# Tripod and multiple camera straps



## lenstrack26 (May 3, 2013)

Hi all. I know this sounds odd, but I am frustrated with the time/effort required to swap lenses back and forth from my sling bag to the camera body. As a possible solution, I am thinking about a strap system that permits carrying two bodies with different lenses, e.g., cotton carrier. Unfortunately, I almost always shoot from a tripod. So, my question is whether anyone has solved the problem of ready accessibility of two camera bodies and a tripod? No, I don't want to carry two tripods Thanks for sharing your experience.


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## BruinBear (May 3, 2013)

A tripod head with quick release plates and just buy two plates, one on each camera?


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## neuroanatomist (May 3, 2013)

Blackrapid double strap, Kirk 1" clamps on the ends of the straps, Arca-Swiss type plates on bodies/lenses and an AS-type ballhead clamp.


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## woollybear (May 3, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> Blackrapid double strap, Kirk 1" clamps on the ends of the straps, Arca-Swiss type plates on bodies/lenses and an AS-type ballhead clamp.



I took your advice on this setup...and I really like it. But...(there is always a but isn't there...)

I am having a really hard time letting go of the camera, I just can't get myself to trust a single point connection...I know a regular strap is really just a single point connection as well...but still...

I mean...am I nuts, paranoid, stupid or do others feel this way as well...

Woollybear now ducks


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## sunnyVan (May 3, 2013)

woollybear said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > Blackrapid double strap, Kirk 1" clamps on the ends of the straps, Arca-Swiss type plates on bodies/lenses and an AS-type ballhead clamp.
> ...



I feel the same way. I don't trust anything other than my hand and the ugly canon neck strap. I'd rather be less cool than dropping my equipment. Maybe I'm paranoid but I'm fine being paranoid.


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## neuroanatomist (May 3, 2013)

I hang 12 lbs of gear costing upwards of $20K from the BR strap w/ Kirk 1" clamp. But then, my gear is all insured, just in case...


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## rang (May 3, 2013)

lenstrack26 said:


> Hi all. I know this sounds odd, but I am frustrated with the time/effort required to swap lenses back and forth from my sling bag to the camera body. As a possible solution, I am thinking about a strap system that permits carrying two bodies with different lenses, e.g., cotton carrier. Unfortunately, I almost always shoot from a tripod. So, my question is whether anyone has solved the problem of ready accessibility of two camera bodies and a tripod? No, I don't want to carry two tripods Thanks for sharing your experience.




Been using the Cotton Carrier system for 4+ years. Out in the field way, way off road for 10 + hours /day for as long as 3 weeks. Fell down in water with slippery rocks, fell down off a collapsing chair shooting runway models . Usually with at least two if not three rigs attached to the vest. Used it in 95+ degree weather with blowing sand and friggin freezing blowing snow. And have worn it under a tux. No damage to any gear at any time. 
And to your question... all the rigs have a Cotton Carrier hub AND a Manfrotto QR plate attached to the bottom of the battery grip on older XXD bodies or my current 1DX bodies. NO STRAPS...they just get in the way. Straight from the vest or holder to the tripod head. Fast, secure. I can jump up and down with heavy long L primes/zooms and nothing comes out or loose. Bend over... nothing smacks together.

More than paid for itself many mishaps ago. And I actually try not to be a klutz. Sometimes I just have to shoot in crappy conditions and I ain't the same as I was decades ago.

I don't work for or get paid by the Cotton folks. I just like the gear.


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## FunPhotons (May 3, 2013)

If I understand your problem - using a strap and attaching to tripod without hassle - the Kirk security strap is the best solution IMO

http://www.adorama.com/KIRSS1.html?gclid=CL_wksvZ-rYCFWRyQgodrRkAfQ

I love this strap. It has a dovetail on the bottom which clamps to any Swiss-Arca system in seconds. I love how it keeps my lens pointing outward (in the orientation I use) while moving. Basically it's the bomb as far as I'm concerned.


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## neuroanatomist (May 3, 2013)

FunPhotons said:


> If I understand your problem - using a strap and attaching to tripod without hassle - the Kirk security strap is the best solution IMO



I think the OP wants to hang _two_ cameras. Have you tried a pair of Kirk straps, over each shoulder?


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## akraj (May 3, 2013)

Have you looked at http://www.customslr.com/products/m-plate-pro#.UYQkisoqU08 ?


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## dppaskewitz (May 3, 2013)

I have used both the Cotton Carrier two camera set up (chest and waist) and now two Black Rapid straps cobbled together with a Black Rapid "Brad" and a Black Rapid "coupler" into a two camera rig (Black Rapid makes a specific model to carry two cameras but I already had one strap and wanted to have the option of keeping bodies and straps separate or combining). Cotton Carrier makes a plate that will fit into both their particular socket and also a Manfrotto QR on your tripod. My problem is that the two fittings are side by side and it ends up being a bit clunky. But, Cotton Carrier does have the safety straps that give a little more assurance if the camera comes out of bracket or is dropped, etc. Black Rapid makes a "FastenR Tripod" (FR-T1) screw that replaces the screw in a Manfrotto RC2 plate and has a swivel head that accepts the BR buckle ("connector"). If you go Black Rapid and Manfrotto RC2, you need that screw. If you go Black Rapid and RRS/Kirk, follow Neuro's advice (he has posted several times on various threads more detail on how he has made his connections). I haven't felt the need for any safety strap with the Black Rapid setup, even dangling two cameras.

An alternative is to ditch the sling bag and go with a Think Tank technical belt and pouches for individual lenses. I like this arrangement for ease of changing lenses.

Or both the two camera rig and the Think Tank set up.............................

Warning: I am strictly a hobbyist. Folks who do this every day for a living may have a different take on it.


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## RGF (May 3, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> I hang 12 lbs of gear costing upwards of $20K from the BR strap w/ Kirk 1" clamp. But then, my gear is all insured, just in case...



Insurance is great - when you done with the shoot, returning home and will have time to replace the equipment. However I always get nervous at the start of the trip - if I loose my equipment, insurance will not buy me a new trip :-\


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## RGF (May 3, 2013)

BruinBear said:


> A tripod head with quick release plates and just buy two plates, one on each camera?



Suggest an L bracket for each camera - let's you turn the camera vertical without putting weight off to the side of the tripod (ball head). Plus I have plates on all my lenses. To save a few $ is not worth the hassle of moving plates between lens. And the better L brackets (or camera plates) are custom for each body.

As far as BR strap, I trust an anchor point I screw into the plate or body. I am not comfortable with a small clamp (e.g., the Kirk system) which could get loose and have camera crash to the floor. Too bad there is no L bracket with an attachment point that does not interfere with mounting on a ball head.


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## neuroanatomist (May 3, 2013)

RGF said:


> Insurance is great - when you done with the shoot, returning home and will have time to replace the equipment. However I always get nervous at the start of the trip - if I loose my equipment, insurance will not buy me a new trip



True. But as I said, I have confidence in the setup. To be honest, I do usually hold the 600 II by the tripod foot when it's on the strap. But I let the strap take the weight. 



RGF said:


> As far as BR strap, I trust an anchor point I screw into the plate or body. I am not comfortable with a small clamp (e.g., the Kirk system) which could get loose and have camera crash to the floor.



You might think so - my experience has been the opposite. With the BR FastenR lug connected to a tripod socket, and the strap connected to the lug, the rig is swinging from that lug. That puts torsional stress on the screw. I used to use that setup - even with a tight connection and moistening the rubber compression washer prior to tightening (as BR recommends), it would come unscrewed on a walk/hike. That happened more than once (didn't fall off, but would have had I not noticed). I got in the habit of checking tightness a couple of times an hour, and at least once every couple weeks I needed to re-tighten the lug. The same thing would happen with the FastenR-T1 that I used with the Manfrotto RC2 plates. 

Since switching to the AS system and the Kirk clamp connection, it's not come even slightly loose once. I've given up checking the connection at all. The lug is attached to the clamp with Loctite - that's where the torsional stress is, and with Loctite it won't come loose. The clamp has a good intrinsic resistance - brushing the knob won't loosen it. Plus, the clamp is placed so the knob is under the lens when attached to the body, and away from the body when attached to the lens - there's minimal chance of even brushing it. 

Bottom line, after two years of using the directly connected lug, I learned that it needed to be checked often because of a tendency to come loose, and after a year of using the Kirk clamp, I have complete trust that it won't come loose unless I intentionally take it off. 



dppaskewitz said:


> An alternative is to ditch the sling bag and go with a Think Tank technical belt and pouches for individual lenses. I like this arrangement for ease of changing lenses.



I do something similar on occasion. I have a Spider Holster, another great carry option. I avoided them until they came out with an Arca Swiss clamp option. I don't use their belt, I attached the holster to a Lowepro Deluxe Technical Belt, and I can attach lens cases, a monopod holster, water bottle/phone case, etc., to the belt as well.


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## Bullet Biter (May 4, 2013)

I ran into a similar problem and went this route (Brands I used):

Arca-Swiss compatible L-Brackets (ProMediaGear). As mentioned above, it does allow landscape and portrait positions on tripod. If your tripod is Arca-Swiss compatible, then you're good. I had Manfrotto tripods and heads so I had to get adapters (Kirk).

Also highly recommend ProMediaGear's Boomerang flash bracket. Fits the L-Bracket and is the quickest landscape/portrait switch that I've seen.

