The advice is everywhere. Forum posts, photography groups, equipment discussions. "You need a backup body." It's presented as non-negotiable, the line between amateur and professional. But is it really?
The concern is legitimate. If your camera fails mid-shoot, you're screwed. For a wedding photographer during vows, that's catastrophic. For a travel photographer on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, it's painful. The question isn't whether camera failures happen. They do. The question is whether owning and carrying a second body is the right solution for you and your work.
