A Secondary Body?

[CP140]

I have a Pentax K-30 which is more than a match for my mediocre skills as a photographer. In fact, I would argue that a 1980's vintage Polaroid is an even match, but let's not destroy what little confidence I've so far acquired.

The new K-50 and K-500 are rolling out and neither offer, as far as I can see, any real advantage over the body I already have. (That's camera body... the state of my carcass doesn't really have much relevance here...)

Having said that, B&H have the K-30 body only on for $499. I could pick up a second body with no learning curve... or more correctly no learning curve beyond that which already looms before me... for a pretty good price.

So... how many of you have a second body? How many of you have a second identical body? Any obvious problems I'm overlooking?

[tomdinning]

As with you, Martin, the search for the right body is now futile.
I have used all the excuses for purchasing one or two or three or four or........., and up to now none have them have appeased my wife or seemed reasonable in the light of a new day.
Up to now, these are said excuses
1. Because I can.
2. Because there is a new model and I'd look 'last year' at the next camera club meeting.
3. More mega whatever's.
4. More knobs and dial, to do useless stuff like face recognition. I know what a face looks like.
5. Better reviews, usually by someone sponsored by the camera company.
6. In the hope of getting better pictures. ha!
7. The old one might fail. It never has.
8. Bigger sensor. Not really going to make a lot of difference with my technique.
9. Look, there's not much point in going on .....

My wife asks me what will it do that the old one won't. I make up a stack of bull**** but I'm really trying to convince myself.
Finally it comes down to money. If you have it, spend it. If its a scrape, save it to spend it on your partner. I have 7 cameras and I only ever take one out at the time. Funny that. Most days I can't tell the difference. Most days I take the V2. It's the smallest and the least technical. Funny that.

[Shadowman]

I have a second body, different model and no real learning curve on the new model, just more functions available. And the number one reason for owning two is less time spent changing lenses.

[Adrian]

If you are pro or semi pro and wanting to switch lenses then go for it.

If you are travelling and want o have both full frame and crop (extra reach) then it's useful (as lomng as you have your partner happy to lug the extra body around...)

Otherwise, no point at all. Carrying extra kit around is a nuisance. Bodies depreciate like mad. Having two the same wont improve your skills. Body failure is fixed fast: cameras are commodities and you can have a new one on your doorstep within 1 day from Amazon. Put spare cash into lenses. Or your pension.

[William W]

If you are pro or semi pro and wanting to switch lenses then go for it.

If you are travelling and want to have both full frame and crop (extra reach) then it's useful (as long as you have your partner happy to lug the extra body around...)

Otherwise, no point at all.

+1

Sage advice.

And I'd add that: two IDENTICAL format bodies with two DIFFERENT lenses might be your go so you don't need to swap lenses. (for example a wide zoom and a tele-zoom)

If you just want a "standby" or "back up" for travelling, in the case that you main camera is dropped, stolen or goes U/S - then consider an-all-in one P&S.

***

I have 5 DSLR bodies (for work) and I usually carry at least three.

For "fun" I carry one DSLR and usually only one Prime lens (a 35) or a 24 to 105 zoom - for social travelling, and for security of having a second camera, I presently carry a PowerShot as my "back-up".

WW

[Daisy Mae]

Hi Martin,

I have a Canon 40D and a Canon 450D and I do take then both out together because they give very different results.
The 450D is lighter and the colours and tones it produces are softer. This makes it ideal for use with my lensbaby composer and its interchangable optics / aperture discs etc. ( believe me you don't want to be changing those every five minutes outdoors where the can roll away and get lost)
The 40D however is heavy, produces stronger colours and is more suited to my tripod and heavier lenses. Different tools for different jobs and no faffing about changing the lenses and missing the shot.

However...like Tom. I find myself most days with my Canon compact or my Ricoh slung in my pocket and ready to use in the 1 sec it takes to power them up.

It's really down to what works best for you and how much cash you want to chuck at it.

[Mike Buckley]

I use my wife's camera as a second body in my makeshift studio despite that overall it has fewer capabilities than my camera. That's because it has one particular capability -- an articulating LCD -- that my camera does not have. My point is that you could get a less expensive secondary camera that perhaps allows you to do something or do something easier than when using your primary camera.

Body failure is fixed fast: cameras are commodities and you can have a new one on your doorstep within 1 day from Amazon.

