The Best Leather Camera Straps for Film and Digital Cameras
There's something about picking up a camera with a proper leather strap that just feels right. It's hard to explain if you haven't experienced it, but once you have, going back to a nylon strap feels like a bit of a let-down.
Whether you're shooting on a battered old film SLR or a brand new mirrorless body, the strap you choose matters more than most people realise — not just for comfort, but for how the whole experience feels.
We make all our straps by hand here in the UK, using leathers we genuinely love working with — Horween Chromexcel, vegetable-tanned hides, the kind of materials that get better the more you use them.
So if you're trying to figure out which best leather camera strap is right for you, here's our honest take.
Why bother with leather?
Fair question. Synthetic straps are cheaper, lighter, and easier to wipe clean. But leather has something they don't — it ages with you.
A good leather strap softens over time, picks up a patina from use, and starts to feel like it belongs with your camera rather than just attached to it. For film shooters especially, there's something fitting about pairing an analogue camera with a material that has its own story to tell.
Our picks for film cameras
Film cameras can be heavy — especially older SLRs loaded with a fast prime. If you're shooting all day, you want something that distributes that weight properly. The Sterling Leather Camera Neck Strap is our go-to recommendation here. It's wider than most, sits comfortably across the neck and shoulder, and looks great doing it.
For rangefinders or lighter film bodies, the MOCAL Leather Camera Neck Strap is a lovely match — hand-stitched, beautifully proportioned, and the kind of understated look that suits a Leica or a Canonet without trying too hard.
And if you'd rather skip the rivets altogether, the Rivet Free Classic Leather Camera Strap keeps things minimal. Just the leather, the stitching, and nothing else getting in the way.
What we'd suggest for digital and mirrorless
Mirrorless shooters tend to want something a bit slimmer and less fussy. The Slim Adjustable Leather Camera Strap was pretty much made for this — it stays out of the way when you're moving fast, but it's still strong enough to carry a full-frame body with a chunky lens on the front.
If you shoot a lot of street photography or events, it's worth considering a wrist strap instead. The Black Leather Camera Wrist Strap keeps your camera close and secure without the neck strap getting tangled up when you're moving around.
The GRANADA Horween Leather Minimal Neck Strap is one of those straps that works on almost anything — made from Horween leather and handcrafted in the UK, it has a premium feel that looks just as good on a Sony mirrorless as it does on a film body.
Need to swap cameras quickly?
If you regularly switch between bodies mid-shoot, the QR Anchor Leather Neck Strap was built with you in mind. We use genuine Peak Design anchor links — the same system trusted by photographers worldwide — paired with our own handmade leather strap.
You get the reliability and speed of a proven quick-release mechanism without giving up the look and feel of real leather. Detach in seconds, reattach just as fast, and it never looks like you've compromised on anything.
How to choose the right one
Honestly, it comes down to how you shoot. If you're carrying your camera for hours at a time, go for a wider neck strap with good padding. If you're more of a grab-and-go shooter, a slim strap or wrist strap will serve you better.
Either way, look for full-grain leather, solid brass or steel hardware, and hand-finished edges — those details are what separate a strap that lasts years from one that doesn't.
Every strap we make is built to order in small batches. No shortcuts, no mass production. Just something made properly, to last.
Explore our strap collection and find the one that fits how you shoot.