How to carry a pro DSLR with a 70/200mm lens attached

ndwgolf

ndwgolf

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Neil Williams
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Just a quick question;
How do you guys carry your pro DSLR with a 70/200mm lens attached while walking the streets of anywhere. i.e. on holiday
  1. Around your neck
  2. One of those spider things (hanging off your waist)
  3. G strap (I think that's what they call it the one that goes over one shoulder and screws into the bottom of the lens foot)
  4. any other option
Any feedback would be much appreciated
 
#3 ... shoulder strap fixed to the lens tripod foot :)
 
I bought myself a black rapid strap a while ago but i must admit i've only used it a hand full of times. It's a great bit of kit but i tend to just use my lowepro top loader 55w slung over my shoulder. I find this a perfect fit for this combo, keeps camera and lens dry, and feels more safe when not in use. I don't have a camera strap on my body, never found them comfortable.

The black rapid still has its place if you are shooting alot but for me, i'm generally out with the kids etc so i like to keep my gear safe when not in use. All depends on needs/situation
 
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I use the neck strap and have the lens hood in my palm and the body rests inside of elbow
 
I use, a Carryspeed strap, attached to lens collar.
 
I just use the standard strap and carry it on one shoulder when not in use. Easy to get to and never had any problems with it falling. If using two cameras then one strap is longer than the other. Gets a bit tricky with two cameras and a shoulder bag but then I leave the bag somewhere else. Two cameras or the bag aren't really important for casual use though!
 
I have the original Black Rapid strap that doesn't have the under arm strap..................is it worth upgrading to the sport strap and if so why?
I am planning a wee 7 day trip to Osaka in Japan for some street photography and anything else that comes along and want to take my Nikon gear this time rather than my Leica gear that I took 2 years ago :)
Again any feedback would be much appreciated
 
I think it adds a lot of stability, especially with big lenses. I pretty much always use it as it stops the strap rotating when bending. I think its called a brad from memory and you can just buy it as an item to add to the standard strap if its something you want.
 
I don't have the experience with either but have to admit I have found putting my (short) strap under my arm is a life saver with two young kids, it's not swinging around on my neck but is secure under the arm...I might look a bit of a plonker but I can't pick a two year old up without the camera going forward and whacking his head (hasn't happened just to add but it would if I did lol)

Would say it's worth having it under the arm for sure.
 
doublemint76 said:
I bought myself a black rapid strap a while ago but i must admit i've only used it a hand full of times. It's a great bit of kit but i tend to just use my lowepro top loader 55w slung over my shoulder. I find this a perfect fit for this combo, keeps camera and lens dry, and feels more safe when not in use. I don't have a camera strap on my body, never found them comfortable.

The black rapid still has its place if you are shooting alot but for me, i'm generally out with the kids etc so i like to keep my gear safe when not in use. All depends on needs/situation
Click to expand...

I was thinking about going down his route but was just wondering, what's the difference between the toploader 55 and the toploader 75? They both seem to be the same price on eBay and carry the same length of lens.
 
tiddlybiz said:
I just use the standard strap and carry it on one shoulder when not in use. Easy to get to and never had any problems with it falling.
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Similar. Camera on right shoulder, lens facing backwards. If using two cameras the other one goes on the left shoulder in similar fashion.
 
What about a tripod...... How do you manage when walking around the streets and want to take a tripod along incase a landscape shot comes up that requires a tripod
 
With my 70-200L I use a Sun Sniper Pro II Steel, with the ball bearing connector attached to the lens collar instead of the body. Hangs very comfortably!
 
I don't find a tripod is necessary for most stuff when out wandering but if necessary I stick a manfrotto 055 in the side pocket of my backpack (a lowepro flipside). Again that is sturdy and doesn't get in the way much. I have manage to fit a tripod and two lighting stands on that bag to cycle to a location.
 
ndwgolf said:
What about a tripod...... How do you manage when walking around the streets and want to take a tripod along incase a landscape shot comes up that requires a tripod
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Can't think of a time when I would set out to 'walk around the streets' for photography and would be thinking of landscapes ... if I felt the need and didn't think I could hold the kit steady enough for some reason I would probably opt for a monopod to keep it light, otherwise go the whole hog and take a backpack with various kit and tripod attached.
For me, landscape photography would be an intended subject rather than an 'add-on'.
 
