The backup or 2nd camera body

[SamuelNgPhotography]

Hi,

I'm retiring my trusty D2X and will soon be in the market for a backup camera body to my main D300s.

What do most of you guys have as your backup/2nd body? Either lens attached at all times and slung over the other shoulder or just sitting around in the bag as a standby.

I've seen many pro event photographers going around with D3s + D700 and the Canon equivalents these days (1Ds + 5Dmk2 ?)

Yet I've also observed when I attend my friends or relatives weddings that some pros use rather old bodies as their main camera to shoot! Like D80, D200 even.

Does anyone use backup or 2nd camera bodies equivalent to at least a Nikon D90 or Canon 50D? Or is this a range that we as paid photogs avoid completely? Or anyone using even more basic than these?

Pls share yr views and thoughts.

Cheers.

 

[SamuelNgPhotography]

Oh btw in case anyone has advice/recommendations for me, just to set the background that I'm not making a living by shooting full time. Currently just "moonlighting" but on good months I can have up to 3 or 4 shoots in the month.

Thx

 

[TheoDR]

Am currently using 7D and 5D classic + 550D as backup to my backup. Would love to have a combination of 1DX and 7D, though!

 

[Anson]

Oh btw in case anyone has advice/recommendations for me, just to set the background that I'm not making a living by shooting full time. Currently just "moonlighting" but on good months I can have up to 3 or 4 shoots in the month.

Thx

Depend on your ROI, how much jobs do you need to earn to cover your equipment investment?

 

[sjackal]

Read good things about the D7000, which I think can become your main cam while your D300s move to 2nd status.

 

[Miao]

Hi,

I'm retiring my trusty D2X and will soon be in the market for a backup camera body to my main D300s.

What do most of you guys have as your backup/2nd body? Either lens attached at all times and slung over the other shoulder or just sitting around in the bag as a standby.

I've seen many pro event photographers going around with D3s + D700 and the Canon equivalents these days (1Ds + 5Dmk2 ?)

Yet I've also observed when I attend my friends or relatives weddings that some pros use rather old bodies as their main camera to shoot! Like D80, D200 even.

Does anyone use backup or 2nd camera bodies equivalent to at least a Nikon D90 or Canon 50D? Or is this a range that we as paid photogs avoid completely? Or anyone using even more basic than these?

Pls share yr views and thoughts.

Cheers.

If you just need a backup in the bag, then a d3100 will do the job (bang for buck considering the pic quality).
If you need a backup that u sling over shoulder and use not that often, d5100 with afs prime also good and light weight
If you want to get the lastest dx, get d7000 as main body and retired ur d300s as backup. (imo this is the way u should go as its better than d300)

I use 2 d700 during my shoot (carry whole day), there r times when i shoot for continuous few day and my body cant take it, ended up with d700 and d90 instead, now it am trying to replace d90 with d5100 which is even lighter .. sad to say i cant replace my fx.

If you worry about how people perceive your equipment when you do the shoot, think otherwise, they r just ignorant fool who thinks big and exp equipment are pro .. Small and cheap equipment are starter. I used to feel this way when i started out 10yrs ago but over the years with experience and understanding whats photography is all about, just follow your heart and get the gear that best suit your style of shooting.

With skill and experience, 1 len 1 camera is enough to shoot a wedding. I even tried shooting with just 35mm prime for the whole wedding, i think my client does not even notice from the photo.

 

[sjackal]

I use 2 d700 during my shoot (carry whole day), there r times when i shoot for continuous few day and my body cant take it, ended up with d700 and d90 instead, now it am trying to replace d90 with d5100 which is even lighter .. sad to say i cant replace my fx.

Yes, end of a long day put down the cameras, the neck, back and shoulder always feels weird. It will cause long term health problems. Try to use only one cam everywhere possible, especially if your the 24-70 with AA grip and flash and batt pack and flash bracket heavy-rig type of shooter. If shooting dual D700, go grip-less. Great pictures can't buy back health.

One day I woke up in the morning in my bed, and realized I cannot open my right hand fingers fully. Went to see doctor and was given injection for some muscle relaxant or something, doctor said I had inflammation on the tubings which holds my finger's muscle fiber it swell and thus constricted my finger muscles and prevented movement. It was caused by repetitive stress from holding a heavy camera rig. I wanted to relieve stress my shoulders and heard about people going strapless and just holding the camera in the hands. Yeah right. Two shoots over a weekend, (1 wedding 1 short fashion event) and this was the result. Or maybe I holding it wrongly, hahaha.

Today I read on my Facebook a quote from Dalai Lama: "Man sacrifices his health in order to make money, then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present, the result being that he does not live in the present or the future, he lives as if his never going to die and then dies having never really lived."

 

[Miao]

Hi sjackal, thanks for sharing, i do get bad arm strain and finger pain, but not to your extend that require injection. It comes as a warning to me sometime back, that i am not going to shoot comfortably with all this big len, thus have changed to prime. In the end i feel so much a joy to shoot, instead of getting tired during the shoot whick affect my photo.

So right now its, black rapid double strap, 2 camera prime setup without grip (handstrap will do) with flash, 2 additional prime on waist using lowepro ultility belt and len pouch. At the very least the equipment weight is been balance on my shoulder and waist, and i get to rest my hand when i do not need to hold the camera.

 

[SamuelNgPhotography]

Before this thread spirals into OT ;p anyone else care to share their choice of backup bodies on the job?

D7000 is a luxury that I don't think I'm prepared to spend on at this time. I'm quite happy with the D300s as the main for now.
So more of something to backup the D300s.

Other than 02 x D300s which is also a luxury, anyone using the older D300 to backup D300s? :bsmilie:

One of the main reasons why I gave up the D2X is because the sensor/chip in it is too different from my D300s already. You can easily tell which photo was taken from D2X and D300s. The vibrancy of colours etc... are different. Took a lot of effort in photoshop to bring them to a similar level.

I'm leaning towards a D90 (same sensor/chip as D300s?) for a backup either in the bag or slung over the shoulder with my secondary lens.

 

[Agetan]

Why don't u rent one when u need it if this is purely for backup? As you mentioned you don't do a lot of jobs.

Sure, it may be work out more ex as total ownership, but u can build the rental on the job.

Regards,

Hart

 

[JasonB]

It sounds like you are just looking for affirmation if a lesser body is good enough for backup. Do what you want do do what you need to do, why you need to look at other people. If someone shoot with 2 D3s with 3rd body in the car being a D3, do others need to follow? For another person it could be D50 and F100 and perfectly fine.

The discussion is perfectly on topic so far.

 

[lobsterkia]

AKA .. grow a pair

 

[saveDqueen]

I have a D90 on main and D5100 as backup

Reason being D90 is light and I need the crop factor because of my assignments, D5100 allow me to take vantage shots from top and many more ways using the swivel screen.

I have 50mm F1.8 on D90, then 35mm F1.8 on D5100 and flash guns at disposal.

It depends on how you as a photographer compose and manage your shots.

To me, whatever it works, high end equipment is a luxury not necessity.

 

[Agetan]

To me, whatever it works, high end equipment is a luxury not necessity.

Uhm... Really???....

There are a lot of case where high end equipment is a necessity and not luxury...

Sure, use whatever to produce the work, but high end gear do make a different in certain work...

Regards,

Hart