The strap that came with thew camera is perfectly okay but I remember seeing a leather strap on someone else's X100, then on a hulking DSLR and even on a Ricoh GRD IV. I asked them where they got it and was told that it was bought it on an exclusive eBay outlet. After a few searches I discovered that the eBay shop was called, Footprint Straps. Reassuringly, they have a 100% feedback score over of 800 and reading the feedback, you soon discover hundreds of people rate these straps, the service and the company that makes them very highly.
The straps come in many colours and when I discovered that you could actually choose the waxed thread binding as you can see in the photos, I had to have orange! I placed an order for a neck strap - black leather and orange bindings - and again you can specify the length of strap (within certain restrictions).
Footprint Straps started about a year ago. The leather used to make the straps are sourced from two of the countries finest UK tanneries - J & E Sedgwick, West Midlands and J & F Baker in Devon. The straps are made and put together by one man in his workshop and his straps are sold to currently over 24 countries!
Once the order was placed I waited with eager anticipation. The strap arrived, beautifully packed and was wrapped up in red tissue paper. The smell from the leather was wonderful! The strap itself is pure an unadulterated quality. The ringed eyelets are easy to put onto the camera lugs and a rubber ring protects the sides of the camera from the strap rubbing against it.
The rubber rings (included) prevent the strap rubbing against the side of the camera - a very clever idea! |
The strap isn't much heavier that the one that came with the camera but it is so much better. Carrying the camera across my body (the best way I have found when cycling and my preferred way even when not) is extremely comfortable. As far as looks go, it enhances an already very handsome camera. The strap was gorgeous and as if from a bygone era when quality mattered.
The strap cost £24.99 with £3.99 postage and packing to the UK. I think for what you are getting this is great value. I was so impressed I also acquired a matching wrist strap for times when I am on two feet and doing a bit of street photography.
The wrist strap is of just the same high quality and again comes with the rubber rings to stop the strap rubbing against the camera body.
One of the rubber rings can be used as an adjuster on the strap to slide up to make the loop smaller and therefore making the strap tighter on the wrist. The wrist strap is £14.99 with £1.99 postage and packing to the UK.
If you are not in the UK an overseas order shouldn't be much of a problem as they already sell to currently 24 countries!
Footprint Straps can be found on there eBay shop via the link below. They even have a flickr page where you can view the many different colour combinations they do. The flickr page is possibly the best to visit as you can click on the many of the pictures to link directly with items available. (The eBay link is for a current item so will expire when the sale ends).
I think they are a brilliant product and can see myself buying another in a different colour of leather. For my money they certainly beat the boring branded camera straps that come with the camera and give things a more bespoke feel.
eBay item
Footprint Strap Flickr Page
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