Ben Staley is an Emmy-winning DP/Producer, gifted photographer, and hardcore adventurer.
In Until the Light Fades, Ben brings us along on a desert adventure — accompanied by his prized Leica M6 and well-used Simplr camera strap (an olive green M1a … precursor to the F1).
Ben Staley is an Emmy-winning DP/Producer, gifted photographer, and hardcore adventurer (sometimes for pay, sometimes for play).
Adventure & Art, Ben’s new YouTube channel, features (as you may have guessed) liberal helpings of both photography and adventure — a recipe Ben is uniquely qualified to serve up (he films Deadliest Catch for gosh sake).
The majority of the series focuses on pretty deep topics — like inspiration, motivation, credibility and purpose — but there’s a little bit of gear talk as well.
Speaking of gear — keep your eyes peeled for Ben’s Leica M6, peppered throughout the episodes. There’s a camera that’s seen some action.
“This is my favorite camera that I’ve ever had.” — Ben Staley, on the Leica M6
Ben’s got a couple of Simplr straps, but the one that graces his favorite rangefinder camera happens to be an M1a, precursor to our flagship F1. Oh, If that strap could talk…
Bert Stephani has been using the newly announced Fujifilm X100V for some two months now, amassing gorgeous top-secret images.
In this video from Fujifilm, part of a series introducing the X100V, It would appear Bert’s M1a Mirrorless Camera Strap (in limited-edition Coyote Brown) has also been logging some top-secret time with this formerly mum cam.
In addition to the official X100V marketing video, you can watch Bert’s review of the X100V, which is infinitely more in-depth:
This epic production spans the 18-month period leading up to the release of the Fujifilm X-Pro3.
The film focuses not only on the ideation, design, and manufacturing process (with the actual designers, pretty cool huh?) — but also the veritable “family” of Fujifilm Ambassadors — with whom the development of this camera was shaped.
In addition to the familiar faces involved: Palle Schultz, Mindy Tan, Charlene Winfred, Kevin Mullins, Patrick La Roque … there are a couple of familiar Simplr faces, namely our F1 Sling-Style Camera Strap and M1a Mirrorless Camera Strap!
After a long hiatus from YouTube, The very talented and knowledgeable Bert Stephani has released a video detailing his experience with the long-awaited Fujifilm X-Pro3. Attached to that X-Pro3 is our M1a Mirrorless Camera Strap (in rarely seen coyote brown). We’re jealous!
We’ve made it no secret that, although our straps work well on virtually all mirrorless cameras, we’ve got a particular affinity for Fujifilm cameras. So, we were pretty excited to be reviewed by fujixpassion.com.
Here’s a snippet:
“As soon as I took out the M1a Mirrorless Camera Strap from the packaging, the first thing that stands out is the build quality. Although it’s a very simple piece (as the name implies), everything on this strap denotes a high standard of quality, from the materials chosen to the manufacturing itself. The nylon strap is thin, light and soft.”
Patrick La Roque is a photographer, writer, speaker, and member of the Kage Collective.
He’s a remarkable visual storyteller, who’s work could equally evoke calm or frenzy, warmth or solitude.
Here’s a little of what Patrick thinks about his M1a & M1w:
“…Basically, these are products that don’t flash or glitter, that don’t call attention to themselves at all. Everything about them is understated and subtle. But they’re beautifully crafted and ready-made for mirrorless systems. …As much as I still love the feel of my leather straps, I can’t dismiss how much lighter and easier to work with these are. Just quickly being able to vary the length with little friction, to remove them altogether if they’re in the way…it all adds up.”
Coinciding with the release of Fujifilm’s new X-H1, Palle Schultz discusses this camera’s capabilities in both technological — and real world terms — as only Palle can.
You may recognize Palle’s strap of choice — our very own M1a Mirrorless Camera Strap (in Castor Gray)!
Palle Schultz is a photographer and videographer based in Denmark, and an official Fujifilm X-photographer.
The Simplr M1a Mirrorless Camera Strap has been named to Shotkit’s newly updated 2018 Best Camera Straps list:
“With many camera strap manufacturers trying to revolutionise the humble camera strap with the addition of crazy gadgets and gizmos, it’s nice to see some brands trying to perfect what we already have by keeping things simple.
The aptly named Simplr M1a mirrorless camera strap is made from lightweight, strong, military grade nylon webbing and heavy duty plastic hardware that won’t scratch your camera.
My favourite feature and the main reason for inclusion on this list of the best camera straps are the detachable connectors, which allow you to remove or reattach the main portion of the strap in seconds. If you’re like me and appreciate the freedom of using a camera strap whilst walking but hate having it hang in front of you whilst shooting, this is the perfect solution.”
