Sunday, July 7, 2019

A CAMERA STRAP WORTHY OF A LEICA


Woman wears brown elk-leather camera strap around her shoulders.


In the past I always used the camera straps supplied by Leica with their cameras.  There was little reason to do otherwise.  But that has changed.  As of late quite a few valid alternatives have emerged.  The material of choice still is leather, but other materials, mainly mountain climbing ropes, have garnered quite a following.  As with so many other things, prices vary widely, as does the workmanship.

The LEICA Barnack Berek Blog has earned quite a good reputation over the almost 7 years since its beginning.  That has led to many accessory manufacturers to contact us to introduce their wares, including many camera strap manufacturers.  That has also enabled me to test many samples that were provided.

Obviously, the market for camera straps is a lot larger than what I have been able to physically test and evaluate.  Subsequently, I cannot, in good conscience, give an accurate rating of what is out there.

But of all the camera straps that I have had the chance to try, and there were some very excellent ones, one does stand out.  To me it is still the best answer of why anyone would want to replace the strap supplied by Leica.  That is the EDDYCAM  strap from Germany.

This thing exudes quality.  Not that the Leica strap is bad, but the EDDYCAM  strap is in an entirely different league.  The EDDYCAM is the first and only ergonomic elk-skin camera strap.  It was developed by Edlef Wienen, an avid photographer and industry insider with decades of experience and a genuine passion for aesthetics and nature. Created for people that expect the best quality, functionality and comfort from their camera strap. The ergonomic design, use of Scandinavian elk-skin leather and painstaking production in a small German factory make EDDYCAM particularly comfortable yet extremely durable – and therefore simply unique.

Step 1: Storing and sorting
The raw elk hides are first preserved in salt or by drying, and stored at low temperatures
This is where the initial quality control and sorting takes place.

Edlef Wienen

Man cuts strips of leather with a carpet cutter.    Sewing machine produces a strap.
The EDDYCAM straps are mostly made by hand

Elk-skin is a high quality natural product and is not only one of the thickest leathers in the world, but also one of the finest.  Production of the elk-skin straps doesn’t start with the actual manufacturing in Germany, but much earlier – somewhere in the Scandinavian boreal forest. This is the home of the elk whose leather is responsible for EDDYCAM’s high quality. The elk-skin is tanned and dyed in a small Finnish tannery before being sent to the workshop in Bavaria for further processing. This is where the cutting, bonding and stitching takes place and components are attached – all very carefully, as you would expect from an exclusive natural product, and mostly by hand. The soft and skin-friendly surface, ergonomic strap shape, infinitely adjustable length and pure natural rubber padding attached with solvent-free adhesive ensure that EDDYCAM doesn’t pull or pinch your neck or shoulder – even after hours of wear.

Above all, EDDYCAM’s extreme durability is down to solid artisanal workmanship and the robustness of the elk-skin and other product components. From webbing quintuple-stitched with special thread (4700 N tensile strength), to non-breakable stainless steel length adjustment clips or sturdy polypropylene connecting elements – only consistently high quality in every part of the camera strap can guarantee its supreme durability. This makes it almost indestructible, even put to the toughest use in the harshest climates – and we guarantee that for five years.

Fan made of different coloured elk-leather straps.   Spool out of elk-leather straps.

My Leica strap has been retired and the EDDYCAM now is doing its duty on my Leica M240.  Fastening it to the camera turned out to be a bit tedious, but that was well worth it.  I don’t think I have ever used a camera strap that is as comfortable to wear as the EDDYCAM.


