Thanks again all. I ordered a cheapy strap to start off with: Amazon.co.uk
So far so good… I can see the benefit of the type that holds your hand right on your camera, as it would avoid it swinging or me still having to hold it. But I’ll see how I get on with this one for now. It could also mean I could risk using my belt clip with heavier lenses as long as I still have my hand through the strap.
I use the Op Tech wrist straps on all my cameras, i carry them, usually in a belt pack/fanny pack or a shoulder bag, and always put on the wrist strap before removing the camera. Recommended.
I used that type for a while but found them too bulky when in the bag and a bit too fiddly getting a hand in or out, but for your use with a belt clip I can see a real benefit. More like a tether than a strap 
The one you bought looks like it should be comfortable and secure. Unlike the kind that holds your hand tight against the camera, you have the option to hold the camera or to just let it dangle. You can also slip the longer strap over a ball head to act as a tether for added security if using a tripod or monopod instead of hand holding. In any case, you would be wise not to use the tripod socket of your OM-5 for anything other than a tripod, and even then with extra caution…OM-5 weak tripod mount: Micro Four Thirds Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
Now that’s worrying - and disappointing, as the belt clip/wrist strap works really well for me. I need to explore bum bags more - the one I have didn’t quite work. Having said that, I’m hoping that a belt clip attachment will put less force on it than the PD one, and can restrict myself to only using it with my lightest lens. It is a risk - and maybe one I’m willing to take if I can’t find an alternative that works for me.
It’s not dissimilar to the failures seen in the original E-M5 despite that one being metal. As has been pointed out the problem isn’t the material but the design - and this bad design goes way back. This is an example from 2012, and later I also had similar (but not so extreme) damage to the E-M5 I owned at that time so my comment about excessive force in that thread turned out to be completely wrong.
It really is disappointing that the design flaw still exists in the OM-5; it’s not rocket science to design a mount that tolerates both compressive and tensile forces - every other maker manages to do it.
If you have a few hours, $10 and a craft store, YouTube has many videos on paracord braid patterns. A couple years back i made a snake-knot strap for my gx7.
Well, although a lot of tripod socket carrying system exist and people like them, I think it’s not the best solution in general. It uses element designed for something else with all consequences - risk of failure, compromising tripod use etc. Both it and wrist strap or even neck strap have one common idea: carry a bare camera on You. From that perspective only a wrist strap has disadvantage of temporary use - you cannot walk prolonged time with a cam tied to Your hand.
So a wrist strap is a short-use carrying method by design and must be combined with other system.
From those showed in this thread double neck/wrist strap solution seems most clever to me. At least as long, as you accept carrying bare camera all the time. Many people do so to have instant access and in some cases it beats other methods. But there are fields that such approach is not very safe and ergonomic. I personaly wouldn’t accept it as a hiker. Too much occasion for unwanted collision with bush, solid obstacles, people in the crowd, even thieves. Protecting from changing atmospheric conditons is also somewhat harder.
So I prefer bags, period. But how to maintain quick access? Well, before I decided to go 100% waterproof, my rule of thumb was to never use a bag with a zipper, only a single clip or velcro - instant opening. Also neck strap is a great nuisance here. Wrist strap beats it a lot. Note: should have some stiffness to create an open loop allowing easy hand input.
I have a comparison, as I was forced (some time ago) to use a neck strap with my E-PL1. Not for carrying it (as I was using a bag with my tether system described in this thread), but for steady holding a no-EVF camera while framing shot with LCD. At least using longer tele-lens. Just once regulated the length of the neck strap to brace the camera when held at the front of face with best LCD visibility. But preparing for the shot was painfuly slow. I was happy when could get rid of this switching to E-M10 II (EVF cam).
Regards,
-J.
My DIY strap is to allow quick adjustment on length of the strap, so when I need my neck and a free hand to swap lens, I could shorten it immediately. If I wish to wear the camera across my body for whatsoever reason, can adjust to full length too. When I walk hpding the camera in my hand, shorten the strap, put my hand inside the loop to become a waist strap for safety and quick to action.
