[philbaum]

The commercial website for Y Strap is here:

Y Strap The Figital Revolution

I ordered mine on July 18th for $25 and received it tonight, July 31st. The Website owner writes that he sews all the Y straps individually to assure quality so i'm not concerned about a slight delay in receiving it.

Here's my observation after carrying my camera around for 1 hour with it.

1. I will never use a neckstrap again. The Y strap is so much more comfortable to walk around with my K20D.

2. The Y strap relies on a large key ring attached to the right neckstrap attachment point on the K20. The large key ring was too large to install on my K20, so i found a smaller keyring to link between the large one on the Y strap and the camera. The website notes this might occur and will provide a smaller ring for the linkage if asked at ordering time. Do yourself a favor and ask for it ahead of time, although smaller ones are easily found in hardware stores or extra key chains around the home.

The R Strap relies on a screw into the tripod mount on the camera, which has come loose for some people, rarely i would guess. (i've also seen an R strap used with a key ring installed to the neck strap connection) No chance of that with a Key ring i'm thinking. Other than that, there is a lot of similarity to the two straps. R Strap includes a shoulder pad plus some storage area for cards and things. Either, i think, would be a great improvement over a neck strap.

3. For larger lenses, i can see how the Y strap width can become a little uncomfortable if its too close to the neck. I put on a Pentax prime lens on my K20 and then it was quite comfortable. I will look for some wider pad for the strap where it crosses the shoulder. All in all a vast improvement over the neck strap, however.

4. See the video on the Y strap website. The camera now rides on the right hip with the lcd window against the jeans. This means its probably a good idea to put some kind of protector on the lcd window

5. One of the things i like about the Y strap is the strap folds down easily when packing the camera away.

I have no financial interest in Y Strap, but for $25, it was a good deal for me.

---

Last edited by philbaum; 07-31-2010 at 10:31 PM.

[JohnBee]

I really like this!

I wonder if they will make a fail safe type of mechanism where we could tether the strap to the second connector on the camera? Just in case it failed on one side...

I think I'm gonna try one btw.

[dragonfly]

It looks like a great idea, but what's to stop anyone from just putting their camera on a strap?

[philbaum]

It looks like a great idea, but what's to stop anyone from just putting their camera on a strap?

Probably not much, but this thing is finished and ready to go. I've got too many things on my list already, but go for it if you choose.

[F-Stop]

It looks like a great idea, but what's to stop anyone from just putting their camera on a strap?

Exactly! 'The Y-Strap was invented by me'... well, perhaps the name was but I'm certain there are others in the world toting a small amount of gear/cameras in a similar fashion. I wouldn't classify a camera neck strap as a patented invention either. Anything to make money I guess. Take a gym bag strap, one that detaches from the bag, has a shoulder pad included and clip the ends together, source out a key ring to fit the camera and you have the same thing for cheaper. Please send $20 to me for anyone that decides to use my idea.

Personally, to have a K20D with the smallest lens dangling is a lot of weight and pressure on a small part of one side of the neck. Even my sling style camera bag I converted for camera gear is hard on the back/shoulder after an hour with the camera and 2 lenses. I'd rather a hand/wrist strap over this.

I guess I shouldn't knock it without trying it first... ah well.

[pxpaulx]

F-stop, I will pay you 20 bucks, but only if you source the gym bag strap and key ring for me, and personally number it! Also, keyrings + camera body = scratches!

[Mike Cash]

I like the idea of the thing and while I could certainly go to the store and get the stuff to make it myself I wouldn't be averse to the idea of slipping the guy twenty-five bucks to make one for me.

I agree that I wouldn't care to hang my K20D off of it. My preference is to hold my camera in my hand using just a wrist strap that goes in the tripod mount. But I do sometimes like to take a film camera along with me and I think it would a good solution for keeping it handy. Let the K20D dangle while using the film camera and let the film camera dangle while using the K20D.

