I almost had a disaster last night with my camera, Whew!!

[wade_thompson]

<p>I am walking back to the car lot from shooting an event last night, when all of a sudden, my camera falls from my sling harness by my side 3 feet straight down to the asphault! Clunk! Thud!<br />I could not believe it. I immediately picked up my D300 that has a battery grip and examined it. None of the attachments was damaged...not the speed light, lens or camera itself. I got really lucky because the camera fell right on the rubbery padded area near the vertical shutter button that's on the battery grip. It actually scuffed it only a little. It could have been far worse.<br />After my heart had stopped racing, I looked to see what had happened. I looked at the strap: that was fine. I looked to see if the clasping hook itself had become unlocked from the camera mount: that was okay. Then I saw what had happened: the metal clip hook itself had sheared off right in half! In other words, the metal broke right down the middle. The only thing I could summize was that the metal hook assembly had a hairline fracture in it all the time and that after 6 months use, it had finally failed.</p>

<p>I was dumbfound and very angry. I contacted the store that I had bought it from and told them they almost cost me a $1500 camera.<br />Anyone EVER had such a thing fail like that? Should I have a second emergency cord (like a tether?) attached to my camera in the future?</p>

<p>Your thoughts?</p>

[emiliogtz]

<p>Glad your gear survived the fall Wade, you should go now and buy a lottery ticket or place some bets :)</p>

<p>In the meantime, could you give some more info on the failing sling harness? Maybe brand and model so if somebody else owns a similar item can be on the lookout.</p>

[camera_conjurer]

<p>Marty Forscher used to say, 'Never carry a camera by the strap.'</p>

[tom_mann1]

<p>I have had the plastic clasp joining a shoulder strap to a shoulder bag do the same thing to me. Fortunately, I felt it start to go and managed to get myself lower (so the distance dropped was reduced), and managed to get a partial grip around the bag before it hit the ground, so the impact was lessened and nothing was damaged.</p>

<p>On inspection, there clearly was a manufacturing defect in the clasp that grew worse over years of use. BTW, it was a very old, off-brand camera bag, not one of my nice, relatively new bags from Lowe or other well known mfgr.</p>

<p>Personally, I feel that an extra tether line would be cumbersome and I would wind up not using it. The approach I take is that I hardly ever use a camera neck strap. I have a Zing hand strap on each of my cameras, and the camera is either in my hand (with the strap around my hand), or it goes right back in the bag. If I am covering an event and must have two bodies at the ready, then I do use neck straps, but I hate doing so.</p>

<p>I think this is one of those problems that is so infrequent and hard to foresee that it borders on "act of god" territory, so insurance is your best friend.</p>

<p>Glad your camera seems to be ok, but do check for focusing, decentering and similar problems very carefully before you count your blessings.</p>

<p>Cheers,</p>

<p>Tom M</p>

[wade_thompson]

<p>I also have a hand strap that I use every once in a while but the sling is grewat for sidelines sports which is what I do most of the time.<br>

As far as specifics on the brand and style of sling I had that failed: There is a link to an item on ebay that is the same brand and looks to be the same thing. look for Q sling for Nikon.<br />It's funny, because now I see there are other items on ebay for the same brand touting "a stronger better material".. wonder why that might be?? hmmmmm.<br />I'll take a picture of the actual clasp failure and post it here later tonight once I get home.</p>

<p> </p>

[glockman99]

<p>I use the Tamrac N-45 strap with all my cameras (and I love that strap), but I don't trust the "quick-release" buckles not to fail, so I have "zip-tied" all of those buckles so that they can't "pop-open". I am not a very trusting soul when it comes to my camera equipment.</p>

[emiliogtz]

<blockquote>

<p>I use the Tamrac N-45 strap with all my cameras (and I love that strap), but I don't trust the "quick-release" buckles not to fail, so I have "zip-tied" all of those buckles so that they can't "pop-open".</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That's a great idea, I use Lowepro straps and those too have the same buckles. I don't use them and they feel like the weakest link on the chain. Thanks for the tip.</p>

[pete_s.]

<p>In advanced scuba diving where loosing equipment could be fatal we only use stainless steel, no plastic quick connects or any other metal. Bolt snaps being the preferred method.</p>

<p>You can get most of the stuff that goes around webbing of different sizes in stainless. Brass would probably also work but it doesn't look so nice after a while.</p>

<p> </p>

[pete_s.]

<p>PS. From the images on your strap it look like you should be looking for a stainless steel square eyed swivel bolt snap. It'll probably cost you ten bucks or so but it will never break.</p>

<p>Also take the strap and look at where the webbing is fastened. This may be a weak point (the webbing itself is not). Those that do shoe repair can saw it on really good with their machines.</p>

<p>If you have the strap plate attached permanently I would put some loctite threadlocker on it so it will not come undone by mistake. Threadlocker comes in different strengths so pick one so that you can unscrew it if you want to.</p>

[photo5]

<p>I wonder if Tamrac makes a strap without quick-release buckles? I too use a strap like that, way more comfortable than the stock Nikon strap, not to mention no ugly large yellow lettering broadcasting NIKON D300 all over the place...</p>

[andrew_fedon]

<p>Yes Wade, a picture of the actual broken part would be useful.</p>

[Jerry_]

<p>Now you know why Nikon supplies a neck-strap with each camera body....</p>

<p>Over 40 years of using a camera, along with a neck-strap -- zero drops so far. [<em>Knock</em> on wood.]</p>

<p> </p>

[john_h.1]

