Educate me on backup lenses

[Megapixle]

I understand that just like bodies, lenses can fail too, but do you really have a backup for each lens? For me the cost of duplicating each lens in my lineup is out of the question. So if one lens should fail, I have a (much) cheaper backup. My lineup looks like this:

Main / Backup

30D / 400D
70-200 2.8IS / 70-300 4-5.6IS
17-55 2.8IS / 18-55 kit lens / 50 1.8
10-20 / (none)
580EX II / 420EX

So what do you do when you're in the balcony and your 70-200 2.8 dies on you? Surely you don't have duplicates of EVERYTHING? For me, I'd probably be in trouble since my 70-300 won't cut it.

~mp

[picturecrazy]

No, most do not backup their lenses. What they do is have some kind of overlap where they can get by. It might not be optimal, but they can still get by and you'll still have high quality glass.

For example, when my 17-55 went haywire, I used a combo of the 10-22 and the canon 50 1.4 instead. (I've replaced the 50mm with the much nicer sigma 30mm)

[rhys]

I have my 17-85, 28-75 and 17-35

[tim]

I take a 17-55, 50mm F1.4, 70-200, 100mm F2.8 to a wedding, I can cope with failure in any one lens but not overly easily esp if the 17-55 fails again. I should probably take the old 28-75 and 12-24 as well, just in case.

[LeesaB]

I really need to get a 50...

[jamiewexler]

I like to overlap my backups with prime lenses that I will use in other situations. For example, the backup to my 28-70 is a 28 f1.8 and 50 f1.4. I use the 50 a lot for the bridal prep, so it doesn't go to waste. The backup to my 70-200 is a 135 f2 and 85 f1.8. Again,there are situations where a wider aperture is more valuable than IS, so the lenses get use. In the car, I keep an XT with a kit lens, a 28-105 f3.5-4.5 and 50 f1.8. On a portrait gig where I want to travel light, I will just pack the primes.

Funny you mention the 70-300 IS. I am considering dumping my 135 f2 in favor of one of those. The 135 is too nice a lens to use as infrequently as I do, and the couple of times I tied to use it in a church, I still couldn't get a fast enough shutter speed to avoid handholding shake...

[Megapixle]

I like to overlap my backups with prime lenses that I will use in other situations.

I like your prime idea, that makes for good, inexpensive, quality backup.

~mp

[Ken Cravillion]

L Primes are my primary (35L and 85L). I have more L primes and a couple L zooms to back those up too (24L, 50L, 135L, 24-70 and 70-200). Though most lenses get used except the 24-70. Just don't seem to use that much anymore...

[liza]

I'll soon be adding two bodies (hopefully a 5D/30D combo, if I book enough weddings/senior portraits this fall), but for now I'm only shooting with a 20D/10D combo because I felt it was more important to concentrate on lenses and backups first. I have a 17-55IS with a 28-70L and a 50, 85, 100mm( both f/2 and macro) and 135 primes for backup. I've been borrowing a Sigma 70-200 for the time being with my own 200L for backup until I can also add the 70-20 2.8IS to my lineup (also this fall, bookings permitting). And I take the entire kit with me to weddings, although I have a nice assistant who carries all of it. I just don't like to take risks when someone is paying me to cover their wedding.

[Tish]

17-55 backup would be 12-24 + 50 1.8 (the mk 1 version)
70-200 backup would be 85 1.8 + 100 macro--I've shot an entire ceremony with the 100 (before I bought the 70-200)

It's not the ideal setup, but it could be done. I like Jamie's idea though of adding a 28 to my lineup.

I also still want a 28-135 IS & a 70-300 IS for personal, non business use--and they'd serve as backups as well.

[liza]

I want a 35L and perhaps a UWA at some point. I think the prime would have to come first, though. At this point, I'm pretty spoiled with the IQ of the lenses I have and am not really interested in 3rd party or consumer glass. I've had great luck buying used lenses, so I think I'll continue with this practice so I can better afford new acquisitions.

[Banbert]

I always shoot as part of a pair so we always have a few direct backups and also quite a lot of overlap so we can cope with most things failing without it really effecting us as a whole even if it does cause one of us problems.

Heres the lenses we take to each wedding, used on 5 x 30D

2 x 17-55 F2.8 IS (Least we will have 2 again when mines gets back from the menders)
2 x 70-200 (one F2.8 IS and the others an F4)
30mm F1.4
50mm F1.4
100mm macro (will probs add the 60mm this year)
10-22mm
8mm fisheye

Jon also takes his 17-85 with him but I think I have finally convinced him its soft and slow now so we would need to be in trouble to use that! :-)

[expressivelyjOhO]

if u check out my equipment list, my 24-70 is actually the "back up"... it's actually the lens i use the least, most weddings i don't even bring it out of the bag. i like the 35 (or 16-35) with 85 combo (i run around with 2 bodies).... so if either of those lenses fail i'll mount the 24-70.... it hasn't happened... YET. :lol: