# Wrist or Neck strap



## lilmsmaggie (Apr 15, 2013)

I'm interested in learning if people have a preference for using either a wrist or neck strap or perhaps own both and use one or the other depending on circumstances with their DSLR.


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 15, 2013)

I use a shoulder strap (Blackrapid) and a hand strap (Canon E1).


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 15, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> I use a shoulder strap (Blackrapid) and a hand strap (Canon E1).


+1111
Neck straps are a problem for me, but I can use the Black Rapid with heavy outfit all day with no pain.


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## Krob78 (Apr 15, 2013)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > I use a shoulder strap (Blackrapid) and a hand strap (Canon E1).
> ...


I'm with Neuro and Spokane, Shoulder strap is the only way to go, forget about the neck or hand straps... I use "Carry Speed" shoulder straps on my 7d and my 5d3 and wouldn't think of leaving home without them! As Spokane said, you can go all day with them on, without issue or discomfort and added safety for your gear, at least in my opinion anyway... Good luck!


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## jhanken (Apr 15, 2013)

Shoulder strap from Lens Loop


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## Jay H (Apr 15, 2013)

Canon E-1 hand strap and BlackRapid. It's like wearing a belt AND suspenders..........


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## Krob78 (Apr 15, 2013)

Jay H said:


> Canon E-1 hand strap and BlackRapid. It's like wearing a belt AND suspenders..........


+1~ Good one!


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## Krob78 (Apr 15, 2013)

I think that quite a few folks don't know about shoulder straps or don't carry heavier cameras or lenses. Once they do, I don't think they will ever go back to a neck strap...


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## Chuck Alaimo (Apr 15, 2013)

+1000...I love my black rapid...

Another system, which I very much dislike but many love ---spider holsters...neat concept, but I don't like the idea of keeping so much of the weight on my hips.


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## docsmith (Apr 15, 2013)

Count me in the black rapid camp.


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## Old Sarge (Apr 15, 2013)

I want to join those that are recommending the Black Rapid strap. I love mine and have purchased some for presents for friends and family. But today I am feeling especially fond of them.

This past week my wife and I spent three days in Tulsa, OK, for a southern gospel concert event. Since the concerts were all evening events we had our days free. I am fond of going to the zoo in whatever city we find ourselves so Friday was "zoo day." I carried my 7D with 70-200L on it. As we were standing at a crossroads my wife said, "Something fell off your camera. You are about to step on it." Turned out one of the bumpers on my strap had broken. No doubt I had put some odd stress on it during the time at the zoo causing it to break. No big issue, worked fine without the bumper. When I got back to the motel that afternoon I took the BR strap off my 40D (told you I liked them) and placed it on the 7D which gets more use.

Saturday afternoon I had some spare time so I sent an e-mail to Black Rapid's customer service. Today they responded to my e-mail requesting my address so they could send me a couple of the "bumpers." I was willing to buy a couple but they are sending them gratis. I responded right away and they are already on the way to my home.

Not only is the Black Rapid strap a great product but they offer great customer service. And they will keep my business when I need a new strap.


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## PKinDenmark (Apr 15, 2013)

Black Rapid shoulder strap - me too.
Most convenient / less load on the neck. 
And when you grip the lens with your left hand, you can swing the camera into position anytime very effectively.


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 15, 2013)

Old Sarge said:


> Not only is the Black Rapid strap a great product but they offer great customer service. And they will keep my business when I need a new strap.



+1.

After close to 2 years of using my RS-4 (mostly with a gripped body and large white zoom), the 'leading' edge of the strap started to fray just a bit. Didn't look like anything that would compromise the structural integrity of the strap, but I sent BR an email just to check. They agreed that it wouldn't pose a risk...but they sent me a new strap anyway, for free.


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## brad-man (Apr 15, 2013)

+1 for the Black Rapid RS-Sport strap. Hard to believe there are people still using neck straps.


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## TrumpetPower! (Apr 15, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> I use a shoulder strap (Blackrapid) and a hand strap (Canon E1).



