Finally pulled the trigger on a near-mint Leica M6 Classic—been saving up for this one since college. Now that it’s actually in my hands, I’m terrified of scratching it. My shooting style is mostly street photography and travel, so the camera ends up getting tossed into a messenger bag pretty often. I need something that offers real protection without turning the M6 into a brick.

I’ve spent the last few days digging through forums and Reddit threads, but most advice is either 'don't use a case, just enjoy the patina' (which I’m not quite ready for yet) or 'buy the $500 leather artisan case' (which is definitely over my budget). I'm looking for something functional.

I’ve narrowed it down to these three:

• The Leica Ever-Ready Case: Iconic, obviously, but I’ve read mixed things about how bulky the top cover is when you're actually trying to shoot quickly.
• Luigi’s Cases: They look gorgeous, but I’m worried about the shipping timeline from Italy and if they really offer enough impact protection for travel.
• A generic half-case from eBay/Amazon: Super cheap, but I'm worried the leather quality is going to be stiff or, worse, chemically treated in a way that might mess with the camera's finish over time.

My logic was that a half-case is probably the sweet spot—good grip and base protection—but I don't want to compromise the tactile feel of the shutter speed dial. I’m leaning toward the Luigi case because of the custom fit, but I’m worried that waiting weeks for it might mean I’m carrying the camera unprotected in the meantime. Has anyone here used a half-case that doesn't make the M6 feel too thick in the hand? Also, does anyone have experience with those cheaper leather cases actually damaging the baseplate finish? I’m kind of overthinking this, I know, but I just want to make sure I don't regret the purchase later...