I purchased my first 1Ds Mark 2 when they were first introduced. Since then, I have clicked the shutter about 10,000 times. Ten days before a photo trip to Europe, the shutter failed to operate properly. Canon could not promise me that they could fix the problem and return the camera before I left on my trip. So, I went online and had a new 1Ds Mark 2 overnighted to me for the trip. The broken shutter was replaced under warranty by Canon USA in California. It was returned to me last week. Now I have two of these cameras.

Are these cameras so temperamental that I should keep a spare one? Is the market strong enough to recoup some of the $7,000 spent on the new one?

It's always useful to have a backup, especially for important shoots or trips. (See Michael's recent article detailing how the one lens that he brought for use with his new P45 back fell apart!)

The question is: do you need another 1Ds II as a backup? Or will a less expensive alternative do? Only you can answer that one ...

Eric

Keep it or sell it to me cheap!

Kidding aside I always have a backup available. I was caught in a tropical rainstorm in Malaysia in 2002 and despite precautions lost both cameras for a period of about 6 hours and one didn't work for a couple of days until I got back to my hotel room with air conditioning that could dry it out adequately. This was in the film days.

One lens had water droplets in it and was out of commission... the other was not seriously damaged but was significantly fogged for a day or so.

At the end of the day... I lost about 6 hours of shooting time and had other lenses I could rely on. I did have a 3rd body packed in my clothing baggage that I used for period of time that still allowed me to shoot with 2 bodies.

You just never know.

Kelly

I bought a second 1DSII a few months back and it's made life much easier!
Having a couple lenses ready to go saves a lot of stuffing around plus the added safety of a spare body gives peace of mind.

Keep it.

Most NYC working photographers I know do not have a back-up 1Ds. The Digital Techs I work with insist they are rarely, if ever, needed. I'm told the breakdown rate cannot be compared to a film camera. Plus, many job budgets will not accommodate the cost of having a spare handy. Yet, stuff can happen.

We're lucky here, a spare 1Ds is only a phone call to a rental house away in the event of an emergency.

Your predicament is a special case. Only a Tulsa, Oklahoma photographer can determine individual need for a back-up. $7,000 can buy many useful things. I'd rather have a good insurance policy than watch a $7,000 investment collect dust on some shelf, waiting for that statistical rare moment.

I always have two bodies going at the same time each with a different lens. This increases my chances of capturing that image that I want when it appears at that "statistical rare moment". Then if one body goes I still have the second to keep shooting and if necessary change lenses.

Kelly

Insurance experts have a sayng, "If it can happen, it will".

While arranging a shot at a recent wedding I turned around and saw a small child tryng to push my 1Ds2 off a table. If he had succeeded and wrecked the camera I would have carried on shooting with my 1Ds.

What exactly would you say to a Bride & Groom when your single camera fails at the start of a wedding? "Don't worry I have a good insurance policy"? You probably will need a good lawyer too.

Pro photographers should plan and be prepared for equipment failure. That is a major and often unseen difference that separates the pros from the amateurs.
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Ironic - my 1Dsmk2 had the shutter die with about 11K actuations about 10 days before a trip this last January.

I ended up purchasing a 5D as a backup and have been happy with it.

With the likely release of a 1Dsmk2 successor this Fall, your camera's value will likely lose its value more quickly than if the new version were not being released.

If a 1Dmk2N or 5D could adquately serve as a backup this route might make better financial sense.

Or if you don't regularly need a backup (for example paid work, weddings, etc) and will have access to cities/stores another option is to not have a backup, but just rent one when needed, or buy one and then sell it used when the primary is repaired.

As others have said, if you *need* to get the shot than you need a backup, but if having a replacement camera tomorrow is an option, than you might go with one of the other routes above.

Good point from Steve, a 5D would make an admirable backup, you wouldn't have to worry about your lenses acting differently and the file quality will be as good albeit with slightly less resolution.

I think this is an astute observation -- at that point in time, you could get the "new" camera and will have your 1Ds2 as back-up...
Which BTW is what I plan to do, recently having sold off my 1D2 and 5D for that reason. (A 20D is my current back-up).

FWIW, one consideration for my keeping the 1Ds2 over the others was battery life -- I get around 2500 clicks on a single charge and find this a huge bennefit when traveling or in the field for extended periods.

My .02 only,