mini-review: camdapter's leather handstrap

Andy

i'm a big fan of innovation. jim garavuso over at camdapter is a creative guy. he came up with the handstrap that conveniently connects to a non-pro sized body (e.g. d70, 300d, 20d) and still allows access to the battery door.

whilst participating in another discussion, jim showed me some really nice straps he's got for sale, straps that fit the pro-size bodies (canon 1-series... check with camdapter if they'll work on the pro-size nikons).

you can see a picture of the straps here.

anyhow, jim's a straightup guy, so i ordered one for the heck of it. i presently use canon's e-1 handstrap on my 1Ds Mark II, and i like it very much. but what the heck, new and different, eh?

the quality is good - soft leather, feels nice. the stitching appears to be very secure. the supplied instruction pdf (with accompanying photos) is very simple to follow. installation takes about 90 seconds. fit is good. what more can you ask?

there's contact info for jim garavuso on the camdapter website. so, is this an endorsement? nah - i'm really just reporting. i'm not paid nor compensated by camdapter in any way - in fact, i paid $25 + $5 shipping to get mine is it worth $2 more than canon's e-1? that's up to you to decide. but if you don't have a handstrap, or don't want the canon, here's a good alternative

EDIT, UPDATE:

Jim Garavuso of Camdapter has come out with a newer, beefier leather handstrap. it's a bit heavier-duty than the original leather handstrap, and it's made of chap side full grain leather. i dig it.



I also have the mounting plate, which is a beautiful piece of engineering. solid black aluminum, it fits like a glove on a 20d or 5d body. truly impressive. i got the unit with a strap loop on both sides, allowing me to put the handstrap on the right side of the camera, and the neckstrap on the left side of the camera. like this:



a big plus with camdapter is that the unit is flat, allowing your camera to sit flat... the hakuba, for example, has that knob thingy, making it sit wrong. in addition, the camdapter mounts very snugly, making it safe for tripod use as well.

here's a pic with the double-ended camdapter on my canon 5D - leather handstrap and standard neckstrap attached:




very very cool, jim - contrats on a great product :thumb :thumb

limbik

Wow, those are pretty slick! Now what the heck am I going to do with this Hakuba!?

I think I might try out the Arca Double and see how things go. The Hakuba is great and all, the way the tripod socket remains centered is quite ingenious, but when I use it on the tripod it has too much give. Getting battery access, and integrated plate... wow... I can't wait!

gus

I was only a day or so away from ordering a Hakuba. Will wait now to hear what you recon andy.

Can anyone tell me if the Hakuba uses the tripod thread under the camera ? Come on guys..im in a camera void coutry here. Non of the shops know what Hakuba is.

Gus

Andy

limbik wrote:

Wow, those are pretty slick! Now what the heck am I going to do with this Hakuba!?

I think I might try out the Arca Double and see how things go. The Hakuba is great and all, the way the tripod socket remains centered is quite ingenious, but when I use it on the tripod it has too much give. Getting battery access, and integrated plate... wow... I can't wait!

uhm, i've said this a hundred times... when using the tripod, simply unscrew the hakuba and let it dangle.

Andy

Humungus wrote:

I was only a day or so away from ordering a Hakuba. Will wait now to hear what you recon andy.

Can anyone tell me if the Hakuba uses the tripod thread under the camera ? Come on guys..im in a camera void coutry here. Non of the shops know what Hakuba is.

Gus

gus, the camdapter thingy is much more secure and strong than the hakuba.

*but* the hakuba is cheaper, and works just fine! when you put your camera on the tripod, you simply take 3 seconds, unscrew the hakuba strap from the camera base, and off to the races you go..

devbobo

Hey Andy,

With the tripod mount off centred from the original hole, doesn't this cause problems if you were trying to shoot a pano with this hand strap attached ?

And I just ordered a Hakuba too

Cheers,

David

Andy

devbobo wrote:

Hey Andy,

With the tripod mount off centred from the original hole, doesn't this cause problems if you were trying to shoot a pano with this hand strap attached ?

