Digital Camera World Verdict
Lots of people like using a wrist strap - as it allows you to carry your camera in your hand without needing to grip it tightly, and with less worry about dropping it. The new Micro Clutch is specifically designed for mirrorless cameras - but you need to ensure you pick the I-plate or L-plate version carefully to ensure you have the right one for your model. The idea is great, and it fits nicely into the Peak Design ecosystem. But it can be a bit of pain to fit to your camera- and unfortunately you can end up having to take the thing on and off frequently - simply to change your camera battery.
Pros
- +
Makes it easier to carry your camera, without a bag or neck strap
- +
Specifically designed for mirrorless cameras
Cons
- -
Fiddly to fit
- -
You need to make sure you get the right version for your camera
- -
You may need to remove the grip to change battery or memory card
Why you can trust Digital Camera World
The Peak Design Micro Clutch is an evolution of the company’s original Clutch camera wrist strap and it’s designed specifically for use with mirrorless cameras.
There are two versions of the Micro Clutch, the L-Plate and the I-Plate. The ‘L’ refers to the shape of the Micro Clutch’s base plate, it’s not an L-bracket like the 3 Legged Thing Alfie.
The L-Plate is for cameras with a pronounced hand grip while the I-Plate version is for more flat-fronted cameras. Both Micro Clutches are compatible with the Peak Design Travel Tripod, Capture Clip, and straps.
The Micro Clutch is fiddly to fit first time as the bolt that holds the base plate needs to be screwed in to the right depth in the camera’s tripod bush to allow the plate (with or without the tripod plate) to be aligned and slid into position. The bolt can then be tighten to give a secure grip.
Helpfully, there’s a tool for tightening and loosening the bolt hidden neatly in the base plate, however, it’s a flat screwdriver type with the blade at 90° to the shaft, which makes it a bit awkward to use.
It’s important that the tool is quick to hand because the base plate also needs to be loosened to access the camera’s battery compartment, and in some cases the memory card slot.
With the base plate mounted, the Hypalon strap can be fixed through the camera’s strap lug. The idea is that your index finger remains free to press the shutter button while your next two fingers slide through the strap to keep the camera safe. It works well but you may need to spend time getting the strap length right.
Angela has been testing camera gear from all the major manufacturers since January 2004 and has been Amateur Photographer’s Technical Editor and Head of Testing for Future Publishing’s photography portfolio (Digital Camera Magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, N-Photo, Practical Photoshop, Photography Week and Professional Photography magazines, as well as the Digital Camera World and TechRadar websites). She is the founder of SheClicks - a community group that encourages and supports female photographers.