Decent sling strap

[NiceCupOfTea]

I want to get myself a sling strap for my dSLR but half an hour's research has left me a bit dubious - a couple look good (JJC Quick Release NS-J1 & Matin Neoprene Fast Access) and get pretty good reviews, but with both there are a significant few reviews saying they have failed and dumped their cameras on the ground I'm just a hobby photographer and it will probably just be carrying my D200 + kit lens (1.5kg?) although possibly the occasional flash and maybe a battery grip/bigger lens. The metal clip on the JJC particularly looks a little weedy and I would probably want to use a couple of tie wraps as well...

Any personal recommendations? Rather not spend £50, but I'd also rather not drop my camera on the ground either...

[Otispunkmeyer]

I have a Joby strap that is lovely and comfortable. Its got this action where you pull either way and the camera comes tight to the body at your hip for walking around, you can then just unlock and pull the camera from the hip and the strap will loosen itself.

http://joby.com/camera-straps

[Colin RedGriff]

I use the Optech sling, I've had it on my Canon 50D for about 3 years now. I like it so much I bought another when I got a 6D.

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-optech-utility-...

Very comfortable even with a camera and 100-400mm lens on it. The quick release buckle is great when I want to put it on a tripod and don;t want the strap dangling down.

[jurbie]

I have a Black Rapid Double however they also do plenty of single straps. I've only had it for a few months and have only just started to use it properly. I can't complain so far, it's comfortable even with my 50-500mm swinging around on the end of it. Also seems secure although I do check it regulary.

I did think about using one of my old straps as a safety line as it was long enough to prevent the camera hitting the floor without getting in my way in general use but so far I've not felt a need for it.

http://www.blackrapid.com/products/straps

[Risky Shift]

Another vote here for the Optech; it's comfortable, easy to use and get used to and does exactly what it says on the tin.

[K12beano]

Pay! Straps!

You need one of those holster-y type things around your waist. Better still a matching/mirrored body for left hand shooting from a quick draw!

Straps are just the work of the devil designed to get in your way at any opportunity!

[NiceCupOfTea]

If it's in my hand with no strap I'm risking dropping or damaging it. If it's in the bag I will miss photos, and a normal strap is restrictive and inconvenient, as well as banging my chest all the time...

[wseed]

I have a Black Rapid sport and am very happy with it although it was a little bit pricey for what it is. Very comfortable and It feels secure even with a FF body and decent size lens. What's nice is you can lock off the camera behind you so if walking thought confined spaces your camera's not bashing against walls or bushes. I do tend to still keep my hand on my camera or lens if in busy areas as I was told that it's not uncommon in some places to slash the strap and run off with the camera.

I've since bought one of these for my girlfriends compact and it looks pretty good. Well it would have been if they'd shipped it with the camera connector. I was issued a refund so will probably buy the connector separately for £1

[baz7175]

I used to hate the straps, but having had a camera ripped out my hand and disappear into a crowd I now keep the strap attached and use it as a wrist wrap so that the above doesn't happen again...unless they chop my hand off...

[Surfr]

I've been using a cheap 3 quid Chinese black rapid copy from eBay for a couple of years. It handles my d7100 and 300mm 2.8 just fine. I tend to double check the tripod screw thread regularly but it's almost never lose.

[Voldemort]

My solution is a quick access bag from Billingham and a wrist strap. Camera goes in the bag with the strap fed to outside so you can grab the strap, and pull the camera straight out into your hand.
The strap is one of these: http://www.gordyscamerastraps.com/

[tenohfive]

Was hoping I could piggy back on the back of this thread as I've yet to find a setup I'm happy with.

I'm looking for a sling that can be cinched down tight and easily so that it's not banging around when hiking about over rough/steep ground, is easy to then bring up for a shot and finally which doesn't use a tripod mount attachment so I get less wobble when bringing the tripod out. (I do a bit of camping on top of big hills, crawling out of a warm sleeping bag for some astro work means you want a minimum of faff.)

