Carrying and using two cameras simultaneously/alternately ... how do you do it?

[Keith]

I've decided that at the gallery openings I document with my M8 I would occasionally like to shoot some black and white film at the same time ... probably with my Ikon or M3. Usually at these events I don't use a strap at all and just carry the M8 in hand as I'm generally not a great fan of straps at all and seldom use one.

I have two Luigi deluxe straps and with one strap lengthened as far as possible and the other very short one camera will hang above the other but it feels really weird with one camera virtually under your chin and the other down around your navel.

Is there any other practical way to achieve a balance here without straps overlapping and fouling each other etc ... hanging the lower camera off to the side and having it around the shoulder instead of around the neck seems to create problems with the other front mounted camera when you raise it ... or am I just being difficult? 😛

 

[ruby.monkey]

Here you go. 😀

I only carry two cameras when I'm teaming a rangefinder with wide/normal lens, with an SLR wearing a tele. I carry the RF as usual (strap round the neck and across the back, so that it goes over my left shoulder and back under my right arm) with the SLR hanging off my right shoulder. It's easy to drop one and raise t'other without them becoming tangled.

 

[Nando]

I tried using neck straps of different lengths but once, the cameras got into a tangled mess.

Now, the camera I intend to use the most is around my neck. The other is ready to go in a small satchel. Less chance of getting strangled that way.

 

[Don Parsons]

hang one around your neck and one on your shoulder. You could also carry a small bag and carry one in that with a couple rolls of film, spare batteries, etc. About 5 minutes into it. you forget it's there.

 

[Keith]

Here you go. 😀

I only carry two cameras when I'm teaming a rangefinder with wide/normal lens, with an SLR wearing a tele. I carry the RF as usual (strap round the neck and across the back, so that it goes over my left shoulder and back under my right arm) with the SLR hanging off my right shoulder. It's easy to drop one and raise t'other without them becoming tangled.

My ... that's stylish! 😀

 

[denmark.yuzon]

hang one around your neck and one on your shoulder. You could also carry a small bag and carry one in that with a couple rolls of film, spare batteries, etc. About 5 minutes into it. you forget it's there.

this is what i do. I hang one around my neck (usually it is my main shooter), then one on my shoulder (a back up camera, say dslr etc.) i never tried to jumble with three cameras at once. walking with two cameras require effort already.

 

[ruby.monkey]

(Alternatively, wear one on a wrist strap and let it dangle when you need to switch)

 

[januaryman]

I tried using neck straps of different lengths but once, the cameras got into a tangled mess.

Now, the camera I intend to use the most is around my neck. The other is ready to go in a small satchel. Less chance of getting strangled that way.

This works best for me, as well. But what usually happens is, I'm too lazy to swap cameras, so unless a really urgent switch is demanded, I will shoot the one around my neck until empty, then swap it into the bag and the "bench-warmer" camera get a stint in my shoot.

I think this method has to do with me setting my mind and eye to look exclusively for a shot that needs a 35 (or a 50). Rarely, I'll find I need to change focal lengths because I either can't get close enough, or I can't back up enough! 😉 - I almost always start with the 35.

 

[Bobfrance]

Here you go. 😀

Ha ha, with that rig you'll most likely end-up being hit in the nuts with not one but two cameras! 😀

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

I'm often using two Ms, I have a wrist strap on my M4 (400asa black and white film) and a normal strap on the M2 (1600 or 100asa black and white film), usually carrying the M2 around my shoulder and just letting the M4 'dangle' from my wrist when I switch to the M2.
sometimes I just let one of the two in the bag, taking one out and throwing the other one in when I switch.

works well for me.

on sunny days I sometimes even shoot with two cameras at the same time, literally. 😀 the left hand camera gets dressed with a superwide and is fired with the ring finger. it gets a bit hard though, when you can't pre-focus by scale though, thus sunny day fun only...

 

[ferider]

Either one in top-accessible bag and one in hand/around neck, or on two neck straps, 90 and 120cm A&A, they will hang above each other. Put the long lens on the camera with longer strap (usually an M3).

