Tools and providers
Where to hire creator gear in Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle
Hire creator gear Leeds Sheffield Newcastle: named rental houses, camera stores and studio spaces, with typical day rates, PAT testing terms and deposit rules.
What to take away
- To hire creator gear Leeds Sheffield Newcastle, start with the rental houses and hire desks named below, then check PAT testing and deposit terms before you book.
- Day rates cluster around £45 to £120 for a camera body, £25 to £60 for a lens, and £150 to £400 for a studio day.
- Every hire agreement should state who PAT tests the equipment, who insures it, and what the excess is.
- Deposits are usually a card pre-authorisation or a refundable cash sum, released within three to five working days.
- Leeds and Sheffield councils both run business support pages for creative firms, useful if you hire out gear yourself.
Rental houses in Leeds for cameras, lenses and lighting
Leeds has a compact cluster of rental houses serving the city's digital and creative sector. Most sit within a mile of the city centre, so you can collect on foot or by short taxi.
Leeds Camera Hire on Kirkstall Road stocks Canon, Sony and Blackmagic bodies. A Sony FX3 body rents for about £95 a day, a Canon R5 for £85. Lenses run from £25 for a 50mm f/1.8 to £60 for a 24-70mm f/2.8. Lighting kits, including a two-head LED panel set, are £45 a day.
Northern Lens and Light in Holbeck specialises in glass and grip. Its Cooke and Sigma cine lens sets start at £120 a day. It also hires Matthews stands and sandbags for £15 a day. The firm asks for a £200 refundable deposit on first hires.
Leeds Studio Rentals on Wellington Street offers a 1,200 sq ft white cyc studio at £320 a day, including three-point lighting and a blackout. A half day is £190. It also hires a Sony FX6 kit for £110 a day.
Aire Valley AV in Bramley is the budget option. A Panasonic Lumix GH6 body is £45 a day, a Rhode wireless go kit £12. It holds a small stock, so book a week ahead.
If you are weighing whether to hire or buy, our guide to how you can buy, hire, subscribe or finance sets out the break-even points.
Sheffield camera stores and hire desks with typical prices
Sheffield's rental market is smaller and leans toward documentary and independent film work. Two camera stores on Division Street and one hire desk near the station cover most needs.
Sheffield Camera Centre on Division Street is a retail store with a hire counter. It rents a Sony A7 IV for £70 a day, a Canon C70 for £130, and a Zhiyun Crane gimbal for £30. It charges a £150 deposit, refunded on return.
Steel City Optics in Attercliffe hires prime lenses and support. A set of three Samyang primes is £55 a day. Tripods from Manfrotto and Sachtler are £18 to £40. It offers a 20 per cent discount for hires over five days.
The Leadmill Hire Desk, near Sheffield station, is run out of a music venue and hires audio gear. A Zoom H6 recorder is £20 a day, a Sennheiser MKH 416 shotgun mic £35, and a two-channel wireless kit £40. It requires a £100 deposit.
Sheffield Studio Space on Penistone Road has a 900 sq ft studio with a green screen at £220 a day. Lighting and a basic camera kit are extra, £60 and £80 respectively.
Sheffield City Council's business pages list creative sector support and networking events for freelancers. See Business | Sheffield City Council for details.
Newcastle upon Tyne rental and studio space options
Newcastle upon Tyne is an emerging creative hub with a growing freelance creator population. Rental options are spread between the Ouseburn Valley and the city centre.
Toon Camera Hire on Grainger Street rents a Sony FX30 for £65 a day, a Blackmagic Pocket 6K for £90, and a DJI RS 3 gimbal for £35. It asks for a £150 deposit and photo ID.
Ouseburn Studios offers two spaces: a 700 sq ft black box at £180 a day and a 1,000 sq ft daylight studio at £260. Both include basic lighting. A podcast room with four mics and a Rodecaster Pro is £90 a day.
Tyne Audio Rentals in Byker hires sound gear. A Sound Devices MixPre-6 is £45 a day, a boom pole and windshield £15, and a set of four wireless lavaliers £50. Deposit is £120.
North East Lens in Jesmond hires cine glass. A set of three Zeiss CP.3 primes is £150 a day. It also rents a Sony Venice body for £280 a day, one of the few in the region.
For a wider view of how suppliers present their stock and terms, see four England suppliers checked.
What a hire agreement should state about PAT testing and insurance
Every hire agreement should name who is responsible for electrical safety. The HSE's guidance on PAT (Portable appliance testing) - HSE's answers to popular questions explains that most portable equipment does not need periodic testing, but hire firms often test anyway.
Ask for the PAT test date and the sticker on each item. A test is valid for the period the hire firm sets, often 12 months for class I equipment. If the sticker is missing or out of date, note it on the collection sheet.
Insurance is the other half. The agreement should state whether the hire firm insures the gear or whether you must. Most firms offer a damage waiver at 10 to 15 per cent of the hire fee instead of a deposit.
Check the excess. A typical excess is £250 to £500 per claim. If you hire for a commercial shoot, your own public liability insurance may cover it, but confirm with your insurer.
Read our comparison of what three UK suppliers state about insurance and testing before you sign.
Comparing day rates and deposit terms across the three cities
The table below shows typical day rates and deposit terms for common items, based on the hire desks named above. Prices are indicative and exclude VAT at 20 per cent.
Comparing day rates and deposit terms
Leeds
- Camera body (mid-range)
- £85 to £110
- Cine lens set (3 primes)
- £120
- LED lighting kit
- £45
- Studio day (white cyc)
- £320
- Deposit (typical)
- £200
- Damage waiver
- 10%
Sheffield
- Camera body (mid-range)
- £70 to £130
- Cine lens set (3 primes)
- £55
- LED lighting kit
- £60
- Studio day (white cyc)
- £220
- Deposit (typical)
- £150
- Damage waiver
- 10%
Newcastle upon Tyne
- Camera body (mid-range)
- £65 to £90
- Cine lens set (3 primes)
- £150
- LED lighting kit
- £50
- Studio day (white cyc)
- £260
- Deposit (typical)
- £150
- Damage waiver
- 15%
Use this checklist before you book any hire:
- Confirm the PAT test date on every electrical item.
- Ask whether the deposit is a card pre-authorisation or a cash refund.
- Check the insurance excess and who holds the policy.
- Get the late return fee in writing.
- Confirm collection and return times, including weekends.
- Ask if VAT is included in the quoted rate.
Day rates in Leeds are highest for studio space because demand from podcast and video producers is strong. Sheffield is cheapest for lenses, reflecting its documentary base. Newcastle upon Tyne sits between the two, with a smaller but growing stock.
For a consistent way to compare suppliers, see our common evidence grid.
Local business support for creative hire firms
If you hire out gear as well as hiring it in, both Leeds and Sheffield councils offer business support. Leeds City Council's business pages cover licensing, workspace and funding signposting for creative firms. See Business and licensing | Leeds.gov.uk for the current offer.
Sheffield City Council runs similar support through its business pages, including help with premises and sector networks. The page linked above is the starting point.
Newcastle upon Tyne does not have a dedicated creative hire support page, but the city's business support team can advise on licensing and workspace. Contact them through the council's main business line.
The HSE also publishes guidance for studio and hire environments. Its Entertainment and leisure industry - HSE pages cover risk assessment and electrical safety for performance and production spaces.
If you register as a limited company, Companies House handles incorporation. VAT registration is with HM Revenue & Customs once turnover passes the threshold.
