Amateur Photographer - UK (2019-06-07)

52 1 June 2019I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukIsub 1113

Testbench ACCESSORIES

Ataglance

●Sling-stylecamerastrap

●Two-pointcameraattachment

●Leatherandneoprene

shoulderpad

● Easily adjustable length

GITZOis bestknownforitstripods,whichoffer

peerlessqualityat premiumprices,butrecentlyit’s

branchedouttomakingotheraccessories.As

thenamesuggests,itsCenturycollectionof

strapsandbagswasreleasedtocelebrate

thefirm’s100thyear.It includesfourstraps,

styledtocomplementtwomessengerbags

anda backpack.Alongsidetheslingstrap

that’sthesubjectof thisreview,there’salso

a neck-strap,wrist-strap,andhand-strap.

Therange’ssignaturelookis providedby

leatherthat’sbeenembossedwitha carbon-

fibreweavepattern,in a nodtoGitzo’stripods.

Anotherkeydesignelementis thatthestraps

arealldetachableandinterchangeable,usinga

sharedsystemof sturdyplasticclipconnectors.

Thisapproachmakesit easytochangestraps,

forexample,if youprefera slingorneck-strap

forusewithlargerzooms,swappingtoa wrist-

orhand-strapwhenshootingwithsmallprimes.

Theslingstrapandthehandstrapemploythe

samepairof attachments.OneusesanArca

Swiss-typequick-releaseplatethatscrewsintothe

tripodsocket,whiletheotherfixesconventionallyto

thestraplugat thetopof thecamera’shandgrip(and

willalsoacceptthewriststrap).Youcouldalsoattach

theneckstrapin thesameway,if youcanlivewith

thecamerahangingvertically,althoughit’ssupplied

witha conventionalpairof connectors.

Asbefits Gitzo,theslingstrapis beautifullymade,

witha generouslysizedleathershoulderpadthat’s

backedbythickneoprenerubber.Themainstrapis

constructedfromsturdy1innylonwebbing,whilethe

chunkymetalfittingsarechrome-plated.Eventhe

ArcaSwissplateis a considerableimprovementon

thosesuppliedwithGitzo’stripodsandheads,with

a pairof hardrubberpadsforgrippingthecamera

anda fold-out‘key’fortightening.

Thestrap’slengthis widelyadjustable,usinga

pairof slidingbuckles.I foundthatit’scrucialto

getthesesetupright;youneedtoplacetheone

onyourchesthighenoughtoallowthecamera

toslideupthestrapforshooting, then use the

othertoadjust the length.

Ve r d i c t
Itmaybeexpensive,butthisis a beautifullymade
strapthatdoesa greatjobof makingrelativelylarge,
heavycamerascomfortabletocarry,thankstoits
largeshoulderpad.It’sparticularlywellsuitedto
full-frameSLRsandmirrorlesscameras,butthe
flip-sideis thatit’smuchbulkierthanwhatyoureally
ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE STREET PRICESneed for smaller APS-C or Micro Four Thirds models.

ThiscanbeinterchangedwiththeCentury

slingstrap,usingexactlythesamecamera

connectors.It’snicelymadewitha leather

exteriorandneoprenepadding,butthe

connectorsystemmakesit huge.Indeed

at15cmlongit’smuchlargerthanmost

cameras’grips.WithanRRP of £60, it’s

seriously pricey, too.

GITZO CENTURY HAND STRAP

Gitzo Century

Sling Strap

AndyWestlakeinvestigatesa

premiumsling-typecamera strap

● £99.95● http://www.manfrotto.co.uk/gitzo

Recommended

Arcaplate

Oneattachmentpointis

thisArcaSwiss-type

quick-releaseplate,which

screwsintothecamera’s

tripodsocket.

Lengthadjustment

Twoprominentleatherfinger

loopsmakeit quickandeasy

toadjustthestraplength.

Quickrelease

Thecameracanbe

disconnectedusingtwosturdy

plasticclips,whichhavesafety

interlockbuttonstoprevent

accidentalrelease.

Strap-lug

loop

Unlikemanyslingstraps,the

Centuryalsoattachestothe

camera’sstraplug,giving

anadditionaldegree

ofsecurity.