shoulder strap

[kmclark]

What is your preferred shoulder strap. I am looking to replace my OEM Nikon strap with a more comfortable strap. I was looking at the pro-sling and the Ultra-Fit both from Joby along with the Rapid-Fire Strap. I looked at the Joby models but not really sure of the difference between them. I looked at those as I found them when I was looking at their Gorillapods. I also was looking at the Rapid-Fire as it looks like I can add extra battery and cards to the strap for longer days.

Does anybody have any insight on these or prefer something else that I haven't looked at?

 

[k5jm]

I use a blackrapid strap.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...d_rs16sc1o_bl_63_cross_shot_sling_camera.html

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Blackrapid strap.

 

[Skywise]

Thirded on the BR!

 

[Groucho]

I have two BlackRapid straps (long story) but definitely recommend the Op/Tech Utility Strap instead.

http://optechusa.com/utility-strap-sling.html

It's half the price (or less), it has the usual Op/Tech "stretch", it doesn't slip and slide on your shoulder like the BlackRapid, it has a quick-release (quicker/easier than the little carabiner on the BlackRapid), and most importantly, it connects to one of the strap lugs on the side of the camera rather than the tripod socket, so the socket is free to actually attach it to a tripod. If you have other Op/Tech straps, you can pretty easily go between the sling strap and the traditional neck strap, thanks to their standard quick-release buckles.

Both straps suffer from occasionally being awkward when shooting in portrait mode. The BlackRapid attachment can travel slightly easier depending on your strap - my two straps each have the main camera clip threaded slightly differently, and I don't think you can rethread them yourself. One moves very easily, one is not so smooth.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I have two older Black Rapid RS-4's and a new double strap that I just started wearing. I almost always carry two cameras, so before, using some Coupler straps, I made a two camera rig out of the singles. Like Groucho stated the older Black Rapids had a tendency to move around, however the new ones don't move around as much. I am a diehard fan of the Black Rapid straps and equipment. They are a little pricier than the rest, but for me its worth it. They have a modular pocket system that mounts on the straps to allow the photographer to customize the strap. They also have tethers and locking devices you can add to further secure your camera. As Groucho stated, it does use the tripod mounting screw port. I have never really had a problem adapting. Besides, one of my cameras always has a long lens with tripod mounting collar that I attach it to. If I need to use a tripod in a hurry, I just switch lenses and let the long lens swing free and use the camera's screw port.

 

[Stitch_Is_King]

Another vote here for BlackRapid. I personally use the BlackRapid Curve.

 

[Groucho]

My BlackRapids are the RS-7 models. I never even considered going back after I got the Op/Tech - I had been using their neck straps so I had trust in them anyway. The RS-7 model still moves around and is not as wide or stretchy as the Op/Tech.

I might be more impressed with the BlackRapids if their construction was more consistent - as I mentioned, my two are constructed differently. My first RS-7 had a problem with the locking connector; I contacted BR and they sent me a replacement connector, which is not helpful because you can't remove the connector from the RS-7. They apologized and shipped a second strap - they were always nice and did their best to be helpful but these are not issues I'd want to see on a $60 strap. The metal connector also was scratching away the paint on the camera and I met up with a couple other Disboarders at WDW around this time and their Sony and Nikon were also showing similar scratches. This was back in 2010; perhaps they're made further improvements. They also had some problems with the design of their tripod quick-release plate; it was only available briefly then disappeared for quite a while; I then got my Op/Tech so I don't know what the current state is. These all seemed to be "new company" problems; Op/Tech has been making advanced camera straps for many years and I've never seen these issues with them.

A quick glance at Amazon shows that the RS-7 is currently more than three times the price of the Op/Tech - and is, IMHO, the inferior product. Both are averaging 4.5/5.0 in the user reviews. I strongly suggest at least giving the Op/Tech a try.

One other thing that I like about it is the quick-release buckles near the shoulders - if I put my camera bag on my left shoulder, I can easily re-buckle the camera strap over the bag's strap so that it isn't squished by the bag strap. Hard to explain, but a great feature. The downside is that if you're carrying a child, they can get curious and possibly unbuckle the quick-release, sending your camera to the ground, as happened to me once. Fortunately the lens hood hit first and no damage was done but it was a bit scary.

