Carrying heavy lenses/camera bodies more easily

srichards

srichards

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Suz
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Does anyone make some kind of dual shoulder strap (like a rucksack) that you could attach a camera and heavy lens to so that it was supported so you only had to stop it swinging about rather than hold the full weight of it? I tend to carry most cameras with a hand under the lens and the rest of the weight taken by a neck strap. Having a full hands free solution would be even better as long as the lens mount isn't being stressed.

The dangling by your side straps are no good as they will a) stress the camera mount b) bruise the crap out of me. c) look really silly
 
Edit- just realised the below aren't what you want. They don't stress the mount anymore than carrying it by hand on the tripod mount.

I think you'll struggle to find anything else more convenient.

.........

They are called camera slings I think.


The main producer is http://www.blackrapid.com/

Although there is the very similar strap called the q strap sold on this very forum with a tp discount and much cheaper than the black rapid ones.

Check the trader section and look for the q strap thread.

I have a double strap for 2 cameras and the single strap for the one body.

Keeps them secure and means I can keep my hands free for other things.
 
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Black Rapid and Carry Speed both do a two camera carry system.
I know two festival photographers that use the Black Rapid system get on very well with it. They both typically carry a 70-200 f2.8 and 24-70 f2.8, both are heavy lenses and they carry them for long hours over multiple days. Also - they both usually wear rucksacks over their carry harnesses for extra gear and clothing.

I prefer something slightly different to them. I have a single camera harness from Carry Speed plus a big Lowepro pouch which just has a waist strap. The waist pouch is big enough I can carry a 70-200 f4 with the lens hood attached or the lush 300mm f4; the pouch camera has no strap but is carried securely. With this setup I can literally put one camera down and pick the other up; and my shoulders have very little weight on them.
 
I want a dual shoulder strap but only want to carry one camera in such a way it isn't dangling about all over the place.

I'm sort of thinking of a baby sling type thing with an open front... and no baby...
 
Well.... My single camera system from Carry Speed has a wonderfully comfortable neoprene strap and I honestly don't feel the weight. I think the secret is the stretch in the neoprene.
Just been looking to see if I can find an image of me 'in action', but mercifully failed :)

Have a look at http://www.carryspeedstrap.com/ProductsView-1.html
The only difference to how I use it, is that I've adjusted the clip which controls how far back the camera sits so that is sits over my stomach instead of at my side (that's where the pouch lives).
 
The carry speed mounting method looks just the right sort of thing. It's the closest thing I've seen but I'd definitely prefer a ruck sack dual strap. I have a neoprene strap on my dynax and that makes a big difference. Their dual camera one has dual straps but cameras are left in the wrong position for me. I want that strap but camera to be stomach level and position.

The old style camera cases with the camera stuck on with a tripod screw are again the sort of thing I want but without dual straps and extra support for a ultra heavy lens if needed.
 
Laudrup said:
What sort of lens size/weight are we talking here?
Click to expand...

I'm looking at the sigma 50-500 with either my normal squeaky build camera or a more pro bodied 900g one.

I find them heavy to carry even though they don't seem much weight to normal folks :)
 
srichards said:
That looks useful. Might need one if I have to make my own :thumbs:
Click to expand...

It does doesn't it!
One of those will sort out carrying decent kit while in the mountains - currently it's either in my hand or in the rucksack. There are occasions when having both hands free is very desirable, and after a while my hands get a bad ache from the weight for long period of time.

They have V2 on Kickstarter - looks REALLY good.
I've just pledged enough to get a CapturePRO Camera Clip and the PROpad :D
 
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