PPP Cameras Leatherette For Pentax 17 Review.

I bought the PPP Cameras Pentax 17 leatherette, was so pleased that I sent the first images to Hamish, and he asked that I write a review here. Gladly. I had already written a review on my own blog. Here it is reformatted for 35mmc.

It is great. Have a Pentax 17? Buy it…

More? Fine.

This is not my first Leatherette redo. The first was my beloved (Not an overstatement… What of it?) Contax 137 MA Quartz.

It was easy to install. And the PPP Leatherette was even easier. But let me back up. The 137 needed the leatherette because the original leatherette had fallen apart. A common Contax SLR issue. So why apply leatherette to a brand new camera? I am glad I imagined you asked. I said in my Pentax 17 first thoughts:

Before I start gushing I will get the negative (singular) out of the way.

The black plastic where the pleather usually goes and the buttons and switches could use an upgrade in materials.

Well not long after writing this I stumbled across an Instagram post from PPP (Thank you algorithm driven big brother.).

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A post shared by PPP Cameras (@pppcameras)

I ordered a black leatherette almost immediately. I am glad the other colors are available, but similar to the 137 above my issue was with the feel in hand, not the look. Then I promptly forgot I ordered it and it arrived today. Cool.

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A post shared by Eric L. Woods (@ewoodsphoto)

So why easier than the 137 leatherette. I had to purchase rubber cement with that leatherette while the PPP leatherette had its own adhesive backing. No instructions were included, or I overlooked them, but they were not needed. I wiped the camera down with alcohol and installed the leatherette within a few minutes. In all honesty the front of the Pentax 17’s hard plastic is not that offensive because it has the baby elephant print pattern we are all used to.

But inexplicably the plastic back of the Pentax 17 has a diamond pattern that is… not that nice. It does not look good and it does not feel good.

And that is where the biggest improvement is here.

Nice.

Ok. Wrapping up. Here are the updated product pics with the new leatherette.

Well done PPP. You have addressed my only Pentax 17 issue.

Eric L. Woods

I shoot a variety of new and old digital and film cameras. Industrial Engineer by education, IT is my vocation, and I really enjoy using, testing, and writing about cameras. All three of the latter are very therapeutic exercises for me. If you are so inclined my blog address is ewoodsphoto.com and I can be found on Threads and Instagram. All the best to you.

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