Is there a better way to switch between BR strap and tripod?

[PCM-madison]

I like to carry my camera with a Black Rapid strap which uses the tripod screw mount on the bottom of the camera. I use a tripod ball head with an Arca Swiss clamp. To switch between them, I unscrew the strap and then attach an Arca Swiss camera plate. I'm hoping for advice for a better/faster way to switch between strap and tripod.

 

[Ryananthony]

You can use the round clip, rather then a screw in piece. With that, you could get a Arca Swiss plate like this. I've seen them on amazon and ebay.

 

[neuroanatomist]

I attached the BR lug to a Kirk 1" clamp with a bit of Loctite Blue on the threads. That lets me easily move the strap attachment from the body plate to a lens collar plate, or remove it to mount the camera on a tripod. I use that setup with lenses up to a 600mm f/4L IS II.

 

[PCM-madison]

Thank you for the fast responses. I have ordered the Kirk clamp.

 

[drob]

Yes, it's called the Peak Design Slide.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

After Neuro posted his method a few years ago, I also bought a 1 in Kirk Clamp. It works great.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Mt Spokane.
Same here except I use a larger generic (read Chinese) clamp with quick release lever instead of a screw type clamp, just personal preference.

Cheers, Graham.

After Neuro posted his method a few years ago, I also bought a 1 in Kirk Clamp. It works great.

 

[slclick]

I also use Neuro method. +1

 

[pwp]

Yes, it's called the Peak Design Slide.

Exactly. Peak Design’s straps really are at the top of the tree for practicality and versatility. My Holy-Grail like search for the perfect strap system was expensive and went across almost all of the main players plus a few you’ve likely never heard of, and finished when I got my first Peak Design Leash strap. I now have 3 Leash, Slide and Slide-Lite.

Difficulties in the move from strap to tripod or monopod are a distant memory.

-pw

 

[neuroanatomist]

Peak Design’s straps really are at the top of the tree for practicality and versatility.

IIRC, last time I looked at Peak Design, they lacked as effective solution for collared lenses. Has that changed?

 

[scottkinfw]

Peak Design’s straps really are at the top of the tree for practicality and versatility.

IIRC, last time I looked at Peak Design, they lacked as effective solution for collared lenses. Has that changed?

I got around that by using a Swis Arca plate that comes with holes in it, and attached it to the foot of the collar. Works great, is easy.

Scott

 

[applecider]

Another plus on the neurologist method.

I do check all connections each time for tightness.

One failure that occurred was from the area where the carabiner post is inserted into the strap rectangular metal as seen in neuros post. Over time the “post” hole enlarged from fictive wear and the carabiner fell out. Luckily I was holding the camera lens at the time.

I believe newer black rapids have eliminated this type of connection.

 

[pwp]

My brief love affair with BR ended abruptly years ago when the BR attaching screw pulled the thread straight out of the (genuine) grip on a 5DII, while I had a 70-200 f/2.8 attached. Expensive. The threads in bodies may be stronger, but maybe less so in grips. The body/grip threads are possibly engineered to satisfactorily hold a body securely on the tripod/monopod where the pressure is coming down on the tripod/monopod. A body and lens's weight swinging upside down, just relying on that tripod thread was too much.

True, I should have moved the BR to the lens foot when I mounted the fairly heavy 70-200. Learned my lesson. Peak Design...

-pw

 

[neuroanatomist]

I got around that by using a Swis Arca plate that comes with holes in it, and attached it to the foot of the collar. Works great, is easy.

I have no plans to drill a hole in the replacement foot for my 600/4.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Hi Mt Spokane.
Same here except I use a larger generic (read Chinese) clamp with quick release lever instead of a screw type clamp, just personal preference.

Cheers, Graham.

After Neuro posted his method a few years ago, I also bought a 1 in Kirk Clamp. It works great.

Using one with a QR lever seems to me to be inviting a serious point of failure, if not locked down, it might easily flip open.

 

[Jim Saunders]

The one thing I can add to this discussion is that hanging a camera from a clamp on a strap is more comfortable given an L-bracket and the clamp on the side of the camera rather than the bottom.

Jim

 

[-Gamer-]

The Fusion Plate is exactly what you're looking for. I have the Manfrotto RC2 compatible Fusion Plate and love it, they also sell Arca-Swiss compatible plates too.

Here's their website- www.fpgear.com

 

[bholliman]

Yes, it's called the Peak Design Slide.

Exactly. Peak Design’s straps really are at the top of the tree for practicality and versatility. My Holy-Grail like search for the perfect strap system was expensive and went across almost all of the main players plus a few you’ve likely never heard of, and finished when I got my first Peak Design Leash strap. I now have 3 Leash, Slide and Slide-Lite.

Difficulties in the move from strap to tripod or monopod are a distant memory.

-pw

+1 I love Peak Design's strap system, it allows for very quick/easy strap changes. I have a slide I use for my 5DsR and a leash and cuff I used on my M5. I have a Black Rapid curve strap I still use occasionally, but the PD straps are used 95% of the time.

 

[Talys]

The fusion arca plates (the ones that ryananthony posted a picture of) are AMAZING. You can order them all on amazon.com (free fast shipping and all that), but here they all are:

https://fpgear.com/collections/fusion-plates

They come in 3 lengths, which is also great. I own a half dozen of the medium (3.75") ones, several of the small ones, and two big ones. On long lenses, the larger plates are great, because you can balance the lens (for example, on a monopod or gimbal).

Also, using a 3.75" or larger is nice on the tripod foot, because it turns into a nice handle for the camera.

They are also a very high quality construction, though equally expensive (I must have a $1,000 collection of them by now LOL.)

 

[TheVirtualTim]

I use an AcraTech "Swift Clamp"

This is the product at the manufacturer's site but you can get it from the major camera stores.

https://www.acratech.net/quick-release-clamps/swift-clamps/

This allows me to leave whatever arca-swiss type mounting plate I want to use on the camera. E.g. if you want to use an L-bracket ... you can do that because the Swift Clamp is the mounting saddle (you no longer use the tripod mounting bolt).