(This popular best leather camera straps review was last updated January 2021)

Chances are you probably landed here after searching Google for leather camera straps, great camera straps or leather wrist straps.

Well you're in the right place!

Disclosure: Although this is a sponsored review, I only agree to promote products I have tried & tested and can vouch for, I would never risk my reputation by promoting any product I’m not 100% honest about.

Shoulder straps come in such a multitude of prices, styles, materials and colours. Leather camera straps, fabric camera straps, retro camera straps, etc… It can all be a little overwhelming.

Well I'm here first to save you money and help you make the right decision.

If you follow my advice you'll buy the longer lasting strap instead of buying into a company’s clever marketing and a strap that'll let you down at the first hurdle.

An issue with reviews you can find online is that people test the strap for a day or two but do not tell you how the strap stands the test of time. I have all the time in the world to review them and that results in honest reviews.

Furthermore, this particular review is now 6 years old and I continuously update it with the best leather camera straps. Straps which stand the test of time remain on here, the rest disappear gradually.

A long time ago, when I first published this review, my favourite leather camera strap was the chocolate coloured leather A7 NYC "Lincoln" camera strap. I had the strap for 3 years and it aged beautifully. Unfortunately holes in the leather where the metal bits secure the whole strap have gradually enlarged and in the end didn’t support the camera anymore, it became unsafe to use which meant I couldn’t recommend it anymore. It’s disappointing when a strap like that costs over 100 quid,I thought the leather was particularly lovely.

Cameras cost quite a bit so I'm after straps that I can trust. Simple enough isn't it?

Since I've been given the chance to try out all these beauties it made me realise that competition is fierce in the camera strap industry! Everyone with good taste wants his/her camera to look sexy and all the camera strap companies want their money.

I’ve been approached by many companies wanting to be featured on this review which has had literally hundreds of thousands of readers. But I’m not an easy customer and only the best make it here.

When buying a camera, all come out of the box with a standard camera strap with a big inscription such as Canon, Nikon, etc… Not a big fan sorry…

You and your Leica, Fuji, Sony, Panasonic etc... deserve better when out and about shooting.

So let’s get down to business, burn this horror "out-of-the-box" strap and look for something a little more stylish.

After-all, camera manufacturers don't give you a discount for advertising their brand so why do it?

Related Article: the Best Leather Camera Wrist Straps

There are a few things to look for when choosing a strap. For example:

Not very well thought out metal buckles close to the camera body which will in time slightly wear out / damage your camera. Especially when shoved in and out of a bag 20 times a day. Look out for sharp edges and AVOID.
Excessive rigidity of the leather will mean (until it softens anyway) impractical use and the strap getting in your way when holding your camera in awkward positions. It can also rub badly on the neck.
The ease of use. I favour straps that are easy to attach and detach as you won't always want to use one. For example when using a tripod, I remove the strap as otherwise it catches the wind and dangles potentially increasing camera shake. Sadly too many camera straps are still a nightmare to detach.
The ergonomics and comfort around the neck. Is there any padding, is it so thin it will cut through your skin after prolonged use? I also got to use a few with fabric stitched under the leather but in fact it felt like itchy sheep’s wool.

OK so here are the winning leather camera straps I put to the test for those of you who like to shoot in style and comfort. Please note they are all so good that it was very hard to choose which is best. My overall favourites tend to be from Hawkesmill, Tap & Dye, Roberu and Angelo Pelle for the prime leather they use.

1 - Hawkesmill England

The strap I am reviewing is the Westminster model in Brown.

I’m a long time fan of Hawkesmill. I’ve had their leather camera strap on my most used camera for 5 years now. The leather which once was new, has now aged beautifully, the stitching has stood the test of time and the strap has done what I wanted it to do, protect my camera from smashing on the floor while providing a comfortable shooting experience.

This may all seem straight forward but when you test dozens of brands you begin to notice variance in quality and comfort. Hawkesmill is at the top.

