We used a pump-probe technique to measure the transient change of optical reflectivity of both La2-xSrxCuO4, of various dopings, and slightly underdoped YBa2Cu3O7-x and NdBa2Cu3O7-x thin films. For the La2-xSrxCuO4 films, our data demonstrate the coexistence, in the superconducting state, of two coupled subsystems with different relaxation times and different contributions to the optical reflectivity. One subsystem is associated with the superconducting phase. By contrast. the data from YBa2Cu3O7-x, and NdBa2Cu3O7-x shows that the coupling between the two subsystems is weak or absent.