Half-case or no?

[ldhrads]

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When I first started with Leica gear, about 15 years ago I went with half cases. continued on my early digital M8.2 and then M9.  But…when I went to MMono, and M9-P I went without. I did at that time go with a thumbs up and kept with that for a while as well. I switched to a “thumbie” after a bit and preferred that to the thumbs up. Less poking me in the side, worked well.  When I went to M10-P I let the camera go completely naked and haven‘t looked back. Got an M11-P last month and it’s naked. That’s what works for me.  The 1/2 cases always made the camera a little bigger, a little heavier, something I wanted to avoid. Thumb grips also added poking points. I’m honestly surprised that the current thumb support works for me, but it does, and it works well without adding any other gimmicks.  I had really nice 1/2 cases from Luigi, Arte di Mano as well as thumbs up grips and thumbies. I’ve got a couple of nice straps, but have gotten very comfortable with a Barton 1972 braided camera strap that is insanely comfortable and very low key. Low key, low weight, easy is my vibe. I get the occasional “cool camera” comment, that’s fine with me, my M-10p is a safari version and nicely brassed over time, looks lovely. To me they are tools to be used, not abused. I take good care of all of my equipment.  My $0.02.

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[TheEyesHaveIt]

As an update, I took a trip to Europe with my M11 and left my half-case at home for the first time. Loved the slim nature of just the camera and had no problems holding it or worrying about the durability without the case. Case has been retired to the closet now. Tried a thumb support at the Leica store and it does not feel natural to me at all. Prefer just relying on the little built-in thumb support on the M11 body. Perfectly sized and contoured camera body for my hands - especially with smaller lenses like a steel rim or something.

[newtoleica]

I use a half case when the camera is going to be bumping along with me without a bag. I'm clumsy with things like that knocking on stuff and sliding off my shoulder...

[Jeff S]

2 hours ago, tributr said:

No grips. No cases. No thumb things. No soft releases. A lot of people treat their cameras like cheap ricer cars. As soon as they buy them they start decorating them with custom bumpers and skirts and wings. 

I just use mine as it came out of the box. 

I’m much the same, but over the course of almost 40 years with an M, I find that a thumb grip helps my aging hands (better than a clumsy hand strap for me), and a diopter supplements my eyeglasses for optimal focusing with old eyes. Some old cars need a tune or other updates to remain roadworthy. 😉

Jeff

[daned]

I just become a proud owner of an M11-p and deliberating on the same thing, as got a half case but the beauty of the camera is just holding it as is.

Have ordered an alpha guard skin and thinking might just protect the bottom half using the skin and not use the case.

[colonel]

Half cases protect the bottom. With the M11, the bottom panel can't be replaced easily, like with previous Ms. 

On the other hand, it adds to bulk, and I like to be as svelte as possible these days.

On summary I have stopped using half leather cases, but keep on around in case I enter a difficult environment. 

Edited September 11, 2024 by colonel

[S Maclean]

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I love half cases. It’s not for protection for me really, I just love the way it looks.

as for thumb grips I ended up getting one of the smaller ones that you stick on the camera, as opposed to the Leica one that attaches at the horse shoe.  The Leica is more comfortable but I sometimes use flash of the evf and it gets on the way.

[Derbyshire Man]

I don’t like them. I have a Oberwerth tag case though which I often use during air travel etc. I take it off once I get there. I also have apple tags in quite a few of the bags! Not much help once in a city but try escaping me while you’re waiting for passport control!

[egrossman]

I've tried cases but they add so much thickness to the camera, that for me, it wasn't worth it. Naked, with a thumbs-up is my preference.

Erik

[pippy]

I agree that there are a great many really pretty half-case out there for the Leicaman but I'd never choose to have one.

The only camera which does, very occasionally, come out in a half-case(*) is my 1930 Leica 1 which doesn't have strap-lugs but even that normally just comes out 'bare' and with a wrist-strap with adapter-thing screwed into the tripod bush.

Philip.

* Actually a case for a pre-WWII FED-1 which has had the front-flap section surgically removed. I couldn't possibly bring myself to 'ruin' a genuine caase for a Leica 1...