Leica M8
- 10MP - APS-H Sensor
- 2.5" Fixed Screen
- ISO 160 - 2500
- No Anti-Alias Filter
- 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
- No Video
- Leica M Mount
- 591g - 139 x 80 x 37mm
- Revealed July 2007
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Lenses
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
79 Imaging
50 Features
31 Overall
42
Leica M8 overview
Leica M8 is Leica's Pro Mirrorless digital camera initially launched on July of 2007. The camera comes with a 10MP, CCD APS-H sized sensor and has a maximum resolution of 3936 x 2630.
The M8 is positioned #70 out of 70 in Pro Mirrorless cameras & all around #625 out of 1465 for cameras in our list. Remember to check out our Smart camera search to get camera rankings based on your personal factors.
Below is a diagram of specific criteria used in the scoring system.
Leica M8 Gallery
You can see the M8 from various angles in the gallery underneath.
Leica M8 Pros and Cons
Below is a list of pluses and minuses of the Leica M8 based on features that are normally viewed as useful in a digital camera.
Leica M8 Sensor info
The specification of the sensor on the Leica M8 is 27mm x 18mm (APS-H). The 486 mm² sensor can resolve 3936 x 2630 pixels at aspect ratios of 3:2.
Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next monthThe CCD sensor has 10MP and gives a standard ISO range of 160 to 2500. RAW photos are supported so you have wider room to maneuver in post.
Leica decided to skip the anti aliasing filter inside the Leica M8. This can result in more sharper photos but can cause moire under certain situations.
The picture below shows the M8's sensor dimensions when compared to other popular sizes. The M8 sensor has a crop factor of 1.3 and is presented in green.
Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a LandslideTo get an idea of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.
Leica M8 dimensions
Leica M8 weighs 1.30 lb (591g or 20.85 ounces) & has exterior proportions of 139mm x 80mm x 37mm (5.5" x 3.1" x 1.5"). The weight of normal Pro Mirrorless camera is 722g and the Leica M8 is lighter compared with various competitors.
Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music videoBelow is a visual of the Leica M8 with a soft drink to help you to get a feel for its scale.
The top view directly below will provide the button arrangement on the M8.
Leica M8 Lens info
The M8 uses the Leica M mount and has 62 lenses available. Below is a few of the lenses we have in our database which will work with the M8.
Leica M8 Connectivity
The M8 has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
Cameras that consist of NFC and / or Bluetooth compatibility can be controlled wirelessly through smartphones. You are able to send files and usually change camera settings without connecting directly to the camera.
Several applications even allow a Liveview and click the shutter when you aren't close to the camera. If the camera has a HDMI port, it can be attached to an external monitor. Nearly all cameras will allow you to charge the battery with the USB port.
Leica M8 Video info
Leica M8 doesn't capture video. If you are looking for a digital camera to take only photos, this might not be an issue.
Leica M8 Weather Sealing
Leica M8 doesn't include weather proofing so wet conditions could damage the camera.
Leica M8 Screen and Viewfinder
The Leica M8 comes with a 2.5" fixed display screen boasting a resolution of 230k dots.
Please be aware that the display has no touch support.
Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next monthThe ViewFinder specifications for Leica M8 are as follows:
- ViewFinder Optical (rangefinder)
For bright outdoor conditions which make the camera screens washed out and tough to see, viewfinders are particularly helpful.
Leica M8 Shutter info
The highest shutter speed is 1/8000 seconds.
Leica M8 Flash and Hot shoe info
Leica M8 features external flash ability but with missing integrated flash. The max flash sync speed is 1/250 seconds.
Leica M8 Autofocusing info
Leica M8 lacks Auto focusing. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot faster and precise compared with Contrast Based autofocusing.
Leica M8 includes manual focusing if needed during low light scenarios or you want to have more accurate control on focusing.
Leica M8 Battery life
The battery for the Leica M8 is designed to last for 550 shots based on the CIPA specifications making it above the usual for its category. The general Pro Mirrorless camera battery life is 460. Olympus E-M1X offers the highest possible (870) battery life within this class of cameras.
Following is a number of Pro Mirrorless cameras which have the best battery life:
Leica M8 for varying types of photography
The following graph shows a analysis of the Leica M8 for varying types of photography. To read more, scroll to the specific paragraph below.
Leica M8 Portrait photography details
The Leica M8 receives a points total of 54 which is modest, meaning that it is fairly suitable for portrait photography. Taking portraits leans heavily to sensor dimension, RAW support & potential to work with external flash.
Street photography with Leica M8
Coming in at a nice score of 62, the Leica M8 is a very decent choice to use in street photography. A good street photography camera provides a good balance of image quality and portability.
Sports photography with Leica M8
A horrible sports photography score of 43 suggests the Leica M8 is just not good for photographing sports. A camera really should have good tracking plus fast shutter speeds for sports photography.
Leica M8 Travel photography highlights
Size is really crucial in picking a camera for travel. In general, the Leica M8 gets a modest 51 for a travelling camera which makes it somewhat adequate for your travels.
Landscape photography with Leica M8
When you're looking to buy a digital camera for landscape pictures, the most critical factor is going to be image quality. The Leica M8 and it's average score of 55 for a landscape camera is reasonably suited among its rivals.
Leica M8 Vlogging factors
A camera for vlogging really should have a articulating display, microphone port and ideally image stabilization. Considering all things, the Leica M8 is just not good for vlogging as it receives a horrible score of 9.
Leica M8 Alternatives
If you want alternatives to the M8, here is a number of the highest placed cameras that fall into the category of Pro Mirrorless.
The line graph down below offers you a summary of the M8 versus it's top scored rivals mentioned earlier.
There are a bunch of cameras you may look into as alternate options. To browse through a full comparison, click the "compare" link.