Wrist Straps - Why I primarily use them with my cameras
This Video features wrist straps and attachment points made by Peak Design and Wotancraft. I did not receive money from these companies in order to create this video. I have simply been a fan of wrist straps for more than 30 years and simply wanted to outline how I prefer to attach the wrist straps to my cameras.
Purchase the straps directly from Wotancraft: www.wotancraft.tw/en/creation...
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Love this and the insight to the things that make your photos so warm and engaging. Ironically I have had a PD wrist strap for a while and have not used it. Another benefit is that this approach also saves neck/shoulder strain. Thanks Mark
Thanks for your positive feedback Jo
Absolutely fantastic video about a subject that I never gave any thought to, but the way you present with such extraordinary detail supported by excellent PRACTICAL examples makes me a believer. Now I’m looking into getting one.
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Hello Mark, You actually replied. NOW I’m considering becoming a $20 member for the reason that I read YOU personally respond to questions.
Most photographers join my support channel so they can download the assets (eBooks, Camset files, raw files etc) but I do have a Premium Plus membership tier with a dedicated Q&A forum where I help members resolve technical issues or where I can advise them on the most appropriate gear to use for their own workflows.
Hi Mark, long time wrist strap user also, havnt tried leather but many other types, currently have it attached to the bottom right side of the L bracket on the 7R5 and works well... L bracket also extends the length of the front grip for more comfort, especially with the 100-400 on.
Thanks for sharing!
Mar, I luv your phrase: "Make eye contact first & then move in..."You sound like an Alaskan Photographer! The only problem has to be that the brown bears happen to also have the same philosophy. Not a contest of wills, but a contest of eye contact! 😎😎
When shooting in Alaska I was happy to see the guy standing next to me had a rifle with bullets the size of my thumb.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Mark, thanks. you are right. Your friend next to you understood reality in Alaska. Glad you had a backup if it was needed. Saw the flyer on the upcoming trip to Nepal. Wishing you a great safe expedition. Some lucky souls will be able to make the journey with you as traveling photographer. We will be looking forward to your photos upon your return. Hope u post them on your site. 😎😎
Thanks for the many excellent videos. I have tried many hand straps and the only one I found that seems work, that allows me to reach the top buttons on my A7Riv, is the SpiderPro Hand Strap v2. All other straps I have to loosen them, for example, the Peak Design hand strap. I also prefer the SpiderPro over my Peak design wrist strap.
Thanks for sharing!
I use PD straps. I rarely use a neck or shoulder strap. But, I have hand straps attached to all of my full frame cameras. And I use a wrist strap on my apsc camera. I do like Wotancraft bags. So, I'll have to check out their straps too.
The company as earned my respect with its attention to quality, functionality and timely shipping
Very cool that the Wotancraft writs straps have an option compatible with Peak buttons! Unfortunately, they don't seem to make any vegan options, so I'll stick with the Peak Cuff wrist straps that work well for me. Thank you as always, Mark!
Even one of my Peak Design cuff straps has leather sewn to one side. I figure I'll stop buying leather when people decide to stop eating meat. I stopped around seven years ago.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills You stopped around seven years ago... what? Buying leather, or stopped eating meat?
Yo Mark! Nice videos! Is there anyway I can somehow download a camset file for an old, ancient A9? I downloaded the 500 page ebook already, but forgot to download the camset file for this one, very old, ancient camera that I don't yet know how to use... Thanks!
Unfortunately the A9 precedes the CAMSET feature. It only appeared after I flew to Tokyo at the start of 2019 to ask the firmware engineers for the feature.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills DOH! Thanks for replying!
This is very very good. i didn't even know about the existence of wrist strap. Do you do video with that only or do you need to have a rig ?
I don't use rigs (cages and gimbals) - I always avoid going larger when I can get what I want by staying smaller. The only thing I have been known to add is a carry handle mounted to the Multi Interface shoe for low camera angles and a Bluetooth grip when talking to camera. I transfer the wrist strap to the Bluetooth grip in these instances.
Can you make a video about the carry handle and the bluetooth grip ? I have never saw that on youtube or give the references please ? Thanks for the video by the way. For once I see a video without rig, and it's very good. @@AlphaCreativeSkills
Personal support and guidance is offered via my Patreon.com/markgaler channel
Mark what size is the bag at 7:24? I too am a PD cuff strap and capture clip fan. I have the straps but only tend to use them when lugging the 200-600 for lens safety.
That's my Pilot 7L messenger bag. I have a review for the 7L and 10L bags. Chris Nichols from dpreview.com voted the 10L his favourite photography product of 2021. I prefer the 7L as it goes into my tank bag of my motorcycle and forces me to pack light.
Hi Mark, cool showcase of the Wotan leather straps. However, at 7:28 of your video, those straps seem to be more of a canvas-type material, rather than leather. Those aren't available on their website at the time of writing this comment either. Is it a new product that will be launched soon?
