HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THE LEICA M8 — A 5 YEAR REVIEW
This is not a technical review. It is a user review based on my particular experience with this camera.
THE POCKET GUIDE
Treat this camera like a film rangefinder loaded with ISO 160 colour slide film.
-Shoot raw (DNG), leave processing to software (Lightroom)
-Stick to base ISO (160) and adjust exposure in Lightroom
-Use higher ISO for creative purposes (CCD digital ‘grain’)
-Expose for highlights (favour underexposure)
-Budget for repairs (it’s worth fixing — that’s a good thing!)
-*IMPORTANT* IR/UV cut lens filters strongly recommended!!
LEICA M8 REVIEW
Still Relevant Over A Decade Later?
Which camera system should you invest in? Conveniently, digital camera marketing simplifies your decision-making process with megapixel counts, ISO numbers and other quantifiable specs. Get the best specs you can for the least money — simple, right?
We’ve all been on the hamster wheel of new tech though. By the time a camera is released, the very same manufacturer of that new pinnacle of digital imaging technology is already plotting its obsolescence through the development of a new & improved model.
In the quest to own the best specs, the consumers move away from older devices, and their value predictably depreciates. But if you think about it, this is a distorted concept of value — True value comes from longevity. Time dilutes cost.
Most quality film cameras require only maintenance (and film stock) and they will remain useful indefinitely, it seems. Paying $500 in 1978 for a camera you can still use in 2020 seems like a good deal (works out to $10–50 per year, depending on inflation). Is the same possible for digital?
When I use my 14 year old Leica M8 it stands in defiance of obsolescence and reinforces the idea that technical progression may be more about selling gear than improving photography.
New technology opens up new possibilities, but so do limitations. Anything that forces you to adapt can have interesting effects on your images.
Put simply, when I want full control and authorship over my photos, I reach for the Leica. When I want the camera to do more of the heavy lifting, I use my Fuji XT-2.
Who buys a 10 Year Old Digital Camera?
I still drive a manual transmission car and sometimes heat my house with wood. In 2006, when the Leica M8 first arrived, I was stubbornly resisting digital, and shooting with a Leicaflex SL (a 40+ year old camera) and and Leica M4-P from the 80's, both fully manual film cameras.
However, I was having my film scanned, which made the change to digital seem both sensible and inevitable.
What I wanted was a professional or prosumer digital camera, but I was deterred by how quickly they depreciated in value.
Unable to find my way, I slipped into the crack between the analogue/digital divide, relying only on my iPhone for photography for several years.
When a friend of mine asked me to be photograph his wedding my gaze settled once again on the M8.
I was excited to re-read the original glowing review on dpreview.com, but the story didn’t stop there. The M8 had a design flaw that caused infrared sensitivity, something for which there was no firmware or software fix.
Buoyed by the fact that Leica lenses are a good investment, I took the leap and purchased the M8 in 2015, 9 years after its initial release.
In sharing my experience, I hope to address the M8’s flaws, appreciate its enduring qualities, and help you decide if it’s the right tool for you.
The M8, In Context
Even though it is one of the first digital rangefinder focus cameras (preceded by the Epson RD-1), the Leica M8 is unacknowledged, overlooked and underrated. It is also eclipsed by its successor, the M9 — The world’s first full-frame digital rangefinder. The M8 occupies a blindspot in the market that lowers its price, arguably increasing its value for money.
An M9 costs 100% more than the M8. The M240 is 3–4x as much. And the M10? At this point it’s in the range of “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it”. So, how much do you compromise with this camera, is it even worth the diminished (yet still considerable) price it fetches now?
IR Sensitivity
The Blessed Curse
The whole reason there is a Leica M8.2 is to address one colossal misstep Leica made in the design of the M8. Leica intentionally put less resolution-reducing filtering in front of the sensor, but they underestimated the ensuing infrared sensitivity issues this would cause. Early adopters almost immediately began complaining of the M8’s rendering of purple-looking fabrics and unnatural yellow-brown foliage.
The proposed fix was to use a UV/IR cut lens filter. Putting an IR filter in front of the lens effectively replicates the effect of one in front of the sensor. Leica offered each owner of a Leica M8 two free Leica brand filters. Somehow, even as a secondary owner, I was able to take advantage the offer. When Leica makes an embarrassing mistake, they do what they have to in order to uphold their brand.
These days the only practical issue I have due to this design flaw is the occasional lens flare due to reflections from the filter.
