Try calling me OCD now!

Ara Ghajanian · Aug 17, 2005

Some people I know thought I was a bit obsessive compulsive because I have 2 Nikon F3's. They thought it was excessive.

So I'm on vacation in San Francisco last week and mid-roll the shutter freezes on one of the F3's. I reach into my camera bag and pull out the other. Viola! I don't think I'll ever leave the house with only one camera any more. The camera bag is heavy, but I'm a strapping young lad and I don't mind the exercise.

Has anyone had any similar experiences?

Ara

David Brown · Aug 17, 2005

At Yosemite, I dropped a camera in a parking lot. It died on impact.

Fortunately, it was not the only camera I had with me.

You're fine.

Cheers y'all.

David

Nick Zentena · Aug 17, 2005

I've got three Ricohs all the same model. Of course all three put together cost less then one F3 -)

bobfowler · Aug 17, 2005

Ara Ghajanian said:
Some people I know thought I was a bit obsessive compulsive because I have 2 Nikon F3's. They thought it was excessive.

So I'm on vacation in San Francisco last week and mid-roll the shutter freezes on one of the F3's. I reach into my camera bag and pull out the other. Viola! I don't think I'll ever leave the house with only one camera any more. The camera bag is heavy, but I'm a strapping young lad and I don't mind the exercise.

Has anyone had any similar experiences?

Ara

I carry 3 Bronica SQ-A bodies with me to wedding jobs - you never know when something is going to need a diaper change.

I had a battery die in the middle of the cake cutting once. Sure, it's a simple matter to change out a battery, but NOT if it means having to remove the camera from the flash bracket, take the QR plate off the bottom of the speed grip, remove the speed grip, and FINALLY get to the battery cover. Oh yes... all the while doing this in a darkened room!

No thank you, I'll carry multiple bodies, ready to go.

Paul Howell · Aug 17, 2005

I most always carry 2 bodies, when I worked I used a F(F, F2 or F3) body with a Lica GIII or Canon 7 rangfinder, then a F3 with FA or FG, after my F3 was ripped off I bought a Sigma SA7 then later a SA9. My other outfit is a Spotmatic with a GAF body with winder, or MF and a 4X5 or a 35 for backup. I usually shot color in one body and b&w in the other. If I am traveling by car I will also pack a point and shoot or Cannon IIIG and a 120 TLR. As depended as the Sigma is on the battery I always want a spare with me.

Ara Ghajanian · Aug 17, 2005

bobfowler said:
I carry 3 Bronica SQ-A bodies with me to wedding jobs - you never know when something is going to need a diaper change.

Hmmm? 3 bodies? Maybe I'll pick up another F3.

Claire Senft · Aug 17, 2005

Yes those darned Professional Nikons, you just never know when one will breakdown. Seems like it happens every couple thousand rolls. I am not in favor of half measures.

You should also duplicate all your lenses also.

In fact 3 of everything would be even better.

After that I would feel that you are OCD but think of how muscular you would be. You, all by yourself, could cause over crowding in that county which is considered a state.

Jan Cornelius · Aug 17, 2005

... Thats all the trouble with these F3's ..... why not get a professional camera ?

(... just dived out of range)

David A. Goldfarb · Aug 17, 2005

If you own a lot of lenses of one particular system, I think it's a good idea to have two bodies. Even setting aside emergencies, you might want to send one for routine maintenance or repair and have another one to use in the meanwhile. Since Bronica stuff is so cheap, I have two S2A bodies for that reason.

Bighead · Aug 17, 2005

I have 3 canon AE-1's.... I was poor at the time and buying another body was cheaper than getting a CLA. 2 of them have squeeky shutters, so I bought a 3rd body that didn't.... I have a nikon N80 and I also want an F5 for a primary (for weddings)... I also have a Pentax 645, my beloved Mamiya C330 and I usually have all of them, as well as my Holga when shooting a wedding..... Sometimes I want some E6 or IR for a shot and I can't have my primary filled with either, since I shoot 90% B&W.... I use the mamiya for "detail" shots (wide angles, flowers, cake) and I use the Pentax for all the formals... 35mm for the candid stuff..... Yeah, two heavy bags, but, they are not heavier than me......

