This is the best place to get your gear for film in Chicago. We use their equipment on all of our film projects! Period!!!!

Magnanimous Rentals is an institution for last minute low cost rentals in Chicago. I have been renting with them for nearly 10 years, from film school to full time freelance. Their efficiency, reliability and selection of equipment is a great resource for the local industry.

I always have a great experience! You guys have been reliable and flexible

This place is the best for renting lenses! And the guys are the best!

Called to ask a few questions and the gentleman who answered the phone was extremely rude! I will NEVER do business with Magnanimous Rentals!

I have used Magnanimous Media for about 5 years now and I have not needed to look anywhere else. They always have me covered and give me advice when I have a detailed question. The rentals are always prepared on time and are of quality for a great price. If I was running late and called to let them know my drop off was going to be 30 minutes late they didn’t overcharge me but knew I would be back as a customer. That’s the kind of business I appreciate.Just ask for Michael he’s very knowledgeable and professional.

Great staff, and great rental prices! Definitely will return for more rentals in the near future! Thank you guys!

Quality equipment and great customer service.

Were not welcoming, arrogant poor customer service.

Magnanimous has been nothing but great to me since I started working with them. I started renting with them when I was still in college. They treated me with the utmost respect even when I was only doing $20 rentals. Now, I know I can trust Magnanimous with my rental needs with my larger, more demanding clients. They have not once let me down or made an error on any of my rentals. Theyve actually called me and prevented me from renting the wrong equipment a few times. Theyre also great at making suggestions when needed. Ive had some last-minute jobs pop up, and magnanimous was able to save the day.  Theyve gone above and beyond, multiple times over the years. Magnanimous is the most reliable rental company Ive used and with their price match, theyre hard to beat.

Great rental house - They always double check all orders and make sure everything is all set!

Magnanimous Media is a top notch rental service providing a wide array of equipment for beginners to pros. The founder Craig is a real down to earth and generous owner who really supports local filmmakers. I have called Magnanimous numerous times for all types of advice and information and the staff are always helpful and pleasant to talk to.

One of the best rental houses in Chicago.

I was a little hesitant to use their services at first because their prices seemed too good to be true. However, after my first rental I was pleasantly surprised. Their quick to respond if you have any questions and they have a good understanding of what their customers need. Ive used them on multiple projects and Ive rented everything from grip equipment to RED cameras and its all worked flawlessly. Theyve become my go-to rental company.

Ive been using Magnanimous Media since its early days in their old shop. Awesome to watch them grow into the company theyve become today. Ive always rented with confidence while managing projects at multiple companies as well as for personal projects.Theyre usually the first rental house to get in the newest and best gear and I have often used them as a benchmark for if a product is eventually worth purchasing for my own use.I highly suggest them as an option if youre looking to rent photo/video gear in Chicago. Their studio is also moderately priced and I have always had a great experience with customer service.

Working with Maganimous is always an easy to work with. They have great staff that know everything about their offerings and can help you get the right gear and the right price. Extremely quick checkout and return process saves a lot of time.

I have been renting gear from Magnanimous for more than 5 years now and Im so thankful to have them here in Chicago. Gear selection is great. You will receive your gear in great condition, organized and ready to use. Ive never had so much as a camera battery not charged over dozens of different rentals. Never a scratched lens or a dim light bulb. Competitive prices, reliable customer service and willing to help. I regularly recommend Magnanimous to video professionals. The best place for camera gear rentals in Chicago.

The stuff here are absolutely amazing. Very professional and great customer service. There the best rental service I have ever used. Not to mention their prices absolute affordable. They have everything you need, give them a call let them know what you need and if it’s avilabe you will have within minutes. That’s how fast they are. Best rental place in town!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You won’t regret

Weve been using Magnanimous for many years, almost since the very beginning, and watching them grow to where they are now has been really gratifying! Everyone who works there is always super helpful, theyre eager to help indie and larger productions alike, and between the wealth of different gear options and the unbeatable prices, Im always hard-pressed to go anywhere else. An excellent one-stop shop for your rental needs!

Magnanimous Media is one of the best rental places I’ve ever used. They have EVERYTHING YOU NEED. If you are young in your career are in to photo and video as a hobby, or if you are top notch professional with the big budget, they have literally cater to all the needs of the people. Reasonably priced and fair. The guys that are there KNOW what they are talking about. I recommend them to anybody.

