Leica LTM What case do you guys use?

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
I have 3 Zhou cases, 2 M style and 1 LTM style.

While doing my research before buying the cases, I read on Luigi's website that his new competitors from China have inferior craftmanship, with glued-on bottom pieces. Luigi states that his cases have stitched on bottom pieces.

However, I noticed that Zhou's cases are also 100% handstitched from the pictures. So I bought 1 Zhou case to try it out, and I am very impressed. Nice supple leather, and everything is stitched, not glued. Plus the handling is improved by the "kidneys" on the Zhou cases. I like them so much I bought 2 more.

I'm sure Luigi's cases are great, but Zhou's cases IMHO are very nice too, and does the same job for much less.
 
Well, not everyone is in the same financial situation. Some people need to make every dollar count. If you buy a IIIc for $250, does it really make that much sense to spend another $200 on a case, especially when a quality alternative is available for $60?

It may make sense to some, but I believe there are plenty of people who will pull for the cheaper option. So I think it is a myth to say if you can afford a Leica, you can afford a Luigi.

We are not talking glass, after all, but secondary accessories like cases. Luigi and Zhou cases are functional equivalents.




ZeissFan said:
Not to be too sarcastic, but if you can afford a Leica, then surely you can afford a Luigi.

Adding to this, I've heard nice things about the Zhou case.
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This is my IIIF in a Zhou's case.😉

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After reading reviews of the Zhou and Luigi cases on this and other forums, as well as Luigi's rants against his inferior competitors on his website, I ordered a case from Mr. Zhou today.
 
I think Zhou is missing out on HUGE market by not making cases for the Bessa line up... as has been said.. if someone can afford one of the more pricey Leica's they can afford one of Luigi's amazing cases... but for those of us spending <$500 on a body I'd love to have an alternative to the oem CV half cases at the price point of Zhou's stuff.
 
Look at it this way, you can afford an expensive leather case for your camera because you won't be shooting as much film. Nobody who actually shoots more than a roll at time is going to go through the hassle of dealing with a case too.

You want to be careful about leaving your camera in a close fitting case in warm, humid climates -- it's a good way to get a moldy camera!

Spend $25 on a camera leather Griptac covering if you want a better grip. Otherwise a Domke type padded lenswrap (and a plastic Ziplock for wet/cold situations) is great for carrying a camera until you actually use it.
 
Frank Petronio said:
Look at it this way, you can afford an expensive leather case for your camera because you won't be shooting as much film. Nobody who actually shoots more than a roll at time is going to go through the hassle of dealing with a case too.
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Not true... I have very large hands and find most rangefinders a bit fiddly for my ogre paws, right now I use the Bessa Sidegrip to add some chunk... but I'd love a leather half case to really beef it up a bit, it's worth the hassle of film loading to me. I use a half case on most of my vintage stuff... my GSN, Pentax K1000 and K2.
 
If you're lucky, you can find a Leica ever ready case that has an snap-on upper half. I have one, and it's every bit as good as the more expensive aftermarket half-cases...and it only cost about $15.

The other alternative would be to find a Leica case that has a top half in bad condition and just cut it off.
 
The purpose of the case is to take abuse and the acid from your hands. It will certainly wear. I find the Zhou cases comfortable and rather inexpensive. I have had mine for several years without compaint.
 
I just ordered a black Luigi case for my new-to-me IIIc. I haven't even got the IIIc back from CLA yet, so I will probably have the case before the camera. It will be my third Luigi case, but my first one for LTM. They are pricey, and it is a splurge, but this IIIc is a stepper, and has the IIIcK type ball bearings (though not a IIIcK), and I think it deserves a Luigi case. I always used my Leicas sans case until I discovered Luigi cases. But they are pretty dear, and I think this will have to be my last one. Well, maybe one more, someday. 😉
 
Vince Lupo said:
Yes, there is a soft release for a Leica screw mount -- it's basically a screw on adapter like a cable release adapter, but instead of the threaded hole on top for the cable, there's a rubber 'button' of sorts.
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Dear Vince,

Not rubber but chrome, at least on the Leica version; I have one somewhere.

To others: for me, certainly, cases slow things down unacceptably, but what really surprised me is how incredibly ugly some (as far as I can see, all) of these aftermarket cases seem to be (I've only checked web pics/manufacturers' sites) as compared with the Leica ones, which are all I've ever owned (they came with second-hand cameras).

Cheers,

R.
 
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