Do you use two bodies?

[ChrisN]

For people who use two bodies at the same time (with different focal lengths and/or film): how important is it to have two of the same camera?

Would it bother you if the two cameras had controls in different places, or if the focusing rings turned in the opposite direction?

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I'm so wed to the Leica way of controlling a camera now that when I pick up a Nikon SLR I can barely work it. Everything is backwards it seems and that slows me down.

If I'm shooting with two bodies, one has a 35mm or 21mm lens on it. The other has a 50mm or 75mm lens. My m9 is for the wider lenses and my M8 is for the longer ones. The M4 trumps them though because sometimes a backup needs a backup. The M4 has been to hell and back and hasn't failed.

Phil Forrest

 

[back alley]

i am almost obsessive about having 2 bodies and that they be identical.
in the past i have had 2 of...
canon p
mamiy6
cle
eos 1
canon f1
and a few more...

 

[ChrisN]

Only two Joe? 🙂

 

[back alley]

Only two Joe? 🙂

ok, i had 3 of the canon p bodies...

 

[nikon_sam]

When shooting an event I'll use two cameras...a Nikon F4 and an F5, same film, same flash (SB-25) different lenses...although not the same cameras once they are set up they pretty much work the same...
Now when shooting for myself and using two bodies it really doesn't matter if they are different...I'll sometimes go out with two of any of these cameras...Mamiya m645, Yashica Mat 124, Spotmatic SP, Nikon F4, Olympus 35-S or a Nikon F2...

 

[mfogiel]

If you mainly use the AE settings, aas I do, then the only thing you have to operate is the lens : set the f stop and focus, therefore it is not so important that the bodies should be identical. However, I tend to use 2 M7's in tandem, mainly because of the different VF magnifications: 0.58X and 0.85X. I normally use 28mm and 50mm lenses as the staple shooting combination in the street.

 

[Sparrow]

yep, I like a matching pair .... with a 50 and a 35 usually

 

[krötenblender]

I often use two bodies for a different reason. One is the R-D1 and the other one is a Minolta CLE. Some shots I prefer to do with film, and for others I prefer digital. Most are digital, but I can not give up film completely, yet.

 

[Ljós]

I use two M2, and I appreciate very much that they are identical in handling. But I think I could "mix" with another body easily, if that body were sufficiently different. For example, SLR focusing is so different that I have no problem at all at times when I blow the dust of my Spotmatic.

 

[sepiareverb]

I use two bodies very often, and don't worry about them being the same. I shot with an M7 & an M5 for about a year, and then with an M7 & an MP for another year. MP or M7 and G2 quite a bit too.

 

[Fraser]

When I'm just out with the family or for fun just the one M8, when I'm working 3 bodies with 16-35, 70-200 and 300, maybe thats why when I'm not working I like the size and weight of the M8!

 

[TaoPhoto]

I also use two bodies quite often. For gigs, I'll carry two more or less matching bodies, one as my main shooter and one as backup. OM-4t and an OM-2n or OM-1n, for instance. Both loaded with the same film.

Other times, I'll have a film and a digital body, or an RF with black & white and an SLR with color. Those situations mean carrying more lenses, though.

 

[ARCHIVIST]

Yes, I use two bodies when I shoot.
This is what I will take with me..........
2 x Yashica GTNs, 3 x Pentax ME Supers, 2 x Yashica TLRs and for the real paranoid approach 2 x Century Graphics!

One body with a wide and the other with a small to medium tele.
I only ever use primes - never zooms or variable focal lengths.

Regards
Peter

 

[Damaso]

It is pretty important to me, I have two M6ttl's (albeit is two viewfinder magnifications). Before that I had two Canon Eos 3s. I like being able to switch from one body to another without thinking about it too much...

 

[peter_n]

I had two M7s, one with a 0.72x mag and the other with 0.85x mag, for the last 3 years I've used two MPs with the same mags. I always use either 100 or 400ISO in both cameras and generally a 28/50 or a 35/75 pair depending on circumstances. Having basically the same equipment that you know really well means it's all about the scene in front of you and nothing else.

I'm so wed to the Leica way of controlling a camera now that when I pick up a Nikon SLR I can barely work it. Everything is backwards it seems and that slows me down.

I had the same problem so I sold all my MF Nikkors and bought AF replacements. For some reason I don't have a problem mounting the different lenses.

 

[dleyva2]

I use two m6ttls. One with a 15 and the other with a 35. works great......

 

[FrankS]

I can see that if one is shooting professionally or some other high pressure stressful situation, then using identical bodies would be helpful. Switching from one to the other would be seamless.

But with casual shooting, where there is time and "head-space", using 2 different bodies is no problem for me.

 

[Rob-F]

I have two Nikon FE2, plus an FA; so two identical bodies plus a very similar one. Then I use a D300 and now a D700. There again, two very similar cameras. I haven't had the D700 very long. I think I would either carry the D700 and keep the D300 in reserve as a backup; or possibly keep a different lens on each. But with the Nikon DSLRs, they are heavy, especially the D700. So I think I will, on road trips, use them mainly for shooting near the car, and not for long hikes!

Leicas: two M6TTL with .58 finders; an MP with .58 finder; M6 classic and MP with .72 finders; an M2; and an M3. And now an M8.2. No, I don't bring them all!😱 The most I have ever brought is three M bodies. Oh and I have three IIIc.

My main reasons for carrying more than one film body is either to have different films loaded; or else (in the case of the M bodies) to have two different finder magnifications available.

 

[ferider]

Very often. They don't have to be identical but should be similar and take the same lenses. For example, M6 and M3, Bessa T and M3, OM1 and OM2, etc.

Depending on the setting for different reasons: different lenses/magnification, different films, back-up.

Roland.