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BlackRapid camera strap

John Angulat

pro member
Hi all,
If anyone out there is as frustrated as I have been searching for a well designed camera strap then take a look at BlackRapid's design.
This strap is truly innovative. Worn cross-shoulder the camera strap is attached to the tripod socket and your camera hangs upside down at your hip. The camera's lens faces to the rear and tucks behind your hip. No more smashing your lens into objects as you pass by. When you are ready to shoot, simply drop your arm and the camera is exactly at your hand. Raising the camera to shoot, the camera slides along the strap in front of you on a sliding ring. The beauty of the design is the entire strap doesn't move (the camera simply slides along the strap) and the shoulder pad stays where it always has been.
BlackRapid even has videos of their strap in use. There's also a number of clips on YouTube from satisfied owners.
I've no affiliation to the product, just a very happy user. I thought I'd pass it along.
Note:the strap is only available from their website, it is not carried by retailers
http://www.blackrapid.com


Oh, and one more product kudo: if you're like me and tend to carry around a rather heavy bag, check out Domke's FA-31 Shoulder Pad. It's the same pad the U.S. Postal Service uses and attached to any camera bag strap. It's a shoulder-saver! You will not be disappointed.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/16198-REG/Domke_725_310_FA_031_Shoulder_Pad.html

I hope this info is of some use.
 

John Angulat

pro member
Actually, it works fairly well. If I'm carrying two cmaeras, it's a D3 and a D300/Battery Grip (two fairly heavy devices with equally heavy glass). I admit you look a bit like a b-grade movie South-of-the-Border Bandito but the crossed straps are not uncomfortable. The "cross point" is high enough on your chest that each will slide freely and not interfere with the other.
btw - I suffer from chronic arthritis of the neck and this strap has relieved a lot of the pressure you tend to feel on one shoulder (I think we all tend to "raise" one shoulder in an effort to keep a camera from sliding off).
 

Ken Tanaka

pro member
Thank you for this tip, John. That strap certainly looks like an interesting concept. I just ordered one to give it a try.
 

Ron Morse

New member
I talked to a fellow a couple of weeks ago that uses one. He couldn't say enough good about it.

I believe I will order one myself.
 

Cem_Usakligil

Well-known member
Hi folks,

I have seen the videos on the web site and I must say I am impressed.
I have tried using a longer strap in the past to operate in a similar fashion but then the whole strap had to rotate and it was not smooth. This implementation seems to have tackled it nicely.

So I guess I'll eventually order one myself, but I'll wait for Ken's and Ron's reports first ;-)

Cheers,
 
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