Wrist straps on the M... A good idea?

cosmonot

cosmonot

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Friends -

So far I've had to send two Leica M's out for CLA's prompted by a loose or detatched strap lug - an M2 and the M4P. The M4P actually separated whilst walkind down the beach, with only a 50mm lens as added weight. Salt water, sand, and disaster was averted in that case, but these experiences lead me to question the wisdom of hooking a wrist strap up to a single lug (or "eyelet" as Sherry K. calls them).

Is my fear warranted? Or am I overreacting to two freakish occurances?

To those of you that use a wrist strap all the time: how often do you hang the full weight of the camera + lens by the single lug?
 
I think your fear is warranted. I also had an M3 with loose lug, the right one, go figure
(the previous owner used wrist straps). Somewhere, I believe Sherry commented
on Leica eyelets not being built for that.

If I want to carry an M in one hand I use a neck strap and grip, strap around my wrist
a couple of times. The grip is most important since it carries the weight most of the time.

Roland.
 
I'm using a Gordy wrist strap, but I've been hearing more of these stories and they do scare me a bit. Time to get a nice, bright red artist and artisan strap :)
 
cosmonot said:
Friends -
To those of you that use a wrist strap all the time: how often do you hang the full weight of the camera + lens by the single lug?
Click to expand...

Pretty much never, for me a wrist strap is a safety net - in case the camera is knocked out of, or falls from, my hand.
 
i almost always use a wrist strap but i almost never hang the camera, full weight, by it.
the strap is there if i need my hand for a second or 2 (very rare).

i like grips and usually hold the camera by the grip or with my thumb and index finger wrapped around the lens.

i don't think any camera is made to carry the full weight by one lug, not for long.
 
i had the metal ring between the strap(m-classics nylon thing) and the camera break about a week ago.

i was leaning over the edge of a wooden boardwalk on the sf bay and stepped back after taking the shot. some tourists asked me to take their picture and as i let me arm go down to my side, the ring broke and my camera hit the ground. luckily it was in a case, and even more luckily it happened after i stepped back.

i'll never use one again.
 
i use a wrist strap , but only as a precaution of someone or something bumping my hand . i rarely put any weight on the lugs . it s a luigi , really very nice .
 
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i've been using the leicagoodies (lutz) finger sling. you guys are making me nervous. maybe it's time to get one of TA's grips ...
 
I've been more than happy with my Domke gripper straps wrapped around my wrist, and have never used a true wrist strap... But these loose eyelet events happened just the same... Of course a previous owner could have yanked them out and just pressed them back in...

The fear of a force strong enough to knock a camera from my hand also being strong enough to pop out a single lug seems like a rational one. I found an older, simple leather neck strap that I'm trying out in place of the Domke for now. It's a little less bulky when wrapped around my wrist with fewer metal fittings to get reallly cold in this winter weather.
 
The only wrist strap I feel somewhat comfortable using, is the kind that screws into the tripod mount.
 
Never heard of detaching strap lugs before, quite scary .... :eek: I only use leather neck straps from Luigi since I can easily wrap them around my twist.
 
dLOVE 5 hAS IT RIGHT! Use wrist straps that attach to the bottom of the cameras at the tripod mount. No stress at all on the camera. Both Gordy and Luigi have these types.
 
John Elder said:
dLOVE 5 hAS IT RIGHT! Use wrist straps that attach to the bottom of the cameras at the tripod mount. No stress at all on the camera. Both Gordy and Luigi have these types.
Click to expand...

Now that I think about it... The old 8mm movie camera in my closet has one too!

The one issue I see is that half of my need for the strap is to keep the body safe while loading film. If I'm going to drop a camera, it's likely going to be then. Or while changing lenses. Moreso with the old screwmount gear, since neither procedure is quite as graceful as on the M.
 
Anyone got any ideas as to the strength of the Zeiss Ikon strap lugs? Are they the same style as leica lugs? (as far as internal mounting, etc)
 
If you look in the 'Tulip' side of the film chamber you will see how those lugs are mushroom rivited into position, later M bodies have just three stamps in the rivet to hold it in place.

Personally, I have Gordy straps and before them I had my own versions of Gordy straps. ive never had a problem with a lose lug, I also use the Sling which puts added stress on that lug, I have chrome bodies with TA winders and heavy brass ASPH lenses making the unit as a whole pretty hefty and again never had a problem.
..perhaps it is owing to how you use it? are you dangling the body off the strap and swinging it around? I generally hold the body even though I have two kinds of straps on the one lug and the camera is always in my hand.

On the left lug I have a small split-ring (from a Contax G), which I use as a secu-ring for the LeHook strap which occasionally graces my shoulder.

Ive had these particular strap methods on all of my cameras from day one.
 
I use a wrist strap with my ZI, but it's really only as a precaution against dropping it. I don't actually carry the camera by the strap. In fact, I carry it by cradling the back in my hand, with the lens facing inward. (Helps to have large hands.) This way it's unobtrusive and ready to use quickly. The only time I let the camera dangle by the strap is when I'm changing film, lenses, filters, etc.
 
I also use a grip and neck strap, althought the strap that came with my M6 is the el cheapo plastic and nylon one - any recommendations on which leather strap to get for a black m6? :D
 
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