Ditto, except I use the BR wrist strap instead of the Canon hand strap.

The RSS L-bracket stays permanently attached to the grip on my 5DIII. I have a 1" clamp permanently attached to the BR shoulder strap.

There are three basic scenarios.

Either the camera (with grip and L-bracket) is mounted to a tripod (either via L-bracket or lens mount), in which case there's no strap attached to it.

Or I'm hand-holding the camera with the grip attached and the BR shoulder strap attached to either the L-bracket or the lens mount.

Or I'm going lightweight and I've removed the grip (but left the L-bracket attached to the grip) and I've attached the RSS wrist strap to the camera's tripod lug. And I'm almost guaranteed to be shooting with the Shorty McForty.

Cheers,

b&


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## Dantana (Apr 15, 2013)

Been thinking about picking up a BR. Currently have a Rebel with a Click wrist strap (just in case). I hate the feel of a neck strap.

Since I use a smaller body, and I am usually using smaller lenses (most of the time, not always), 35 2.0, 85 1.8, which BR would be the best choice? Is the new Metro for even smaller gear like m43?

Thanks in advance for the input.


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## brad-man (Apr 15, 2013)

Dantana said:


> Been thinking about picking up a BR. Currently have a Rebel with a Click wrist strap (just in case). I have the feel of a neck strap.
> 
> Since I use a smaller body, and I am usually using smaller lenses (most of the time, not always), 35 2.0, 85 1.8, which BR would be the best choice? Is the new Metro for even smaller gear like m43?
> 
> Thanks in advance for the input.



Any of them will be great. I've never seen the Metro. With the price of camera gear being what it is, I tend to lean to the overkill side, so I would get any of the regular BR straps. I use the RS Sport, but they're all good.


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## Click (Apr 15, 2013)

I use a Blackrapid shoulder strap.


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## GDub (Apr 15, 2013)

Oops! I voted "both", but I hate neck straps. I love my BlackRapid RS-7 shoulder strap, and use either an Op/Tech or Canon WS-20 wrist strap depending on the camera. The wrist straps live on my cameras so that's what I use the most. I never warmed up to hand straps.


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## lilmsmaggie (Apr 16, 2013)

I'm glad you mention this.

This is the scenario that will be coming up for me soon and I've been considering the BlackRapid RS-7 but I'm going back and forth between RS-7 and the Sport. I'm wondering if I'll need the brad or not. The cost of the Sport includes a brad. Anyway, In about two weeks I'll be spending 4 days in Morro Bay, CA.

The plan is to take my 24-105 mounted to a 5DMKII for handheld shots and a 70-300L mounted to a T3i mounted to a tripod for distance, or vice versa. I know I like hand holding the 70-300L with the T3i, so consequently that lens will see a lot of use. Anyway, I'm also considering a RRS L-bracket for the 5DMKII and was wondering if all of the components (RS-7, L-Bracket and wrist strap, etc.) were gonna play nice. The wrist strap is intended for the 5DMKII.

Anyone know anything about camadapter: http://www.camdapter.com








TrumpetPower! said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > I use a shoulder strap (Blackrapid) and a hand strap (Canon E1).
> ...


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## rpt (Apr 16, 2013)

BR RS7. I will never go back to neck straps. Come to think of it, I used the neck strap as a shoulder strap several times before getting the BR.


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 16, 2013)

lilmsmaggie said:


> Anyway, I'm also considering a RRS L-bracket for the 5DMKII and was wondering if all of the components (RS-7, L-Bracket and wrist strap, etc.) were gonna play nice. The wrist strap is intended for the 5DMKII.



Not quite, but with one addition - yes. Actually, the three you list (BR strap, RRS L-bracket, and wrist strap) will play nice - the L-bracket has a lower lug for a wrist/hand strap (that's what the camdapter provides), and a threaded socket for the BR FastenR-3 lug. The 'not nice' part is that to mount the L-bracket to a tripod, you've got to unscrew the lug. 

