The BlackRapid R-Strap RS-4 camera strap was only product I came across at PMA that I decided to buy and try for myself because I thought it was such a clever solution for an age-old problem. BlackRapid has obviously gotten a lot of press for this product because I am seeing a high percentage of Google hits on my site from my single mention of it last week. So, I decided to forgo the usual studio photography routine and go ahead and publish my user review to help all of those of you obviously trying to figure out if this thing is worth all the hype.

Pros:

• Quick access to camera as advertised.
• New design camera mount is fairly easy to use and solid.
• Decent construction quality of shoulder pad.

Cons:

• Camera incessantly gravitates to an in-the-way position.
• Difficult adjustment mechanism.
• Camera dangles and spins at your side.
• Chintzy connection clip.*
• S.W.A.T. team riot gear styling.
• Shoulder pad does not stay put.
• Connection clip may contact LCD screen potentially causing damage.
• Camera can not be set flat without removing mount.
• Sharp edges on camera mount can damage surfaces, other objects, etc.
• $50 price tag.

Conclusion:

I’m guessing by this point you can tell that I’m not a huge fan of the R-Strap. The most disappointing thing is that I had such high hopes for this product. In fact, I made a special trip back to BlackRapid’s booth and forked over $40 (PMA show special- $8 off their MSRP) just so I could start using it right away even though they promised to mail me a review unit after the show. Eager to get rid of my 12 year old Nikon branded neoprene shoulder strap, I stepped around the corner and quickly tore into the package. Immediately, I encountered difficulty with the connector clip. Then, I struggled to get the length of the strap adjusted to suit my preference. After spending a good 6-8 minutes squatting behind a trash can I was finally ready to put the R-Strap to use.

Within the first 5 minutes I was already starting to think I had made a mistake. My camera just wouldn’t stay put. It kept gravitating to the bottom of the strap which put it on my right hip with the lens sticking straight out into my arm and oncoming traffic. I tried turning and shifting my camera sideways and around to the small of my back like the BlackRapid people had shown me to do standing in their booth. But as soon as I started walking it would quickly slide back around front where I’d smack my lens against my arm or some poor soul walking by. I knocked the lens hood off my little kit lens 3 times in the first 10 minutes of use. I can’t imagine how bad it would have been had I been sporting a longer lens.

Thinking that maybe I hadn’t gotten used to this new-and-improved way of carrying my camera, I was determined to give it the ol’ college try and muddled through the rest of the day and half through the following day. Yes, the R-Strap did make it quite quick and efficient for me to get my camera to my eye and snap a picture. And, I love the fact that the strap doesn’t get all tangled up across the eyepiece like a traditional strap always seems to do. However, I just couldn’t get used to my camera dangling, twirling and knocking into everything while I was walking the show and the streets and casinos of Las Vegas.

BlackRapid seems to market their product to people on the go. From my experience the R-Strap is really only suitable for photographers in a static position that need quick access to their camera (like sports photographers standing on a sideline with three cameras around their neck). I can see how it might work better attached to the tripod collar on a larger telephoto lens- though the laws of gravity seem to suggest that it’s always going to seek the lowest point and not stay behind your back as BlackRapid suggests. As it is- combined with the geeky styling, camera dings and high price tag- I can not recommend the R-Strap. And I’m really bummed about that. Be that as it may, lot’s of people seem to swear by it so make your own choice.

Now for the details and photos:

Review:

The key to the strap’s design is the sliding camera hook (top). Note how the adjustment buckle is positioned at the left with the tag (loose) end of the strap feeding back through the pad assembly. This makes loosening the strap a piece of cake (pull down on the buckle while tugging on the bottom of the strap). However, if like me you get it too loose, you have to remove the strap and feed it backwards through the pad in 1/2″ increments until you get the fit right. I never did figure out the purpose of the extra buckle on the right. I tried feeding the tag end of the strap through it but it was too tight of a fit. Instead, it just dug into my back most of the time.

Adjustment mechanism detail. It’s basically like a backpack strap turned upside down. Why it is turned upside down I’m not sure.

Connector clip and FastenR camera mount. The connector clip on this version is basically a suitcase strap spring clip with a DIY aquarium tubing “lock” mechanism. The importance of this seems obvious but the implementation made it nearly impossible to open the clip wide enough to get the ring on the mount through. *To be fair, BlackRapid showed me a new carabiner style clip with a screw down lock mechanism that seems much more appropriate to this application. They said it would be shipping on the new RS-4 straps “soon.”

The camera mount screws into the tripod mount on the bottom of your camera. There is a rubber washer that provides tension as you tighten the mount to the camera body. This is a very clever way to lock the mount securely to the camera and is a significant improvement over the previous version. An extra rubber washer was included in the package- suggesting that this one will eventually get lost or fail.

Once installed the camera hangs neatly from the mount via the clip. Orientation of the mount is not important since the clip spins freely.

One potential alarming thing I noticed was that the clip would contact my LCD screen on my camera when I was using the R-Strap without my battery grip. The potential for scratching not withstanding, hit it the wrong way once and you could break the LCD screen. BlackRapid does make a point of including a disclaimer card saying they are not responsible for damage to your camera caused though the use of their product. You know what that means….

Another drawback to this design is that once you screw the mount into your camera you can no longer set your camera level on a flat surface. I made the mistake of doing this on my dining table and the sharp corners of the mount left a nasty gouge in the finish. I guess that’s part of the risk I assumed in using this product. :-/

The strap worn in its intended manner. I say “intended” because a number of times I put it on backwards. I’m not sure what I would put in the pocket. Designers always think we need more pockets on our stuff. More pockets just equals more places to loose things. In this case it also means more material and labor cost. Since the camera is not attached to the two fixed ends of the strap like on a traditional shoulder strap, every time you pick the camera up to shoot, the shoulder pad has a tendency to shift one way or the other due to the effect of gravity. Mine kept working its way over my shoulder and down my back where it was impossible to reach to pull it back up. This lead to me having to remove the strap regularly and replacing it backwards by mistake. The “cool mesh” backing material on the pad is likely to blame here and a non-skid material would make more sense.

Here you can see how the camera starts off in the middle of my back then after a few steps has worked its way to the back of my hip and then a few steps later around to its preferred location at the front of my hip. No matter how I positioned the camera this is what would happen within a dozen steps- banging into my arm on the way around.

Now, with the camera hanging as it is in the third frame above, it is in the ideal position for easily grabbing the grip…

…and quickly raising the camera to your eye for a shot. Notice how the clip has slid along the strap rather than the strap sliding around your body. Also notice how the strap is coming off the bottom of the camera where it is out of the way rather than off the top. This is what held so much promise for me.

However, after walking a few more steps the camera would flip itself around so that the flat back was against my body and the lens was pointing out. This made it somewhat awkward to grab hold of…

…and really creates a problem when your arm swings by. Also, having your camera hanging off your hip (lens out) is the worst position for walking in any kind of crowd. Clink, bump, clank, “excuse me, is this your lens hood sir?”

So, is the R-Strap any better than a standard shoulder strap? That depends. If the shoulder strap is worn like this, it seems like an even bet either way (though at $48+ shipping not a bet I’d be willing to take). Here the camera is always slipping off the shoulder, is dangling with the lens pointing out in the way of your arm and is quite difficult to reposition after a shot.

However (given a long enough strap- unlike my stock Pentax one), worn across the chest like the R-Strap a standard shoulder strap starts to make a lot more sense.

You can easily tuck the camera to the back of your hip where it will stay within easy reach but out of the way while you walk.

When the going gets tough, you can just swing the camera around the the small of your back where it is completely out of the way. Simply tug the strap to slide it back around to the front for a shot. I have litteraly logged hundreds (possibly thousands!) of miles in all kinds of sitautions with this set-up. My only gripe about this whole system is the grippyness required for the strap to stay where you put it also means it will constantly be pulling your clothing around with it. Maybe BlackRapid will continue to improve ther product and make a version that lives up to its promise and potential. I’ll be keeping an eye out for that.

