Warning -- Optech USA Straps

I've had an Op-tech strap since 2001 on my Nikon F3. Even with the MD-4 motor and a telephoto lens on it for much of the time, I've never had a problem. The strap is now 15 years old, and still working. I've disconnected the strap on a frequent basis, when the strap got in the way, such as when shooting macro images.
 
ColSebastianMoran said:
To the OP -- Which part broke? I see five plastic pieces in an OpTech strap, A-E. Which one broke?

161219-OpTech-Strap-ConnectorsABCD.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks for that Col. I didn't even realize mine had Quick Release. I have had it for ten years on my Pentax 6x7. I'm going to use a small nylon tie like the wire suggestion to bypass the QR as I never use the QR. That would loop between A and C on your photo.

EDIT I just did it, It took two small ties each side.
 
faberryman said:
Shouldn't this "WARNING" be about straps in general. It shouldn't be hard to find instances of other straps breaking. If we tar and feather OPTECH, it only seems fair to tar and feather everyone else whose strap has failed while we are at it....
Click to expand...

Frequent inspection--really just a quick look--should be enough for most fabric or leather straps to detect excessive wear and tear and indicate time for replacement. Personally, I've never had a strap break and my experience carrying cameras exceeds forty years. However, I recall vividly how the round split rings that attached straps would sometimes stretch with use and back out of the camera eyelets or the strap itself. Happened more than once to me and my fellow photographers where I worked years ago although I don't recall anyone actually losing a camera because of this. These unsettling incidents ceased when triangular split rings came along.
 
OpTech also makes straps without quick release buckles. I have these straps on my binoculars. Very comfortable and secure.
 
Plastic suffers from age hardening and becomes brittle. Some problem with all the plastic stuff in cars, it spontaneously breaks. Lots of it is hidden and thus the repair becomes expensive. Then consider how old the part is that replaces the old one. There is not a stream of these flowing off an assembly line somewhere.
 
Always good to inspect this stuff every once in awhile... I've had some other brand straps close to breaking but have discovered them before a disaster. If you think it might break... either abuse it a little to see if it does or just replace it. So many use cheap straps on expensive cameras... but they are often a very important part of your camera. 10 years for one strap? I'd say that is excellent. Instead of a warning, this is probably a good thing... though I get you are warning against having a camera fall to the ground.
 
Using cable ties seems to defeat the purpose of quick release buckles. May as well use non-QR straps to begin with.
 
My only Optech is connected to my heavy digital rig (Nikon D700, battery pack and 24-70 lens), which weighs about 13 pounds. For some reason, I really never let the camera just hang around my neck and instead hold it by the grip all the time. Now... let me add one thing: the plastic clip is really hard to move, and I seldom remove the strap for that reason.

Thanks for the heads up though.
 
surprised

surprised

Mine broke in area" A" on the older design shown in the illustration for the safety strap from Optech http://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_148239093799413&key=ebcd42a6fe063fd7c4aedf286a490098&libId=ix00xm4c0100noz5000DAdefzxl2e&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rangefinderforum.com%2Fforums%2Fshowthread.php%3Fthreadid%3D158943&v=1&out=https%3A%2F%2Foptechusa.com%2Fsystem-connectors%2Fsecure-its.html&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rangefinderforum.com%2Fmodules.php%3Fname%3DActive_Topics%26order%3Ddesc%26page%3D3&title=Warning%20--%20Optech%20USA%20Straps%20-%20Rangefinderforum.com&txt=https%3A%2F%2Foptechusa.com%2Fsystem-connectors%2Fsecure-its.html.The swivel on the male side snapped away from the main strap attachment as I was reaching for my camera under my coat to bring it up to shoot in the rain. Lucky me,the camera was firm in hand.
I sent the strap back to Optech Research and Development,but never got an acknowledgement.😱
 
BlackXList said:
I use OpTech or OpTech compatible straps a lot, and I'm a big fan of the connector system.

if you're wanting to secure the clip, rather than a wire tie, there's a very good product made by OpTech themselves to bind the clips together.

https://optechusa.com/system-connectors/secure-its.html
Click to expand...

ColSebastianMoran said:
To the OP -- Which part broke? I see five plastic pieces in an OpTech strap, A-E. Which one broke?

161219-OpTech-Strap-ConnectorsABCD.jpg
Click to expand...

randolph45 said:
Mine broke in area" A" on the older design shown in the illustration for the safety strap from Optech http://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_148239093799413&key=ebcd42a6fe063fd7c4aedf286a490098&libId=ix00xm4c0100noz5000DAdefzxl2e&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rangefinderforum.com%2Fforums%2Fshowthread.php%3Fthreadid%3D158943&v=1&out=https%3A%2F%2Foptechusa.com%2Fsystem-connectors%2Fsecure-its.html&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rangefinderforum.com%2Fmodules.php%3Fname%3DActive_Topics%26order%3Ddesc%26page%3D3&title=Warning%20--%20Optech%20USA%20Straps%20-%20Rangefinderforum.com&txt=https%3A%2F%2Foptechusa.com%2Fsystem-connectors%2Fsecure-its.html.The swivel on the male side snapped away from the main strap attachment as I was reaching for my camera under my coat to bring it up to shoot in the rain. Lucky me,the camera was firm in hand.
I sent the strap back to Optech Research and Development,but never got an acknowledgement.😱
Click to expand...

It seems that Optech's solution would not have helped for where it broke,as it does not secure that area. Maybe these would have been better quality if they made them in China.
j/k!

I use these straps on my F6 and Xpan and they really make a huge difference carrying a heavy camera. So much better than the stock straps, that is if they do not break of course.
 
ColSebastianMoran said:
To the OP -- Which part broke? I see five plastic pieces in an OpTech strap, A-E. Which one broke?

161219-OpTech-Strap-ConnectorsABCD.jpg
Click to expand...

It was part A, which is VERY thin in cross section. In mine, it consists of two swiveling pieces, with the outer tube being the problem. If it had been thicker, breakage would have been much less likely. In comparison, the QR is very beefy.

I should add that your photo shows a different, probably updated version of part A. Your part A is wrapped/reinforced around with the fabric, where mine is exposed. Conceivably, yours eliminated the weak plastic tube entirely and just swivels inside the reinforced fabric loop itself. Good to see the design was improved.
 
Dogman said:
Using cable ties seems to defeat the purpose of quick release buckles. May as well use non-QR straps to begin with.
Click to expand...

I bought the strap with the QR only because that's the only style the store had in stock...I have the Domke straps without the QR on most of my gear...unfortunately, most are worn out and need replacing...If I can find a Domke strap without the QR and padded like the OP/Tech...I'll have them on every camera I use...
 
faberryman said:
Shouldn't this "WARNING" be about straps in general. It shouldn't be hard to find instances of other straps breaking. If we tar and feather OPTECH, it only seems fair to tar and feather everyone else whose strap has failed while we are at it.

I have a couple of OPTECH straps which have worked nicely and show no signs of wear. However, none of mine connect with those string things. Talk about asking for trouble. I use the ones with the webbing and o-rings.
Click to expand...
Exactly.

Cheers,

R.
 
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