Aki-Asahi skin

[babaimage]

Custom Leatherette skin for Panasonic GF1

It look nice & cool , so I ordered one for my GF1.Those who are interested to see how it looks like can go to Aki-Asahi.com website.

 

[klythawk]

Hi babaimage.

When you receive your cover, could you let me know if they have cut a small square out for the yellow "L" logo. One shot shows it cut out, the other shows it's not cut out.

Thankyou, John.

 

[babaimage]

... could you let me know if they have cut a small square out for the yellow "L" logo.

Hi Klythawk,
I already received mine and can confirm that there is no cut out for the Lumix logo [L]. It is exactly like the first photo when it is fixed on the camera body.

As I did not use the usb cable for photo transfer to my PC, I fixed the leatherette for the usb door and it looks much better..the classic look is there

 

[jhob]

Just fitted an aki-asahi skin to my silver GF1 and I think it looks really good. I'd heard reservations from elsewhere regarding how it looked on silver cameras but I'm pleased to say that I'm really happy with it. Gives the camera a great understated elegance.

Seems high quality too and definitely improves grip. I'm pleased!

All I need now is the screen protector that I'm waiting on and my GF1 will be fully clad.

 

[Iconindustries]

Just fitted an aki-asahi skin to my silver GF1 and I think it look really good. I'd heard reservations from elsewhere regarding how it looked on silver cameras but I'm pleased to say that I'm really happy with it. Gives the camera a great understated elegance.

Seems high quality too and definitely improves grip. I'm pleased!

All I need now is the screen protector that I'm waiting on and my GF1 will be fully clad.

Hey Jhob, I never knew they even made such a thing. I will look out for one. Would you be able to post a picture of your camera with the skin on?
I'm not sure whether the GF1 is painted or anodised. If it were just pain it would take much to scratch it.

Thanks,
Brady

 

[jhob]

Aye, I'll get a photo of it sorted over the weekend. I ordered it direct from aki-asahi here: http://aki-asahi.com/store/html/GF-1/leatherette/GF1.php took about a week to arrive in the UK. Price is pretty reasonable too.

 

[Alan Wolf]

I'm not sure whether the GF1 is painted or anodized. If it were just pain it would take much to scratch it.

Thanks,
Brady[/QUOTE]

Almost positive it’s paint. If it’s anodized, it’s so thin as to be the same as paint. My first day I dropped my GF1 onto the sidewalk and scarred up (also roughed up) the back lower edge. Good news is that the camera is working fine. But the black finish is fragile—more so than I remember the old black Nikon (I’m talking 70s) was. This may also be due to the body alloy being softer than the brass that used to be de rigueur.

 

[ahuyevshi]

+1 for aki-asahi got one for my ep-2 in like 6 days... I'm in NYC

 

[OzRay]

I'm thinking of getting one for my Pen 2, never the Pen 1, as I noticed today that there's a small piece worn off near the base of the grip. The dark tint on the Pen 2 is certainly not anodising, but more what I think is a thin coat of laquer or the like over the stainless base. Olympus would have been better off giving it a proper coating of hard wearing enamel or similar, like on all of their other bodies.

Note: Just order a skin, but what a weird way to get to the PayPal payment system, not through a normal link.

Cheers

Ray

 

[cosinaphile]

from my examination of the coatings on the ep series they seem to be coated with a very hard , but not un chippable\ un scratch able solvent acrylic lacquer similar to the finish that is ofter used for automobiles,

if its put on correctly l with proper surface preperation , it can be a durable and hard wearing coating , however i think Olympus may have some quality control issues with at least some of the ep2 translucent black coatings , as Ive seen photos of the finish failing catastrophically in at least one instance in a relatively new machine

 

[OzRay]

from my examination of the coatings on the ep series they seem to be coated with a very hard , but not un chippable\ un scratch able solvent acrylic lacquer similar to the finish that is ofter used for automobiles,

if its put on correctly l with proper surface preperation , it can be a durable and hard wearing coating , however i think Olympus may have some quality control issues with at least some of the ep2 translucent black coatings , as Ive seen photos of the finish failing catastrophically in at least one instance in a relatively new machine

Mine's got a very odd wear mark and I think I know what caused it. The other day I did a work trip and on the way stopped off here and there for a few shots. At the end of the day, instead of taking of the EVF and putting the body back in the usual manner, I left it face down in the camera bag and it obviously rubbed against the lens cap of one of the lenses. Probably a little too much to expect in regards to durability, but the aki skin will certainly protect against that sort of wear.

Cheers

Ray

 

[Iansky]

I have seen these before and I believe they make a "Carbon Fibre Look" version or is that another maker?

Either way, I have been considering one for my GF1 - the instructions are a bit contradictory as they show the GF1 with cover on the side access door to USB/AV input then further down tell you it is not recommended!

 

[Bullfrog]

The carbon fibre look is from SGP. Here. I put a deep-black one on the GF1 and was surprised at how well it fitted. I see they now do one in white, but I reckon that's pimping things just a bit much.

 

[Iansky]

Oooooh that Carbon Fibre one is very tempting - perhaps a little overboard?

Have these improved the feel of the camera and increased grip at all?

 

[klythawk]

I have seen these before and I believe they make a "Carbon Fibre Look" version or is that another maker?

Either way, I have been considering one for my GF1 - the instructions are a bit contradictory as they show the GF1 with cover on the side access door to USB/AV input then further down tell you it is not recommended!

Ian, they recommend that you don't cover the USB door if you use the door to gain access to d/l images. I think there is not enough clearance for the door to swing open without catching the stick on cover. I'm also interested if it improves the grip, for me the finish of the GF1 is far too smooth and slippery, like a bar of soap in your hands.

John.

 

[Bullfrog]

Oooooh that Carbon Fibre one is very tempting - perhaps a little overboard?

Have these improved the feel of the camera and increased grip at all?

For me, yes. There's noticeably more traction with the deep-black skin on.

 

[jhob]

Ian, they recommend that you don't cover the USB door if you use the door to gain access to d/l images. I think there is not enough clearance for the door to swing open without catching the stick on cover. I'm also interested if it improves the grip, for me the finish of the GF1 is far too smooth and slippery, like a bar of soap in your hands.

John.

Yes, it definitely does improve grip, the handling is improved. The grips are worth it for this alone I would say. I agree that it is too slippery as is.

I found that the door opens fine with the skin on, there's a bit more resistance but it's certainly not impeded from opening. If this resistance concerned you it would be simple to trim 1mm from the edge to prevent this from happening.

 

[flipGTO]

bullfrog, does the deep black skin from ebay actually feel like leather/pleather or is it a smooth vinyl?

 

[cosinaphile]

carbon look cool

 

[tobeeornot]

EP1 Body Covers

Does anyone know where I can purchase a black one?

Part of me doesn't want to ruin the beautiful metal retro look but I quite like making the camera more inconspicuous on the street.