Decent camera strap recommendations wanted!

Dangermouse

Dangermouse

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I am on the hunt for a strap, preferably a cross shoulder strap that attaches to the lens tripod mount, and also the camera when a small lens attached, all that seem to come up on search are either Peak design or stuff from China, what do you use and do you 100% trust it to keep your gear safe or are you constantly hands on camera.
 
I use a couple, one Black Rapid and one Sun Sniper I think they are called. I am very happy with both of them and generally walk without holding the camera, perhaps only steadying it if it starts to bash my leg.

My only bit of advice is to have a short length of cord to loop through the conventional strap attachment point and then through the main shoulder strap. A safety cord if you like, to avoid a single point of catastrophic failure. Please don't ask me why I say this! Suffice to say I always do this - now!

I use a variety of cameras, including large pro-bodies with some moderately heavy glass, and find this form of strap to be very comfortable. The camera typically sits against my buttock, just below my rucksack. It easily slides up into position for use without any faff.
 
Very few cameras have a tripod mount that is as strong as people imagine, they are often held on to the base plate with a couple of small screws, not fixed firmly to the main chassis.

Many people do it and have no issues, so it must be OK but I stopped when I saw how the tripod mount was
 
I use a Sun-sniper triple system, with Z9/Z800pf on one side and Z6iii/Z100-400 on the other.

Spreads the load really nicely and gives immediate access to both systems. The small backpack is also very useful.

I have trekked many miles with this system and find it very comfortable and superb quality!
 
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Sangoma said:
Very few cameras have a tripod mount that is as strong as people imagine, they are often held on to the base plate with a couple of small screws, not fixed firmly to the main chassis.

Many people do it and have no issues, so it must be OK but I stopped when I saw how the tripod mount was
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It will be attached to the lens tripod mount
 
I have been using peak design for more that 10 years. Bought the strap from them when they had just started and am still using the same one.

Have also used same one cross shoulder attached to 200-600mm tripod foot.
 
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People swear by Black Rapid, they were the market leaders for a long time.

But nowadays everyone who recommends them adds that you’ll want a safety leash in case of failure. ;) Bluntly they have a failure point no one really wants to admit cos they look so strong and butch.

I used Op Tech straps for years (they look like they’re not strong, but you’ll be hard pushed to find any complaints re failure), but couldn’t find the cross body design when I wanted one, so I ended up with Peak Design, and I’m loving them.
 
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Peak design seems to offer the flexibility you are looking for. I found for longer lenses the strap isn't as comfortable compared to the Black Rapid; having said that I found hanging the weight off to one side caused me some aches with a longer lens. Consequently I'm now using a Cotton Carrier for my longer lens but happy using Peak Design for shorter focal lengths. The big plus is the Peak Design attachment tags are pretty small so aren't an issue changing between the two systems.
 
Very happy with my Peak Design Slide when out and about with my 200-600 or 24-70. However when using smaller lenses it’s too big which is the beauty of the Peak Design system and easy to switch out for a lighter weight strap. If you have a strap you currently like the Anchor Links are excellent to convert other straps into the PD system.
 
I went with the Smallrig strap, great for the price see my post about it as it was a choice between two strap.
review
 
Phil V said:
People swear by Black Rapid, they were the market leaders for a long time.

But nowadays everyone who recommends them adds that you’ll want a safety leash in case of failure. ;) Bluntly they have a failure point no one really wants to admit cos they look so strong and butch.

I used Op Tech straps for years (they look like they’re not strong, but you’ll be hard pushed to find any complaints re failure), but couldn’t find the cross body design when I wanted one, so I ended up with Peak Design, and I’m loving them.
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Op-Tech make strap extensions (basically a length of their webbing with length adjustment and a connector at each end) - just add one to one end of a Pro strap, adjust the ends as required and you effectively have cross-body strap.

I've been using mine for over 15 years and there's no sign of wear on the webbing or connectors (the neoprene has lost the 'like new' look, but it doesn't look 'worn').
 
Faldrax said:
Op-Tech make strap extensions (basically a length of their webbing with length adjustment and a connector at each end) - just add one to one end of a Pro strap, adjust the ends as required and you effectively have cross-body strap.

I've been using mine for over 15 years and there's no sign of wear on the webbing or connectors (the neoprene has lost the 'like new' look, but it doesn't look 'worn').
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The thing is I’ve moved over to peak design now, and now I can easily find an Op Tech sling, but it’s too late I’m committed. Also I have a thing about blue accessories and my Peak straps match my bag, phone etc. :p
 
I always hate it when I ask questions like this and people suggest I try something completely different, but anyway...I have Peak Design straps, and I have found small sling bags more useful and comfortable. Take camera out. Take picture. Put camera back in. Leave zipper open for convenience. I quit using my straps.
 
Sony Corleone said:
I always hate it when I ask questions like this and people suggest I try something completely different, but anyway...I have Peak Design straps, and I have found small sling bags more useful and comfortable. Take camera out. Take picture. Put camera back in. Leave zipper open for convenience. I quit using my straps.
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Perhaps not an issue for you or locations you shoot in but open zipper is rather convenient for thieves too ;)
 
Here, a thief would be putting his life on the line, grabbing something off someone's chest.
 