Letting things dangle appeals to my manly nature.

[Ira]

I'm going to dissent here:

It looks like a PITA.

[ll_coffee_lP]

I'm going to dissent here:

It looks like a PITA.

For real?!? Looks pretty simple to me...I can't see how it would be a pita at all.

c[_]

[twokatmew]

The commercial website for Y Strap is here:

Y Strap The Figital Revolution

I ordered mine on July 18th for $25 and received it tonight, July 31st. The Website owner writes that he sews all the Y straps individually to assure quality so i'm not concerned about a slight delay in receiving it.

Here's my observation after carrying my camera around for 1 hour with it.

1. I will never use a neckstrap again. The Y strap is so much more comfortable to walk around with my K20D.

2. The Y strap relies on a large key ring attached to the right neckstrap attachment point on the K20. The large key ring was too large to install on my K20, so i found a smaller keyring to link between the large one on the Y strap and the camera. The website notes this might occur and will provide a smaller ring for the linkage if asked at ordering time. Do yourself a favor and ask for it ahead of time, although smaller ones are easily found in hardware stores or extra key chains around the home.

The R Strap relies on a screw into the tripod mount on the camera, which has come loose for some people, rarely i would guess. (i've also seen an R strap used with a key ring installed to the neck strap connection) No chance of that with a Key ring i'm thinking. Other than that, there is a lot of similarity to the two straps. R Strap includes a shoulder pad plus some storage area for cards and things. Either, i think, would be a great improvement over a neck strap.

3. For larger lenses, i can see how the Y strap width can become a little uncomfortable if its too close to the neck. I put on a Pentax prime lens on my K20 and then it was quite comfortable. I will look for some wider pad for the strap where it crosses the shoulder. All in all a vast improvement over the neck strap, however.

4. See the video on the Y strap website. The camera now rides on the right hip with the lcd window against the jeans. This means its probably a good idea to put some kind of protector on the lcd window

5. One of the things i like about the Y strap is the strap folds down easily when packing the camera away.

I have no financial interest in Y Strap, but for $25, it was a good deal for me.

Phil, when you get a chance, could you please post some close-ups of the connector(s) on the Y strap? The tiny video doesn't show any detail.

Thx!

[alohadave]

Looks like a homemade Black Rapid R strap.

BlackRapid.com

[dadipentak]

Pretty much but it's nice to have a less expensive alternative and this may actually have some advantages.

Sure it could be done on a diy basis if that's you're idea of a good time but you wouldn't really save big bucks by it.

[WJW]

Isn't there a strap called the Sun Shooter (Sun Sniper?) that uses the same basic set-up?

And you could certainly do the same basic thing by having a long neck strap slung this way. I've done that myself and really hated the "dangling by my side" position. Personally, my neck strap is primarily insurance that I don't drop my camera or that I can let go for a few minutes to change lenses, get a filter, etc. It is NOT for carrying the camera around all the time.

[dsodko]

I agree with the selection of a neck strap. Mysticcowboy (also a PT guy) shared his Blackrapid w/me while I was on vacation in June/July in PT. My wife bought one for me on Fathers Day. I did not like the way it fit on my neck. I shipped it off to my son in Detroit (Nikon Dude). Well after some searching I made my own model. I took parts from WalMart camping section, a Targus neck strap, key ring and quick gate latch I had what I wanted. $25 including stitching at the Puffing shoe repair in PT.
I like to keep my K200D on my right side. Quick for Portrait or landscape. I found an added feature. It is great for taking candid street pictures. After some practice with an autofocus setting, I got some great shots on Water and Sims Way. Folks don't have a clue your shoot 'em !

[Clicker]

There's one major flaw (for me) with those straps, the camera bounces all over the place if you have to run around, this is where Cotton Carrier comes in but that too has some inherent flaws with the connectors being reported on some forums as coming "un-attached", i suppose the warning on their site to occassionaly check the connector is admittance?