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Backup Cameras
Okay. So you're shooting ruins in the Greek Islands with your bulletproof old Linhof Technika, when the triple extension English Leather bellows starts doing its legendary Dance of the Seven Veils, with too many holes and creases to possibly tape over.
You're in Paris taking a tour to Geverny tomorrow before flying home the following day, when your Haliburton Case with two Nikon F5's and all their lenses disappears from your hotel room. Fortunately, your three weeks of exposed Velvia are in untouched ziplocks.
Or you're in Gatlinburg in October, driving to Cade's Cove for the magnificant Autumn leaves, when your 12 MP Canon D5 (which arrived from B&H as you were packing to leave home, and you've already made hundreds of pictures with it driving down the Blue Ridge ), refuses to turn on. Bad battery? Bad camera? Idiot photographer? When you get back to the hotel you'll find that somehow you accidentally unplugged the charger overnight. But that's no help NOW.
My question: what do you take for backup? And what are the criteria for selecting it?
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Backup Cameras
Main backup for holidays or LF outings:
Voigtlaender R3A with Leitz Summicron 40 (Canon 100mm is in my luggage)
Decent size, outstanding optics, battery lives almost forever
Emergency backup (always in my briefcase):
Minox 35 GT
Superlight. Small, Goes everywhere. Works well. Nobody takes you serious with it :)
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Backup Cameras
This may not sit well with LF, but for nonprofessional purposes my 'backup' camera is a Zeis Ikon 530 w/Tessar lens. It is small, light, clamshell design. I've usually got the lens shade and cable release and Leitz tablepod as well.
On the regular job I have two of whatever I need with the second ready to ship. I don't do much that's far from a means of delivery. ;)
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Backup Cameras
Backup for my New F-1--an old F-1n.
Backup for my Bronica S2a--another S2a
Backup for LF--I don't usually carry one. If a shutter has problems, I'll just not use that lens, and if I do something catastrophic like break the groundglass or bellows, I'll have a new one FedEx'ed if possible or rent a camera. If I were doing something really important and couldn't wait for replacement parts, I could just bring another LF camera (like the Gowland 4x5" along with my Tech V). I'm pretty standardized on Linhof and Sinar lensboards for all of my LF cameras, except the 5x7" Press Graflex, so I've got a few different options.
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Backup Cameras
Bill,
Ideally, your back-up camera should be able to use the same lenses, film/film holders and other accesorries as your primary camera. For me personally, I have long employed a two-camera 4x5 system that has worked well for me. My primary camera (currently an ARCA-SWISS F-Line) is a full featured model with the ability to handle lenses from ultrawide to quite long. This camera is portable, but not ultralight by any means. For backpacking and really long day hikes, I prefer a lighter, more compact camera (currently a Toho FC-45X). I'm willing to trade-off ease of use and bellows limitations to save a significant amount of weight and bulk when I'm also carrying my camping gear and enough food and clothing for a multiday trip in the backcountry.
So, the "backpacking" camera makes a natural choice as a back-up for my "main" camera. It's nice, but not absolutely necessary that both cameras be able to accept the same lens boards. That makes switching back and forth between the two (one for shooting close to the vehicle, the other for long or difficult hikes where the bigger camera would be an excessive burden. On extended trips I always carry my "photographer's tool kit" full of spare parts, tools and back-up items (spare ground glass, back-up Quick/Readyload holder, etc.) in my vehicle. If my two cameras don't acept the same lens boards (either directly or with an adapter), I have a flat lens wrench and spare lens boards in the tool kit and can swap lenses back and forth if needed. Or, if I know I'm going to be doing a mix of backpacking and "road kills", I will just bring my complete ultralight backpacking kit (including a selection of ultralight lenses well matched to the Toho). It all fits in a small daypack that I can just grab and go as needed.
Time in the field is valuable. Damaged, lost or stolen equipment can ruin a trip. I learned years ago that it's almost impossible to get replacement parts/gear in most of the remote areas (and even some not-so-remote) where I like to shoot. I try to plan ahead and carry enough back-up gear, spare parts and tools that I can keep shooting if something is broken or lost. If nothing else, the knowledge that I have a contingency plan reduces the stress and worries.
Kerry
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Backup Cameras
Travel camera: Mamiya 7II. Back up camera: Leica Mini-zoom P&S. New back-up: Canon digital P&S. Convenience, compactness, and utility are my criteria. For large format, if something doesn't work or isn't right, I go home, have a glass of wine, and come back another time.
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Backup Cameras
Backup for Nikon FM2n? FG or ELW, depending on which we brought. Drawbacks? Slow sync speed (1/90, 1/125 respectively).
for Nikons? Canon AF35ML.
for 2x3 Speed Graphic? Century Graphic. Drawbacks? Can't use my longest lenses.
for Century Graphic? 2x3 Speed. Drawbacks? Can't use my shortest lenses.
for big tripod? None, but I sometimes travel with the Benbo 3/3028 as well as the big one.
for roll holder? I usually travel with at least two.
for LunaSix III? Master V.
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Backup Cameras
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Backup Cameras
Olympus PEN and a few rolls of Delta 400
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Backup Cameras