Camera Labs

Since using a DSLR the one thing I have always been battling with is the use of straps to hold and carry my camera. I hate not having a strap at all as it feels unsecured. Since this I have bought and tested out three different types of straps that I think you may be interested in and here is what I think of them and in what situation I use them. I would also be interested in your opinions and the methods you use.

Normal neck strap
This is the traditional over the neck camera strap that most of us are familier with and this came with my camera, the sony a100. I dont wear this strap over my neck as I find it gets in the way and looks dorky, I just sling if over my right shoulder when im walking and wrap it around my wrist when im shooting to anchor it to my arm.



Pro's:
-Free, comes with the camera
-Camera feels secure when strap is attached to body
-practical to use

con's:
-Constantly gets in the way and twists/tangles.
-Sometimes slips off right shoulder when walking, not so secure.
-Looks dorky like a tourist when around neck.
-Fiddly to take camera off shoulder and wrap around hand to shoot if on shoulder..

Hand strap
This was the second strap I bought, a rather expensive official sony branded one. it is a small strap that attatches to one side of the camera and your hand slips through it to keep the body secure. I tend to only use this when im using my camera from my camerabag as it works well when im slipping it in and back out of the bag. Its not so good when no bag is used you have to hold your camera all the time



Pro's:
-Small Does not get in the way
-Keeps the camera secure and tethered to your hand

con's:
-Have to constantly hold the camera
-have to slip hand in and out of strap all the time.

Rapid R-Strap
The R strap is a product not so many people may be aware of. it is a strap that goes diaganaly across your body (sholder to hip) and has an attatchment that slides up and down this strap which the camera attaches to. this is difficult to explain so check out the video and website here. This strap is made privatly by a guy in USA but he ships abroad. I find this strap great when I only want to take one body + lens (most of the time) but if is cold outside and you wear a jacket it is a little bit of a pain.


*pic from google images

Pro's:
-comfortable
-Secure
-Camera easily accessible
-great for walking about with 1 body/lens

con's:
-fiddly to use when wearing a jacket
-Camera body bounces around a little but when at hip level.


This is what I have personaly found and what I think of the different strap's and neither of them I perticularly favour over the other as they each have there positives and negatives and Im still not fully content with my method of carrying my DSLR. I hope this information is usefull t some of you.

What method do you use to carry your camera and what do you like/dislike about the way you are doing this?

edit ------
I dont tend to take a camera bag with me, only 1 camera/lens

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Tobywuk personal website || My Flickr
Gear: Sony a700! || CZ 16-80mm! || Sony 75-300 || bag: Crumpler PB xxxl / Lowepro slingshot 200

I mostly carry the camera in my hand, wrapping the neckstrap round my hand (not my wrist). The 70-200mm is pretty heavy though, so sometimes I hang the camera over my shoulder and give my hand some rest. The shoulderstrap, or neckstrap, is just a little too short: if it were longer, I could keep the strap round my shoulder and shoot comfortably. Now I can't...

If I use the monopod with the 70-200mm, I sometimes put the lens on my shoulder and hold the monopod. Not very comfortable because the lens is a little too small...

- Bjorn -

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Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

I started using the neckstrap outdoors now. The weight is too much just to hand carry for any amount of time. Indoors I still don't use any kind of strap but leave the neckstrap hanging. Too fiddly to take off and put back all the time. I even got a quick release neckstrap to try, but the connectors were far too big and got in the way. Tried a generic handstrap, it wasn't for me.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

I'm not too keen on the conventional strap around the neck either. When I go to shoot, I curl it around my arm; around the neck feels a bit uncomfortable and in the way.

I had been considering hand straps, but then I discovered the Rapid R-Strap. I think I'll get one of these after my big upgrade.

Has anyone got experience with different brand straps? For instance the Kata straps?

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Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM | Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM | Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
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I have had some more thought on the topic of camera straps and i THINK I have come to the conclusion that normal neck straps is overall my favored strap. Although they get in the way a little they can be warn and used in a variaty of ways and there the most practical.

I wear mine like this:

_________________
Tobywuk personal website || My Flickr
Gear: Sony a700! || CZ 16-80mm! || Sony 75-300 || bag: Crumpler PB xxxl / Lowepro slingshot 200

Frustrated with many types of straps fulling off my shoulder, I have finally found and am using the ultimate camera shoulder strap. It is the UPstrap manufactured by a small company located in Florida, USA. Made of high-tech materials it is very strong with tiny rubber-like suckers to stop it slipping off the shoulder no matter what you are wearing. It is available in several models. Mine is the SLR version for my D200 with lens attached. Cost me approx $45 including shipping to Canada. Take a look at the UPstrap website for more details.

I only have a neck strap and if i am walking around i wear it like the r strap.

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Camera: Canon 40D, 17-85mm IS
Knowledge of Photography: Hours of reading and videos.
Computer: iMac 24inch 3.06Ghz 4gb ram 500gb HD Nvidia 8800 GS 512mb

just ordered a OPEC strap from the states - I'm pretty curious how it will work out

_________________
Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM | Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM | Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
...and a lot of lighting stuff. -> complete list of equipment

Website
Blog