The last time I blogged I spoke of the BlackRapid R-strap that I was waiting for. After spending time with a Lowepro strap I was completely unimpressed. The buckles kept getting in the way when I lifted the camera to my eye. By the time I had rectified the situation, the photo was gone or almost... Come December 2009, I eagerly awaited my sister's visit from the US. Cos along with herself, she brought along my BlackRapid RS4-straps, which I had ordered and had delivered to her place in the US.
Once unpacked, the straps went onto my Nikon D40 and D300 respectively. Then what... Anti-climax! I was expected them to magically just do stuff. Jump the camera into my hand or something. Nadda! Nothing! Zippp! Well, OK! So, I went and watched a few YouTube videos on this strap and adjusted it as requested.
Since then, this strap has been an amazing addition to my gear. It is just out of the way, laying across your chest, doing its job; ie. holding your camera at a ready point dangling at your hip or slightly behind your back. When you need it, voila! You just reach down and the camera falls to your hand, ready for it to just pivot up and snap snap snap. In fact, everything is so quick I often take multiple shots before I can stop myself (my camera is set on continuous mode). I'm able to frame, compose and take the photo in a... snapshot :)
I would give this camera strap 5 stars out of 5 just for its sheer simplicity and practicality. A few notes, once you've adjusted the strap to the right height for you, the "bumper" should ALWAYS be facing behind you. This becomes second nature once you are used to the strap. When you are fitting the rubber compression ring to your camera or lens, wet the rubber with some spit or water before screwing it in. This helps with the grip when it screws in. It helps keep your expensive camera and lens from dropping off the mounting screw. Also, the zipped section on the shoulder pad is great for extra digital cards. And the last point. I'm nervous about the front end of the my 18-200mm lens dangling out from my body, especially when I'm walking amongst people. Despite the filter on the lens, I worry about marks and dust and stuff as I'm strolling along in a crowd. While I initially kept the lens cap on, I've now gone and dragged out the lens hood for the lens and put that on. With the lens hood on, I in fact take the lens-cap off, and comfortably carry the camera with me, knowing there there is a bit of protection for the front of the lens.
This strap makes my life so comfortable that I dont know what life was like before that. This past weekend I took the family on a short hike up a hill and didnt even bother with a camera-case. With a water bottle over the one shoulder, camera over the other and a fanny pack it was no problem. I would heartily recommend Black Rapid's straps, if you are thinking of a replacement for your camera strap.
