Glass or back-up body?

I have a buyer for my 50D+grip for 550 USD. I was going to use this money to upgrade my glass or get another strobe. Do you think it's more prudent that I have a back-up body or that I get more glass/supporting bits in my kit? I do a few paid gigs a month as I'm just starting out and I've always been told 'have a back-up' so I've been wary of selling the 50D. However, since buying it I've put maybe forty clicks on the shutter after getting to know how to use it. The 1D3 has given me no grief. I'd like to get a pro's opinion.

Well, for a paid gig, it's always better to have a backup than not, especially for a one time event, like a wedding and such. Body failures has been rare for me, but all it takes is one failure at an event to destroy your reputation.
If you don't really plan to use it for paid gigs, I'd say glass before backup body, especially considering that your 1D3 is a very good camera.

I'm not a pro, but I think that if you're getting paid to shoot that you should have a backup body. Especially if you're shooting events.

KhaledA wrote in post #14214777
Well, for a paid gig, it's always better to have a backup than not, especially for a one time event, like a wedding and such. Body failures has been rare for me, but all it takes is one failure at an event to destroy your reputation.
If you don't really plan to use it for paid gigs, I'd say glass before backup body, especially considering that your 1D3 is a very good camera.

I'm on the fence and that first paragraph is what makes me question my decision.

crn3371 wrote in post #14214789
I'm not a pro, but I think that if you're getting paid to shoot that you should have a backup body. Especially if you're shooting events.

I agree but over the past several years I've never had a camera just stop working on me, during a shoot or otherwise. I usually hire my friend to assist and he uses a 550D that I could always have ready as a 'back-up'. Anyway the decision isn't easy for me. I don't know if I'd rather have a back-up or more glass, maybe a 2.8 zoom of some sort.

If you are always going to have a friend with an extra body with you, get something else. If not, get a backup if you're getting paid to do events. I wouldn't dare show up at an event with only one body. You never know what can happen.

Think of it this way, if you dont have the glass you want you cant take top notch pictures you want, but if your body goes out and you dont have a back up, you wont get any pictures.

Easy decision. Glass. For paying gigs just rent/borrow a body.

I always sweat over these decisions way too much. blah.

I want to say sell the body and buy some glass, but the first time you have a paying gig without a backup is when you will have a failure.

If it's a studio shot, or location shoot that could be rescheduled should something happen then I'd maybe roll the dice and go for glass. If you're shooting an event (especially a wedding) you've got to have some type of backup plan should something go wrong.

I'm getting some conflicting advice in this thread, kind of like what's happening in my own head...

I think I'm going to sell the 50D and invest in more glass/supporting bits. I'll use my buddy's T2i for the time being if I'm getting paid. It was my old camera so I still know my way around that thing. Will miss the 50D a lot though, just felt great in my hands, but even at events I hardly used it hence the low clicks. The biggest benefit for me was it limited my lens changes (28mm on 1D3 and 50mm on 50D) but I think I can live without this luxury.

I'd keep the 50D. Backups are important IMO.

h4ppydaze wrote in post #14215404
I'm getting some conflicting advice in this thread, kind of like what's happening in my own head...

I think I'm going to sell the 50D and invest in more glass/supporting bits. I'll use my buddy's T2i for the time being if I'm getting paid. It was my old camera so I still know my way around that thing. Will miss the 50D a lot though, just felt great in my hands, but even at events I hardly used it hence the low clicks. The biggest benefit for me was it limited my lens changes (28mm on 1D3 and 50mm on 50D) but I think I can live without this luxury.

Well, the important thing is having a backup at a paid gig, it doesn't have to be your own camera so if you can get your buddy's camera as a backup, I'd say, yeah, sell the 50D and get more glass.

if you're getting paid, have a backup body handy