Variety of straps here but generally just slung over my shoulder with the lens facing backwards behind me.
 
BlackRapid strap with underarm 'brad' for me but with an Acratech Swift Clamp (Arca-Swiss) on the BlackRapid and an Arca-Swiss plate on the lens collar foot (I have no lenses less than 100mm). This is so I can switch to and from handheld/monopod/tripod as fast as humanly possible.
 
Adjust the length of the strap so that the lens foot hooks into your belt !! I carry my 70/200 just hooked into my belt like that. No problem!
 
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I use a Capa (like a BlackRapid) together with a thin wrist strap as a security measure - probably unnecessary but it's useful if I want to disconnect the strap.
 
TheAndyA said:
I shoot landscapes and quite often need to use a tripod, which strap would you guys recommend for that situation?
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....I would still recommend a BlackRapid strap because it will allow you better to be hands free when climbing gates/obstacles etc and or leave your hand free for a tripod etc.

SwiftClamp_P0639.jpg


This second pic is on a small tripod but could be a monopod and illustrates how the camera/lens is secured on a 'pod before you release it from your strap :

SwiftClamp_P0634.jpg
 
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#3 ... shoulder strap fixed to the lens tripod foot.
 
Black rapid sports, the underarm strap stop the whole thing slipping around. I also have the Sunsniper steel but this slips all over the place, and after less than a year the steel wire frayed and stuck out of the strap giving me loads of tiny cuts in my fingers before I could work out what was going on.
 
I've tried the Black Rapid in the past but always found the strap moved too much, maybe I needed the Brad underarm strap mentioned above? These days I use a Peak Design Slide strap and though ealry days I've been imppressed so far.
 
Matt-P said:
I've tried the Black Rapid in the past but always found the strap moved too much, maybe I needed the Brad underarm strap mentioned above?
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....Even with the 'Brad' underarm strap fitted, I find that the strap can slip off your shoulder (like a girl's bra strap!) when holding your camera up to your eye for extended periods of time and especially if you are lying on the ground and wearing a slippy rainproof jacket. However, my workaround is to have a simple bag strap also across which I use to hang my Gitzo monopod when not in use.
 
RedRobin said:
....Even with the 'Brad' underarm strap fitted, I find that the strap can slip off your shoulder (like a girl's bra strap!) when holding your camera up to your eye for extended periods of time and especially if you are lying on the ground and wearing a slippy rainproof jacket. However, my workaround is to have a simple bag strap also across which I use to hang my Gitzo monopod when not in use.
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I have the BR Sport and as Robin says, it does have a tendency to slip down if you are holding it up for prolonged periods. TBH I'm thinking about changing mine for a Spider Pro
 
I like the look of the setup in the pics! not seen that arrangement before
 
spudhead said:
I like the look of the setup in the pics! not seen that arrangement before
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....Are you referring to the pics in my post #28 or pics in someone else's link?

If mine, it is quite an expensive setup as the Acratech Swift Clamp costs £125 but it is very secure and very fast to take a camera on and off without any fiddling about. I did a lot of research before making this choice which suits what photography I do.

Acratech Swift Clamp : http://www.bobrigby.com/acratech/swiftclamp.html
 
I use the normal neck strap and then hook the tripod foot into my belt. The camera stays there very securely with no weight on the strap at all, and the strap just acts as a safety rope.
 
MadWoman said:
I use the normal neck strap and then hook the tripod foot into my belt. The camera stays there very securely with no weight on the strap at all, and the strap just acts as a safety rope.
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....So you don't climb over (or under!) many fences then. Also, you never wear a jacket over your belt?

My trousers would fall down if I hooked my telephoto lens onto my belt! As Mick Jagger once said on stage: "Now you don't want my trousers to fall down do ya?" :D
 
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