Black Rapid camera strap

Miss Cupcake

Miss Cupcake

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Hi all......

I have a cheapo strap from fleabay for my Fuji csc and I love it so now looking for a good quality strap to hold my 5d mk111 with a 70-200 lens. Black rapid? Advice please as I don't want to buy anything flimsy and unsuitable for my beloved canon! :)
 
I have a black rapid and am very happy with it.

It takes a bit of getting used to having it all hanging at your hip, but it's very comfortable and very easy to not only grab your camera but also make some adjustments on dials while it's at your side.

I've had my D7100 and Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 hanging from it with no issues.
 
optech sling utility strap thingy is a cheaper option :)
also has 2 sockets so can be good for heaviier lenses
 
Had my black rapid sport a few weeks now and love it,hang my D7100 and Tamron 150-600 from it no problem,they are handed so you may want to consider how you want to grab and hold your camera.
I wanted mine on my left side so i could pick it up by the lens with my left hand,so i bought a left hand strap.
 
I've got five different BR's and am happy to hang anything off them......they certainly won't be troubled by your 5D3 and zoom.

Bob
 
I have the Black Rapid strap and hang my a77 + 150-500mm lens off it, all day - no problems. Buy one

Les ;)
 
I have a Black Rapid sport, for about 2 years now. I've had anything up to a D800 + 300mm attached to it, and never once felt like anything would come undone. Feels very secure, and because it crosses your body, the camera/lens hang on your hip, no strain on the neck or back [I have a bad back, which is why I switch to one from the normal around the neck types] - I've used mine on the bike, when I didn't want to carry the bag, just the cam and one lens. Very well made, they feel like you could tow a car using one!
 
I'm also a very recent convert to a Black Rapid Sport. I find it very comfortable - actually more so when I have a large lens attached to the camera, say 70-200 f2.8 and above.
 
I'm using a BR with the D800/500 f4 combo. I've attached the fastener with some thread lock to the tripod foot for added security and I tend to take some of the weight by holding it when moving around. Again, never had any concerns about its security.
 
Just thought I'd add, when I was looking I read a few comments that said that the fastener can come loose, personally I haven't found this, but I tend to just give it a quick twist when I attach the lens/camera to the strap alternately 5here is the option of thread lock
 
I've found the thick rubber grommet stopped any movement. Though I do always check!
 
sunsniper? do a better tripod hole connector than br, as theirs can rotate freely without undoing itself, unlike the br one
 
pingu666 said:
sunsniper? do a better tripod hole connector than br, as theirs can rotate freely without undoing itself, unlike the br one
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The carabina on the BR strap itself can freely rotate. I'm surprised to hear of some working their way loose.
 
gad-westy said:
The carabina on the BR strap itself can freely rotate. I'm surprised to hear of some working their way loose.
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I'm surprised that they actually allow the carabina to spin....if it was fixed then it's very unlikely that the camera and lens hanging at your side could turn enough to unscrew...maybe with a pancake lens on a small body.
 
Canon Bob said:
I'm surprised that they actually allow the carabina to spin....if it was fixed then it's very unlikely that the camera and lens hanging at your side could turn enough to unscrew...maybe with a pancake lens on a small body.
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I think that the point is that however the strap is turning relative to the camera, then the caribina will spin first and so the fastener will see very little torque - and hence it won't unscrew.
 
ChrisHeathcote said:
Mine hasn't ever become unscrewed. I check it with a little twist when I attach the carabiner, but it has never needed any tightening
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Yep, that's what I do, use the Carabina to give a little leverage and give it a nip up.
 
Canon Bob said:
I'm surprised that they actually allow the carabina to spin....if it was fixed then it's very unlikely that the camera and lens hanging at your side could turn enough to unscrew...maybe with a pancake lens on a small body.
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The problem I could foresee there is that strap eyelet could be aligned at any angle at all since the tripod thread orientation will vary from camera to camera. So you could have a situation where the camera just dangling where you want it is already trying to turn the eyelet before you even factor in additional movement. The rotating carabina option seems to work well to alleviate that issue.
 
gad-westy said:
The problem I could foresee there is that strap eyelet could be aligned at any angle at all since the tripod thread orientation will vary from camera to camera. So you could have a situation where the camera just dangling where you want it is already trying to turn the eyelet before you even factor in additional movement. The rotating carabina option seems to work well to alleviate that issue.
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Ah, I hadn't considered the orientation of the eyelet when it was tight, just the fact that the camera and lens wouldn't rotate against ones body.

Bob
 
Only downside is that the camera hangs at the perfect height to bang my kids on the head! So if one of them falls over or something (Ages 3 and 5) and I am picking them up I need to think about the camera!
 
Another vote for Optech, very well priced, very well made and super flexible in terms of additional accessories
 
rpsmith79 said:
Another vote for Optech, very well priced, very well made and super flexible in terms of additional accessories
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Mine turned up yesterday, looks very good, attaches to the camera strap loop leaving the tripod thread clear and easily unclips when on a tripod, I'll give it some hammer at the weekend but it's far better than the cheapo I tried before, think I'm going to like this.
 
i got the black rapid sport in july for my birthday and as someone who suffers with a fairly chronic back condition it has been an absolute revelation for me. The amount of strain it takes off your neck is breathtaking and even carrying a d90 with tokina 11-16mm (fairly heavy lens for the size) for the entire day up and down hills in snowdonia and the scottish highlands i suffered very little fatigue on that front (although my legs were KNACKERED!). Feels nice and secure in terms of the camera mount too.
 
