The need for two bodies?

[JackoWilliams]

Observing professional and some amateur photographers; they tend to carry two bodies. This may sound like a stupid question, but why so? Surely it would be the lens/filter that offers the most differentiation in what comes out on the LCD screen or through the EVF?

It'd be great to know why it is seen as necessary, or even a necessity for some photographers.

Thanks!

[jr_rodriguez]

Two quick reasons:
1. As a backup, in case the one quits working -- especially good if they've traveled quite a bit to get to the site, and/or are in areas where there are no repairs shops nearby.
2. In situations where time of the essence and don't have time to be switching lenses -- for example, wedding photographers. They may have one body with a wide-angle lens and another with a telephoto lens. It's quicker to grab another body than changing lenses (and obviously carrying the lens bag). They will miss shots messing with changing the lenses.

JRR

[kgosden]

I have kept my older DSLR just to have two bodies. As noted it is handy to have one for telephoto and one for wide angle. This has been true at auto races and when out in the wild doing landscapes. You are happily shooting a broad scene and a moose wanders right past. It is also great in nasty weather to not have to swap lenses in the rain.

[JackoWilliams]

I've often thought that was the case but I just wanted to know exactly why. In that case then, are there any 'rules' when purchasing a second body? i.e. using an SLT if your main body is an SLT. I gather that the body using the same memory storage is pretty important.

[kgosden]

For me I am using a Olympus E5 as the primary and my old E520 as the backup. The biggest issue is not memory as I rarely swap them, it is the control placement. Hard to go from one to the other and then think you hit the ISO button, but really get exposure compensation, etc.

[JackoWilliams]

Yeah that's true. My a65 has a FAIRLY similar layout to the earlier SLR models (a200, a700 etc.). This whole two bodies thing is very new to me; more questions need to be asked and more research needs to be done!

[DonSchap]

on a tripod, using the "self-timer" function, to take images of moi using the a850 w/ an 800mm f/8 Reflex...



Images to spare. You don't get this from a mirror.. LOL

Think about it... you could put the camera in long shutter release or rapid fire shutter tape the wired, remote shutter-release button down and toss your second camera into the air, to get the overall crowd shot, at the fair. It would be pretty dicey deciding to do that with your one and only rig. Right? Isn't that what second cameras are for?

[JackoWilliams]

That's brilliant! (the link) If that's what second cameras are for, then I'd better get myself one. The a200 a sensible low budget option?