Hand strap advantage...

[rpcrowe]

I just did a shoot of one of my rescue dogs using my older 5D Mark-2 camera, 70-200mm f/4L IS lens and EX 600 RT flash. I had taken off the Herringbone wrist strap from the 5D2 and placed it on my 6D2.

I often need to shoot one handed so I can attract the dog's eyes by waving a treat or toy over the camera and I realized that it was more difficult to hold the camera/lens/flash package without the strap than it was with the strap. Making small adjustments in framing was also difficult.

It is not the total weight of the package that bothers me; rather that the package is front heavy. In fact, shooting the 6D2 with battery grip and the same lens and flash plus the Herringbone strap is a lot easier than shooting the 5D2 package without battery grip or strap. This is because the extra weight of the grip seems to balance the unit and, of course, the strap gives me extra assistance in holding the package.

[Tronhard]

Hi Richard:

While I have never had a hand strap, I absolutely know what you mean about the balance of the body with a big lens. Most of my lenses are telephoto, including the massively heavey 70-200 f2.8MkII and the 100-400 MkII. It make it easier to handle I have always used a battery grip on all my bodies.

I am HUGELY tempting fate when I say I don't ues the neck or hand straps, and so far have not dropped a camera. Probably the next time I pick one up that will change...

[NorthernFocus]

Interesting to think about, Richard. Given the camera/lens combos you describe it seems like the big advantage gained by the hand strap is the ability to apply more torsion to the grip than with a bare hand. I very rarely use a neck strap and at various times in the past have considered a hand strap as a means of reducing the risk of dropping the camera. However it never occurred to me that a hand strap might improve stability as well. Might be worth a try for shooting BIF when hand holding larger zooms. It's relatively inexpensive to try anyhow. Thanks for posting this.

[DanK]

I am HUGELY tempting fate when I say I don't ues the neck or hand straps, and so far have not dropped a camera.

I sometimes work without a strap and have the same worry. However, the only time I actually did drop an SLR was when I had a neck strap on it. I was carrying it with the strap dangling (I know, a stupid thing to do), and as I walked along a sidewalk, the strap caught on a pipe sticking up from the ground. It survived, fortunately. It was my very first SLR, a Mamiya Sekor.

I have occasionally used a wrist strap and think it is helpful, but I rarely do because I don't want to fuss with changing what is screwed into the bottom of the camera. I normally leave an L-plate on the camera and use an Op-Tek neck strap that can be removed simply by releasing two plastic clips.

[rpcrowe]

I really like the 70-200mm f/4L IS for shooting my dog portraits. It gives me the perfect focal lengths for the distances in which I am shooting, I cannot easily use a tripod or monopod because I need the mobility I gain by hand holding.

Occasionally the dog whose portrait I am shooting is mellow and will stay still for the shot. However, they are rescue dogs and most of them have had no training so my spouse, who assists in the photo session, is forced to restrain the dog using a show lead (which I later clone out in Photoshop).

I have some squeakers used in making toys, which I can hold between my teeth and try to attract the dogs attention and still have two hands for the camera.



If they work, it is great because the dog's eyes will be directed to the camera but, in a majority of the cases I fall back on my tried and true solution of dehydrated chicken treats (which I make myself to avoid any problems with Chinese imports). By holding the camera in my right hand, I can have the treat in my left hand and direct the dog's eyes to where they are best for the photo.

Most of the time, I like the dog looking directly at the camera but, occasionally a shot with the dog looking somewhere else is acceptable...



What I do not like is when the dog is looking down. This sad "hang-dog" look is not conducive to getting the dog adopted.

Sure, a smaller and lighter camera might be better but, with the strap and the battery grip, I have no problems with my DSLR setup. I like the Herringbone brand hand strap. It is more expensive but, it seems to help support the camera more solidly. It looks pretty nice also. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Herringbone...sAAOSwZ1lWf71Z
However, a less expensive strap would also help. I "think" that I learned of the Herringbone Strap from someone on this forum...

By the way, virtually all of our rescue dogs are smaller animals so I shoot with them sitting on an arm chair covered with fabric of some type (I probably have 20-30 different fabrics that I use). I position myself sitting on a wheeled office chair which I can easily roll around. That way, I am at the dog's level but, have some mobility to adjust the angle at which I an shooting.

[zen]

The Camdapter is another leather hand strap that works very well, and is quite comfortable. I have 3 of them, one each for my 5d3, 5d4, and 77d, and all feel very secure. They are now sold by RRS and come in several colors. I had not heard of the Herringbone product, but it looks and sounds very similar to the Camdapter. The Camdapter does NOT come with a plate, however, but uses your existing plate for the bottom strap. RRS plates all have the strap lug built in, so no problem if you're using the RRS system. I've used the Camdapters for 10 years or more and can attest to their quality and general "feel."

Zen

[Manfred M]

I have some squeakers used in making toys, which I can hold between my teeth and try to attract the dogs attention and still have two hands for the camera.

I'd love to see a picture of that. You taking one of the dog shots; camera in hand and a squeeker between your teeth.

[Donald]

Another vote for handstraps. I hate neckstraps. I looked at all the alternatives. I've seen the handstrap being written off as a gimmick by one writer (not on here), but I think they are wonderful. Get is set up correctly and you can have the camera in your hand all the time with out any fear of it dropping. Use it with something like a Spider Holster and you can walk around hands-free.

[rpcrowe]

I like carrying two cameras, one with a 70-200mm f/4L IS lens and the other with the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens. Until recently I carried two crop cameras but have been experimenting with the 17-55mm on my 7D which I carry on a neck strap and the 70-200mm on a full frame camera which I carry in a holster case slung bandolier style with the holster at my left hip and the strap across my chest. I have tried both a Spider Holster anda Cotton Carrier and I am not comfortable with either.

I was using a Think Tank Holster but, the model 30 that I own is not wide enough at the top to accommodate my 6D2 wearing a battery grip. I solved that problem by switching to an old Tamrac Zoom 19 Holster. This is long enough for the 70-200 but not wide enough at the bottom for the lens with the lens hood in either shooting or storage position. I switched to a smaller lens hood from eBay

and the rig fits great into the Zoom 19. I do however, like the strap from the Think Tank Holster better so I switched straps.

I have used this carrying combination while shooting the Women's North County March late last month and was happy with the setup. The Think Tank strap, hung bandolier style is very comfortable and the Zoom 19 Holster has a pocket into which I can slip a hotshoe flash and an inside pocket in which I can carry a CPL filter.

The Zoom 19 doesn't move a great deal when I am walking but, I have a lightweight carbinier clip on the bag which I can attach to my photo vest loop or belt loop to hold the bag steady if I have to run or climb anything (which, at my age, I try to avoid whenever posible).