The Joby one mentioned above would be perfect if it wasn't tripod mount based. Does the OpTech one tighten down firmly? As in the photo's it looks like the camera itself hangs loose.

ETA:
I could live with a tripod mount based one if it forms a rock solid connection that togs doing long exposure stuff are happy doesn't introduce any weakness or wobble. And I'm currently using a Joby ball head if it makes any difference.

Edited by tenohfive on Saturday 4th April 13:33

[NiceCupOfTea]

I think most of the slings that use tripod mounts have a female thread on the bottom so they can easily be attached to a tripod. I bought the jjc quick release and it seems OK but haven't used in anger yet.

[markmullen]

I got around the need to be able to use my tripod with a Black Rapid by connecting some Arca Swiss clamps like this http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-kirk-1in-standa... to the connectors so that effectively the Black Rapid takes the same Arca Swiss compatible plates and L brackets.

[tenohfive]

NiceCupOfTea said:

I think most of the slings that use tripod mounts have a female thread on the bottom so they can easily be attached to a tripod. I bought the jjc quick release and it seems OK but haven't used in anger yet.

What I'm getting at is that that extra connection potentially adds a point of instability - it's not that I'd lose use of a tripod quick release plate, my concern is that the whole ensemble would be less stable - an issue for long exposure stuff. I've only used cheaper systems like that but they didn't hold everything as firmly together as I'd like.

markmullen said:

I got around the need to be able to use my tripod with a Black Rapid by connecting some Arca Swiss clamps like this http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-kirk-1in-standa... to the connectors so that effectively the Black Rapid takes the same Arca Swiss compatible plates and L brackets.

I've read guides, product pages etc...but I can't quite wrap my head around how an Arca system works. I get the basic part - plate on the camera, base on the head - but I can't get my head around how the base would attach to the Joby head I'm using (if indeed it would.) I know I'm being thick but I just can't picture it.

[markmullen]

tenohfive said:

I've read guides, product pages etc...but I can't quite wrap my head around how an Arca system works. I get the basic part - plate on the camera, base on the head - but I can't get my head around how the base would attach to the Joby head I'm using (if indeed it would.) I know I'm being thick but I just can't picture it.

With most heads you can just add an Arca Swiss clamp like the one I linked above, screw the existing standard 1/4" screw into the bottom of the clamp, possibly with some loctite. Then the Arca Swiss plate slides into the clamp. Hejnar do Arca Swiss conversions for some heads which are much better than just using a clamp.

To be honest it might not be worth the fuss for you, I did it so I could use L brackets, which I now swear by, easy access to switch between portrait and landscape without recomposing.

[tenohfive]

markmullen said:

With most heads you can just add an Arca Swiss clamp like the one I linked above, screw the existing standard 1/4" screw into the bottom of the clamp, possibly with some loctite. Then the Arca Swiss plate slides into the clamp. Hejnar do Arca Swiss conversions for some heads which are much better than just using a clamp.

To be honest it might not be worth the fuss for you, I did it so I could use L brackets, which I now swear by, easy access to switch between portrait and landscape without recomposing.

If it means I could use a tripod point based sling strap then I don't mind the fuss - having been put on my arse when a stumble introduced my Tokina 11-16mm to my funny bone at a rate of knots, I'm really keen to get the right setup for when I'm up in the hills.

And I'm still not sure I'm getting the Arca system - does the clamp you've mentioned attach to the QR plate of the existing tripod head?
(And sorry.)

[Irrotational]

I think everyone has to buy something from black rapid...purely for the porn sounding name!

[markmullen]

tenohfive said:

And I'm still not sure I'm getting the Arca system - does the clamp you've mentioned attach to the QR plate of the existing tripod head?
(And sorry.)

[tenohfive]

Payday coming up so revisiting this. And think I've got my head around it now (thanks for your patience Mark.) Arca Swiss plate, plus sling with a clamp attached. Makes sense.

So having settled on the sling (the Joby Ultrafit, looks ideal) I now need an Arca Swiss plate. Doesn't need to be super technical but something which'll be well made and secure. There seems to be a lot of choice out there - can anyone recommend something?