Leica M6 Case

[robert_brown30]

<p>Hi all,<br>

Looking for a case for my m6/35 summicron. I'm always on my bike so I'm looking for a hard case or perhaps something that allows me to access the camera more quickly from my messenger bag. Any good third party neverready cases that were designed for an m6/summicron setup? Any other cases that allow me to access my camera quicker that still offer some protection?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

[yockenwaithe]

<p>I don't know about finding a hard case that'll give you super quick access, but there are a lot of Eveready cases for Leica M cameras with differing lens sizes.</p>

<p>For 3rd party, I found this:<br>

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=1101495&gclid=Cj0KEQiAxMG1BRDFmu3P3qjwmeMBEiQAEzSDLj5u1qTnZ2b4hcDX1yYIQmKrAinqPAaRGeODALzrKwoaAszh8P8HAQ&is=REG&ap=y&A=details&Q=<br>

It looks like something you put in a camera bag, but I don't know the size of your messenger bag so I don't know if it'll fit. For protection I'd just recommend getting pads or something for your messenger bag so if you do drop it [god forbid] there'll be some shock support.</p>

[Sandy Vongries]

<p>Before camera case can be answered, what kind of bike? Options for me as a bicycle enthusiast, would differ from road to mountain. How hard do you push / how much do you sweat? What kinds of crash risks do you take? Without that, I would go for a chest pack with a drop front -- straps around the neck and back. I've never hit my chest in a crash.</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>I have a fairly light hybrid bike for normal touring that has a light horizontal platform rack over the rear wheel with inserts for securing a mating (complementary) hard plastic container with swing up top and key lock that holds within the container a small padded camera bag. Access to the camera is quick once I'm demounted from the bike and it provides excellent protection in small crashes. If you like, I can photograph and post a picture of it, but I am sure it or similar models are available in most large bike shops in your area.</p>

[robert_brown30]

<p>Thanks for the info/suggestions! Sandy, I'm riding a road bike through traffic generally. Usually, I'm just riding to a specific area, locking up, then walking around shooting street photos. But it would be nice to be able to access my m6 quickly if possible. I guess that's what my point and shoot is for. I'll probably just end up going with an eveready, but really don't want to spend ~$100 on a case just because there's a leica logo on it. Hmm.</p>

[yockenwaithe]

<p>Maybe you could try to get an original eveready case and try to make it a bit more sturdy [DON'T USE THE ORIGINAL STRAP I made this mistake and almost dropped several thousand dollars of camera onto the floor because it decided it would snap]. The original eveready cases sell for about $40-75 on ebay, plus a strap if you don't have one. The cases stay together pretty well also.</p>

[Sandy Vongries]

<p>Robert, what I was thinking of is a rig that was designed for binoculars while hunting. The neck strap is firm, the back strap is elastic strong enough to keep things out of the way when active, but with enough give to bring the instrument to eye level and hold it there. I have seen newer Leica ready cases with a detachable front, which the old ones (at least mine) didn't have. You could slip the whole camera / case into a modified zip lock bag with a spare or two in a pocket, and rip away as needed. Solve both sweat and the elements. <br>

I am what remains of a long term road biker.</p>

[Brad Cloven]

<p>A car ran into me while biking, I went over the handlebars, and absolutely everything was ruined: Bike, face, glasses, coat, pants, headphones in the bag, other stuff in the bag, etc. The only thing that was not destroyed was my computer, in a neoprene bag with bubble wrap around it and a SSD drive. </p>

<p>I happened not to be carrying a camera at the time, since it was the dead of winter and there's no light for film photography during my commute hours. I take a camera with me the other 10 months of the year. NO CAMERA under any circumstances would have survived that crash, unless it was in a purpose-built steel case with huge foam padding.</p>

<p>So, how much equipment are you prepared to lose?</p>

<p>I don't pack more than about $250 in replacement value. Nikon FE, 50mm 1.8 is about as spendy as I go. Canon QL17, Fed2, Pentaxes, etc. I would NEVER pack a Rollei or my Canon P in LTM. Never mind a Leica.</p>

<p>Flashers, man! Load up on 2x multi-hundred-lumen flashers front and back, one AAA battery driven, the other rechargeable lithium driven. Flourescent clothes. Assume the cars are aiming for you. Then, you might survive, cameras too!</p>

<p>Good luck out there and stay safe!</p>

[Sandy Vongries]

<p>Brad, luck of the draw. Living equals risk. In several decades of hard riding I crashed probably half a dozen times on a road bike set up for racing, and ridden that way. Managed to avoid cars by the simple expedient of expecting they were out to get me. Lost a bit of flesh each time, never wrecked a bike, damaged face, glasses or head. Was always able to ride home. We each have our tolerance for risk, I certainly would never ever wear earphones / buds outside a controlled environment -- talk about risk. Do admit, I never carried a camera on the bike in those days -- weight was an issue. Now, riding with less intensity, would carry any camera I own. Worst case, am I protecting it for some user after I die rather than use it?</p>

[steve_bellayr]

<p>The Leica M6 is a sturdy camera and is designed to be used under extreme conditions (except diving). A lot depends on your comfort level i.e. shoulder, back, or hip. Any bag with a zipper enclosure should be fine. Any hard case if you take a spill will probably do more damage to you than the camera. On the lighter side: 40 years ago when I used to go caving (now called spelunking) I took an old post WWII ammo case lined it with foam and took my camera every where and I mean dragging it trough mud, in water banging against rocks constantly throwing it ahead of and dragging it behind me. The cameras were never scratched or misaligned. So if you could find a WWII ammo case it could probably take a small caliber bullet.</p>

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