Well keep right on walking, cowboy. This is the Leica counter and we don't play for pocket money 'round these here parts...
But we do play for style. You might not think that there is anything to be said for, against, or even about a camera strap. Unless it breaks and drops your camera in the street ( Or down a street drain in Melbourne in 1989 but that is another painful memory we won't go into...) it is just a way of holding the thing up. You could use bailing twine or macramé -
but not 'round these here parts or these here cameras.
Leica have always had access to the best leathers for their cases and straps. Even when they decided to coat their cameras in textured vulcanite that occasionally chipped at the corners, they were sewing the cases for the cameras out of the finest hides with the best craftsmanship. Today you can find old Leica cases that have started to open up due to thread deterioration - after 60 years - and you can reassemble them very neatly with the correct restitching technique. No wonder that many of their current cameras have pure leather strapping:
Okay, that's the traditionalists catered for. If you are anti-leather for any reason - good or otherwise - you can still sling your Leica round your neck or shoulder in safety and possibly with a little more style. Fashion is in the eye of the beholder, so cast your eye over these silk specials:
Don't be too surprised at the blue colour of the featured image - remember that Leica have their own pallette as evinced by the silicon straps of their T cameras and the body colour of one of their Sofort models:
