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Bob Shank Photography |
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"R"
Stands for R-Strap and Always Being "R"eady
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Do you remember 1st Grade? "A" is for apple, "B" is for Bat, "C" is for carrot. I never liked cooked carrots, but I did learn to like my ABCs! Well, if we continue down the alphabetical line, "R" has to stand for "R"-Strap. It just has to! Have you heard about the R-Strap? I first heard about it from Scott Kelby's "The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3." At first, I was not overly impressed with this camera strap; after all, it is, well, just another camera strap, right? This was my thinking for months after I read Scott Kelby's recommendation on the R-Strap. All the while, I was shooting one baseball game after another with two cameras and struggling to manage two camera bodies around my neck. Yuck! This was not only inconvenient and a major stress on my neck, it was dangerous to both camera bodies as they routinely collided into each other during a photo shoot. I had an upcoming wedding on my schedule and many more baseball games, so one day I decided to look more seriously at the R-Strap. It didn't take me long to realize why Scott Kelby is so turned on to this strap. So I purchased one for myself. When it arrived I was impressed with the quality workmanship and the functionality of this strap. I immediately adjusted the strap to fit my body and tried it. I walked around the house with my old Nikon D-70 hanging off the R-Strap beside my right hip. It was so much like having my camera in a holster. I walked around imagining that a subject popped up out of nowhere, quick draw the camera from its resting place, and bring the viewfinder to my eye. Even for a newbie it was a piece of cake and lightning fast! I couldn't wait to actually use it! The day arrived when I had two baseball games to shoot. I made sure to pack the newly acquired R-Strap with my equipment. I put it into use that day and have never looked back! It was such a pure pleasure to use. It is convenient and allows my second camera body to stay out of the way, yet always ready to be grabbed for that quick shot. As I kneeled along the first base side of the diamond, I realized that I did have to shorten the strap a little since I was kneeling. But after that quick adjustment, I fell in love with the R-Strap. It is so easy to use and like a good friend, it's always there. I grabbed my second camera body many times when there was a base runner on first base or when I was trying to shoot some action in the nearest dugout. I had my main camera on a monopod and it was so easy to switch back and forth safely and quickly from one to the other. The wedding day arrived and I decided to take the R-Strap along again. And boy was I ever glad I made this decision. The R-Strap was humongiously helpful and I used it for the pre-ceremony, the ceremony, the outdoor shoot, and the reception. It was great! The R-Strap allows the second camera to hang at your side in a position that is easily and quickly retrieved. The D-ring attached to the underside of the camera slides up the strap as your bring the viewfinder to your eye. It just couldn't be any easier to use. Once the shot is captured, simply slide the camera back down the strap and let it hang by your side until the next time. And believe me there will be a next time because you will surely look forward to using it again and again. Is the R-Strap worth the price? Yes, in my humble opinion, it is worth every penny! -Bob Shank |
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