Luma Cinch fanboys...show me what you got!

gakoenig wrote in post #15307167
The major bullet point of it is that you should *not* use *any* gate clip on your camera. This problem isn't just with the one we designed and tooled; it effects every off-the-shelf gate clip we tested.

It is a rare failure.

I spoke to Op/Tech this week about their swivel hooks and they told me the same thing, that under certain conditions (rare but possible), the gate can open unexpectedly and release the camera.

Why not use some QR buckles instead, perhaps ones that could be compatible with these?

MDJAK wrote in post #15309745
Gee, thanks. I went to that website and just ordered one of those gate hooks. No idea what I'll do with it, but damn it looks so cool.

What size did you order?

What about the QD's from the Luma Loop? I thought those looked pretty slick.

lehmanncpa wrote in post #15309810
What size did you order?

The biggest one of course. Came out to $48.50

MDJAK wrote in post #15310157
The biggest one of course. Came out to $48.50

That thing holds 1400 pounds of weight! Why did you just get one?

To answer two questions at once:

And:

Our previous Loop Mk I and Mk II were both single point slings, so only one attachment point was required. At the heart of the Cinch's function is the fact that it is a two point strap. We found one dangling bit hanging off the camera an acceptable tradeoff for the Loops, but two dangly bits gets super annoying very quickly.

So our goal with the Cinch QD solution is to create something that requires minimal junk hanging off of the camera, and the parts that *do* connect to the camera need to be as minimalist as possible.

This drew us to gate hooks, carabiners and the Le Hook - we have a custom designed triangular split key (like a better version of what Nikon uses) that can go on lugs and Canon brackets. The gate hook just clips right into it. On the tripod, we have an injection molded carbon fiber ARCA plate with an integrated membrane connector, providing a flexible D-ring to one side (hey; if we are gonna put something on the bottom of your camera, why not add some value and build in a small ARCA dovetail?).

Turns out, the connection infrastructure was far more difficult to design than the gate hook (finding someone to make a crazy triangular split key was a massive challenge, as was someone who had the skill to make the injection molded carbon plate). Now that we have those parts complete, circling back to the actual connector component is not such a huge challenge.

Market research question: What do people think about screw lock quick links?

They aren't super sophisticated, but we find the absolute reliability of those components to be a very compelling featue.

I was about to suggest that, Greg.... when you say screw lock, are you thinking of something like the lockable carabiners, such as the one below? It should solve the problem of inadvertently coming loose, I would think.

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Yup, that is exactly what we are thinking.

Normally, we would endeavor to make our own, but we are also thinking we've made people wait long enough. We also have all the rest of the infrastructure ready to go...

Sounds like a simple and foolproof solution, although I suspect you would want to get one that is aesthetically pleasing. Can't have a work of art like the Cinch be coupled with something from the hardware aisle at Ace Hardware..

LPMM wrote in post #15309800
Why not use some QR buckles instead, perhaps ones that could be compatible with these?

I use these with my OpTech strap. They work well. I've even considered hacking the soft part off one side and treading a Cinch strap through it. My only concern was the possibility that the strap being so much narrower than the buckle might cause a problem with it sliding around and twisting.

gakoenig wrote in post #15310454
Yup, that is exactly what we are thinking.

Normally, we would endeavor to make our own, but we are also thinking we've made people wait long enough. We also have all the rest of the infrastructure ready to go...

Does someone make carbon fiber carabiners with a screw clasp? I haven't seen them anywhere. If you really want to come out with your QR product before Xmas, maybe you can plasti-coat the metal ones in black/charcoal so they don't scuff up our beautiful camera bodies and they would match all your other carbon fiber stuff.

Any spy pics of the Arca plate, triangle split key and any other nice things we should expect?

I think Black Diamond made CF carabiners, but they were horrendously expensive and sized for actual mountain climbing.

We are testing a few versions. The current winner is a 316 stainless steel guy with a screw gate. Bit tight opening, but seriously secure and small. It is a nicely made part that is well machined and tumbled. It is a touch more industrial than we would like, but I can absolutely guarantee that it will never ever fail... Having seen enough "My X Strap Failed" posts on here, that is something we like to avoid at all costs.

The biggest concern for me aside from the QR not breaking is will the QR scratch my camera when I'm carrying it. I certainly appreciate all the testing you guys have done. It's good to know you won't put something out unless it 100% works.

gakoenig wrote in post #15310356
So our goal with the Cinch QD solution is to create something that requires minimal junk hanging off of the camera, and the parts that *do* connect to the camera need to be as minimalist as possible.

I admire the fact that you are trying to design your own QD and be unique, but to me it would be a lot more valuable if it were interchangeable so that I could clip a strap off and put another depending on which I want to use, or move it from the body to the lens.

mike_d wrote in post #15310468
I use these with my OpTech strap. They work well. I've even considered hacking the soft part off one side and treading a Cinch strap through it. My only concern was the possibility that the strap being so much narrower than the buckle might cause a problem with it sliding around and twisting.

Yes, I am tempted to buy a Cinch and to modify it where I drew the circles by sewing a small piece of 3/4" webbing with an Op/Tech clip. If it were cheaper, I would try it in a heartbeat for my 300 f2.8

When the MkII Cinch comes out in a few days, one of the little tweaks is modular hardware. You'll be able to remove the front and rear webbing easily. We're doing this for size changes and to make the system future-proof. Currently, only the rear webbing is removable (though we've never told anyone about it). You can also re-use the Cinch hardware and cook up whatever crazy ideas you want.