One of the lenses I use with my D800 is the 70-200/2.8. For extended shooting, it's about the biggest lens I can comfortably hand-hold with the D800. I also have the MD-12 grip mounted on the camera.

The strap I'm using is one of the Black Rapid straps that goes across your chest, which I love.

The nice thing about this strap (and I'm sure many similar straps) is the quick connect/disconnect ring.

My question is about the lens, which has its own tripod mounting point. Should I be mounting my strap on the lens or on the MD-12 grip?

When I change lenses, I go down to a 24-70/2.8 or a 50/1.8, neither of which have their own tripod mounting point.

If I mount to the 70-200 lens, lens changing becomes much more complicated because I also have to switch the strap back and forth between the lens and the camera. But the last thing I want to do is any damage to the camera body lens mount.

I shoot a lot of music, bands on stage, so quick lens changes are important.

Thoughts?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Keep clickin'!

Marlo Montanaro

http://www.marlopix.com
http://marlomontanaro.wordpress.com
http://www.facebook.com/marlopix

If a lens has its own mount point, I tend to attach my Black Rapid strap to the lens which includes the 70-200/2.8. That said, I also use a hand strap which allows me to add a little support at the camera body even when the lens is hanging by the strap.
As you mention, it's all about torque on the lens mount. To me, when I hold the camera, the lever arm and weight out there on the front of the 70-200/2.8 feels like much more presure on the mount then the camera body imparts when holding by the lens foot.


Brian

I have the same camera, lenses and a BlackRapid. I keep a Manfrotto RS-2 quick release plate on the MDB-12 and attach the BlackRapid to that. When the 70-200 goes on, I move the connector to a BlackRapid ring on the lens collar (not the tripod mount). I don't want to risk the tripod quick disconnect getting activated and the whole shebang tumbling to the ground.

I should have mentioned that. Yes, I remove the quick disconnect from the lens. I agree, a quick flip and the whole she-bang comes crashing down... I shudder to think of it.

I just put a Black Rapid fastener on the lens, and another one on the MD-12. It really isn't difficult to move the strap between them. That's what I'll do going forward.

The other point is that if you attach to the camera or MD-12, the long 70-200 hangs very low and does bang into things.

Decision made- thanks for the reality check guys.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Keep clickin'!

Marlo Montanaro

http://www.marlopix.com
http://marlomontanaro.wordpress.com
http://www.facebook.com/marlopix