This has been a life saver for me. I shoot at automobile events - shows and concours - and I have a hip that needs replacement, so I use a cane. The harness allows me to navigate the uneven ground without having to hang onto the camera as well as the cane. I plan to continue to use it even after I get a new hip - that way I can jot notes about the cars, shake hands with the owners, etc.

The only problem I have with this is that the small knob in the slider is round which allows the hubs to rotate and weaken. I have not lost the camera even once, but have to check and tighten the hubs regularly. Also, when the hubs are becoming loose, it is rather hard to extract the camera, not to mention make a fast shot, due to the misalignment of the groove on the hubs. Other than that, the harness is comfortable and holds its position steady even when the camera carries a Tamron 150-600 lens, which is rather heavy.

It's pretty good, except that the part in front that you clip your camera into often sticks and makes the camera very difficult to slide out. So that's kind of a major problem, and I don't know if it's due to design or to machining, but unfortunately the result is the same.

Update: about a year later, I still like the harness a lot but I still have the problem with the hubs sticking in the holder. Ordering some higher quality hubs today and hoping that'll fix the problem. In spite of this, I'm upgrading the review to four stars because the rest of the harness fits well, is well made and is solid.

I am a hobby photographer who was in search of an alternative for carrying my Canon 7D with a 70-200 f2.8 lens. The lens is heavy and for a few hours of photo work or hiking with the camera, it does create some discomfort. I first saw the Cotton Carrier at my local photo shop and I thought that was the solution until I saw the price. The Cotton Carrier is definitely the choice I'd make if I were a photo professional because the fastener quality, safety straps and the attachment to the vest are all very high quality. Not that the Opteka was cheap, it just wasn't that "professional" level. The Opteka fits me well because I am a fairly large person (5'10" 190lbs), I would not purchase this item if I was slightly built. It is comfortable and really distributes the weight nicely for the heavy lens. I won't likely use the second holster as I rarely use a backup camera. I did replace the retention straps with some heavier nylon straps and some small locking carabiners, my own desire for added security. Overall I give this harness a great rating because it is a great value for the money!

Okay, i've been going back and forth about whether or not to spend the 180+ bucks on the cotton carrier or on a good alternative. Don't get me wrong, in life you truly get what you pay for. HOWEVER... My decision to get the Opteka was the best investment yet. I just recently bought it and I immediately put it through the wringer! Put my large body Mk IV 1D with a heavy 70-200 lens on the chest harness, and went about my day. Removing it, placing it back... then repeating that process for hours. ROCK SOLID. No back fatigue, no slippage. Sturdy, and comfortable. Then I took it out for an evening of shooting an event. I was able to were a blazer over top of it without bulky clogs of vest showing through (huge plus). The netted mesh type design kept my back and sides cool. The front part did cause me to sweat more than normal but c'mon... i'm toting about 7-9 pounds of equipment strapped to my chest AND i'm working so no complaints there!

Because of the slight turn to secure the camera on the inner tab lock mechanism, I was able to bend over to tie my shoes, pick up and set up my lighting equipment hands free of the camera, without having to remove my camera from my person.

One thing i'm keeping my eye on however is the little plastic tab that locks the camera in place. It looks as though that could potentially wear sooner than later causing a premature ejection of a camera. PLEASE DON'T MISTAKE THAT FOR FLIMSY! It's solid! Normal wear will happen. With practice and perfecting the removal and placement of camera, It will withstand several seasons of intense work. And for the price... even if I had to replace it within a year, it would have paid for itself many times over. So even two $40 Opteka carriers are less expensive than one cotton carrier and performs just the same.

So I conclude... This carrier is sturdy, well built, will allow you to shoot with some level of swag without looking like a total camera geek and it is well worth the money! And I rarely write reviews so to get me speaking on a product is big! Don't hesitate! GET IT! It's a very good investment!