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Does your strap bug you?

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Like bags .....some of us search in vain for the perfect strap for our M cameras. It seems you can have a strap that really works or one thats really nice or one that attaches easily.

The Upstrap ...your camera never slips off your shoulder..important if you carry 2 Ms . But industrial looking and nasty hardware just waiting to scratch your M.

Luigis leather straps...just beautiful .....but slips ?

The original camera strap..has a great way to attach safely to the camera lugs. Slips and is boring.

Larger cameras and lenses may benefit from wider straps but seem unnecessary for an M . And using a single camera you may enjoy a hand strap.

Got a better solution? :D
 

TRSmith

Subscriber Member
I second the y-strap. Although I bought the cheaper same-as (mostly) version from that other guy. It's total freedom. Left arm through and over the head and then it just lets the camera ride on your hip. It comes to your eye smooth as silk and goes back just as easily. Since I also use one of those leather wrist strap thingies on the other strap bracket, I can tuck that strap into the back pocket of my jeans and literally run without the camera banging against me. I'm a huge fan, especially with the M8.
 
Roger, Al Tanabe fixed me up with an Upstrap which he modified to use the Leica connectors. It works great and there is no concern for scratching the M8.

Mark
 

stephengilbert

Active member
I don't want to sound like a geek (I'm trying to keep that a secret), but the thing I like about the "real" Y-Strap is that, unlike the Leicagoodies Strap, the Y-Strap is adjustable for length. If you find your camera bumping into your hip, your can shorten or lengthen the strap.
 

TRSmith

Subscriber Member
Good point Stephen. At the time I purchased the leicagoodies model I wasn't sure if I would like the concept. An investment of $20 seemed like a cheap way to find out. It's maybe only luck that mine fits me just right. Plus, at the time I bought mine, the Y-Strap was only available in red, which seemed less than stealthy to me. It now comes in black so is probably worth the extra $5. Regardless, the concept is a good one and worth trying if your conventional strap is bugging you.
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Roger, Al Tanabe fixed me up with an Upstrap which he modified to use the Leica connectors. It works great and there is no concern for scratching the M8.

Mark
Mark

Thanks ....I remembered that and fixed one of my Upstraps to work with the Leica connectors from an old R strap. Still don t understand why he said you had to cut the old strap...I was able to slide my connector off. One of my friends was an electrician and he always had some thin black tubing that with a little heat from a hair dryer would shrink to cover the lug rings and any other strap hardware.

Since I always work with 2 M bodies ..I need to drop them from each shoulder ....I put my thumbs in the straps to keep the bodies in front when walking .

Since I also like the luigi cases ...I would prefer the leather straps ..the also fold up better and travel easier than the upstraps which are stiffer . Problem is the luigi straps slip off my shoulder. I am sure I could get luigi to make me a leather strap with a Leica R nibbed sholder pad ...better would be to find a way to glue a thin rubber pad to luigis leather pad.
Roger
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
since it was sitting right here, i snapped this for clarification.
This looks like a nice solution .....two issues for me .

1. I always shoot with two bodies ..to avoid changing lenses so frequently .

2. I shoot probably 20% of my street images from below my waist. Since I can t get down on a knee like I used to ....I prefocus and then line up the shot from a low vantage point. I will also shoot from over my head in crowds .

It definitely looks like excellent solution to the swinging camera issue ...might make sense with one body and the other over the shoulder. Thanks for the picture.


Roger
 

doug

Well-known member
I use a home-made version of the y-strap for my long lenses on a shoulder stock, make from 1" nylon webbing. On the strap I have half of a Fastex buckle that slides along the strap, and looped around the handle of the shoulder stock is a bit of webbing with the other half of the buckle. It cost about $2 to make.
 

jonoslack

Active member
I've tried lots of straps on my M8
The only catastrophe was the Leica leather strap which had a stud which scratched the LCD:mad:

But, having gone around the houses, I've come to the conclusion that the boring old Leica rubber and webbing strap is really good - it doesn't slip off your shoulder, it's easy to wrap around your wrist if you're carrying the camera, it's very flexible, it weighs nothing, it's cheap . . . .

Funny really, I've bought half cases, hand grips, every kind of accessory for my M8, but nowadays my two bodies are 'nude' with the original strap, just like they were intended.

Cheap too!
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Jono

No question the Leica strap is a decent all around solution. The sliding covered lug attachment still seems to be best in class. The rubber pad though is not as good as the Upstrap which will hold on Gortex. Then again the Luigi strap is just great to work with ...soft and flexible. I want a Luigi strap with the grip of the Upstrap and lug system of the Leica. Looks like another project.


Roger
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
I have never had a problem with luigi straps, which I have been using for several years now...what kind of clothing do you find they slip on? They never seem to slip for me....
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
The allweather rain/ski jackets ...like those made by Patagonia /Marmot etc. This is a much bigger issue if you are using 2 cameras. When you are holding the shooting camera ..the 2nd body is just hanging...and you are moving your shoulders as you shoot. Even the Leica strap doesn t do .

The UpStrap is well regarded by many professionals (or at least endorsed). I have used 2 for over a year. But the Luigi strap is much nicer and since I use his cases ...well it looks and feels a lot better than industrial strength nylon.

The other issue with the Luigi strap is the old fashion circle fasteners . You can change out a Leica strap in a minute..with the Luigi you have to be careful not to scratch the lugs.
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
yeah, I guess different people have different issues -- I have not changed the strap on my m8 since I bought it...no reason to...and I do not often wear the type of jackets you are talking about...most of my winter coats are less outdoor adventure, more city overcoat type things. Generally, if I am shooting two cameras, I am using a bag, and the second camera sits in there. For heavier cameras, however, I find I really like the tamrac deluxe padded suede strap...it stays put, helps soften the load, and it quite comfortable, particularly after it breaks in. You can also just buy the clip attachments, so you can use one suede part for several cameras.
 

bradhusick

Active member
Try wearing the Luigi strap (or any strap that can be long enough) across your body rather than on one shoulder.
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
This is just like bags or vests etc. It all depends on how you like to work with your cameras. I wear one camera on each shoulder and typically use a vest ...no bag . The vest will hold 2 alternative lenses and batteries ,cards etc. If its cold a jacket works...M lenses are pretty small. Both cameras are always ready to shoot.

I frequently take the body using the widest lens ..off the shoulder and wrap the strap around my wrist. This lets me shoot low , from my waist or high to get different angles. So the camera has to come off the body to arms length.

Surely Luigi has dealt with this ...so I will send him an email.

I do think the J/Y strap style is pretty neat for shooting sports. When you get to D3 size the way the camera sits on the hip (see the video) would be great .
 
M

marknorton

Guest
Like Jono, the Leica wide leather strap caused me problems. The hardware scratched my top plate but the real problem is that it's not flexible enough. Again, like Jono, I've come back to the standard strap, though I find it uncomfortable when the camera is wearing a heavy lens.
 

Terry

New member
I have one Leica strap and one Luigi on my M8's my luigi feels great and I like the soft leather feel. On other cameras I'm using the Y strap with the Leicagoodies hook. Allows me to also keep a handgrip on the camera and easily put on be take off the whole strap. I've been toting with using the Y strap onthe Leica and just got a second. Now waiting for my Leicegoodies delivery.
 
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