What is there to say about one of our most-anticipated annual events? If you’re not familiar, get ready to make a new tradition out of our FREE Lens & Camera Demo Day. A small army of manufacturers’ representatives and enthusiastic imaging experts from your local Mike’s Camera stores will be setting up shop in the Denver, Cheyenne Mountain, and Sacramento Zoos to loan out a wide variety of the latest gear, absolutely free of charge (aside from the Zoo’s entry fee).
From beginners’ DSLRs to esoteric lenses you’d likely not encounter anywhere else—tilt-shift, anyone?—this is the perfect opportunity to put that camera, lens, or tripod you’ve been eyeing through real-world, risk-free testing. It’s also an incomparable opportunity to play, without having to commit to a new purchase. We’ll bring the dream camera bag, and you can push the gear to its limits surrounded by spring-time wildlife from around the world. (Check out some real-world photos from last year here and an awesome video of the experience here!) Who knows? You might even find out that the missing piece of your kit was hiding where you least expected it… and rumor has it that there will be exclusive savings for anyone who visits our tables.
No registration is necessary, but if you have your eye on something specific, you’re going to want to come early. All rentals are first come, first served, for one hour at a time. After your hour, you can trade it in for another piece of gear, or take the same one out if there’s no one waiting on it. Any photos you take are yours to cherish, forever.
And, yes, we will be hosting the five-figure lenses. When you come up to our tables at the Zoo, ask about our Picture Point schedule!
Your checklist
- Current driver’s license or government-issued ID card
- Valid credit card, returned uncharged after our gear is returned
- MEMORY CARDS for the camera(s) you’re interested in testing
- Admission money for the zoo
- Directions to one of the following locations (click each banner for more information):