As an example of how people have come to embrace this camera, due to its IR sensitivity is now lauded as an excellent camera for black & white photography, as its IR sensitivity mimics infrared film stock.
Image Quality
Are Ten Megapixels Enough?
Not surprisingly, the M8 has been left behind in the megapixel race. However, its 10 megapixels will not disappoint. Do not let the fact that your smartphone has a higher pixel count deter you for one second — not all pixels are created equal.
Now, hear me out on this one — the other benefit of “only’ 10 MP is file size. With the sheer volume of digital files involved in practical digital photography, there is a lot to be said for efficiency, meaning it is good to not use more megapixels than necessary. A raw file from the M8 is 10.6MB, or approximately 1% of a gigabyte, giving you about 100 raw files per gigabyte of storage!
Don’t buy this camera if you need to shoot jpeg. The M8’s jpegs were never good. The key the M8 is to shoot raw, and outsource processing to your photo editing software of choice. Think of it as a film camera loaded with 160 ISO slide film. The output SOOC has the look and dynamic range of colour positive slide film, and you will benefit from keeping this in mind when visualizing your photography.
Raw files from the M8 are sharp and contrasty with plenty of latitude, not to mention a unique digital ‘grain’. Combine this with the latest image processing software, and you’ve got something special.
The Sensor: CCD vs CMOS
The M8 houses an APS-H sensor. This is 2/3 full frame with a digital crop factor of 1.33 (35mm lens = 46.55mm full frame equivalent). It exists between a 1/2 size APS-C sensor and a full frame sensor.
The M8 is unique among most cameras in use today because of its CCD sensor. If you are a stills photographer and can live without live view, then you’ll likely be ok with this.
Contemporary digital imaging has fully adopted CMOS sensor technology, which uses less battery, has superior high ISO performance, and allows for live view and video. Sounds like a knockout for CMOS!
Because they are no longer in use, there is now some nostalgia for CCD sensors that I feel is akin to what people feel for film. In fact, if you like the look of analogue, or are still shooting with film, you are likely to appreciate the “digital grain” in an M8 image.
The highest ISO setting on the M8 is 2500, which produces a very noisy file. Based on the specs war, you may instantly write off this camera, as even the cheapest modern camera outperforms the M8 in this regard.
However, if you refer back to the ‘slide film’ analogy, it is best to leave the camera at base ISO (as though it was loaded with film) and push exposure in post. I have had great success with this, as there is much detail in the shadows, and the pushed image still has punch and dynamic range.
That frees you to shoot higher ISO purely for creative reasons. High ISO cranks up the noise, which we’ll call ‘digital grain’ in this case, resulting in images that can be compared to ISO 3200 black and white film stock.
It is important to consider that this is an analogue optical device adapted for digital, so this camera was not designed with ISO in mind, it was instead designed for fast lenses. Although these days it isn’t as effective, you can gain some low-light performance through a summilux, noctilux(!), or a more affordable equivalent.
If you choose to use it, auto ISO is available. The consensus on this is to set the parameters (in settings) with an upper limit of ISO 640 and prioritize the lowest ISO possible.
Although it lacks a dedicated button (as on the M9), setting the M8’s ISO is actually quite practical. Because it is given preferential treatment at the top of the menu, the ‘set’ button essentially functions as an ISO button. Two depressions of the set button, a turn of a dial, and another ‘set’ and you’re done. The whole process takes only 2 seconds, which cannot be that far off from the time it takes to adjust an exterior dial.
My preference will always be for an exterior dial (as on the M10), as your ISO is always on display instead of hiding in a menu, but again, that is a small consideration (that should have been given to the M8!).
Performance
The M8 is not a fast shooter. Well, it shoots up to 1/8000th of second, so it’s fast in that regard, but not as a continuous shooter. The buffer is slow and gets overwhelmed easily.
I have experienced camera lock up and shut down when I fire too many shots consecutively. I have to pull the battery to get the camera functioning again. This is frustrating, to say the least, especially in a professional setting, where losing your flow and missing a moment is embarrassing enough without having to draw attention to it by fidgeting with your camera. This camera forces you to slow down.
In defense of the M8, someone wiser than me said that computers may be smarter than people, but they have yet to make one that can read my mind. I get frustrated when anything AUTO doesn’t do what I want it to, when I want it to.