For more information on the EDDYCAM strap go to: www.eddycam.com



For other articles on this blog please click on Blog Archive in the column to the right


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12 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 7, 2019 at 2:36 PM

    How can a simple leather strap be worth almost 150 dollars?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LEICA Barnack Berek BlogJuly 7, 2019 at 2:37 PM

      A while ago I might have agreed with you. But this is not a 'simple' leather strap. Once I received the EDDYCAM and once I saw how it is made, and all that goes into its production, I came to the conclusion that it is well worth it. This strap is something one almost has to experience. I have never seen anything like it, and there are a lot of really well made straps on the market.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousJuly 7, 2019 at 2:37 PM

    Looks like an overpriced item just to accommodate Leica owners with too much money.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LEICA Barnack Berek BlogJuly 7, 2019 at 2:38 PM

      I am sorry, but you obviously have not had a chance to hold this strap in your hands. Go to the EDDYCAM website and look at the video on how it is made. That might change your mind. As for Leica owners having too much money - that is a typical worn out non-argument. I know pro photographers that spend as much or more on their non-Leica camera equipment. From my days in retail, I can point to many beginning photographers that scraped together their last nickel to get a Leica. Not too much money there.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousJuly 7, 2019 at 2:39 PM

      on't let the nay-sayers get to you. I bought the EDDYCAM, and I agree with you 100%. It is without a doubt one of the best camera straps on the market. Another example of "you get what you pay for."

      Delete
    3. LEICA Barnack Berek BlogJuly 7, 2019 at 2:40 PM

      Don't worry, they won't get to me. I always hear the same old arguments which ultimately shows lot of envy for not having a Leica. It's the photographic equivalent to penis envy. Subsequently excuses have to be made.

      Delete
    4. AnonymousJuly 7, 2019 at 2:40 PM

      But not everyone can afford a Leica

      Delete
  3. LEICA Barnack Berek BlogJuly 7, 2019 at 2:41 PM

    I agree, a lot people cannot. But that is no reason to disparage the camera.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJuly 7, 2019 at 2:42 PM

      Aren't Canon, Nikon, Fuji and Sony are equal to the Leica?

      Delete
    2. LEICA Barnack Berek BlogJuly 7, 2019 at 2:44 PM

      Not in their entirety. A camera system is a chain of many links and there are some weak links in other manufacturer's chains. The weakest one being the manufacturing process. As good as it has become, no massproduction can achieve the tight tolerances to which Leica equipment is made; that goes for their cameras and especially their lenses. On the other hand it is these tight tolerances that are necessary to achieve optimum performance levels. With lenses that means that they will work at virtually full performance, even wide open, and not stopped down a few stops. Unfortunately these extra steps are expensive, more so than what is indicated by the performance increases. If the expense of the better performance is worth the price of a Leica is something everyone has to decide for him/herself.

      Delete
  4. AnonymousJuly 7, 2019 at 2:45 PM

    It is probably not worth the price, but it is, without a doubt, the most comfortable camera neck strap I have ever worn, especially when worn sling style around the neck and across the chest. I give it a big thumbs up!

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousJuly 7, 2019 at 2:45 PM

    I was in NYC and went to B&H to check out this strap for my M10 and SL601. As a woman, I find both cameras heavy, and I never leave the house without one (usually the 10). I've dropped the SL twice, something that would not have happened if it had been securely around my neck with one of these straps. I bought one strap for each camera. Had the M10 with me in NY, no more fussy to attach to the camera than any other. Right away I could feel the difference in ease in carrying it with the EDDYCAM strap. I simply feel less strain, and it is super easy to move the camera from hanging around the neck to across the body - and wearing it across the body makes it easy to pull it up in one swoop and capture a shot. I've never liked the original Leica strap, have tried others, but this one is the best, and easily worth the cost. I wore it all day in hot humid weather and it is super comfortable, did not get sweaty either. B&H only had 3 in stock, and I had to wait for them to send them up from the warehouse - I had been on the EDDYCAM website, but could not figure out which one was right for the camera. I got a smaller one for the M10, a slightly more beefy one for the SL. I mostly use the SL for studio photography, but want to be able to take out for a workshop or for shorter walkabouts, and this strap makes it possible. Big thumbs up from me too!

    ReplyDelete

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