Do any of you that shoot with 2 camera bodies?

[benjiboy]

I have four Canon F1s , ( 2 F1n's and 2 New F1's ) , but I don't usually carry more than one at a time because I'm old and F1's are not light cameras to lug about, I used to carry 2 but I found it difficult to "see" in colour and monochrome at the same time.
As I get older I try to limit the weight I carry about. I learned many years ago that military thinkers discoved that an infantry man since the middle ages couldn't carry for a days march more than about sixty pounds and still be fit for combat, and I applied this to myself, and my photo gear

 

[Paul Howell]

Really, the modern marine carries between 60 and 100 pounds, when I was an Air Force combat photographer I was very lucky, we choppered in and out, only needed to carry about 50 or so pounds at the most including camera gear. My C.O would not allow to us carry more than camera at a time, he never gave a reason, I always thought he figured a Nikon F was worth more than I was, he lost me and 2 bodies he would have get 2 replacements bodies. The Army and Marine shooters had to carry much more.

 

[Luckless]

For a few years I did sports photography with a pair of cameras and various fast primes. Those stupid looking dual camera harness things look terrible, but they're comfortable and get the job done.

Being able to 'just let go' of one camera and lens and bring a different one up to my eye at a moment's notice was handy and faster than changing a lens, but also made kneeling and getting low shots an interesting task of juggling devices.

So far I've been finding it harder to justify lugging around a second camera. I don't do a lot of colour work, and find my visualization process too different between colour and black and white to bother trying to mix the two on outings. But I've been swinging back towards more wildlife photography lately, and getting tempted into picking up a telephoto focused kit to carry along side a medium format with something in the ~80mm range.


To me the critical point is sorting out the how and why of what you're lugging. How are you carrying it? Why are you bothering with it?

Are you traveling to different places to shoot various things in different ways on a single outing? That's going to be a different bag/strap setup than if you're aiming to be able to shoot different things 'as they come up'.

 

[benjiboy]

Really, the modern marine carries between 60 and 100 pounds, when I was an Air Force combat photographer I was very lucky, we choppered in and out, only needed to carry about 50 or so pounds at the most including camera gear. My C.O would not allow to us carry more than camera at a time, he never gave a reason, I always thought he figured a Nikon F was worth more than I was, he lost me and 2 bodies he would have get 2 replacements bodies. The Army and Marine shooters had to carry much more.

The military now have ektoskeliton suits to give troops more endurance to carry heavy loads.

 

[Paul Howell]

Other than experimental the U.S military does not issue ekotoskeletons.

 

[narsuitus]

As I get older I try to limit the weight I carry about. I learned many years ago that military thinkers discoved that an infantry man since the middle ages couldn't carry for a days march more than about sixty pounds and still be fit for combat, and I applied this to myself, and my photo gear

I exhaust myself carrying a 60 pound bag of dog food from my car to my kitchen. I cannot imagine a days march with 60 pounds.

 

[TheGreatGasMaskMan]

I have a few 35s, but I'll only take one out with me, but I'll also take a medium format camera and potentially a point and shoot during the warmer months.

I've done two 35s before, but my camera bag can only carry so many lenses.

 

[macfred]

When doing 'sightseeing' with the family I use to carry two medium format bodies - Fuji GA645 (60mm F/4 lens) and Fuji GW645Wi (45mm f/4 lens).

 

[Sirius Glass]

It is discussions like me remind me that I wish that 35mm cameras had interchangeable film backs.

 

[benjiboy]

I exhaust myself carrying a 60 pound bag of dog food from my car to my kitchen. I cannot image a days march with 60 pounds.

I could do it when I was a Royal Marine, in the early 1960's we had to do speed marches across Dartmoor with a 56 lb backpack and a 9lb rifle, but I'm in my early eighties now.

 

[darkosaric]

I travel with 2 camera bodies: on one is 50mm, on another is either tele (90 or 105mm), or zoom lens.
So most of the time I use 50mm, and when I see something that needs more in close or more wide - I use another camera.
I do not like changing lenses in the middle of the street.

