The primary reason that I held off on purchasing a DSLR for so long was the weight. So I was curious. With the battery and the DA 35mm lens, how much does this hunk of camera weigh?

Two pounds and 3 ounces! Just shy of one kilogram. By comparison, my Ricoh GR Digital II is a svelte 7 ounces (200g). Suffice it to say, I’ve begun to explore the the world of camera straps.

Already I’ve learned a few things. I don’t like having the strap around my neck with two pounds of camera bouncing against my chest. Slinging it across my right side so the lens is slightly in front looks a lot better and locks the camera in place. The problem is that the strap that came with the body has nonslip velvet on the inside, making it difficult to slide the camera up to take a picture without taking my whole shirt with it.

Given how much I like my little Timbuk2 bag, I’m thinking that their replacement 2 inch shoulder strap might be the perfect across-the-body strap. All I’d need are some larger keyrings to accommodate the chunky carabiner-style clips on the end of the strap. What I like about having the carabiner attachment points is that I can easily remove the neck strap altogether for more active shooting.

That said I’d still like to have some kind of wrist anchor, mostly insurance in case of accidental droppage. On a whim I picked up a wrist grip strap, thinking that it would be perfect solution. But after some practice I discovered that it just gets in the way of how I naturally hold the camera to support its weight. Something in the style of this adjustable wrist strap is probably my favorite—I’d just want one that I’d be reasonably sure could withstand the force of 2 pounds accidentally falling out of my hands.

Update, Sep 4, 2009: Ok, these are a little girlie, but I have to say, PhatStraps are the best looking camera wrist straps for a DSLR that I’ve seen so far. Bonus: handmade, available on Etsy.