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Removing a Giotto Screen Protector

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Well I know the incorrect way to do this now. The Giotto screen protectors are schott glass and work well to protect the M8 screen. They are however very thin and can be cracked on the edges. Since its time for a new M8.2 or an upgrade..I thought I should remove them.

The recommended solution is to warm up the screen protector with a hair dryer. I thought this could be tricky but just a small amount of heat and it came right off. Unfortunately the M8 screen cover came with it.

No damage and it cleans right up ...but now I have to glue the cover back on the M8 without smudging anything.

What is kind of surprising is that the cover is very similar to the giotto screen protector..very thin and you would think easily replaced. So if you could buy the part you could DIY a nice clean screen.

Anybody have any experience as I have another M8 to get the protector off. maybe no heat at all this time. :eek:
 

simonclivehughes

Active member
I took 2 off my M8s when I had them. I experienced the same thing you did... the glass cracked on both Giottos in less than two weeks (and not just on the edges)! And, I had the same experience in removing them, where one took the underlying Leica glass cover off too. On the second one, I just used less heat and tried to pry one corner up very, very carefully until I could hold down the Leica glass and lever the Giottos away from it.

I was lucky with the one that came up as I was able to just press it back into place and it remained there.

Good luck! And if anyone is considering the Giottos... don't bother, they're way too fragile.

Cheers,
 

robsteve

Subscriber
Roger:

I asked Leica about the screen part and it is not available as a separate item. When they replace them in service, they are giving you a complete back shell for the camera.

On the original Canon 1D series, this part could be ordered and installed by the user. I think it was quite cheap too, in the less than $20 range. The Canon screens cover plate were not multicoated like the M8, probably making them quite cheap to make.

Robert
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Wonder if we could go to an optometrist and have one made up? Might not be all that expensive for a flat chunk of optical glass and he might even know how to glue it down?
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
The 2nd one I used no heat and just touched the edge of the Giotto and the Leica cover poped off . The Giotto was pretty easy to get off the Leica cover. After cleaning it up it seemed to pop back in and seems to be on firmly from the old adhesive .

Leica should make this part available ..it was designed as a cover and could easily be replaced by the customer . How many customers have had to take a hit on trade in value because of a screen cover scratch or small crack.

I did however really like the Giotto screen covers ..with a Luigi case the edges were protected so I didn t have any problems with edge cracks . The big advantage was that they stayed on for over 6 months and I could clean them with anything handy. They did a good job of protecting the camera .

Many of the dealers sell the wrong size for the M8 ..I had the 8251 which is too large and leaves an edge to be cracked .. I think the right size is the 8250 but I am not sure. Without the Luigi case my screen savers would have cracked or been pulled off. Together though they worked pretty well.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I think you may be right about the sizing. I was surprised to find my Giotto covers for the M8 were slightly oversized with a definite edge over hang. Inevitably these cracked or shattered and required the hair-dryer (I had to go out and buy one :) ) treatment. If the original were small enough to fit within the bevel of the original LCD cover it would be much more reliable and crack resistant, although it would be next to impossible to remove later.

I too ended up popping off the original cover in the removal process - the Giotto adhesive is pretty tough even around such a small border. No problems - it dropped back in and stayed put ever since.

I gave up on the whole prospect of screen protectors completely. My 8.2 has the new glass so that's ok, my other M8 is looking a little beaten up but I can't justify the Leica cover upgrade on its own.
 
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