Shop techs go above and beyond in customer service. Really appreciating the educational content coming out during the stay at home order as well. It helps to learn something new, and to have something to look forward to.

Our company (Chicago Bulls) has been renting from Magnanimous Media for several years now and have had nothing but great experiences with their service. They continue to accommodate our needs on shoots of any size with a friendly, reliable staff. All equipment is provided in excellent condition which enables our production team to perform at its absolute best. Their overall professionalism has been essential to our company and we look forward to continue to partner with Magnanimous Media.

One of the BEST places to rent production gear in Chicago!I have been a professional camera operator in the Chicagoland area for over 30 years. I am so happy that Magnanimous Media has finally come along.As an independent contractor to the film/television industry, I need a variety of the most popular gear in my inventory.Being a small business, I cant always afford to own everything.So rental equipment is just a part of what I have to do, so I can get the gear to make the job happen.Magnanimous has just the right inventory I need. And at great rates!They have great customer service.You can set up a rental easily on the website.Someone always answers the phone. (Nice!)They are happy to answer any questions.And with my business being based in the west suburbs of Chicago,I love the delivery/pick up options. (Awesome!)If you need just a lens or tripod, up to a big rental package for your next shoot, do yourself a favor and check out Magnanimous!

Magnanimous was awesome. We were in a tough spot after we had some financiers back out on a film last minute. Magnanimous was the only place we looked at where we could get the gear we needed as we put the money back together. We ended up renting from them for several months. The rates were exceptional and the staff was professional, courteous, and helpful throughout production. They helped bail us out of a big jam.

Ive been a loyal and proud customer of Magnanimous Media for years. They have always been there with fast and friendly service whenever I have needed them for shoots both large and small. I cant say enough about how professional and solid everyone is there. They have helped me grow my business year after year because lets face it not all of us creatives have millions of dollars & huge warehouses of gear to use but by using Magnanimous Media we actually do. They always have the latest and greatest and even the simplest of tools that many of our creative dreams demand. From very expensive and fancy cameras for both stills and video, to lighting, and pretty much everything else in between Magnanimous Media is always there. Ive called upon them to help my production for shoots for Celebrities, businesses like Apple, NBC, & everyday people all over. They regularly provide me with amazing service for my wedding photography business too. With a nice convenient location it has also helped me to get what I need and be back on the road without a ton of traffic so I can carry on to complete my work wherever it may be. Ive seen them grow location after location after new location and I consider them to be both great business owners and friends. I simply would not be where I am today had it not been for this great company that I use all the time. Its a great feeling to never turn down a gig because of a lack of gear. With Magnanimous Media I know simply have access to more then any and everything I could ever need, want, or ask for. Like I said Im a proud supporter them I think its so great they can help fuel the Creative Visual Artists of Chicago and abroad. I work all over America and have found myself in situations with other rental houses and none of them come close to Magnanimous Media & thats a fact.

First off, I love these guys! They are always helpful to me when it come to equipment rentals. Whether its a big budget project or times when Im just unsure of what I want, they always make sure that I have the right gear for the job. The staffs knowledge of equipment is outstanding and to be to setup small sessions to learn about new items or any product they have available helps, especially when youre renting unfamiliar equipment.Thanks Magnanimous Media

Magnanimous is a great option in Chicago for the in-between media folks who are making professional work and need high quality gear but who may not have huge budgets or arent working through traditional agency models. They dont require production insurance on all items, which is super helpful for solo artists. They are open longer than usual hours, and have helpful and friendly staff.

