Neck strap alternatives

[mreco99]

well ive just got the sun sniper strap yesterday (sling type) and took it out today. Had a 70-300 lens on (non L).
Before with the standard canon strap it would be rubbing my neck and generally be uncomfortable. But with my new strap, i hardly noticed any weight, and once set to the right length, very comfortable. great strap for about £35

[EYEONE]

Wow.  You guys are frickin fearless.

I've taken about 2000 shots since I got my DSLR a few months back and I'm still walking around clutching it in a death grip like Gollum.

How banged up does your stuff get with these (the Black Rapids types you posted)?
 

I haven't had a problem with it. The camera slids down and rests behind me. If I'm doing an active shoot or I'm shooting consistantly I usually hold it the grip behind me. Ya know, keep my hand on it to steady it.

[neuroanatomist]

How banged up does your stuff get with these (the Black Rapids types you posted)?

Last question, I currently have a modified handstrap (strap and padding from a canon E1, base of the Opteka pro strap) that is mounted into the tripod mount, with a tripod mount beneath the screw (basically a male/female screw) -- it's sturdy enough to mount the 60D + zoom on a tripod but I'm not so sure about hanging from one of these straps --- what do you think?

It's not an issue for me.  I sometimes steady the camera, especially when walking through a crowd. 

Regarding the opteka mount, probably ok, as long as all the connectors are metal.  Only concern might be if the internal thread is a bushing, it might be possible for the movement of the camera to eventually unscrew that bushing.

[branden]

I've been using a hand-strap now for about a year. I've taken it through several long trips, for hiking, events, and just everyday use. It's a cheap Opteka strap. It's been a pleasure to use--the camera feels tight and secure in my hand, and when I'm tired of gripping it after long periods of time, I can use the strap as a short handle. It's a good accompaniment to a waist-height gear bag, too. There's no annoying long strap to have to fold back into the bag, and the gear bag is available for storing the camera when I need both hands for climbing over a rock or something manly.

Here's a photo:

[awinphoto]

My set up has 2 straps, my canon CPS strap and I also have a hand strap like branden shows... However I swapped out the ebay strap, kept the bottom mounting plate, and used canons E-1 strap... I feels like a higher quality strap and seems more secure.  When I'm actively shooting I use the handstrap but if i'm walking to locations and or not shooting, the canon CPS strap comes into play.  I keep telling myself to get the battery pack for the bottom so i dont need the mounting plate on the bottom and extra awkwardness (it's not the most secure plate when you attach the camera to a tripod), but the battery booster/pack/whatever keeps missing the cut when money comes up in which i can splurge. 

[Macro]

I bought an ebay hand strap similar to branden's pic.  Great quality strap, but I removed the plastic mounting plate, then connected the lower strap end to my RRS L-Plate which stays on my 5D2.

Neck straps on a body just seem to get in the way, especially for tripod work, and they don't fit well into a bag.  Rather than a neck strap on a body, I use a Tamrac Pro Digital Zoom holster style bag with an OP/TECH Pro Loop neck strap.  Has a plastic buckle for quick-draw open/close in addition to a zipper to keep the dust out while on trail.

Great for hiking.

[felipey]

I personally prefer the Luma Loop over the Black Rapid strap. It attaches to the side hook instead of using the tripod mount so that I don't need to remove it to put it on a tripod. And as a personal preference, I find it to be more discrete than the Black Rapid as well.

[neuroanatomist]

It attaches to the side hook instead of using the tripod mount so that I don't need to remove it to put it on a tripod.

That would be nice for a short lens - but I wouldn't want to hang a gripped body with a 70-200/2.8 or 100-400 mounted from the strap lug on the side of the body.  For that, I connect my RS-4 to the tripod collar on the lens, and the balance is very good.

[dstppy]

Regarding the opteka mount, probably ok, as long as all the connectors are metal.  Only concern might be if the internal thread is a bushing, it might be possible for the movement of the camera to eventually unscrew that bushing.

Yep, appears to be a stud straight through and not a bushing. 

I was actually thinking of this during an outdoor flower shoot today.  The handstrap has been invaluable for how I like to shoot -- looks like I may be doing what you are with the single loop.

Thanks guys.

[felipey]

That would be nice for a short lens - but I wouldn't want to hang a gripped body with a 70-200/2.8 or 100-400 mounted from the strap lug on the side of the body.  For that, I connect my RS-4 to the tripod collar on the lens, and the balance is very good.

I hang my 70-300L on it all the time and it works fine and it's still comfortable. But yeah, it is smaller than those other two. If I had bought the tripod collar, connecting to that instead would be a good idea though. 

[Viggo]

I use a strap from Op/Tech and it's extremely comfortable as it is soft neopren around the neck, and it also proived A LOT of damping as the strap is like a stretcy rubber, so your camera doesn't jump and jerk around, very nice shock absorber. I've had a 1d4+300 f2,8 IS hanging on it, no issues, but I also kept the strap attached to lens (Canon-strap) for backup in case, I just kept the Canon strap looser so it didn't do any thing unless the other snapped, but it has never happend.

This one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/OPTECH-neoprene-PRO-LOOP-camera-neck-STRAP-gray-steel-/120722652848?pt=US_Camera_Straps_Hand_Grips&hash=item1c1ba17eb0#ht_598wt_907

[nebugeater]

I have a Cotton Carrier system.  Use it with my 50D and 70 - 200 2.8 L II.  It is not suited for everything but it sure works great when I need it.  Takes all the weight and swing of the traditional neck strap out.  Feels solid and safe. 

http://buy.cottoncarrier.com/


I have the "vest" style that is capable of two cameras, one the side.  Although I have a second setup I have never really used it that way.

[RustyTheGeek]

Ditto on Black Rapid.  I use a Nikon AH-4 Hand Strap and even though it offsets the tripod mount hole, I have never had a problem.  I carry a 5D and a 40D (with or without grips) in the same manner using various Black Rapid straps while outdoors, hiking, camping, etc.  Using the D ring type R-1 fasteners, I also use a carabiner sometimes to hold the camera to another carabiner on my leather belt.  This is good for when I don't want the whole strap on but need to have my hands free.  Using two carabiners isn't as fast to bring the camera up, it requires requires two hands to disconnect, but it works great when I know I won't be shooting all the time and don't want to lay my camera down somewhere.  If I do use a neck strap around my shoulder or something, I have always liked Op/Tech for many of their products.

There are also a few alternatives to Black Rapid - Sun Sniper, Carry Speed and Camera Slinger.

Word to the wise - try to never lay your camera down outdoors, around food, drinks, boy scouts, etc.  If I need to put it somewhere, I keep my camera bag and day pack carabinered to a tree with a heavy duty bungee or something so it is completely out of the way.  (In a trustworthy safe area of course.)

[dstppy]

I got my black rapid (and sport strap) last week and it hasn't start raining since 

It makes the camera feel less cluttered, but I'm sort of concerned (per some amazon comments) about the connecting loop and passthrough digging up the bottom of the camera.  I'm thinking of trying to find some black medical tape to wrap the corners in, but I think it'll get gooey over time.

Did anyone do anything to cover the metal part's outsides up?

[EYEONE]

I got my black rapid (and sport strap) last week and it hasn't start raining since 

It makes the camera feel less cluttered, but I'm sort of concerned (per some amazon comments) about the connecting loop and passthrough digging up the bottom of the camera.  I'm thinking of trying to find some black medical tape to wrap the corners in, but I think it'll get gooey over time.

Did anyone do anything to cover the metal part's outsides up?

I wouldn't worry about that. I've used the Black Rapid on two different cameras now and so no signs of it's use at all.