Overview : Clutch™ is the only quick-connecting, quick-adjusting camera hand strap ever made. Clutch™ gives you security when you need it, but also allows instant access to your camera's controls. Made from premium durable materials and hardware inspired by high end climbing gear. Comes with 2 Anchors and 1 Standard Plate for attachment.
Features :
- Quick connecting with one hand, so you can add or remove it as needed.
- Quick adjusting, so you can tighten it when you need extra security and loosen it when you need to access your camera's controls.
- Low profile and unobtrusive compared to other camera hand straps on the market.
- Made from premium materials and custom hardware inspired by high-end climbing gear.
- Designed to work with or without battery grips, and strong enough to hold any pro camera/lens/accessory combo.
Quality/Usability : One of the biggest requests that Kickstarter backers and photographers had for the Peak Design team was a hand strap. Peak Design listened and has released the Clutch! To help fund production, the Clutch was announced and offered on Kickstarter along with the Slide Sling Strap. Both straps exceeded it's goal and made the straps a reality.
The unit I received is a pre-production model but is near final retail production. Like all Peak Design products, the Clutch comes with a nylon bag to store your hand strap and tools. Also included is a standard plate, a Anchor disk as well as a spare and a hex tool.
Comfort is very important and the Clutch offers that. The padding is thick but not too thick where it's bulging or get in the way. There's a nice design that offers some grip.
One of the nice features on the Clutch is the ability to remove the strap easily and quickly. To mount this onto your camera, simply take the strap and loop it through the eyelet on your camera and slide it through the metal adjuster. A metal flap will prevent the strap from coming out.
To tighten the strap, simply pull on the strap. To loosen, simply pull up on the metal adjuster. Even though the unit I received was a pre-production model and was told that it may loosen, I didn't notice any loosening.
The anchor link and anchor disks are pretty much a standard piece for all Peak Design products. They were first introduced with the Cuff Wrist Strap and Leash Camera Strap.
To attach the anchor points:
A. Insert the anchor cord through the the loop at the bottom of your camera (grip) or quick release plate that is used for straps.
B. Create a loop with the anchor cord and bring the anchor disc through it.
C. Pull the anchor disc tight. The knot you created is called a cow hitch.
D. Attach the Clutch to the anchor by sliding the anchor disc into the housing in the direction shown.
E. When fully inserted, you’ll hear a “click.” The anchor is now locked in. To disconnect, press down on the anchor disc with your thumb and push the anchor out in the direction of the arrow.
The standard plate is the quick-release plate that comes with the standard Capture® Camera Clip. It's compatible with most ARCA-type tripods and fits in Capture® in 4 directions. It is made of die-cast/powdercoated construction. Using the standard plate is optional but it's nice that they included it.
The image above shows the Clutch on a gripped Canon 5D Mark III. If it can fit on a gripped camera, it will have no problem on a non-gripped camera body. Even when fully tightened, I was able to access all buttons on the back and top without loosening the Clutch or awkwardly moving my fingers in order to reach the button. I thought about placing the Clutch onto my Canon G1 X Mark II but the strap is too big for the camera. So it's back to using the Cuff Wrist Strap for smaller cameras.
Conclusion : Overall, the Peak Design Clutch Camera Hand Strap is one of my favorite hand straps. It's comfortable and it's easy to tighten, loosen and remove. It's great that they include a standard plate for those who have no way to mounting the Clutch but also offering a ARCA plate. I'm also noticing that they are now including extra anchor disk in the event that the original disk starts to fray.
On a gripped camera, the strap can be a little odd but still fit. The strap does loosen a little so I would have to tighten it once in a while. Would be nice if they added a magnet or something to the strap so that the excess strap does not flap around.
Manufacturer: Peak Design
Site: Buy from Peak Design / Buy from Amazon / Buy from B&H Photo / Buy from Adorama
Site: Buy from Peak Design / Buy from Amazon / Buy from B&H Photo / Buy from Adorama
