How many bodies are you shooting with?

[michaelnotar]

corrections- first line:
thats a 70-200.

one lens is one camera, the other is in my photo vest, always along with battery and CFs.

[Rob_Levin]

I started off thinking of the dust problem but on my last 2 African safaris (Dec 06 and March 07) and I carried 2 camera's - both Canon 30D's . One with the 17-85mm and the other with a 100-400mm L lens. I have an additional Canon 20D in the bag with a 10-22mm ultra wide. I would have missed many shots if I had to change lens as the situation changed so rapidly.

On these safari trips I find good photo vest invaluable. Bags are good to keep extra camera on the floor of the Land Rover but not as useful when you are "in action" compared to the vest as they are cumbersome.

[southwindphoto]

I shoot with two bodies.

I normally shoot with a D2h equipped with an 85mm 1.4 or 70-200 2.8 no flash, and a D200 equipped with a 17-55 2.8 and SB800.

For storybook wedding, my second shooter also has his own Nikon outfitted with one of the new 18-200 VR Ed lenses. NOT as tack sharp as the 2.8’s but a good peace of glass.

For portrait sessions I use only the D200 with the 17-55.

[dankapsner]

David's comment, "I wouldn't go to the bathroom without two cameras," is as apt an expression of the "gotta get the goods" point of view as I have ever heard or read. And it doesn't necessarily stop at two: I have read that Gene Smith would sometimes wear five cameras with different lenses draped on him, and that he sometimes clanked when he moved. I don't know if it's true, but apochryphal or not, it's an engaging bit of journalistic lore.

[Keith_Randolph]

Originally Posted by dankapsner

David's comment, "I wouldn't go to the bathroom without two cameras," is as apt an expression of the "gotta get the goods" point of view as I have ever heard or read. And it doesn't necessarily stop at two: I have read that Gene Smith would sometimes wear five cameras with different lenses draped on him, and that he sometimes clanked when he moved. I don't know if it's true, but apochryphal or not, it's an engaging bit of journalistic lore.

Back in Gene Smith's day, there were very few zoom lenses of quality(if any), and changing lenses were very time consuming. It was easier to carry multiple bodies. Before zooms had the quality that they have today, I use to carry 3 bodies when I covered events, I only use 2 now. If you want to see how some shooters used to do it(hollywood version), check out Dennis Hopper in "Apoclypse Now". I used to run into SI photogs that carried equipment the way he did.

[David_Buzzard]

I used to carry 3 bodies, one with the 20mm, one with a 35mm, and one with either the 85mm or later the 105mm. I also carried a 180mm, but didn't use it that much. The 35mm and 85mm's were F1.4, the 105mm was a 1.8, and the 20mm and the 180mm were both 2.8's. I also caried a vivitar (later an SB-25) flash for a long time that pretty much lived on the F4. The cameras were two F3P's, and an F4. Usually I loaded the F4 with colour, and the F3's with BW film. Later the F3's were replaced with F-801's as they wore out, and things moved away from BW to colour film all the time.

Believe it or not, all that stuff was a lot lighter than the digital cameras and zooms I haul around today.

Back in the 50's and 60's, the heyday of Life Magazine, Leica's were the camera of choice. A Leica with a 35mm f1.4 doesn't weigh much more than a Nikon 35mm F1.4 lens without the camera, so it was a lot easier to carry a bunch of different cameras.

In a really intense media 'scrum', you can clearly hear all the photographers cameras clicking against each other. If you've ever seen any surplus newspaper photo equipment for sale, you'll notice that it looks like it's been thrown in a tumble drier with a bunch of old fishing weights.

David Buzzard's Technical Blog

[Stephen Harris-Smith]

Originally Posted by John Clare

Hi all,

Just a general survey to satisfy my curiosity!

How many camera bodies do you usually shoot with and why? And what are the reasons/implications of your choice?

If more than one, is it to avoid having to change lenses for fast moving shoots? To avoid removing lenses thus minimising dust on the sensor? For backup purposes?

Those of you shooting one body only, do you feel hindered? Do you feel you miss shots due to not having the right lens on at the time? How do you carry gear so that you can change lenses quickly? Or do you only have one lens?

Anyone shooting more than two bodies at once?

Let's hear it!

John

To take this thread in another direction. How do you shoot with the two bodies. I plan on shooting at an upcoming event using two bodies, one with a short lens and the other with a long lens on a monopod.

Shooting with the long lens is a no brainer, the short lens is around the back and not in the way. But when I switch to the short lens how do I managed the heavy setup?

Thanks in advance.