Update:

Apparently the clip I couldn’t figure out on the right in the first picture of the review section is a stop block that you can set to prevent the camera from sliding further backwards than you wish for it to. (For the record, the instructions that came with the strap make no mention of this clip or its function.) I tried it and it basically only prevented me from sliding the camera around to my back where I wanted it. Had I placed it in a way that would keep my camera out of the way it would have prevented me from sliding it around front to take a picture. I also tried positioning it so that it kept the camera hanging in front of my body but the weight of my camera just pulled the whole rig back around to my side again.

Please let me know if there is anything else I’m missing here.

The photos for this review were hastily shot with a borrowed Nikon D40. Some of the shots were taken left handed and upside down. I apologize in advance for any lackluster image quality ;-)

I have typically resisted battery grips for my DSLRs because I felt that they weren’t worth the extra bulk. There have only been a half dozen times in my the past 5 or 6 years that I actually drained a fresh battery while shooting. Even then, I just pulled a back-up battery out of my bag/pocket and kept on shooting. My K10D routinely gets 200-300 shots out of a charge so I haven’t even bothered to pick up an extra battery. After playing around with a Nikon D3 and a Canon 1D Mark III (both cameras with built-in vertical grips) I was struck by how much better these cameras felt in my hand- despite their heavier weight. In preparation for heading out to the PMA show I decided to pick up an extra battery. While I was shopping I discovered Cameta had a deal on Amazon for a BG2 battery grip + extra no-name battery for $139.95. This meant if I bought the grip I’d get the battery essentially for free. So I took the plunge. Here’s what I discovered:

Pros:

• Vastly improves ergonomics, balance and stability of the camera.
• Extra battery equals more shots between charges.
• Ability to designate grip battery as the primary battery so it depletes first- leaving the in-camera battery as a back-up.
• Redundant controls for vertical shooting.
• Solid OEM build quality (weather sealed, too).
• Does not require removal of in-camera battery and battery door like some grips do.
• Nifty storage slots for extra SD card and Pentax IR remote.
• Makes camera look more “significant”.

Cons:

• Added weight (11oz).
• Added bulk (may not fit in many bags).
• Redundant controls are not placed identically to camera controls and do not function as well.
• Tripod screw mount takes a few seconds to engage/disengage.
• Vertical grip not as substantial as regular grip.
• No AA battery option.

Conclusion:

Having used the grip for three days of walking around the Las Vegas Convention Center and a couple of days worth of my normal routine I can safely say that this is the best accessory I have purchased for my camera. Surprisingly, it’s not because of the extra battery life. The main advantage of the battery grip for me is the dramatic improvement in the ergonomics and handling of the camera. If you own a Pentax DSLR you owe it to yourself to pick one of these up (the K200D uses the BG3 grip). The improvements it makes are easily worth the $130. I actually believe that this is one of the only accessories that I have tried that can actually help improve the quality of your photographs by making the camera a more natural extension of your hand. If you have another brand of camera I can only assume that their battery grips will provide a similar improvement in the handling of your camera (though some are a bit more fussy to work with).

On to the pictures and details…

Review:

Fresh out of the box the BG2 impresses with its build quality. It is a direct match to the finishes of the K10/20D (including the molded rubber insert). The plastic shell is thick and the whole assembly feels quite solid. Like all accessory battery grips, the BG2 attaches to the bottom of the camera via the tripod mount socket. Pentax thoughtfully includes an accessory socket on the bottom of their cameras for the battery grip so one doesn’t have to remove the battery and battery door as is common on most other DSLRs. They even include a place to store the rubber cover so you don’t have to track it down later (large red arrow). This means that the grip can be quickly and easily installed and removed as desired. The grip is kept located on the bottom of the camera body by three stainless steel posts (arrows 1, 2 & 3). Nikon uses one tiny plastic peg on their D300 grip.