So I was in a Bind looking for a Quick Raw shot camera, and I came upon this site. I had found a site before it with a better package (1.8F lens versus the 2.8) but they had rented theres out. I contacted the company and was asked to setup an account for the reservation, and was promptly sent an email referring to the account. Nowhere in the discussion was it brought up that Id need to email back to setup the account, and neither does the email specify this. I went to the place promptly after work to retrieve the camera, and they told me because I hadnt emailed back setting up the account (Something which takes quite literally emailing a link to a professional website) that I couldnt be waived on the security deposit. The security deposit, unlike a traditional company which would be a percentage on damages, was a full price, and then some, in fact a whopping additional $240 on top of the cost of rental, and the cost of the camera body I could buy in stores. Not wanting to risk being screwed out of 1300 dollars, I asked if there was any other means of going around this. They specified Id have to come back the next day, after I had spent 40 minutes on public transit getting there.Point of the matter of this long rant is that I have been a part of customer service for over 6 years now, and I hate it with a passion, but when I company like this doesnt fill its customers in all the way, then refuses to service them over a stupid thing such as an email with information, thats not only asinine, but incredibly rude. This is not a film company, they are a company that rents to customers, and to lack such a substantial skill in customer service like refusing to assist a customer that was being more than gracious with the situation is downright crap.I will not return as there are many other companies throughout Chicago that offer better services for cheaper rates, and I advise any future persons to do the same. On top of that if any persons is reading this review, I would advise an online delivered company option, as there are many cheap options online that offer fantastic service for unbeatable prices on cameras 5X the quality I was hoping to rent.

Their service was excellent. They beat competitor’s pricing and got me the lens that I needed (new). They also did a fabulous job with a video I needed to have made for my business’s marketing. I’d highly recommend Magnanimous.

My go-to rental house for over 4 years! I always get the gear I need and you cant beat the rental prices, especially being in a big city. The MM team are sweet as peaches & always provide excellent customer service. Two thumbs up!

Ive been renting at Magnanimous media for over 5 years. Ive had nothing but great experiences with their team. Not only do they have a great amount of equipment, but their knowledge in production is excellent. Every time I rent from them, its partnered with a discussion on how to best use the equipment, and suggestions on ways to increase my teams production value in the future. Overall, they provide a great service, and Im happy to work with them.

Magnanimous Media has enabled my video production company to grow from the dream of a freelancer to a high-powered agency. Theyve always been there for us with great gear at a reasonable price. Staff is knowledgeable, helping us choose the right gear for our job or including the little bits and bobs that are so easy to overlook. Theyre our go-to rental facility in Chicago, and now that they offer nationwide shipping, we feel ready to take on the world!

Rental equipment was reasonably priced.The negative experience comes from getting charged for renting a battery charger. For something other then what I checked out. I described which camera it was for. I was given the wrong battery charger. The next day when I came back to return the equipment. I asked for a return on the money I spent on the charger. Since it was the wrong one, and did nothing for me. I was treated pretty poorly. With a rude reaction. And then was not refunded the amount of money I spent on the charger. But only store credit. I called few weeks later, to say I would rather have my money back then store credit. And was told that wasnt an option. This doesnt do anything for me since I dont live in Chicago. Wasnt the money spent, but principle on that matter and being treated poorly.

Ive been renting equipment and studio space from these guys since 2010 and they have always been top-notch, professional and a great resource for my crew. They have EVERYTHING you could possibly need and if they dont have it, they can source it in no time. I dont even consider other rental houses when I need gear. Magnanimous is the best, hands down.

Magnanimous Media has been my go to rental location for 5 years now. They always are prompt and such a pleasure to work with. When it comes to clarifications and recommendations? Their staff is knowledgeable and professional. All of my needs are always fulfilled and their spaces that are available for rent are excellent!

Excellent company I have like 4 years renting there and they always have what I need, the employees are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable and the prices are affordable.If the equipment I need is not available because they are rented, they offer me another solution similar or better to what I need at the same price. thats why Im still renting with them

Magnanimous is friendly and accommodating. Numerous times Ive reached out for a rental on short notice and they were able to provide me with the gear I needed. Also, their ability to deliver rentals to your location is an amazing feature that has often saved me time and headache.

The customer service is pretty good. Selection is really deep, Ive never had a problem getting a camera even last minute. Not all the crew knows everything about the gear, but the sales team seems to know what theyre doing and can make reasonable suggestions when they dont have what Im asking for.

Ive been renting here consistently for about 3 years . Very helpful staff and the best rental house in Chicago. Theyre more than willing to offer assistance with any gear. I havent had any issues with gear or the rental process.

Easy Process, nice folks, and great pricing. What else do you need? We have been renting from them since the beginning of my company and the beginning of theirs. Theyve built a great shop that can cater to all sorts of needs.

I live a mile away from another rental place, but choose to take the hike all the way across the city for them.These guys are awesome. The are fast, reliable, and friendly, as well. They are not only affordable, but I can count on the equipment being in good shape, as they test everything before every rental.