The solution is to put an Arca-Swiss type clamp on the BR strap lug. I use a Kirk QRC-1 clamp for that, it's a small 1" clamp (RRS has a 1.5" one, the B2-FAB-F, but a wider clamp isn't needed for this - the Kirk 1" holds even my 1D X +! 600 II). Connect the BR lug to the clamp with a little Loctite Blue 242 on the threads. That way, you can unclamp the strap, mount the camera to a tripod, move the clamp to a lens collar plate, or another body (you could get an RRS base plate or Wimberley P-5 for your Rebel).

Have a good trip!


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## lilmsmaggie (Apr 16, 2013)

Kewl! - Thanks Neuro



neuroanatomist said:


> Not quite, but with one addition - yes. Actually, the three you list (BR strap, RRS L-bracket, and wrist strap) will play nice - the L-bracket has a lower lug for a wrist/hand strap (that's what the camdapter provides), and a threaded socket for the BR FastenR-3 lug. The 'not nice' part is that to mount the L-bracket to a tripod, you've got to unscrew the lug.
> 
> The solution is to put an Arca-Swiss type clamp on the BR strap lug. I use a Kirk QRC-1 clamp for that, it's a small 1" clamp (RRS has a 1.5" one, the B2-FAB-F, but a wider clamp isn't needed for this - the Kirk 1" holds even my 1D X +! 600 II). Connect the BR lug to the clamp with a little Loctite Blue 242 on the threads. That way, you can unclamp the strap, mount the camera to a tripod, move the clamp to a lens collar plate, or another body (you could get an RRS base plate or Wimberley P-5 for your Rebel).
> 
> Have a good trip!


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## RGF (Apr 19, 2013)

I use both the Blackrapid strap when I carry the camera around and the Canon CPS strap when I just need to make sure I have neckstrap (shooting from a safari vehicle) or carry the camera short distances when I don't have it attached to the tripod (but will do so soon).


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## jman (Apr 19, 2013)

Another vote for the Black Rapid. I have the RS-Sport and it is the best camera accessory I own.


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## AudioGlenn (Apr 19, 2013)

Krob78 said:


> I think that quite a few folks don't know about shoulder straps or don't carry heavier cameras or lenses. Once they do, I don't think they will ever go back to a neck strap...



+1

exactly my thoughts


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## moocowe (Apr 19, 2013)

A lot of BR users here!
I use an Optech sling strap because I like the modular design. I'm about to add a custom hand strap mounted to a HorusBennu RC2 plate. Really wanted a Camdapter plate, but they're not readily available in the UK.


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## kyle77 (Apr 19, 2013)

I bought a BR RS-7, and it changed my life. Or my shooting at least. I've carried a 1D Mark III with a 70-200 IS II for hours without it bothering me at all. Got one for my second wedding shooter for his Bday, he also loves it. 

One thing I worried about before I bought it was the security of the connection between the camera and the connecter, but it feels completely solid and safe and I've had no problems out of it. If I had to choose between never using a BR or my 135 f2 ever again........ it would be hard.


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## Coulth (Feb 25, 2019)

Great theme. I mostly use a regular belt when I walk down the street or go to the car and of course, there is the belt around my neck while working with the camera. I mean, just 2 options. However, I would like to note that the severity of working with the photographer is not saved by the strap as special body accessories, such as Compression Tights. During big ceremonies, like corporate parties or weddings, I have to “hunch” much and stand on my feet for a long time. I am sure that many amateur or professional photographers will understand me. It is very saving. Does anyone else do this?


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## pcaouolte (Feb 26, 2019)

Another vote for the Blackrapid. 

When using the 7Dii with the 100-400ii I have the Blackrapid connected to the tripod screw on the camera and the tripod foot of the lens will tuck into my trouser pocket to stop the camera/lens swinging about when I walk.

I've also connected a single short strap to the left hand strap connector on each camera. The short strap has a karabiner which clips around the main black rapid strap. If the connector unscrews from the tripod socket the modification stops the camera gear hitting the floor. The strap can be used normally with this modification.


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