You have probably seen some professional photographers using two cameras simultaneously and you may have wondered why. Obviously doing this means carrying a significant weight, little as the cameras they use weigh; but if they do it is for something. We’ll see in which situations and for which genders it is advisable to wear two camera bodies, plus some advice for better use.
The reasons for wearing them can be varied, but there are two main ones. The first something anyone can understand: in case one fails of the cameras. This does not happen often but no one is free from it. The other fundamental is to being able to quickly switch from one target to another while taking photos in some type of event where speed is essential. There may also be other reasons, but let’s see them in more detail:
In case the camera fails
The cameras do not usually break down (if we do a good maintenance) but just in case it is very good idea to bring a second back body in case the principal left us stranded. Something that is recommended for many but practically mandatory in genres such as weddings, sports or concert photography.
Because, let’s imagine that we are doing a wedding session with a single camera that, for whatever reason, stops working … then what is the use of having planned the event days before, being loaded with batteries and spare memory cards if the camera fails us and stops taking pictures?
It is easy to understand that we are going to need a second body yes or yes, although let’s carry it in the backpack and we do not get to use it. In this way, by the way, we can partially alleviate the weight problem of carrying two bodies … Another thing is that we want to take advantage of it to set up different objectives, in which case we will be in the next section.
To carry different optics
In certain disciplines, such as concerts or sports photography, photographers often use two bodies to deal with situations where they need to have a wide coverage of focal lengths very quickly. Mounting different lenses on each camera body is the best way to make sure you don’t miss a snapshot, much faster (and quieter) than having to change lenses in the same camera.
Normally what they do is take an angle lens or a standard zoom lens on one camera, and a telephoto lens on the other, so that they have a wide spectrum of focal lengths covered. In the Adorama TV video above, concert photographer David Bergman recounts his experience and how he often matches the lenses he uses.
The usual practice is to use a standard zoom lens starting from about 24mm and reaching between 70 and 100 mm; this would be combined with a telephoto zoom that can go from 70 mm to 200-400. Normally these optics tend to be relatively fast (usually ƒ2.8), leaving off-road zooms that tend to be very dim and give less quality.
Still, David acknowledges that with newer cameras you no longer need to always shoot at full aperture, so you can use ƒ5.6 aperture lenses. He also gives a little trick: when changing cameras he makes sure to turn it off so that the settings do not move. In any case, with the combination of two cameras with these commented lenses can be done general shots to show the audience, and simply changing the camera go to do Close-ups of the musicians.
To wear this equipment and avoid back pain, use a harness like this one, which is made of leather and has a fairly high price (it can be purchased on their website for more than 200 dollars). Of course there are other options, from the BlackRapid harnesses that are quite popular (and they are not cheap either), to very inexpensive options like this one from Amazon.
Other reasons
Interestingly, years ago (in the analog age) one of the main reasons for wearing two bodies was to have film of different sensitivity in each one of them. Something surpassed in these digital times but that can be applied in some way: and that is what to wear two different camera types for different purposes (for example one mainly for photo and another for video) can be another good reason to duplicate the equipment.
Finally, by not changing the lenses so much, we will be preserving the sensor from dust and dirt; In this sense also if we carry two camera bodies and use them in a more or less equivalent way, we will be making less use of them (spending less the shutter) and, therefore, taking care of them more.
What do you think? Do you think using two camera bodies is for professionals only or can it also be recommended for amateurs? Do you know any trick so that carrying two bodies is not so heavy?