I never thought I’d review a camera strap/stuff, but the reality is that sometimes you just need to do something different. Ok, I do use it on the camera that I carry on a holiday and I do use different setups depending on climbing/tourist/hiking needs.
ONA Presidio Leather sling strap (Antique Cognac colour)
As everybody would know, nobody actually likes the camera straps that come with cameras. They either look dinky and are too thin or short to be useful, they usually have very ugly brand advertising (yes, Nikon/Canon I’m talking to you) or are just plain uncomfortable.
My criteria for a good camera strap for street photography are:
1) A timeless strap that would last a lifetime if I looked after it (durability).
2) Relatively secure and difficult to slash and cut (safety).
3) Can be worn anytime of the day and for any occasion where you could take a camera (style).
4) Must be comfortable (functionality).
A lot of my criteria can be subjective, and there are a lot of straps that would fit the criteria. I have tried the Joby UltraFit Sling Strap which had the benefit of sling strap length adjustment and being able to wear it snugger to the body, but there was always too much excess strap that would flop around. I also never found the webbing to be that comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, and the style was nothing special (effectively plain webbing).
I have also used the strap that came with my Sony camera and that was a neck strap and not really long enough to be worn like a sling towards the lumbar region or above the hip.
I was able to get the ONA Presidio Leather Sling Strap (Antique Cognac colour) for relatively cheap (decent leather straps are not generally as cheap as nylon webbing type straps). It met all my street photography criteria:
1) The leather, if looked after, should last a lifetime. Even if the strap that connects to the camera strap holder fails with age in the future, it can be separately and easily replaced.
2) Being leather it will be a little more difficult to slash and cut.
3) The leather is gorgeous and it can be worn in a formal setting if needed and in any occasion. It looks fantastic.
4) The leather padded area is nice and large, neoprene is fully wrapped in soft leather that is extremely comfortable. The length is also highly adjustable.
Simply put, this strap is pure Italian beauty and comfort. Just stop messing around buy the one strap that you would ever need. Period. No arguments. Enough said.
The only thing to remember with leather is that it is a ‘skin’ and to look after leather you need to keep the leather in good condition (condition it to stop it cracking). With the high level of adjustability with the leather straps, there may be a little bit of leather on the end that flops through the buckle. I’ll add a little bit of electrical to keep it tidy.
My alternate hands-free setup for hiking or general tourist stuff where I need to be more ‘extreme’:
Peak Design CapturePro (I have the SJCAM Capture copy) with Joby DLSR Wrist Strap
In this setup I clamp the base of the CapturePro to a backpack strap and this allows the camera to be slid in and out of the CapturePro baseplate without issue. The connection is solid. When this is used with the Joby DLSR Wrist Strap I have a choice to either use the wrist strap to protect myself from dropping the camera into oblivion, or insert the backpack sternum strap through the wrist strap so that if the camera is dropped then the sternum strap is the safety backup (instead of my wrist that I may need to keep free).
I have also experimented with an Joby UltraFit Hand Strap but with all hand straps, they remove a free hand L. You can change the base plate to the Peak Design CapturePro plate but I prefer to use the Joby DLSR Wrist Strap which provides a greater level of safety, and reach away from the body, when threaded with the backpack sternum strap.
These are my expedition camera strapping needs being met J.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.