Can’t find a Bag for Your Zoom H4n? Try a Neck Strap!

Folks have been on the hunt for a case for the Zoom H4n for a long time, but so far I haven’t found any viable options. I’m not talking about a case that you can store it in, I’m talking about a field case that would allow you to use the recorder as you work.

However, one option is to use an inexpensive neck strap to harness the H4n to your body. This makes it possible to easily access all of the controls, while keeping both of your hands free to operate the boompole or camera. Have you ever watched a video about a neck strap before? No? Well, all of that is about to change!

The strap I ended up buying was the Canon Metal Neck Strap 1. I liked that it had a plastic coating around the metal band. As you can see in the video, it was really easy to attach to the Zoom H4n. Another option is the Olympus Metal Neck Strap. This one doesn’t have the plastic coating, and it’s a few bucks cheaper. Price shouldn’t really be an issue here. Both of these options are super affordable.

I had heard the people were using regular camera straps for their Zoom H4n’s, but when I looked into this I quickly discovered that the average camera strap isn’t compatible. Most DSLR-style camera straps are designed to anchor the camera at both ends, while the Zoom H4n only has a single small strap attachment in its center. Besides, most camera straps are too wide to fit into the Zoom H4n’s strap hook.

There are some fancy camera straps like the Black rapid RS-W1 that will screw into the 1/4 20 thread on the Zoom H4n. That’s a nice option, but not nearly as affordable as the other two I mentioned. The RS-W1 has a curved area on the strap that’s designed to be more comfortable for women, but dudes can use it too. I mean, it’s not like it’s pink or something.

One nice benefit you get buy owning one of these straps is that you can use it on your point and shoot camera when you don’t need it for the Zoom. If you’re on a trip, or just walking around, they say you’re more likely to power up the camera and take some shots if it’s right there around your neck.

Anyhow, I hope you found this blog post about cheap neck straps deeply moving. Stay tuned for more! I’ve got hands-on reviews of the new Rode VideoMic Pro on the way, and I’m going to shoot it out against the Rode NTG-3 professional shotgun mic. Should be titillating.