I would also carry a shoulder camera bag to store my extra lenses (usually 2~3 lenses) because I swap lenses a lot in the field. A shoulder bag, usually wearing across my body (could be kept at my side on walking or at the front for lens swapping) can speed up lens swapping a lot. Yes, a flip top cover using velro tape is the best for lens swapping too.
Agreed (mostly). But I’m not sure what you mean by “100% waterproof” - if you mean submersible then quick opening isn’t an option (nor should it be) but if you just meant 100% waterproof while carrying I still have zipless quick access in the form of a Billingham.
I won’t accept bags with velcro (hate it) or any kind of fastener that needs two hands to open or close easily, so most bags are no-go for me. I do accept zips on certain kinds of bag (usually reverse opening types) and well-designed sling bags (I’m thinking Peak Design here), but I generally avoid them unless the zip is under a flap and can be left open when in use (like a Think Tank Mirrorless Mover, say).
Everybody is different though and use things in different ways, but fortunately there’s a vast choice. Choice is good
I still have my eye out for a hip bag I can easily get my camera in and out of… ideally one where I can leave the lens cap off as my subjects don’t tend to hang around (I’m amazed I haven’t lost in then). It doesn’t help that I’m a small female, so whatever I use is relatively bulkier, and I think female-shaped waist and hips means the camera tends to stick out more.
For the time being, I’m going to continue using the belt clip & wrist strap combo with the light lens, because it works better for me than any of the alternatives. Is there a risk? Yes, certainly. I won’t do anything too vigorous, I’ll keep a good eye out for any signs of strain on the mounting plate, and at least with my little legs the camera has less far to fall…
If it all goes horribly wrong, I promise to update this thread so you can all say I told you so…
@ JohnB
Please, look at the first and second photo of my very first post. (1) shows my oldest photo bag with Velcro strip on the inner surface of the flap/cover. You could open it with a single move of one hand. It was slightly too small to fit comfortably my m4/3 gear, so I used it only temporarily (still do sometimes) with my now almost retired E-PL1. My second bag (not shown on pictures) had a more secure lock in the form of single plastick clip at the front. You just needed to squeeze it with two fingers to open the bag. Also a single, rapid move. Any zipper takes much longer to open.
Photo (2) shows my current bag, with a watertight rolled top. I did sacrificed fast drawing the camera by this decision. So this is a move in quite another direction. It’s for my special hiking needs and I don’t recommend it to everybody, to be clear.
I did this change to avoid constant repacking my camera into a separate waterproof roll-top bag and hiding it somewhere into main backpack to protect the gear while fording larger rivers or during extremal downpour on hike.
To maintain reasonably quick access to the cam I don’t usually roll the bag closure too much, just once or half and clip the sides together. I can make one more roll if it rains. Only when crossing water I roll it fully. With small and shallow creeks I don’t even remove camera’s tether, which in theory compromises watertightness. But if You fall into the stream 2 m wide and 2-10 cm deep, there’s no problem - just a drop or two may leak into the bag in worst case scenario, no tragedy. For real crossings, when you have to go through 10-20 m wide and knee deep river (serious risk of full submersion after fall), I can unclip the tether from slinging carabiner and toss it inside the bag before sealing it 100% watertight. You may guess it doesn’t happens very often. Depends on the trip/terrain…
Regards,
-J.
Not sure why, I saw it the first time 
I was (mostly) agreeing with you and just pointed out that I hate velcro and sometimes tolerate zips. Nothing beats the access speed of a small Billingham though - and they’re waterproof.
Enough though, this thread is about straps not bags.
I use the Peak Design cuff on my EM1 MkII, attached to one of the little PD clips. I usually carry a shoulder bag that has the PD Capture clip so if i need both hands I just clip the camera into the Capture Clip and either open the strap or just unclip it from the camera.
This system works for me.
I use a PD strap too sometimes and will use the Capture Clip in the same way if I walk into a store for example.