Dual camera holsters belt with the Arca-Swiss Clamps (Spiderholster). The clamps are quick release so that you can mount the camera to the tripod and then back to the straps very quickly.

Double straps harness DR-1 (Blackrapid). This attaches to the Spider clamps. If not using the clamps, you have to unscrew the Blackrapid and will be slower. 

I, also, am paranoid about having a single point of attachment. With this setup, I made a 1" loop with a long velcro strip, wrap it around about 3 or 4 times, around the corner of the L-Bracket, then bought a small, high-strength carabiner and attached it through both the Blackrapid carabiner and the velcro. Now, if the Blackrapid or Spider clamp fails, the L-bracket should save the camera. Wasn't meant to be if the L-bracket fails! 

This setup gives me a lot of confidence about not dropping the cameras. Single camera version of this setup is great, too. I'll attach a Lowepro Lens Exchange 200AW to the opposite side for easier lens changes.

Hope this was helpful and gives you some ideas. It's also very comfortable.


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## brad-man (May 4, 2013)

lenstrack26 said:


> Hi all. I know this sounds odd, but I am frustrated with the time/effort required to swap lenses back and forth from my sling bag to the camera body. As a possible solution, I am thinking about a strap system that permits carrying two bodies with different lenses, e.g., cotton carrier. Unfortunately, I almost always shoot from a tripod. So, my question is whether anyone has solved the problem of ready accessibility of two camera bodies and a tripod? No, I don't want to carry two tripods Thanks for sharing your experience.




I would suggest a black rapid strap with the arca clamp (as suggested above) connected. Both camera bodies with arca plates attached, and a holster for your second camera. Think Tank and Lowepro make some excellent ones in a variety of sizes to accommodate pretty much any camera/lens combo. I favor the Think Tank due to being a little more streamlined, and the bottom of the case can easily be expanded to accommodate larger lenses, lens caps extended, or a prime dropped down there. You can carry them on a shoulder strap, a camera belt, or both...


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## woollybear (May 4, 2013)

Bullet Biter said:


> I, also, am paranoid about having a single point of attachment. With this setup, I made a 1" loop with a long velcro strip, wrap it around about 3 or 4 times, around the corner of the L-Bracket, then bought a small, high-strength carabiner and attached it through both the Blackrapid carabiner and the velcro. Now, if the Blackrapid or Spider clamp fails, the L-bracket should save the camera. Wasn't meant to be if the L-bracket fails!



Would you mind posting a photo? I think I know what you are doing, and it would certainly help ease my restless mind, but a pic would really be nice.


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## lenstrack26 (May 4, 2013)

Thank you all very much for your helpful suggestions. It is interesting to learn that many photographers have encountered the same practical issues and that many of you have come up with your own inventive solutions. Looks like there's some room for manufacturers to come up with improved alternatives!


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## docholliday (May 4, 2013)

I could never stand the crap-rapid strap system, or any other tripod mounted junk...I use a tripod way too often and switch between a 1Ds3, 1D3, and 1VHS constantly. Even as far as mounting a 4x5 on the fly. I prefer to use the Op-Tech sling system with Arca Swiss plates on the bottom. The op-techs are much more stable than swinging on a 1/4-20 thread - I've ripped out the bottom of a 1DsII with a regular plate, and very little weight. The tripod mount is cast pot metal and is fairly easy to strip. I actually mount a modified Hasselblad Winder CW wrist strap from the right top strap lug to the lower right (under the grip), then add the buckles to that webbing line. Then, I grabbed some Velcro cord wrap (double-sided velcro) around the buckles if I plan on the bodies swinging around a lot. 

I've never had one of the buckles fail, even with full loads. I just bandolier the two over my body and hike away. Without the Velcro "secondaries", I can even quickly unbuckle the cameras for tripod usage if I don't want a strap hanging around the tripod. The design behind all the tripod-socket mounted ones is obviously for people who never use a tripod - I know way too many of them. Fine for some applications, but these same people later complain about their landscapes not being sharp...hmmm.


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## neuroanatomist (May 4, 2013)

docholliday said:


> The design behind all the tripod-socket mounted ones is obviously for people who never use a tripod - I know way too many of them.



Shhhhh...don't tell that to the Wimberley/RRS plates/L-brackets on my bodies and lenses or my frequently-used RRS tripods/monopod. As stated, there are good workarounds for those of us who use Blackrapid straps and tripods/monopods.


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## brett b (May 4, 2013)

lenstrack26 said:


> Thank you all very much for your helpful suggestions. It is interesting to learn that many photographers have encountered the same practical issues and that many of you have come up with your own inventive solutions. Looks like there's some room for manufacturers to come up with improved alternatives!



