Neckstraps: a Precaution, or a Menace?

Wilt wrote in post #5367194
40+ years of photographic background, several times straps have been the reason why a camera did not hit the ground, and no events where it ever caused an accident or mear-accident.

do you shoot with the strap around your neck?

ed rader

ed rader wrote in post #5367207
do you shoot with the strap around your neck?

ed rader

I guess you read my message before I edited it to add "and if I am shooting the strap gets looped around my arm a couple of times."

I have a neckstrap on 99.9% of the time. There was one horrifying instance while standing on concrete steps where I started to let go of my 5D with 24-70 L lens to grab something else. I was in the process of releasing my grip on it when I realized I wasn't wearing the strap. I caught myself just in time. That would have made a very expensive noise.

I once tore the bottom off a flash gun mounted to my Contax 139 (film SLR) when the strap caught on the corner of a bench as I was picking it up. It yanked the whole lot out of my hand. I'm so clumsy I always shoot with the strap around my neck, but as you can see, it's a close call whether it causes more accidents than it prevents.

I have the E1 and neck straps on all my cameras. I use the straps mostly for transporting the cameras and it's obviously handy when shooting two or more cameras. The neck strap is a must when shooting weird angles, especially up high or very low shots. I hold the neck strap in my left hand and shoot with the right. Works great when shooting over a crowd in case the camera gets bumped as I have a secondary safety grip holding the neck strap.

25+ years of shooting (amateur) with the neck strap. I've never had it caught on anything.

I have done the "wrap around the wrist" thing a number of times. Today I was out shooting an old mill, I was standing on a bridge, hanging over a bit. Neck strap was definately in use!

Neckstrap around my neck or over the shoulder. I tried a handstrap, but you need to take it off to shoot Portrait comfortably, so it provides no insurance then. I usually hold the camera by the lens when walking around anyhow. And a neckstrap is the best solution to fast lens changes - you don't need to keep hold of the camera and both lenses.

I loose grip of my camera and it start falling into abyss....BUT....I caught the strap just in time.... Always have the strap on and quick-release UN-QUICK-RELEASE.

For those who tote around a camera mounted on a tripod with QR, as they move from one shooting position to another, the neckstrap wrapped around the tripod or your arm has been known to save your butt when the QR releases at a time when it is not supposed to!

I have both a handstrap and the POTN stap on each of my cameras. This is for safety and for my grip of the camera. I have found that my tennis elbow is not aggravated if I have the handstrap to secure the grip. I also use 2 cameras at a time when I am shooting events and they both have neckstraps that I use. I just put the extenders of the 40D so the two aren't knocking together. I need my hands free and putting the camera down in a crowd is impossible. The strap is large and I have to account for the space in my F-5X, but it's okay. I can't live without it.

Hmmm, good tip. I can do that from now on. But around the neck? I just can't do it. It irritates, it's not long enough, and a 1D or 40D with grip and another 3 pounds of long glass is just too much for my old turkey neck. Besides, chances are good, I will fall flat on my face before I drop the camera by accident.

qtaran111 wrote in post #5366204
Perhaps all us shoulder strappers need one of these

http://www.blackrapid.​com/video.php?id=1

You can make that with home depot parts for $2.

when shooting with two bodies, both stay around my neck or shoulder. one body, wrap the strap around the wrist or just dangle.. so far no incidents either way (except when i had a 300 2.8 attached and using the 300's strap; strap undid itself and the lens fell at least 3 inches before nearly destroying the body's mount.

canonloader wrote in post #5367705
Hmmm, good tip. I can do that from now on. But around the neck? I just can't do it. It irritates, it's not long enough, and a 1D or 40D with grip and another 3 pounds of long glass is just too much for my old turkey neck. Besides, chances are good, I will fall flat on my face before I drop the camera by accident.

Ever tried the Op/Tech POTN strap?

IMO This:

Jon wrote in post #5367754
...is a real accident waiting to happen.

In an earlier thread about straps someone said something like, "...if your camera goes in the drink, you should go in with it...". I use the POTN strap and usually have it around my neck but sometimes on my shoulder. The ($2?) Black Rapid strap looks interesting and something I am considering. I'd like to see more firsthand reports from folks here.