Camera Strap Recommendations

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Dale_tem

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Dale
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I'm currently using a neoprene neck strap, but I'm finding it a little short and the strap slowly comes undone and needs tigjtening every few weeks.

I was wondering if you can recommend a strap that won't break the bank.

This is for my d3100

Thanks in advance
 
Might sound silly, but put the canon one on it. I'm really impressed with the one Canon ship with their cameras, it's really comfortable.

Either that, or check out the photojojo store for the leather weave one. That looks nice.
 
Black Rapid - most comfortable way to carry a camera I've found yet.
 
+1 for Black Rapid. You can get cheaper copies on the bay (quick strap) but I don't like how they attach to the camera.
 
I think it depends on what you need to carry, for how long and what reaction time you need.

In the beginning I used the strap that came with the camera but then moved on to The Talk Photography Optech straps. This was fine until I found myself regularly using 2 cameras when I bought the Black Rapid double strap. This is ideal for general wandering with 2 heavy pro cameras and lenses but I've found it harder to get on with as I shoot more weddings. The speed of taking 2 cameras off a harness setup slows me down at key moments (such as the dash from church to the venue). So I have now bought a dual spider holster (arrives today)


However as the OP has a relatively light camera I'm guessing that they don't quite need £200 of camera 'strap'. For 1 light camera I would say an Optech style strap is best.
 
scottthehat said:
q-strap on ebay about £15.
or on here forabout £20
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=356331
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See I don't understand the logic behind spending up to £2000 on a camera body, another £1000 on a lens and then trusting it to one of these cheap straps.

If anything I'd have thought that was one area you wouldn't want to scrimp on.....

For the relatively lightweight camera the op has one of the TP Optech straps would be my choice :thumbs:
 
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I'm looking at the black rapid etc. but just wondering if I should or not. Which is the better mount? the D or the L mount?

I seem to switch between having the camera strap around my neck so the camera is ready and over my shoulder so that it is out of the way when carrying the kids. The black rapid/q strap (are they the same?) will get around this and also stop it swinging when it is over my shoulder, it is how I carry my small camera bag. It is something to think about.

The optech seems a bit like the strap I have, but more secure. I also have a Nikon and the strap is shorter for the Nikon :(
 
Dale_d3100 said:
I'm looking at the black rapid etc. but just wondering if I should or not. Which is the better mount? the D or the L mount?

I seem to switch between having the camera strap around my neck so the camera is ready and over my shoulder so that it is out of the way when carrying the kids. The black rapid/q strap (are they the same?) will get around this and also stop it swinging when it is over my shoulder, it is how I carry my small camera bag. It is something to think about.

The optech seems a bit like the strap I have, but more secure. I also have a Nikon and the strap is shorter for the Nikon :(
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The Optech straps are a huge improvement over the crappy OEM straps and really relieve the weight of a heavy camera/ lens combo around your neck for long periods.

The Black Rapid is quite honestly in another league though. I have the RS Sport version which has a small strap which goes over your shoulder and under your armpit, then clipping to the main strap so that the camera hangs comfortably at your side and doesn't swing around. I think carrying a kid would be little problem as the camera easily hangs at your right side or can just as easily be pushed around to rest on your right bum cheek where it stays put.

I use the standard D connector and it's coped with my Canon F1 and Motor Drive for the last couple of days. It's a bit of a monster weight wise, and I've had no qualms about the security of the arrangement. The only problem I can foresee is that if your were taking the camera off the strap to mount on a tripod it would be a bit of a pain removing the D connector and then fitting a camera plate, especially if you were continually doing that.

This guy has a solution which allows you to use the Black Rapid with a camera plate attached. http://youtu.be/KBwn7QgRhr4

Tell me that watching him bang that camera about doesn't make you wince! :D
 
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CT said:
The only problem I can foresee is that if your were taking the camera off the strap to mount on a tripod it would be a bit of a pain removing the D connector and then fitting a camera plate, especially if you were continually doing that.
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If you use Manfrotto RC2 plates, you can get one of these: http://www.blackrapid.com/product/hardware/fr-t1/ which takes all the hassle out of it.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
See I don't understand the logic behind spending up to £2000 on a camera body, another £1000 on a lens and then trusting it to one of these cheap straps.