 

[macfred]

... I do not like changing lenses in the middle of the street.

Same here

 

[brianmquinn]

The ZX-M was my second body when hiking. It was small with a weight of only 11 oz ( about 300 grams).

 

[TheGreatGasMaskMan]

Same here

the fear of dropping the lens only enhances the experience.

 

[Paul Howell]

I could do it when I was a Royal Marine, in the early 1960's web we had to do speed marches across Dartmoor with a 56 lb backpack and a 9lb rifle, but I'm in my early eighties now.

To be fair, in this day and age here in the U.S only special operations and light infantry do long marches, the Marines still train for long marches, but in most cases ride to the battle, so carrying a large load is not that same as in our day when we forced marched then had to fight.

I need to weight my standard travel kit, which is different from my LF or MF kits which I carry in my SUV and maybe walk a mile or so

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

If I bring my RB, I have a few backs loaded with different B/W films.

 

[AgX]

It is discussions like me remind me that I wish that 35mm cameras had interchangeable film backs.

Well, they had.
Kino already hinted at the Contaflex, I may add an Adox model, and I would not be surprised if there were even more.
An than there were the cubic 35mm Rolleis.

 

[George Mann]

I sometimes use up to 5 cameras in a day of shooting, but no more than 3 at a time (2 slrs, 1 p&s).

This takes care of different lenses and film (+ digital) requirements.

 

[MattKing]

With the Olympus OM system, there is always a spot for another body.

 

[jwd722]

Just yesterday I was out walking around town, and a bit beyond, and took an Agfa Isolette ll, a Leica lllF w/ 28,35 and 50mm lenses, a Fuji GW690ll and a Nikon D500 w/a 28mm lens. The Leica was around my neck and the rest in an old Lowe Pro shoulder bag. I also took a Gossen Pilot 2 to save some weight ; )

I usually take 2 or 3 cameras with me all the time but don't normally use more than one. The situation usually decides which one is appropriate.

 

[benjiboy]

To be fair, in this day and age here in the U.S only special operations and light infantry do long marches, the Marines still train for long marches, but in most cases ride to the battle, so carrying a large load is not that same as in our day when we forced marched then had to fight.

We used to "ride into battle" Paul in my day Paul, but for special forces and even regular infantry units even today it's essential to be able to advance over rough terrain quickly and quietly and take the enemy by surprise as our marines had to do in the Falkland conflict because the ships carrying the helicopters to transport them had been sunk.

 

[Bronson Dugnutt]

Sure, two of the same point & shoot. One for each eye.

 

[Huss]

It is discussions like me remind me that I wish that 35mm cameras had interchangeable film backs.

The Reflex 35mm SLR kckstarter that I wasted money backing was meant to have that.
It was a really cool concept. Oh well...

 

[Maris]

Last overseas travel kit was:
Fuji GSW680 loaded with Ilford Delta 3200. Film is fast enough for hand held shots but big enough so grain and sharpness are not a problem.
Seagull TLR loaded with Rollei infrared film shot through a IR720 filter + small tripod.
If one camera fails the other has to do everything. Too much of a pessimist to rely on just one camera.

 

[Rob Skeoch]

When I worked at the paper, everyone used two bodies all the time. We shot mostly black and white but for colour work, we shot slides. So I used a black body for the black and white and a chrome body for the "chromes". Seemed to work fine.
Now when doing my version of street photography, I carry two bodies, 28mm and 50mm and keep a 25mm in the bag.
I'm also working on a weird project about a bridge that I started on Jan. 2021. Like a 'year in the life' of a bridge. For this project I'm shooting the entire thing with a 28mm on black and white, so just carry one body and the one lens.
The only thing I don't like about shooting with two cameras, is they're usually 35mm film, which is great to carry but you're always wishing the neg. was bigger when you're back in the darkroom.
You can differently carry too much stuff.