Sony Corleone said:
Here, a thief would be putting his life on the line, grabbing something off someone's chest.
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I feel sad that you think that’s a good thing. :rolleyes:

Cos firstly, the fact that many of you carry guns to ‘feel tough’ has done nothing to reduce crime rates. Nor has having a heavily armed but largely untrained police force.

I’d expect people to understand risk management and not leave a bag open in a public place. ;)

Though in reality, here in the U.K., the most likely outcome is that someone would approach you, apologise for disturbing you and then tell you that your bag was open. :D
 
Phil V said:
I feel sad that you think that’s a good thing. :rolleyes:

Cos firstly, the fact that many of you carry guns to ‘feel tough’ has done nothing to reduce crime rates. Nor has having a heavily armed but largely untrained police force.

I’d expect people to understand risk management and not leave a bag open in a public place. ;)

Though in reality, here in the U.K., the most likely outcome is that someone would approach you, apologise for disturbing you and then tell you that your bag was open. :D
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I don't want to get involved in responding to invalid, debunked boilerplate arguments coupled with groundless insults.
 
I've used Optech for years - decades at least - as cross-body straps for both cameras and bags - and they're very supple & comfortable, with a range of connections. I've never bothered to look into more recent alternatives.

Leather's always nice, if you can factor in the cattle farts warming the atmosphere. But then the other main strap material, nylon, will eventually degrade & become dysfunctional, but its fibres are never going to rot ...

It's tough, ethically, being a consumer of anything. I can see how to moderate consumerism, but not how to renounce it. Unless we revert to the stone age ...
 
Me too for Optech strap system and normal padded camera strap , been using them for a long time still perfect
 
droj said:
I've used Optech for years - decades at least - as cross-body straps for both cameras and bags - and they're very supple & comfortable, with a range of connections. I've never bothered to look into more recent alternatives.

Leather's always nice, if you can factor in the cattle farts warming the atmosphere. But then the other main strap material, nylon, will eventually degrade & become dysfunctional, but its fibres are never going to rot ...

It's tough, ethically, being a consumer of anything. I can see how to moderate consumerism, but not how to renounce it. Unless we revert to the stone age ...
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Perhaps you could weave your strap from flax, or twist up a length of nettle stem string? :D
 
Ed Sutton said:
Perhaps you could weave your strap from flax, or twist up a length of nettle stem string?
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Bramble sinews are very tough ... the thorns are, of course, stripped off.

Main wear issue with a strap is at the connection points, especially if they're metal.
 
also given cotton carriers a go, but they have gone slightly beyond just straps and ventured into carrying systems
 
For my K-1, D500, D850 I have Optech straps. Good and strong, but do look grubby very quickly. The Z8 and T50 were treated to Peak Design (thick and thin, respectively)... I think the PD strap cost more than the T70!

For my longer lenses I have used Black Rapid for many years but I do use the straggly ends of the Optech straps to loop around the Black Rapid strap because once or twice the screw into the lens tripod foot has unscrewed.. cue sudden lightness followed quickly by crashing sound. The system works with my 500/4 as well.
 
I have recently bought a PGYTECH strap
Very easy to switch attachment points and adjust the strap length.
It has a lens foot attachment plate for longer/heavier lenses.
All the attachment points are safe/quick release which are better (in my opinion) than optech or peak design
I am very happy with the quality and design of this strap
 
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jamesev said:
or facts as they're more commonly known
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To be fair; if we’re being brutally honest and factual.

In Florida you are marginally less likely to be a victim of crime than in England and Wales (though there are reporting differences, as well as definitions of crime*), though the chances are slim in both places.American reporting likes to point out you’re less likely to be robbed or raped in the US than Europe because of the prevalence of guns.

The very minor cost for this tiny lower chance of being robbed, is that you’re >600% more likely to be murdered with a gun. I think we can all agree that’s a price worth paying:naughty:, if you’re also content with electing a sex offender to be president. :banana:

* many forms of anti social behaviour reported as a crime in E&W wouldn’t be considered a crime in the US, and notably the ballooning prevalence of deception and online scams are making up an ever increasing proportion of the ‘real’ crime stats.

In conclusion, you’re not likely to be robbed in either England or the US, but in England you might be a crime victim if you’ve suffered online abuse. Whereas we should try to ignore that you’re 6x more likely to be shot in the US.
 
Sony Corleone said:
Here, a thief would be putting his life on the line, grabbing something off someone's chest.
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And everyone else's life around them it seems
Thieves commonly operate in crowed places, may be it's limited to a 1-on-1 down the secluded alley type thing where you are
Surely if you can threaten someone's life they can just as easily do the same to you.
or do you go into a cowboy standoff for the camera?
 
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Phil V said:
I feel sad that you think that’s a good thing. :rolleyes:

Cos firstly, the fact that many of you carry guns to ‘feel tough’ has done nothing to reduce crime rates. Nor has having a heavily armed but largely untrained police force.

I’d expect people to understand risk management and not leave a bag open in a public place. ;)

Though in reality, here in the U.K., the most likely outcome is that someone would approach you, apologise for disturbing you and then tell you that your bag was open. :D
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Have you ever been to London, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham etc.?

More likely to get a machete waved in your face by some boy dressed in black wearing a balaclava.
 
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