And I just ordered a Hakuba too

Cheers,

David

one more time i recommend removing the handstrap screw, hakuba or camdapter, when using a tripod - after all, how long does it take - maybe 3 seconds....

you'll like the hakuba it works great.

devbobo

andy wrote:

one more time i recommend removing the handstrap screw, hakuba or camdapter, when using a tripod - after all, how long does it take - maybe 3 seconds....

you'll like the hakuba it works great.

ok in ur previous reply, i thought u meant that u need to remove the handstrap screw for the hakuba but not the camdapter.

Andy

devbobo wrote:

ok in ur previous reply, i thought u meant that u need to remove the handstrap screw for the hakuba but not the camdapter.

yeah- the two are essentially the same design, but the camdapter is metal and the hakuba plastic - camdapter says "no need to remove" but in the case you describe, for panos, i'd of course remove it

jtg

While I do recomend removing the Camdapter for shooting panoramas, the offset of 3/4" would only be of issue if you were using a panorama bracket (rotating about the entrance pupil of the lens) and shooting a panorama with close subjects. Most "panorama" shooting of very distant subjects (i.e. landscapes) would not be affected by this small offset.


Jim Garavuso

andy wrote:

yeah- the two are essentially the same design, but the camdapter is metal and the hakuba plastic - camdapter says "no need to remove" but in the case you describe, for panos, i'd of course remove it

limbik

andy wrote:

yeah- the two are essentially the same design, but the camdapter is metal and the hakuba plastic - camdapter says "no need to remove" but in the case you describe, for panos, i'd of course remove it

It looks solid enough that hopefully I could avoid removing it at all with the Arca version. Now I have a good reason to upgrade to an RRS rail and clamp.

limbik

Jim you are a genius! This thing is incredible!

My brief review:

First of all it is SOLID, feels like the well machined chunk of metal that it is, yet it does not seem to add much extra weight at all, very light.

2nd, it is FLAT, I can finally set the camera down on its base again.

3rd, the battery access works like a charm, I love it.

Finally, the strap, oooooohh the strap... that is the softest most supple piece of goodness that ever came off a cow's arse (well, hopefully not exactly, but its damn soft stuff).

What can I say? WOW... Anybody in the market for an almost new Hakuba?

Khaos

Unfortuantely this won't play with my rrs L plate. I would like a hand strap though. I carry my camera by hand a lot even with the 24-70 or 70-200 monsters on it. Me strong like Bull:D but me hand does cramp after awhile.:cry

limbik

Khaos wrote:

Unfortuantely this won't play with my rrs L plate. I would like a hand strap though. I carry my camera by hand a lot even with the 24-70 or 70-200 monsters on it. Me strong like Bull:D but me hand does cramp after awhile.:cry

:liftI am also looking at that L plate for my 20D. I'm wondering if I can attach the handstrap plate to the bottom of the L-Plate? Does this look possible? It mounts flush with a hex screw right? Is there a regular tripod socket on the bottom? I could just mount the handstrap plate to that I think.

limbik

Hmm... I was just looking at the pictures on RRS.
Its too bad that the tripod socket on the L-Plate is forward, rather than to the side the way it is on the handstrap plate. I was hoping perhaps it was offset just enough to put the handstrap back at the exact middle... Hey, I can dream.

If the bottom plate of the L was solid, I would just have somebody thread a new hole 3/4" to the left and it would be a perfect pair with L-plate and handstrap keeping the tripod socket dead center... but alas, it does not look like it is.

Khaos

limbik wrote:

Hmm... I was just looking at the pictures on RRS.
Its too bad that the tripod socket on the L-Plate is forward, rather than to the side the way it is on the handstrap plate. I was hoping perhaps it was offset just enough to put the handstrap back at the exact middle... Hey, I can dream.

If the bottom plate of the L was solid, I would just have somebody thread a new hole 3/4" to the left and it would be a perfect pair with L-plate and handstrap keeping the tripod socket dead center... but alas, it does not look like it is.

