new camera cover for M5: recommendations

[thomasw_]

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Hello,

 

I am thinking about getting a new camera cover from aki asahi in Japan. He makes one for 23$ USD. However, can anyone recommend another camera cover maker for comparison? Any contact info and recommendations would be appreciated.

 

Also, can anyone recommend a person to put on the new cover? I live in British Columbia, Canada; perhaps there is someone nearby? Or is it easy to do-it-yourself?

 

Respectfully,

Thomas W.

[LADP]

Here are a few choices found from a quick Google search:

 

cameraleather.com Leica Recovering Service

 

Camera Repairs & Restoration Luton England <p> Vulcanite coverings as used on Leica Cameras from 1920's

 

Dave Elwell Leica Camera Inc. / Parts & Technical Info 156 Ludlow Ave / Northvale, NJ 07647 http://www.leica-camera.com/usa dave.elwell@leicacamerausa.com Tel 800-222-0118 ext 217 / Fax 201-767-3438

 

I know there are many others too. I have no personal experience with any of these businesses, I'm just passing along some info.

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[thomasw_]

thanks a lot for the info anthony.

 

I'd really like to know what people's dealings/impressions have been like with, for example, Morgan the owner of cameraleather.com and other businesses. I want to go with a well-recommended technician.

[Zurenborger]

I have bought from Cameraleather. The shipment was quick the covering was excellently cut and I actually did it myself, it took some time to prepare but there are some good instructions on the site itself. You will also find good instruction on the Aki Asahi site but I have never dealt with him before.

 

Anyway I stripped my M3 which takes quite a long time and is nerve racking because at one stage it will look so unusable that you wonder why you ever started the exercise, anyway I fitted the replacement without any problem at all. I am not a technical personal, but it all worked for me and the M3 turned out to be a real nice looking camera again.

[Never Satisfied]

Hi Thomas, I have used Aki Ashi several times and have one of his coverings on my M3 and I'm about to re-cover an old M2 with one of his coverings. I can't speak highly enough about his service or his product. The fit of his covers is perfect and I think it is the 4008 leatherette that is the closest to M2-5 vulcanite.

 

Camera Leather is also another choice, a bit dearer but offers more 'exotic' covers like snake and ostritch. I believe that his standard replacement covers are made from the same base material that Aki Ashi uses.

 

Lutons recovering is a genuine vulcanite not an adhesive cover, it is about $200USD and you cannot DIY. Thier web site is currently showing that they are booked solid well into 2007.

 

'Japanese Camera Tool Specialist ' this is the eBay name for a guy who sells camera leather in sheets with an adhesive back if you want to cut your own; he also sells camera tool sets if you want to remove the self time and finder levers to make the job easier.

 

Good luck, Andrew.

[rsh]

Aki Asahi would be my choice. I replaced the factory covering on my MP with his standard covering and the covering on an M5 with the same. The MP I did myself, but I had Sherry Krauter. do the M5 because I did not want to deal with the removal of the flaking vulcanite. Camera Leather also has many good choices.

 

Research both.