How to Re-Cover your M8 yourself

[fuchs]

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Mark, having held the same camera covered with different materials, whose grip do you feel to be 'safer' ? I am particularly interested in the feeling given by the kid skin vs. GripTac vs. the original covering?

 

Thanks in advance,

[marknorton]

I had some difficulty removing the old glue and resorted to applying small amounts of a gel glue remover to a lens cloth and rubbing with that, doing only the final wipe with pec-pads and alcohol.

 

Yes, any glue left on the camera from the original Leica cover needs patience to remove. Other solvents can be used, but you don't want them to get inside the camera or be so agressive that they, for example, strip the paint off the casting; keep them clear of the visible camera finishes as well.

 

Good to hear you've done it yourself, it's certainly the way to go for people outside the US who don't want the hassle of sending their camera in and even when doing it for the first time, it's not a big job.

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[marknorton]

Mark, having held the same camera covered with different materials, whose grip do you feel to be 'safer' ? I am particularly interested in the feeling given by the kid skin vs. GripTac vs. the original covering?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Ed, it's a trade-off between look and security.

 

You buy the kid skin for the natural grain, the lack of uniformity of texture; it looks and feels great - even smells great for a while - but I wouldn't say it's more secure to carry. The GripTac is much more secure to hold but looks, to my eyes, a little "industrial".

 

I like to use an M without a carrying strap but only do so with a Leica grip which provides a secure hold; with Griptac, I'd certainly be happier to carry the camera by itself.

[marknorton]

I think it looks better too .

 

I assume you didn't go for the grey then...

 

I'm not planning to recover my silver M8 but I think colours - like the green - would work better on a silver camera. From memory, most - if not all - the recovered cameras which have been shown here before - and which people have been enthusiastic about - have been silver. It seems to carry the colour change better.

 

For a black camera, any contrasting colour has a big impact on the look and it's probably that, not the actual colour, which takes getting used to.

[jrc]

Silver cameras have a more naturally retro look and the color goes with that. The black has more of a hard-function war-correspondent / PJ look, and the color seems to clash with that concept.

 

I'll be very interested to see the black leather; though what I'd really like to see is a silver Leica with a dark brown covering, like on some of Luigi's cases. It'd look great sitting on the passenger seat of a British-racing-green Porsche with saddle-leather seats...You'd feel like you were in a movie with Lana Turner...8-)

 

JC

[orjanf]

I assume you didn't go for the grey then...

 

For a black camera, any contrasting colour has a big impact on the look and it's probably that, not the actual colour, which takes getting used to.

 

Correct, black, I think the difference in texture between the smooth paint and the rough cover is just what the black M8 needs.

The chrome Leicas are in my opinion the most beautiful cameras ever made.

Showing my age, perhaps.

[carstenw]

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My M8 now has a black griptac cover and it really feels surprisingly much safer to hold.

I think it looks better too

 

Photo?

[orjanf]

Carsten,

Re photo - quick job - apologies for quality (lack thereof)

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[carstenw]

Nice job! I personally prefer the leather look, but this should be great for anyone looking for more grip.

[marknorton]

So, the "final" solution for me, black kid leather with a couple of comparison shots with my other black M8 which is standard. I'm pleased with the result, just as well as I can't go back!

 

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[glenerrolrd]

Mark Thanks for sharing this ..the new leather looks great. How is the grip compared to the original? Roger:D

[marknorton]

Roger, I'd say the leather and the original are about the same with the GripTac having a clear lead.

[marknorton]

Interestingly, I found removing the green leather sample left more glue on the camera than the original Leica covering or the GripTac but this can be rolled up and pinched off with the solvent removing the last traces.

 

Rich, did you recover a grip as well?

[chanyr]

Orjan,

The griptac looks great on the black M8. Wonder if anyone has tried it with a silver M8. Please post pics.

 

 

Carsten,

Re photo - quick job - apologies for quality (lack thereof)

[Shootist]

Orjan,

The griptac looks great on the black M8. Wonder if anyone has tried it with a silver M8. Please post pics.

Ok here you go. I did this last night. Took about one hour from start to finish but this is the first time I had done anything like this.

One thing I noticed was that my kits, I ordered 2 of them, did NOT come with the grip wrap part. This is not a big deal as my main reason for changing the covering it to use the camera without the grip base. Also it seems that the kit I installed om my chrome M8 is a little short in height, notice in the pics that the base has a slight gap between the top of it and the bottom of the covering. I don't think I installed it to high. I followed Marks instruction almost to the T. The one thing I didn't do was tape the left half inplace, I forgot to bring home the easy remove tape from work and all the tape I had at hand was standard clear Scotch tape. No big deal as it went on fairly easily.

I originally thought about sending the camera/s to CL to have them do it but the thought of shipping cost and that wouldn't be able to do that until I got my second M8 back from Leica NJ. I needed a better grip now.

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Sorry the images are taken with a Nikon D200 and the kit lens 18-70 W/SB800 flash @ f/9.

I knew the Nikon would be good for something.

[sisoje]

OK

I need those button guards!

What is it?

Can somebody help me:confused:

[Shootist]

OK

I need those button guards!

What is it?

Can somebody help me:confused:

They are cabinet door bumper that I cut the center out of using a spent 223/5.56mm cartridge case that I sharpened on the inside and outside edge of where the bullet seats.

 

I then placed the bumpers on a hard wood surface, Red Oak (still on the sheet they come on), placed the sharpened end of the case as near the center I could judge and whacked it with a hammer.

I'm looking for a .177 rifle case as the 223/5.56mm case is a little big, at least for the bumpers I have, and it leave only a small rim of the bumper.

All in all they have been on for 2+ weeks with me carrying the camera quite a bit.

I haven't had a errant button push since putting them on.

[ErikFive]

Mark: Could you pretty please show the front of the camera without the grip with the kid leather?

[fordfanjpn]

They are cabinet door bumper that I cut the center out of using a spent 223/5.56mm cartridge case that I sharpened on the inside and outside edge of where the bullet seats.

 

I then placed the bumpers on a hard wood surface, Red Oak (still on the sheet they come on), placed the sharpened end of the case as near the center I could judge and whacked it with a hammer.

I'm looking for a .177 rifle case as the 223/5.56mm case is a little big, at least for the bumpers I have, and it leave only a small rim of the bumper.

All in all they have been on for 2+ weeks with me carrying the camera quite a bit.

I haven't had a errant button push since putting them on.

 

Hole punches for leather should do the job, and they come in various sizes so you should be able to get one the size you want without having to make your own out of a cartridge case.

 

Bill

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[jaapv]

I think Sequioa Green leather is quite nice on a chrome M8. I hated the horrid plastic stuff Leica uses from day 1, this looks 100% better and feels more than 100% better. It even smells nice, Removal/application took less than five minutes, It was totally unnecessary to remove the framelines lever and there were no glue rests. Fit was perfect.