I’m one of those people who struggles with camera straps. I just can’t get comfortable with them. The weight of the camera around my neck is bad enough, but what frustrates me more is that it’s impossible to move – at all – without actually holding the camera. If I dare lean forwards the camera will invariably swing out into a hard obstacle, and if try walking it’ll swing about in what I can only assume is a desperate attempt for independence.
So, I have to hold the camera. What’s the strap for? Standing still.
I could accept all that if the problem stopped there, but it doesn’t. Once the camera gets put up to my eye the strap flaps about, gets tangled and generally does its darnedest to stop me getting the shot. When using a tripod the strap reaches its peak of head-banging potential, being both in the way and totally useless at the same time.
I’ve tried a number of solutions. The Op/Tech straps certainly make the camera feel lighter, and they can be removed easily. But there in lies the rub, because I’m scared by those little plastic clips that require only the tiniest squeeze to set my camera free. Moreover, once removed the camera’s left with two flappy straps that while less irritating than a complete strap are still irritating enough to drive me to distraction.
I’ve also tried removing the neck strap in favour of a hand strap. I quite like the hand strap when walking about, but it loses it charm when you have a vertical grip attached to the camera.
I discovered the Rapid-R strap a while ago, and it seemed to come all too close to perfection. By all accounts it would be comfortable, easily and completely detachable, wouldn’t flap when held to the eye, and by design would hold the camera closer to the body when bending over. For me though the weak point was the Fasten-R – the big hook that you have to screw into the tripod hole.
I use a vertical grip with a Really Right Stuff L-bracket, however I don’t have giant hands. I can comfortably hold the grip with the L-bracket in place but there’s no way I could support having that chunky hook burrowing into the palm of my hand. It seemed that the Rapid-R would be great without the vertical grip, but fairly useless with one…
However, by strange happenstance the Really Right Stuff L-bracket has a strange loopy bit at the front. I would expect the bracket to hug the camera as closely as possible but for some reason that isn’t the case. At first I found it incredulous that they would do such a thing – it can only make the camera more awkward for some people to hold – but now I’ve come to rather appreciate the oddity because it’s allowed me to attach a Rapid-R strap to the bracket itself…
I protected my bracket from scratches by covering it in masking tape and then proceeded to thread a chunky split-ring around the otherwise pointless loopy bit. Now, the bracket is quite thick, so by the time I finished the split-ring was distorted and looked more like a spring. Not one to be deterred from such things, I taped the ring in black electrician’s tape, which serves to hold the ring in it’s original form, prevent scratches from the ring against the bracket and look cooler than silver would (opinions may vary).
I don’t yet have enough experience with the system to be categorical, however the result of all this mucking about seems to be a stunning success story, fixing all my strap conundrums in one fell swoop.
I had this exact same reaction and issue with the Rapid-R strap. I decided to remove the hand grip which I had on most of the time but now I can put it back. This is a really great idea!
Thanks for sharing.
I believe there is a much better/safer and more attactive way to attach the BlackRapid strap to RRS “L” bracket without interfering with mounting the camera to your tripod and much more secure than your split ring. Get a small piece of nylon webbing and bring it to a shoe repair shop and have then attach the nylon webbing to the bottom right side into a small figure eight. You will then be able to attach your strap to open loop on the figure eight. The nylon will not break nor will it scratch your camera and it does not look like you attached something to you camera that does not belong.
I, too, find the strap annoying…. or, at least, I would if I had one on the camera. Tastes vary, of course, but I haven’t used a strap in years. Rather, I use a Lowepro “Off Trail 2“, a minimalistic camera bag that can be worn at the belt or slung over the shoulder. It comes with two padded lens pouches, but I use it with just one (to carry a GPS unit and/or a couple of small lenses). I usually wear it like a pouch in front, and with its gaping cover open, I just set the camera in when I don’t want to hold it.
The bag is lightweight, but easily gobbles up my D700 + 28-70/2.8 (with lens hood on the proper position, no less) such that I have no worries about walking around with the cover open, or driving my scooter with it in and the cover open.
Adding the vertical grip makes it a bit tighter in and out, but still fine. With a 70-200/2.8, though, you have to take off the hood or turn it around backwards, and even then, it’s a bit tall so it’s best to keep a hand on it while you move.
I’ve heard good things about the Rapid-R and have wanted to try it, but after years being untethered, it’s hard to imagine strapping up again.
Looks like that ring will be leaving some serious rub marks on your camera boday over time. I will pass on this strap. I like the action but that attachment has some drawbacks.
I actually don’t think it will, it doesn’t touch the boad with force.
Time will tell.
You might want to try and build your own strap to replace the metal ring with electrical tape. Purchase a small nylon strap, remove the L-bracket and have someone sew the strap around the L-bracket so you can attach (clip) the Rapid-R Strap. Create a figure 8 with the strap. This will look better and not damage the L-bracket or the body of your camera and when the R-Strap is removed, there is no metal ring banging around.
Hi Tim,
I too have been considering this strap for a while for the same reasons as you have stated in your story. But you have only mentioned the attachment issue and wrote nothing of the handling of the camera with the strap. That is what I am actually looking forward to hearing from you; please
.
Cheers,
Cem
Hi Cem,
So far I’m delighted with the strap…
[...] tenue confortable de l’appareil. Pour ceux que cela int
I use this strap on a Nikon D300 with the battery grip, as well as my other Nikons (D200/F5). I’ve found that using the triangle ring from the original strap, at the original body mounting point, on the left side of the body, works fine. It keeps my L-bracket fully available, and, being a right-hander, all controls are available without interference. Easy to disconnect when I need to use a tripod. So far, even with my longer lenses (70-200VR; 300 f/4) I have not had any problems. The camera is easily accessible and neck fatigue is a thing of the past.
Tim,
I too labored over the problem of the attachment point for the Rapid-R strap. I came upon an elegant solution. Kirk makes a security strap that works perfectly if you have an Arca-Swiss bracket.
http://www.kirkphoto.com/accessories.html#straps
I discarded the strap that came with the Kirk plate and attached the FastenR from my Rapid-R strap. The plate mates perfectly with the Really Right Stuff L-bracket on my Nikon. It holds securely and allows quick removal for tripod work.
hi sorry just a quick question: why precisely do you consider the FastenR a weak point? i’m new to photography and was planning on getting a rapidstrap for my D80 for use obviously without a battery grip. does the weak point only manifest itself when battery grips are thrown into the equation? is there something fundamentally unsecure about it to warrant concern for the safety of an attached camera and lens? or is it more a comfort issue in terms of how everything sits?
Cheers for the blog and the info!
Hi,
The FastenR itself seems okay, if a little bulky. I’m not sure that I like the idea of attaching the camera to something that can become loose, but I don’t know if this has ever been a problem in practice. However, my particular issue is that it’s incompatible with a vertical grip, since it sticks out where your palm will be holding the camera.
Tim
Thanks for the prompt reply, everything is cleared up, yeah i think i share your sentiments regarding the fact that the fastenr can simply come loose and is wihtout a lock of some sort.