From Friday, Fujifilm South Africa will allow South African consumers to get the company’s cameras, lenses and accessories via the company’s global rent-to-buy programme. At the end of the contract term, customers can either return the kit, hold onto it and continue paying half of the monthly rental fee they’ve been paying, or pay one more full month’s instalment to assume ownership.

Consumers can choose between rent-to-buy periods of 6,12,18 or 24 months with the total cost of the gear they choose being split over the term of the contract. Fujifilm won’t charge interest on the programme, so once a term is agreed to the monthly repayments are fixed.

The deal will initially be available from one retailer in each of the following five cities: Cape Town, Johannesburg, East London, Port Elizabeth and Pretoria. “We’re expecting to offer the option in retailers around the rest of South Africa before the end of this year,” says Eslie Basson, national sales manager for Fujifilm South Africa.

“Customers can apply online and find out how much they’re pre-approved to spend based on the salary slip they upload,” Basson explains. Once final approval has happened, the store the customer has chosen to collect from will contact them.

“We want to ensure the whole process — from application to approval — is completed in 24 hours,” Basson says. “I think the student market and people who can’t afford high-end lenses upfront will be very pleased with this offer,” he adds. “Fujifilm is about building communities, this pushes that even further.”

Sound like something you’d be interested in? If so, head over to the finance application page here.