Beardy said:
Only downside is that the camera hangs at the perfect height to bang my kids on the head! So if one of them falls over or something (Ages 3 and 5) and I am picking them up I need to think about the camera!
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I bought a careener for about £1 from Go Outdoors, It attaches to by belt loop, if I don't want it to swing then I clip the carabiner on to the BR Carabiner, meaning that my camera is fastened to my trouser belt loop.
 
ChrisHeathcote said:
I bought a careener for about £1 from Go Outdoors, It attaches to by belt loop, if I don't want it to swing then I clip the carabiner on to the BR Carabiner, meaning that my camera is fastened to my trouser belt loop.
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What a fantastic idea, might have to try that next time i'm out as i always have to keep one hand on my camera to stop it swinging about
 
rpsmith79 said:
Another vote for Optech, very well priced, very well made and super flexible in terms of additional accessories
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Where the Black Rapid scores: the camera hangs upside-down, attached to the tripod socket, free to rotate. It's in perfect position for your hand and in use there are no straps getting in the way. Works really well.

Optech isn't like that, not as good, but since they obviously know a thing or two about camera straps, I can only imagine they went for a different design for fear of patent breach that Black Rapid is very hot on.
 
I love my BR-Sport, but do find it slips constantly - I'm not particularly tall, so usually shorten the strap so my camera sits on my hip, but it very quickly ends up back on my thigh... is with a Gripped 7D and a 24-105, so not a super-heavy combination.
Do other people find this?
 
Happy Grumpz said:
I use a Carry Speed FS-2 which is utterly brilliant
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:plus1:
It's the best/comfiest strap I've used by far! (mines the fs-pro)
Unfortunately they stopped production a little while ago, although still some around if you search.
 
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HoppyUK said:
Where the Black Rapid scores: the camera hangs upside-down, attached to the tripod socket, free to rotate. It's in perfect position for your hand and in use there are no straps getting in the way. Works really well.

Optech isn't like that, not as good, but since they obviously know a thing or two about camera straps, I can only imagine they went for a different design for fear of patent breach that Black Rapid is very hot on.
Click to expand...

The beauty about the Optech system though is you can make it git where ever you want, i actually have the Nikon hand strap which connects via an Arca Swiss type mounting plate, this plate also allows me to attach the Optech Clip to it, so i can now freely use my camera with or without a sling style strap without having to faff about screwing in adaptors each time i choose to use it in a different way, and also allows me to stick it on my tripod/monopod without having to remove/add anything........ simples ;)

To me this was the selling point for the Optech system, it also allows me to use their Lens Loop on my 300mm prime lens to give me an additional mounting point when using long/heavy lenses, it really is a very flexible system and a fraction of the price of the somewhat overpriced Black Rapid (IMO)
 
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rpsmith79 said:
The beauty about the Optech system though is you can make it git where ever you want, i actually have the Nikon hand strap which connects via an Arca Swiss type mounting plate, this plate also allows me to attach the Optech Clip to it, so i can now freely use my camera with or without a sling style strap without having to faff about screwing in adaptors each time i choose to use it in a different way, and also allows me to stick it on my tripod/monopod without having to remove/add anything........ simples ;)

To me this was the selling point for the Optech system, it also allows me to use their Lens Loop on my 300mm prime lens to give me an additional mounting point when using long/heavy lenses, it really is a very flexible system and a fraction of the price of the somewhat overpriced Black Rapid (IMO)
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Agree on the over-priced thing :)

Here's another over-priced item that I use with BR, allowing complete freedom for Arca-Swiss tripod attachment. Luma Membrane connector $15 http://luma-labs.com/products/m-connect
 
ChrisHeathcote said:
I bought a careener for about £1 from Go Outdoors, It attaches to by belt loop, if I don't want it to swing then I clip the carabiner on to the BR Carabiner, meaning that my camera is fastened to my trouser belt loop.
Click to expand...

Great idea! My kids will be delighted..
 
I had a black rapid and found it a bit annoying, strap kept slipping and found it a bit long as i'm only a short arse. I've just ordered a carryspeed ds-3, all the reviews that i have seen on youtube for carry speed seem to favour it over the black rapid...
 
I tried a cross- strap, albeit the OpTech rather than Black Rapid, and, as you are also of the female persuasion, it is possible you might encounter the same difficulty as me, which has made me go back to a neck strap.

Firstly, not connected with being female, I think they are probably great if you only carry the camera with its one lens - I change lenses regularly and so carry a bag, and I found the bag and cross-strap interfered with each other. I have a sling type bag, but I think a rucksack type would also be a problem.

Secondly, I am reasonably well endowed, as the phrase goes, and I found that whenever I picked up my camera the strap caught on my left bosom and needed a second hand to free it - very inconvenient and it risked pulling the camera from my hand if I was moving quickly. It might not be a problem for you, but just something to bear in mind.
 
john_e said:
I'm using a BR with the D800/500 f4 combo. I've attached the fastener with some thread lock to the tripod foot for added security and I tend to take some of the weight by holding it when moving around. Again, never had any concerns about its security.
Click to expand...

How do you get on with it? I've previously used the BR strap with a 70-200 f2.8 but was very wary of using it with a 200-400 f4 so haven't so far (it's probably about the same weight as your 500 f4).
 
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