ebay Quick Strap £20 (Black Rapid clone?) any good? - UPDATE got one!

Ben - I have a couple of these. Very useful indeed. Puts the weight on your shoulder rather than around your neck and easy to tuck camera/lens by your hip or around your back. A massive improvement on standard straps - takes 2 spare CF cards as well.
Graham
 
Thanks Graham, may invest in one of these as they are nearly a third of the price of a RS-7
 
I'd look very carefully at the swivel hook. It's a very obvious place to save money but the cheap ones break.

Guess what happens next........?
 
Ben, I bought one of these and sent it back exactly for the reason mentioned. The quality of the clip was poor. It had a poor (rough) finish and there was no stop for the lockable sleeve, so it could come undone. I took the plunge and bought a black rapid and despite being 3 times the price, the quality is probably 3 times as good.

To be fair to the seller though, the strap wasn't from this seller!
 
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Got one just before Christmas and has a different designed clasp. Much better than the one shown in the link.
 
33L said:
Got one just before Christmas and has a different designed clasp. Much better than the one shown in the link.
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Any chance of a photo so I know what to look out for should I decide to go down this route
 
And another one interested to see if it is worth trying..
I am also curious to know if the tripod fixing is secure - does it need regular tightening or once tight does it remain so ?
I recently ordered a hand grip that fixes to the tripod mount, but as it has yet to arrive I have no experience of this sort of fitting, and imagine if it came loose........
 
I’ve been thinking of getting one of the Rapid straps for a while now but I’m not convinced that it will be much of an improvement on my current setup an opteck strap slung over my shoulder.
Is its only advantage over a conventional strap that it allegedly enables you to take photos quicker?

Had a look on e-bay and this version looks ok for around £33 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Black-Color-Carry-Speed-Sling-Strap-Rapid-DSLR-/190488123311?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c59fa17af

I see Amazon have the Black Rapid RS-7 for around £47 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Rapid-RS-7-Camera-Strap/dp/B002WR7VSS now so it might be worth just going for the original.
I just have to convince myself that it is something I need not just something I want.

I wonder if anyone will be stupid enough to buy one of these for a bargain price of £150 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Black-Rapid-RS-7-Camera-Strap-/190463908146?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_BagsCases_JN&hash=item2c58889932
 
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Don't those metal locks damage your camera ???? looks as if they will scratch the hell out of it :(
 
It's interesting. I've had an RS-2 since they first came out.

Nice enough product but they had some fundamental design flaws. Not least that lots of people (including me) had "unexpected abrupt decouplings". Yeah, camera on the floor....

Haven't used it in ages. But just before I first saw this thread I dusted it off (literally), made some modifications (mainly cut stupid bits off) and got it ready for a shoot tomorrow. One of the few days in a year when I have to wear a suit and the Black Rapid is more Boateng friendly than the Optech.
 
i have had one of the double straps for a year and use a d300 on each side one with a nikon 18-200mm on and the other with a siggy 50-500mm os on and i have had no problems what so ever.
SG204420.jpg
 
JonathanRyan said:
Is that a Manfrotto QR plate? Yeah, they break....
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ones the plate that comes with it, 3mm steel(like to see that snap)me thinks not, and on my 50-500mm os i use the redsnapper monopod qr plate which i have used for a good year now and also quicker to stick on monopod..
 
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hmmm, these reports of failing clasps is putting me off...
I suppose we pay hundreds if not thousands for our camera gear and then skimf on the last little bit...

Thanks for all the photos though!
 
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I would be surprised if that clasp fails.

I know it looks weak but I'm fairly sure from my experience with metalworking that the little bugger could probably be used to hang yourself.

If in doubt I would say buy one and then 'test' it... Clip it to something and jerk and pull the hell out of it. If it breaks, send it back.

Alternatively simply unstitch it and stitch a new one on... Clasps like that are a few quid on eBay, and for a £40 saving on a RapidStrap I'd say 10 minutes work is £240/hour.

Do you get more than that for your day job? :p
 
scottthehat said:
ones the plate that comes with it, 3mm steel(like to see that snap)me thinks not, and on my 50-500mm os i use the redsnapper monopod qr plate which i have used for a good year now and also quicker to stick on monopod..
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Ah cool - they must be tougher than the Manfrotto ones which are basically a bent bit of heavy gauge wire.

loplyg said:
I would be surprised if that clasp fails.

I know it looks weak but I'm fairly sure from my experience with metalworking that the little bugger could probably be used to hang yourself.
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Probably can for a one off static load. The problem comes when you've swung a heavyish camera from it for many hours. Either part becomes brittle or the swivel pulls through the keeper - I guess part of the keeper gets slightly bent/worn away.
 
I've just had to replace a swivel on a Tamrac Cyberpack 8 as it had broken, on eBay in the climbing and mountaineering section I found a thing called a Maillon Rapide like this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/50mm-Stainless-Steel-Maillon-Rapide-Quick-link-/200532398009 which I presume is used for connecting ropes or something.