If anything I'd have thought that was one area you wouldn't want to scrimp on.....

For the relatively lightweight camera the op has one of the TP Optech straps would be my choice :thumbs:
Click to expand...

:) someone adgreed with me,got my head bitten of for saying that a few times,someone even had a go at me,then addmitted his fasten had broken on his cheap one :nuts:
 
I have the Black Rapid RS DR1 which will hold two cameras one on either hip or split in two and become a single camera strap. Used it on a shoot last weekend and loved it.

Everything about it is well made especially the crucial bits that stop the camera falling onto the floor !
 
simonblue said:
:) someone adgreed with me,got my head bitten of for saying that a few times,someone even had a go at me,then addmitted his fasten had broken on his cheap one :nuts:
Click to expand...

I made the mistake, years ago, of buying an optech copy off Ebay, which seemed just as good as the real deal, until one day one of the clips just gave way, sending my camera towards the ground. Fortunately I was kneeling on grass at the time so it didn't have far to fall, but it was a lesson learned...
 
I had my TP optech strap on everyday last week with my rucksack on holiday. The extra width and padding made it really comfy, I climbed the great wall of China with it and never had issues!
 
I love my Carry Speed over the shoulder strap. Rather than having the camera mounted around my neck bouncing off my belly it is now slung over the shoulder resting around my hip area.

Attachment plate is screwed into the tripod mount with a mountaineer type clip securing. Fantastic arrangement.
 
Has anyone used the Singapore Sling? I think its made by Crumpler, i saw one recently and it looked great, just wondered if anyone had tried it.
 
I've used the Black Rapid and the QStrap, the Black Rapid is good but so is the new QStrap with the 'Octopus' shoulder pad - it feels really secure and it's more non-slip than any of the others. As for build quality and security, I can't see any reason not to trust it, I use it with a D3 and 70-200 and it sits well and is secure.
The woven strap itself is visually as good as any similar strap and gives no suggestion that it is suddenly going to just break. The carabinier is metal and has a screw-secure on the opener and the 'L' plate (although I didn't like it on the original one I had) actually feels more secure and keeps the carabinier from touching the camera body.
There is a plastic clamp which takes the folded strap, (allowing you to alter the length of the strap) and I guess this is the weakest element to the design, however I think you would be pretty unfortunate to experience such a break there that the camera would fall to the ground - I can't remember now if the Black Rapid had a plastic or metal clamp.
Personally the 'octopus' QStrap seems ideal and at a sensible price - could it break? My view is that any strap could break and that is one of the reasons why my kit is fully insured.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this particular strap but of course you are always free to spend more on an alternative 'name' design.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
See I don't understand the logic behind spending up to £2000 on a camera body, another £1000 on a lens and then trusting it to one of these cheap straps.

If anything I'd have thought that was one area you wouldn't want to scrimp on.....

For the relatively lightweight camera the op has one of the TP Optech straps would be my choice :thumbs:
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i can understand what your saying graham, but the dual q strap cost me £20 both times, have had the mk1 with claw type clamps and it was spoton(wish i had kept it)
never on prob.
SG204423.jpg

then my wife brought me the mk with the new caribinars because i like the idea, had it nearlly a year was at castel coombe and i felt it go luckily i had keyring fings around it, will it stop me from getting another one, no just because it snapped doesnt mean it will happen again(the other side is still going strong and is the side with the most use(when i use it on its own)
to me the black rapid does not offer me anything extra,and there is nothing tosay that they are not guaranteed to snap(maybe if it had some kind of insurance, but it does not and i have my own insurance anyway.
SJB_3570c.jpg

and even if i had a black rapid i would still do the keyring job.
 
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The fact that it snapped would be exactly the sort of thing that would stop me buying another one, especially if there's there's the chance of dropping £3500 worth of camera gear.

Is it really worth the risk for twenty quid?

There's a good chance the Q-straps will disappear from Ebay soon anyway, as BR have had their patent upheld in the states, so they are actively pursuing other manufacturers who have copied their system.....
 
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