Although we were part of the 2017 list, it’s worth noting that this list is curated annually, and we’re happy to be included for 2018 as well.
Shotkit started in 2014, chronicling the gear well-respected photographers were using to get their work done … Today it’s an ever-expanding resource of the best gear, workflows and photography inspiration.
Curious to see what kind of company we’re keeping? Head over to Shotkit and read their list of Best Camera Straps.
Flemming Bo Jensen is a music photographer … More specifically, he’s known for his uncanny ability to capture the concertgoer experience at live music venues. Whether small, huge, beautiful or chaotic — Flemming distills it into gorgeous still images.
Flemming reviews his dueling M1a camera straps:
What I like about the Simplr M1a strap…
This strap is long! Fully extended, it is 142cm. This is really nice, it is the longest camera strap I have used. I am a tall Scandinavian techno viking with long arms (sorry, this is like an intro to an online dating profile). Not only can I comfortably wear my camera across my body with this strap, the strap is long enough I can just pick up the camera and shoot without taking the strap off my body first. The nylon is smooth to slide easily around my body, so nothing gets entangled. No strap I have used could do this, it is an awesome way to work. Only when I have to shoot overhead, arms raised over my head (watch Dual Vision and you shall see it in action) do I still have to un-attach the strap from my body.(This may be the weirdest paragraph I have ever written, it is hard to describe this stuff!)
It is simple, non flashy, flexible and light weight. It is just a strap. Simple as that. Minimal and very light weight. Never gets in the way. Very supple too. Not pretty but heck, it’s a strap.
The quick-release connectors. I don’t shoot a lot of video, but it is still nice when I need to that I can unclick the strap in 2 seconds. The quick-release connectors used to get in my way until I attached the strap directly to the camera strap loops.
Easily adjustable length. From 91cm to 142cm. I now pretty much shoot with the strap going across my body all the time, but sometimes I am shooting action packed gigs where I know I will constantly swap between camera to my eye and camera over my head. Then I just shorten the strap completely and wrap it once around my right hand and the camera is securely attached now to carry all the time, and the strap is not in the way.
Flemming is an official Fujifilm ambassador, an official Red Bull Photographer, 1/2 of worldwide media makers Roaming Frame, member of Gonzales Photo agency and author of the ebook Get In The Loop.
The very talented Kevin Mullins from f16.click just released a new video with his thoughts on the X-Pro2 firmware 4.0 update, including new video features. He also talks about some new X100F features (and we’re tickled he’s outfitted his favorite camera with an M1a).
Fujifilm Global just released this video featuring the Roaming Frame dynamic duo of Charlene Winfred and Flemming Bo Jensen — plus their dueling X-Pro2 and X-T2 cameras. It’s a fun but informative piece talking about the differences between these two cameras, and the photographers that use them. Watch closely and you’ll see they both prefer the same camera strap — our Simplr M1a Mirrorless Camera Strap.
Charlene Winfred is a nomad photographer, videographer, writer, Fujifilm X-series ambassador and half the production team of Roaming Frame.
Charlene’s approach to equipment epitomizes what we’re about here at Simplr: No muss. No fuss. Things should just work, work well, and keep working … without too much thought.
She even came up with a couple of new ideas for her M1a Mirrorless Camera Strap — including lashing extra weight to a tripod (and one more that we hope she’ll never need to make use of).
“The Simplr promise is, well, simple. Their straps are strong, functional, and aesthetically understated. All the qualities I like in equipment, in general.
Things I really like about my strap:
- It’s long. I can wear my camera slung across my body, which is SUPER. Never had a strap I could do this with.
- It weighs nothing. This is always a boon.
- Because it’s made of nylon, it’s also extremely supple and very comfortable to use.
- It’s super convenient for video because the main strap snaps off, and the connectors are so light, they make no difference hanging there on the little X-E3, whether it’s on a gimbal or tripod.
- The main strap, when disconnected, is useful as a general tie down.
As advertised, this thing just works with no fuss. Like the camera, it doesn’t get in the way, and you don’t have to fiddle with it. Attach it, forget about it and go shoot. If you need a tourniquet, it’s there for you.”
Bless This Stuff curate all manner of manly stuff. For instance, right now our M1a Mirrorless Camera Strap is surrounded by a Ducati Panigale V4, some kind of intense coffee maker, and a 1965 Porsche 356.
“If you´re looking for a new camera strap that is both functional and stylish without breaking the bank, check out the M1a Camera Strap by Simplr.”
