Camera Straps what do you like?

Derrel · Oct 12, 2015

I've used a number of straps over the years, from very narrow woven nylon and leather straps (the classic 1950-type of straps seen mostly on rangefinders and TLR cameras), to the 1980's type of 1-inch wide woven nylon, to the more modern d-slr manufacturer-supplied "Canon" and "Nikon" factory straps, to the OpTech brand neoprene straps.

I've enjoyed the reduced felt weight that the OpTech straps provide. Right now I have one body using a 1980's yellow Nikon "classic" eighties style strap, another using the stock Nikon factory strap, and another with a 20 year-old OpTech strap. ALL of my straps are attached where they belong...to the strap lugs, so my cameras ride right side up, not upside down.

My 300 and 400mm have their OWN strap lugs, and those have Nikon factory straps on them, if and when I use the straps to sling the lens over my shoulder, which is not that often. I usually do not leave the straps on those lenses, but use them on the monopod, so I un-clip the straps.

dxqcanada · Oct 12, 2015

I, like Derrel, have gone through many over the decades (yeah you are that old too) and have ended up with the neoprene ones ... even my tripod has a neoprene strap.

charchri4 · Oct 12, 2015

Well I played around with my cordless drill holster idea and it's really not functional. Right now I grab my camera and sling it over my shoulder and it's on or off in a couple seconds. It also goes from 2 free hands to ready to shoot in a couple seconds or from camera strap to a nifty monopod system in a couple of seconds. In short I really like the current set up...

So with the holster scrapped I messed with attaching a plate to the bottom of the camera with supports up to the strap lugs via a bit of welding wire to take the bulk of the load from the pod mount. It works but it blocks the battery door and looks ghetto even by my very low standards. It would be easy to put a small safety strap on it to the left side lug but not much value in it really.

So I'm kind of up in the air on the mount. Given the number of straps available to carry from the pod mount I'm thinking damage to the camera is really not a wide spread problem. On the other hand some day I hope to have a big 400mm lens hulking around on my hip. Things that make you go gurrrr!

SCraig · Oct 12, 2015

Lots of opinions. None right and none wrong, or all right and all wrong depending on one's point of view.

I tend to like the way I do things since it works well for me (emphasis on FOR ME). My Black Rapid strap does what I want so I think I'll keep using it. If the bottom of my camera breaks off, oh well. I'll get it fixed or get another one. No big deal.

DoctorDino · Oct 13, 2015

On the cameras I film events with, I use no strap at all. They get in the way somehow, hooked on chairs and whatnot.

When I'm just shooting for myself, I use this strap ONA | The Sahel

It was not cheap at all but I love it. Never let me down.

charchri4 · Oct 14, 2015

Wow you are right that strap is not cheap! On the other hand I got paid the equivalent of 6 bucks for my first photo sale ever today so maybe it will add up...

dcbear78 · Oct 14, 2015

charchri4 said:
Wow you are right that strap is not cheap! On the other hand I got paid the equivalent of 6 bucks for my first photo sale ever today so maybe it will add up...

Cheap compared to the Hold Fast Moneymaker I mentioned.

kitkatjoe23 · Oct 14, 2015

After reading this thread the question I ask how much is my camera worth to me? The photo of the broken bottom spoke. A picture is worth a thousand words.

charchri4 · Oct 14, 2015

So I was toting my camera around work today and I figured out if I adjust the strap 2" longer it's the perfect spot for me to support the camera as I walk and take the load off the strap. I always had my hand on the camera anyway just didn't take the load off the strap before and it's still supported so I can't drop it. Feeling very good about things today!