[TIPS] Cowhide or synthetic? Choosing a camera leather sheet
Two materials, same tape, same thickness
Our camera leather sheets come in two materials. Both are approx. 0.5 to 0.7 mm thick, both have high quality Japanese double-sided tape on the back, and both are made in Japan. The difference is the surface.
Cowhide (for example 4008 II Leica type)
- Real leather with a natural grain; it develops character with use.
- The 4008 II Leica type is available in 215 x 265 mm and in 350 x 265 mm, so a Leica-type body can be covered in one piece without a joint.
- Available in Black and Red.
Synthetic leather (for example 4101, 4054, 4115)
- The same synthetic leather used by Japanese camera manufacturers, so it matches the original finish of many bodies.
- Very even texture, easy to cut, and a good choice for small parts such as grips and lens barrels.
- Patterns include the 35 mm camera grip (4101), Linhof type (4054) and the new lattice pattern for lens barrels (4115).
Not sure which one to pick? If you want the camera to look as it did when it left the factory, choose the pattern closest to the original; if you want a richer feel, choose cowhide. Either way the sheet can be removed later without leaving residue.