as well as some cinema-oriented models, including the Canon C300 Mark II, Canon C70, Canon C200, and Sony FX3.

The most popular mirrorless camera of the past 19 years is 2018’s Sony a7 III, a 24-megapixel full-frame camera that cemented Sony’s popularity in the enthusiast space, especially for photographers who also wanted a camera that works well for video.

Although Sony has maintained an exceptionally strong position in the mirrorless space, thanks in large part to the company’s early commitment to mirrorless camera technology, Canon has carried its popularity forward from the DSLR era. The Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6 both make the cut, landing in fourth and fifth positions in the top 20, while the original EOS R sits pretty at number eight. The relatively new R6 Mark II and R3 also appear in the latter half of the list.

When it comes to lenses, a huge business for the well-named Lensrentals, Canon has a stranglehold on the top 20. The seven most-popular lens rentals from the past 19 years are all Canon models, including a mix of EF and RF glass. Unsurprisingly, the standard zoom lens, the 24-70mm f/2.8L II, is number one. It is a very versatile, popular focal length combined with a fast, constant aperture.

The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS appears at number seven, followed by Sony’s FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM at number eight. Two more 24-70mm f/2.8 zooms make the cut, including the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L and the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S, in 16th and 18th place. An even faster, similar lens, the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L, lands in 15th.

An excellent pairing for a 24-70mm f/2.8 is a 70-200mm f/2.8 telephoto zoom lens. Three different Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 models land on the list, including the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II at number two. Sony’s 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lands in 10th, while Nikon’s 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR is 19th.

Notably, one lens not made by Canon, Sony, or Nikon also made the list: the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art in 20th place.

In Lensrentals’ comprehensive breakdown, they share detailed analyses of some of the most popular cameras and lenses, as well as the most popular accessory rentals from the past 19 years. There are some surprising inclusions there.

Congratulations to Lensrentals on its 19th anniversary! Here’s to another 19 years of providing photographers and videographers with an affordable way to access high-quality cameras and lenses.

Image credits: Lensrentals, Fujifilm, Canon, Nikon, and Sony. Header image created using a graphic licensed via Depositphotos.