[BruceBanner]

I'm curious if any of you own any hand straps for their cameras (not wrist ones, the hand ones that go around the back of the hand)?
I'm not overly fond of neck straps, currently I actually have a cosyspeed finger strap (was freebee) and is surprisingly ok, well... my first foray into having something to assist with the weight of shooting with something as hefty as the K-1.

Do all hand straps need to anchor onto the bottom plate tho? I actually have a bag that I like to use often but I cannot really put the K-1 in the bag with any bottom plate attached, and I tend to quite like shooting with it plateless, I typically only 'plate up' when doing real work/jobs, so I quite like the freedom of shooting with and without a plate/L plate.

I've noticed how the Fingerstrap can really help when holding the camera one handed in the portrait mode orientation, so I'm curious as to how people find those hand straps. At first I thought they were just kinda gimmicky and not doing much but now I wonder...

TIA!

Bruce

[barefootdesigns]

Bruce, I spend a lot of time in the woods, clambering over trees and through tough New England terrain with my dogs. I have never been comfortable with a neck strap, chest strap or anything that can get hung up on trees and bushes or bounces around my body--that I have to fish around for and find a grip for whenever I want to shoot. The answer for me was a generic, cheap hand strap. When I'm walking around with my K-50 on a hand strap, I don't even have to grip the camera; adjusted properly (a little looser than one might think), it simply hangs from my relaxed hand, ready to swing up in perfect position for a shot. I have finally found a secure way to carry my camera that doesn't interfere either with my movement or my orientation to any possible shots. For me it's just wonderful. Give one a try. You just might like it.
Carla
P.S. The finger strap might work, and there's no plate. I might even give it a try, but quite honestly, I like the full hand strap for the security and relaxation of the hand that it provides. Either way, it's another, better option IMO.

[beachgardener]

I used a Herringbone hand strap for a while, ok as such, but I prefer neck strap or across the body strap, for what I do.

Herringbone hand strap - Ecosia


Review: Herringbone Heritage Leather Hand Grip Strap | 1KIND Photography

[nass_43]

Hi,

I have a solution I quite like, as it is both convenient and versatile :

I have the K-1 + battery grip, and I use a neoprene neck strap that is attached to the body and grip by 2 plastic fasteners (don't remember the brand.... it's a very common one, I'll check it and update later)

AND : when I disconnect the strap, I can connect the 2 plastic fasteners (the one attached to the top of the body and the one attached to the grip) together, and it gives a very convenient (for me) hand strap. Length (not adjustable...) suits my hand size quite well.

I've been tempted number of times to look for a better hand strap, but the versatility of this solution always wins.

[aslyfox]

I believe in options

1 the hand grip I use

Joby Ultrafit Hand Strap and Ultra Plate

Camera Hand Strap | Ultra Fit Hand Strap With Ultra Plate

2 an easily detachable Optech USA Utility Strap


Utility Strap?-Sling & Utility Strap?-Sling XL Quick Adjust - Neoprene Quick Release Camera Shoulder Strap | OP/TECH USA

3 a Joby Camera Tether as a back up tied from the camera body into the actual strap in case one of the quick release buckles fail

Camera Safety tether for backup protection


.

[bdery]

Since I discovered Peak Design's Capture Clip system I have rarely, if ever, used a neck strap (in fact I was using a sling strap before and still do so from time to time, but rarely and only with heavier lenses). I do use a hand strap almost always. I use Peak Design anchor links on my camera, purchased anchors from Peak Design and use a 1.2$ leather band bought on eBay (I don't like Peak Design's own hand strap). It looks like this, is easily removable and holds my hand perfectly:

[Wingincamera]

I have been using the same Optech hand strap on my last four cameras (Canon 5D, Pentax K-5 II, K-S2, and KP) and can really like it. I have no experience with others. The Optech hand strap I have attaches only to the one camera strap attachment lug, but I notice the new ones also will attach to a quick-release plate if installed. One of the things I like is when carrying it if I suddenly need my right hand I can just drop the camera and it will only fall about six inches. Very secure. It easily detaches from the attachment point when needed. Also, OPTECH IS MADE IN THE USA.

Camera and Binocular Straps | OP/TECH USA

[BruceBanner]

I have been using the same Optech hand strap on my last four cameras (Canon 5D, Pentax K-5 II, K-S2, and KP) and can really like it. I have no experience with others. The Optech hand strap I have attaches only to the one camera strap attachment lug, but I notice the new ones also will attach to a quick-release plate if installed. One of the things I like is when carrying it if I suddenly need my right hand I can just drop the camera and it will only fall about six inches. Very secure. It easily detaches from the attachment point when needed. Also, OPTECH IS MADE IN THE USA.

Camera and Binocular Straps | OP/TECH USA

Is that the medium or large grip on the KP?

[Evie]

I found a Camera Armor SafeGrip hand strap and fell in love into it. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find - I got it in one Europe country, and they still sell it, but I haven't found anywhere else.
Negative: it fixes only with one small ring, so I thread the neck strap through the metal triangle (because triangle and ring sometimes disconnect). However, I mostly use it for additional safety, so it is fully enough for me. Very soft and comfortable.

