Single vs Dual card camera systems

Jan 29, 2011
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I don't think it is necessarily wrong to shoot to two cards, but I think it is an entirely overblown concept that has been foist upon us by marketing departments and influencers, who have convinced far too many people it is essential, professional, irresponsible not to, etc etc.

I give no thought to the number of card slots a camera has and it isn't something I look for in a spec sheet. You can call me irresponsible, risk attractive, whatever you like, I have had minimal losses using single capture digital media, certainly far fewer than when I shot film. I accept there will always be a risk of loss or damage to the images however well you think you are doing, a dual card camera can get stolen from a wedding just as easily as a single card camera. I'm no actuary but I'd rate theft or catastrophic loss as more likely than card failure a lot of places I shoot (not many weddings though!).
 
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Ozarker

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I've been using digital cameras, and other devices that use memory cards, since the 1990's and have never had a card fail on me.
I use a 5d3 for events and weddings and have never needed to use the second card.
Now also having an R, it doesn't bother me at all that it only has one card.
YMMV.
And it is the YMMV part that is the problem. I have used two kidneys and two eyes and two lungs and two testicles for 56 years. Never have had a problem. YMMV. There are plenty of stories here about cards failing in critical use cases, but YMMV. As we say in the gun world: Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. A litigious Bridezilla is a, well, you know. Then again, people have to assess their own risks and make their own choices. There is no right or wrong, however, were I a wedding photographer two cards would be a must for me. Not being a professional, it doesn't bother me that my R has one slot. My next R will have two. I've not needed a spare tire for many years, but I am sure glad I have one.
 
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LDS

Sep 14, 2012
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Maybe. So in the meantime, keep it simple and write to two cards if your work has any genuine value. Why is this even an argument?

When it comes to data reliability, the fewer points of failure between where data are generated and where data are stored the better. Evidently a dual card camera is the simplest and safest solution - wireless technologies imply more points and requires also a to understand well the weakest points and design accordingly. 5G is sold by too much interested parties as the solution to everything everywhere, but when there will be enough users, it will be clear it is an improvement but not the answer to life, the universe and everything (that's of course, 42G).
 
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tron

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Nov 8, 2011
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I had a Sandisk SD card fail today. I lost the morning’s pictures.

There is no substitute for a second card.
I am sorry to read this. Can you recover at least some of your photos from the failed card? There are programs to do this and if there is hardware damage maybe a data recovery company could help.

EDIT: Can you please let us know which type of Sandisk SD card?
 
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Maximilian

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I use xD, CF and SD cards for more than 14 years, some of them are > 10 years old. No failure until today (knock on wood).
I have a dual slot cam. I think I used the two slots once to try it out, but I left it, seeing no advantage for me.
I shot several weddings with just one CF card in it. But I always wasn't the main photographer and I did it as guest, as a favour for the couple.

But if I was to make a living out of beeing an event / wedding shooter I never would have thought of leaving the second slot empty.
And I would very much think about buying a single slot cam as main body. Maybe for the backup.

Edit: Buy the way: I already had two HDD crashes. Luckily not much Data got lost. But I am aware.
 
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AlanF

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I'm paranoid and have at least one back up for critical items (2 each of cameras, chargers, lenses, cables, computer or iPad etc on a safari etc). Having said that, I don't bother with insurance for items I can afford to replace or cover myself. If I was a wedding photographer, I would have two card slots, two cameras AND insurance.
 
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YuengLinger

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I only use two cards when I'm on a paid job and when I'm on a very expensive vacation where I might not visit again. Otherwise for sports, nature, wildlife, etc I only use one.
I imagine many more of us do the same but won't admit it in public because we have to be outraged about a single slot.
 
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SecureGSM

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Maybe. So in the meantime, keep it simple and write to two cards if your work has any genuine value. Why is this even an argument?

-pw

old thread... however. I was shooting today at a multicultural festival in Royal Exhibition Centre in Carlton, Melbourne. 11am to 6pm gig. Anyway. 1500 + shots taken and at around 5pm one of my cameras surprised me with the following message. Luckily, I write to multiple cards. Always and this is what saved my beacon.
nearly new Genuine Sandisk 128Gb CF Extreme Pro 160 Mb/a card. 11B4EA11-A66C-46D2-9D05-97BF740176C1.jpegC775FEDD-F6D2-4E04-A9BD-A4F06153E335.jpeg
 
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My R only has one card, and I haven't lost any images so far, but I also use it with my 5D MK IV, so if it lost all the images, I'd have enough with my 5D MK IV to get by. The 5D IV always has 2 cards, I've only had to use a backup from a dual card camera once or twice many years ago, and that was due to my error in accidentally deleting the images from my main card. I have since been having automatic backups as files are transferred. Not perfect, just one step forward.
 
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Sporgon

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Nov 11, 2012
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Hats off to all the wedding photographers who deal with the worst aspects of human nature!

Hmmm, maybe if you're at the bottom of the market.

So in the spirit of this thread then, the 120 film I shoot at a wedding; should I send each roll with a different couriers to different labs in case the film is a) lost in the post, b) damaged in the post, c) the lab cocks the processing up ?
 
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Sporgon

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IIRC it wasn't uncommon not to send all the rolls in at once.

Correct !
For one off occasions I am using two cards now, but only because if I were unlucky enough to lose the files on one card and the camera had two slots, I'd have a bit of explaining to do as to why I only recorded on one, and Sod's law being what it is..... I've never had a card failure though.
 
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D

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Hmmm, maybe if you're at the bottom of the market.

So in the spirit of this thread then, the 120 film I shoot at a wedding; should I send each roll with a different couriers to different labs in case the film is a) lost in the post, b) damaged in the post, c) the lab cocks the processing up ?

Didn't film era photographers develop in their own studio/home. It doesn't sound right to me that someone would send off wedding photos to a lab when you would want to dodge and burn and whatnot.
 
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