So I finally caved and bought a Sony RX100 VII for my upcoming trip to Florence in about three weeks but honestly the thing feels like a wet bar of soap in my hands. I'm so paranoid I'm gonna drop it on a marble floor and that'll be the end of my three-week vacation budget right there. I've been scouring the web for a decent leather half-case just to give it some actual grip and maybe a bit of that classic look while protecting the bottom from scratches when I set it down on stone walls or cafe tables.

I'm stuck between three main options and I cant decide if the price difference is actually worth it. First is the Gariz leather case which is pretty much the gold standard from what I've read. It looks gorgeous with that brushed metal baseplate and it has the opening for the battery door which is a non-negotiable for me because I'm gonna be swapping batteries constantly since this camera eats through them so fast. But it's like $90-100 depending on where I look and that feels steep for just a half-case.

Then I saw the Lim's Design one which is also around that same price point and some people on other forums say the grip is actually a bit more substantial than the Gariz. I'm leaning toward it but I havent seen many long-term reviews on how the leather holds up over time. Does it get all gross and sweaty or does it actually age well?

And then there is the budget option, the TP Original cases on Amazon or eBay for like $45. Part of me thinks it's just leather and how different can it really be? But then I worry about the fit. If it's loose and the camera wiggles inside the case it's gonna drive me crazy and probably just scratch the body anyway which defeats the whole purpose.

Is the Gariz build quality actually that much better than the cheaper TP ones or am I just paying for the brand name at this point? And if anyone has used the Lim's on the RX100 line, does it actually make the camera feel more secure when shooting one-handed?