Detail of the rubber cover holder.

The BG2’s battery tray is released using a similar flip-up-and-twist lever as the battery door on the bottom of the camera and slides out completely from the grip housing. It has a thick rubber gasket to seal against moisture and dust. A standard D-LI50 battery fits into the tray (1) and there is a space for an extra SD card (2) and Pentax’s optional IR remote control (3). Very thoughtful design. Unfortunately, there appears to be no AA battery tray option for the BG2.

Mounted on the camera, the BG2 very nicely matches the design of the K10/20D. It’s not nearly as bulky and blocky looking as some others I have seen (Canon 5D for example) and as such, doesn’t look so much like an add-on. The bottom is solid plastic with a center-mounted metal tripod socket. Some kind of rubber pad/coating on the bottom would be a nice touch as I’m sure the plastic will start showing wear pretty quickly. A rubber pad would also be nice for long exposure shots when the camera is braced against a wall or other surface. As you can see here, the camera will stand upright on the battery grip with the kit lens. I’m sure that a larger, heavier lens like Pentax’s 16-50 f/2.8 DA* would likely result in tip-over.

Pentax gives you the ability to select which battery the camera will use first. I’m not sure what “Auto” mode does but I selected the grip battery as the primary battery (despite what this photo shows). This means that I will not have to remove the grip to recharge the camera battery very often. This also ensures that the camera battery is fresh in case I decide to ditch the grip for some stealthy street shooting or something.

The BG2 (bottom) replicates most of the K10D’s (top) shooting controls for vertical shooting. While the controls on the front pretty much match the location of the camera’s controls, the ones on the back (exposure comp, AE-L, e-dial) have been rearranged. This will require a bit of remapping of your muscle memory for using the vertical shooting controls. The on/off switch on the grip only turns the grip’s controls on and off (not the camera). I found this feature nice as I was constantly bumping the shutter release on the grip while holding the camera (even though it is recessed). The rear e-dial does not protrude as much as the camera’s and does not have the same fluid action which made it somewhat difficult to manipulate.

I also found the BG2’s vertical grip to be considerably shallower than the camera’s horizontal grip. It does feature a nice rubber insert and a lip for your fingers to grip but never felt as secure in my hand as I would have liked. Another oddity is that the eyepiece is offset towards the bottom left of the camera when using the vertical grip. I often find myself having to hunt around for the viewfinder when shooting with the vertical grip. Personally, I just leave the grip turned off and continue to use the camera’s controls in the hand-over-the-top style while shooting vertical shots.

Now for the good stuff. Notice how my pinkie finger is clinging for life on the bottom of the K10D w/o the battery grip (top)? With the grip there’s now a very nicely contoured pocket for my little finger to help hold onto and control the camera (bottom).

More significantly, notice how the heel of my hand is just hanging out in space in the top photo while in the bottom photo the grip fills the void. Without the grip the camera is supported by my fingers and thumb. With the grip the camera is now cradled in my entire hand with my palm taking the weight instead of my fingers. This provides significantly improved control of the camera as well as far greater comfort while holding the camera for long periods of time. While walking a trade show I like to carry the camera in my hand rather than wear it on a strap around my neck or shoulder. Without the grip the tips of my fingers become quite sore after and hour or so. With the grip I was able to go all day with no discomfort. In my opinion, the improvement in ergonomics alone justifies the purchase price of the BG2.

Buy one today. You’ll be glad you did!

UPDATE: After using the BG2 for a few more weeks I have started using the vertical grip for taking portrait shots more and more. I think it just took a little getting used to. Doing so I noticed a small problem the other day. The rear e-dail on the grip stopped working. I removed the grip and discovered one of the spring loaded contact pins on the grip was stuck down…

I suspect this was due to me being a bit hasty while installing the grip a some time. After popping it loose I found that it was bent slightly so I gently bent it back straight. All is well again. Careful with those pins!