It’s not often you read a review that starts with the word “fugly” … and concludes with this:
“In terms of functionality, the Simplr M1a Mirrorless Camera Strap has to be one of the best straps from a small American manufacturer on the market. I’m pleasantly surprised despite how simple and deceiving it looks. Can it use some more Patina? Heck yes. But does it serve its purpose? It more than does; and I’d even recommend this strap be used with full frame DSLRs.
Best of all for a lot of you folks: they’re only $42 on the Simplr website. If you don’t care about Patina the way that I do, then I strongly suggest that this is THE SINGLE BEST strap that you can upgrade to.”
Kevin Mullins is a highly regarded UK wedding photographer.
In addition to his impressive professional wedding portfolio, he also runs the popular f16.click site, dedicated to his personal work and all things Fuji.
Kevin recently posted his thoughts on the Fujifilm X-E3 … and we’re happy to report that it pairs nicely with the Simplr M1a he’s got attached to it.
“By the way, the strap you see in these images is a Simplr Camera Strap which I picked up whilst in New York. It’s a really comfortable, non-slip and visually attractive strap.”
He’s an official Fujifilm X-photographer, and member of The KAGE Collective — an international group of visual story tellers.
Read Kevin’s full X-E3 review at f16.click
Palle Schultz is a photographer and videographer based in Denmark, and an official Fujifilm X-photographer.
In this video Palle talks about his compact video rig … including a Fujifilm XT-2, and a Simplr M1a camera strap, for stabilization and insurance against accidental drops.
“I really like it because it’s easy to snap off, and the ends are really small … The good thing about having it here, is you can actually stabilize with it … and also as a safety precaution if you drop the camera.”
Check out his YouTube channel.
*This review is for our now discontinued M1a, succeeded by our F1.
Bert Stephani posts his thoughts on his M1a Mirrorless Camera Strap, along with some excellent images.
He’s a Belgian commercial and editorial photographer, an official Fujifilm X-photographer, and member of The KAGE Collective — an international group of visual story tellers.
“I have been looking for a new camera strap that is both functional and stylish without breaking the bank. … at 42 USD, it seemed to be too good to be true. … So far, I love this strap. It has pretty much everything I personally want in a strap.”
This is what we do for fun around the office.
Here’s a Simplr M1a with 35lbs (nearly 16 kilos) hanging from it. And that’s off of one connector … Remember you’ll have two attached to your camera.
We wouldn’t advise carrying a 35lb camera/lense combo on this strap, but when you’ve got a 2.5lb rig, it’s nice to feel safe.
It’s also worth noting that the adjuster, which slides easily when adjusting the length of the strap, didn’t budge at all under this weight.
The quick-connectors we use on our M1a and M1w straps are Op/Tech USA Mini QD Loops™ (They come in 1mm and 1.5mm versions, but we only use the stronger 1.5mm version).
We’re often asked if they release accidentally. We’re happy to report, we’ve never seen or heard of this happening. To release them, you have to apply significant pressure to both sides — simultaneously. It’s virtually impossible for them to release unintentionally.
We’ve found them to be small, strong (check out our strength test) and reliable, but don’t just take our word for it — They have a 4.6 rating on Amazon with 250+ reviews.
If you’d like to use your M1 Series strap on more than one camera, or just want some spares, we sell them here.
Unless you’re 100% certain that your camera has smooth lugs, it’s best that you attach Mini QD Loops via split rings. Furthermore, we suggest that you use ours, as they’re uniquely designed to work beautifully with the cord loops (much better than the triangular ones).
1. Thread the cord loop through the split ring.
2. Thread the mini quick-disconnect through the loop.
3. Pull the mini quick-disconnect to cinch the loop.
We make some really excellent round split rings that work perfectly with Mini QD loops, and don’t get twisted up like triangular split rings.
Before attaching Mini QD Loops directly to strap lugs, read this important post: Strap Lug Inserts: What are they and why should I care?
Unless you’re 100% certain that your camera has smooth lugs, it’s best that you attach Mini QD Loops via split rings, as outlined here.
1. Thread the cord loop through the strap lug. It might help to use a piece of string or dental floss.
2. Thread the mini quick-disconnect through the loop.
3. Pull the mini quick-disconnect to cinch the loop.
Found on: most Canon; entry- and mid-level Nikon; Fujifilm X-H2(S), X-E4, GFX 50S (connect strap to Fuji-supplied attachment clips), X-T100, X-A Series; vintage Rolleiflex. Also known as slotted or rectangular mount.
Compatible with: flat mount F1
Found on: any camera that came with triangular or round split rings (remove them); most Fujifilm; pro-level Nikon; Leica; Olympus; Sony; most vintage 35mm cameras; Also known as round or ring mount.
Compatible with: lug mount F1 & F1ultralight