strap suggestions

[GregT]

I'm looking for a good strap solution.
I've recently bought a 7D with a grip, and I am using the standard 'Canon' neck strap, and its DRIVING ME CRAZY. I'm constantly battling with it flopping around and ruining shots, getting in front of the lens, etc.

I usually just carry the camera in my hand, and was looking at a hand strap but the ones I've seen seem like they would limit my ability to switch between camera orientations (landscape/portrait orientation) unless I removed my hand from the strap to use the grip buttons.

Is there any other good solutions for a strap?

 

[Josh66]

It won't get in front of the lens if you put it around your neck.

If you don't use it, just take it off.

 

[SCraig]

It won't get in front of the lens if you put it around your neck.

If you don't use it, just take it off.

What he said. They call it a "Neck Strap" for a reason. Once you've dropped a camera, or damn near dropped one, it is a very strong incentive to use it as designed to.

That said, I like Domke Gripper straps with relatively small lenses, Skooba Designs Superbungee for moderate lenses, and my Black Rapid R7 for large lenses.

 

[HughGuessWho]

If you find that perfect strap let me know. I have purchased at least 20 straps from $20 to $75 and I don't like any of them. The OEM Canon strap, however, is junk. At a minimum get a neoprene strap with quick disconnects. But don't buy a cheap one because their quick disconnects are known to fail and your camera will hit the ground.

 

[Josh66]

That said, I like Domke Gripper straps with relatively small lenses [...]

I have one of those on every camera I have. (Well, every camera that has a strap...) Best strap I've ever used.

Only reason I didn't suggest it is that it seems like everyone else hates them. Not "fancy" enough. I don't need pockets on my strap, lol.

edit

Once you've dropped a camera, or damn near dropped one, it is a very strong incentive to use it as designed to.

I don't put the strap around my neck every time (sometimes I just wrap it around my wrist) - but if I ever let somebody else use my camera, that's the first thing I tell them. "Put the strap on", lol.

 

[KmH]

If you watch pro shooters that use a regular neck strap, you'll see they don't put it over their head. Instead they put it over a shoulder.

I suggest you re-think your camera holding and handeling techniques if the strap is getting in your shots. It sounds like something else seriously wrong may be going on.

 

[Kerbouchard]

I like the Black Rapid straps. I also hate the neck strap that comes with the camera.

For carying any sort of heavy lens for a long period of time, I think the Black Rapid is worth every penny.

 

[SCraig]

I don't put the strap around my neck every time (sometimes I just wrap it around my wrist) - but if I ever let somebody else use my camera, that's the first thing I tell them. "Put the strap on", lol.

Granted. Sometimes I will do that as well. The point is that the strap is USED and not just hanging around.

 

[Josh66]

I don't put the strap around my neck every time (sometimes I just wrap it around my wrist) - but if I ever let somebody else use my camera, that's the first thing I tell them. "Put the strap on", lol.

Granted. Sometimes I will do that as well. The point is that the strap is USED and not just hanging around.

Yes - if it gets in front of the lens and blocks your shots, you are doing something wrong.

Maybe you don't need/want a neck strap... If you never use it, why have it on the camera all the time? A hand strap is nice, but even that can't be used 100% of the time.


It would probably look 'nerdy' or something, but I think there could be a market for a lanyard similar to the ones you wear in an ESD sensitive environment. Imagine a velcro strap around your wrist with a shock cord attached to the camera. Out of the way when it needs to be but if you drop your camera, it's there to save the day. The 'geek factor' might be hard to get over, but it would be cheap insurance.

 

[Buckster]

I got the Black Rapid DR-1 Double Strap for dealing with up to two cameras on the go, but after using it for going on two years now, it turns out that I just don't actually like the Black Rapid System very much, to be honest. It's comfortable, especially the shoulder pad, which is nice, but I don't like the attachment point system it uses with the camera, and I don't like the way my cameras seem to swing just a bit too freely from it. From my perspective it's not reallly worth all the hype and fairly high price point it commands, but that's just one man's opinion.

More often, I'm only slinging one camera, possibly with a second body and lens nearby, rather than actually on my person. And in that case, my go-to camera strap is still the cheap, straightforward, Mzungo Strap. Nothing fancy at all, no pad, no pockets, it just works for me. I've been using it for maybe about 4 years, and have no complaints at all about it. One of these days, I think I'll attach a shoulder pad to it, but it just hasn't been that big an issue to me.

My favorite carrying system of all is my Think Tank Belt/harness/holster system, but that goes pretty far beyond a strap, and certainly far beyond a hand strap that you're indicating might better suit your needs. Just mentioning it in passing here...

 

[GregT]

I don't put the strap around my neck every time (sometimes I just wrap it around my wrist) - but if I ever let somebody else use my camera, that's the first thing I tell them. "Put the strap on", lol.

Granted. Sometimes I will do that as well. The point is that the strap is USED and not just hanging around.

Yes - if it gets in front of the lens and blocks your shots, you are doing something wrong.

Maybe you don't need/want a neck strap... If you never use it, why have it on the camera all the time? A hand strap is nice, but even that can't be used 100% of the time.



It would probably look 'nerdy' or something, but I think there could be a market for a lanyard similar to the ones you wear in an ESD sensitive environment. Imagine a velcro strap around your wrist with a shock cord attached to the camera. Out of the way when it needs to be but if you drop your camera, it's there to save the day. The 'geek factor' might be hard to get over, but it would be cheap insurance.

Yeah I suppose I should have elaborated, Its usually not just 'hanging around', I do use the strap, if I'm just walking around I don't usually have it around my neck, I have the strap wrapped around my wrist but its just a nuisance more than anything. I just feel better having the strap on, even if just around my arm, to keep the camera from hitting the ground if I dropped it. Otherwise, I would just take it off. Basically I was just looking for something cleaner/alternative to a neck strap.

I was watching those videos on the mzungu strap and the one he talks about where shooting in a 'portrait' orientation, where the right side of a normal strap would be stretched across the back of the camera/viewfinder, there is one of my main complaints, having the thing around your arm or neck will result in the strap being annoyingly positioned when shooting in a hurry or at weird angles. I like that mzungu strap. Simple and out of the way.

Thanks Buckster for the recommendations.

 

[Sportster77]

I use a soft cloth 1 3/4" wide strap with both clips hooked on the left side of the body and a hand strap on the right side. for most of my walking around the hand strap is all I use but if it is a longer trek, I'll put the neck strap over my left shoulder to help support the load.

 

[table1349]

Black rapid for me whenever I am shooting sports. The idea of the standard strap being a neck strap, as stated above, is not all that practical. Ever wonder why photography vests have epaulettes? Stick the strap for that body under the epaulette. Safe, secure and easy to control. My favorite shooting shirts are safari shirts for the same reason. Plus lots of nice large pockets to carry small stuff in when I don't want/need a vest

 

[TheBiles]

I love BlackRapid straps. They're so much more comfortable than crappy neck straps, and you can easily carry a heavy lens and camera with almost no strain on your body. I wouldn't dare go out with my camera without a BlackRapid strap to hold it for me. It's really the only strap that lets you comfortably use your hands without worrying about your camera (which will sit comfortably on your hip out of the way).

 

[Buckster]

It's really the only strap that lets you comfortably use your hands without worrying about your camera (which will sit comfortably on your hip out of the way).

Ridiculous statement of the day award winner.