The full depress of the shutter encapsulates the intent of photography and the photographer. Every camera ever made performs this function, making it the ultimate photographic interface between human and machine. When that moment is delayed, for even a fraction of a second while a computer calculates exposure and locks focus, it is an affront to the very act. After all, what is a photograph if not a fraction of a second chosen by a photographer?
I would gladly trade 100% of the sharp moments that I didn’t want for even one of the blurry ones that I did want. That is why I choose manual control , and a camera that is designed to be controlled manually.
Viewfinder/Metering
The viewfinder is a pleasure. It is uncluttered, contrasty, and bright enough to make focusing possible with very little available light.
There are two exposure modes, manual and aperture priority. In Aperture priority mode, the viewfinder shows only shutter speed, with two red dots stacked. The upper dot indicates exposure lock, and a lower one indicates exposure compensation (ISO? I will admit that I had to look this up in the manual).
Manual exposure is adjusted using the external shutter speed dial and aperture ring on the lens. For this mode the viewfinder shows a larger centre dot indicating accurate exposure, bookended by a left arrow to indicate underexposure and a right arrow for overexposure.
This is simple and purposeful. In tricky lighting I will move the viewfinder from shadow and highlights and see how these indicators react to give me an idea of where to set exposure. Archaic, I know, but also kind of charming.
Aperture is not indicated, as there is no technology on legacy M-mount lenses to transmit this information to the camera, but it is estimated (always inaccurately) by the camera and included in the photo metadata. I believe a light sensor on the centre front of the camera has something to do with this calculation.
What would be useful, and completely feasible with the M-system, is if ISO was indicated in the viewfinder. This, I feel, was an unfortunate oversight, as it is relevant information while shooting that is otherwise confined to a menu.
Shot Countdown Window
The shot countdown window is unique to the M8. I’m not sure why it was not included on subsequent models. Because it was built in 2006 when SD cards were typically 2–4GB, the window only has 3 digits, so its maximum number is 999. When you combine scant 10MB raw files and modern SD cards, you can probably assume that the only number you see in that window is 999, unless you use a card until there are fewer than 8GB of space left.
The Back Screen
I am defintely in the minority here, but this screen works for me. Except in the brightest sunlight, where it does not work at all. It does not meet the modern expectations for a screen, let’s just leave it at that.
It’s more that I have gotten used to it. A quick glance tells me if an image is blurry or sharp and/or properly exposed. I still have the impulse to magnify, but every time I do, it just confirms what I already knew from looking at the full image.
What really counts is when the images are taken off camera and viewed on a modern, unforgiving, high-res screen, the images from this old camera look detailed and rich.
If you pixel peep, you will be pleased with the resolution. When magnified, the signature, or fingerprint, if you will, has a ‘vintage’ digital look. It’s hard to describe, but it just doesn’t seem to have that smoothness associated with modern digital. This may be part of the CCD/CMOS distinction.
Value
Currently, the M8 seems to have bottomed out in its secondary market value. I have been watching the prices since I purchased mine, and on average their value has remained steady.
When I purchased my M8 I also bought what would be a great general purpose lens with a more modern design. I opted for the Summicron-m 35mm asph. I purchased the lens and camera through eBay, which worked out well. It was a BIG investment for me.
The reassuring thing about Leica gear is that it holds value well over time. In my case, I have been buying and selling Leica gear for over decade now, and it has allowed me to slowly upgrade my equipment without breaking the bank. In fact I sold a couple of R lenses I was holding onto in order to finance the M8 purchase. My thinking in purchasing the Summicron was to put more money into the lens than the camera because lenses continue to be mounted on whatever camera has come or gone, and so maintain their value.
Even though the M8 is considered ancient by digital standards, it has a classic look and feel, it is well designed and built, and intended to last a lifetime. It proudly wears its limitations as its merits, which are rooted in a long and storied tradition. This alone makes it more enduring than even professional cameras that may become passé. If you want to forego “digital rot”, this may the camera to do it, and at a very attractive price point.
Durability & Repairs
Buying an M8 means that you will almost certainly buying a used camera — unless you happen to purchase from a collector, in which case expect to pay a premium.
A decent used model will keep some money in your pocket…which I recommend banking for future repair and maintenance.
I bought a lightly used model with around 5000 shutter actuations. (In case you’re not aware, actuations are the amount of shots taken on the camera, and are an indication of use and wear on a camera much the same way kilometres are to a used car) I put just over 10,000 on it myself within two years, at which time the shutter failed.
