The guys from Hawkesmill recently sent me one of their Westminster leather camera straps and I think I can clearly, without hesitation, say that this is one of the finest leather camera straps I have ever seen or owned. The leather is soft, the stitching is flawless, the wide shoulder patch is perfect for a Leica M camera. Yes, the price is high (£115 or around $150) but as usual – you get what you pay for. Several websites have already labeled Hawkesmill as the best camera strap in the world and I have to agree 100%. The strap comes with two sets of rings which you can use depending on the size of the camera (the pictures above show the larger ring, click for larger view). Additional information directly from Hawkesmill:
We tried dozens of leathers before settling on Horween Chromexcel for our leather camera straps. We were looking for a leather that was durable and could take daily abuse, but that was soft on the interior of the neck pad. Some leathers seemed to work, but had terrible colour-transference. Our white shirt collars were left with stains. Horween Chromexcel is, in our minds, the only leather worth using for camera straps.
- Four sizes available – 100cm – (39 3/8″), 110cm – (43 5/16″), 120cm – (47 1/4″) and 130cm – (51 3/16″). Measured from split ring to split ring (key ring).
- Width: 1.5cm (Neck Pad – 4cm)
- Two colours available: black and brown.
- Black is accented with red stitching. Brown is accented with orange stitching.
- Horween Chromexcel leather. Known for its durability and softness, as well as its lack of colour-transference. Meaning, the dye will not rub off on your clothes.
- Recommended max weight is 5lbs. Although straps have been tested to support weight up to 30lbs without breaking or splitting.
- Lug mount. Fits all lug mount cameras, including Nikon, Leica, Olympus, Sony, Fujifilm and most 35mm vintage cameras.
- Split rings proudly made in England, using non-corrosive chrome plating.
See a full list of compatible cameras here. Ensure you care for your strap. Follow our care guide and read our FAQs page for further details.
Hawkesmill sells camera straps, camera bags and accessories.
