The 3-point slinger for camera might be the answer. As the name suggests, a 3-point slinger has three points of contact. Except it’s not quite that simple. Ironically, most 3-point slings actually only attach to the camera by one point. But they attach to your body in different ways. So don’t head off into the wild blue yonder to take photos just yet. Have a look at this review of 3-point camera straps first.
What to Look For in a 3 Point Slinger For Camera
There are a number of things to think about before choosing a camera sling.
Your Camera
The camera you use will be the first and most important consideration. A Canon EOS 1DX DSLR camera will need a strong, more substantial camera sling. Smaller DSLR cameras or a mirrorless camera, not so much.
How You Attach It to Your Camera
Most serious cameras have at least two different ways of connecting a strap. The original strap attachment points, typically on the “shoulders” of the camera. And a tripod thread. Some might have an additional point. The battery grip on my Canon EOS 5D III has this little gizmo for attaching a strap. I use it for a hand grip. But a camera sling would work just as well.
The Level of Comfort
One problem with the neck strap that came with your camera is comfort. A DSLR camera is heavy. And they rarely come with padded straps. All of the 3-point slinger for camera straps in this review have a wide, padded shoulder strap. This is important. Especially if your camera is heavy or you are leaving your camera bag at home.
The Level of Security
I once tested a camera sling. It attaches to the tripod mount with a simple screw-in attachment. My feedback to the designer was the following. It was too easy for that fitting to come loose in the course of a long day’s shooting. Chances are you wouldn’t know. Until several thousand dollars worth of metal and glass crashed to the ground. So check how the sling is connected and what the safety features are. I like Peak Design straps. They have a tell-tale built into their anchors. The anchor is a tough, two-layer construction. If wear-and-tear erodes the outer layer, the inner is a bright red color to alert you to the danger.
Adaptability
Always try to plan ahead. So check if the sling strap can be adapted to take extra lenses. See if it can hold a second camera. Check if it fits both tall and short people. You will probably use it as well as your camera bag. So you need to check that they won’t interfere with each other.
What is the Best 3-Point Slinger for Camera?
This review takes a generous view of what a 3-point slinger for camera is. I will look at a number of different types of camera straps and harnesses. The prices range from less than $20 to over $100. So you’ll want to set your budget carefully as well. The review starts with the cheapest and moves to the most expensive.
1. PiuQ
The PiuQ attaches to the tripod screw on the base of your camera. The screw-in eyelet has a rubber base to protect your camera body. The strap length adjusts up to 21.5″ (55 cm). It attaches to the eyelet with a lockable carabiner. An under-arm strap stabilizes the thick, padded shoulder strap. The scratch protection is a nice touch. And the shoulder pad is hard-wearing. My anxiety is the lack of any security strap. If the one and only connection comes undone, then you and your finances also come undone. You have to remove the eyelet to use a tripod. This also reduces the functionality. On the other hand, the PiuQ is very cheap.
2. Ocim
The Ocim 3-point slinger for camera is a little more expensive. It is almost identical to the PiuQ. But it has one important improvement. A safety strap attaches to the camera body and the slinger’s strap. This provides a great deal of reassurance. At the camera end, it attaches to a strap eyelet. And on the sling, there is a sturdy metal locking carabiner. An underarm strap stabilizes the padded shoulder strap. The adjustable straps have locking mechanisms. This prevents the camera from sliding around.
3. Waka
A tiny nudge up in price brings further refinement. The Waka camera strap has a small storage pocket in the wide padded shoulder strap. It’s big enough for a lens cleaning cloth or spare memory cards. The adjustable straps connect to a plate at the camera end. This is the second improvement. The plate screws into the tripod mount. But it has its own tripod screw socket. So there’s no need to remove the sling or its mount to use your tripod. You can even leave your quick release plate on. The Waka also has a security strap. On the negative side, the clip to attach the strap to the camera is not a locking carabiner.
4. Altura
The Altura 3-point slinger for camera is another product that gives you a zipped pocket in the shoulder pad. It’s not huge. But you can fit some spare batteries in there. It has a substantial rubber-backed plate for attaching to the tripod screw. There is also a safety strap for peace of mind. There is a good range of adjustment. Where the Altura is lacking is that the attachment to the camera is not a locking carabiner.
