Luigi Case, or Not?

Not a problem :) I do love my Luigi case... it's definitely nicer than anything else I've ever seen... and he does have the best selection of cases out of anyone... I'd love to be able to visit Rome and see his shop.
 
I'm tempted to buy a (reduced price) half case from Luigi, but I'm afraid it may suffer the fate as my previous case which came with the camera; lost after changing film. Of course you don't have to take it off so much with a digital camera.
 
Zhou cases are well worth the price. I have them on my RD1, ZI, and my recently traded M8. They do exactly what they are supposed to at a fraction of the cost of the Italian case. I tried an entry level case from Luigi for the M8. It was too thin and slippery to be affective for grip or real protection but, more than double the cost of Zhou (the cut away for the M8 screen and controls was very poorly matched as well). If you want Luxury buy the Best Luigi model. If you need protection and extra grip. The latest offerings from Mr. Zhou do a great job.
 
Luigi Case, or Not?

Unfortunately for some years his shop has been closed but continues its activities and into her beautiful home, where friends and even customers to choose the right object in a chat, a cup of tea and some good laugh.

Cheers
 
Luigi's cases are fantastic. The same care and attention to detail that goes into building a Leica. I have an aged Brown half case on my MP and without the case the camera actually feels to small. I like the more secure grip I have on the camers, I prefer the feel of the leather in my hand instead of the metal, and I love the smell when I raise the camera to my eye. I don't know if they've gone up in price but mine wasn't $500.00 More like half that.
 
giuseppe ciccarella said:
Unfortunately for some years his shop has been closed but continues its activities and into her beautiful home, where friends and even customers to choose the right object in a chat, a cup of tea and some good laugh.

Cheers
Click to expand...

I've bought some straps lately, and again decided on a case for my MP/vit combo. Not so much for protection, but rather for a better grip--I like the nub in the front.

When I email Luigi I get a good feeling from his messages back that he would be a fine person to meet and have tea and a good laugh.
 
It appears from what I've seen that the later Luigi cases has the cutout for the LCD and buttons, just a bit higher, so you don't quite get that "slightly hanging low" seen of the cutout in early cases. It's not dramatic just a bit more that makes it a slightly nicer.

Dave (D&A)
 
I had a Luigi case with my first M8. It went when I lost faith in the camera for various reasons not pertinent to this thread. I have just bought an 8.2 and with it the Zhou case. Luigi's products are beautiful, robust, good looking and very expensive. Zhou's case fits well and certainly doesn't look cheap, but it is comparatively. If cost is no object go for the Luigi. If not you will be happy with the Zhou. It looks fine and feels well in the hand.

John
 
This is just a complete guess on my part, but since Luigi redesigned his M8/M9 cases with removeable rear doors to snap on with two snaps "in the middle", rather than "four snaps, one in each corner"...I would presume for either ease or consistant production of all cases M8/M9 that have some sort of rear snaps...that keeping them all in the same position was better. In other words when previously, removeable rear door needed four snaps (two top ones and two bottom ones), the cases with hanging doors therefore received two snaps, one each on top corners. Now that the cases with removeable doors have two snaps placed in the middle, therefore cases with hanging flaps now have their two snaps in the middle...simply consistancy in whatever "one at a time" production line Luigi has set up. Maybe he has "jigs" for aligning things, and they too have been re-adjusted for consistancey and ease of production of the two different models.

Dave (D&A)
 
giuseppe ciccarella said:
Hi,
Luigi's case is the best case that you can get. Artisan leather hand made. High cost but high value.
The china's replica was made even with dog leather or other domestic pet. Please don't buy china product, some chemical solvent or paint with leaded inside or dioxin waste and others toxic wasted elements, high dangerous for skin and health.

Cheers.
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made with pet skins?:D
 
I didn't get that one either

I didn't get that one either

Chinese pet cows being used for camera cases??

The Luigis are not all perfect. I have a beautiful like new black M half case, but the ASA cutout dial isn't centered around the dial, by 1/2 an inch or so.

But they are thicker than the Zhous, and probably finished and sewed better, but the thickness isn't good for smaller hands.

I think Luigi's M8 case is the way it is for stronger connectivity at the upper left of the LCD connection, which covers the top button a bit. The Zhou would have it's weak link there.

timexchen said:
made with pet skins?:D
Click to expand...
 
I got a Luigi case for my M8 on eBay (used) for less than half the original cost, then I sold the thick strap that came with (but didn't quite match color-wise) and recouped some more. I use it when I'm shooting outdoors. The rear flap has a tendency to snag inside my camera bag and pop off (it's the removable type not the hanging type) but otherwise it's fine. If I had to buy a new one I'd surely go with the Chinese copy. After all, if the purpose of the case is to protect the camera, not beautify it, then I don't want to feel like I have to baby the case!
 
Keith said:
Because maybe their hands are large enough that it can improve the feel and handling of a camera... though I'm not stating that this is the case here.

My hands aren't exactly huge but I find the M8 very arkward to hold ... it's improved with a half case and even better with an M grip.

:)
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Agreed. My hands are on the large size. I find a half case on a Leica M makes it significantly easier to use. On the other hand, my Bessa R4M, a smaller and lighter camera, feels very good in my hands without a half case. I attributed that to the comfortably grippy covering that's on the Bessa, and the shape of its right side.

'Course, a half case just adds one more step to loading or unloading film.
 
Hi Double Negative,

A couple of comments. First really nice shots! Thnaks for posting. It's hard to tell due the lighting used to show the M8 and the front of the case...but from the looks of it (very hard to tell) it looks like Luigi possibly changed the shape and size of the small front grip on the case, even from what he used a few months ago. Then again it may be the way it's lit. If you ever get the chance to take a brightly lit pic of the front of the case, it can be seen if indeed he made these changes.

ALso the reason why the Thubs-up cutout is "S" shaped rather than the older more linear cutout is the new CSEP-1 Thumps up is also curved along the bottom..whereas the version Thumps up you're using is moe linear. Since you have a slight mismatch to this cutout shape, I think its prudent to send me the case to use with my CSEP-1 :

Thanks!

Dave (D&A)
 
I've had a black Luigi strap on my M6 for some time, And I just recently ordered a Rally half case and strap for my Chrome M3 ....
 
Just thought I have to revive this thread and add some counterweight to the current Zhou-mania in the M-forum ;)

I got my M7 rally half-case w/grip from Luigi today. Before I ordered the case I had a close look at his website and noticed that there seemed to be two kind of grips: a straight one and a slightly oblique grip, which I favoured. So I asked him for that version but was told that this was an old, preliminary design. This was fine as well and after a little more than the current estimate of 20 days of making time, he sent me the case... with the oblique grip! Many thanks to Luigi for taking care of my special wish.

Being a very critical person, there are two points of nitpicking: the rear ASA dial cut-out is centered but the right part for the EV compensation scale is not symmetrical - a non-issue. The other point is the short strap on the left side. It sits slightly above the small protective plastic part and might cause some brassing - again, a non-issue.

Apart from that everything is perfect: a wonderful finish, smooth leather, a good fit and a perfect strap. The colour fits the black M7 body very well. I'm more than happy and if someday I'll find money for another M-body, I'll happily ask Luigi again.

Cheers,
Torsten
 
I have a Luigi case and it is very nicely made. It's not necessary, however - purely an aesthetic choice. Zhou's half case is a real winner in terms of quality and value.
Rich
 
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