Grip or Half case or nothing?

Grip or Half case or nothing?

  • Sidegrip

    Votes: 38 18.0%
  • Half case

    Votes: 85 40.3%
  • Something else

    Votes: 14 6.6%
  • Nothing, pure body only

    Votes: 85 40.3%

  • Total voters
    211
My cameras are tools for taking pictures, and nothing more. They're not icons of worship, pieces of jewellery, investments or status symbols. They're not babied, fondled or adored, but rather just treated with the common sense that is required of all pieces of precision equipment, and serviced as required. However, they are Nikons SLR's and rangefinder so they are made to stand up to hard usage and keep on working. So no, I don't use any of those ever-ready cases or cute leather half cases, as they get in the way and are a waste of money.
 
rbsinto said:
...I don't use any of those ever-ready cases or cute leather half cases, as they get in the way and are a waste of money.

Couldnt agree more... Although I have original Leica straps on my Ms, I find even these can get in the way. Most of the time I have the strap wrapped around my wrist just to keep it out of the way; thats when a side grip becomes invaluable.
Even with my Mamiya 7ii I have (with a lot of working out how to, and cutting up the original neck strap) fitted one of those "slip your hand into it" leather hand grips.

For anything remotely documentary in shooting style, naked and in your hand is the only way....
 
I dislike grips and half-cases. I don't understand their true purpose. The Case transforms a Leica into a fat obtrusive thing and the Grip transforms it into a fake SLR. Yuk!
 
Me too Ned. I like the feel of the cold brass in my hands, leather would transform it into something else. I do have a $3 junk-bin never-ready though. I put it in that when it gets packed in a suitcase so it doesn't get poked with a toothbrush or something.
 
The M8 falls far short of the film M where grip is concerned. Without purchase for the thumb and with the covering used it is a pain to hold securely.

I never liked the M accesory grip on the film M and didn't care for it on the M8 when I tried it. I got a Luigi case with grip and that was a workable solution. It was the first I ever considered a case as the film M's worked fine out of the box without the need for add ons. For those who are afraid of being mistaken for a Leica effete with your fancy Italian case I suggest scruffing the case up and while your at it put a few scratches on your M8 as well so you will look like you have been shooting in the mountains of Afghanistan instead of your backyard:)

I recently discovered the Griptac offered at Camera Leather. I tried a piece and it works really well. So I sold the Luigi half case and am going to change the camera cover to Griptac. It solves the grip problem without the added thickness of a half-case and no need to remove the case for changing cards and batteries. It's a very industrial material which I like but if you are into black paint and brass it might not be your cup of tea, in which case I would suggest the Luigi M8 case with grip.
 
When I first got my M3, it came with the bottom half of the original case. I used it for a while to protect the camera, but it became too inconvenient for loading. Sure my camera has some scratches and is missing some vulcanite it wasn't before, but it wasn't anywhere near mint when I got it, and I'm not afraid to to go out and shoot with it.
 
When I first got my M3, it came with the bottom half of the original case. I used it for a while to protect the camera, but it became too inconvenient for loading

Please don't tell me that ANY M is convenient in loading.

Even my Yashica Mat 124-G is quicker in loading..... :rolleyes:

If you need a quick loading (and unloading) camera you will be much better of with a Canon or Nikon SLR prof. film camera. It can be done within 5 seconds.
 
I prefer a half-case for Canon RFs mostly because they have sturdy attachment to the straps, and do not rely upon camera lugs. Seems more secure to me, and I can place the camera on the ground,rocks, gravel without having to be concerned about scratching the baseplate.
 
In-house and in-situation my O is naked. In-transit it's in full case or in-pocket. (The 'Standard' size w/collapsed 50 Elmar rides comfortably and securely in jeans.) Naked in-hand is a tad risky what with no neck strap, but fiddling with a wrist strap is too busy with this camera's antique functions ... so I try not to drop it.

So far so good.
 
I'm going to be getting to use a luigi half case on my MP again.

I liked the case but not the grip on the case I had before. Clean start.
 
My M usually is either used plain or with a Leicagoodies sling. Tried to use the grip but didn't like it, and never used a half case but would like to try; worried about extra bulk added.
 
I use my MP with a rapidgrip and sling combination - it will never get dropped:D. The M6 has a shoulder starp which still don't like after all these years but it's jusy convinient when carrying them both.
 
On my Olympus 35-S I use the bottom half of the original case...it has lugs for a strap and I like the way it looks and protects the body...

I also use the back half of the case on my Yashica Mat 124...it's too pretty and I needed something to prevent it from getting scratched or dinged up while using it...
The case doesn't hinder any knobs or levers so it doesn't get in the way of normal use other than reloading it...
 
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