That’s because the are handmade, the quality control is thorough, the products used are high quality and they are made by photographers for photographers. Not by marketing people trying to fill a gap in the market with a rushed design and poor choice of material and lack of craftmanship..

Enough said, if you want the best, buy the best: Hawkesmill.

2 – Roberu

In my top favourite and an ideal camera strap for the Sony A7 series or other mirrorless cameras.

From Japan, the Roberu leather factory produces a very attractive range of leather camera straps which scream “quality”. The leather is really beautiful and I mean in a way that makes you think "these guys know a lot about leather". I would say being a little thinner that they are better suited for mirrorless and compact cameras than the heavier DSLRs.

I love pretty much all of their straps. They never get in the way of a good shot and are as comfortable as it get without being too big.

2020: We’ve been using this strap for now a few years, they remain unchanged, excellent quality.

3 – The Money Maker Camera Strap by Hold Fast Leather Goods:

The odd one out but in a positive way and one not to miss. More of a dual camera harness as you can attach more than one camera (useful for professionals). With names including The Water Buffalo, American Bison and Southern Charm, these will make you look like an uber hip cowboy except you're shooting people with your camera, not guns! Designed as a dual strap it means you can attach not just one but two cameras, one on each hip! Pow Pow!

First impressions matter and Hold Fast understand that. The packaging and branding are excellent and as soon as the strap is out it feels fantastic and luxurious. It's damn heavy but in a cool way and it feels like it could last a lifetime. Figuring out how to put it on is a bit of a mission at first but there are straight forward instructions included!

Oh..and again, they've gone for attachment under the camera where the tripod mount is but this time with the added feature of a backup safety catch which Heavy Leather NYC lack.

Remember to choose the right size as it's based on your built/height.

4 - Angelo Pelle

Now these are really amazing! Why not head to my dedicated review of Angelo Pelle camera straps? Also considered in my top 5 all time straps.

5 – Tanner Goods

What I really like about this adjustable camera strap is the fact it’s obviously of great craftsmanship and extremely easy to attach/detach (I just hate sitting there trying to remove some annoying camera strap).

Using a combination of 2 leathers, it’s not just a strap of leather, it's a... beautiful strap of leather! Really fit for all sorts of cameras from the smaller mirrorless to the slightly heavier ones such as the A7RII and all the way up to DSLRs. It’s very comfortable and soft, very well designed and again, minimal use of metal which reduces the risk to the camera body when in contact.

My only less positive observation, after a day shooting a wedding, is the fact it lack grip slightly when on the shoulder and it gets a little annoying after a whole day. Maybe Tanner Goods could consider adding reversed leather or a slightly more gripping material beneath?

6 – ONA

ONA is getting a lot of attention these days mostly with their overly expensive leather camera bags that aren't actually that well made / finished. I say overly pricey as I have one and the stitching is far from perfect and one of the rivets is also seriously off-centre. They are however worth mentioning.

ONA also sells The Presidio camera strap which comes in a very exclusive packaging and looks pretty damn good. Available in 5 colours, I tested the rich and eye catching "Antique Cognac" (pictured below) but eventually gave it away as it wasn't for me.

The neckline is padded with neoprene which provides a very comfortable shooting experience but at the same time it's not very flexible and just a bit awkward compared to others.

After months of testing I have decided this is not quite a strap for me. I find the difference of thickness between the thin bit and the thick bit around the neck just a bit odd. Nice strap but I wouldn't buy it.

7 – Tap & Dye

I love Tap & Dye.

With them you can buy with your mind at rest. Another passionately handcrafted leather camera strap which immediately tells you the best materials have been used and boy it does look the part. The Legacy I got to try (picture below) is maybe a little thin for my taste as I like wider straps but the leather is soooo extremely soft that I can say it makes shooting with it a very enjoyable experience. A variety of lengths are available too. It's also good to know each strap is handmade by Justin the owner. A lot of pride goes into each strap.