Spare Bodies

Kryptix

Kryptix

Messages
1,730
Edit My Images
Yes
I just bought another 50D as there's been a few jobs I've done recently where I've been very nervous about my 50D failing. I trust it but anything could go wrong. Someone could knock it out of my hand and so on... But now I can't decide whether or not to bring it along when I go to a shoot. How do you justify it?

I always think people with two cameras around their neck look proper nerdy/geeky and I really don't want to be put into that category. :lol: Fair enough if you're getting paid for it but I often see amateurs walking around London with more than one body and I can't help but cringe! No word of a lie, a guy I saw the other day had 3 bodies with him... A 40D, 20D and a 350D. The 350D didn't have a lens on it what-so-ever and the other two bodies both had 17-85's on them! What's the point in that?

Anyway, back to the point on the thread... Do you always carry your spare body or do you only bring it out to play if it's an important job?

Do you use your spare body as a spare, or a means to avoid changing lenses from standard zoom to telephoto or whatever?

At the moment I'm just using the other 50D as a spare. It's still wrapped up in the original packaging tucked away in my bag. I did use it last night to avoid changing lenses but I found it too much to handle. I had a 580EX II on each body with a grip (BG-E2n) on each body too. The 70-200L on the new 50D and the 24-105L on my original 50D but the weight around my neck was just too much and I was spending too much time worrying about knocking them together or whatever than I was about taking pictures!

So yeah, I'm just curious how you all manage your spare bodies basically... Is it solely a spare or do you require two cameras at all times?
 
I always take two bodies out with me when I go out. I don't always use them but, as you mentioned in your post, it makes it a lot easier when you want access to two different lenses without the hassle of changing them over on a single body.

My kit bag is big enough to allow for one to stay in the bag whilst the other is being used, so I don't need to walk round with them both round my neck like a tourist :D
 
Sometimes its not a choice but a need to have two bodies .. paid work or not.
 
I would say it depends on what your doing, if your travelling along way to do a shoot, it may be wise to take a spare, maybe just leave it in the car. But for short jobs around town I dont see much point in taking it as its more stuff to take and worry about. Unless as I just said, leave it in the car.
 
If I want to take 2 for fear of one failing then the other stays in the bag? You don't have to have them both around your neck!
 
At this time of year for nature, I always take two bodies, 50d with the 100-400mm for the birds/distance and 400d with the 100mm macro for the insects/flowers. I try to avoid lens changes and keep the dust bunnies at bay.
 
Now that you have bought it, it would be silly to leave it at home wouldn't it?

I have a spare body but it stays in the kit bag, tbh I've not needed it yet and I'll probably sell it at some point.
 
I kept my D40 for far longer than I meant to, which meant that shooting events and gigs, I got far too used to having two bodies, one for tele zoom, one for wide-normal zoom. As a direct result, I have to go to the post office in a min to pick up a D200 :P

Imo, any time that you are working professionally, you should have at very minimum a spare body, and quite possibly a spare 'normal' lens. Whether that spare body is a second body that you normally use to let you shoot newsman style of one tele/ one wide, or one sitting in your bag, is personal preference / depends on what you shoot really.

Kryptix, seeing as you've got pocketwizards, don't forget that you can also use the other 50D as a remote camera :P :D
 
Havent you answered youre own question ?
"but anything could happen. Someone could knock it out of my hand"
What use is a spare body "at home" if you are out on a job?
C
 
I take mine with me - as Ceejay said, if its at home its no use.

I ocassionally use both if I don't want to keep swapping lenses and really need to use more than one, but that is very rare
 
for a brief period I had two bodies and I found it a much funner way to shoot one with a fast prime and one with whatever zoom I want at the time so much easier. The only reason I don't atm is funding I will at some point buy a 5d to have as a second body to give me a full frame alternative
 
If you keep it in the car when you go out on a shoot, it is nearby should anything happen to your main camera.
Say you are shooting a wedding and your camera packs up, you would be stuffed not to mention having to borrow one from the guests but with a spare in the car you can just say "hang on a mo"
 
Steve2 said:
If you keep it in the car when you go out on a shoot, it is nearby should anything happen to your main camera.
Say you are shooting a wedding and your camera packs up, you would be stuffed not to mention having to borrow one from the guests but with a spare in the car you can just say "hang on a mo"
Click to expand...

:plusone:
 
I almost always work with two bodies - so I always have at least one back up in the car.
 
Steve2 said:
Say you are shooting a wedding and your camera packs up, you would be stuffed not to mention having to borrow one from the guests but with a spare in the car you can just say "hang on a mo"
Click to expand...

Lol, you can't say "Hang on a mo in the middle of a wedding!"

I use two bodies shooting weddings. I'll pick one up while shooting bridal prep etc and generally use one camera but during the ceremony I have both on me (Think gunslinger! :naughty:) I did have a battery fail on me half way through a cermony despite it showing full charge only minutes earlier. I had a spare on me, carried on shooting with the shorter lens and had it changed and back shooting in under 15 sec.

None of my kit is any use to me in the car, it all comes with me. At most it's within a few feet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top