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Every photographer needs a good camera, but a quality camera strap is equally as essential, whether you’re an amateur photographer or a pro. Besides keeping your camera at the ready, the best camera straps will prevent accidental falls and keep your comfortable at a comfortable reach during long days of on-and-off shooting.
Sadly, stock camera straps are often cheap afterthoughts on the part of the brand (even with very expensive cameras). That’s why most photographers – no matter their expertise – turn to aftermarket camera straps. These higher-quality straps are made from comfortable, strong materials (I.e. no surprise drops), and they often include features for faster, more fluid adjustability.
For professional photographers, this means one less thing to worry about on a shoot. For most amateurs, this means you can carry your camera all day (say, while exploring on vacation or birding) with fewer worries and less discomfort.
Camera Strap Buying Guide
With different strap styles, a range of materials and a variety of special features, there’s a lot to choose from while shopping for the best camera straps. Here’s what to look for.
Strap Type: The four basic styles of camera straps are neck straps, cross-body straps, wrist straps and harnesses. Neck straps can be hung around the neck for easy access, over a shoulder, or across your body when you’re not shooting. Cross-body straps (a.k.a. sling straps) can be slung across the body, distributing weight for more comfort when not shooting.
Wrist straps are good for active shooting, giving you better mobility and less material. Harnesses are less common, and they’re typically only used when you’re rocking multiple cameras. Neck, cross-body and wrist straps are by far the most popular, so we’ve stuck to these styles for our picks.
Materials: A point of contention between camera geeks is whether straps should be non-slip or slippery. With non-slip materials (such as leather) the strap won’t slide around on your body. But this can make it harder to swing the camera up (without pulling your shirt along too), leading some photographers to prefer slippery camera strap materials like nylon. If you’re unsure which you prefer, we recommend trying both. It makes a bigger difference than you might expect.
Comfort: It’s hard to focus on the shots when your neck or hand is uncomfortable from a bad camera strap. Look for comfortable materials and plenty of adjustability to ensure a comfortable fit – no matter which strap style you go for.
Weight Capacity: Nothings worse than a strap breaking and a dropped camera. The higher the weight capacity of a strap, the better. Some straps will list maximum weight, and others will list recommended load weight.
What Are the Best Camera Straps?
We’ve rounded up some of the best camera straps you can buy online, from basic models that fit most camera brands, to more stylish picks that let you accessorize your camera carrying kit.
