When I saw the Peak Design Clutch camera strap on Kickstarter, I had no reservations about reaching for my wallet to buy one and support their efforts to bring great photo gear to the market. This is a brand that has repeatedly impressed me with their high quality, well-made products that make my cameras not just an extension of my vision, but of my hands too.
Having your camera handy is a big part of capturing decisive moments, and Peak Design has that covered in many ways. After almost a year with the CapturePRO, I was eager to try the Clutch. I shoot with both full frame and crop sensor bodies, all of which have battery grips, and nearly always use a fast zoom, a prime, or my 100-400 and 150-600 zooms, so it’s generally a pretty heavy setup. The Clutch is a hand strap that you can quickly adjust to either snug down for security, or run a bit looser when you need to change settings. It’s fairly easy to unclip so you can swap your memory card too.
Unlike other straps, the Clutch goes on and off with ease. Being part of the Peak Design group of products, it’s designed to work with the same plates that the CapturePRO uses, which are also Arca-Swiss compatible. One standard plate and two of their anchors are included. Attach the plate to your camera via the 1/4-20 tripod thread hole, loop an anchor through, and clip it to the Clutch. The other end slips under your strap lug, (the slot style), and a tidy little locking hook secures it in place. A tug on the strap makes it tighter, or pull the metal buckle to loosen it. There is a pad that spreads the load across the back of your hand, from just below the knuckles, and by design, does not irritate the web of the thumb.
If you’ve never used a strap like this, you probably don’t miss it. But once you use one, you may want them on all your cameras. On a hot day, when you start to sweat a bit, it provides extra security so you can concentrate on getting the shot, and not worry about dropping your camera. It also transfers some of the load from your fingers to your hand, so you don’t get that fatigue that comes from long shoots. Of course, if you have a Capture or CapturePRO, you can carry your camera in that to give your hand a rest, while always having it ready. And while the Clutch is designed to work really well, Peak Design did not skimp on looks. The black webbing lets the red pad peek through a bit, and the semi-matte silver hardware really does make it look sexy. Yes, sexy. The only detail that tops that is the red and white Peak Design logo, which was clearly made to complement your Canon L series lenses. Well, maybe not. But it certainly looks good with Canon.
Using the Clutch with their CapturePRO has made photography more enjoyable. Modern cameras and lenses can be a big investment, and there was always the worry of dropping a camera, or just setting it down for a moment, and having it walk away, getting knocked off a table, or some other disaster. Now if it’s not on my belt-mounted CapturePRO, it’s secure in my hand. That’s why I really like the Clutch, along with the rest of the Peak Design product line. Check out their website, watch the videos, and you’ll realize this brand has the ideal mix of photographers on board. They understand really good design, their marketing is both clever and entertaining (see the video below), and their customer service is beyond reproach. It’s clear that they are designing products that they would want to use, and with little compromise. On that note, you may want to check out their upcoming messenger bag, which is currently taking Kickstarter by storm. PeakDesign.com
– Brian