Product ReviewsLeica M M8 10.3MP Digital Camera - Black (Body Only)

Leica M8 -- A temperamental niche camera

I have always liked the small size and look of the Leica cameras and the digital version (M8) was too hard to resist. You really have to do your research on these cameras; there are lots of quirks. The batteries are temperamental and really expensive. The cameras are temperamental and quirky. You need to be prepared for some patience as you learn to use it. Anything associated with the camera is expensive. If the camera has to be serviced, it is very pricey and a long wait. You also need to recognize that Macro and telephoto imaging are limited. I'm not trying to be negative here, just pointing what I have found. It is quite different than a DSLR. It is a niche camera. So far, the pictures are impressive. Before buying the M8, I would go the Rangefinder forum and the leica users forum. Both have dedicated M8 forums. Lastly, I would spend a little money and buy Brian Bower's book: LEICA M Digital Photography. If I had it to do over again, I'm not sure what I would do but I do wish I had done more research before buying.Read full review...

Still a Monster

This camera is about 10 years old and still blows many others out of the water, Fuji X-T2 included. Sure, its not great in low light and weighs nearly a pound, if not more. But, this camera delivers a quality image each and every single time. It provides each image with its own soul. I also have the Fuji X-T2 and I keep leaving it at home every time I'm going out shooting and instead I use my M8. High quality body, soulful images and part time brick for personal protection. Read full review...

Verified purchase: No

Leica M8

Great Camera! Not new but classic. Excellent for black & white pictures with the ccd sensor. Maximize experience combining lenses with the full frame m9. ebay provides an equivalent service and exposure to so many products! Love It!Read full review...

My first Leica

When I first pick up the M8! I fell in love the quality and simplicity of this Leica camera took me back to photography in school! I cant wait to get familiar with my M8 and have fun creating some beautiful memoriesRead full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: blache2005

Excellent

Excellent entry camera into the digital Leica M system. Easy to navigate menus which allow you to just start shooting. Always better with Leica glass, but works well with other brands as well.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: al406206

Great camera!

Loved this purchase. This is a good first Leica for everybody. You should be well aware of the limitations of this camera when you purchase though: it's a 10 year old camera with a poor screen, slow operation, and (if you don't know Leica Ms) no autofocus.

What you get though is an instrument to make great photographs. If you've been wanting to go back to your photography roots, this is an affordable Leica to start!

+ one reason to buy an M8 (even if you own other Leica's) is because of its lack of an IR filter, it makes absolutely gorgeous black and white photos.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: dlbr

Fantastic - the best camera for those who can't afford the M9.

Hi, contrary to what has been written I don't think the M8 is a 'temperamental' camera. With the latest (free!) firmware updates it is absolutely excellent. Its only two limitations are, first it is not a full-format 24x36 thus not using the leica, Voigtlander etc. lenses to their full potential (especially wide angles) - the 18x27mm sensor size is larger than on most APS-C digital SLRS anyway whih have something around 16x22mm. Second, the higher than average IR sensitivity is a plus in B&W; in colour it only has effects when shooting in artificial light, where a UV/IR filter is recommended. All these issues are solved on the M9 which cost at least twice as much on the used market!
Otherwise, it is a niche camera indeed. Much less forgiving than an all-automatic DSLR, it gives amazingly sharp and lively pictures - isn't this we are looking for in a camera?
Someone only used to DSLRs should have in mind that a rangefinder camera is a different story, everything is in the hands of the user, not of so-called 'smart' electronics. Medium-format users will immediately fall in love with this camera which gives the same high degree of control under a much smaller volume and weight. Average DSLR users may like it or not, but will need some time to get used to it.
By the way, the original Leica batteries are faultless. I had problems with cheap 'compatible' batteries that were quite unpredictable and died after 3 or 4 months.

Definitely not a 'marketing toy' with zooms, bells and whistles, but a wonderful and efficient image-making machine.Read full review...

Leica M8 is a dream! (even though its "old" in 2014)

Fantastic camera. I sold my original one, I have now bought another on Ebay. I found myself looking back at my previous images and wish I had it back...So happy to use it again. I am using a Nikon D4s, D700 and D3. There is something about the Leica that works for me, I guess. D4s is truly the best camera ever made in my opinion. But there is something special about the Leica's image. (I shoot stock, and it seems to make me more 'keepers' than I get with the D4s...)
I do shoot VERY selective focus images. I always feel comfortable with the Leica, because I can see the moment when the shutter releases.
I am sure when I get my hands on the M9, I will be in heaven. But for now, the M8 is a dream.
PeterRead full review...

Great durable camera and a (relatively) cheap entry to the Leica system.

The price to get into a Leica system is steep indeed and after much research I figured I could live with a slight crop and less than a stop difference in performance since the price was less than 1/2 of what a used M9 would be. This way I could buy more lenses.

Being that you can approximate the same focal lengths with wider lenses I don't see that I need the full-frame of the M9. If I need a 35mm I'll use a 28. Not a big deal.

Anyway, for the price you can't beat it. If you want to get into a Leica but can't afford $5-8K plus another huge investment for lenses this is the way to go. It's a solid camera that feels good to use and looks cool too!

There are quirks to using a rangefinder, but that's part of the process. If you complain about it you were never meant to be a rangefinder shooter.

The only thing I HATE about this camera is the unbearably slow write speeds. I mean C'MON. Even a $200 10 year old D70 is a speed demon compared to this. I can understand a frame-rate cap for the shutter system, but 3.5 seconds to write a file is ridiculous for a camera that cost over $5K new. The M9 is no better however.Read full review...

The Leica M8.2 is a great digital rangefinder camera.

The Leica M8.2 is a great digital rangefinder camera that certainly lives up to its fine reputation. It produces stunning images in terms of sharpness and colour fidelity. The IQ is almost comparable to that of its sibling - the Leica M9. Though I am an avid Leica M9 user, I bought a Leica M8.2 camera body recently, more or less, as a back-up camera for my Leica M9. I simply love both Leica M8.2 and M9 cameras. The DNG raw files are what I like most about both of these outstanding Leicas. The DNG raw files are great for post-processing and provide excellent opportunities to do "creative" and "artistic" image processing. If anyone is interested in trying digital rangefinder cameras, the Leica M8.2 is a fine option available. I bought mine which was rated near Mint on eBay and had only 2000 shutter actuations. I am most satisfied with my Leica M8.2. Like the Leica M9, the Leica M8.2 does require sensor cleaning from time to time as it does not have a built-in automatic sensor cleaning mechanism.Read full review...