VMI now charge a 3-day hire week on all products

For decades, there has been an unwritten convention in the UK that professional and prosumer cameras/associated equipment attracted a 4-day hire rate for a week’s hire, whilst broadcast and film equipment were charged at only a 3-day hire rate, in common with the lighting and grip industries.

One explanation was that broadcast and film equipment generally employed higher rental rates to begin with and often attracted higher rates of discount compared with professional and prosumer equipment, so the end result was roughly the same, so for many years, this convention continued.

However, the morphing of prosumer, professional, broadcast and digital film, all of which are now capable of 4K and above quality, means that this distinction is no longer relevant. As a result, VMI has decided to harmonise this confusing and increasingly arbitrary distinction, so that all of its hire equipment is now charged out at a 3-day hire week, effective immediately from London, Bristol and VMEDIA.