There are two things every photographer seems to search for and can never find. Call it the Photographer’s Holy Grail. The perfect camera strap and the perfect camera bag. Well, I may have found the perfect camera strap.
If you are like me, you have a love/hate relationship with your camera straps. They are always in the way and catching on to things. Many straps have metal parts that can scratch a lens, viewfinder, or LCD screen.
At the same time, camera straps come in handy for keeping your equipment on your body, ready for action. Especially when shooting with multiple bodies.
Removing the strap from your camera when not needed is always an option, but usually, a time-consuming pain. Until recently that is.
Not long ago, I saw some new straps demonstrated on Kickstarter. The straps I’m speaking of are the Leash and Cuff from Peak Design, maker of camera capture devices and straps.
Peak Design’s Leash
The Leash is a multi-purpose strap, easily converted from a conventional neck or shoulder strap to a sling to a Leash (or safety strap), hence the name. It can also be used as a video stabilizer.
There are two things that make the Leash unique.
First, the strap is made with some very soft, three-quarter-inch web material similar to a car’s safety belt. It is so soft, it easily balls up into the palm of your hand and can be shoved into any nook, cranny, or pocket. It also comes with its own little black carry bag.
Second, is Peak Design’s unique camera attachment. A small anchor, about the size of a dime, attaches to your camera’s eyelets. It literally takes a few seconds to attach the anchors to your camera. Then on each end of the strap is a capture device. With a couple of fingers, you can capture the anchor and snap it in place.
Peak Design’s Cuff
The Cuff is identical in design to the Lease only shorter in length. It’s a wrist strap for those times when a neck strap is too much, but you still want some security for the camera. And when you aren’t using your Cuff to hold your camera, it turns into a very fashionable bracelet. Well, maybe fashionable went a bit too far.
The Cuff also comes with its own little black carry bag. It slips onto your wrist in seconds and uses the same capture device to lock onto your camera’s anchors. It can easily be attached and removed with one hand.
Conclusion
I have five different camera strap systems in my collection. A couple of which have been with me for 30 years. Out of all of them, Peak Design’s Leash and Cuff are by far my favorite. Here’s why:
- They are plain and do not call attention to the camera.
- They are incredibly soft and flexible.
- They attach to a camera in seconds with one hand.
- They are very strong and able to support any mirrorless or DSLR system.
- The Leash can be used in three configurations: strap, sling, and leash.
If you are looking for a way to carry your camera with plenty of configuration options, then I highly recommend you check out Peak Design’s products. On their website, you will find some really good videos that demonstrates the use of their capture devices and straps.
If you decided to try some of Peak Design’s products, you can follow any of my affiliate links to get 10% off of any purchases you make.
Have you been using any of the Peak Design products? If so, please leave a comment below telling us of your experiences and opinion.