Camera Straps

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with my neck strap. I have a black rapid sling strap for walking/hiking with my camera and that is great. But I typically don't use the sling just around the house or when taking pictures on short car stops. So for those times I like using the canon neck strap (I'd actually prefer no strap, but often I need to have both hands free on a moments notice...one of the hazards of small children :)). Problem is that the canon neck strap is a pain to remove quickly or easily. I've been looking for some sort of quick connect system for the neck strap and came across the peak design anchor links: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...onnection.html. Anyone familiar with these? Looks like a reasonable solution to my problem, but I wanted to hear if anyone had any issues. I'd be concerned whether they are secure enough when connected and how big/awkward the clips are when in use.

Any other suggestions are welcome as well!

Stephen

I use a Spider Pro Holster with their Arca clamp, and I find that to be a great solution for easy, strapless (well, I do have a hand strap) camera access combined with toddler-grabbing capability.

Thanks Neuro. I just took a look at the Spider Holster and it looks like a good product. Only issue I see with it is that I would have to be wearing the belt/holster. Is that correct or is there another way that works? Having to wear the belt makes it a little tougher for when I'm just grabbing the camera around the house for a few shots.

Yes, needs a belt. I use a Lowepro rather than the Spider belt. Agree that it's a bit much around the house, for that use I personally just hold it with the hand strap and set it down if I need to (on a table, on the lawn, whatever...I'm not one to baby my gear, certainly not if I need to grab a kid!).

Yeah, using without a strap and setting down the camera when necessary is generally what I do now. Maybe a handstrap would make it a bit easier though... The other day I found myself trying to take some shots of birds using a 5dIII and 100-400IS II while holding my 2month old daughter...not a simple task!

Don't know how it'd work for EVERY different strap type out there, but around the time that my wife and I "went BlackRapid", I essentially "committed" to using straps via clamps and existing Arca-Swiss plates. In the beginning, I bought six B2-FABN clamps, and committed four to BlackRapid use by loctiting the BR Fasten'R into the clamps (so I'd know they'll "never" come unscrewed). The other two clamps got attached to classic neck straps...for us, these NEVER got used and they ended up being repurposed as more BR clamps (we each have a single and a double BR, so six was a happy number for us).

Thanks Peety. Just to clarify, wouldn't that have the camera hanging upside down around your neck? I do have a clamp semi-permanently attached to my BR strap and arca-swiss plate on my camera, so this is an option. I just think that with the neck strap attached to the bottom arca-swiss plate of the camera it would annoy me with the camera always hanging upside down...

I use this: Tamrac Camera Strap

B&H has another version: Tamrac Neoprene Camera Strap

It is comfortable on the neck, and can be removed quickly. When disconnected, there is just the short ends left hanging (which never bothered me). The stretchy neoprene adds a nice shock absorbing quality to it.

Otherwise, I use the BR strap and hang it upside down if I need to walk a lot.

The canon straps belong in the Tower of London Museum of medieval torture devises.

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Originally Posted by NFLD Stephen

Thanks Peety. Just to clarify, wouldn't that have the camera hanging upside down around your neck? I do have a clamp semi-permanently attached to my BR strap and arca-swiss plate on my camera, so this is an option. I just think that with the neck strap attached to the bottom arca-swiss plate of the camera it would annoy me with the camera always hanging upside down...

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We use L-plates on most of our cameras, so it could mean that the camera is hanging "right side down".

you might check out peak design. I have one of their beta models - uses an arca plate, slides into a gizmo that goes on your belt, bag strap, etc.. I used it on a small bag strap to carry the camera, and put the 70-200 etc in the small bag. Not quite drop and baby grab fast if it is on your belt. I tried the spider but oof the ball nub was a PITA - I think they updated the design since then.

Peak also has a strap that is easy on/off. I have a BR and use the arca clamp for all my strap needs currenlty

Thanks everyone.

Pat: Looks like a reasonable strap. Is it just connected by quick-release buckles? Have they held up well to the weight of a pro camera kit? I agree with your opinion of the canon straps being torture, but they serve a purpose for very short term use. For anything longer I swear by my black rapid.

Peety: Sure, I actually think right-side down would be preferable to upside down.

Mike: The strap (and easy off connectors) is actually what started me looking into this. How did you find the Peak Design products? I almost bought one of their plate connectors (not sure what they are called) with the intention of attaching it to a backpack strap for quick access to the camera when hiking, but decided against it since the black rapid works OK with a backpack as long as you put the BR on after the pack.

Stephen

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Originally Posted by NFLD Stephen

Thanks everyone.

Pat: Looks like a reasonable strap. Is it just connected by quick-release buckles? Have they held up well to the weight of a pro camera kit? I agree with your opinion of the canon straps being torture, but they serve a purpose for very short term use. For anything longer I swear by my black rapid.

...

Stephen

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I agree with you... I also use the BR Strap most of the time, but it is nice not to have a neck strap some times just for the convenience and to keep the camera in front of you when you are squeezed in with others (including soccer, football, basketball, and hockey games).

I have had my strap for some time now. I used it for years with my 7D and have had it on my 1D X for about 2 years now and have never had a problem. The cloth attached to the neoprene has peeled back a little, but nothing that I notice when wearing it. The feel on your neck is like night and day difference when compared to the canon strap. Also, get a couple of there card holders that strap to the strap... they are quit handy.

It is connected by just the buckles. If you are nervous about that (I have been, but got over it), then there are safety tethers out there.

Pat