Magnanimous is our go to rental house in Chicago. Craig and the crew are prompt and attentive, and the rates are great for our corporate video clients. The delivery service is an awesome option when the production is tight for time or personnel. Glad to go back to Mag every time.

Best Prices in town and great customer service. Has amazing pricing on Canon L-series lenses for starting out and they also have Leica Summicron cinema lenses for bigger projects. Very nice to be able to look at inventory and all gear online and book all in one. They are always good on prepping gear for specific needs as well. Check them out for your next production needs.

So easy to use! They were clutch in handling my last minute equipment requests and super responsive to questions via email.Cant wait for them to have an online request system. That will make it even easier to rent equipment!Overall, Im using Magnanimous as my go-to rental facility from here on out.

Magnanimous Media is the best video production rental house in the Chicagoland area -- period. Ive been renting from Craig and Sean at Magnanimous for the past seven years and they have never let me down; they only continue to exceed my expectations and have actually helped me become a better producer and filmmaker. Magnanimous Media has the best gear selection, rental rates, hours of operation, customer service and they even make recommendations and provide instruction on how to setup and use their gear. Its rare a rental house will go above and beyond to help a customer, but that is standard operating procedure at Magnanimous. If youre looking to rent video production equipment in the Chicagoland area, look no further. And whats better is that they will even ship gear domestically if you have a gig out of state. FIVE STARS!

The dudes are super chill and understanding. If Im running an hour late to pick up a lens, Id just call them and pick my lens up later with no problem. Im always satisfied after renting out equipment and I usually always get the lens I want.

I rent from magnanimous media like every weekend!!! The team there is amazing and those guys are extremely knowledgeable!!! They are also really accommodating when product isn’t available!!! 5 stars easy!!! I highly recommend Magnanimous Media for your photography/videography/audio needs!!!#RonMacPhotography

My company is 1Eye 1Vision Productions. We have been using magnanimous for several years. They have always been prompt, courteous & helpful. Ive always heard about this one guy Greg that many say he has an attitude problem. Well I encountered him today(July 29, 2017). I give this place 5stars for gear, pricing, reliability etc. As far as customer service from him... its trash... he was so quick to brush off questions I had and assist me in some of misunderstandings. All I can say is know what u want before you go in or u may run into him and his ego. There is not enough room on the planet for this....Happy filming!

The only space I rent from. Never any issues with any of the gear, and everyone is knowledgeable about what theyre doing. They truly make my photo/video business run well!!

For the past five years, I have been renting gear from Magnanimous, and with good reason! Whether it is their vast selection of film equipment to the leniency of not always returning gear on time, Magnanimous has been my go-to rental house. Their cameras, lenses, lights, and sound equipment are in excellent condition and up-to-date. Their prices are fantastic and every so often theyll offer a great deal on one of their latest cameras like the C300 from Canon.Furthermore, their staff is helpful, informative, and amiable! Despite having to drive down from Andersonville to their office in Chinatown, they will continue to be my go-to rental house for the foreseeable future.Big shout out to Craig Maltby at Magnanimous as well.

Super nice love them

My go to place for needed equipment. I never had any issues. All phone calls are pleasant and greeted with familiarity. Highly recommended!

Terrible customer service. They do not rent to people of color. After providing “proof of professional experience”, they continuously sent me the same email template claiming insufficient evidence although I met their terms.

Magnanimous Media is my go-to rental place. Ive been using them for years for my commercial and personal video and film projects. The staff is very knowledgeable, the gear is in great shape and they have the best pricing around.

Excellent customer service from Ashlea and her team. Great experience.Their prices are very reasonable. This is now my place for equipment rental.

Love this place the selection, the studio and the staffs knowledge and great customer service are the best

They requested some of my work with my name credited to it. I sent them exactly what theyve asked for & they say its not acceptable. Why would you ask me for something and when I send what your asking for its unacceptable They arent specific about what you need to rent. Good luck for business that are a first time rental. (Not happening) They dont accept social media sights as proof of sights business but yet they run there own business on a social media platform lmao (BORROWLENSES) didnt put me through a hassle the only thing is they deliver which will be worth the wait.

