I just got a great camera strap…and I hate camera straps. Let me tell why I don’t use camera straps, and why I’ll be using this one from Joby everyday.
I don’t use a camera strap around my neck for three reasons. Firstly, it gives a me crick in the neck that won’t go away for days (and since I shoot everyday, I’d have a sore neck forever). This literally keeps me up at night, and sends me running to the chiropractor. Straps on one shoulder with a sliding camera attachment are better, but in still can’t wear them all day with a 70-200mm lens.
Furthermore, a camera around your neck announces to the world that you are making pictures. When I make pictures with people I want them to see and interact with me, not my camera. Cameras put people on guard, and my main responsibility is to help them lower their guard and make a great portrait. Especially when I’m doing street photography, the last thing I want is for them to see a camera bouncing around my neck as I walk down the street.
Thirdly, camera straps are poorly designed. The camera swings whenever you move or bend over, they tangle on stuff in the bag, they are always the wrong length, they are easily tied wrongly resulting in catastrophic drops, they swing in the breeze ruining tripod shots, and…”eyes forward soldier.”
Plus, this isn’t NASCAR, and I’m not a billboard. I’ve spent more on my camera system than I’ve spent on three cars combined, and I didn’t pay all that money so I can wear a billboard on my neck for Canon, or Nikon, or Sony. Not to mention advertising to thieves exactly which multi-thousand dollar model I’m wearing! For the price these things cost, camera straps should be monogrammed with my initials.
For the last three years I’ve worn the Spider Holster on my hip to carry my camera. It keeps my hands free to greet people, it keeps weight off my shoulders, and I swing the camera to the FBI position when walking down the street and you can’t even tell I’m carrying a camera. Plus, I feel like Han Solo wearing it.
I’ve never dropped my camera out of my hand, but the worry is always there. That’s why I love Joby’s Wrist Strap. It’s simple, comfortable, quiet, and intuitive. It cinches comfortably tight automatically, and hangs out of the way on my holster. Joby included simple pictorial instructions for the right way to attach the strap, too. This is the same for all straps, but these are the best instructions I’ve seen. They’ve made better smoother hardware that makes it easier to attach the strap in the most secure way. All other companies should license this tiny piece of hardware for their straps.
Even if you don’t wear a holster, you’ll have great results interacting with people with the camera in your hand instead of on your neck, and not have to worry about dropping it.
For only $14.95, even college students could give one to mom or dad for Mothers or Father’s Day.
Highly recommended.
Thanks for reading; feels good to get that off my chest ;)
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Personally, I like the Peak Design “cuff”. It works well with the Peak Design “capture” system (similar to the Spider Holster), but it disconnects quickly from the camera if I want to, so I don’t have anything hanging around.
Great tip and possible cure for the crick in my neck!
Tim, that sounds pretty good, and Spider has one, too, but I haven’t had a chance to try it, yet. Such a back saver, though!
Yea, shoulder straps can be a PIA! I’m going to replace my 30+ year old cloth strap that I got for my Canon A-1. I bought an Op Tech strap for my F-1N and it feels great. I bought their dual harness for the A-1 and F-1N, but I haven’t used it. For being an advertising billboard, I’ll probably replace the strap that came with my 5D MkIII, but I would covet a CPS shoulder strap.
Decided to try the strap out, but don’t really like it. I use a 60D with 15-85 for the most part and it’s way too heavy for this strap, it feels like the life is being choked out of my wrist.. I think it would be fine with a mirrorless/pns or if I were carrying a prime.
I’ve been using one of these for years: a scuba dive light wrist lanyard. About $4.
http://www.amazon.com/Innovative-Scuba-Concepts-Wrist-Lanyard/dp/B004NXBDF6%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q%26tag%3Dduckduckgo-d-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB004NXBDF6
I found this same wrist strap this year and love it. I have all the same peeves about camera straps you mentioned. Plus, I don’t like how flimsy the end bits (which loop through the camera) are. They always get twisted and I spend time straightening the strap so isn’t shortened and bouncing around on my chest (being a woman that isn’t a great place to have your camera). Anyway, I had trouble finding the same wrist strap again here in Ontario. Just got luck one day at Best Buy. I did find it at Henry’s Camera store tonight. So… Read more »
Hey man, your bitly links died. Just FYI. Want to make sure you get attribution for the referral…Thanks for the thoughtful review!
Thank you!
I also like the Joby, except when a group of thugs start walking your way to try to steal your lens or your camera or pickpocket you that you can’t get the dang thing off fast enough to put it back in your bag. You have to use two hands to get the camera off your wrist.
If I were to update this post, Jay, I would now recommend the Spider Hand Strap from Spider Holster. https://bhpho.to/2lYPjwC
Yea, shoulder straps can be a PIA! I’m going to replace my 30+ year old cloth strap that I got for my Canon A-1. I bought an Op Tech strap for my F-1N and it feels great. I bought their dual harness for the A-1 and F-1N, but I haven’t used it. For being an advertising billboard, I’ll probably replace the strap that came with my 5D MkIII, but I would covet a CPS shoulder strap.
Hey man, your bitly links died. Just FYI. Want to make sure you get attribution for the referral…Thanks for the thoughtful review!
Thank you!
I found this same wrist strap this year and love it. I have all the same peeves about camera straps you mentioned. Plus, I don’t like how flimsy the end bits (which loop through the camera) are. They always get twisted and I spend time straightening the strap so isn’t shortened and bouncing around on my chest (being a woman that isn’t a great place to have your camera). Anyway, I had trouble finding the same wrist strap again here in Ontario. Just got luck one day at Best Buy. I did find it at Henry’s Camera store tonight. So… Read more »
I also like the Joby, except when a group of thugs start walking your way to try to steal your lens or your camera or pickpocket you that you can’t get the dang thing off fast enough to put it back in your bag. You have to use two hands to get the camera off your wrist.
If I were to update this post, Jay, I would now recommend the Spider Hand Strap from Spider Holster. https://bhpho.to/2lYPjwC
I’ve been using one of these for years: a scuba dive light wrist lanyard. About $4.
http://www.amazon.com/Innovative-Scuba-Concepts-Wrist-Lanyard/dp/B004NXBDF6%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q%26tag%3Dduckduckgo-d-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB004NXBDF6
Personally, I like the Peak Design “cuff”. It works well with the Peak Design “capture” system (similar to the Spider Holster), but it disconnects quickly from the camera if I want to, so I don’t have anything hanging around.
Great tip and possible cure for the crick in my neck!
Tim, that sounds pretty good, and Spider has one, too, but I haven’t had a chance to try it, yet. Such a back saver, though!
Decided to try the strap out, but don’t really like it. I use a 60D with 15-85 for the most part and it’s way too heavy for this strap, it feels like the life is being choked out of my wrist.. I think it would be fine with a mirrorless/pns or if I were carrying a prime.
Fitting the damn thing is an absolute nightmare. The company provides no help other than a pointless video in which the installation of the strap on the camera’s lug isn’t filmed at all. Pointless.
All JOBY needed to do was have sufficient consideration for potential customers to devise a simple diagrammatic fitting guide. But it didn’t. The company doesn’t care about you, so why should you bother about the company (unless youre in receipt opf nice little payments from Joby for Internet mentions?)
AVOID JOBY. Waste of money, waste of time.