BlackRapid camera strap; looks good

[Roy]

Innovative camera strap/sling that will keep your camera tucked by your side and somewhat out of harms way but still available in a hurry.  I wouldn't want to do any rock scrambling , but looks really good for your average trail.
Check out the video :
http://www.blackrapid.com/

I've read reviews on two photo forums and they are positive. I've ordered one.

[xseption]

I read some of the same reviews and I wonder about it. On Texas Photo Forum, some of the last reviews suggested that it became unhooked while in their hands which is kinda worrisome. I almost ordered one until I read those ...

~ edd

[presidio]

Innovative camera strap/sling that will keep your camera tucked by your side and somewhat out of harms way but still available in a hurry.
http://www.blackrapid.com/

Some may recognize this bears a STRONG resemblance to certain tactical rifle slings (and is probably where he got the idea). Secure, out of the way when not needed, and can rapidly be put into action when it is.

[Roy]

Yep, Presidio, I think you're right.  I'm thinking about a mod to keep the camera from swaying away from my hip;  will have to see when it gets here.

[Sotol Vista]

it would be a good strap for wildlife shooting, but im not sure how well it would work with any type of day pack or larger pack

Stingray here on the forum has a strap that connects to the D-rings on your camel back or daypack or any pack that has the shoulder strap  D Rings. He said its a real neck saver on the trail as it puts the camera weight on your shoulders and not your neck.

this is a photo of Ray with the camera strap (and the rocks that fell from the high canyon walls and almost hit us)




use this link for a slightly larger photo
http://www.james-benton.com/gallery/adventures/bigbend07b/day6/IMG_7837.JPG

James

[homerboy2u]

Pretty cool..

[Roy]

I'll post a report after I've tried it out.
I've got an old Tamrac harness rig that works something like the one Ray has but has it's own shoulder straps and a chest strap that you can use to pin the camera against your body.  Works pretty well but it's a PITA to put on.  I've come to prefer having my camera on my side instead of on my chest, with the strap worn bandoleer style like this gizmo.  When it was on my chest, I found myself using one hand to steady it so it wouldn't be banging against my sternum all the time.

[Roy]

Had this thing for a couple of weeks, I like it pretty well.  It keeps your camera handy and provides support like a rifle strap;  got some reasonably sharp pics with my 400mm lens, which is really tough with normal hand holding.  They've added a little piece of plastic tubing to the clasp to prevent the accidental opening that xseption was talking about.  The camera still swings when you walk, but it's a lot easier to control than with a normal strap, and I'd say better than the harness jamesb shows.  You'd want to put this on before you put on any kind of pack;  once you get the length and positioning of the strap adjusted it guides your camera into position right at your eye.  Haven't tried it with a fully loaded pack, might take a little fiddlin' around to get all the staps sorted out.  Overall, I'd call it a nice gadget, but not really a "must have" for a hiker, although you'd probably get a few shots of wildlife that you'd miss otherwise; like deer or birds you flush as you walk.  It'll also provide enough support to get a few more pics in low light, but not a substitute for a tripod.

[Sotol Vista]

thanks for the report Roy. Keep us updated as you fiddle around with it

James

[stingrey]

Those rocks surely would've given us quite the headache! On the straps I have, they are the Tamrac N-11 and N-25. One is a neck strap (neoprene, comfortable), and the other is the backpack addition. Both have snap on clips (picture the waist clip on most backpacks and fanny packs) so you can quickly and very easily transition from neck strap to backpack.

I can't say enough for this setup. I may have just been lucky as time has gone by, but I've NEVER had the gear swing wildly against me to the point of me thinking I was going to damage my camera gear or injure myself, and I have more often than not been able to quickly and easily snap a picture of something I otherwise would NEVER have photographed had the camera not been right there in front of me when it was truly needed.

