Leica M8

Infobox Digicam
model = Leica M8


kind = Digital rangefinder camera
sensor = 18 x 27 mm inducing a 1.33 crop factor
res = 10.3 Mpixels
lens = Leica M mount
shutter = focal plane, metal curtains, vertical travel
shutterRange = 8s to 1/8000
metering = TTL, center weighted averaging
emode = manual, aperture priority auto exposure
mmode =
farea =
fmode = manual
cont =
viewfinder = Reverse Galilean (x0.68) with automatic or manual selection of parallax corrected framelines, additional color LCD display: 2.5", 230,000 pixels
speedRange = 160 to 2500
flash = fixed hot shoe
flbkt =
fcbkt =
WB =
wbbkt =
rearLCD =
storage =
battery = Lithium Ion
weight = 545 g without battery
obp = The M8 is the first digital camera in the rangefinder M series introduced by Leica Camera AG on 14 September 2006. [cite press release| url = http://www.dpreview.com/news/0609/06091412leicam8previewed.asp#press | title = A camera legend goes digital | publisher = Leica Camera AG | date = 2006-09-14] It uses a 10.3-megapixel Kodak KAF-10500 CCD image sensor.

Features

The M8 body is slightly thicker than the classic MP and M7. It is an all-metal body made of a high-strength magnesium alloy. The top and base plates are cut from solid brass blocks, then given a black or silver chrome finish.

The M8 supports all existing Leica M-mount lenses. All lenses are multiplied by a 1.33x crop factor, hence a 28mm lens will act approximately like a 35mm when mounted to the M8. [cite web | url = http://bjorntoday.com/hardware/M8 | title = The original gone digital: Leica M8] Because the sensor lacks an infrared filter, an IR-cut filter in front of the lens is recommended.

The M8 uses modern metal-blade focal-plane shutter. It can fire flash synchronization at 1/250 second X-sync and a top shutter speed of 1/8000 sec. The flash system used in the M8 is M-TTL.

The camera uses a 6-bit coding system that identifies the lens in use to the electronics built into M8 body. The code is included on all current Leica lenses. To prevent excessive vignetting due to closer lens mount than in a DSLR and thus higher light rays angle on the sensor periphery, offset micro-lenses are used on the CCD. The 6-bit code on lenses gives information about optic vignetting characteristics, permitting software adjustment. [cite web | url = http://www.leica-camera.us/photography/m_system/m8/ | title = M8 - the digital M |publisher = Leica ] . The M8 uses Adobe DNG as its raw data format and the raw converter Capture One LE (included with the camera).

Reception

The Leica M8 suffered from some controversy on its release due to image quality problems reported by some users, especially an extremely high sensitivity to infrared light, which made black colors appear purple. [cite web | url = http://www.blompo.com/product.php?product=1219&search=leica+m8#ArticlesN | title = Leica M8 News Articles | publisher = Blompo ] Leica has since released a statement saying that it will send two special screw-on photographic filters to all future M8 purchasers. Users experiencing other image quality problems can apply to return their M8 for repair. [cite web | url = http://www.dpreview.com/news/0611/06112402leicam8fixes.asp | title = Leica announce fixes for M8 | publisher = Digital Photography Review ]

Upgrade program

Leica announced a perpetual upgrade program on 31 January 2008. [cite web | url = http://en.leica-camera.com/assets/file/download.php?filename=file_3579.pdf | title = FAQ Leica M8 Upgrade Concept | publisher = Leica Camera AG ] To keep a user's M8 up to date with newer releases, owners can send their M8's to Leica for upgrades. The first upgrade offered under this program is an improved shutter designed for quieter operation, at the cost of a slower maximum shutter speed of 1/4000sec.

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/leica-m8.shtml Leica M8 initial review] at luminous-landscape.com
* [http://www.dpreview.com/articles/leicam8/ Leica M8 hands-on preview] at dpreview.com
* [http://web.mac.com/kamberm/Leica_M8_Field_Test,_Iraq/Page_1.html Iraq Field Test by Michael Kamber]