Review | SmallRig Rapid Link Connector

Hi everyone Gino here and today we’re going to check out another camera accessory. This time it’s going to be a very useful attachment for our camera strap. This is the unboxing and review of the SmallRig Rapid Link Connectors. Let’s Go!

SmallRig was established in 2007 and is one of the leading manufacturers of affordable and high-quality camera accessories. They are well-known for their camera rigs, cages, plates, clamps, adapters, handles, grips and now they’re venturing into camera bags and shoulder straps.

The SmallRig Rapid Link Connector is a quick-release system for your camera strap. This tool will allow you to quickly attach and detach your neck or shoulder strap from the camera body. An example use case is that when you need to mount your camera to a piece of equipment, that having a strap on would be cumbersome or unnecessary. Like when you need to use your camera on a gimbal or a vlogging tripod.

Packaging and Accessories

The package comes in this cute SmallRig box. Inside we get the 2 Rapid Link Connectors, 3-triangle split rings and a marketing paperwork.

Design, Layout and Build Quality

So here are the 2 rapid link connectors. A Rapid Link Connector weighs only 2g and can hold weights up to 70kg as per the SmallRig’s website. It has 2 parts. The connector link which hooks up to the camera. And a connector base which is where you attach your strap. Do note the the buckle can accommodate straps with a width less than 19mm. The plastic material used seems pretty sturdy and there’s no brittly feeling at all. The thickness of the link’s cable seems to be just right as well.

For the locking mechanism, there are 2 grooves on each end of the button and this will latch on to the connector base once it’s inserted all the way through. And this spring-loaded pin here will push the button towards the other side of the latch, fastening the connectors in place.

To detach the connector we just need to press the button here to unfasten the latch. Next, we need to push the button outward to completely detach the link connector. Note that there’s a slight resistance when I’m pushing the button outwards. The center area of the base has this patterned surface that adds a bit of friction and makes the detaching process more secure. And to reattach the link connector, you just need to align the button here and pull it back in. You’ll hear a popping sound which indicates that the link connector is properly locked in place.

For the installation, we first need to attach our sony camera strap on to the Connector Base like this. Next, we need to insert the Link Connector into the split ring and then make this looping knot to secure it in place. Since my a6400 already has its split rings, I’m not going to use the included ones. Alright! We have successfully installed the SmallRig Rapid Link Connectors to our camera. Our stock Sony camera strap is now officially a quick-release strap. Yey!

Final Thoughts

Now for the final thought. Is the SmallRig Rapid Link Connectors worth it? The answer is yes. It’s a must-have especially for those individuals who do a lot of gimbal work or other similar use cases that don’t require a camera strap. The SmallRig Rapid Link Connectors eliminates the tedious process of having to put on and take off a camera strap. The design of the locking and quick release is secure and it works seamlessly. There are no plasticky or bendy moving parts when attaching and detaching the links. For an asking price of $9.90, this is a great value and it makes the OEM counterpart somewhat irrelevant. The best alternative to this would be PeakDesign Anchor Links that cost twice its price.

For the negatives. I only have 2 complaints but its not really a deal-breaker. First, the strap buckle on the connector base is too wide for my stock Sony neck strap. My strap is moving loosely on the buckle and it doesn’t look appropriate. I wish that SmallRig added a second buckle on the base connector that can fit smaller straps like mine.

Second would be the availability. You can only buy this at AliExpress or on the SmallRig website. I bought mine with free shipping plus a $3 discount on SmallRig’s official AliExpress merchant. I’ve waited for a whole month for the package to be delivered but the wait is truly worthed.

And that’s it for today! Thank you guys. Please subscribe to the channel. This is Gino from GTV. Ciao.