<blockquote>

<p>I was dumbfound and very angry. I contacted the store that I had bought it from and told them they almost cost me a $1500 camera.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The store and its personnel didn't make the part nor are they reasonably expected to place manufacturer's products under a microscope or even a magnifying glass to look for hairline fractures. I feel bad for whoever handled your phone call and baseless allegations against the store and its staff.</p>

[keith_b1]

<p>Because I take your story as a warning to others who may be using similar strap equipment, could you please show photos of parts in question, or define the terms "clasping hook", and "metal clip hook" ? Thanks, -KB-</p>

[alan_huett]

<p>Black Rapid had a similar issue with one of their metal connector clips - they sent out replacements with letters to tell all users to replace their old connectors with the new ones. The straps are much copied now, and not cheap, but it is good to know that they stand behind the product and fixed the issue.<br>

I would not use a bolt snap for this application - they are a little long and I don't like the way they can open accidentally. I would use a screw-lock carabiner-like device, I rarely need to unhook the strap anyway, so the screw lock is fine.</p>

[james_kennedy9]

<p>I don't think the store where you bought the camera was liable. The manufacturer was liable. I have a lot of old classic film cameras whose leather never-ready cases are connected to a neck strap via a thin leather strip. I place no confidence whatsoever in these ancient leather strips.</p>

<p>I have one incident similar to yours, but due to my own negligence. I dropped a Canon Powershot A95 while trying to wrestle out of a jacke pocket. If fell onto unforgiving concrete from waist level. I was horrified, but my investment was only about $300. I examined it and there was a barely perceptible nick on a bottom corner, but the camera was totally unimpaired. It is now in use my daughter and has produced some wonderful photos from your European trips. I think, in many ways, that modern plastics are more effective than metal.</p>

<p>I also have a D300, and if I dropped it, I would be near suicidal.</p>

[kelly_flanigan1]

<p>There are camera straps with swivels and snaps from 40 years ago that with odd times one end would come undone; thus this story is like discovering that a tire can get a flat; or a flash unit or cord died at a wedding.</p>

<p>The lower end straps have always had more failures; the workmanship is poorer; they copied a decent strap but used a cheaper spring or swivel.</p>

<p>A pre WW2 Pop Photo magazine mentions to check ones camera straps.</p>

<p>The "failure mode" I have seen is that while a photographer is talking and letting another camera body spiral around like a spinning top; the clasp's spring gets twisted off; and thus there is this Holy Crap statement as the body dangles by one strap; the other strap end is running around ones hand or neck. ie the failure is while horsing around. I have a favorite strap that never fails; unless the swivel feature gets halted/fouled by something else</p>

<p>Usually a camera strap supplied with a camera will last decades; it is the aftermarket stuff that is dicey.</p>

<p>I was taught that a strap can break.</p>

<p>In camera repairs; as I have mentioned on many threads; dropping and dunking are the biggest ways cameras get ruined; not shutter clicks.</p>

[wade_thompson]

<p>OK, here is a picture.<br>

man, was I lucky.. no warning at all. just sheered off under no unusual force without even feeling or hearing anything.</p>

<p><img src="http://www.brinkleys.org/users/tsl/Files/Broken%20Q%20001.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768" /></p>

 

[andrew_mcdonald1]

<p>Thanks for posting the picture. I have exactly the same strap (I feared that I might from your description). I've inspected my connector and I can't see any evidence of any fracture - though I'm not sure if I would.<br>

I was thinking of replacing the connector with a Black Rapid one at some point - I'm also interested in the new camera connector that they've announced that replaced the tripod screw on Manfrotto type QR plates.<br>

Andy</p>

[andrew_fedon]

<p>Thanks for posting picture. Indeed it looks like cheap cast material that can very easily break. Made in China ?</p>

[wade_thompson]

<p>yes, looking at it, it looks like that cheap black metal with the granules in it. :(<br />I'm going for a stainless steel or machined solid metal next time.</p>

<p>probably made in China yes, most everything is.</p>

[tom_mann1]

<p>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot_metal</p>

<p>Tom M</p>

[wade_thompson]

<p>"pot metal", that's it!</p>

[kelly_flanigan1]

<p>You can go back 100 and 200 and 300 years ago and everybody knew you do not use a casting for something with a shock load.</p>

<p>You use a forging; or machined part.</p>

<p>So ask yourself what is under that chrome clip or shivel; a casting; or a real forging or real machined part?</p>

<p>Chrome actually hides flaws and cracks on a cast item; it actually adds a stress riser.</p>

<p>This is in machine design handbooks from 100 years ago.</p>

<p>Folks who crossed the plains in a covered wagon knew a casting is poorer than a forged or machined part; but that was in era where folks were not victims; ie todays let us sue somebody.</p>

<p>A poor strap or clasp was well understood 1000 and 2000 years go; ones horse would get loose</p>

<p>Today the stance is the store you bought the item is responsible; thus you sue the crap out of them. Thus you get a big settlement and the store gets higher premiums; this gets passed on to all of us other folks.</p>

<p>You may wonder why ropes and pulleys today have such low wimpy load ratings; it is the "I am a victim" mindset. A pulley or rope that when brand new might break at 2400 Lbs today says 100 Lbs; and do not use to lift anything expensive; or lift a person either.</p>

<p>I was taught to check ones straps.</p>

 

[andrew_fedon]

<p>I wonder if anyone makes carbon-fibre attachments ? Light, tough, and won't scratch camera.</p>