Leica M8 vs Nikon D300

Let's take a deeper look at the Leica M8 versus Nikon D300, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Advanced DSLR by brands Leica and Nikon. The image resolution of the M8 (10MP) and the D300 (12MP) is very close but the M8 (APS-H) and D300 (APS-C) come with different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The M8 was released 7 months earlier than the D300 and they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Leica M8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Nikon D300 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting straight into a in depth comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the M8 grades versus the D300 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Leica M8 & Nikon D300. The complete galleries are available at Leica M8 Gallery & Nikon D300 Gallery.

For those who are planning to lug around your camera regularly, you will have to factor its weight and measurements. The Leica M8 offers physical dimensions of 139mm x 80mm x 37mm (5.5" x 3.1" x 1.5") with a weight of 591 grams (1.30 lbs) while the Nikon D300 has proportions of 147mm x 114mm x 74mm (5.8" x 4.5" x 2.9") having a weight of 925 grams (2.04 lbs).

Analyze the Leica M8 versus Nikon D300 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the M8 vs the D300.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the M8 and D300 is 79 and 55 respectively.

Often, it is very difficult to visualize the difference in sensor measurements just by researching specifications. The photograph here will help give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the M8 and D300.

To sum up, both cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The M8 featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field easier and the Nikon D300 will provide you with greater detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos a little more aggressively. The older M8 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.