digbyhp Posted September 13, 2011 Share #21 Posted September 13, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Half-cases are partly a matter of protection, partly a matter of aesthetics. They are a bit old-world quaint. I think they work well on a film M, however the M9 has bigger bones so is probably not suitable, but it does depend on the size of your hands. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 13, 2011 Posted September 13, 2011 Hi digbyhp, Take a look here Why are poorly fitting Italian cases so expensive.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Steve Ash Posted September 13, 2011 Share #22 Posted September 13, 2011 Don't shop at Walmart, Gap, Target, Zellers and Cosco! Ronan, actually I do not do. Started by my wife and with my initial resistance because of higher costs we get our foodstuff from a family run store which is strongly connected to the environmental movement. Over the years the price difference decreased but the quality we get is still much better. Also shopping there is a much more personal experience Overall the extra money is well spent. Regards, Steve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Ash Posted September 13, 2011 Share #23 Posted September 13, 2011 Regarding the use of the halfcases my experience is that it improves the grip of the camera but does not help much to avoid paint damages. My camera is looking heavily used as it is but the scratches are mainly due to damages it took while it was in my bag and not during its use. Thus to protect the camera from scratches I would recommend to use the Leica Nylon case. Regards, Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 13, 2011 Share #24 Posted September 13, 2011 Don't shop at Walmart, Gap, Target, Zellers and Cosco!Thanks for the tip; actually I have never been inside any of these... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted September 13, 2011 Share #25 Posted September 13, 2011 Thanks for the tip; actually I have never been inside any of these... +1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted September 13, 2011 Share #26 Posted September 13, 2011 The best fit you get from the Artisan @ Artist half case. Fits like a thin glove and don't get the feeling of bulky leather being in the way. Take a black one. I tried the half case of mr zhou and did not like. Some controls partly hidden behind the leather and bulky feeling. It was well made. The A&A half case is a thing of beauty and properly compliments an M, IMHO. I am very pleased with mine, and as I use it more and it becomes broken-in, it is becoming easier to remove. It is extremely well made, with fine stitching, nicelt tanned leather (mine is black) and extremely well lined. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted September 13, 2011 Share #27 Posted September 13, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Originally, I too thought Luigi's stuff was a bit over-priced. However, my kids bought me an M8 battery case, which also holds 2 SD cards and I thought it was beautifully made and the leather was very good quality, which does not come cheap. I now have two of his camera straps, which just get better and softer as they wear. Again beautifully made, lovely leather and very practical with a very comfortable neck/shoulder pad. Bill's comment on hand made suits sums up the situation nicely. I am not a fan of camera cases, so I cannot comment on those. All my Leicas end up with a well used look, which as I very rarely sell them, does not matter. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted September 13, 2011 Share #28 Posted September 13, 2011 +1 Never heard of half of them. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
businessasusual Posted September 13, 2011 Share #29 Posted September 13, 2011 Having owned a beautiful Luigi case (on my then M6TTL) I can vouch for the quality. Outstanding. Second time around with M9 - I chose a Zhou case and was pleasantly surpised at the quality for the money I paid - superb quality. Plus it cost me A$70 vs $300 plus and Zhou's customer service was second to none - free and super fast delivery (within the week) - my decision to sway to Zhou was past experience with Luigi where I TT'd payment exactly as requested and once he had my money - contacted me for additional bank fees which cost me another TT fee to send - ending up costing me way more than I thought I'd be paying (close for $400 at the time.) Luigi also back charges Pay Pal fees - Zhou did not. I could buy another 4 Zhou cases for the price. They are really beautifully made - mine is black with red stitching and fits Thumbs Up perfectly. Case has built in grip. (all made complete with Giottos LCD Protection). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_dernie Posted September 13, 2011 Share #30 Posted September 13, 2011 Yah, I was wondering about the "Leica"logo on the front of the case. I guess China (or wherever) doesn't follow patent and licensing laws in other countries. Wait....don't tell me........are you insinuating the Rolex I paid $50.00 for isn't genuine? DAMN!!!!!!! I remember a recentish (in the last few years) quote from a Chinese government minister during a BBC radio 4 programme about counterfeit goods from China. When questioned about the supply of counterfeit goods in convincing packaging being sold as genuine and causing the bankruptcy of the original manufacturer following floods of warranty claims her response was: "In the West you have copyright, in China we have the right to copy" She did not care at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_dernie Posted September 13, 2011 Share #31 Posted September 13, 2011 Having owned a beautiful Luigi case (on my then M6TTL) I can vouch for the quality. Outstanding. Second time around with M9 - I chose a Zhou case and was pleasantly surpised at the quality for the money I paid - superb quality. Plus it cost me A$70 vs $300 plus and Zhou's customer service was second to none - free and super fast delivery (within the week) - my decision to sway to Zhou was past experience with Luigi where I TT'd payment exactly as requested and once he had my money - contacted me for additional bank fees which cost me