nikon - Which Is Better For Connecting a Sling Strap, Tripod Mount vs. Neck Strap Mount

I am looking to move away from a neck strap and get a shoulder sling strap for my Nikon D3200 camera. I've seen straps that connect with either the OEM Neck Strap mounts OR the Tripod mount.

The Neck strap advocates point out that the neck strap hooks were intentionally designed for the purpose of holding a strap and hence are the natural best choice. They feel that the tripod mount was not designed to hold a lot of weight.

The Tripod mount advocates point out that the tripod mount is designed to mount the camera on the tripod sideways and even up side down. Hence, it indeed is designed to deal with heavy lenses. Moreover, they claim that the tripod mounts are better connected the to the actual body of the camera than the neck strap hooks.

Which is better? I have a Nikon D3200 with the stock 18-55mm lense and SB700 flash.

Answer

Both are designed to hold the camera. Perhaps the tripod mount has an advantage since it is a single-point built for that purpose rather than two as for the strap eyelets. However, if it hold it holds!

Using tripod mount blocks the tripod socket which is an annoyance if you use a tripod at all. Even if you do not mind unscrewing the thing each time, there is a safety issue that you camera is un-strapped for a moment. I usually attach the camera to the tripod and then detach myself from the strap.

Even without a tripod if you happen to sometimes rest the camera on a flat surface to take long exposures, the straps which occupy the tripod mounts are problematic. You have to remove them if the camera is to stay level.

Also, if do not have an assistant for holding the flash for you, then you may want to use a flash-bracket which holds on to the tripod mount.

Pass-through mounts are uncentered which means your camera is not aligned with the optical axis when on a tripod. This will be an issue if you are panning for a panorama or while recording video. They also usually reduce the surface area that contacts against the tripod or quick-release plate, so you get less stability and more chances of shifts when the camera is not level.