Multi Camera DSLR Carrier Harness Holster System

Product Description

The Opteka MCH-25 Multi-Camera Carrier Holster System designed to safely carry 1 or 2 SLR cameras. The unique harness design comfortably carries most camera/lens combinations while eliminating neck and shoulder strain associated with regular camera carrying devices.

-For 1 or 2 DSLR camera setups
-One holster is removable for a single camera setup
-Harness design for maximum weight distribution
-Eliminates shoulder and neck pain
-Camera holster system slides and locks into place
-Each camera has a backup safety harness for added security while shooting
-Holstered cameras remove rapidly
-Supports setups up to 5KG (11 lbs)
-Includes carrying pouch

Features

• For 1 or 2 DSLR camera setups; One holster is removable for a single camera setup
• Harness design for maximum weight distribution; Eliminates shoulder and neck pain
• Camera holster system slides and locks into place; Holstered cameras remove rapidly
• Each camera has a backup safety harness for added security while shooting
• Supports setups up to 5KG (11 lbs)

Top Reviews

For the price, it is a good product, but mine just broke
by Amazon Customer (3 out of 5 stars)
July 7, 2016

I've had this for about 18 months, and loved it. I love to do landscape, nature, and wildlife photography. I just got back from Alaska where I used this everyday. I carry a Canon 7D MII with the 70-200 F2.8 L series zoom and a 2x extender and power-grip w/ 2 batteries in the front for wildlife, and a 5D MIII with 24-70 L-series F2.8 also with power grip and two batteries on the side for landscapes. In Vancouver, last day of my trip, the plastic "slot" on the side piece holding my 5D suddenly broke, and dropped the camera. Only the strap kept it from hitting the ground. So my suggestion is, only use this with lighter consumer DSLRs.
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Opteka VS Cotton Carrier. Opteka's a worthy opponent!
by Bangz (5 out of 5 stars)
March 24, 2013

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!
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Exactly what I need
by Dart (5 out of 5 stars)
October 16, 2012

This product is great. I've only used it once and now I wouldn't want to head out without it. It distributes the weight nicely for my Canon 7d with the 70-200 lens attached (carried in front) with my backup Xti with the 17-55 lens attached. It definitely keeps the weight off my neck. I was taking a few nature photos and was not doing a lot of switching back and forth but enough to know it made doing so much more convenient. The quality is very good and I would highly recommend it. I was able to adjust the straps to make it fit me well (I am 5'2" and about 125 lbs).

I like the idea that if I wanted to use either the front holster or side holster alone it is just a matter of either removing the side holster or using just that holster on a belt.

Does anyone know if just the side holster is available as a stand alone product? My husband seldom carries more than one camera and would like just the holster to attach to his belt.
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Opteka MCH-25 fits well and comfortably
by John Guarino (5 out of 5 stars)
July 28, 2018

I had watched a video of a reviewer adjusting this harness prior to my ordering it. I didn't have any problems with the adjustments. I got it to fit well, but thus far I've only gone on one outing using it. I may have to fine tune the adjustments depending upon what else I am wearing. So far I am wearing it a bit high on the chest to leave my abdomen clear for two waist pack straps. One waist pack has wallets, tools, weapons and phone. The other waist pack now empty of cameras, has the other photo accessories and water and clothing.

A feature of this system that I like is that the camera can be locked into place on the harness. If one properly aligns the button that screws into the camera, it will not allow the camera to slide up and come out of the harness' slot. Turing the camera sideways and lifting easily allows it to be brought up and out.

The safety connector straps (2 available, for right or left) are of an appropriate length for bringing the camera up to one's eye. If one needs to bring the camera very low and use the camera's tilting LCD for framing, one would need to release one end of the safety strap. And then remember to reconnect afterward.

The Fuji X-T1and its 55-200 lens that are being used with this harness aren't enormously heavy. The harness distributes the weight well. After some hours of walking around with it and very little climbing thus far, it was still very comfortable. The straps stayed in adjustment.