 

[nbaresejr]

Luma labs Cinch. Less bulky then the BR strap and the camera is more secure when using the slider to tighten strap.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I have two BlackRapid straps (long story) but definitely recommend the Op/Tech Utility Strap instead.

http://optechusa.com/utility-strap-sling.html

It's half the price (or less), it has the usual Op/Tech "stretch", it doesn't slip and slide on your shoulder like the BlackRapid, it has a quick-release (quicker/easier than the little carabiner on the BlackRapid), and most importantly, it connects to one of the strap lugs on the side of the camera rather than the tripod socket, so the socket is free to actually attach it to a tripod. If you have other Op/Tech straps, you can pretty easily go between the sling strap and the traditional neck strap, thanks to their standard quick-release buckles.

Both straps suffer from occasionally being awkward when shooting in portrait mode. The BlackRapid attachment can travel slightly easier depending on your strap - my two straps each have the main camera clip threaded slightly differently, and I don't think you can rethread them yourself. One moves very easily, one is not so smooth.

I have an OP/Tech strap (not the sling) that I bought before the blackrapid and do like the construction and the release buckles but in looking at the sling my very first thought was that having the connector on one side of the camera would leave it bouncing and wanting to twist in a way that would be more uncomfortable than having the attachment to the bottom like the BR. I also know I've frayed connectors like that - which maybe is more what is crossing my mind as a concern.

Anyway - I still used a shortened version of my OP/Tech for my mirrorless camera that slings over just my shoulder and snuggles right under my upper arm. Even in that odd configuration it stays put so they are stable in placement.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

The metal connector also was scratching away the paint on the camera and I met up with a couple other Disboarders at WDW around this time and their Sony and Nikon were also showing similar scratches. This was back in 2010; perhaps they're made further improvements.

The metal connectors have been changed and are now smooth instead of being knurled, which was the cause of the scratching. As an extra safety precaution, I use their Lockstar, which is a plastic device that prevents the lock from unscrewing and also prevents the metal from touching the camera and possibly contributing to scratching.

 

[SkaGoat]

My biggest problem with the Op/Tech strap is it attaches via 1 strap mount, and hangs with a horizontal load.

The strap mounts are engineered to hold half the camera's weight, and the load to be vertical, not the entire system's weight, horizontally. Also, the use of a plastic buckle gives me pause as well.

Also, if I attach my 70-200mm lens, I have to have the strap hang unbalanced from the camera, with the lens drooping down and hitting low obstacles, instead of the nice balanced set up I get when I use my BR, attached to the tripod collar on the lens.

 

[photo_chick]

Crumpler Industry Disgrace. It works for neck, shoulder and cross body.

 

[firemanchip]

Crumpler Industry Disgrace. It works for neck, shoulder and cross body.

I`ll second this. I have one and I do like it a lot.

 

[nbaresejr]

In another thread I was asked to post some pics of my Luma Labs Cinch. It can be ordered a few different ways but I decided to go with the Cinch and Membrane connector. The membrane goes under my ProMediaGear 6d tripod plate that stays on the camera at all times. It connects to the standard strap mount on the left side also (2 connection points)

Cinch 4 by Nick Barese, on Flickr
Cinch 3 by Nick Barese, on Flickr
Cinch 2 by Nick Barese, on Flickr

Here is a pic of the pull tab. You can slide this lower to let the camera hang more or pull it up to make the camera tighter to the body so it does not swing. These pieces are not made of plastic. Its something way more advanced then that. A lot of engineering was put into this design
Cinch 1 by Nick Barese, on Flickr

 

[Groucho]

I have an OP/Tech strap (not the sling) that I bought before the blackrapid and do like the construction and the release buckles but in looking at the sling my very first thought was that having the connector on one side of the camera would leave it bouncing and wanting to twist in a way that would be more uncomfortable than having the attachment to the bottom like the BR. I also know I've frayed connectors like that - which maybe is more what is crossing my mind as a concern./QUOTE]
My experience is that the camera tends to stay in one place because it rests against your leg - usually the "v" between the camera body and the lens rests against me (not uncomfortably so); no bouncing and twisting. It occasionally rotates 90' or so but twisting has never been an issue.

My biggest problem with the Op/Tech strap is it attaches via 1 strap mount, and hangs with a horizontal load.

The strap mounts are engineered to hold half the camera's weight, and the load to be vertical, not the entire system's weight, horizontally. Also, the use of a plastic buckle gives me pause as well.

Also, if I attach my 70-200mm lens, I have to have the strap hang unbalanced from the camera, with the lens drooping down and hitting low obstacles, instead of the nice balanced set up I get when I use my BR, attached to the tripod collar on the lens.

