Electrical tape hard shell for M8/M9/M for protection in harsh conditions.

E

eleskin

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I know some of you have used electrical tape to hide Leica logos, and to more or less protect your equipment. How many of you have used multi layers of tape built up like a doctor would build a cast on a broken bone, creating a protective electrical tape shell (kind of like a home made camera armor for the M. I do not see any rubberized protection shells for any M, but they have them for DSLR's). i have used this method since I first had my M6 in 1991, and have been in third world locations (Egypt, Gaza strip, etc,,,) using this protection. Despite my cameras being dragged, bounced, and bumped, they are all in mint condition. I never had to worry about anything except shooting film, and now digital with my M8.

I have no problems with the tape on my M8. Removing the tape is easy (I just peel it off, and use fresh tape to blot off any adhesive that sticks. I also use I phone screen protectors for the back screen as well as the front rangefinder windows. Result: My M8 looks as new as I bought it in 2007. If I need to sell it, I can get a better price!

So how many of you use the method of black tape wrapping of M's I use?
 
Neat idea. I am not as concerned with keeping my Leica looking good as I am keeping water and dust away from it. Do you have any photo's of your camera with this covering? I've always used gaffers tape, not electrical tape.
 
Ill tape up my M6 to show how my M8 looks

Ill tape up my M6 to show how my M8 looks

Since I use my M8 all the time now, I will use it to photograph my M6 taped up. I will tape it up soon to show you what it looks like. My M8 would look similar taped up anyway.

It usually takes up a roll of tape. Dollar store is ok for this. I even tape up certain lenses if I can. Believe it or not, My Noctilux is taped up as well, with special grip tape on the focusing ring!

I guess I tape just about everything!
 
Tape adds better grip and secures strap to camera

Tape adds better grip and secures strap to camera

I swear, tape can make the camera feel better in the hands as well!

I also wrap tape around the ends of the camera strap so there is no risk of the plastic sliding off the lugs. This way, the camera always stays attached to the strap. I read once that the strap separated from the camera and fell to the ground. With my tape method, it will never happen!
 
eleskin said:
I swear, tape can make the camera feel better in the hands as well!

I also wrap tape around the ends of the camera strap so there is no risk of the plastic sliding off the lugs. This way, the camera always stays attached to the strap. I read once that the strap separated from the camera and fell to the ground. With my tape method, it will never happen!
Click to expand...

You mean the standard Leica strap? Separated from the camera? Then it wasn't done correctly I suppose.
 
I use gaffers tape and some clear nail polish(to seal up the overhangs of tape so they don't get caught and peel off) It's surprisingly effective.
 
Yea, gaffer's tape sounds like the better medium to use, if you're gonna tape up a camera and wish, at a later date, to remove it along with its adhesive. Gaffer's was designed to be repeatedly stuck and removed without leaving much residue. Kind of pricey, compared to cheap old electrical tape, and you can't get it at regular hardware stores; look for places like film and video supply houses; it's used in the film business, hence the name.

~Joe
 
Yes, the Leica strap. It can be a real problem. If the plastic ever slides up and with little effort it can, the metal ring can rotate, and the camera will fall off of your neck! Imagine that with a Noctilux attached! The horror of it! Tape is an I surance policy that works!
 
The plastic pieces on my strap are very difficult to move. I can understand your concern though.
 
If you use plaster of paris impregnated surgical bandage it will dry to a very hard shell indeed. You can change the white colour to black or any other colour with paint or magic marker pens. Do the lens as well and the camera will be so perfectly protected that its not worth leaving the house, so garanteeing safety.

Steve
 
I don't care personally if people want to tape up their cameras ... not my thing though!

But I do miss Al Kaplan breaking into these threads and admonishing everyone for being too precious about their Leicas ... and then giving us a detailed description of his battle scarred M2! :D
 
Taping is fun!

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I've put my first leica strap through hell. Not banging around here & there through daily use, but a few months of urban combat in Iraq in 2004 then daily hard use ever since then. The strap is still with us today and still rock solid. The little plastic sliders are quite difficult to move. If yours move, they're either cracked or the metal loop is fatiguing.

As for the tape, I guess it is kind of a nice idea to serve as a bumper but the M8/M8.2/M9 will probably never appreciate in value unless there is an a-la-carte version out there with some crazy covering. Regular M digitals just need to be used. If they get sold, then they get sold at significantly less than what they were new.
We're not talking about a real MP with matching Leicavit and black-paint 35mm 8-element Summicron here.
 
I would not know at which areas it would make any meaningful protection of the very rugged (except water) digital Leica.

I am all in for actual functional enhancements like the small piece of tape, to change the mode selector into a simple on/off switch, how it ought to be in the first place.
I think, Phil taught me this little great tip.
 
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