Cecilia manufactures and sells alpaca wool and leather camera straps. They have a unique website and it is interesting even if you are not in the market for a camera strap.
At their website, you can purchase from a diverse assortment of alpaca wool and leather camera straps or you can peruse the unique photo gallery they have collected. The photo gallery consists of narratives or photo essays. These narratives are a collection of three or more pictures that tell a story and the essays are produced by internationally recognized photographers. The idea is their website is more than just an online store for camera straps – it is a website dedicated to photography.
Cecilia says they are part of a family leather business that has been around since 1803; but they don’t disclose the name of the business. Are they creating a mystery? or would most people never recognize the name of the family business, anyway?
We are reviewing the Cecilia charcoal baby alpaca wool with brown leather camera strap.
CONSTRUCTION
The wool in the camera straps are made from handwoven Peruvian baby alpaca wool and the leather is made from full-grain Argentinian cowhide. There is a precision-engineered nylon webbing running through the interior of the strap. This has a tested 250 pound tensile strength and it is supplemented with polyester to make it more comfortable. This nylon/polyester webbing is from mills, here in the United States. The hardware is made from a zinc-alloy, called Zamac.
Full length, the strap is 58 inches (147 cm) and is adjustable from 26 to 52 inches (67 – 134 cm). The neck length is 20 inches (51 cn) and 1.5 inches (4 cm) wide. The tab length is 19 inches (49 cm) and 0.4 inches (1 cm) wide.
The tabs are the pieces that connect the strap to the camera – they are little straps in themselves and consist of three layers: leather, nylon and leather.
FUNCTION
The full grain leather gives the straps their strength and durability. The alpaca fibers are hypoallergenic, do not easily absorb water and have a high tensile strength.
The strap in review was given to one of my photographers. She told me she was worried the edges would be itchy but found alpaca does not have that “wooly-itch.” She said they are quite comfortable. The strap has a low profile and a professional appearance.
Attaching and adjusting the strap on each side was time consuming. But the battle is worth the effort because the Cecilia strap does not have “strap slack” getting in the way of her fingers while she is working the camera. This is a big deal because she has constantly fought this with her other straps.
Note: These pictures were taken by this photographer. The model in the pictures is her husband.
AESTHETIC
The alpaca wool comes in over twenty natural colors. According to the website, manufacturing Alpaca textiles and hand-weaving them are a Peruvian tradition and an integral part of their culture. Cecilia does more than import the alpaca wool; they have hired people local to the wool – people with centuries of experience – to weave these into the beautiful designs they offer.
The deep color of the leather and the supple feel come from the tanning process they use. And, as we mentioned earlier, they only use full-grain leather. The hides come from Argentina but are finished in the USA.
BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION
The strap has a professional appearance and it is comfortable. However, one of the greatest features is the design, using the tabs, prevents the straps from getting in the way of your fingers while taking pictures. If you have a camera, BestLeather recommends that you take a look at the Cecilia camera strap and get one.