Should I change my opinion, I will of course return and amend this review.
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Frankly terrible - doesn't fit well, doesn't hold gear well, doesn't bear weight well
by Mark Aaron Miller (1 out of 5 stars)
June 9, 2018

I thought I'd give this a try before moving up to the more expensive Cotton Carrier harness. Boy, was that a mistake! At least I'm only out $27. I expected the lousy fit and finish, cheap materials, and overall air of being made as cheaply as possible - I knew going in that that'd be the case. So why did I throw it in the trash?
- Doesn't fit well: I'm fairly portly, running around 265 pounds. Somehow this thing managed all the same to be far too loose on my shoulders, even with the top straps adjusted as tight as they'd go. The chest strap was OK if annoyingly difficult to tighten, but with no support from the shoulder straps, the whole thing wobbled around constantly.
- Doesn't hold gear well: I bought this to use with the Nikkor 200-500mm super tele. With the mount on the lens's tripod foot - as is necessary to avoid damaging the camera body with the weight of the lens - I had to be careful not to bump the back of my camera with my chin. With the lack of support from the shoulder straps, the lens leaned this way and that, and I could barely move at all without a hand on the lens to keep it from swinging back and forth and getting in my way - which is exactly what this piece of gear is intended to prevent.
- Doesn't bear weight well: I tried the "holster" panel, too. The Velcro couldn't stand up to the measly five-pound weight of the lens, and immediately pulled free; if I hadn't had the foresight to keep a hand on the lens, it would've fallen right off.

After all of the above, this went straight in the trash - I didn't even get out the door with it, because I don't trust it to do its job without destroying a couple thousand dollars' worth of equipment. It's not even worth the trouble of returning - and if I did return it, some other sucker would have just ended up stuck with it.

The lesson here is: don't bother with cheap ripoff nonsense like this, just go straight to something where you get what you pay for. And don't buy this harness! It's not fit for purpose.
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In par with Cotton Carrier at 1/6 the cost
by Milind V. Mahale (5 out of 5 stars)
March 15, 2012

I was a bit skeptical when I read the review from "tinknave" who gave a one star for this product and insisted that the product was bad. For $30 I thought to take a chance before I could purchase the Cotton Carrier one which sells for $189. Reading the negative review, my expectations were quite low.

The item arrived a day before its scheduled date. It came in its own carry bag with all the attachments already in its place. I had to simply tighten the loops to fit my size. Did not even need the instruction paper that came with it.
*****The Quality*****

Great! I had my D7000 with the 80-400 lens having a combined weight of almost 4lbs. The harness held everything in its place without an issue. The fabric and the plastic holster are though and sturdy. After "tinknave's" review (and his persistent argument of poor quality) I meticulously checked the plastic quality and the stitches to be sure critical. I couldn't find any issues. From its make, I am guessing that it can easily take 10-15lbs without a problem on each holster.

I am not sure what "tinknave" purchased, however, this product is awesome. I am glad that I took the risk of purchasing the Opteka and saved myself $150 ($189-$29) from purchasing the Cotton Carrier. Makes me think that expensive may not always be better.
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Several ways to use it
by Patrick Perdu (5 out of 5 stars)
June 6, 2012

I don't know the Cotton Carrier so I cannot compare, but functionally-wise, this is going to help my neck a lot.

The knobs to be attached to the cameras are metal and seem to be just fine. I don't know if this is expected but I got 4 with my harness, together with four rings and two keys.

The rails in which these knobs are supposed to slide are made of hard plastic and seem to be resistant enough. I am somewhat weary of hanging much weight from a battery-grip-equipped camera, though; if the lens does not rest on your body, the weight and motion might induce lots of torque and wear the rails faster.

I still find it convenient even with my grip-equipped 7D when using a long lens: I attach a knob to the lens tripod ring and hang it from there. It is very convenient, whether attached on the chest or on the side.

I found that the angle at which the knob is best positioned on the camera depends on whether you wear the camera on the front or on the side. Don't forget either the provided key or some screwdriver if you want to change it.

The security strap that attaches to the camera I find marginally too short and the attachments proper are plastic. I am not absolutely sure how efficient they would be at stopping a free-falling 5lbs camera+lens (but I do not intend to try).

Now the good surprise is that the side attachment can be used on its own on any belt. Choose a comfortably broad belt and velcro the thing around it, and you can carry a camera right there without any weight on the shoulders.

While this is not convenient in all situations, I find it very efficient when only using a shoulder strap: the camera does not bounce around and the shoulder strap only provides the security. It works perfectly when attaching the knob to the lens and the shoulder strap to the battery grip.

Suggestion to Opteka: sell as a separate product the side mount and a thin, light shoulder strap for the security and I will be advertising it.
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Updated after a two-days shoot in NYC - I used the full harness on one day and just the side on the other day and I confirm my impression: the safety lines are somewhat light but the ensemble is fully functional.

Only thing to think about when using only the side (not the full harness, i.e. not the way it was intended in the first place) is where to attach the safety line - I had a backpack so it was not a problem except you want to make sure that you untie the camera from the backpack before you drop the latter.