Nope.

I will tell you though, that if you use a tripod with a ball head, the rrs L plate is awesome. It's light, smooth, and this may sound weird, but I actually like the feel of the camera body better with it on.

limbik

Khaos wrote:

Nope.

I will tell you though, that if you use a tripod with a ball head, the rrs L plate is awesome. It's light, smooth, and this may sound weird, but I actually like the feel of the camera body better with it on.

That's exactly what I was thinking. The 20D needs a little extra beef anyhow.

Andy

updated, see the first part of this post.

digital_gopher

Great customer service
I had ordered a strap and plate from Jim the other week. There was an error in the ordering system, which caused me to get 2 straps shipped instead of the one with the mounting plate. Jim did the right thing and immediately shipped the plate once we had discovered the error even before I returned the extra strap. He has a great product and provided wonderful customer service. Would recommended this to anyone looking of a camera hand strap.


Jeremy

Andy

andy wrote:

one more time i recommend removing the handstrap screw, hakuba or camdapter, when using a tripod - after all, how long does it take - maybe 3 seconds....

you'll like the hakuba it works great.

i'm going to eat these words.

there is *no* need to remove the camdapter unit when tripodding. it's that strong, sturdy and secure imo.

the hakuba is a whole different story, since it's plastic, not machined aluminum.

Andy

digital_gopher wrote:

I had ordered a strap and plate from Jim the other week. There was an error in the ordering system, which caused me to get 2 straps shipped instead of the one with the mounting plate. Jim did the right thing and immediately shipped the plate once we had discovered the error even before I returned the extra strap. He has a great product and provided wonderful customer service. Would recommended this to anyone looking of a camera hand strap.


Jeremy

yep, jim g is first-rate, jeremy. thanks for adding to the post here.

limbik

How does that plate+strap fit on your 5D Andy?

Andy

limbik wrote:

How does that plate+strap fit on your 5D Andy?

like a glove

Andy

added pic of double ended camdapter in main post

Ric Grupe

Good!
Andy, is this base compatible with the Bogen 322RC2 Head?

Arca style.

If so...wouldn't that be convenient! I'd never take it off.

I realize I can look this up.....but I figured you would know offhand and save me the effort!

Neckstrap, handstrap, and tripod mount all in one!!! Looks solid too.

Andy

Ric Grupe wrote:

Andy, is this base compatible with the Bogen 322RC2 Head?



If so...wouldn't that be convenient! I'd never take it off.

I realize I can look this up.....but I figured you would know offhand and save me the effort!

Neckstrap, handstrap, and tripod mount all in one!!! Looks solid too.

i don't know - my base is different - just flat all-round, the one you picture is the "arca-style" and i'm not sure if it would fit the bogen head that you and i use.. i'll give jim g a shout and see if i can get one.

Ric Grupe

andy wrote:

i don't know - my base is different - just flat all-round, the one you picture is the "arca-style" and i'm not sure if it would fit the bogen head that you and i use.. i'll give jim g a shout and see if i can get one.

It's farther down the page that you referenced.

ehughes

I received mine last night, couldn't be happier with it..

Ed

Ric Grupe

ehughes wrote:

I received mine last night, couldn't be happier with it..

Ed

Which style? Tell me more.

limbik

Ric Grupe wrote:

Which style? Tell me more.

Ric, that is the model that I have as well. I will be using it with one of these plates http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/clamps/index.html on top of my ball head.

I have not found a way to use an L-Bracket with it yet, but it is not a serious issue yet. But I can use it with any of the RRS rails at least, since it is all Arca-style. I will let you know how well it fits the clamp as soon as the clamp arrives.

Ric Grupe

Improved design?
Markins makes similar plates that don't have pins (something that over time can loosen and get lost) and have an anti-twist design.

The one for the 20D can be found here.

http://www.markinsamerica.com/MA5/PG-34.php