I may have received a couple of pre-production straps in amongst the leather ones you see on their site. The ones you see I think are also leather, but the typical leather finish is on the inside of the loop. Not sure how they have finished the back of the leather (the surface that is mostly visible) I will ask Wotancraft if the red and grey ones are something they are planning on releasing
I have been informed the straps you see at 7:28 are leather and canvas and will be new additions to the range next month.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Thank you for the prompt reply. I'll definitely be picking up a couple of these from their store when I'm in Taiwan! Always love and look forward to your wotan product review videos. Keep it up! (:
Apparently their first canvas strap will be a ‘salt & pepper’ style strap with the red one following later. The salt and pepper style can be seen in their watch strap range
Great video QUESTION: Do one needs both wrist cuff AND shoulder strap? God willing, I’m going with peak design and got the cuff AND the leash shoulder strap. Is it and overdo? I’m thinking to use it in different scenarios. I got the peak design clip and when I wear a sturdy pants AND belt to use it WITH the cuff. For ease of carrying But when I’m in shorts and I can’t use the clip to hang my camera then I’ll switch to the strap. What are your thought? Thank you 🙏
I own and have used the Peak Design products you mention for many years. I have made a decision to use the Wotancraft wrist straps in preference to the Peak Design product (hence this video). It is not a sponsored video. I still use a Peak Design slide when working with large telephoto lenses with the strap attached to the lens (not the camera).
I like many Peak Design products, but with the PD wrist strap, while I want to love it, I almost never use it. I primarily shoot concerts, and my A7III's both have have battery grips. For me the PD strap is too short to work well with the battery grip attached, especially since I rotate the camera from horizontal to vertical and back quite a lot. I also find the auto-cinch feature more annoying than useful.
I definitely second the auto cinch being annoying
Hi Mark, have you or does anybody have any hints on how to stop the D rings mentioned at 5:09 from coming undone. I have tried a number of them, with and without rubber washers and tightened with a tool and the same issue. I have also seen the problem mentioned in other KZhead videos. Using Loctite is not really an option. Thanks.
Maybe you should switch to the Peak Design Anchor or Plate if you are not having any luck with these.
I mainly use my Peak Design wrist straps but do have a Leash strap when I want to go very minimal. The Slide lite strap is just too bulky for me. I never use it.
My slide straps are only used with heavy telephoto lenses
Mark.. Can you throw a brother a bone? I need a camset file for my ancient A9. I have your ebook, I just forgot to download camset file... Thanks bro!
Unfortunately the A9 precedes the CAMSET feature. It only appeared after I flew to Tokyo at the start of 2019 to ask the firmware engineers for the feature.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Doh! Thanks for replying anyway...
Going back, to my first photography class back in 77 my teacher stressed the importance of a camera strap. When I have no strap on my camera I'm nervous ever since.
I work in amongst crowds so can never afford to work without the security of a strap.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills for sure.
i bought both shoulder strap and wrist strap but ended up using the wrist strap the most.
It’s the way to go
I use parachute cord for my wrist strap, works out great.
How do you attach it to your camera?
@@AlphaCreativeSkills just loop the cord through the camera strap eyelet.
My preferred anchor point would still be a Peak Design plate on the base of the camera so the strap/cord is not constantly moving on/in your hand.
Same here. This is a perfect approach if you don't have these peak design clips. I'm having two loops of a cord for a comfort. When I need it to make it longer, I simply pull one of the loop and it extends.
Peak design cuff user here.
I also have two of these. I was so pleased Peak Design started making these as there was a drought of wrist straps before peak Design made them fashionable again.
I use a Paracord Camera Wrist Strap.
And do you mount it to the top or the bottom of your camera?
@@AlphaCreativeSkills It mounts to the top mount point where you would secure a shoulder strap. It is long enough for me to be able to release the camera and it can hang from my wrist.
I personally don’t like the top mount approach as I often find myself fighting with the strap
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Well its mounted on the same side that I hold the camera. There is enough slack for me to do anything with my right hand. I have the strap on so I don't accidently drop my camera. I use an L bracket so on the bottom it just gets in the way.
Wouldn’t you want the lightest possible strap? Why leather?
Weight is important to me but a wrist strap weighs next to nothing. One of my Peak Design straps is grey with leather sewn to one side. I don't own eat meat but I haven't stopped purchasing leather products. I wear leather shoes rather than trainers and use a leather Lightning Rider 12L as my second messenger bag when travelling light. I like small products which have been meticulously crafted.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Leather also has an almost intangible springy property that is hard to mimic with synthetics. I used to walk big dogs - Bouviers and Golden Retrievers. When they lunge at the end of a canvas or synthetic woven leash I would feel the shock all the way past my shoulder. In fact the less stout leather straps provided more give and recovery. That's not even getting into the difference to your hand from a loop of leather that reaches the same temp. as your skin vs synthetics or natural fibers. They are all going to last a lot longer than the initial pain in your pocket to pay the difference.
My leather belt is 20 years old, my leather boots are now 10 years old so I certainly agree with your last comment
@@charlieross-BRM Charlie, a great answer. Thanks!
Wotan Craft is great, but getting this wrist strap will cost a fortune in tax and shipment to Europe
Wotancraft have fee shipping to some countries and failing that Leica stores now stock some Wotancraft products
so you can buy cheaper anchor points, so why not buy the cheaper straps that are available form the same places and use lovely leather, have you tested these cheaper versions against the ones with the mighty inflated ego prices. i used to use a cheaper product that was so comfortable as a wrist strap as i find the thin straps dig into the skin.
I don't purchase the cheaper anchor points (I stated my preferred options twice in this video). This video was more about my personal use of wrist straps. I don't expect my choices to be your choices if you are on a budget.
thanks sorry i thought it was a video looking at various straps, rather than a video to promote certain straps you use.
That’s what a review is - looking at the products the reviewer has used, then offer positive or negative feedback - not sure what you find confusing