15 Mar 2012

It's a pity if someone judges you based on a piece of plastic

This blog should be about photography. Well, what happened to me started with the photography but has ended with a mix of not so positive feelings.
I am going to buy a new lens for my camera. Not so cheap (Nikkor 24-70 f/2.8G ED) so I want to try it out first. There is a company renting the photo equipment nearby my place. They offered (I thought) a good   renting price and the general conditions. After initial e-mail exchange, sending the copies of required documents they announced to me that due to my nationality (!) they need to increase the deposit by 150% (from 400 to 1000 EUR). To be clear: I have presented the personal identity card issued by Dutch government.
I live in The Netherlands since 2001 and it is for the very first time that someone changes the rules because of my nationality. Pity. To make a story complete I have to admit that an employee explained the reasons of such policy to me: basically a big risk of theft and difficulties of undertaking the juristic steps if a thief appears to be non-Dutch citizen. On one side sounds reasonable but on the other it gives a strange feeling. And raises a rhetoric question: would Dutch citizenship made me a more honest person?  Another question is: am I going to play such game? For sure not. Money is not an issue, but there are the principles.

Which brings me to the final issue:
I need to find another company renting the Nikkor lenses because I still want to try it out!

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