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The perfect camera strap? I may how found it! (well someone else found it first)
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I know this is off topic bit, but we all (well most of us) use straps on our cameras. Last week while in Hong Kong a participant in my No Jet Lag Photo Workshop I was introduced to a near perfect camera strap. It is not often I get excited over something as trivial as a camera strap, but I have been using the Domke 1” Gripper Strap well over half of my life on my bodies and I don’t do well with change…......so to switch something as a trivial strap is huge for me.
The new straps are the PacSafe CarrySafe 100 straps. What makes them so great? They are slash-proof, so when you are out and about on the streets a thief can’t walk up behind you, slash your strap (it happens more often than you think) and steal your camera in a split-second. These straps can also be clipped on to a table leg, or a chair back while you are eating dinner and they can’t be cut and walked off with. The slim, light weight, flexible design is great. I had never liked any strap with a pad before, but this straps pad stays out of the way and takes some of the load off which is fantastic!
I wrote the strap up on my blog,http://www.flyingwithfish.com , in detail. This entry also has photos of the strap and the strap side by side with the popular classic, Domke 1” Gripper. You can read the entry here:
http://flyingwithfish.blogspot.com/2008/02/security-strap-for-your-camera-check.html
-Fish
by
Steven Frischling
at
Sat Feb 16 18:48:12 UTC 2008
(ed. Mar 12 2008)
New York City,
United States
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I use an Olympus strap, which is built like the old Nikon F5 1-inch strap. The Domke 1-inch strap is great too, but gets frayed at the edges over time.
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I use the Lowe strap due to ut’s stretch neoprene acting as a shock absorber, and anatomically contoured cut. Saves my nech and thoracic vertebra. No re-inforcement from thieves, though.
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Leather, leather…...................it just has that nice twang sound as it hits the buttocks….......
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Yes, leather. It’s the best one for the M8. ;-)
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I have found that Holgas or Polaroids are more suited for bondage, the ladies charge too much if they see a Leica
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I really love the UpStrap line. It won’t slip or fall off your shoulder under any half-way normal usage. And you can get it with Kevlar in the strap which resists cutting (including thieves) and wearing. I used Domkes for years, but this one made me a believer.
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I’m with Neal. The UpStrap is the best strap I’ve ever used. Have three of them now.
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The UpStrap is hard-wearing, and feels very secure on a shoulder with no risk of falling off, but I found the “grip pattern” on it made the skin on my neck sore after a short while. The Domke Grippers are good, I’ve used them for a while, but if I were to buy again I’d buy without the quick-release swivel… I once had a thief grab a MkII off my shoulder and the metal quick-release attachment just broke. Fortunately I got the camera back. How come the 1.5” gripper strap is only available with the swivel-release, or am I mistaken? The neoprene-type straps are good for avoiding neck-ache, but I don’t find them secure enough for running as they’re too springy and bounce around. Still searching for the ideal strap…
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Nice idea Robert, don’t know why I never thought of that!
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And can you wind the strap around your wrist cause that’s what I usually do when I’m out taking pictures. It’s easy and it doesn’t pull on my neck and I don’t have a camera banging against my chest when I’m walking and looking around for a nice picture to take.
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I am indeed a student, robert. I only have one camera for the moment and don’t own different lenses at the moment. Luckilly I don’t have to pay taxidrivers cause I usilly just drive somewhere and then walk around or go by bus or something. But I understand that if you have 2 camera’s, it’s difficult working with one camera on the hand. If I have more lenses and a second camera, I probabily will switch from hand to neck. But the current standard strap I have right now sucks big time and quit frankly, hurts when I wear it around my neck.
But you use 2 camera’s then. Interesting.
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sgottabe neoprene – once you use it you wont want anything else. strong and stretchy and as you’re falling out of the boat you can wrap it around your camera and make an improvised wetsuit. brilliant stuff.
anti-slash wires are for paranoids, imho. stephen says “it happens more often than you think” ... curious to know if anyone has ever had their strap slashed while walking around. maybe after 25 years i’m just naive. either that or my semi-charmed kinda life… yeah, must be that.
btw, i agree with ludo – i always wrap the strap around my wrist when shooting. number 2 is on my shoulder and i just make the taxi driver wait.
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Neckstraps come right after camera bags when it comes to nuts and bolts photographers discussions. Hey, just a word on Upstraps. I was an early adapter of Upstraps. They’re on my Canons and on my Leicas. My M6 is on my shoulder all the time. A word about this. I replace my Upstraps about 10 or so months on my Leica. The nubs start wearing off and as they do its’ ability to “stick” to the shoulder goes away. That said, the Upstrap is unquestionably the best strap I’ve ever used for staying on the shoulder. It’s the best. IF you use it everyday as I do and it’s always on the shoulder just be aware of the “wear” factor. BTW, when the strap is ready for replacement it is STILL better than any other strap for staying power.
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for sure a “leica leica” strap ;))
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i dunno, i mean, do you think they’re any good?
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david—’not sure if you’re asking me. If you are, the Upstraps are great. It’s all I use. But like those Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s on your Porsche they need replacing after a certain amount of wear.
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“so when you are out and about on the streets a thief can’t walk up behind you, slash your strap (it happens more often than you think) and steal your camera in a split-second.”
Steven, So, regardless of how often I think it happens, how often does it actually happen?
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Yes, JR is right. Upstraps do wear out. The key part of its technology is the rubber pad which is molded with tiny little columns of rubber on it. The edges of those colimns grip onto the fabric on the shoulder of your shirt/coat. The entire pad and columns are made of a rubber material that is just soft enough to have adhesive power. So, like athletic shoes, fan belts and other rubber things that grip, they will wear down over time. But given the importance of a camera strap, their replacement becomes a small price.
Indeed the Upstrap is not normally as good a strap if you wear a camera around your neck. If the pad comes in direct contact with your skin, the little columns will grind on that skin and leave it raw over time. For my FM2, which I usually wear over my neck, I use a trusty and soft old Domke strap.
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I have a muches more vital issue to discuss guys: is M8 any damn good?
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Mikhail, It depends on which camera strap you use it with.
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After a recent strap break all I was able to get was the kara Reflex-C strap, which I didint think I would like as in general I have shyed away from bouncy bouncy neoprene straps. However I have found the Kata to be a lovely balance of elastic and strong. 20$ aint too much either. http://www.adorama.com/KA91CM.html
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in the future everything will be made of neoprene. except pizzas. and possibly condoms. cameras will hover at your side by mag-lev, no strap required. i’m working on it.
interesting to see that apparently no one has ever had their strap slashed … how often does it happen again, steven?
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