[General Topic]: Two bodies vs One

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I have just one DSLR right now, I've had two most of the time in the past. The downside to having a crop and a FF is focal lengths If you have say a 24-70 and a 70-200 lens, no matter which camera you install the lenses on, the effective focal lengths do not dovetail.

I'd want two cameras, each with its own lens so I did not have to switch back and forth. I'd also want to be able to use the lenses on one of the cameras in the event one camera was out of order. To me that means two FF or two crop bodies using the same batteries and memory card types.

 

[Zeidora]

I only missed once some shots due to lack of spare body. On a diving trip in French Polynesia, my UW housing flooded, and I did not have a spare Pentax LX with me. Not easy to come by, and completely impossible in French Polynesia.

For other remote places I've been to (Montecristo Island, St. Kilda Archipelago, New Britain), I've always had a second and even a third body. If I am within a day of a decent camera place, I would not bother. If something breaks, buy a new one on the spot. Given the high turnover rates particularly on dSLR bodies, I don't think it is prudent to have two identical, or same vintage bodies, unless you use them for discrete purposes (say 5DsR and 1DxII). My current old body (5D2) got converted to full spectrum, so not really a back-up body.

Heading off to Australia in a month for a month, won't bother with getting a backup body. There are plenty of camera stores down under. And easy to get to as well.

 

[Eldar]

If I am under strict weight and size restrictions, I might only bring one body and be very selective with optics. This happens on certain hiking/skiing trips and on certain travel, where photography is a secondary activity, e.g. business travel. For everything else I bring two cameras and I have done so since the 1980ties. During the last years my combo has been 1DX, combined with a 5DIII and later a 5DSR. Currently it is a 1DX-II, with a 5DSR or (from quite recently) a 5DIV. I sometimes throw in a Sony RXIII IV for trip documentation.

In very cold, wet or dusty (especialy that) environments I prefer to avoid changing lenses.

 

[gwflauto]

I always go on extended trips over several months with two SLRs and usually a small P&S. For birding and wildlife on those extended trips I use the 70D with Tamron 150-600. For everything else I carry the 6D with all kind of other lenses. Because of several problems with moisture in the electronics of the 6D I decided in September to go with a 5DMkIV, a wonderful camera.

 

[photojoern.de]

What do you think, fellow friends from CanonRumors? If you expect to take pictures of (for example) wildlife + landscapes, do you take one camera with you (and switch lenses) or two cameras (keeping the second one in the backpack or not)?

When I upgrade from a 6D to a 5 DSR, I thought the 6D would be useless. But I really start loving to have a second body with me. I use the 6D with Magic Lantern to do time lapses while I am trying other compositions and focal lengths with my 5 DS R. I always have it as a backup. The second body might not be with me when I do city walks, but when going to a location for intense shooting, i.e. sunrise and sinset, I love having a second body with me that uses a second lens. The 6D is rather light for a full frame body so this is the ideal landscape second body.

 

[Duckman]

I almost always use 2 bodies; I like being able to cover different focal lengths/perspectives on a whim and I find constantly changing lenses cumbersome. Of course, there are other benefits to owning 2 bodies as well.
-J

 

[Ian_of_glos]

I almost always use 2 bodies; I like being able to cover different focal lengths/perspectives on a whim and I find constantly changing lenses cumbersome. Of course, there are other benefits to owning 2 bodies as well.
-J

what are the other benefits?
I am about to upgrade from a 5D mk 3 to a 5D mk 4 and I am trying to work out whether to trade in my old camera body or keep it as a backup or second body. What is your advice?

 

[slclick]

I used to own two bodies, my 5D3 and a 7D but have been going solo with the 5D3 after selling the 7D years ago. I tried a couple things, had an SL1 for a couple months, used the spouses S95. All it told me was I don't want a 2nd body to be tiny or lcd priority. But what really has had me at odds was the classic quandary two FF bodies or one FF and one Crop. That seems to be an easier question to answer with the latest releases and all the good reviews I've been hearing on the 80D and M5. But still, there's always the hanging on phase of waiting for something else i.e. 6D2. So I wait. But the street price on the 80D combined with thinking of it being my Tele and Macro body is very alluring.

Anyone use the 80D with the 100-4002?

 

[Duckman]

I almost always use 2 bodies; I like being able to cover different focal lengths/perspectives on a whim and I find constantly changing lenses cumbersome. Of course, there are other benefits to owning 2 bodies as well.
-J

what are the other benefits?
I am about to upgrade from a 5D mk 3 to a 5D mk 4 and I am trying to work out whether to trade in my old camera body or keep it as a backup or second body. What is your advice?

not having to change lenses in sandy or wet conditions.... having a backup camera as you mentioned...I also like being able to look at something, frame it up immediately, even at different focal lengths and decide if it's worth pursuing...It also can mean the difference between getting a shot or not; some moments don't wait for even the quickest of lens swaps.
If you can afford to, I'd keep it as a backup... at least for now. You can always sell it later.
Try going on a shoot with two bodies and use them both.. see how you like it. It can be a pain sometimes (space/weight of two) but for me personally, the tradeoff is worth it. Especially on photo oriented outings and paid jobs.
You will still have the option to just bring one body if you want to travel light or shoot casually.

