wrist strap or shoulder strap?

[back alley]

how do you decide which to use?
and those that use no strap at all, just hold on to the camera...how did you decide that was the route for you?
now that i have 2 tiny cameras where the straps take up as much if not more than the cameras i'm thinking about going back to wrist straps...except i might like having that free hand too much.

 

[BillBingham2]

I used a wrist strap on GRDs and loved it. When I needed the other hand the camera either moved to the other hand or into a pocket.

On my Bessa L I used an old Nikon thin neck strap that weighed almost nothing. I was going to switch to a Gordy Strap but never got around to it.

Nothing else felt light enough.

B2 (;->

 

[f16sunshine]

I use both. Depends on the camera and which lens it wears.
Fuji xe/27mm is wrist strap. Xt1/35mm is neck.
Sony a7/legacy lens is neck.
Rolleiflex neck. Gf670. Wrist Lanyard (long wrist strap)
Xa3/mju2 wrist. Eos rt/50/100mm neck.

For walk around cameras I keep them on my neck with one arm through the strap so they hang at hip.
Little caneras stay on the wrist. Sometimes I push the strap up my arm to my elbow to do other tasks.
Cameras have to be at the ready otherwise whats the point.
If I’m not taking pictures I don’t bother taking a camera.
If I am, lens caps are off and camera is in hand or ready on my hip or wrist.
I rarely carry a bag primarily holding cameras. If I have a bag it's full of other stuff but the camera is out. (including maybe film or battery never extra body or lens).
I'm not a "street" photographer in any way really. If I was it would be mostly wrist strap!

 

[summar]

I like neck straps because they keep both hands free.

 

[barnwulf]

I use neck straps but my hands are never free as I always have at least one hand wrapped around my camera. I feel more secure with a neck strap to prevent dropping the camera in case it's knocked from my hand - jim

 

[Rob-F]

I seem to like wrist straps only for the very smallest cameras. My D-Lux 6, and X10 for example. For the X100, Leica M, D700, etc., that's what neck straps are for. On the Barnacks, I may use a Tamrac hand strap that still attaches with two lugs but is short and carried in the hand. They have decoupling connectors so I can change the hand strap to a neck strap without having to remove the strap from the camera's lugs. I use only hand straps on Hasselblad 500c/m. Nothing that heavy is going around my neck!

 

[bhop73]

If the camera can't fit into a pocket, then it gets a neck strap. Sometimes I need my hands free.

 

[sepiareverb]

I’ve bought half cases for my point and shoot cameras only to have neck straps. I’d just destroy a camera I had attached to my wrist.

 

[ktmrider]

Use both with a wrist strap on the Fuji X70 and a neck strap on everything else. And my M2 wears a combo from Gordy. It has both neck and wrist straps incorporated into one unit and is strongly suggested. He has a great web site.

 

[Doug A]

I need a shoulder strap to hold my camera steady for shooting. The camera is on a short strap over my right shoulder. I have to pull it tight to get the viewfinder up to my eye. Along with pressing the camera against my nose and my brow it allows me to shoot at significantly lower shutter speeds than trying to do it "freehand."

 

[kxl]

My gear:

DSLR and Sony A7R, I prefer a shoulder strap for the support

Sony RX100 - too small for anything but a wrist strap

Zeiss ZI - Gordy's wrist strap and Leicagoodies Sling. I carry extra lenses in a small shoulder bag. This set up is comfortable for me and allows quick lens changes and film loading.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

That's how a strap can really help, especially with a heavier camera. I learned that lesson shooting target rifles.
Wrist strap with the Leica Standard, neck strap with the M2, nothing with the Retina, it has all kinds of grippers.

I need a shoulder strap to hold my camera steady for shooting. The camera is on a short strap over my right shoulder. I have to pull it tight to get the viewfinder up to my eye. Along with pressing the camera against my nose and my brow it allows me to shoot at significantly lower shutter speeds than trying to do it "freehand."

 

[ruby.monkey]

Usually I go strapless because having to hold my camera in hand makes me much more likely actually to take photos, and because the strap often gets in the way. The only time I use a strap is when it's likely that I'd drop the camera otherwise (swimming with my P&S, for instance) or when I'll need my hands free in a hurry (when I'm out with my kids and have to keep the little buggers under control).

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I use WS for small digital P&S and film like Oly Trip 35.
Anything bigger - SS. Because of the weight and more secure handling.

 

[back alley]

some interesting points...always like to see how others think or reason...even for small things like camera straps.
small items and wrist straps are good except for not having a free hand if pockets are too small. i always have a hand on my camera no matter which strap i use...i hate that sinking feeling as you watch and listen to your camera fall and hit the concrete sidewalk. (my old canon p)...
the fuji xe3 is so small it would be wonderful to hold naked but i would not dare...old hands. the xe3 could also easily work well with a wrist strap...when i shot rangefinders i kept 2 in the bag and exchanged them instead of changing lenses...could also work with xe3/xt20...

 

[maddoc]

I use a neck-strap from Artist & Artisan that I convert to a wrist strap on the fly by making an overhand loop.

 

[jazzwave]

If the camera can't fit into a pocket, then it gets a neck strap. Sometimes I need my hands free.

+1

I'm using wrist strap for my Ricoh GR and shoulder strap for my M or Fuji X.

~ron~

 

[JoeLopez]

how do you decide which to use?
and those that use no strap at all, just hold on to the camera...how did you decide that was the route for you?
now that i have 2 tiny cameras where the straps take up as much if not more than the cameras i'm thinking about going back to wrist straps...except i might like having that free hand too much.

I carried a wrist strap for a while and often wanted a shoulder strap while I was out.

I really like the concept of the Artisan & Artist ACAM-108 as it is a shoulder strap with a built in wrist strap, but could not buy one anywhere.

I now just wrap my shoulder strap around me wrist once or twice while walking around, works just fine for my taste.

 

[Archlich]

Wrist strap for smaller cameras or for daily commute during when I'd only use the camera occasionally.

Otherwise a Nikon AN-4B shoulder strap, with the faux leather pad replaced by an ultrasuede patch. When missing the convenience of wrist strap I tie a choker hitch around my wrist.

 

[biomed]

I use Gordy's straps on all of my cameras. GH3, GX7, LX100 have wrist straps; one other GX7 has a neck strap. The wrist straps don't get in the way like a neck strap does, IMHO. When mounting cameras on an Arca Swiss equipped tripod, I loop the wrist strap around the tripod before mounting the camera. It provides an extra security measure in case the tripod mount clamp loosens. I use the neck strap equipped camera when giving tours at the place where I volunteer. It allows both hands to be free. The big down side for neck straps for me is the weight on my neck. Back in the day when I was shooting with my medium format and Nikon F2 cameras I did not use any strap at all.