another TT fee to send - ending up costing me way more than I thought I'd be paying (close for $400 at the time.) Luigi also back charges Pay Pal fees - Zhou did not. I could buy another 4 Zhou cases for the price. They are really beautifully made - mine is black with red stitching and fits Thumbs Up perfectly. Case has built in grip. (all made complete with Giottos LCD Protection). When I contacted Luigi about buying something, I forget what, I was completely put off by the vague and complicated way in which he wanted paying. I decided he was not the sort of person with whom I would do business, so did not proceed - however good his kit may be. I sympathise with your poor experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffry Abt Posted September 13, 2011 Share #32 Posted September 13, 2011 How about these cases? Expensive .... WotanCraft Atelier Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucklik Posted September 13, 2011 Share #33 Posted September 13, 2011 Gaffer tape the the thing and be happy. It is also less expensive. ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted September 13, 2011 Share #34 Posted September 13, 2011 I always understood leather to attract and hold moisture. If that be true, I would never put any camera in leather. Keep it for the girls! They look much better in it. Q: You know why American men like women dressed in leather? A: Because they smell like a new truck! . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted September 13, 2011 Share #35 Posted September 13, 2011 That said, the current digital Ms are a bit tubby already, and putting a fine leather case on a computer feels a bit like serving a sausage roll on Wedgewood, so I probably wouldn't bother for an M9. But the M9 (or M8) without the case is probably no bigger than your film M with the case...and without all the fuss. Face it, Bill, you just don't like the concept of a digital M. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
larsv Posted September 13, 2011 Share #36 Posted September 13, 2011 I guess there are many answers possible to the question: - the base material is of better - it is not done by child's work - the treatment of the lether considers more stringent environmental laws - you get a guaranty - the country it is made in has a social system with health care, pension, social welfare etc. Regards, Steve Are we still talking about Italy? LOL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydrxx Posted September 13, 2011 Share #37 Posted September 13, 2011 I've never been a fan of cases...in fact I've often either sold them or given them away. However about 14 years ago, when I was having some work done on my old M4, the repair person suggested I might consider a half case or full case. I ended up getting one of Luigi's half cases and the transaction was smooth, the case was excellent in workmanship, fitting and finish, and the strap was something to behold. I rarely use it except when traveling and it does provide a modicum of protection. When I bought a couple of used R bodies several years later, they came with the former owners' Luigi's cases and looked nice - and they were well tailored, but I thought the cases were superfluous and sold them for about 50% more than I had paid. I think the premium leather and coloration/grain patterns had been discontinued at that time. I can't speak to digital cameras though...I don't have cases for any of mine (not Leicas) nor am I inclined to purchase any. Occasionally I deconstruct some leather for specialty straps though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronan Posted September 13, 2011 Share #38 Posted September 13, 2011 Thanks for the tip; actually I have never been inside any of these... Same! We used to go to Gap, and then they were exposed for using child labors. Never took a step in again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted September 13, 2011 Share #39 Posted September 13, 2011 Camera cases are for people who wear their underwear over their trousers, I think of them more as condoms; may offer protection, but lessens the experience. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Marelli Posted September 13, 2011 Share #40 Posted September 13, 2011 In the cold weather the cases come in handy because the M9 turns into an ice block. Holding leather is much more manageable. On a recent project, I took an Artisan & Artist case to test out with my M6. Its a nice case, well made, though the cover for the inside of the buttons came off. The metal will now slightly rub against the body. It was useful working in sub tropical forests because the M6 was my second body and would occasionally need to be set down. The case kept things a little less dirty. The leather is soft and has a nice feel in hand. That being said, Luigi cases fit well. Not sure why the original commenter thinks the cases fit poorly. The leather is top quality and he uses a mixture of hand stitching and machine stitching. The built in grip is very comfortable and helpful with handling. But its a matter of preference. Since all of his cases are hand made in Italy the production costs of the artisans is higher. I just had the opportunity to meet him in Rome and spend some time looking at a range of products he offers. He explained the details of the design and gave me a bit of background as to how he got started. He used to review Leica Accessories for publications for years before he made the leap to making his own cases. So I found him to have a heart felt investment in offering cases for Leica owners. He is a photographer himself, so he makes things he would use. As with any accessory, they are not for everyone. But its nice to have some choices. Almost all of the cases that exist now are in some way derived from his designs. He knows many of the other designers and does not harbor and ill will. All around a fantastic guy. I commissioned him to make me a reversed leather case because I prefer the softer feel that you get when a piece of leather is flipped around. Once I get it, I will post a picture. Best-Adam www.adammarelliphoto.com Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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