I was out walking today and had my camera slung over my shoulder using my BlackRapid RS-4 strap. Nothing was out of the ordinary. I took some pictures, laughed with some friends and walked the streets of London.
Then it happened. Bang! Clackety clack clunk. My camera had come undone from my RS-4 strap and had fallen to the concrete. I couldn't believe it.
I normally keep one hand on my camera when it's around my neck but had a brief lapse and that's when it happened, the fastener worked free and my 40D was bouncing on the ground. I can't tell if it sustained any mechanical damage, a couple of scuffs here and there though.
Really sorry abt that and thanks for the heads up.
I am seeing a lot of these posts and keep wondering how that happens.
I have been using the black rapid strap for a while and never had this happen. I keep checking the fastener once in a while and not once was it loose or had come off.
They supposedly fixed that but that was why I gave up on the black rapid stuff in the first place. Just not ready for prime time, IMO.
Traditional strap is the better choice. If you want a sling strap, the Luma Loops is better. Either way, slings are (for me) sort of faddish and I tire of them quickly.
I've got the original BlackRapid strap, and I noticed they've changed the hardware that attaches to the camera and replaced the snap clip with a carabiner-type fastener. The older hardware has a jam nut that you tighten down after you screw it into the camera tripod mount. It's rock solid. I'm sure they had a reason to change it, but mine's been working with no issues for a few years.
What "worked free"? Did the fastener come loose from the camera's tripod mount, or did the carabiner come loose?
I emailed them, and they were quick to reply. Maybe they've fixed the design as I've seen a 3rd generation of tripod screw on their site. I have the swivel one - the FastenR-2, with the thumb lock carabiner. Interestingly enough the carabiner is so tight I have needed pliers in the past to unlock it. I'm very happy I didn't have my 24-70L or my friends 70-200 F4 on my camera when it fell.
For a strap this expensive, this should not have happened. When I'm hanging almost $5K on a strap, it's got to work. I've since ditched the BR stuff - I don't think it's as well thought through as it should have been and I don't want any more surprises. I shoot in a lot of conditions where the camera falling would be bad, but the camera may be unrecoverable as well (boats, mountains/skiing).
For the rare occasions when I want to use a sling strap, I use a Luma Loops. Much better product, IMO.
JohnJ80 wrote:
They supposedly fixed that but that was why I gave up on the black rapid stuff in the first place. Just not ready for prime time, IMO.
Traditional strap is the better choice. If you want a sling strap, the Luma Loops is better. Either way, slings are (for me) sort of faddish and I tire of them quickly.
J.
I don't think it is a fad. After carrying a 1D2 with flash and lens around your neck for 10+ hours, but it was common during the reception for my back to be killing me. Now with a sling strap I have no problems, no aches. I have one small complaint, when I release the camera from the strap, say to hold it over my head, I don't have a strap to wrap around my wrist. (I just thought of something. I wonder if I could clip the caribiner to my watch strap? I'll have to try that.)
I've made my own sling strap, attaching with a caribiner to the left strap loop. For $5.00 and a few weeks of tinkering I've made something that is 90% of a Black Rapid comfort, and a better attachment.
I found that with the sling strap and a large lens, it's fatiguing because it's just a different load point with no real flexibility in moving it around. I've since gone to the Cotton Carrier for long periods of carrying the camera. That works much better and is much more secure. So, I think sling straps are a bit of a fad and not a real solution. Certainly if not a fad, then definitely a niche. I guess we'll see.
To your point about creating your own strap - this is a camera strap, not a complex thing. BR should have gotten it right in the first place. it's not like this is brain surgery or something.
True, the weight still have to be born by the body. The key seems to be that the worst possible way to load yourself is around the neck. I've always liked the idea of a full fledged harness thing, but I just can't see myself wearing one at a wedding.
The Cotton Carrier does look a little geeky, but man, does it work well. Hours and hours wearing it with no fatigue. It's nice enough that I don't care what it looks like. I have a nagging neck issue and I'd still rather wear the camera around my neck than in a sling strap - and then with this, way better than either strap of any kind.
THere are a number of wedding photogs who use the CC (see pictures on their website). Probably would be nice if they made one in white or something so it wouldn't be as noticeable under a sport coat with a white shirt.
I bought a black rapid recently, I tightened the screw firmly in the bottom of my 5d MK II with my fingers, and it stays tight. I was a little concerned that it might loosen, but so far it hasn't. Since its only 3 months old, maybe I have one with some fixes.
I was amazed the first time I used it walkaround for hours with no more sore shoulders or fatigue. I really did not expect it to work so well.
Just the same, I'll watch to see that it does not loosen. The swivel snap is very unlikely to come unsnapped.
Interesting, I've never has such a thing happen with my regular straps on the bodies (OpTech Pro Loop).
I've had several people ask me why I don't use the BR...now I have yet another thread I can refer them to. Oh, another reason is that, in order to have enough strap to allow me to get a camera slung around up to my face, the camera then hangs down around my butt. That's just too low for my preference and the gear swings wildly down that low. When it's hanging up off my hip with a regular strap, it doesn't swing around as much and it's easier for me to control the movement with my elbow and arm.
I have a PacSafe 100 and a CityStrap, each with steel cables and each extendable to over 50" long. That's plenty long to put the strap across my chest and the camera on my hip. I never understood the utility of taking up the tripod port or of having the camera bounce around wildly on your hip.
And it's just as fast for me to get the camera to my eye with a two-point standard attachment than with one.
IMO, the R strap is a gimmick. I've seen other horrific threads such as this as well.
Scott Sewell wrote:
Interesting, I've never has such a thing happen with my regular straps on the bodies (OpTech Pro Loop).
I've had several people ask me why I don't use the BR...now I have yet another thread I can refer them to. Oh, another reason is that, in order to have enough strap to allow me to get a camera slung around up to my face, the camera then hangs down around my butt. That's just too low for my preference and the gear swings wildly down that low. When it's hanging up off my hip with a regular strap, it doesn't swing around as much and it's easier for me to control the movement with my elbow and arm....Show more →
Agreed about the height thing too. What's more, that's about table height for me (6'). WHen I've used it, it tends to swing around and get whacked on tables etc... not good.
I do have the latest version of the screw, and it hasn't come off once.
The best part about it I know carry my camera with me to lots more places. It's so easy to carry and doesn't ware on you one bit.
It's a great strap!!!
Same here. Having the weight spread across my torso makes the load feel much lighter. I often carry two cameras with BRs. I would hate to go back to having my camera around my neck.
Oh, another reason is that, in order to have enough strap to allow me to get a camera slung around up to my face, the camera then hangs down around my butt. That's just too low for my preference and the gear swings wildly down that low. When it's hanging up off my hip with a regular strap, it doesn't swing around as much and it's easier for me to control the movement with my elbow and arm.