Quick straps, options, pros and cons, well?

Major Eazy

Major Eazy

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I'm thinking of going for one of those 'quick straps' or whatever they're called, examples being Sun Sniper or Black Rapid series.

Well, I'm confused about a few things.

First is that: Are they really designed to be used across your body? Just wondering because if they were, then would the padding at the top end of the strap (the part that sits on your shoulder) often be designed to be craved, and flow with your neck? Sometimes I would prefer to hang my camera from my shoulder (not across the body, on the same side as where the camera is), so I can have a lose shirt or access inside pockets of a jacket. A cross strap often keeps the shirt closed or makes it annoying to try to get stuff out of the inside of a jacket pocket. If I were to use a strap designed for cross body, on my shoulder only, wouldn't the craved padding seems to feel funny on your shoulder. (Bit tricky to explain but let's say as a silly pun, bit like trying to wear a glove for left hand on your right hand.)

Another thing is most photos showing models/photographers are wearing straps where paddings on left shoulder with the camera on their right side, but what about some of us who would prefer to have the camera on the left side? I mean, not all right handed cowboys always have a holster on their right hip, some prefer a holster on their left even thought they are right handed.

Surely that the pros of those straps are designed to give you more comfort but the cons are the camera would keep swinging around when hanging down? I can see that it's fine if you have a longer lens but if you're using a shorter lens, the camera would still swing around?

Well what are your options on those?

I would not mind having to carry one across the body, but I tend to feel more comfy hanging from the same shoulder side as the camera.
 
Also wondering if using it on shoulder only, I assume those padded parts at the top of the straps would have more grip than normal straps you use around the neck, therefore less chances of them slipping off?
 
buy a optech utility sling

or optech harness to give you either side option
 
My black rapids got a strap that goes under your arm to stop the pad from rubbing your neck. I also find that with smaller lenses on its better to rest a hand on my camera as it tends to spin round when walking. It does sometimes fall off the shoulder though when shooting which can be a little annoying but its much more comfortable when your out all day. I do find its also much better for carrying a camera with a flash attached as with a conventional strap the camera is top heavy and tries to flip upside down.
 
Black rapid sport for me,if you go for BR think which side you want your camera to hang down as they are handed,mine is used with the 150-600 and although ime right handed i wanted to grab the lens tripod mount with my left hand so i bought the left hand one.
 
'Craved' as a description makes no sense, do you mean 'curved'?

I think the style you go for needs to suit what's most important. With my 5d2, I first bought an Optech strap which was a huge improvement over the standard Canon one. It spread the weight much better, and carrying the camera, especially with something like a 70-200 f2.8 became more comfortable. However, you're stuck with either carrying it around your neck which I find awkward and uncomfortable, or over one shoulder. That leaves the camera liable to slide off, or if you're in a situation where you're frequently picking it up and putting it down, I was constantly having to adjust the strap on my shoulder.

After seeing a friend use one, I bought the Black Rapid RS-7, and haven't looked back. Best of everything to me, very comfortable, the strap doesn't move at all (the camera slides around the strap, the strap shouldn't slide around the body). At rest the camera stays comfortably close to the body whilst always being immediately to hand to raise to the eye in one smooth motion, and returned again when finished. Depending on your clothing, you might even find it practical to wear the strap underneath the suit jacket, and adjust it for the camera to sit just below the bottom of the jacket, allowing a reasonable compromise of comfort and practicality. I've certainly done that with coats, admittedly I've not ever found it a problem, the only time I shoot much wearing a suit is when I'm at Goodwood for the Festival of Speed. Perhaps if there is a shop near you that sells them, you might be able to try a strap?
 
I like my Joby shoulder strap. It's a development of the Black Rapid idea which solves a problem some find with the Black Rapid -- that sometimes the ideal length of carrying strap is a little short when you want to pull it up to your eye, maybe hold the camera out to make some menu adjustments or use the live view for focus checking etc..

