if you had to choose xti or 20d for wedding backup

[candice]

I need a back up camera if you had to choose would you get a 20d or xti as a

backup camera? and why thank you

[eminavn]

xti

[picturesque]

20D because I know how to use one. What is your main camera?

[geoffs1]

"20D because I know how to use one" - ditto!

[conraderb]

don't have a backup body. have a second body and shoot with it.

 

reasons are many:

 

1) it looks cool.

 

2) you never need to worry about a backup.

 

3) you can have two lenses available at all times, giving you more variety and less time switching lenses.

 

4) if you ever run out of battery juice or memory space in the middle of a shoot and you have five seconds to switch, you take the battery or card from one and put it in the other. looks super cool; very ninja like. people who watch may fall into a trace...

 

 

I would say that your second body should be the same as your primary body. it takes a while to adapt from one to the other.

 

I was shooting with my trusty 20D bodies a few weeks ago and I borrowed a friend's 1d Mark 2 for fun - needless to say I did NOT enjoy using it because I had to switch back and forth. the same would have happened if I mixed an Xti with a 20D.

 

get two bodies. looks awesome, lets you sleep better at night and makes your photography better. a bit more weight to carry around, but worth it.

 

conrad

[bdp]

20D because I already own and know how to use it.

 

Interesting I couldn't just reply with just 20D as the answer

[phoneguy]

If you make your living with it, and already have the 1dMkII, why not upgrade to a IIn, or III,

and use your markII as a backup?

 

I use the Mark IIn, w/ a 20D, & XTi. I'll probably sell the XTi, and pick up another IIn if the

price comes down a little, if not, I'll go for a 5D.

[yves_jalbert]

Mainly as a backup camera? I'd choose the XTi for the 10MP instead of 8.2MP. Weddings often require you to provide large prints and second, it's small. If your main camera is a higher end body and you have a couple of L lenses the XTi will be appreciated for being small and light. But it still could save the day if a problem happens with your main body.

[conraderb]

I think that the difference in megapixels is very very slight.

 

the difference in megapixels between 10 and 8 sounds like 25%, right? but if you consider that megapixels is a function of AREA, that means that we are talking about a roughly 14% larger print.

 

that is, a 10x10 print at 8.2 megapixels is roughly the same resolution as a 11.5x11.5 inch print at 10.

 

but do you think that anyone will see a huge difference between a 10x10 inch and a 11.5 x 11.5 inch print, both at 8.2 megapixels? nope.

 

now, if we were talking double megapixels, THAT would be something, but I think that an extra 25%, which is around 15% difference in one dimension, is not a big deal and shouldn't be a factor.

[William Michael]

Interesting short, sharp, and non-detailed question from one who seems most experienced:

 

My Answer: 20D

 

My Why? Not in order of priority:

 

familiarity and experience with it;

 

physical size;

 

mass (170gms heavier);

 

20D `extras` already in the kit;

 

self cleaning system of xti (400D) is ??? to me;

 

10.1 vs 8.2MP is not great consideration for Weddings, we still use 645 and 5x4;

 

larger monitor of xti is a thought, but not enough to sway the decision;

 

5fps vs 3fps is critical for our assistants to capture the keeper candid, sometimes;

 

DiG!C II is not enough to sway, although has some nice features;

 

we do use ISO `H`.

 

The only consideration that gets me a serious look at the xti, is the RAW burst rate, being about 80 percent more, That is a consideration, for me but not enough to sway against the 20D.

 

For you? I don?t know.

 

Regards

 

WW

[david_grenier]

Whatever you shoot with as your main camera. You'll probably never need your backup camera, but don't you owe it to yourself and to your clients to know that if you ever do, it'll be as good as your main body?

[William Michael]

` but don't you owe it to yourself and to your clients to know that if you ever do, it'll be as good as your main body? `

 

Interesting point.

 

To explore we need to define (or understand) what `back up` means, and what `as good as` means.

 

I have a `back up` camera: but our wedding `kit` has two 35mm bodies and two 645 bodies (i.e. plus a `back up` camera).

 

If BOTH 35mm bodies crashed, then we have the back up: we have used the back up, but both 35mm bodies have never failed.

 

As good as to me means to provide the customer with an output to our standard, that we can do with the back up and lenses alone: it just means more work for us.

 

WW

[ni_gentry]

The answer to this heavily depends on what the main camera is (which is not mentioned).

<p>

But given the little info, I'd pick the 20D. Same battery and similar controls to what I would

use as a main camera. Also better build quality and larger viewfinder.

[phoneguy]

Based on her portfolio information, the main camera seems to be the 1D MarkII

[richard_shortland]

Went through a similar process myself recently - I'm gearing up the wedding side of the business using a 1DS II as the main camera so have just picked up a lightly used 1D II - same controls, handling, and can even copy over personal settings from one to another on the CF.

It made perfect sense to me and as mentionned above, I plan to use the two together - obviously one is 1.3 crop and one full frame so there's going to be some thought required on lens choice.

Rich

[greg_avalos]

I am surprised no person mentioned design. This is the obvious reason that I would choose the 20D over the XTI. The 20D is designed to be pro friendly. The xti has buttons that need to be used to chimp around and the 20d's better ergo design makes the decision a lot easier, Plan on missing shots with the xti.