ProductCritic: Leica M8 Reviews

Shutterbug (88)

Well then, is the Leica M8 a real Leica M worthy of standing side by side with its illustrious 35mm counterparts, the MP and M7? On balance, we’d have to say, yes. While no digital camera can expect to be pre-eminent for decades at a time like the 35mm M Leicas, and the M8 will inevitably be surpassed in five years by the Leica M9 with more megapixels and even better image quality, the Leica M8 is about as good as it can be given the current state of digital imaging technology.

PhotographyReview.com (85)

The M8 has become my favorite travel camera for trade shows, street photography, portraits, and landscapes. I strongly prefer it to other small digital cameras with interchangeable lenses because the M8 is less obtrusive, takes better photos, has a sophisticated flash exposure system, a wider ISO range, sophisticated noise reduction, faster shutter speeds, a faster flash sync speed, and a brighter, more accurate viewfinder.

Popular Photography & Imaging (84)

Will Leica’s solution to the M8’s higher IR sensitivity and resulting image quality issue be acceptable to potential buyers? Perhaps. Adding a filter isn’t a favorable solution to most Leica lovers, who abhor putting filters in front of their expensive lenses, and it raises a serious question about an otherwise excellent camera.

Digital Photography Review (80)

So what’s the bottom line? I have to admit that I’ve been turned, from a skeptic to a believer, certainly the M8 isn’t a camera everyone is going to afford, but a rangefinder is certainly something any ‘serious’ photographer should try at some point in their life. It’s changed the way I shoot, I’ve found myself going back to manual focus more even when I use DSLR’s and being more selective about lenses and depth of field, and more creative in my framing. My advice on the M8 would be, if you can afford to then get one, be aware of its limitations, shoot RAW and rediscover ‘capturing moments’.

CNET (68)

Late last year, Leica acknowledged a couple of problems with the M8. The most noticeable problem in our field tests was what Leica has termed the camera’s “above-average sensitivity to infrared light.”