C'mon - the tripod mount is not designed to hold any load, much less the entire camera's weight plus a lens. I would trust one single lug far more than I would trust the tripod mount. Plus, because you're threaded through a connector, there is zero danger of the connection point coming loose.

The angle of the strap doesn't make any difference IMHO, at least on my cameras' lugs. That would be the absolute last thing I'd be concerned about.

The plastic buckles are very, very sturdy, and are the same as they use on all their systems. Metal doesn't necessarily guarantee more strength - lots of people tried using standard QR tripod mounts with their R-Strap only to find that the metal ring spread out; the lucky ones caught it before it popped completely out of the plate.

Not using the tripod socket on a big lens is a fair concern, but certainly no worse than using a neck strap. Using the lens' socket also means fiddling with moving the connector over, or paying top dollar for an extra one, which again becomes an extra pain when using a tripod. One thing I also like about the Op/Tech is that you can use it as a safety line when your camera's on a tripod, just by hanging the strap over the tripod legs (or hanging on to it loosely in your hand), in case for some the camera takes a fall. Nothing bad's ever happened to me, but I'm always paranoid about leaving the camera attached to a tripod without any tether than I can hang on to.

Anyway - all credit to BlackRapid for popularizing this style, but even as I bought mine, I was thinking (and am pretty sure posted here at the time) that they could really learn some things from Op/Tech's design. I was very happy when Op/Tech released their version.

 

[Groucho]

This is from a site that sells a log-mount BR-style strap so it may be biased, but they claim to have hung 60 lb weights from the lugs on a Canon and Nikon with no ill effects. 125 lbs ripped them out, so presumably the limit is somewhere between 60-125 lbs - if your camera weighs that much, I really pity you.

http://bosstrap.com/where-to-attach-camera-strap-lug-or-tripod-socket/

There's a photo here of a DSLR with the bottom ripped clean off thanks to such a strap... lots of discussion regarding tripod vs lug connection. Worth reading through if you're interested in such things.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-126099-1.html

 

[MolonLabe]

C'mon - the tripod mount is not designed to hold any load, much less the entire camera's weight plus a lens. I would trust one single lug far more than I would trust the tripod mount.

I had concerns about it but honestly, if that was going to happen, it would be a wide spread problem. I just don't hear about.

I've been carrying with a Carry Speed CS Pro for 3 years now. Love it.

The tripod mount works wonderfully and even after 7 straight days in the parks carrying 8-12 hours a day it isn't uncomfortable.

Heck I prefer to carry with that sling than put it in my Kata 3n1 bag.

I've carried my T4i through both a MVMCP and two MNSSHP's with a heavier 2.8 lens on it and a good part of that time left it hanging with a 480 speedlite on it too.

On a canon body it's rock solid. I wouldn't worry about it.... and I don't, I also have a supplemental rider with my home owners insurance covering all my camera gear. Never had to use it though.

This is the one I have:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/843568-REG/Carry_Speed_CS_PRO_CS_PRO_Camera_Sling_System.html

*Side note it appears the Carry Speed had an injunction filed by black rapids for patent infringement, so I don't know if you can get them any more. Funny, Carry Speed should have let the judge carry all day on BR strap and then the next day on a CS strap... CS is a much more comfortable / well thought out strap, but I digress.

 

[Groucho]

I had concerns about it but honestly, if that was going to happen, it would be a wide spread problem. I just don't hear about.

Well, there are definitely stories about it, but I agree that it's not a really widespread problem. My point was that however secure the tripod strap is, the strap lug is quite a bit stronger, and there's no danger of it coming loose.

We do still use one of the RS-7s on my wife's DSLR so it's not like I hate BR or anything... but I definitely prefer the Op/Tech for a variety of reasons. One other thing I don't know if I mentioned was that it's so quick and easy to detach it. If I'm know that I'm going to be shooting for a few minutes, I'll sometimes detach it via the QR and handhold it; detaching and reattaching takes a fraction of a second, much faster than the fiddly BR strap.

 

[mom2rtk]

In another thread I was asked to post some pics of my Luma Labs Cinch. It can be ordered a few different ways but I decided to go with the Cinch and Membrane connector. The membrane goes under my ProMediaGear 6d tripod plate that stays on the camera at all times. It connects to the standard strap mount on the left side also (2 connection points)

[

Thank you for the photos! I always have a hard time visualizing these strap systems.

My only issue with my BR is when I want to use my tripod.