I still change my rating to 5 stars.
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Two years later: I have nearly not used this since that earlier week-end in NYC. I find that it is less practical than a decent shoulder strap in most situations, although I still thought it would be good for motorcycling, climbing or skiing with a camera. I find I use my top-loader pro from Lowepro for these occasions.

I pop that star back out: the harness works as intended but I just don't need it.
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I love it! Carries my 70-200mm F2.8 perfectly. I ground off the nubs to make it even easier to use.
by RC (5 out of 5 stars)
May 17, 2019

I saw an add for the Cotton Carrier, and then I found this. This is the best deal! I came back from a shoot today using a 70-200mm F2.8 on one and a 24-120mm F4 on the other, and it worked great! It is very secure, especially with the backup straps. There's no way any of this is going to fall off of me. I even ground off the nubs in the holsters so that I can lift the camera out at any angle. There's no way the camera could come out on its own anyway. Not having to rotate the camera to release it is so much more convenient. I liked it so much I bought a second one for the metal mounts, so that I can put on one the tripod mount of my 70-200 and the body itself for when I use other lenses. Works great with the Z6 too!
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So Good that after 3 years of use I bought another.
by Ric P. (5 out of 5 stars)
September 26, 2017

Finding this harness on sale for 1/3 off the price I paid 3 years ago I immediately jumped on it.

Didn't actually need a new one but........

At 65 years old I Bird/Nature shoot at least 250 days a year logging 1- 8 hours, rain, snow, heat, etc

This harness has been worn over everything from a T-shirt at 100° to a heavy parka at 20°.

Back and neck strain are a thing of the past. Speed of acquiring the camera to the shot are a function of muscle memory.

These days I pull, shoot and restore the camera to the harness w/o thinking.

I carry a Nikon D3200 /w a 55-300mm zoom and for about 1/2 the year a Newer 7500II on the chest mount.

l also carry a Nikon B700 on the holster.

Yes it takes some time to get the straps adjusted correctly but once done it takes seconds to put on the harness.

Yes you must make sure the cam is tight on the camera before each trip.

After 3 years of use, yes it is getting a bit frayed around the edges.

This is purely cosmetic, as functionally it is still as good as day one.

I have added new 'o rings' to the mounting cam, for about 50 cents, twice now.

I do not use the safety straps but keep the regular padded camera straps around my neck.

I get asked about using a harness at least once a month from hikers and birders.

Many now use it for their binoculars/cameras.
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Great budget alternative to more expensive Cotton Carrier
by PR (5 out of 5 stars)
May 21, 2012

- Bought this the other day, I don't own but have coveted the Cotton Carrier for some time. Price of the latter has been the key obstacle.
- I was amazed at the overall quality when I opened it up. For less than forty bucks I wasn't expecting much, and it totally exceeded those expectations.
- Took quite some time to adjust fit. Still not sure it's optimal, would like the main plate to go more snugly against my chest. Will persevere. Agree with the other reviewer about fitment at the back of the neck, mine too is riding up and on a long event I would not be surprised if there'll be chafing on a bare neck.
- The "mini screwdriver" that comes with it is excellent in my opinion. I used one of the (two supplied) "keyrings" and attached it to one of the hooks on the vest for permanent placement. Would hate to have had that thing loose and not be able to remove the lugs from each camera. Agree with the other reviewer on Cotton's Allen key approach, but does it have a hole for similar mounting to keep it with you at all times?
- The lower part of the vest has a very handy pounch where you can store CF cards (or the mini screwdriver). It's small and flat, so don't expect to carry anything much thicker than a CF card.
- I bought another harness at the same time --- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00508ZURU --- that's worth looking at if you're considering this item. I much prefer the fit, which is perfect. Advantage of the Cotton and this item is for things like cycling/hiking where the main body is kept nicely snug against your chest. I'm keeping both! Highly recommended.

I tested this item with:
- 7D and 24L no grip
- 5Dm2 and 70-200 2.8 IS with grip

I recall the Cotton video talking about a special lug if you're using a grip. I found no problems at all with the lugs supplied with this item, both are the same height and they handle gripped/ungripped equally well, whereby the cameras stay where they should be and hang at a decent angle. I'm sure alternate lugs are optimal, but again, I found no issues with the ones in this kit.

The 5Dm2 + 70-200 2.8 IS + grip results in a failry heavy weight, as you know, however I found it could comfortably hang on the side holster, no probs, in case I want to have the 400/5.6 in the main chest location.

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