Mailing Lists RSS Feeds Twitter Contact

Guide to Infrared
Photography Making Sharp
Images Guide to
Leica Guide to
Zeiss Lenses diglloyd Advanced
Photography Free
Articles Blog

Articles Table of Contents   Page 1: Recommended Photography Gear Page 2: Which Compact Flash card for your digital camera? Page 3: Save your neck—replace that OEM strap Page 4: Camera Bags for Travel and Shooting Page 5: Leica X1 DSLR-quality Compact Camera

Save your neck—replace that OEM strap

Ever walk around with your heavy DSLR strapped around your neck? After 30 minutes or so, it’s not so fun with the big pro cameras, especially with a big zoom lens—the package can weigh 5 pounds (2+ kilos) or so.

Nikon and Canon continue to ship the world’s most uncomfortable camera straps, made of rigid material that offers no “give”, but on the plus side they do offer brand-name advertising to impress dilettantes. One wonders why every aspect of a product isn’t scrutinized for constant improvement, including the strap.

It’s amazing how much more comfortable the OpTech ProLoop system is; it stays put better, and the neoprene offers enough stretch and “give” to make a real difference in comfort.

I can hike all day in Yosemite and stay reasonably comfortable with a Nikon D3 or Canon 1 series body hung around my neck.

The OpTech Pro Loop costs as little as $17 at amazon.com (also available at B&H Photo), and it’s worth every penny. The main loop can also be detached in seconds, a nice plus in windy conditions on a tripod. There are other good alternatives, but this is the strap I’ve standardized on for all my cameras. Why not try one today? Even if you shoot a smaller and lighter DSLR, you’ll not be disappointed.