Rick’s Rants and Raves

Not long ago, I switched the D60 to a hand strap, rather than neck strap, because I frequently felt like the neck strap was getting in the way. I’ve rather liked my DIY hand strap for the control and security it gives me while shooting. However, there have been two limitations for the hand strap that have vexed me just slightly: a) one hand is always taken up with the camera, so you can’t do anything that requires two hands such as b) changing lenses without putting the camera down.

Along came an ad for the $50 camera belt clip. I really like the design, but figured I could do a DIY version for next to nothing.

So, I took an extra angle bracket from a recent Ikea project (any angle bracket will do), and a 1/4-20 knob from a crappy tripod head like this one (previously hacked apart for the clamp-pod). I removed the knob from the tripod head, being sure to save the retaining clip. I put the nut end through a hole in the bracket, and attached the retaining clip on the other side. Then I bent the angle bracket into a lopsided U, with the knob on the inside.

I then attached the belt clip to the tripod mount on the bottom of the camera (holding one end of the hand strap) and slid the long end under my belt.

With a little bit of practice, I was able to change lenses while the camera was attached to my belt.

I was able to use the belt clip at the Necessity Gig the other night, and it worked perfectly. I didn’t have to find a place to put the camera down (though I did sometimes, out of habit) in order to adjust the flashes. And it felt perfectly secure (though perhaps a bit dorky looking) as I walked around the bar scouting a portrait location.