5. USA GEAR TrueSHOT
The world of the 3-point slinger for camera has all been very mundane and gray so far. But the USA GEAR TrueSHOT throws some color into the mix. It also gets a lot of things right. The fixing plate provides a tripod thread. So you can leave it on and still use your tripod. It has a stabilizing underarm strap. The sling attaches with a lockable carabiner. There are even two pockets. One for memory cards and an expanding one for other accessories. The only thing I don’t like is that there is no quick release for the safety strap. This seems like a disappointing oversight. On the plus side, it is designed to allow two slings to be connected together. So you can carry two cameras. Or maybe your spare lens on the other sling.
6. Foto&Tech
The Foto&Tech 3-point slinger for camera offers no surprises. It will be strong enough for your camera with a claimed rating of 660 lbs (300 kg). The safety strap connects with a lockable carabiner that attaches to the strap. This is reassuring. On the downside, the camera attachment is a simple screw-in eyelet. So you have to remove it to use a tripod. And the strap connects to it with a snap hook. There is no locking carabiner here. There’s no pocket, but there is a clip for a pen. This could be useful. I think this just doesn’t quite make the mark.
7. JJC NS-PRO1M
The JJC 3-point slinger for camera has one very attractive feature. It has most of the things we have come to expect. There is a safety leash secured with a lockable carabiner. It has a padded strap on the shoulder and an under-arm stabilizing strap. But the noteworthy addition is the camera plate. The strap attaches to the camera with an Arca Swiss quick-release tripod plate. This is the most popular tripod plate system used by many manufacturers. So if you have an Arca Swiss compatible tripod, this is a consideration. The only pity is that this plate attaches to the strap with a snap hook, not a locking carabiner.
8. BlackRapid Original
The BlackRapid Original 3-point slinger for camera is more than twice the price of any cross-shoulder strap we’ve looked at so far. There’s nothing obvious to justify that additional price. Some users report that BlackRapid contributed to the repair cost when a harness failed and damaged their DSLR. It is made of quality materials. The locking carabiner has a plate to prevent too much annoying movement. And the shoulder padding is breathable and durable. But there’s no safety leash, and the screw-in eyelet has to be removed to use a tripod. Against that, you have to balance the benefits of buying a known brand with a solid reputation.
9. Cotton Carrier Skout G2
The Cotton Carrier Skout takes a slightly different approach to the 3-point slinger for camera. It doesn’t let the camera dangle on a strap near your hips. Instead, you clip your camera to a padded chest piece. This chest piece has a slot that accepts the base plate mounted on your camera. The base plate itself is securely bolted to the tripod thread with a hexagonal bolt. You simply twist and slide the camera off the chest piece to take a photo. There is also a security strap, even though the camera locks into position on the chest pad. There are some neat touches to the Cotton Carrier system. They sell all manner of fixings, so you can use the same harness to carry your drone or binoculars. There is a lens pouch. And the base plate has a tripod thread. They even sell a quick-release tripod mount for their base plate. But they also make other carrying options. Using the same base plate, you can attach your camera to a waist sling. It’s an ingenious, but not cheap, solution.
10. BlackRapid Hybrid
We’ve already seen that you can pair the USA GEAR TrueSHOT camera shoulder strap with a second one to carry two cameras. BlackRapid also offer this hybrid camera sling. The Hybrid allows you to carry two cameras on the same sling. One each side of your body. The advantage of this over the USA GEAR solution is that it feels less like a harness. It also means you can still carry your camera bag over the other shoulder. The Hybrid is basically the same equipment as the BlackRapid Original reviewed above. On some shoots, you could even leave your traditional camera bag at home. You can put the DSLR camera on one sling and a spare lens on the other.
Conclusion
There are so many factors to consider when looking at ways of carrying your camera and camera gear. Especially if you have a full frame DSLR camera and lenses. They are heavy if you carry them on the supplied neck strap. And camera bags can be bulky. One problem with camera bags is the temptation to just add that next thing. And all those next-things can add up to a lot of extra weight. One solution is to use a camera sling bag. These tend to be smaller, so you can’t add so much unnecessary junk. But another is to choose a 3-point slinger for camera like one of the ones I have reviewed. If you are on a tight budget, then the USA GEAR TrueSHOT seems to have all the important features. For an affordable price, you get comfort and convenience. You can still use your tripod and the locking system is secure. The 3-point slinger for camera which has impressed me most is the Cotton Carrier Skout G2. It has all the plus points and significantly more flexibility than the others. It’s not a cheap solution, but it offers options and solutions for a wide range of situations.
