Shoulder Straps

[RedRobin]

I've had a couple of Q-Strap versions, same two for years with no problems whatsoever ... carried D4/D4S + 70-200, Tamron 150-600 and now use them with my D850 + 200-500: https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/q-straps-the-value-camera-sling-straps.356331/

....I have just read most of that thread and it seems to me that the Q-Strap is just a cheaper copy of a BlackRapid but without some of the components which BR have now added such as a heavy duty polythene flip-over lock on the carib. Neither inspire my confidence even if some folks have yet to experience problems and there are enough photos of problems in that thread (including even the strap material!) to tell me to avoid the Q-Strap. Just because it's cheaper and offered on TP doesn't make it a better/safer product. I wonder what level of testing and development has gone into the Q-Strap, at least BlackRapid would appear to have more resources for that and it's usually a major part of what you pay for so that the producer gets back their investment.

 

[gramps]

....I have just read most of that thread and it seems to me that the Q-Strap is just a cheaper copy of a BlackRapid but without some of the components which BR have now added such as a heavy duty polythene flip-over lock on the carib. Neither inspire my confidence even if some folks have yet to experience problems and there are enough photos of problems in that thread to tell me to avoid the Q-Strap. Just because it's cheaper and offered on TP doesn't make it a better/safer product. I wonder what level of testing and development has gone into the Q-Strap, at least BlackRapid would appear to have more resources for that and it's usually a major part of what you pay for so that the producer gets back their investment.

Black Rapid has had its failings too, back a while there were a stream of complaints!
However I'm not fussed who buys what, all I know is that my Q-Straps have, and continue to, pass the test of time and I have zero reason to regret the purchase and every reason to appreciate the savings made.
TBH all this 'wouldn't hang my camera on a cheap strap', IMO, stems mainly from either ego or paranoia

 

[RedRobin]

Black Rapid has had its failings too, back a while there were a stream of complaints!
However I'm not fussed who buys what, all I know is that my Q-Straps have, and continue to, pass the test of time and I have zero reason to regret the purchase and every reason to appreciate the savings made.

....Certainly the BlackRapid has several failings and limitations. Hence why I have changed to a Peak Design Slide.

TBH all this 'wouldn't hang my camera on a cheap strap', IMO, stems mainly from either ego or paranoia

.... You are joking aren't you!

However, if you are happy to hang expensive camera gear on a cheap quality strap (as the Q-Strap has been shown to be), then that's of course up to you and I hope that you never have any problems. But I want the best quality of everything (not just camera gear) which I can manage to afford. Each to their own.

 

[gramps]

if you are happy to hang expensive camera gear on a cheap quality strap

It isn't "cheap quality", it's just cheap in relation to the likes of Black Rapid and I've been happy using it for years thanks.
Google 'Black Rapid Strap Failures' and you will find at least one thread with both Black Rapid and Peak Design failures within about 6 posts!

 

[RedRobin]

Quite right - as you say we are all different! Personally I only carry one camera and lens when going "Walkabout". When I need to carry more then I use a backpack - slow but it allows me to carry the weight and Tea!

I see from your pikkie that the Acratech clamp had a safety device, I take it (from your post) that this does not slow things down - if so that's great. Fortunately/unfortunately (?) I have QR plates from various makers and they are not all the same which is one reason I prefer screw type clamps. Again we all have our preferences.

Your point on carrying two cameras got me thinking (always a bad move) as I still have a holster style bag which I used to use with a shoulder strap (one of the spares I mentioned) and a wide belt. This distributed the weight of smaller loads (4/5 kilos) very well and wouldn't interfere with my shoulder strap and a larger lens. I will have to give this a go and see how I get on with it!

Thanks for your thoughts.

....And thanks to you for your creative and practical solutions.

I also sometimes use a backpack but depending on what I'm after shooting and therefore which gear to walkabout with. All my bags and belts etc are Lowepro so they all can fit together in different combinations to suit my needs more easily.

The Acratech's lever lock has a simple but clever bar system so that it's reassuringly secure and it can be unlocked in the same action as the lever. It also locks into place with a reassuring clunk when the QR lever is closed. The best American design and engineering might be very expensive but the quality of build is top notch. Really Right Stuff and Acratech are good examples.

My daughter bought me a Lowepro Toploader which takes either a D-SLR + 100mm or my Fisheye + 24-70mm and which can go across my chest.

As you say, distributing the total weight is the key to comfort and ease of use.

Happy shooting!

 

[RedRobin]

It isn't "cheap quality", it's just cheap in relation to the likes of Black Rapid and I've been happy using it for years thanks.
Google 'Black Rapid Strap Failures' and you will find at least one thread with both Black Rapid and Peak Design failures within about 6 posts!

....You seem to be mixing up 'cheap quality' with 'cheap cost' < They are quite different aspects of any product. I was primarily referring to the cheap quality of the Q-Strap's components as evidenced in the thread about it. Yes, it happens to be cheap cost as well < Well there's a surprise as the two often go hand in hand although not always.

