Back up camera gear? Is it necessary?

[feppe]

Nah, I think it's on-topic. Always good to know about backup lenses, too! (Or limitations of the backup bodies.)

I think the APS-C bodies that have 10MP+ (maybe even 8MP+) just show too many flaws on glass, even great zooms. Primes and stellar lenses are the only ones that look good. Tokina 12-24 and Nikkor 80-200 are gorgeous on my D200, while most other zooms, even $1-2K lenses from Nikon, Tamron and Tokina, are not. I had also added more primes to my bag in recent years. If nothing else, primes tend to be cheaper! (With Nikon, huge number of lenses to pick from, too.)

On the 5D, the 24-105 is a nice lens. Not much different from my Tamron being excellent on the D3/D3s vs the D200.

So you're not alone in these observations.  

Carry a backup flash, too! I never thought about a backup hotshoe flash until it was too late, lesson learned the hard way. I didn't even own a backup until that incident. Oops.

Doesn't that go against the conventional wisdom that putting a FF lens on an APS-C camera would yield gains in IQ since the crop factor means you'll be using the center of the image circle, ie. sweet spot? Are you saying that this is not enough to overcome the extreme challenge of high pixel density of 10+ MP APS-C cameras? I haven't seen any such comparisons, but it's plausible.

So we've not only hijacked the thread, but locked it away

[sbay]

Since 2001, I've had only two camera related failures: (1) aperture stuck wide open on a 70-200 f/2.8 lens and (2) a lens stuck halfway mounted on a 5d II.

[kpmedia]

Doesn't that go against the conventional wisdom that putting a FF lens on an APS-C camera would yield gains in IQ since the crop factor means you'll be using the center of the image circle, ie. sweet spot? Are you saying that this is not enough to overcome the extreme challenge of high pixel density of 10+ MP APS-C cameras? I haven't seen any such comparisons, but it's plausible.
So we've not only hijacked the thread, but locked it away

I run into this a lot with video too -- it's theory vs practice.  

Yes, it goes against the dogma.
But it's hard to argue with fuzzy/soft/noisy images that have causes isolated to the lens itself.

Running around with both a FF and crop sensor, I have to always be sure I have the "good lenses" for those bodies, when putting together a backup bag. Sometimes that means cutting corners and crossing fingers, when there are limitations on weight or bulk that can be carried.

Shooting sports, I've been caught in bad places and mowed over a few times in my days. 

[Frodo]

Doesn't that go against the conventional wisdom that putting a FF lens on an APS-C camera would yield gains in IQ since the crop factor means you'll be using the center of the image circle, ie. sweet spot? Are you saying that this is not enough to overcome the extreme challenge of high pixel density of 10+ MP APS-C cameras? I haven't seen any such comparisons, but it's plausible.

So we've not only hijacked the thread, but locked it away

I don't mind the hijacking, because this is my main reason against getting a backup body.  I've had the 28-135 since my EOS 50 film camera and was happy.  I was happy with the lens on my 300D and 20D.  I've been very disappointed with it on my 5D.  At this corporate event (which went fine by the way, nothing failed - touch wood!), I got superb images with my 70-200/4, mostly shot wide open on a monopod at all focal lengths.  Those with the 28-135 were simply not in the same ball park.  Images at 100mm and longer are generally soft; shorter focal lengths are tolerable in the centre of the frame when stopped down.  My 20-35/3.5-4.5 is significantly sharper where they overlap and of course my 50mm is way sharper.  The only reason I use the 28-135 is where I need the flexibility of the zoom range.  A good 24-105 would get a lot of use.

But it has become clear to me (thanks to this feedback) that a back-up body is essential once I take on serious clients.

And then there is a new computer, because I'm tired of waiting for Lightroom 3.2 to process my images....

[DaveL]

You've been lucky!
Gear failure--I was doing a commercial shoot with my gear including a Metz 60CT-1, a year old at the time.
Subject said, "is that thing old enough to smoke?"
The Printed Circuit Board had just failed the smoke test (let the smoke out. darn!)
I recovered fine; finished the shoot. But I couldn't use the Metz.
Fuji was the distributor. They fixed it even though I was a few moments past warranty. Bless them.

DaveL

[KevinA]

3 shutter failures on 2 1Ds's and a number of trips back to Canon to get them to focus, bent the pins once on the CF card reader in the camera, no idea how.
Mother board went on a Kodak SLR/n.
So yes they go wrong, I would never go on a job without at least one backup. I also have a card that has turned itself into a read only for some reason.

Kevin.

[pegelli]

I'm in the same boat as the OP, allways shot for pleasure on non-critical missions and never had a camera/lens/card failure yet (inverse Murphy's law, everything goes right if it doesn't matter)

When shooting professionally I would look at the risk in terms of probability and concequence. No matter how low the probability is, if you can't live with the concequence you need to take action, i.e. make sure you've got back-up camera/lens/light.

[Dick Roadnight]

I'm in the same boat as the OP, allways shot for pleasure on non-critical missions and never had a camera/lens/card failure yet (inverse Murphy's law, everything goes right if it doesn't matter)

When shooting professionally I would look at the risk in terms of probability and concequence. No matter how low the probability is, if you can't live with the concequence you need to take action, i.e. make sure you've got back-up camera/lens/light.

The question is: what is adequate back-up?

If you are being paid £2k/day for 60Mpx pix, is the customer going to be happy with a 24Mpx back-up system? ...or do you need a MFD back up system?

[pegelli]

The question is: what is adequate back-up?

If you are being paid £2k/day for 60Mpx pix, is the customer going to be happy with a 24Mpx back-up system? ...or do you need a MFD back up system?

Depends on the agreement with the customer. If you promised him a "picture" it might do. If you promised him a "60 MPix file" it will probably not do. Reinforces the need for a good agreement on a professional assignment.

[Dick Roadnight]

Depends on the agreement with the customer. If you promised him a "picture" it might do. If you promised him a "60 MPix file" it will probably not do. Reinforces the need for a good agreement on a professional assignment.

Do customers assume:
¿nothing will go wrong?
¿you have spares of everything?

For static work, you could stitch 2 39Mpx pics taken with a back-up CF39 and call it an adequate replacement for H4D-60?

[kpmedia]

I often wish it was two-way, and shoots came with backup models. 

[Dick Roadnight]

I often wish it was two-way, and shoots came with backup models. 

¿Doesn't the photographer still get paid if the model breaks down?
¿Are models more reliable than cameras?

[kpmedia]

¿Doesn't the photographer still get paid if the model breaks down?

Not for TFP/TFCD. Or if it's a workshop and YOU paid to go!

¿Are models more reliable than cameras?

No.

[Frodo]

If you are being paid £2k/day for 60Mpx pix, is the customer going to be happy with a 24Mpx back-up system? ...or do you need a MFD back up system?

This is the issue - once I get paid serious money, I need to maintain a reputation for quality and reliability.  And for both I need a back-up equivalent to the prime camera.  But once I get paid serious money I won't have to penny-pinch.  The corporate event went flawlessly and I saved the company $4000 the photographer quoted.  But I can see how the images shot with the 70-200 are superior to those from the 28-135.  So my next step will be a 24-105.  Then...

[gdwhalen]

When I was shooting Leica R gear I had TWO R 8's fail in Alaska.  Then on another trip to Ireland one of my R8's failed on the second shot there.  I had a ton of issues with the R camera.  Lenses great.  Camera - not so much.

[Kirk Gittings]

Murphy's Law. I've been shooting digital professionally for 3+ years. I have always carried a backup but never needed one......the minute I quite carrying a backup........what do you think will happen?