-J

 

[Deleted member 7828]

Interesting question.

I've thought long and hard over the years, and traditionally I stick to just one body and one lens, choosing the combo that I think will get me the greatest percentage of desired shots. To minimize risk of accidents, I rarely, if ever, change lenses in the field (outside home or a hotel room). When I do carry multiple bodies, they must be for uses unique to each body; for example, when I had a 7D2 - I'd occasionally pair it with a 5D3 to shoot both action, to utilize the extra speed and reach, and for general indoor social photography, to utilize the superior IQ and high ISO performance of the FF sensor. Now, when I use 2 bodies, it has been the 5D3 and 5DS R - the 5D3 for general use, and the 5DS R for when I desire high resolution shots, like posed portraits. Although one time I did work a 5D3/SL1 combo (again, for duo of IQ/reach ability), only to find I ended up using the 5D3 95% of the time just because the gap in IQ given the shooting environment was just that big...

But in a situation where I don't need the high resolution of 5DS R, I usually end up with just one body and one lens, compromising on focal lengths that I don't think will be important.

 

[Boyer U. Klum-Cey]

Always two, when my agin singular body is cooperating. In addition to different focal lengths, different action, not having to change lens, et al..., every now and then, a previously reliable camera/lens combination goes over to the Dark Side with minimal notice. Unless you have Jedi training, having a working body and two lenses can save the day.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Boyer. U ......
That is my point as I mentioned before, I think having had a camera "go over to the Dark Side" makes one far more aware of the likelihood of a failure happening to you and not just someone else!

Cheers, Graham.

every now and then, a previously reliable camera/lens combination goes over to the Dark Side with minimal notice. Unless you have Jedi training, having a working body and two lenses can save the day.

 

[bholliman]

I currently just own 1 DSLR, a 5DsR. I gave my 6D to my son a few months back. I owned 2 DSLR's a few times prior to the 5DsR/6D combo I had for a year. I had a 7D and 6D for the first 9 months I owned a 6D back in 2013.

The M5 is my second body now and I'm pretty happy with the combo. I often carry my 5DsR on a BlackRapid strap and the M5 in a jacket pocket or held with a Peak Design Capture Pro clip on my belt or on the BR strap. I often have the 22/2 lens on the M5 and 70-200 f/2.8 II on the 5DsR or sometimes the 300 f/2.8.

 

[Don Haines]

Hi Boyer. U ......
That is my point as I mentioned before, I think having had a camera "go over to the Dark Side" makes one far more aware of the likelihood of a failure happening to you and not just someone else!

Cheers, Graham.

every now and then, a previously reliable camera/lens combination goes over to the Dark Side with minimal notice. Unless you have Jedi training, having a working body and two lenses can save the day.

I had a body fail in the middle of a wedding....and to make it worse, it was the day after the warranty expired! You have no idea how glad I was that I was carrying a second body that day.....

I believe that one of the corollaries of Murphy's Law is that when something fails, it will fail at the worst possible time.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Don.
Damn that is bad luck, have you worked out what annoyed you the most, failing during a wedding or failing the day after the warranty ran out?
Did you have the camera repaired, and if so did you get any kind of break for the fact that it was only one day out of warranty or were they completely inflexible about it, some companies would sooner have the good will than the money, some vice versa! :'(

Cheers, Graham.

Hi Boyer. U ......
That is my point as I mentioned before, I think having had a camera "go over to the Dark Side" makes one far more aware of the likelihood of a failure happening to you and not just someone else!

Cheers, Graham.

every now and then, a previously reliable camera/lens combination goes over to the Dark Side with minimal notice. Unless you have Jedi training, having a working body and two lenses can save the day.

I had a body fail in the middle of a wedding....and to make it worse, it was the day after the warranty expired! You have no idea how glad I was that I was carrying a second body that day.....

I believe that one of the corollaries of Murphy's Law is that when something fails, it will fail at the worst possible time.

 

[Don Haines]

Hi Don.
Damn that is bad luck, have you worked out what annoyed you the most, failing during a wedding or failing the day after the warranty ran out?
Did you have the camera repaired, and if so did you get any kind of break for the fact that it was only one day out of warranty or were they completely inflexible about it, some companies would sooner have the good will than the money, some vice versa! :'(

The repair was free....

Failing at a wedding was what annoyed me, but I was second shooter doing crowd and family shots so I was "nice to have" and not critical... and it only cost me about 15 seconds from the realization of it dying to being back in option.