Mamiya 645 Pro strap options.

[ChrisC]

Hey guys.

I've been struggling with no strap for a fair while now, and with an overseas trip looming, it's time to get off my rear and finally order myself a strap for my Mamiya 645 Pro.

Therein lies the issue. As far as I know, there's only two options. The official strap with 'MAMIYA' all over it, which is a bit too in your face for me, and the Optech strap, which looks vastly too bulky for me. What other options are out there? Is it at all possible to just buy the attaching brackets for the Mamiya strap from anywhere and fit a much more subtle strap to it? The other option I've been considering is a Gordy's strap (http://www.electricedge.com/gordy_s_straps/). He has an image of a Hassy on his double attach point strap, and the Hassy has pretty much the same attaching method. Is this really as precarious as it looks? Anyone here with a 645 or a Hassy and a Gordy's strap out there? I really love the look of them too, and they're nice and subtle/non-bulky which is exactly what I'm after.

Help!

Thanks a bunch,
Chris.

[flatulent1]

Finding the clips is the hard part, I think, but it can be done.

I've never seen/used a Gordy's strap, but from the photos I can just feel the rawhide cutting into my neck from trying to hold up the weight of a MF kit. This is why the wide/bulky straps are so popular, they spread the weight of your equipment around so it's not so painful.

[L Gebhardt]

I cut the clips off a mamiya strap. The strap was terribly ugly and dug into my neck so it was no big loss.

[Travis Nunn]

FWIW, I love Optech's straps. I have one for my 35mm, my 645 and each of my two binoculars. I don't think they're too bulky at all. In fact, I think they're the most comfortable straps I've ever used.

[John Koehrer]

I've read a number of good reviews for the Gordy's straps but have no first hand experience. He does offer 1"X8" neckpads that should spread the weight. I don't know what thread he uses for the strings but a simple loop like that would be OK unless you're going to use it like a bolo.

[PeterAM]

I have a Mamiya strap on my 1000S and don't find it to be very comfortable;fortunately, I rarely wear it around my neck. On the other hand, I use an Optech strap with my DSLR/grip and find it to be far more comfortable than the camera's original strap. I would go for the Optech strap.

[MattKing]

The clips for the 645 Pro and Super are entirely proprietary - there is no 3rd party substitute that will work (including Optech USA). The problem with 3rd party straps is that the connection clips interfere with winding (either the manual winder, or the power winder) on the right side of the camera.

If you have the clips, I believe that you can feed 3rd part strap material (of the right size) through them, but I haven't tried it.

Matt

[ChrisC]

I've read a number of good reviews for the Gordy's straps but have no first hand experience. He does offer 1"X8" neckpads that should spread the weight. I don't know what thread he uses for the strings but a simple loop like that would be OK unless you're going to use it like a bolo.

All reviews I've read have been more than positive too. And the neck pad would improve things a lot while still being nicely minimal, which is what I'm after. He also offers the sling strap which looks quite tempting too, only a screw in the tripod is going to ruin the way it sits in the palm.

[ChrisC]

The clips for the 645 Pro and Super are entirely proprietary - there is no 3rd party substitute that will work (including Optech USA). The problem with 3rd party straps is that the connection clips interfere with winding (either the manual winder, or the power winder) on the right side of the camera.

If you have the clips, I believe that you can feed 3rd part strap material (of the right size) through them, but I haven't tried it.

Matt

This is what I've read too, and it's another strike against the Optech. It would be nice if I could find a pair of the Mamiya clips somewhere. I don't really fancy the idea of buying the whole strap only to use parts of it. Though i saying that I might really like it.

[flatulent1]

I just tried the Optech strap with the B clip; nope, don't fit. Gonna have to send it back.

For whatever bizarre reason I discovered I am the proud owner of a pair of hand straps for the Pro TL, neither of which I am ever going to use, so I can cannibalize the clips for use on something else. (My apologies to any cannibals out there who may be offended...) Now to identify that 'something else'.

I have a dozen or so assorted Optech straps that I'm pretty satisfied using with 35mm cameras, but the Mamiya is a heavy beast and those quick release buckles look suddenly very flimsy. So I'm looking for a strap that is heavily padded and does not have quick release buckles. The only one I've found so far is the Crumpler Industry Disgrace. Any other suggestions?