Bear2 Loc: Southeast,, MI

I also have a 7200, and use my 7000, not as back up but with a different lens. Plus I still use my older D5000 with my Nikkor 50mm f1.4. With the rear screen down it is great for street photography, as you can keep the camera by your hip, see what you want to shoot without anyone knowing you just took their picture.

Duane

Bazbo Loc: Lisboa, Portugal

My former primary becomes my back up when I upgrade. The former back-up is given away. You might check out a 7100.

aellman Loc: Boston MA

The disadvantage is cost. My backup Sony does everything I need, but is not as advanced a model as my primary.
When you have to go to your backup, you're just so happy you have it, you don't mind that it's 16mpx and not 24.
Even if you're shooting with both, is the difference in quality anything you or I would see? Not unless we blew up
an image to the size of Cleveland (or maybe a small town).

Bob Locher Loc: Southwest Oregon

My wife (of many years) and I recently took a spendy Alaskan cruise, and photography was an important element of the trip for me. So I was very happy to be able to take a back-up camera back with me. Glad to say I did not need it.

There are obvious benefits to having an identical body as back-up. A more subtle advantage is that buying the second back "used" is a lot more practical and obviously cheaper. There are several reasons for this. For one, you already know the camera pretty well, so you can check it out a lot more effectively before money changes hands. Once you have purchased it, it should become your primary camera at least for a a few weeks to make absolutely sure all is well. (This would equally be true if you bought the back-up body new.)

Also, having the back-up camera encourages you to engage in riskier photography, where, for example, getting it wet or perhaps stolen is less of a fear because you have the back-up.

I bought my second back off Craig's List about six months ago. I met the lady offering it at a local Fourbucks. I had an SD card and a laptop with me. (She did not bring an SD card so that was provident.) After a physical examination, I fired off a couple shots, downloaded them to the lap top, looked at the images and handed her the money. I saved a couple hundred bucks from new, and have been entirely pleased with the transaction ever since. And having a back-up means I take a camera with me a lot more than I did before having back-up.

So - bottom line - I believe having an identical body as back-up is very sensible indeed.

The adventure continues!

Cheers

phlash46 Loc: Westchester County, New York

OviedoPhotos

I am not a pro, but my BU camera matches my main one. Even the settings. Sure it costs more that way, but the way Nikon moves buttons and there functions around it was an easier choice.

11bravo

S*it happens. A backup camera for me is like fire insurance; you hope you never need it, but you'll be glad you have it if you ever do.
1) Currently in China in a "small" (couple of million people) town, bit off the beaten track, for a friend's daughter's wedding. Not saying this is a "one of", but...
2) Last year, climbed a steep bluff, 7 Chinese students latched onto me, first foreigner they'd ever talked to. One of them gave me a keychain as a momento. Certainly wanted photos of that.
3) Decades ago, backpacked through Syria. Have some wonderful photos of Palmyra. Think that's possible today? How about a visit to Sudan traveling from Khartoum to Wadi Hafa, then across lake Nassar to Aswan?

Point is, for me, strictly amateur, personal photos, once I consider airfare, and more importantly, TIME, cost of a backup camera is secondary. I know I have a finite number of travel years left, and want some photos to jog my memory when I'm no longer able to get out and about. Truth is, in 40 plus years, I've never needed my backup, but have come close a couple of times. And it seems those times are becoming more frequent as I age.

tboro

traderjohn: you’re absolutely correct. I do not need a backup. Probably an ego thing or doesn’t everyone have one? When I go out for a shoot or travel, I’ve never carried more than one camera. If it fails, or more likely I break it, I can have another within three days max. No nervous breakdown in that period of time without a camera. When I purchased the 7200 several cameras were considered. Being honest with myself when making decision, the 7200 had all the features I needed (and probably more than I will ever use). All that being said, I will probably order another 7200 within the next few days.
GAS is a serious mental disorder!!!

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I use a pair of Canon 7D Mark II for much of what I shoot. A full frame 5D-series I use at other times is nearly identical in control layout, size and weight, batteries, memory cards, chargers, etc... so is pretty is to switch to.

But when I'm shooting sports/action and rapidly switching between them, I prefer they be identical cameras (with two different lenses mounted)... makes for fewer mistakes.

Those really aren't backup cameras, though they serve that purpose too. (I still have a pair of original 7D I used for five years, that serve as further backup.)

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

If you can't stop yourself from buying, at least force yourself to use. Configure both identically. If you don't have reasons to shoot with both (example wide lens on one body and a long on the other at a youth sport event), at least identify them and switch bodies every other month, 6th months, etc. From experience of using both at once, be sure you've updated the file name prefix so each body produces uniquely named files. That way, you can dump all the images from both bodies from the same shooting date into a common folder without conflicting on files names. Don't put the money, figuratively, into an envelope to sit on the shelf and gather dust.

jackpinoh Loc: Kettering, OH 45419

I agree--another D7200 makes a lot of sense. Most pros also backup with the same camera model. Same controls in the same place (so no confusion when using the backup), same batteries, same lenses. And the D7200 is a great camera at a reasonable price. Also consider that you can mount a different lens on each camera so that you don't have to change lenses if you quickly need a different option. Some pros carry two or three cameras this way.

InfiniteISO Loc: The Carolinas, USA

I don't think you have to have an exact duplicate, but since the 7200 will focus old AF lenses, if you have any you might want to consider a body that also does that. That said, since your 7200 is not on the bleeding edge of Nikon technology, it might be possible to find a used 7200 for a decent price.

I have a 7000 and a 90, both with internal focus motors. Since the 7000 was the direct successor in the mid-range Nikon DSLR line, many of the control locations and menus are similar. If it wasn't for having a battery grip on the 7000, it would be hard for me to know which one I'm holding.

photogeneralist Loc: Lopez Island Washington State

When my Sony A77II was being serviced, I felt camera deprived, so I bought a used A77 body (which uses all the same lenses , has the same megapixels etc. My thought at the time was that my wife could/would use the A77 body while I was shooting with the A77II. (Turns out she prefers her cell phone camera so I ended up with the two camera bodies) All the most often used shooting controls are in the same place on both bodies so there is very little confusion between bodies. The, less frequentlly used, menus are different though. Although I use them interchangeably most of the time, I use the A77 when I want to have the gps location recorded in the exif. The Eye level EVF of the A 77II was an improvement from the A77 in overall clarity and detail although the actual photographs are, as far as I can tell, virtually identical.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

I use and carry two cameras. Though they are backups for each other, they are polar opposites and not even close to the same camera. I use a Canon 1Dx and Canon 5Ds. Kinda like owning a pickup truck and a sports car. Not much point in just having two pickup trucks. I don’t intend to need a backup. For non-pros, a backup is just throwing money away. Instead of winding up with one outdated and useless camera you wind up with two!
I only recommend a backup if you shoot professionally.
You would only need two the same if you can’t figure out how to operate two different cameras?! Good luck
SS

Designdweeb Loc: Metro NYC & East Stroudsburg, PA

Stuff happens, and more importantly, frequent lens changes invite dirt