Now when I do street stuff or travel stuff, I only carry three bodies....

psvensson · Aug 17, 2005

OCD is what slackers call perfectionists.

Philippe-Georges · Aug 17, 2005

Yes, this can happen with a Leica to. 3 weeks ago on the banks of the very fine river the VIGE in France, wile changing film rolls, the shutter stoped halfway open (or close). Noting could help, no shacking, no turning the speed dail, no cocking the shutter, noting helped. Till I got home and , by coincidence I gently touched the shutter curtain thru the lens opening and, click, it worked again! In the main time I went on shooting with the other M5 I was carrying. But not on the right film. One is always loaded with APX 100 and the other with Tri-X or APX 400. After what happened I did not tempted to change the film roll (from Tri-X into APX 100) on the river bank.
Yes, "..het kan verkeren.." said Bredero, the famous Dutch writer.
Good luck,
Philippe

Bighead · Aug 17, 2005

Reminds me of the near death experience during my first wedding (shooting, not actual marriage).. My partner, with only one body, sprayed canned air on her shutter and knocked it loose.... I don't know what she did but she fouled it up pretty good.... We managed to get it fixed the next morning, an hour before the wedding but it was a close call.... Always have a back up, and a back up for the back up.

mikewhi · Aug 17, 2005

I put a Canon F1 on top of my car, got in and drove off. I noticed something small and balck going down the asphalt road in my rear view mirror. I turned around and went back and picked it up. The light meter stopped working, but everything else on the camera worked fine. I had it for over 3 more years until someone in Philadelphia stole it from me.

Buy a Canon F1 (the old one) - when it breaks, it will still work.

-Mike

Woolliscroft · Aug 17, 2005

OCD to me = Oxford Classical Dictionary. Ho hum.

Between us, my wife and I have 7 Olympus OM bodies. They all get used. We actually had five out today. One is on the copying stand and this afternoon we were on a site where I was using B&W, slide and col neg film, one in each body and she was doing macro work with another. Sad huh.

David.

Donald Qualls · Aug 17, 2005

Having two bodies doesn't always help. Neither one of my Ricoh Singlex II bodies works; one has a screw loose (literally, it fell out after jamming in the advance gears) and fires on advance instead of when the release is pressed; the other has a very, very slow first blade and will only actually open the shutter after a bit over 1 second in B.

Someday, I'll open them up and fix 'em; I could buy two more (without knowing they'd work) for what it'd cost to get one fixed professionally. Meantime, my Spotmatic (same lens mount) keeps plugging away; the meter recently died, but the all-mechanical body is just fine, despite 24 years (that I've had it, plus up to 14 before that) without servicing...

benjiboy · Aug 17, 2005

A very wise man Bob, and probably a very tired one,when I did weddings I took three Mamiya bodys, two Metz flashguns, two lightmeters and five lenses you want to get yourself an assistant to carry the gear, or a truss !! I understand there are more instances of back trouble in photographers than any other profession.

gordrob · Aug 17, 2005

I normally have two F1 Ns with me when I am out shooting and sometimes a third if I am a long way from home. All have motor drives as well so they are a bit heavy by the end of the day. For MF I have a Mamiya Press with three backs so I can change between film types whenever the need arises.

Gord

Ara Ghajanian · Aug 18, 2005

Woolliscroft said:
OCD to me = Oxford Classical Dictionary. Ho hum.

Between us, my wife and I have 7 Olympus OM bodies. They all get used. We actually had five out today. One is on the copying stand and this afternoon we were on a site where I was using B&W, slide and col neg film, one in each body and she was doing macro work with another. Sad huh.

David.

David,
Actually, that's not sad. If anything it's kinda sweet that you and your wife share a love for OM's.
Ara

modafoto · Aug 18, 2005

You are absolutely ok! I am about to buy another EOS body as a spare (They sell very cheap now).

Try calling me OCD now!

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