... wrist strap machinations
Good words to heed!! Personally I use the strap as a saftey measure and usually carry the G1 by the grip with my hand through the wrist strap.
I don't think the GF1 will be as easy to carry using a wrist strap as it's grip is so small. I have to make a few trips to get the "hang" of it....
I've been experimenting more and more with my latest wrist strap idea:
For years I've used a hand-strap or wrist-strap on the right wrist, holding the camera by its grip in the right hand with the strap cinched enough to provide drop protection. This has the unfortunate consequence of making lens changes and other things I need my right hand for somewhat clumsy ... I need to put the camera down somewhere after undoing the strap and pick it back up again, re-set the strap, etc.
I had the bright idea a couple of weeks ago to move the strap to the other side of the camera ... the left hand side ... and cinch it around my left wrist. I did this on the G1 first ... the difference is amazing. Now I carry the camera in my left hand, fingers cradling the lens, with a sure grip. My right hand and arm are completely free to move around, reach in the bag, etc. I can change a lens in half the time ... I don't need a place to set everything down. If I need to shake someone's hand, I can do it without juggling a camera. AND it incites me to *always use both hands* when taking a picture, which makes for steadier photographs.
This morning I carried the L1 on my walk and did the same thing. The same benefits apply, despite it being a much larger, heavier camera to carry.
I'm very happy with this new-found way to manage the camera in my walking about. It allows me to always have the camera at the ready for shooting while not in the way of my right hand.
My G1 strap is just a little wrist leash from the Fuji F30 camera. I've tested it, it's plenty strong enough. The L1 strap I use is an asymmetrically cut down Nikon YB-14 nylon strap, which I route through the strap lugs pointing downwards with a half-twist. My hand and arm go in from the front, the action of turning the camera to orient it properly turns the strap into a perfectly secure loop around my wrist, and it doesn't get in the way when I fit the camera on a tripod.
For both, considering this new left-wrist usage, I might re-do them with a slightly longer length to give a bit more working space for the camera to move around.