Mirrorless cameras have the benefit of being much smaller than most DSLRs. The benefits are many – but one drawback is just that, some are VERY small. DSLRs typically have a good bit of bulk that makes up the handgrip. Mirrorless bodies usually have less surface area, so buttons tend to be smaller and there is less bulk for your hand to hold onto. In this case, a handstrap can be a great addition. Recently, I’ve been using the Spider Light Hand Strap made particularly with mirrorless cameras in mind. We received a demo version a few months ago and tried it out on Nick’s camera first. Liking it so much, I put one on my camera and thought I’d share a few things about my experience using it.
Attaching the hand strap was quick and easy. The first step was to install a small (but tough) molded piece they call a Smart Adapter, and the kit includes four variations to fit the strap to almost any camera. The Smart Adapter allows the Spider Lite strap to be attached higher on the camera body than a standard strap would allow. By creating more room for my hand and providing much better leverage and stability where the strap connects to my camera, it gives me a lot more control and keeps me from inadvertently mashing control buttons with the heel of my palm.
The strap itself is made of a firm nylon, and has just the right thickness which gives it structure and strength but still allows it to flex nicely around the curve of my hand. The cushioned, microfiber lining stitched to the inside is very comfortable and the colorful trim on my particular one just so happens to match my tripod! =D Using the included Arca Swiss quick release plate, the strap mounts quickly and easily to the camera. It also attaches under any existing tripod mounting plate you might already be using. The provided rubber gasket helps snug your plate against the strap to prevent any movement after installation. As I mentioned; the strap is sturdy, but its flexibility allows me to easily access the battery/memory card door on the bottom of the camera body – the importance of which I can’t stress enough. Believe me, you don’t want any setup that requires loosening or removing your strap or tripod mount just to change cards or batteries!
When I’m shooting, I can reach the buttons on top of my camera without having to pull my hand out of the strap. Tinkering a bit with the angle of attachment on the bottom of the camera actually helped me get the right fit over the top of my hand – so keep that in mind when installing.
The biggest benefit to having a great hand strap, is that it takes the weight off of my fingers when I’m NOT shooting. When I’m holding my camera down at my side, this strap lets me relax my hand completely and the camera isn”t going anywhere. Not kidding; I literally cannot just drop the camera! After hours of shooting and carrying my camera around the studio with this Spider Lite strap, my right hand isn’t exhausted! That’s a win right there. =)If you’re shooting a smaller camera body and finding that you need a more comfortable grip on it, give the Spider Light Hand Strap a try!
– Cusi Taylor
This product was initially launched on and brought to market through Kickstarter and is now available for purchase, along with many other great products from SpiderHolster. Use the PAC link & SAVE! http://www.PhotoAdvClub.com/Sponsors
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