How To Choose Your Camera Straps: Neck, Shoulder, or Wrist?

A few decades ago, photographers considered the choice of a camera strap a trivial matter. In fact, most people held on to the factory straps for years, however; this is no longer the case. Modern photography enthusiasts now understand that the choice of a camera strap plays a significant role in your comfort, type of activity, and fashion preference.

Here are some tips on how to choose camera straps that meet your needs:

1. Understand various strap styles.
2. Compare the camera wrist strap vs. neck strap.
3. Consider the material type used for making the strap.
4. Know the tips for choosing camera straps.

While choosing a camera strap is no mean task, this detailed guide is what you need to get started. We will take you through the various styles, types, and materials that you may find suitable for multiple applications. You’ll also find some viable examples in each category to help make your search easier.

1. Understand Various Strap Styles

Arguably, the most significant decision in your quest for a camera strap is choosing the right style of camera strap. But what are some of the available kinds of camera straps you may need to consider?

When the style is at stake, you will decide whether you need a strap that goes around your neck, over your wrist, or across your shoulder. The following are the main camera strap styles that you will find viable for various applications:

Camera Neck Straps

Neck straps are arguably the most basic camera straps you can find on the market today. Yet, you’ll find an exciting range of incredibly stylish models. As their names suggest, neck-straps go around your neck to conveniently suspend the camera on your chest, abdomen, or belly, depending on their lengths.

They attach to your videography or photography gadgets on both sides using prefabricated eyelets. They are pretty easy to find and stand out as a versatile choice for most professionals.

Additionally, neck straps are usable as slings to conveniently hang your camera on your side when not in use.

Best Neck Straps for Your Camera

With a proliferation of neck straps in the market, we recommend the following options for your consideration. They are available on Amazon.com and come at affordable prices:

Camera Shoulder Straps

Like camera neck straps, camera shoulder straps mount to your device at two attachment points. However, unlike neck straps that often attack the sides of your camera body, shoulder straps attach to the top left and top right sides of your camera.

Modern shoulder straps allow you to mount one end of your strap on one mounting point on the camera and a plate on the tripod socket just under the camera. Such a feature improves the safety of your camera.

They are standard on all DSLRs and mirrorless, albeit the manufacturers often include fundamental options from the company.

Best Shoulder Straps for Your Camera

If you think that shoulder straps are more viable options, you can trust any of these three options available for sale on Amazon.com:

Camera Wrist Straps

Wrist straps are relatively short cords that connect a camera to your wrist. Unlike shoulder and neck straps that attach to two points from your camera, wrist straps only attach to a single mounting point. That can be disastrous if the single tether point snaps.

They are more applicable for smaller and lighter cameras, such as point and shoot cameras, as well as mirrorless cameras with smaller lenses. Again, these are not the kind of straps for your typical DSLR cameras.

Best Wrist Straps for Your Camera

If you’re a big fan of smaller and lighter cameras, these three models (all available at Amazon.com) will work pretty well for your needs, as they’re durable, affordable, and secure:

Camera Hand Straps

You will occasionally find many photographers, professional or otherwise, synonymously use the terms hand straps and wrist straps for the same kind of camera holsters. However, this should not be the case, as hand straps and wrist straps are different in design and application.

Usually made from nylon or leather, hand straps mount your camera from two points, often via the tripod mount and an eyelet. They work perfectly well for DSLR cameras or large mirror-less models.

They are an excellent option for getting your camera off your neck or shoulder and relieving shoulder or neck pain due to large camera weights. However, they work best if your camera also has a chunky handgrip that you can get hold of in the first place.

Additionally, some hand straps may have a wrist extension.

Best Hand Straps for Your Camera

Do you have a DSLR or a large mirrorless camera and are looking for a hand strap that will keep your camera safe and make you more productive? If so, the following cameras, sold on Amazon.com, are some of the most viable options:

2. Compare the Camera Wrist Strap vs. Neck Strap

Straps come in handy for carrying and securing cameras. Nearly all types of straps will provide security. However, not every strap will be functional in all videography and photography activities.

Camera straps are like any other photography gear. Various styles perfectly fit specific situations. And when it comes to the camera wrist strap vs. neck strap debate, wrist straps come in handy for securing smaller cameras while neck straps are more suited for larger cameras.

Neck or shoulder straps help get the strain that comes from higher weights off your hand. Besides, you may consider using both the wrist and neck straps interchangeably on a single camera.

This comparison table should give you a broader outline:

Parameter	Wrist Strap	Neck Strap
Hands-Free	No	Yes
Multi-Camera	No	Yes
Anti-Theft	Yes	Yes
Security	Small and medium cameras	Nearly all cameras
Length	Short and not prone to tangling	Long and could tangle

3. Consider the Type of Material Used for Making the Strap

Apart from style, the material used for manufacturing a camera strap is an important consideration when shopping for a new camera strap. The type of material goes beyond determining the aesthetics to determine your strap’s durability.

Some of the questions you may want to ask yourself on the material factor include:

• What stress load can the material handle?
• Is the material durable and can it stand the test of time?
• Is the material resistant to environmental elements such as corrosion and abrasion?

Notably, there are various materials you may consider, each of which comes with its unique advantages and disadvantages. Let us delve deeper:

Leather Strap Material

Leather remains one of the most common types of material for camera straps. It provides a long-lasting solution for professional camera handling. Moreover, leather can equally come in a range of exquisite designs.

