I have a few cameras I'm working on, or planning to work on, that I'd like to refinish. They include a couple of Rolleicords, an old Nikon, an FTb-N, etc. I bought from camera leather.com 10+ years ago, but they seem to be out of business. Who, if anyone, is the go-to source these days, even if it's just for the raw materials? I'd prefer some flashy stuff, if possible.
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Where are you folks getting camera leather/leatherette these days?
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- Thread starter Terence
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Been a few years since I've purchased anything from aki but he's great:
From my bookmarks...
Raw materials and tools...
From my bookmarks...
Custom Camera Covers | Camera Leather | hugostudio
Camera Leather - We offer high quality covering alternatives for your vintage cameras. Please take a look at our exclusive line of leather, wood and leatherettes, including embossed, natural grain skins and recycled leather.
hugostudio.com
Raw materials and tools...
Been a few years since I've purchased anything from aki but he's great:
From my bookmarks...
Custom Camera Covers | Camera Leather | hugostudio
Camera Leather - We offer high quality covering alternatives for your vintage cameras. Please take a look at our exclusive line of leather, wood and leatherettes, including embossed, natural grain skins and recycled leather.hugostudio.com
Raw materials and tools...
Cool. Thanks.
Is camera leather out of business? his web site might be down. try writing him at info@cameraleather.com
Hugo Studios is pretty reliable. I've had some communication issues but nothing unusual considering the large variations in cameras, etc. The quality of their patterns is not the same as camera leather. More small misses, etc. But given cameraleather's sporadic service, something is better than nothing.
Aki Asahi does quality cutting and materials. Just more limited selection. I don't know what his shipments to US status is right now. During Covid, he stopped, I think. Erratic tariff tantrums may lead to the same thing, no shipments.
Hugo Studios is pretty reliable. I've had some communication issues but nothing unusual considering the large variations in cameras, etc. The quality of their patterns is not the same as camera leather. More small misses, etc. But given cameraleather's sporadic service, something is better than nothing.
Aki Asahi does quality cutting and materials. Just more limited selection. I don't know what his shipments to US status is right now. During Covid, he stopped, I think. Erratic tariff tantrums may lead to the same thing, no shipments.
Yeah. I've had problems with his colours coming off too. But some of his stuff is OK. But communications are zero.
I use Aki but some of his stuff doesn't fit well. I complained about his Contax S2 covers and I see he's removed them so maybe he agreed with me.
You might do well to check out leather sheets made for Circut cutting machines.
It's thin, attractive and available at Michael's, etc
It's thin, attractive and available at Michael's, etc
Thanks. Dropped camera leather an email.
An update on Hugo Studio. Just don't bother. I bought a set of covers recently because the owner of the camera I was fixing particularly wanted one of his. They came with some white stuff all over them. Three emails to Hugo about how to clean them and no answer. I risked it and used a damp cloth and it seems to have come off. Next problem, they didn't stick. The covers had a thick layer of adhesive on them that doesn't stick at all. The covers starting peeling off almost immediately (and yes, I know how to clean cameras before applying covers, been doing it for years). The answer was to remove the covers, scrape off the adhesive and reapply using my preffered 3M 467MP adhesive. Didn't come off after that. I won't be buying from Hugo again.
Been a few years since I've purchased anything from aki but he's great:
From my bookmarks...
Custom Camera Covers | Camera Leather | hugostudio
Camera Leather - We offer high quality covering alternatives for your vintage cameras. Please take a look at our exclusive line of leather, wood and leatherettes, including embossed, natural grain skins and recycled leather.hugostudio.com
Raw materials and tools...
I ordered from Aki-asahi about a month ago.
I bought a leatherette cover from Morgan Sparks at cameraleather.com after my Leica's leatherette started peeling off.
I was able to order it after emailing him and following up with my selection.
I had it fitted onto my M2 when I had it CLA'd at Nippon Photo Clinic and it looks very nice.
I was able to order it after emailing him and following up with my selection.
I had it fitted onto my M2 when I had it CLA'd at Nippon Photo Clinic and it looks very nice.
Another update on Hugo. He did, after the third email, finally get back to me and offered a replacement. A lot of hassle and another long wait due to USPS taking nearly three weeks to get it onto a plane (I'm in the UK). Really can't see me using him again.
Depending on how DIY you want to go, I've had great luck with leather from https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/
Just reskinned my Busch Pressman:
Just reskinned my Busch Pressman:
That's wild! 
That's wild!
Haha, thanks. Pretty happy with how it came out especially given it was my first time trying something like that.
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