Certain camera straps really appeal to me. Like the HoldFast Gear Camera Leash I’ve been struck by the brand new A7 Original Camera strap in black leather. A7 is manufactured by the design company: Apartment No 7. I’ve been using one for a couple of weeks now on my mirrorless cameras, even though this strap indeed seems more suited for a DSLR. However, for my style of shooting, the Camera Leash rules all. But when it comes to mirrorless cameras that mean business, this strap has made its mark: and oddly enough, marked its territory on my scent glands.
Tech Specs
There isn’t really anything technical about the A7 camera strap. It’s leather, and that’s really all.
Ergonomics
The original camera strap in black is made of American leather and manufactured on American soil here in NYC. The company is based in Brooklyn. When you sling this strap around your neck, you’ll get a much different feeling than traditional camera straps. This one is tough yet soft to the touch, and that is actually remarkably if not unexpectedly pleasing.
On one side of the strap is the pebble leather with the A7 logo emblazoned though still quite subtle. On the other side is some suede like material.
The strap is designed in such a way to attract those that will roughhouse their gear. The reason why is because overtime, this strap will look a bit aged and beat up. And while it still retains its dexterity and toughness, it tends to age gracefully: only becoming more and more beautiful.
But that isn’t the most appealing thing about this strap. More than anything, when I took it out of its case, it smelled like a brand new car. So when I put it on, it was almost like there was a new car smell all over me.
I loved that.
The strap comes with triangle shaped rings to attach to the slots on your camera. These are a bit easier to put on vs something like Leica’s split rings.
A7’s original camera strap is adjustable using a little button system and holes that allow you to make it looser or tighter. It takes a but of thumb muscle to affix it into the hole or to even take it out.
The strap is also held in place by another leather ring around the thinner areas.
In Use
I’ve used this strap so far on my EP2, EPM1, the Olympus OMD, the Leica X2, and the Sony NEX 7. To be very honest, it felt it did best on the DSLR style bodies like the OMD, EP2 with VF2 and Voigtlander 17.5mm f0.95, and the NEX 7. Otherwise, I would instead opt for a thinner camera strap.
The company is already in the process of making those. But at the moment, this strap actually feels very comfortable on my EPM1 due to the fact that I often actually wrap the strap around my hand and then shoot for a prolonged period of time.
Indeed, this has to be the most comfortable neck strap I’ve wrapped around my wrist: and other major camera companies should take notice.
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