Keyhole Hands Free Camera Harness, Black

When you carry a larger camera to hike, you want:1. Quick access: otherwise why lug around that weight?2. Reasonable security3. Minimal weight and fussIn my opinion, the Keyhole camera strap harness is the best available solution on the market, as of 2014.Why? Because it does achieve the three criteria I listed above. I used a Sony full-frame SLR (A99), combined with a dust/moisture resistance lens for the camera (Sony 16-50mm, 2.8). It is a great camera for the outdoors (great image quality, element resistant), but weights about 4 lbs. I have tried 3 different chest packs, a number of camera straps, protective covers, before I found this. I learned about this little device from Backpacker magazine gear guide.In short, it is a plastic plate with a keyhole that allows you to slide the camera in and out. The plate is secured to the shoulder harness of your backpack by 2 or 4 quick release connectors/straps. The camera is secured to the plate via an adapter that you have to fix to the tripod mount on your camera. You still loop the camera strap around the neck, but the weight should be on the plate when you hike, the strap is an additional layer of security in case the camera slide out of the keyhole. It is simple.In practice, it serves the purpose admirably. Access is as easy as sliding the camera out of the plate. It is quite stable. The best part about this system, when compared to a chest pack setup is the simplicity and integration with your own pack. A typically chest pack or other similar design requires you to "wear" another vest-like thing, or at least some straps around the shoulder, while the Keyhole doesn't. The problem with additional vest, or straps is that they chaff, especially when the harness of your pack is over the straps. Very uncomfortable, particularly in summer when clothes is thin.Minor drawbacks experienced by me include:1. Need to have a backpack with appropriate nylon straps incorporate on top of the harness "pads". In some backpacks, the nylon straps don't extend all the way down the "pads" to the arm pit area. That means the plate and the camera will sit uncomfortably high, can close to your neck. I have to use my Mountain Hardwear SummitRocket 40 and not my Vaude daypack because of the strap length issue.2. When the camera is mounted, the lens touches my belly when I walk, annoying at best. (I don't have a big belly, 6'2, 180 lbs)3. When taking off the backpack for a break, you have to remember to take out the camera, release the plate from the harness (one side), before it is possible to take off the pack. This takes a little getting used to. And I only use the top two connectors for the plate (so I only need to release one connector) to make this process quicker.4. A little expensive for what it is.2.

I chose this rating because the short comings I anticipated to exist were as I expected them to be. I have used it once when attending an indoor activity and have yet to use it on an outdoor adventure.What I like:The camera is very secure in the key hole mount with little or no camera flop or sideways sway.The camera is easy to access when needed and easy to store when shooting is complete.The key hole strap mount fit perfectly on my "Lowepro" DSL camera backpack.What I don't like.You have to maintain constant awareness of the camera on it's mount. The cameras position on your chest makes it somewhat vulnerable to brushing up against or bumping into something you get too close to, encumbering you when in a crowd or in a confining space.I am using an AF-S NIKKOR 18-200mm 1:3.5-5.6 G ED Nikon lens on my D40X Nikon camera and as a result, because of it's weight, I have been reluctant to carrying it with the lens pointing down. The barrel of this lens is somewhat weighty and as a result, I have had the lens "Zoom" extend to it's maximum extension because the lens is pointed down when in the mount. I don't think this would be a problem with a lighter weight lens. I may be able to compensate this "Zoom Creep" by adjusting the length of the lens cap holding strap to prevent this from happening.With the camera pointed down and the screen on the back of the camera pointing up, the screen is more vulnerable to damage.I researched all the camera carrying devices I could find on the internet before purchasing the Keyhole carrier and felt it would best suit my needs. Hopefully more use of the item will help me to deal with the things I don't like about it. I have already recommended this carrying device to several of my cousins.

I bought this to use with my Rebel t4i, which I had not yet had out on any kind of real excursion. I tested it out on a hike up Guadalupe Peak in Texas. It worked as advertised. You just need to be sure your backpack has the right straps in front for it to anchor to. (Common 1-inch straps.) It completely saved my neck from the strain of the camera strap, and it was so simple to reach down and pull the camera up to snap a picture. I even liked the lens cap keeper strap. The camera did not bounce around, but held steady, and it was really simple to slip it back into place. I can't imagine taking a long hike like that without this harness. It does make taking the pack off a little more complicated, because you need to lift the camera out and unbuckle two more straps than normal, but considering the benefit, that's worth a couple of extra seconds.The only thing I wish it had was a screw hole in the knob you screw into the bottom of the camera. Then you wouldn't have to take the knob off to mount the camera on a tripod. Also, it would be nice to have some kind of keeper for the knob when the harness is being stored. I was afraid I'd lose it before I got there to use it.Great product!

I have the other one with the shoulder harness. I love it. So I bought this one for my pack so I don't have to switch it back and forth. A bit tricky to get on but on the pack, just be patient and work it slowly.

Received the order in a timely manner and product was as advertised. Potential buyers should be aware that the day pack strap attachment clips, will only fit 3/4" to 1" wide shoulder straps. The shoulder straps on my camera pack are padded where I want to attach this devise, so I will have to modify it to fit. I will also have to modify the camera attachment breast plate,, as this unit has a knob for the slide in, and I want to utilized the tripod attachment that screws into the bottom of my camera.I knew all this prior to my purchasing, so I have no complaints about what I received, just thought anyone thinking about purchasing this item should know.