Carrying your camera could soon get a lot easier. The Swift-Lock system allows users to tote their DSLR in a stabler, more accessible orientation than would be possible with a plain ol' strap, plus they can quickly pop their camera on and off of the thing as needed.
Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, Swift-Lock is made by German photography gear company Spinn.Design.
At the heart of the system are an anodized aluminum base plate and quick-release plate – the former is attached to the camera strap via eyelets at either end, while the latter is attached to the underside of the camera via an integrated quarter-inch mounting screw. A third-party strap can be used, although a system-specific one is available as an optional extra.
When users want to carry the camera, they just slide its quick-release plate into the strap's base plate. The two plates magnetically lock together, holding the camera securely in place.
Because the camera is suspended from its bottom – instead of from its own top-located strap eyelets – it hangs in a downward-facing orientation, with its entire underside lying flat against the user's body.
According to Spinn.Design, this is much more stable orientation than the traditional alternative, in which the camera hangs with its back side against the user's body and its lens sticking out in front. Additionally, the Swift-Lock orientation leaves the viewscreen and other controls easier to access, as the strap isn't hanging across them.
When users wish to remove the camera from the system, it's just a matter of sliding a release lever on the base plate and pulling the camera off. The user can then hand-hold the camera sans strap, or mount it on an Arca or Peak Design standard tripod.
Assuming Swift-Lock reaches production, a pledge of €59 (about US$64) will get you a package consisting of the base and quick-release plates – the planned retail price is €79 ($86). The system-specific strap (which is not required) can be added as an extra at checkout.
The system is demonstrated in the video below.
Source: Kickstarter