A quick online search brought me to a website that showed the average shutter life of any given camera (as reported by users), and I was surprised to find that the Leica M8 averages 15,000 actuations before failing. This statistic proved to be remarkably accurate in my experience.
(Incidentally, Leica reduced the shutter speed to 1/4000th on the M9 and on. I have read on some online forums that the high speed has something to do with the lack of durability of this mechanical shutter)
Given that the average shutter life of a Leica film rangefinder would be in the tens of thousands, this was quite a shock. Part of the value in purchasing a Leica rangefinder is that the large initial investment pays off in the long run due to its extreme durability.
However, you can rest assured that, as long as there are parts, your M is repairable, and it is worth repairing. But as with all things Leica, it comes with a premium price tag.
With the M8 the repair cost is the same as it would be for any other M body. This puts the M8 owner in a precarious position. As an example, my shutter mechanism repair cost over a third of the value of the body itself. On a $10,000 M10, the same amount would be only 5% of the value of the body. Although this is cause for concern, I do take some comfort in knowing that a recently serviced Leica fetches a higher premium, so there is some value added.
My repair was with Leica Camera in New Jersey, who are the only certified repair facility in North America. It ended well, but was not a smooth experience.
I was frustrated with their customer service, mostly due to poor communication. To their credit they took my concerns seriously and they were all addressed, albeit over a very long time span. All told, the full transaction took in excess of 4 months. For what it cost, it should have been more of a 5-star experience.
For your reference, my shutter repair was over $500USD. It is now warrantied for a year and working just fine. At the rate I shoot it should last me at least another 3–4 years before the possibility of failure recurs.
*UPDATE — just over a year after the initial shutter repair the ‘half-press’ function ceased operating, so the M8 was sent back to New Jersey once more for repair. Leica NJ graciously extended the warranty period and completed all work free of charge. Even better, upon receiving my camera I was surprised to find a brand-new directional pad had been installed, also free of charge. This was a 5-star experience.
Random Complaints
1. I enjoy the sound of a mechanical shutter, but this shutter is loud…even in “discreet” mode. As someone who likes to shoot stealthy, it’s an issue.
2. Occasionally the M8 will produce “banding” on the image. This is slightly visible in the image of the drummer (see photo) but it can be substantially worse, sometimes a translucent green stripe appears (see photo), which seems to be a product of pushing the cameras processor beyond its limit. These are unpredictable occurrences that are far more likely under low light conditions. When you compound this with the high ISO noise, the M8 becomes a dodgy proposition in low light, and that could be a deal-breaker for some.
3. Sometimes the buttons and dials (not the shutter) do not respond upon first depress. This type of feedback response is not what one expects from a luxury item — especially those who appreciate the tactile experience that a manual Leica camera offers.
4. Dead pixels are an issue. These will have the appearance of dust on the sensor which requires post-processing to address. This is only apparent in bright skies, so I would not recommend this camera for landscape photography — not that anyone would.
Conclusion
I just spent a great afternoon with the kids on the back deck on a beautiful, sunny day. The 3 of them, playing with bubbles, in high contrast lighting was a dynamic shooting experience that was too good to pass up, so I grabbed the M8, set it to hyperfocal distance, and played with composition for an hour. It was a delight. (See photo)
That got me thinking back to some 5 years ago, when I spent the first week of ownership thinking I had made a huge mistake. I found the shooting experience awkward and frustrating. This was the adjustment period as the camera unlocked a new way of shooting and ‘seeing’.
I see this replay often as photographer friends pick it up and shoot a few frames, but the unique experience quickly becomes disorienting, facilitating a hasty return to the familiar.
A rangefinder forces you to slow your process and shoot differently. Paradoxically, this is what makes it an enduring camera.
Unlike with an SLR or live view camera, what you see is not always what you get. Remember when you had to wait to finish your roll and have it processed before you could see your images? I used to find that so exciting, and would look forward to opening the package to see what treasures I had captured. It was like Christmas morning.
Well with a rangefinder you get a small taste of that experience, as you won’t know the depth of field and the unique character of the lens until you see it on a proper screen.
The rangefinder experience is unique, and it will have you producing images unlike on any other camera you use. I have not been able to put it down since.
Nick Clayton is a husband to 1, father to 3, teacher to many, and a photographer to some.
Instagram/Twitter @nicknaclayton