To put Peak Design's failure in real world perspective and context, please read all the text of the link you refer to :

https://petapixel.com/2014/09/17/peak-design-strap-failures-causing-dropped-cameras-photographers/

This information does not diminish my faith in Peak Design's ethos and their Slide strap system compared with others on the market. As I said to you before, 'gramps', I hope you continue to be satisfied with your Q-Strap and EACH TO THEIR OWN.

 

[RedRobin]

In summary so far, this thread informs us all that there are 3 different shoulder straps generally available on the market. This excludes the clearly excellent one-off strap by @johnf3f.

A shoulder strap is a good example of what goes into any product and how it is most often a reflection of each manufacturer's input in terms of both component cost totals plus research and development/testing costs and of course manufacturing costs. Profit is the cream on the cake.

The conclusion I come to is as follows :

- Q-Strap : A brave effort to offer a cheaper alternative to the BlackRapid but appears to risk compromising its build quality by the choice of cheaper components to reduce costs and hence be more attractive to those who are primarily led by purchase price. Q-Strap claim they offer "the world's best value camera sling strap" but that depends how you define "best value". It's functionality, and hence limitations, are similar to the BlackRapid. It looks to me as if Q-Strap have started off thinking that the BlackRapid is too expensive and consequently how can they produce a shoulder strap which is similar but cheaper. I would hope that Q-Strap are taking steps to improve their product so that at least they are equal to BlackRapid, but unfortunately the thread on TP does not currently give me confidence. Their method of attaching their strap to tripod plates on D-SLR cameras is begging for trouble!

http://www.qstrap.co.uk

- BlackRapid : A good basic design and solution but a chain is only as strong as its weakest link and its metal attachment-to-camera features are not as reliable as I would prefer, mostly due to the attachment design. I also found that when it isn't holding the weight of a camera, it slips far too easily off the shoulder. I found that even the under-arm extra strap and additionally wearing it under a coat do not prevent this extreme irritation. I'm a 6ft guy with average body shape. BlackRapid appear to be a manufacturer with larger resources and financial overheads than Q-Strap's manufacturer and this is reflected in the purchase price. I expect that they have also spent more time and cost than Q-Strap have on development and testing and BlackRapid continue to refine their various products. In the face of real competition from Peak Design it will be interesting to see how they can compete apart from in purchase price but the designs are so fundamentally different I don't see how they can unless they copy some of Peak Design's features.

http://www.blackrapid.com

- Peak Design Slide : The designers will have examined the BlackRapid and decided they can offer a better functioning shoulder strap. Clearly better functionality and ease of use has been their primary objective rather than focussing primarily on the purchase price. By designing from scratch on a clean sheet and gaining substantial funding for development, they have produced a very effective solution. Yes, an early design in 2014 had a bad failure but they have been transparent about the event and revised the failed component design even offering free replacement to customers who have bought that early version. Their ethos is excellent and typical of successful companies - It gives customers faith in the brand. The PD Slide is very different from BlackRapid and Q-Strap in both its materials and design features and quite apart from superior ease of use it offers a more versatile system across a fuller range of camera gear. Even without the weight of anything hanging from the strap its grippy side (it's easily flipped to silky smoooth side which slides much better than the BlackRapid type of design) doesn't slip off the shoulder and that is a major practical consideration - BlackRapid taught me what it feels like to be a girlie whose bra strap keeps slipping off the shoulder (when slipping off unintentionally of course!).

https://www.peakdesign.com/product/straps/

Choosing the right shoulder strap for you is also a matter of what you individually feel physically comfortable with but it is, in my strong opinion, very unwise to be led by price alone. Neither is it a question of being paranoiac about strap failure < It's much more a question of simply caring about your camera gear whether it is expensive or not. A design which needs extras fitted by the user such as keyrings or cable ties, as in the cases of both Q-Strap and BlackRapid, is not a good and reliable design.

 

[Ganton Gunner]

ok well i can't see anyone suggesting one yet but myself i use a Joby ultra fit with my siggy 150-600 and D7200 and find it works very well.
really convenient with the quick size adjust etc too.

 

[RedRobin]

ok well i can't see anyone suggesting one yet but myself i use a Joby ultra fit with my siggy 150-600 and D7200 and find it works very well.
really convenient with the quick size adjust etc too.

....I wasn't aware of the Joby strap and perhaps I should add it to my post #47 but dare I say that for my use I am immediately put off by the screw fix method of attachment for telephoto lenses and how does an Arca-Swiss profile plate attach securely so that it isn't loosened by weight leverage?

 

[chris malcolm]

ok well i can't see anyone suggesting one yet but myself i use a Joby ultra fit with my siggy 150-600 and D7200 and find it works very well.
really convenient with the quick size adjust etc too.

