Bother having a backup body for photo vacation?

samueli wrote in post #12559330
That's the statement that makes my heart palpitate and I get an instant headache.

I'm an amateur for the most part, so vacation IS photography.

So are you going to stop taking pictures until the vacation in order to avoid adding any more actuations to the shutter?

You've used roughly 10% of your shutter's rated life, and any concern about the shutter failing should be waaaaaay at the back of your mind. Any of us can tell you what we want about the chances of the shutter dying (slim-to-none, btw), but you are obviously not going to listen (and that's not to be taken condescendingly, it's just an observation from what I've read from you so far).

The advice I'd throw at you (other than not worrying about it) would be to not spend any more money than you have to to make sure you can still take pictures on your vacation if the unthinkable happens and your 50D breaks. This means you just need to pack up your old 300D and have it for piece of mind. That way, you'll be able to go on your vacation, take some photos, and relax!!

Personally I would not take a second body on vacation. There is alot more to a vacation than taking pictures. I am usually more worried about my gear getting stolen while traveling and want to make sure I have a camera sitting at home waiting for me if anything happens to my gear while on vacation.

Thanks for all the replies. It's definitely not safari and I will be near a decent city. I guess I just waited too long to get a refurbed 50D from the customer program, and would really hate to buy an "over priced something I don't really want" on the spot.

Ya, it's not a matter of glass half empty or half full with me; it's glass is empty, knocked to the floor, shards of glass in my feet and I'm bleeding to death. But I didn't realize it was so obvious.

I don't have many chances to take interesting photos and I really want to master some facet of the hobby some day, so I try to be prepared and financially responsible at the same time.

Thanks again.

Buy a 1DMK4. You'll sleep better, food will taste better and likely get more and better sex. Might even get some nice pictures too.

Just kidding, take what you have now and relax, the 300D will save the day if it needs to.

Take the 300D (don't forget to charge the batteries) and don't worry any more about it.

When's the last time you used the 300D? Perhaps the photos you take with the 50D seem so much better now, because you have improved as a photographer since you last used the 300D.

maybe bring the 300D, but really, I'd rather take a small G12, S95, or something instead. I once took 3 bodies, plus two point and shoots on a vacation...so dumb haha. Now I usually take one body and one high-end point and shoot.

My wife and I just finished shooting our first wedding with a Mamiya C330f and went on vacation in Colorado. I left my Mamiya home and only took a Yashicamat. The Yashicamat took wonderful pictures but in the colder weather the shutter locked up. Some photographers came up to Bear Lake in the evening from a convention in Denver and took some pictures of my wife and I posing. They tried to take some with the Yashicamat to no avail. They gave me some PPF 400 film to try out. I got my Yashicamat back to campsite-took a hammer to it and it worked again. I had to reroll some of the 400 film under my sleeping bag in the dark to reload the camera. Pictures turned out great. Moral of the story. I was able to get my camera going again but I was on vacation and if pictures didn't happen they didn't happen. There's other things to enjoy also! It's like a paid gig where a backup would be required.

I dropped my camera on the second day of a two week vacation and lost autofocus. I'll never travel without two bodies again.

Woodworker wrote in post #12559961
Excellent advice - the OP says he wouldn't want to use his 300D but that was my first DSLR and I can assure him it would be a decent light-weight back-up in the unlikely event of his 50D failing during his trip.

David

The 300D is about as large as the 50D, that adds quite a bit of bulk to the trip. I would almost suggest just bringing a great P&S as a backup. If the DSLR goes south, you at least can still get some great shots, and it won't take up alot of room. Just my 2c anyways.

EDIT: I agree Lowrider above... great minds think alike!

on a vacation trip, a regular body (50D or my 30D), all around lens, and a flash. for backup, a slim point-and-shoot. that's it, unless its a trip that's work-related.