The ones I got were rated to 25Kn which equates to a force of about 2.5 tonnes and were CE rated for climbing, if you're concerned about the clips on something like this strap these should do the job and if they're good enough to trust your life with they should be good enough for keeping hold of your camera.
 
markmullen said:
I've just had to replace a swivel on a Tamrac Cyberpack 8 as it had broken, on eBay in the climbing and mountaineering section I found a thing called a Maillon Rapide like this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/50mm-Stainless-Steel-Maillon-Rapide-Quick-link-/200532398009 which I presume is used for connecting ropes or something.

The ones I got were rated to 25Kn which equates to a force of about 2.5 tonnes and were CE rated for climbing, if you're concerned about the clips on something like this strap these should do the job and if they're good enough to trust your life with they should be good enough for keeping hold of your camera.
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Thanks for that, so one of these straps and one of these heavy duty clips for less than £25 seems pretty decent . ..
 
Is there no adapter to go from the camera strap fitting lug to allow some other clip ?
Surely there is someone here who could make this sort of thing ?
 
stevewestern said:
Is there no adapter to go from the camera strap fitting lug to allow some other clip ?
Surely there is someone here who could make this sort of thing ?
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those would be to thick to go through the supplied plates, as for making something, im sure people can, but i dont think there is any need as what is supplied is pleanty good enough, i work for a switchgear company (who build custom panels and use all sorts of steel and other metals) and i could easly get something made if wanted, but i showed the clasps to our fabricators and they said the clasps are over the top for any camera and lens, and that the stitching or plastic bits are likely to brake first before the clasp.

and as said i have been using one for about a year and used it lots(just sold it on here and it still looked brand new, as i got brought a new one by my wife)
and i have used it with a d300 and a sigy 50-500mm os on(weighing about just over 3kg)
and on the other side a d300 and either a nikon 18-200mm(weight about 2kg) or with a 70-200mm nikon (weight about 2.5kg)
i know its nice to be sure but (dont knock it untill you try it) and if in doubt get your self some insurance for your gear which is always worth it anyway.

cant falt the strap.
 
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would you feel safe with these strap as i presume someone can just come behind you and cut the strap off and run off with your camera?

But i do like the idea instead of using my neck to hold the camera.
 
scottthehat said:
those would be to thick to go through the supplied plates, as for making something, im sure people can, but i dont think there is any need as what is supplied is pleanty good enough, i work for a switchgear company (who build custom panels and use all sorts of steel and other metals) and i could easly get something made if wanted, but i showed the clasps to our fabricators and they said the clasps are over the top for any camera and lens, and that the stitching or plastic bits are likely to brake first before the clasp.
.
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Sorry - I wasn't making my self clear - I am slightly worried by the idea of the tripod screw working loose, and knowing me, I would forget to check it was tight, so was wondering if there was no way of attaching the strap to the camera lugs that the original straps fitted to - ie this bit !

canon-5d-400.jpg
 
Why not buy the "strapbuddy" from 7day £7.99.
Use your own strap and get the tripod mount
fixing point.
Rgds Steve.
 
stevewestern said:
Sorry - I wasn't making my self clear - I am slightly worried by the idea of the tripod screw working loose, and knowing me, I would forget to check it was tight, so was wondering if there was no way of attaching the strap to the camera lugs that the original straps fitted to - ie this bit !

canon-5d-400.jpg
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hi steve, not that i know of, maybe the other thing steve recomends is more up your ally, it does look handy.
 
Have ordered the 3rd revision of the quick strap today. Hopefully it wont take too long to come.
 
Hi Ben,

Could I ask you a favour please. I'm interested in one of these, but need to know how long it is when fully open. Would you mind extending it to it's fully open (longest) position and mind measuring it for me please. It may seem a strange request but I'm 6'8" tall and a bit.. umm.. padded.. so would like to figure out if it is long enough for me.

Thanks

Andy
 
arad85 said:
Hi Ben,

Could I ask you a favour please. I'm interested in one of these, but need to know how long it is when fully open. Would you mind extending it to it's fully open (longest) position and mind measuring it for me please. It may seem a strange request but I'm 6'8" tall and a bit.. umm.. padded.. so would like to figure out if it is long enough for me.

Thanks

Andy
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lol yeh no probs, It'll be tonight when im back from work though. I'm about 6 foot and like you "padded" and ive had to shorten the strap for me.
 
Dervish99 said:
I'm saving for the Black Rapid version, cannot see the point of saving a few quid and then hanging a couple of grands worth of kit from a chineese copy.:wacky:
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i have had £4500 hanging off mine i must be made:thinking:
used it for about a year with no probs(just sold it as wife brought me a new one)(the same), and its still like new after a year(the original one that is0.
 
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