One piece of equipment that can make your photo excursions
more comfortable is a proper camera strap.
I have a drawer full of brand new straps that accompanied my cameras as
I unpacked the boxes. This is not to say
that all straps that are included are bad, I just find the straps with new
cameras are too rigid for me.
Straps are definitely a matter of personal choice and what
one person finds perfect may be completely uncomfortable on someone else. Because we do a lot of hiking and travel, I
have discovered straps that have some give cut into my shoulder less and make
for more pleasing long days with heavy equipment around my neck.
There are several factors to consider: the weight of your
gear, how long you will have the camera dangling from you, cost and how much
security you need are just a few considerations. If you have lighter bodies and lenses and are
not planning on long days, then a more rigid strap may suit you fine. Several innovative straps have been introduced
to the market over the past several year that provide different ways of
carrying cameras. Some screw into the
tripod mount on the bottom of the body.
Others provide extra security when you will be moving about. Scanning through camera magazines or online
provide many options.
After trying several different straps over the years (many
of them pretty good as well) our go to strap are ones made by OP/Tech (Super
Pro) and Tamrac (Boomerang). These
straps are made of combination of neoprene mixed with an elastic strap. For me these provides a comfortable surface
on my shoulder and neck while slightly stretching (and not digging in) while on
treks. The straps come in different
styles and colors and are reasonably priced.
After leading several workshops where we put some miles on our
boots, I have heard more than one photographer complain about needing to get a
new strap or discussing a better way to carry their camera. This is one of the lowest cost investments to
improve your quality of life while packing a camera especially, if you are one
of the photographers whispering to yourself that there has to be a better way
to haul your glass around!
Check out local camera stores as I have found many of them
carry a variety of different brands and styles.
Make sure the part where the strap attaches to the camera body is well
made and sturdy (another thing I like about the OP/Tech and Tamrac straps).
For disclosure, I’m not paid by OP/Tech or Tamrac, nor have
they every given me free equipment (I haven’t asked them for any either). I just wanted to share about equipment I
actually use and that works for me.
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| These straps have several hundred miles on them |