Yes...room for alternatives! 
I use a Cotton Carrier for 2 bodies while shooting live stage performances. I like that the bodies don't dangle with this system as I'm running around quite a bit. However, during these shoots, my L brackets are removed from the cameras. 
It seems your intent is to have the ability to use 1 tripod and two bodies with different lenses attached. You would clearly need a system that accommodates the use of L brackets. 
RRS has a new device that might help...
http://reallyrightstuff.com/ProductDesc.aspx?code=B2-FABN&type=0&eq=


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## dppaskewitz (May 4, 2013)

Here is another clamp to use with a BR strap and Arca-swiss plates. I haven't used it, but looks like it would be the quickest transition from hip to tripod:

http://acratech.net/product.php?productid=86&cat=3&page=1


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## brett b (May 4, 2013)

dppaskewitz said:


> Here is another clamp to use with a BR strap and Arca-swiss plates. I haven't used it, but looks like it would be the quickest transition from hip to tripod:
> 
> http://acratech.net/product.php?productid=86&cat=3&page=1



I like it, but I would worry that the quick release arm would too easily get caught on something you brush up against, flip open and release the gear attached. 

That new RRS clamp seems like it might work for the OP because the clamp attaches to your camera strap then clamps to your L bracket. It looks like you can simply unclamp the strap from the bracket and move directly to tripod.


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## neuroanatomist (May 4, 2013)

dppaskewitz said:


> Here is another clamp to use with a BR strap and Arca-swiss plates. I haven't used it, but looks like it would be the quickest transition from hip to tripod:
> 
> http://acratech.net/product.php?productid=86&cat=3&page=1



I've seen that before...seems to me that a lever release clamp on a dangling strap would be the quickest transition from hip to pavement.


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## dppaskewitz (May 5, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> I've seen that before...seems to me that a lever release clamp on a dangling strap would be the quickest transition from hip to pavement.



That's what I first thought when I saw it. A demonstration showed that you push a button on the lever to release it (much like a lock-back knife) and that bumping the lever in either direction will not release it.


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## neuroanatomist (May 5, 2013)

dppaskewitz said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > I've seen that before...seems to me that a lever release clamp on a dangling strap would be the quickest transition from hip to pavement.
> ...



Thanks - that makes a lot more sense!


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## Halfrack (May 5, 2013)

Not sure if a belt setup is an option - you let go of the camera, but if you're good with your placement you can feel it slide into the Spider Holster. I hate their plates (hand size when used with the vertical grip) so I use the CarrySpeed F1 folding plate. Only thing it isn't is a L bracket.

Upside is the cameras are lower than when on a strap, walking around is easy. Downside is you can't hike it up high if you're sitting around.


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## RGF (May 8, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> dppaskewitz said:
> 
> 
> > neuroanatomist said:
> ...



looked at it on line and it seems to require a positive action to open the clamp. Neuro - I had the same reaction initially, if the clamp accidentally opened, the camera would hit the ground in under a second


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## wickidwombat (May 8, 2013)

RGF said:


> BruinBear said:
> 
> 
> > A tripod head with quick release plates and just buy two plates, one on each camera?
> ...



this is what i do
however i took a dremel to my really right stuff L brackets so that the black rapid FastenR-T1 thats fits inside and flaps down and hides when on a tripod
also a side benefit of it being a dremel hack job is there is quite a bit of metal on metal friction resistance that stops it coming unscrewed. Mine have never even come close to accidentally unscrewing

works really well


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## expatinasia (May 8, 2013)

lenstrack26 said:


> Hi all. I know this sounds odd, but I am frustrated with the time/effort required to swap lenses back and forth from my sling bag to the camera body. As a possible solution, I am thinking about a strap system that permits carrying two bodies with different lenses, e.g., cotton carrier. Unfortunately, I almost always shoot from a tripod.




A tripod would indicate that you are pretty stationary. What are you shooting, if you do not mind me asking?

I am curious because I understand a strap system for hand holding or sports (where a monopod is common) where you have to quickly switch between one body and another, but using a tripod would suggest you are a little more stationary, can you not just carry the second body with lens attached in one of the lowepro bags (or similar) and whip it out when you need? That's what I do when I cover a sports event where I need two bodies, I just leave it on the floor or in the open bag, if I move around one is in the bag, the other around my neck.


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## lenstrack26 (May 8, 2013)

Hi Expatinasia,
Good question. I'm referring to landscapes in which I'm shooting a lot of bracketed images for HDRs. I feel a tripod is mandatory. (For example a shaded waterfall with a brilliant sky). On a single hike, I can encounter subjects that require a telephoto (100-400 mm), or midrange (24-105 mm) or extreme wide angle (14 mm). I could probably hand-hold these lenses if it were not for the need for bracketing. Even without a tripod, carrying multiple bodies (in a convenient and comfortable and secure system) would make life easier!


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