Leica M5 - leather half-case/strap recommendations ?

[guangong]

@btaylor thanks, great evidence. Looks like Mr. Zhou no longer uses Velcro as now I see two snaps instead. Leitz hard case definitely looks big and clearly makes the whole thing big as strap lugs are inside the case, so it’s a no. Soft case looks good for storage protection.

Camera storage in leather case is not a good idea unless you have a very dry environment. Fungus and mold love leather. The soft case offers only minimal protection, as I described in earlier post in this thread. But better than no protection. For general protection I still recommend the Leitz hard case…if you can find one. I have saved a lot of money for repairs by protecting cameras in a hard case. Enjoy your M5.

 

[Hassasin]

Camera storage in leather case is not a good idea unless you have a very dry environment. Fungus and mold love leather. The soft case offers only minimal protection, as I described in earlier post in this thread. But better than no protection. For general protection I still recommend the Leitz hard case…if you can find one. I have saved a lot of money for repairs by protecting cameras in a hard case. Enjoy your M5.

All my cameras, if I have one, are stored in their leather cases with a small bag of silica gel inside, never noticed a problem.

 

[Hassasin]

As I am still awaiting delivery of the M5, could anyone tell me max strap width at the lug? Is it like 10mm or will a somewhat wider one fit?

 

[Pieter12]

You should be able to squeeze a 12mm strap in the lugs.

 

[GregY]

Hass, I've used a few. I have a Luigi for my M4 and bought a cheap but excellent Chinese half case for my CL since i like to carry it horizontally. They do offer one for the M5 which leaves the self-timer exposed. One caveat though is the M5 is already a bigger body...you may not like the additional size with the case

Genuine Leather Half Case Camera Cover Handmade Case Bag for Leica M5 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Genuine Leather Half Case Camera Cover Handmade Case Bag for Leica M5 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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[guangong]

All my cameras, if I have one, are stored in their leather cases with a small bag of silica gel inside, never noticed a problem.

If stored in a dry place, should be ok. I do store several cameras in cases because safe controls humidity, but generally without cases.
You will enjoy your M5. It fits the hands very well. Failed at market because rejected byso many Leica nuts for not looking like an M camera. Keep in mind that this is the last Leica built to the high standards of Leitz.
For travel where a chance of banging into something, I would still get the original hard M5 case. However, also helpful to have the soft case.
I am a firm believer in cases. I dropped my Rollei 2.8F from chest high onto pavement and Hasselblad tumbled from car seat onto concrete garage floor. Neither suffered damage. Without case, both would have had disastrous consequences.

 

[Hassasin]

Hass, I've used a few. I have a Luigi for my M4 and bought a cheap but excellent Chinese half case for my CL since i like to carry it horizontally. They do offer one for the M5 which leaves the self-timer exposed. One caveat though is the M5 is already a bigger body...you may not like the additional size with the case

Genuine Leather Half Case Camera Cover Handmade Case Bag for Leica M5 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Genuine Leather Half Case Camera Cover Handmade Case Bag for Leica M5 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

View attachment 363955

That's what I was alluding to earlier, especially with snap clips being on the side which make the whole thing wider than it is. With Leica original hard case it's even worse as case is completely outside the lugs. I'm sure good for storing camera away, just not for a walk around it seems.

@guangong I have to agree and will probably look for both original offerings and the off-brand half case, but first need to put my hands on the camera, looks like by this weekend should have it.

 

[Hassasin]

You should be able to squeeze a 12mm strap in the lugs.

Thanks.

 

[GregY]

If stored in a dry place, should be ok. I do store several cameras in cases because safe controls humidity, but generally without cases.
You will enjoy your M5. It fits the hands very well. Failed at market because rejected byso many Leica nuts for not looking like an M camera. Keep in mind that this is the last Leica built to the high standards of Leitz.
For travel where a chance of banging into something, I would still get the original hard M5 case. However, also helpful to have the soft case.
I am a firm believer in cases. I dropped my Rollei 2.8F from chest high onto pavement and Hasselblad tumbled from car seat onto concrete garage floor. Neither suffered damage. Without case, both would have had disastrous consequences.

If it fits your hands, that's great. It failed at market just like the Ford Edsel.... shocking change that the buyers were not ready for. One of the issues is that Leica got it right the first time with the M3/M2 shape. It fits the hand like a glove. There is no extra size. People chose the M3/M2 over the Canon 7...(.why did Canon bow out of the RF game?).
Like a Michaelangelo statue,.....everything chipped away that wasn't the image the original M was design & handling perfection. The vertical carry, the extra size, and the odd placement of the rangefinder/viewfinder (for left eye users)....they just didn't feel right. Rolleiflex got the design right, so did Nikon w the F, and Leica M3/2.
The overhanging shutter dial, the viewfinder & display, & meter were brilliant..... but the handling wasn't. By the time i bought one as a gaduate student in 1973, I had already used an M2 for 7 years!. The M5 was an awkward dance partner....its failure wasn't because of looks. The fact that the original M shape is still in production is proof.