Agreed. Not liking the fragile look of the Black Rapid type of swivel, which I saw some reports of failing, I very much liked the look of the Joby swivel. It's a screw attachment to a tripod mount hole which as it screws in compresses a large synthetic rubber (long lasting) washer. The screw head is large, with a hinged handle allowing you to screw it up tightly with your fingers. As the screw tightens down on the washer the head diameter increases the frictional lock against unscrewing in a way which is immune to disturbance by sudden shock loads. It is also protected from any unscrewing forces by being surrounded by a large free running ball bearing which is the swivel. It's an admirable piece of engineering design.

 

[Ganton Gunner]

Agreed. Not liking the fragile look of the Black Rapid type of swivel, which I saw some reports of failing, I very much liked the look of the Joby swivel. It's a screw attachment to a tripod mount hole which as it screws in compresses a large synthetic rubber (long lasting) washer. The screw head is large, with a hinged handle allowing you to screw it up tightly with your fingers. As the screw tightens down on the washer the head diameter increases the frictional lock against unscrewing in a way which is immune to disturbance by sudden shock loads. It is also protected from any unscrewing forces by being surrounded by a large free running ball bearing which is the swivel. It's an admirable piece of engineering design.

^ what he said

 

[RedRobin]

Agreed. Not liking the fragile look of the Black Rapid type of swivel, which I saw some reports of failing, I very much liked the look of the Joby swivel. It's a screw attachment to a tripod mount hole which as it screws in compresses a large synthetic rubber (long lasting) washer. The screw head is large, with a hinged handle allowing you to screw it up tightly with your fingers. As the screw tightens down on the washer the head diameter increases the frictional lock against unscrewing in a way which is immune to disturbance by sudden shock loads. It is also protected from any unscrewing forces by being surrounded by a large free running ball bearing which is the swivel. It's an admirable piece of engineering design.

....That sounds a good way of reducing the potential problems of a screw fix. However, I see no evidence on Joby's web site about how their strap/sling would be attached to a camera with a telephoto lens foot. I guess that by using certain types of Arca-Swiss profile plates this might be possible. It would be inviting undue stresses on the lens/body mounts if any strap is not primarily, indeed even solely perhaps, attached via the lens foot.

The subjects you shoot and therefore the lenses and cameras you use must surely be the prime consideration in a choice of strap or sling. Am I mistaken in thinking that the Joby has limitations in what camera gear is attached to it?

 

[Matt-]

I recently purchased one of the slimmest peak designs slide straps for my X-T20. It wasn’t cheap but the quality of it speaks for itself!

 

[chris malcolm]

....That sounds a good way of reducing the potential problems of a screw fix. However, I see no evidence on Joby's web site about how their strap/sling would be attached to a camera with a telephoto lens foot.

All the lens foots I've seen have tripod screw mounting holes in them. In which case the strap simply secures to the lens foot in the same way as to the camera.

The subjects you shoot and therefore the lenses and cameras you use must surely be the prime consideration in a choice of strap or sling. Am I mistaken in thinking that the Joby has limitations in what camera gear is attached to it?

On a quick google I can't find any maximum weight restrictions. Joby say simply that their strap is deigned to carry a professional DSLR with added grip and a telephoto lens. They advise that when using it on a lens foot, and therefore a big heavy expensive lens, it would be wise to use it with an extra security strap, one of your own or the one they offer, which is supplied as standard with the strap they call "Professional".
All I can say is that it looks to be more strongly built than some of the competition.

 

[rob-nikon]

Reviving an old thread but has anyone have experience of the PD straps carrying a 300mm f2.8 lens?

 

[rackhs]

Reviving an old thread but has anyone have experience of the PD straps carrying a 300mm f2.8 lens?

I haven't tried it with a 300mm f2.8 (don't own one, sorry) so might not be exactly what you are after but I have a PD and used it with both the 200mm f2.8 and Sigma 150-600mm C without any issues. not sure if that helps or not?

 

[RedRobin]

Reviving an old thread but has anyone have experience of the PD straps carrying a 300mm f2.8 lens?

....I don't have a 300mm F/2.8 but I regularly walkabout with a Canon 500mm F/4L II plus sometimes a x2 Extender on a PD Slide strap and have experienced no problems nor any hint of any problems. I find the PD strap far more comfortable and easier to use than my BlackRapid Sport.

I imagine that the weight difference between 500mm F/4L and 300mm F/2.8L isn't huge but looking it up may help.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Reading through this thread is interesting as the recent arrival of my Fuji 100-400 has prompted me to look for something more secure than my manufacturer supplied neckstrap.

The consensus seems to be to look at something from Peak Design and Black Rapid.

The lens has a tripod foot and the camera body obviously has lugs for the neckstrap as well as the tripod mount; all possible camera strap attachment points.

What I don't understand is why there does not appear to be (please correct me if I'm wrong) some form of camera strap that attaches to both the lens and the camera body at the same time - a 'double strap' system if you will.

Surely having both the camera and lens independently secured has got to be safer than having a camera strap attached to just the camera body or just the lens?