B&H photo has these items... Just search N-11 and N-25 and you should turn 'em up for a better description, but fwiw, Jame's pic says it all... You can see where the cam is clipped onto the straps, and you can see where the straps are just lobster claw'ed onto my backpack's existing rings. If you have rings on your pack's shoulder straps, this is perhaps one of the coolest inventions yet, and if you still have the hard neck strap and haven't upgraded to neoprene, perhaps this might make your picture taking days that much more enjoyable!

this is a photo of Ray with the camera strap (and the rocks that fell from the high canyon walls and almost hit us)




use this link for a slightly larger photo
http://www.james-benton.com/gallery/adventures/bigbend07b/day6/IMG_7837.JPG

James

[Roy]

Ray, I've used  a harness like you've got, and it's much better than a regular camera strap;  keeps the weight off your neck, in particular.  The BlackRApid strap doesn't prevent the camera from swinging a bit, but it keeps it by your hip, where your hand and arm fall naturally.  When you do get into a situation where you need to steady the camera, say you've got to jump a little washed out area, there's no reaching around, and your balance is a little better.
The other good things about it are actually more significant.  When you get the length and stop adjusted properly, the strap "guides" the camera right to your eye.   It also helps steady the camera, maybe as much as a monopod would.  Works kind of like the strap that target shooters have on their rifles.
Think about it like this:  you're up early and there's not much light.  As you're hiking, you flush a deer.  With this strap, your hand is already right on the camera.  As you raise the camera, the strap guides the viewfinder right to your shooting eye, and, because you've got that extra bit of support, there's less camera shake.  Or if you're camped out on the Rim and you didn't bring a tripod.  This strap will help steady the camera enough to let you shoot in lower light, around surise and sunset.  None of these are big things, but taken together, they add up to a few more clean shots.
I'm still trying to figure the best way to use this with a full pack.  It's probably going to have to go on after the pack to allow the camera to slide on the strap properly. 
 

[stingrey]

Yeah, that's something else that the Tamrac does that I failed to mention. It is in fact like using a monopod since you can pull the cam up and have the tension pulling against the cam/shoulder straps while lining up a critter. That and the flip open lens cap (by Fast Cap) that I've got really put the cam at my instant disposal when necessary.

I've thought about a side sling at times, but to be completely honest, at the height that my cam is suspended (unless I have the 100-400mm L series lens on) by the backpack clips, the camera doesn't swing at all while I'm walking. Because it also helps balance out my pack, and more importantly, because it is ready right there in front of me when I need it, I am not sure I could bring myself to even consider trying something else at this point since this formula works beautifully for me!

Mainly I just wanted to pass along the model numbers in case anyone wanted to know what it was that they were looking at. After this post, though, I wanted to add that this camera harness setup when used on a backpack DOES prevent swinging (unless you are packing the L-series heat as noted above), so it might be something worth considering for those of you who are just using normal sized lenses. Even my 75-300 doesn't swing with this setup. Regardless, and even though I said I wouldn't, I will be looking a bit more at the BlackRapid since I do want to find a better solution when I do happen to walk with the 100-400mm lens.

[stingrey]

As a general heads-up, had I not been wearing my cam front and center, I wouldn't have snapped my bear shots a couple of weekends ago. I was looking for another thread here, but figured I'd mention as much. The bear was there for what SEEMED like several minutes, but in reality it was only moments before it was gone. Whatever strategy you employ, if you want the wildlife pictures be SURE to have something that allows you to deploy your camera at any time without hesitation!

[Undertaker]

Similar to my tactical action sling for my Stag Arms 6.8 SPC>

[East Texan]

You are so right Stingray.  Not much time to get the shot!
In anticipation of a quidk wildlife shot, I keep my 100mm lens on the camera, set drive to rapid fire, set ISO to 400, shoot raw, auto focus, with f/11 AV mode.   I think that combo gives me the best chance at a good shot and the new strap with camera at waist will make it easy to bring it up to shoot.  Hope to get some good use of it next week.  Will report on results.