 

[Pieter12]

The fact that the original M shape is still in production is proof.

Proof that photographers can be obstinate and resistant to change (and progress, too). The M5's demise was more due to the changing professional market (photojournalists) favoring SLRs over RF cameras.

 

[GregY]

Proof that photographers can be obstinate and resistant to change (and progress, too). The M5's demise was more due to the changing professional market (photojournalists) favoring SLRs over RF cameras.

Like the choice of cars, musical instruments, & dance partners...... often choice has to do with intangible 'feel' than engineering superiority. The M5 was released in 1971, the Nikon F in 1959....pros had chosen the SLR well before even the idea of the M5.

 

[Pieter12]

Like the choice of cars, musical instruments, & dance partners...... often choice has to do with intangible 'feel' than engineering superiority. The M5 was released in 1971, the Nikon F in 1959....pros had chosen the SLR well before even the idea of the M5.

My point exactly. It was introduced to a market that no longer wanted it.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

Like the choice of cars, musical instruments, & dance partners...... often choice has to do with intangible 'feel' than engineering superiority. The M5 was released in 1971, the Nikon F in 1959....pros had chosen the SLR well before even the idea of the M5.

You are right about the Nikon F's use by professionals. And the magnificent M5 lacked the option of a motor winder. By 1974/1975, many pros were already using winders on their cameras. Even Pentax offered a version of their Spotmatic with a motor, but I think it was uncommon in the US market.

Back to the original topic. I remember the M5 had two cases available. One was a monstrous hard leather case, a truly Titanic (Bismarkian?) construction of leather. The other was a soft zippered case. I think that one made more sense:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/126338481673

The advantage of this zippered case is it will keep rain off if you wear it around your neck, and it will not fill up a backpack or briefcase when you travel.

 

[GregY]

You are right about the Nikon F's use by professionals. And the magnificent M5 lacked the option of a motor winder. By 1974/1975, many pros were already using winders on their cameras. Even Pentax offered a version of their Spotmatic with a motor, but I think it was uncommon in the US market.

Back to the original topic. I remember the M5 had two cases available. One was a monstrous hard leather case, a truly Titanic (Bismarkian?) construction of leather. The other was a soft zippered case. I think that one made more sense:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/126338481673

The advantage of this zippered case is it will keep rain off if you wear it around your neck, and it will not fill up a backpack or briefcase when you travel.

i agree. The original soft case for the M5 is very nice. I have 2 for my CL which is the same design. The only thing to improve would have been to make them easily completely removable without having to undo the strap.

 

[Hassasin]

i agree. The original soft case for the M5 is very nice. I have 2 for my CL which is the same design. The only thing to improve would have been to make them easily completely removable without having to undo the strap.

Leica M5 soft case has snap on clap that allows removal of camera with strap attached. Have not looked at CL version though.

 

[GregY]

Leica M5 soft case has snap on clap that allows removal of camera with strap attached. Have not looked at CL version though.

Ah.... the CL does not... I may make a modification

 

[Hassasin]

So I got the M5 along with soft case. I didn't know what to expect size wise from the M5 having handled only the Barnacks, but while surely it is larger, it isn't big by any measure. Have put new Godox Lux Senior flashlight on it and it's great looking kit. Now off to get some rigid 50, probably a Summicron to stay the course (for now Elmarit 90 2.8 will have to do), But I'm glad I got M5, even though now I'm convinced it needs to be complemented by an M3 or M4 (I don't like the manual frame counter on M2).

 

[chuckroast]

So I got the M5 along with soft case. I didn't know what to expect size wise from the M5 having handled only the Barnacks, but while surely it is larger, it isn't big by any measure. Have put new Godox Lux Senior flashlight on it and it's great looking kit. Now off to get some rigid 50, probably a Summicron to stay the course (for now Elmarit 90 2.8 will have to do), But I'm glad I got M5, even though now I'm convinced it needs to be complemented by an M3 or M4 (I don't like the manual frame counter on M2).

View attachment 364307

Don't worry, you'll eventually end up with an M2, and M3, an M4 a ....

I have a just serviced M2 that has a few cosmetic dings but is operationally flawless. I have 50 Jahre M5 DAG is overhauling for me. But, I keep looking at M3s and M4s. I can't help myself ....

P.S. The M2 frame counter is very easy to live with and is far more in the spirit of the "real" Leicas - Barnacks...

 

[Hassasin]

P.S. The M2 frame counter is very easy to live with and is far more in the spirit of the "real" Leicas - Barnacks...

Which does not change I don't like it

 

[chuckroast]

Which does not change I don't like it

I am indifferent to that particular issue one way or the other. However, I chose the M2 for its frame lines. I shoot a fair bit with a 35mm lens and my "I don't like it" are the goggles required to do so on an M3. That's not to say I wouldn't own an M3 at the right price though. Hmmm, an M body for each lens I own ... wouldn't that be interesting