How do you carry two bodies?

shaylou

shaylou

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Shayne
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I am looking for ideas and feedback on how you carry two bodies at the same time. I want to carry a long lens on one and a wide angle on the other one. This will be for street photography. Part of me wants to just carry one of them in my backpack. I carry my primary camera with a sling shoulder strap. I was thinking of just getting another one of those. How do you do it and what are the good points and downfalls of your method/strap?:help:

Thanks for your help.

:canon:
 
Carry two all the time for work (events, weddings, etc). One on each shoulder on the Canon strap that came with it, works fine, cost nothing. That's usually a 24-70 and a 70-200 2.8. I would only start looking at alternatives if I had to lug one of the long primes around all the time.

Wouldn't carry two cameras for street photography though. It makes you stick out in a crowd, and I would generally just get fed up with carrying them around.
 
Jayst84 said:
Carry two all the time for work (events, weddings, etc). One on each shoulder on the Canon strap that came with it, works fine, cost nothing. That's usually a 24-70 and a 70-200 2.8. I would only start looking at alternatives if I had to lug one of the long primes around all the time.

Wouldn't carry two cameras for street photography though. It makes you stick out in a crowd, and I would generally just get fed up with carrying them around.
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Those are the same lenses I will be caring. I will never go back to a neck strap but was thinking about two sling straps, one over the shoulder and one over the chest. With the sling straps the camera hangs so close to the side it doesn't stand out to terribly bad. But the more I think of it the more I feel like I should just carry one in my pack. I will still need to have a second strap so that I don't have to pack the camera not in use back into the pack each time I want to pull the other one out. The other option may be the double strap but man I would stand out like you mentioned.
 
Jayst84 said:
Hang the cameras on the Canon straps with the pentaprism in towards your hip, and it hangs about as close to your body as possible. However you carry them, if they're DSLRs with f/2.8 zooms on them; people can see them.
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I think your right. I'm going to keep looking around a bit but I think I'm going to end up with another sling strap and just put it over my shoulder like you said. Thanks for the help.
 
I use a double harness when I carry two cameras around, very comfy and easy to use the cameras
 
shaylou said:
This will be for street photography.
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Surely you're better off with as little gear as possible for street photography? In fact, I'd consider not using a DSLR at all. I'd be using a decent compact... X100 or something. Get in there with people, blend in.
 
Pookeyhead said:
Surely you're better off with as little gear as possible for street photography? In fact, I'd consider not using a DSLR at all. I'd be using a decent compact... X100 or something. Get in there with people, blend in.
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Or an EOS 100D with a 40mm pancake if you have to feel the DSLR lurve.
 
Why not have one in a holster, something like the Lowepro Toploaders, that way it only looks like your carrying one camera and that's just it's case. Simply swap cameras as need dictates
 
I have carried two bodies on sling straps and found they become uncomfortable after a while. I went for a dual harness Q-Strap and that's excellent. The harness feels much more comfortable on your shoulders and I've been able to carry a gripped 5D3 with Sigma 150-500 OS on one side and a 70D with Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II and 2x MkIII converter on the other all day with no problems. I had less neck and shoulder ache after carrying that lot than I do with just one body and long lens as the weight balance is better.
 
Pookeyhead said:
Surely you're better off with as little gear as possible for street photography? In fact, I'd consider not using a DSLR at all. I'd be using a decent compact... X100 or something. Get in there with people, blend in.
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And with a small camera like that you don't need any strap. :)
 
Pookeyhead said:
Surely you're better off with as little gear as possible for street photography? In fact, I'd consider not using a DSLR at all. I'd be using a decent compact... X100 or something. Get in there with people, blend in.
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Why would you say that? It's never been about how big or heavy the equipment is for me it's about getting the shot. I don't like having to change lenses back and forth all day. That is why I want to use two bodies. I can't get the shots I take with a point and shoot so would not even consider that.
 
shaylou said:
Why would you say that? It's never been about how big or heavy the equipment is for me it's about getting the shot. I don't like having to change lenses back and forth all day. That is why I want to use two bodies. I can't get the shots I take with a point and shoot so would not even consider that.
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Depends on your definition of street photography I suppose. I've never seen your images.
 
I use the Op-Tech dual harness - it works well with either 1 or 2 bodies, and shifts the weight to your shoulders rather than neck.

It also fits under a coat, so you could reduce your visual impact by partly hiding the cameras under a coat when you're not actually shooting.
 
shaylou said:
Why would you say that? It's never been about how big or heavy the equipment is for me it's about getting the shot. I don't like having to change lenses back and forth all day. That is why I want to use two bodies. I can't get the shots I take with a point and shoot so would not even consider that.
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You need to accept there will always be shots you miss. Even if you carry two bodies covering 24-200mm; what are you going to do if you need 14mm for a wonderful vista or spot an awesome looking bird and need 400mm? That route leads to madness.

Pick what you want to shoot on a given day, choose your kit appropriately and then let the rest just pass you by. There will always be another shot and you just might miss it while you are too busy worrying about gear.
 
Mr Will said:
You need to accept there will always be shots you miss. Even if you carry two bodies covering 24-200mm; what are you going to do if you need 14mm for a wonderful vista or spot an awesome looking bird and need 400mm? That route leads to madness.

Pick what you want to shoot on a given day, choose your kit appropriately and then let the rest just pass you by. There will always be another shot and you just might miss it while you are too busy worrying about gear.
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Are you suggesting I do not carry two bodies? I'm going to carry them I was just looking for ideas on how to do it. And excepting that I will miss a shot,,, well I don't even know what to say to that. No wait, I got it - duh! Lol.
 
The best way is one over your shoulder,then the 2nd body in an open type camera bag on the other shoulder ready for easy use :)
 
shaylou said:
Are you suggesting I do not carry two bodies? I'm going to carry them I was just looking for ideas on how to do it. And excepting that I will miss a shot,,, well I don't even know what to say to that. No wait, I got it - duh! Lol.
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I can see the point if you are being paid to shoot a wedding or similar event. Just seems like a weird way to go about street photography, but whatever works for you! You've certainly got enough decent shots to back it up :-)
 
markmullen said:
I use a Black Rapid DR1 dual strap, can shoot all day with a pair of 1 series with heavyish lenses and flashguns fitted without feeling fatigued.
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I use exactly the same and can only agree with the above.

The other advantage is that the straps can be split into two singular Blackrapid straps and used in the traditional Blackrapid manor.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I'm going to take the advise and keep one on a strap but put in my bag and the other on my sling strap around my chest and shoulder. This will keep me from standing out so much and if I need a wide angle it's only 20 seconds away.
Thanks again!
 
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