Black Rapid FastenR-T1 and a Manfrotto RC2 plate.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I love the camera straps produced by Black Rapid. I’ve been using them for well over a year now and am more than happy with how they perform in day to day usage. In fact, I recently blogged a video review of the Black Rapid RS-5 in action that you might want to check out. The one area that I felt did need some improvement was in the compatibility with tripods, particularly Manfrotto RC2 plates and Black Rapid have heard the call and responded.

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Ever since I first started using a tripod, I’ve left the quick release plates permanently attached to my cameras. The main reason is for convenience, so that I don’t waste time searching through a camera bag for the plate when I want to use my tripod. Black Rapid’s unique attachment method for the straps makes use of the tripod screw thread on the bottom of the camera which created a dilemma.

When I first started using the RS-5, I simply hooked it to the D-ring on a Manfrotto plate but after reading that the D-ring wasn’t strong enough to support the weight, I attached it properly with the Black Rapid FastenR-2. Unfortunately, this doesn’t sit flush with the tripod plate meaning that one needs to swap it out for a standard Manfrotto D-Ring when using a tripod. I often go long periods without using my tripod, so it wasn’t a big deal, although I did wish there was a solution.

Recently however, that changed with the introduction of the new FastenR-T1. This is designed with the Manfrotto RC2 quick release plate in mind and means you can go straight from handholding to tripod mounting easily. Simply unclip the strap from the camera by means of the carabiner attanchment and your camera is ready for use on a tripod or monopod.

The FastenR-T1 allows quick attachment to tripod heads.

After some testing, the verdict is it works. There’s not much else that needs to be said. It does the job it’s designed for and does it well. If you use Manfrotto RC2 plates and Black Rapid straps, get one today.

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