Proper strap install and management

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victoriapio

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After reading about it at "getdpi" I got the new Upstrap and really like it. Great gripping power on the shoulder pad even when running across a busy street.

But, for the second time in my 30+ years of photography, the strap somehow worked its way back through the strap ring and came off 😱 while I was walking down the street. Luckily the M8 suffered only two very minor scratches and continues to work perfectly with all other lenses.

Unfortunately a 90mm Elmarit M took the brunt of the fall. It does not focus at infinity and will be heading to Sherry K for a lens adjustment. It does focus pefectly at all other distances.

Back to the strap. I had a similar event happen to me in Malmo Sweden while photographing a freighter under construction. This was years ago with a motorized Nikon F3, and the camera fell onto an inch-thick steel deck plate. Like the M8, the Nikon got a few scratches but worked fine.

My question is, how do I safeguard against the strap working its way back through the ring? I can easily use gaffer's tape to tape the ring/strap in such a manner that it cannot work its way back into the ring. Anyone have any other suggestions?
 
I have an upstrap and it came with instructions to secure it. At first I just did it the normal way where you just loop it through but it didn't seem secure at all. And like you, I once had a camera come undone out of nowhere. But I was lucky enough to be standing on grass at the time and there was no damage whatsoever. Since then I've been iffy about trusting straps.

However the upstrap recommended way of securing the end of the strap inside the loops so that it is more of a double loop thing seems a lot more secure. And I have no problem walking around with solely a strap secured this way.

strap1.jpg


strap2.jpg
 
Frankie said:
What is the big deal...it is so easy to place a couple of stitches through any webbing, no pre-punching needed... That was how the $40 Leica strap was secured.
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As I understood it, this was the strap ring the OP was talking about, at which point, stitches are substantially irrelevant unless you sew the ring in as well. Eve then I'd be uneasy.

I've had the same problem once or twice and as far as I can see it comes down to inferior (and usually oversize) strap rings.

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
As I understood it, this was the strap ring the OP was talking about, at which point, stitches are substantially irrelevant unless you sew the ring in as well. Eve then I'd be uneasy.

I've had the same problem once or twice and as far as I can see it comes down to inferior (and usually oversize) strap rings.

Cheers,

R.
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For a strap to slip through the split ring, many rotations had to happen first...possible, but have never seen it happened in my 40 years of using cameras.

For a strap to slip through the slider buckles is more likely [there is a reason why they are called "sliders" in the trade] and the solution is a couple of stitches.
 
Frankie said:
For a strap to slip through the split ring, many rotations had to happen first...possible, but have never seen it happened in my 40 years of using cameras.

For a strap to slip through the slider buckles is more likely [there is a reason why they are called "sliders" in the trade] and the solution is a couple of stitches.
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Dear Frankie,

Understood, but astonishingly, it has happened to me very occasionally in 43 years.

Of course, it's only 1/2 rotation, but quite a difficult one.

Cheers,

R.
 
These are some of my home-made solutions.

The chrome clip came out of an old old Polaroid kit, tried-and-true for 25 years.

The black plastic part was purchased at Tokyu-Hands, Tokyo, and stress-rated for 15kg each. Larger ones are available.
 

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Yes, the Leica securing mechanism is brilliant but the shoulder pad ergonomics are lousy. My M6 is always about to fall off my shoulder. If I am carrying a few things I must always anticipate it falling to the level of my forearm and be ready to flex my elbow despite the weight of what I am carrying and so I often wear it across my body but when shooting, mostly with the strap wrapped around my wrist. I have considered something better but stick with the slightness of the Leica strap, and am programmed not to trust it, which is maybe a good thing. The best Leica strap I have is a coarse weave one that came with my M4-2. Big rubber pad. It never thought of coming off my shoulder. After thirty years the rubber has had it.
 
As I stated in my OP I can tell you that the strap has worked its way into the ring and when it gets far enough completely out of the ring. This has happened twice in the 30 years I have been in the business, and I had a feeling I wasn't the only one to have had it happen. If you "work" the strap a lot when shooting, and I do, it just happens. This is not having the strap come loose from a buckle.

Swoop, that is exactly how I had the Upstrap configured - and still do for that matter - so my advice would be not to trust it 100%. The Upstrap strap is kevlar I think, and thin and certainly handles a bit different - perhaps stiffer might be the proper word - than other straps I used. Incidentially my rings were smaller than yours - I think - but I went to the locksmith shop today and got some slightly larger ones so I can run some black gaffers tape through it easily.

A friend recommended the soldering idea idea to me after roughing up the ring a bit with a fine grade file. I think I'll just put some gaffers tape through the ring.

Thanks for the comments RFFers.

O.C.
 
No Ruby, the 14312 is what came with my M6 and can be got from Adorama. It doesn't stay on the shoulder for me and I have seen others complain of it too. With the M4-2 I bought in the mid-'80s came a wider loose weave strap with a floating rubber pad like on the original M case. The connection of the strap to the camera is with a plastic collar stud device through a slit-like button hole in the leather, and the leather is first passed through the full width slot in two metal blades, two for each eyelet attachment, before fastening the stud. At the other end of the metal blade is a 220˚ hook that passes through the eyelet from one direction, with the other blade which lies flat against it, passing through the eyelet from the opposite direction. The blades are engaged with the camera body eyelet before attaching the leather.... Ingenious device and very secure. No possibility of a ring rotating free, alhtough this is the first I have heard of such a possibility. I don't know the model number. The only vulnerability is the state of the leather, which I watch carefully. Perhaps a Canadian invention?
 
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Jarle Aasland said:
Get some Nikon triangular strap rings. Used these for 25 years, never had any problems.

A quick Google search found this page: http://www.bocaphoto.com/products/new/nikon/nikonacc.htm (but I'm sure you can buy them from many places)

You'll want both the actual "Nikon Strap ring" and the "Nikon strap ring protectors".

Jarle
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Dear Jarle,

Thanks for the link. I think I'll order 10. As I said in an earlier post (#3), they're vastly superior to round ones, but I didn't know whare to find them. I never knew about the break-off tab, either.

Cheers,

R.
 
Does seem like the triange ring WITH the protectors WOULD eliminate the possibility of the strap working its way back though. Especially with some gaffers tape applied for extra security. I'll definite try a pair. Thanks for the heads up on these Jarle :^).

O.C.
 
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