Wrist strap with TLR?

[AgentX]

Anyone using a wrist strap on their TLR?

Mostly I carry the camera in a shoulder bag, but was thinking a small nylon or Gordy's leather wrist strap might offer some more security while it's in-hand, especially in grabby third-world streets...


MD

 

[easyrider]

IMO a TLR is best carried around your neck. You can shoot at a moment's notice, looking right into the screen or raising it to your eye. I have a Rollei and cannot picture myself using a wrist strap. I also have a small Eddie Bauer bag, not labelled as a camera bag that I use when just walking around. It holds the camera and some film and filters.

In winter, I mostly wear a duffel coat and the Rollei fits into its large pockets.

 

[uhligfd]

2+ pounds on my/your wrist seems a lot .. of weight.

 

[Steve M.]

Singularly bad idea.

 

[bsdunek]

Seems like an awkward idea to me. I agree with the neck strap. I have a handle that I got from Spiratone ages ago. It fastened to the base of the camera. the handle comes alongside the focusing knob so it is easy to focus and it has a cable release trigger. That leaves the left hand to wind the film It's easy to carry the camera by the handle. Don't know if you can find one of these, but it works quite well.

 

[M like Leica M6]

There is a good grip with a strap for Mamiya TLRs. Fine while shooting, but not for carrying the camera for a long time.

 

[Gumby]

I canb't imagine how a wrist strap would work out with a TLR. I prefer a neck strap and found that to work good. Even better was keeping the Rollei on a monopd and carrying it like that.

Once, in a third-world country named 'England', I encountered a grabby gypsie child. The monopod served as a proper deterrent. One can poke-and-prod, or club... whichever action seems most appropriate. The child was a cute little girl who genuinely seemed destitude, so I simply poked-and-prodded before giving her a few coppers.

 

[AgentX]

Hm, you guys actually use a wrist strap to support/carry a camera?? I just use it as insurance against droppage when the camera is out of the bag...I wasn't imagining walking around with it just dangling off my wrist! That *is* a spectacularly bad idea with a TLR.

FIgured one mounted to the tripod socket, or even off the left-hand strap lug, could remain relatively out-of-the way with the strap over the wrist as you hold/focus the camera, but be there to prevent it from getting too far from your hand, no matter what happens.

Definitely won't be using any grips, myself...and I usually carry a few deterrents at least as effective as the monopod. Anyhow, I'll probably give it a shot, just because the neck straps aren't working for me when going in/out of the bag, and the thought of splattering a 2.8 rollei on the ground is a pretty vivid nightmare.

Edit to add this photo:

 

[Sjixxxy]

Not a wrist strap proper, but I do often wrap my neck strap around my wrist with my TR so it behaves like one. AgentX is right though, it is there as a safety, not support.

What I do is hold my 124G by the bottom with my left hand so that my index finger sits on the shutter release. Scale focus at 15 feet and use my thumb to do minor tweaks to the focus. When walking around I then turn the camera upside down and let all the weight hang off of my hand. Isn't bad at all for street shooting.

 

[AgentX]

Finally tried this today with the Rollei and a big, synthetic wrist strap off a Polaroid 600 that I found in the closet. Works nicely. This particular strap might actually be a bit too thick and gets kinda sweaty around the wrist, but it allows full usage of the camera with insurance against dropping it, and very little inconvenience or bulk for getting in and out of the bag.

Also dug up an old thin nylon neck strap and will see how it works in the same role. I just can't carry a TLR for any length of time on my neck, though. Awkward.

Never minded a cross-body strap, but then it's too bulky and complicated retrieving from/stowing in the bag. Still do it on the very rare occasions I don't use a bag, though.