[BruceBanner]

Thanks everyone for their replies and solutions.

I'm kinda like a vegan, not a very good one, I don't have a strong moral complex so can and do bend my will and buy real leather goods occasionally, but where possible I tend to try and find something that isn't made of leather (such as wallets etc). I'm aware such thinking is flawed, the carbon issue may be worse for seeking a 'non animal' product, but I dunno, Bruceywucy maybe feel a 'ittle ickywick with a leather strap over the back of his hand lol.

I also see that many of the solutions seem to involve anchoring onto a bottom plate (perhaps arca swiss compatible). I dunno how I feel about that because what then when I want to do portrait landscape work? I need my L Plate on and that means removing the bottom plate of the hand strap, is it then dangling from being attached to the metal loop up top?

I don't like having my L Plate on indefinitely (it's a cheap generic one, I might feel different if I had a better, lighter, slimmer or better fitting one), as mentioned earlier my K-1 fits into my Cosyspeed Camslinger belt thing ok, but only with the plates off (the KP however does). So for me it's all about versatility, I quite like a camera that can have straps that are easy to take on and off and don't rely too heavily on bottom plates. I think that's why I quite like the fingerstrap thing...

As per usual Bruce is fussy, but it's nice to see and hear what everyone is using

[beachgardener]

People are not going to stop eating meat, so the leather, a resource, might as well be used, rather than wasted. That way we don't need to produce more plastic rubbish that people seem to like polluting the world with.

[BruceBanner]

People are not going to stop eating meat, so the leather, a resource, might as well be used, rather than wasted. That way we don't need to produce more plastic rubbish that people seem to like polluting the world with.

I do agree with much of that. Still... I tend to not feel overly comfortable contributing my financial earnings in such a direct manner towards a trade where obvious involvement of animal by-products is involved. I'm aware it's an 'imaginary line' drawn somewhere, for me that line bends quite often depending how desperately I want that thing! (imagine the K-1 is made of animal by-products... I'd still probably buy it ), but yeah where alternatives exist I do like to consider that, and I agree with plastic waste comment also, what's the lesser of two evils etc, supporting leather industry that will biodegrade faster vs synthetic alternative that stays around forever...

[barefootdesigns]

I do agree with much of that. Still... I tend to not feel overly comfortable contributing my financial earnings in such a direct manner towards a trade where obvious involvement of animal by-products is involved. I'm aware it's an 'imaginary line' drawn somewhere, for me that line bends quite often depending how desperately I want that thing! (imagine the K-1 is made of animal by-products... I'd still probably buy it ), but yeah where alternatives exist I do like to consider that, and I agree with plastic waste comment also, what's the lesser of two evils etc, supporting leather industry that will biodegrade faster vs synthetic alternative that stays around forever...

Bruce, in case you didn't know, most of the hand straps that I've seen have a screw that goes into the camera, but that screw has a hole in it that will take the tripod screw. It's a good setup except for you with the plate clearance problem on the K-1.

Also, my husband spent his career in the plastic-coating industry. Did you know that when plastics were first invented they were made out of organic products and they biodegraded quite rapidly--so rapidly that it stalled the development of plastics for a while until they figured out how to stabilize them--by making them out of petroleum. If that industry went back to soy or similar organic content, plastics could be made to disintegrate in predictable and helpful ways, and even contain fertilizer that releases as they biodegrade. In short, plastic CAN be good for the environment if we wanted to made it that way again; it needn't be a planet killer. Apparently, the industry lacks the will to do this.

[BruceBanner]

Bruce, in case you didn't know, most of the hand straps that I've seen have a screw that goes into the camera, but that screw has a hole in it that will take the tripod screw. It's a good setup except for you with the plate clearance problem on the K-1.

Also, my husband spent his career in the plastic-coating industry. Did you know that when plastics were first invented they were made out of organic products and they biodegraded quite rapidly--so rapidly that it stalled the development of plastics for a while until they figured out how to stabilize them--by making them out of petroleum. If that industry went back to soy or similar organic content, plastics could be made to disintegrate in predictable and helpful ways, and even contain fertilizer that releases as they biodegrade. In short, plastic CAN be good for the environment if we wanted to made it that way again; it needn't be a planet killer. Apparently, the industry lacks the will to do this.

Thanks for both those bits of info (plastic and metal screw alike), interesting indeed!

[bdery]

I also see that many of the solutions seem to involve anchoring onto a bottom plate (perhaps arca swiss compatible). I dunno how I feel about that because what then when I want to do portrait landscape work? I need my L Plate on and that means removing the bottom plate of the hand strap, is it then dangling from being attached to the metal loop up top?

I'm not super familiar with L plates, but here's an idea:

maybe it would be possible to have a thin Arca-Swiss clamp on the L Plate itself, and just attach the camera plate to it? That way you'd get a quikc-release L Plate, not a bad thing, right? Plus with a system like Peak Design's, the plate is so thin it won't be annoying or disruptive.