It does this by having the camera slide up the strap on a kind of pulley arrangement which lengthens the strap. Then when you put it back down you pull on a ring to shorten it again to whatever length you prefer. I sometimrs like to carry my camera with a long lens with a short strap which has the camera up into my bottom ribs. That lets me hang my arm down over the camera lens junction. That keeps it very securely snugly against my body and shielded by my arm if I want to move about quickly in awkward places like crowds, cluttered rooms, thick woods, etc..

Oh, nearly forget to mention that it's also cheaper :)
 
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Shine On said:
'Craved' as a description makes no sense, do you mean 'curved'?
Click to expand...

Sorry, yes, you're right, curved. Sorry I got wrong word.

I'm referring to some designes where the padding part at the top of the shoulder sort of curved a little. Say looking down on the top of the shoulder, rather than most common straps or paddings looking like || some designs have them looking a bit like (( sort of to flow around the shape of your neck/shoulder.

The idea is put it on the correct shoulder, the padding was meant to flow with the shape of your neck, giving more comfort, but put it on the wrong shoulder, it seems to feel a bit like funny, let's say a bit like trying to wear shoes on the wrong feet.

I did try on one of those straps (can't recall which model, maybe Black Rapid or other company) and althought I'm not really into across the body, i figure to try it out hanging from my shoulder only, I noticed the padding seems to sit funny on my shoulder and thought that's meant to be sitting on my left shoulder not right shoulder.

But then I just thought of something, since those straps don't have a front and rear, I suppose I could turn the strap around, makes no different to the camera as it's attached by means of the tripod mount rather than the eye rings.
 
pingu666 said:
buy a optech utility sling

or optech harness to give you either side option
Click to expand...

But click on your link, look at the picture, you will find that it goes across the body. Camera on the left side (photographer's right side) and the strap runs across the front, over the head, and loop over the right (photographer's left hand shoulder.) Look at the padding, notice it seems to angled a bit. (I think some other designs have them curved a bit.)

Supposing I would prefer to wear that not across my body, rather hanging on the same side as where the camera is, top of the strap on my right shoulder, runs straight down, camera at my right side. (Not top of strap on my left shoulder, runs across my body, camera at my right side.)

Now remember that angled padding?

Wouldn't that makes it not sitting flat on your shoulder, kind of tiled?

Can I create a diagram and upload?? Do the 'Upload a File' button let me upload a JPEG file so I could show you guys what I mean?
 
http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-B...-5D-2-550D-D7000-D3-all-DSLR-SLR-p-43033.html
Job done for under a fiver. Wear across shoulder, camera slides up and down strap as you use it. Let go and it hangs neatly at your hip. Attaches via tripod mount and allows use of a tripod plate too. These are excellent, super cheap and work very well. There are versions with a cross strap if you really need it too.

Also double models:
http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-H...a-Shoulder-Sling-Dual-Strap-Belt-p-42658.html
 
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View attachment 33523

Those straps, like Black Rapid, etc., etc., are usually designed for across the body, and most of them have the padding at the top of the strap angled or curved.

Would it be annoying and troublesome if I were to use a strap, normally designed for across the body, on the same side as the camera like this...

View attachment 33524

I just assume they're likely to slip off, unless the padding got more rubber grip on it? A convention strap makes no different which way you turn it, but those angled or curved straps, they're more likely designed for across the body, would they be a waste of money if I buy them but use them on the same side rather than across the body? Or do some of them actually do feel okay and works well even if using on same side?

If you see what I meant?
 
landwomble said:
http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-B...-5D-2-550D-D7000-D3-all-DSLR-SLR-p-43033.html
Job done for under a fiver. Wear across shoulder, camera slides up and down strap as you use it. Let go and it hangs neatly at your hip. Attaches via tripod mount and allows use of a tripod plate too. These are excellent, super cheap and work very well. There are versions with a cross strap if you really need it too.

Also double models:
http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-H...a-Shoulder-Sling-Dual-Strap-Belt-p-42658.html
Click to expand...

About the second link, the dual strap, can you remove one and use it on its own?
 
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