miha_steinb_cher Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 I know it's silly but anyway... I've bought a mint F3 as a present for my father. Which Nikon's camera strap would fit it best? The camera is going to do it's proper job of taking pictures, not lying in a cabinet. Regards, Miha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_gifford Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 There's nothing wrong with the standard Nikon strap, but I prefer the OpTech straps because they have fat, stretchy neoprene for your shoulder. My Nikon EM has the standard Nikon strap (just gave that one to my son). My slightly heavier Nikon FM3A and N90s bodies have OpTech straps and honestly they're more comfortable. Be well, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary_watson Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Unless Dad's fond of designer labels, I'd skip Nikon straps and go for either a Domke "Gripper" or a wide neoprene camera strap. I'd also look into a Zing neoprene case, too. They're a vast improvement over the old (n)ever-ready case and offer protection and camouflage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mskovacs Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Nothings says "steal me" better than a bright yellow Nikon strap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee hamiel Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 I would also advise you to get the Domke gripper strap - I have what I believe is an original F3 strap - it's yellow/gold & black narrow which is new & never been on a camera - let me know if you're interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd peach seattle, washi Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Another vote for a Domke gripper. They were unavailable for about a year, but they're back on the market now. When I saw them at my local pro store, I immediately bought three black ones. Guy behind the counter said, "You're the third person today to buy multiple Domke straps, what's up with that?" I told him how they had been out of stock for so long, and there was a 'hunger' built up. It's nothing special, just a simple strap that does the job very well without calling attention to itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_h._hartman Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Nikon AN-4B. Its a plain (no writing) black nylon 1" strap. It has a non-slip surface on one side that I remove since I never place a camera on my shoulder. It slides nicely on the neck this way and doesnt hold sweat. The price is about $14.95.<br> <br> Best,<br> <br> Dave Hartman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick smith Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 I am really quite happy with my Domke Gripper on my F3. It does its job quite nicely. So I guess I'd vote for that one too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vic_. Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 I use the Domke straps instead of the Nikon ones. Your father's neck and shoulders will thank you for using Domke's or Op-Tech. Either of these two are extremely comfortable and spread the weight of the camera over a large area. The Nikon ones are either too narrow, and the wide ones scream NIKON in big yellow letters. If they want me to advertise their products, they should pay me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mag_miksch Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 its kinda "cruelty to cameras" attaching a strap to a "mint" F3^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mskovacs Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 <i>its kinda "cruelty to cameras" attaching a strap to a "mint" F3</i> - to me its cruelty to fondle it like some sort of plaything and not use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert_Lai Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Whatever you do, AVOID any strap that has METAL hardware. When I bought my F3, the first owner had put on a strap with metal gear. That reduced the new mint finish of a less than one year old camera to a bunch of scratches on the paint of the corners of the camera in no time. Not only that, when the camera was put away in the case, the hardware would knock against the camera back and chip paint away. I finally got so frustrated by the ugly appearance that I threw away the damn strap. After repainting the corners, replacing the back and bottom plate, the camera looks presentable again. Hey, it was only a little over $100 because someone had made a lousy choice of straps.<p>I use the Op-Tech straps because they're wide, grippy, and have nice plastic quick releases. When I'm working on a copy stand or on a tripod, sometimes I want the strap to be off the camera as it gets in the way. The quick releases help a lot here. Oh, the Op-Tech straps are also pretty cheap.<p>I had the Nikon strap once, but my wife looked at me and said "You're stupid if you want to walk around with a bright yellow strap that says 'Expensive Nikon -STEAL ME'". Needless to say, I've gotten rid of that strap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex_lofquist Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 I have always liked the Op-Tech, but when I needed another strap our local camera store only had a Promaster-labelled strap. I found this to be just as comfortable as the Op-Tech, and probably better built. It had all those little "nubbies" to keep the strap from sliding off of your shoulder and the Neoprene was covered with fabric. The price was comparable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m._howard_edwards Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 If your dad ever adds a motor drive and/or long zoom lens, the weight simply demands the 2" OpTech strap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miha_steinb_cher Posted July 8, 2004 Author Share Posted July 8, 2004 To everybody: Thank you for your kind answers. I probably won't be able to get Domke as there are no distributors in continental Europe. A good generic strap without any metal parts would have to do. I'm not afraid of F3 being stolen from my father, but still better safe than sorry... To Lee Hamiel: Thank you very much for your kind offer, unfortunately it seems we live an ocean apart, so it'd be quite impractical. Regards, Miha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lex_jenkins Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 Op Tech strap, no doubt. Besides lessening the strain of lugging an F3HP with MD-4 motor drive and 70-210/2.8-4 Vivitar Series 1 zoom (a pretty heavy lens) around my aching neck, the very grippy strap will stay put on a shoulder as well. Best of all, it has a quick detach/attach feature. Pop off the main part of the strap and only a couple of small straps with nylon buckles are left on the camera. Makes it easier to use the camera on a tripod, simply to carry in the hand or for storage. The only downside is that those quick detach snaps may make the camera more vulnerable to snatch-and-grab theft. But even a solid neoprene strap probably wouldn't resist tearing if stretched hard enough. So, comfort over security. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominic_. Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 Uhh, mine's red and gray, really tough, AND comfortable. Unfortunaly I have no clue as to which brand it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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