Magnanimous Media is our go-to rental house in town. They are always super responsive, reasonably priced and the pick-up/delivery option is clutch.

This is the place I go to when my budget allows it. Whether its a sound stage, cameras or a kit of Kinos. Ive been a customer since the beginning and dont plan on moving on from them either If youre in a tight jam and need equipment delivered in less than an hour (traffic permitting) they got you.

Shout out to Magnanimous Media for always accommodating our photo and video needs at ChiTown Photography and Jeena Studios! The staff is always so helpful and the prices are VERY affordable. We rented the Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye Zoom Lens for a clients photo shoot and also used it to take photos of our new studio in Worth Il. Check out the photos attached.Thank you all so much! #ilovemagnanimousmedia

Ive used Magnanimous Medias rentals for years on my personal or professional video and film projects. They are reliable, helpful, organized and professional when it comes helping me with my video needs or questions I may have about new equipment.

Ive been renting from Magnanimous Media for years now. Theyve always have accommodated my request and even go so far as to find specialty equipment they dont have on hand for me to make sure Im taken care of. Magnanimous has been a true partner for my production company through the years.

They are hard working, easy to work with, and flexible. Highly recommended.

Amazing staff, good selection of gear and reasonable pricing.

Good prices on gear. They have a pretty good selection, and the staff is nice.

Thanks for being attentive to your customers.

Ive been working with Magnanimous Media for many years. The equipment is always in great shape, and their customer service & support is absolutely top notch!

The height of professionalism, no matter how big or small your order. Chicago is lucky to have them!

Affordable prices and great gear, Magnanimous is the indie filmmakers best friend!

This company does not want your business! Or at least mine. Required my Drivers License to be uploaded!? Have done business with thousands of companies through the internet professionally and personally since the early 90s, this has never been required before. Totally ridiculous! Credit card is enough for everyone else for a reason. But the real insult was they require a link to a website with you professional reel with your name in the credits! What. In. The Hell!? So they cherry pick their customers? Do you have to be white or a specific nationality or religion to do business with them as well? Maybe thats why they want the drivers license. Think about it. So I provided a link to my Vimeo page which has hundreds of videos on it that Ive produced. Because yeah, I actually am a professional video producer for whatever its worth. Last weekend I rented a professional paint sprayer from a company. I hate painting and Im not very good at it. The company didnt ask for pictures of any previous painting work I had done nor did they even care in the least that I had never used a paint sprayer before. Out the door I went with a $1k retail paint sprayer. But the $200 item I wanted to rent from Magnanimous Media, the Vimeo website? Nope. Not good enough. You have to make the kind of videos (films) that contain credits with you name in them. They actually called me and told me the nearly 200 videos I have parked there werent good enough to allow me to do business with them because they dont have credits with my name in them. I have not made one independent short film nor worked with any filmmakers at all but have produced at least a thousand commercials, corporate training and PR videos, weddings, and countless other event services.....not surprisingly, none of these have... credits This is definitly one of the worse cases of customer service Ive had to deal with in over 25 years of business. I will happily continue to rent from Borrowlenses and look more carefully elsewhere when I need items they do not carry. As for Magnanimous Media, I suggest they take some classes in customer service and come up with a less high maintenance business plan. Pretty sure every other the counter computer these days could allow the novice computer user to take any video and compose a credit scroll listing there names in every crew position. Not sure what this proving to these odd balls.

I LOVE this please. Their not expensive and always give you an excellent service.

This place is the best for gear and studio rental! Never let me down!

Terrible company. Worst customer experience Ive had.

Best place to go for Photography and Videography equipment rental.

Did not have a good experience with them. Was picking up equipment from multiple rental places around town and they were the worst in comparison. Apart from the lovely lady at the front desk the staff was pompus, and snobby. The layout is a poor design and the floors echo even the smallest sounds. No wonder all of the real ACs were prepping at Cineverse...

Always hooking it up, always good AF service.

Great staff, they always have what we need, peomt and accurate service

Hands down one of (if not) the most affordable rental houses for high quality gear. I highly recommend them!

Good!

Good place for production rental at reasonable prices

Always able to get in and out quickly

Great customer service and professional support

Awesome gear and great people!

WazzzzaaaaapCalumet killa

They are great, very affordable.

As our president would say, SAD!

Great people and service

Grumpy counter help