That's true if you happen to be where you have Internet connectivity and if you happen to be where the camera can be quickly delivered. A lot of my travel photography is done in areas where that isn't the case. So, my wife has her primary camera; I have my primary camera; and we always have a third backup camera for use in case either hers or mine bites the dust.

That has happened twice albeit over a period of thirty years. Ever since that happened the first time before the days of the Internet, we have always carried a backup camera body. We were lucky that first time to find an accommodating repair shop that opened on a Sunday just for us and loaned us a new camera while ours was being repaired.

[CP140]

Thanks everyone for your opinions... cost is not really an issue... well, no that's not true. It is an issue, but not a source of marital discord. We each get an "allowance" each week that we can spend on whatever we want... no questions asked. If want to spend $1000 on something... that's fine... I just have to save my allowance...

There are of course exceptions... socks and underwear come out of the family budget and so on.

With a Panasonic FZ200, a waterproof P+S and a K-30, I can't see myself ever being without a camera due to equipment failure etc... and as I've said, the P+S is a pretty good match for my skills.

The biggest advantage is to having a second body as I see it, is having one set up with a short lens and one with a long lens... or whatever combination suits what I'm doing.

Having a second identical body would guarantee a certain degree of user familiarity... less fumbling with dials and buttons. However, a second identical body means that whatever problem might develop (sorry) in the first might also occur in the second... for example a firmware update that induces some odd behaviour. A second slightly different body would in theory not suffer the same fate while maintaining a degree of user familiarity.

Then again... I could really use a good wide angle....

[xpatUSA]

So... how many of you have a second body? How many of you have a second identical body? Any obvious problems I'm overlooking?

By coincidence, I've just bought a second Sigma SD9 body, based on the relative rarity of the early Foveon F7 sensors most of which were destroyed in a fire. I used to have two SD10's but traded one of them for an SD9, the sharpness of which I prefer for my macro work.

[rpcrowe]

I have shot with two bodies for a long while now. However, I usually had one older body and a newer body.

I like two bodies to shoot with because:

1. I have a wide range of focal lengths available. I use the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS and 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses on Canon 1.6x cameras. These lenses give me excellent image quality, quick and accurate auto-focus and IS at all focal lengths. I also have a constant f/2.8 aperture in my mid range focal lengths and a constant f/4 with my longer lens. I don't miss the 55-70mm gap.

2. I basically am shooting with two batteries since my shots are divided between the camera wearing the mid range zoom and the camera with the telephoto. I don't need a battery grip. I have seldom run out of juice although I will carry an extra charged battery or two.

3. The second camera is a great insurance policy against missing out on photography because of a failed or broken camera.

I now have the luxury of shooting with a pair of 7D cameras and it is really nice to have all the controls on both cameras identical as well as using the same batteries and memory cards.

[donaldjledet]

I have a NIKON D7100 AND WAS LOOKING FOR A SECOND BODY,
But the Question i have is like most people are saying, should i get a second D7100 or get maybe a f.f like the Nikon D600 or D800e. I keep going back and forth. I like too shoot Landscapes,Wildlife,Horse Racing,Grand kids boating, and of course family.

[Digital]

I have two identical bodies - I was cloned. Seriously, this harkens back to my wedding photographer days when I carried the second body (also identical) in case the one I was primarily using failed. Fortunately, it never happened.
Since then I have always had at least two camera bodies.
Since I have gotten older I do not carry both bodies when I am in town - which is most of the time. On trips I take both cameras. I have a Tamrac Sling for the single body, and another Tamrac that carries both bodies with lens attached.
I am just to old to carry on that weight anymore.

Bruce

[Shadowman]

I have a NIKON D7100 AND WAS LOOKING FOR A SECOND BODY,
But the Question i have is like most people are saying, should i get a second D7100 or get maybe a f.f like the Nikon D600 or D800e. I keep going back and forth. I like too shoot Landscapes,Wildlife,Horse Racing,Grand kids boating, and of course family.

Get the body that has the features you wish you had. If it's more focal points, exposure bracketing, internal focus motor and it doesn't totally hinder your current collection of lenses, such as DX to FX camera, then get it and enjoy.

[CP140]

Thanks all for your comments... I regret (?) to inform you all that a K-30 body is on order... commonality of parts and spares is a good thing...

The new body won't be here in time for me to take to Germany and Switzerland at the end of the week, but it will be here for me to play with when I get home....