However, you should always be wary of the fact that they can get damp if you’ll be shooting in wetter conditions. Again, some leather materials are prone to wear and fade.

An excellent example of a leather camera bag we can recommend for Canon or DSLR camera owners is the versatile PEGAI Leather Custom Camera Strap on Amazon.com. This product is lightweight, sleek, and versatile, as it’s made from full-grain leather. It’s ideal both as a neck strap and shoulder strap and will effortlessly adjust to your desired length.

Neoprene Strap Material

Neoprene is the material that manufacturers use to make wetsuits. It boasts various impressive properties, including durability, flexibility, and the ability to withstand a variety of temperatures and weather conditions.

If you consider bringing a neoprene camera strap into your shoots, the OP/TECH USA Super Classic Strap on Amazon.com is worth your consideration. The solid and durable neck strap is a good recommendation for DSLR cameras, heavy cameras, and any type of binoculars.

Additionally, this strap features a non-skid surface and is adjustable to between 36″ to 43″ (91.4 cm to 109.22 cm), making it ideal for nearly everyone.

Paracord Strap Material

Another suitable material for making straps is paracord. The material is common in various applications, including emergencies, survival situations, and self-defense.

Paracord camera straps can hold cameras of all weights, mainly since the material is famous for its strength and compact nature. They are rugged, yet still sleek and presentable.

The HITHUT Paracord Woven Camera Strap on Amazon.com is an ideal neck or shoulder strap for shooters of all body frames. However, you can only use this strap if your camera has a round-hole interface.

Nylon Strap Material

Nylon camera straps are solid and reliable. They are abrasion-resistant and will serve you religiously for several years. Nylon camera straps are light and will not add any weight to your already heavy camera and lenses.

If you’re looking for a simple nylon wrist strap for your camera, the Avorast Wrist Strap Lanyard on Amazon.com is a good recommendation. It’s sleek, simple, and affordable.

This camera strap is also versatile and goes beyond securing your phone to conveniently provide anchorage for your cellphone and other portable electronic gadgets.

Climbing Rope Strap Material

Are you looking for something more unique? Why not consider a climbing rope for your next camera strap. Of course, climbing ropes are strong and can remain beautiful for eons if adequately cared for. And since they can carry human beings, is it so difficult to trust them with your camera?

The beautiful and luxurious Hargedis Camera Neck Strap on Amazon.com is a climbing rope strap that blends impressive properties such as wear resistance, non-slip and high toughness. Thus, it will reliably keep your camera safe whenever you need it. It also features a simple but fashionable design.

Moreover, this strap is very portable as you can easily remove it and store it separately.

4. Know the Tips for Choosing Camera Straps

Apart from style and material, finding the right camera strap will also depend on other factors. Thus, including the type of camera strap, also stay on the lookout for the following vital considerations:

Think About the Strap’s Size and Adjustability

It’s important to note that camera straps come in various sizes, irrespective of the style. Always note that you pick what is most appropriate for you. While a good strap should neither be too long nor too short, you may have to choose between a fixed or an adjustable camera strap.

Adjustable straps are generally more popular as they can fit most people after slight adjustments. All you may need to do is check the maximum and minimum lengths, and check if it accommodates your size.

However, you’ll need to be more careful with fixed straps since a small mistake will make your pick too small and unusable or too long and uncomfortable. Always ascertain your strap measurements before you place an order.

Examine the Strap’s Connectors

Understanding what connectors are and how they matter plays a significant role in choosing your camera straps. Notably, not all connectors on straps will fit on your camera.

It’s essential to confirm the number of connection points on your camera. Many medium and large cameras have two connection points. However, a range of smaller models only has one point of connection. It would be best to choose your camera strap with the number of attachment points in mind.

Still, on connection points, consider the orientation of the connectors. Are the mounting points round or square? Will you need a strap with a thread or one that snaps together? The trick here is to find what works best for you.

Contemplate the Strap’s Ergonomics

Cameras can be heavy and uncomfortable to carry around. Thus, one of the main reasons for investing in a strap is to help transfer the weight. Depending on what you find viable, you may need to transfer the weight of your camera to your shoulder or neck and, in turn, relieve your hands of the importance.

Ensure that you choose straps that guarantee comfort and effectively distribute weight without causing you any pain. Check on the material, any extra padding, and the availability of any sharp contours.

Consider the Strap’s Aesthetics

Finally, aesthetics play a significant role in choosing a camera strap. Photography is synonymous with fashion, and nearly every photographer wants to stand out from the crowd.

Therefore, you can look beyond functionality and ergonomics when shopping for a camera strap.

Consider straps that have a sleek and good design. Of course, we sometimes recommend choosing a camera strap with your gadget in mind, as you can decide to blend or contrast your camera with your strap.

Final Thoughts

Choosing your camera strap doesn’t have to be challenging. Although there are several styles of straps, including neck, shoulder, and wrist, deciding which is best for your situation is key.

Comparing the popular strap styles (such as the wrist strap and neck strap) will easily allow you to choose between the two. However, taking the material of the straps into consideration is also essential. While some materials are excellent for others, they may not be good for you.

Following these tips, as well as considering the size, adjustability, and aesthetics, will ensure you choose the perfect camera strap for you.