These Handmade Camera Straps Will Last a Lifetime
I think I got about three years into my photography career before I realized that purchasing cheap camera gear wouldn’t get me very far. Granted, during this phase of my career I couldn’t afford much else, but it got really tiring having to replace my camera accessories every few months.
Now that I’m a little more established in my career, and have the task of writing about camera gear for a living, I take great pleasure in finding camera gear that is made by good people, with good materials.
One such company that I’ve been loving lately is Holdfast. Now, Holdfast is an American-based company. It was founded by an actual photographer and they create all sorts of camera gear, ranging from camera harnesses to camera bags and just about everything in between.
As I’ve been getting more and more into trying different types of camera straps lately, I decided to go to Holdfast and check out what they had available.
I found three different handmade camera straps that I absolutely love. I think each one of these camera straps serves a separate purpose and I wanted to highlight each of them for you. Let’s get started.
Mando Limited Edition MoneyMaker/MoneyMaker Solo/Tanker Belt
The first leather camera strap on this list is the Mando Limited Edition. The Mando Limited Edition is yet another strap in Holdfast’s lineup of Star Wars-inspired camera straps, so it definitely speaks to the nerd in me.
This strap comes in a few different varieties. You can either get the Mando which includes the original MoneyMaker (more on that below) and a three camera setup, which means you can use this strap to carry three cameras on you at once, or you can get the Mando which includes the MoneyMaker Solo, which only allows you to carry one camera at a time. Lastly, you can get the Mando which comes with the Tanker Belt.
Every single one of these options come with colored leather inspired by the Mandalorian. So, each large piece of leather is a dark grey, while each accent piece of leather is a classic brown. As with many Holdfast products, the leather is from water buffalo.
Every Holdfast product is incredibly comfortable, and the Mando limited edition is no different. What does make the Mando limited edition strap different from other camera straps that Holdfast makes is the little details. This strap comes with a Mandalorian logo on the outside. Across the inside of one of the straps, another logo reads: “This is the way.” For Star Wars nerds, these little details will automatically draw you to this version.
Of course, every Holdfast product is guaranteed for life, which means this could be the last camera strap you ever purchase. It ranges in price, depending upon which option you choose, from $185 to $475. But again, this is one purchase for life!
Original MoneyMaker in Water Buffalo Leather
I’ve written about the original MoneyMaker quite a few times at PhotographyTalk because it is one of my favorite leather photography accessories on the market today.
One of the reasons why Holdfast makes so many limited edition camera straps based off of the original MoneyMaker is because it is incredibly comfortable to use. It straps across both of your shoulders to ensure that all of the weight of your cameras is evenly distributed across your body.
Unlike some other leather camera straps, thanks to the pliable leather provided by water buffalo, you can throw on the MoneyMaker and start shooting immediately. There really isn’t any amount of breaking in that you need to do with it.
It also isn’t one size fits all, which means that your MoneyMaker is built for someone of your height and weight.
The strap comes with stainless steel D-rings, which means it will never rust, and it looks really modern, while simultaneously looking very classic.
You can pick up the MoneyMaker in black, burgundy, or tan for $285.
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Vegan Leather MoneyMaker Solo
The vegan leather MoneyMaker Solo is not just for vegans, although if you’re hoping to be more animal or planet friendly, this camera strap will definitely do the job for you.
As someone who has always felt a bit guilty using leather, I’ve been looking for a great vegan leather camera strap for years. The problem was that it took companies a really long time to figure out a formula for vegan leather that actually feels as comfortable as the real deal.
Not only is this vegan leather strap as comfortable as Holdfast’s real leather strap, but it is more convenient. I never have to worry about my vegan MoneyMaker getting wrecked when I’m shooting in crazy weather or environments, because at the end of the day I can simply clean it with a wet rag.
This is a MoneyMaker Solo, which means that you can only carry one camera with this setup, so if you need to carry more than one at a time, it won’t work for you.
But, I think this is overshadowed by the fact that this camera strap comes with a belt anchor to keep your camera exactly where you want it until you’re ready to shoot.
The vegan leather MoneyMaker Solo is available in a huge array of colors, from white to orange to hot pink, and costs $170.