I use them for 2 lenses though, not two films.

There is a movie somewhere how Winogrand was carrying two Ms (color + B+W).

Roland.

 

[Disaster_Area]

I've tried the "one around the neck and the other around the shoulder" method but I aways found that the one on my shoulder slips off if I try to bend, duck, crouch... or pretty much do anything besides shoot standing straight up with the one around my neck. I've found a couple ways around this... If I'm wearing my coat that has those buttoned shoulder flap thingies (like the ones you see on military uniforms and some trenchcoats) I button the strap of the shoulder camera into it and it can now never fall off. If I'm not wearing that coat I use a carabeener and clip the shoulder strap to the neck strap where they meet at the shoulder... works pretty well.

The only problem I have with this setup is that most good straps are textured/grippy to keep the strap from moving around... so the camera on the shoulder strap usually binds with my clothes and doesn't let me smoothly slide the shoulder camera to shooting position. I think I'm going to look into a RapidStrap kind of rig for my shoulder camera... where the camera has a clip attached to the tripod socket and it clips onto a solid loop of strap so it can slide around on it.

 

[raid]

I always carry a light and compact camera bag with 2-3 RF camera in it. Only in some circumstances when I want two cameras in my hands and ready, then I hold one camera with a shoulder strap used as wrist band while I have a second camera attached to a camera strap around my neck.

 

[capitalK]

hang one around your neck and one on your shoulder. You could also carry a small bag and carry one in that with a couple rolls of film, spare batteries, etc. About 5 minutes into it. you forget it's there.

This is what I do, I hang the M5 and 35mm vertically over my shoulder with my Bessa and 21mm on a short strap around my neck.

More often than not I'll just carry the M5, though with the Bessa ready to go in my bag.

Doesn't work quite as well when I carry one rangefinder and an SLR.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

One around neck, one in a bag. Recently the bag is a small knapsack, as I have found that the shoulder/neck thing can really wear on me.

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

This is what I do, I hang the M5 and 35mm vertically over my shoulder with my Bessa and 21mm on a short strap around my neck.

More often than not I'll just carry the M5, though with the Bessa ready to go in my bag.

Doesn't work quite as well when I carry one rangefinder and an SLR.

easy fix: don't carry an SLR 😀😉

 

[robklurfield]

It being wintertime here, I'm frequently in a heavy jacket, so I stuff my M2 in a pocket and wear my M8 or Rolleicord around my neck. Not sure how I'll handle this when the weather turns warm again. My M2 is on a wrist strap, so that might be the warm weather answer -- one in hand and one around the neck. Or, I might revert to carrying just one at a time.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

First relax you will need to make decisions on when you are to switch. Carry a large camera bag. The camera that I am using is attached to my wrist not around my neck. This leaves the second camera in the bag. When I want to switch I just put the camera in the bag and pick up the second. This leaves my neck free. You could always incorporate the use of the neck for the stand-by camera but you would still need the bag to switch the camera. Mainly I use the neck strap when changing lenses or film.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Two straps side by side, equal length, round the neck, dressing left & right respectively. I used to go for one above the other but I find this more convenient. They bang together occasionally, but not hard. Used to be M4P and M2; then MP and M4-P; now MP and M9.

Otherwise: pockets.

I HATE large camera bags. Small ones are bad enough.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Calzone]

I use a Domke F-803 to carry two cameras; a Leica M and a Rolleiflex. Kinda low profile because it is like a book bag. This could work for you, but may not be the best solution.

For your situation with two rangefinders I would use my Leica Eveready case that is made for a R8 or R9. It is made of leather and features a wide tandem double zipper opening on top. I can fit my M6 with 75 Lux in this bag, probably even with a Rapidwinder. The shoulder strap is extra long and there are also belt loops to further secure the case to your side. Very comfortable to wear across the neck and shoulder all day. I wear it like a manbag.

I say just use the Leica Everready like a big pocket for the camera you are not shooting with. It is good looking and fits right in with the gallery scene.

Calzone