VIDEO - The Leica M8 in 2024 - A forgotten Gem of a camera?
In this video, I take a look at the Leica M8 in 2024 and whether it is still a good purchase. You will have seen form some of my other posts about the Leica M8, I’m quite a fan of this absolute gem of a camera! However, it is definitely not for everyone.
In this video, I take a look at the Leica M8 in 2024 and whether it is still a good purchase. You will have seen form some of my other posts about the Leica M8, I’m quite a fan of this absolute gem of a camera! However, it is definitely not for everyone.
In the video I discuss some of the pro’s and con’s of this nearly twenty year-old camera and why some people may consider buying one today. As always, if you enjoy the content or have any questions about the camera, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you. Thanks for watching.
PLEASE NOTE: I WAS SENT THIS ITEM FOR REVIEW BUT NO OTHER PAYMENT OR CONTROL WAS EXCHANGED FOR PUBLISHING THIS UNBIASED REVIEW
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About the Author - Ross Jukes is a professional Photographer and Videographer with over a decade of experience. Working in both Digital and Analogue formats, Ross has worked with international clients, had his worked published numerous times and exhibited his work extensively. With a passion for all things photographic, Ross combines his experience, enthusiasm and dedication to his art form to create engaging and educational content for the photographic community.
Disclaimer: All links to Amazon UK/US are affiliated links - you will still pay the same price but I will receive a small commission. All information provided in this blog is intended either for educational or entertainment purposes and is accurate to the best knowledge of the author. However, further research/professional advice should be sort before making purchases/implementing any advice given and no responsibility is taken by the author or parties mentioned here within.
A Sunny Sunday Walk with the Leica M8
I reviewed the Leica M8 a little while back and needless to say, I was pretty smitten with it. Now that I’ve spent a bit more time with the camera, I’ve developed some further thoughts and feelings on it, but is it all still as positive as my previous assessment, or is the love affair over?
I reviewed the Leica M8 a little while back and needless to say, I was pretty smitten with it. Now that I’ve spent a bit more time with the camera, I’ve developed some further thoughts and feelings on it, but is it all still as positive as my previous assessment, or is the love affair over?
Now this doesn’t warrant a full review, it was more the coming together of two increasingly rare things - a sunny day and me having some free time! So I quickly grabbed the M8, who had started to gather dust and hit the streets with no real plan. The one thing I did have in-mind, was I wanted to capture colour and not necessarily go to the most obvious locations.
Watch a recent video I made about using the Leica M8 in 2024!
PLEASE NOTE: I PURCHASED THIS WITH MY OWN MOMEY AND NO PAYMENT OR CONTROL WAS EXCHANGED FOR PUBLISHING THIS UNBIASED REVIEW
I left the house with the Leica in-hand - not even a case or bag, literally just a wrist strap and that’s it! Now my first observation about this camera is ‘it’s a bit of a looker’ - it definitely gets attention and for those in the know, that little red dot really turns heads! However, that attention isn’t always wanted so I would highly recommend being careful where you whip your prized possession out.
As you can probably tell from the images, I had decided to venture into some of the less photographed areas of Birmingham. I took my chances on the streets being quiet on a Sunday morning and this leads me on to another one of my, let’s say, very subtle annoyances with this camera - the size.
Don’t get me wrong, this is not a big camera by most modern DSLR or even mirrorless standards. Then again, it’s not exactly pocketable. I have added a very small grip to the front of the body that improves the ergonomics somewhat and always have a wrist strap attached - but there is no getting away from the fact that after a while, it can feel a little awkward to carry. Most users will have a neck strap or bag so it really isn’t an issue, just one of my observations.
Another thing that jumped out at me in using this camera for a few hours is how much I enjoy the viewfinder. It’s big, it’s bright and even with my lack-lustre eyesight, shooting is a pleasure. Framelines are clear and for the most part, you feel confident in what you're seeing will be how the shot looks. Reviewing your images is a different matter though, the LCD is - and I really am trying to be generous - adequate at best.
I should also mention that I was shooting with the Voigtlander 28mm Ultron II lens - a great lens that has been pretty much permanently attached to the M8 and is more than a fitting companion for the camera. The lens itself is somewhat compact, well made and performs great. My only issue with the glass is not actually the problem with the glass, it’s the camera, again…
You see, for reasons that I’m not going to dwell on, you are best served by adding an IR Cut filter to the front of your lens when shooting on the M8. That’s fine but I like to shoot with a Black Pro-mist filter on most of my cameras in an attempt to dampen the ‘digital’ feel (I appreciate the irony of wanting sharp lenses, amazing sensors and then intentionally ruining them! But that’s how I roll).
The added bulk on the front of the lens makes this setup even less (potentially) pocketable and makes adding a lens hood, well a bit ridiculous as it all just protrudes so far! Fortunately, I’ve not really experienced anything too negative in the lens flaring department and even with filters and step-up-rings and what-not attached, the camera still feels good in the hand and is pretty manageable.
Enough of the camera talk though, this was a leisurely walk after all! I had so much fun just following my nose, shooting whatever jumped out at me and not having any real care for the final results - this was the kind of photographic experience that I had been missing. The best part though, I didn’t find myself yearning for another camera that I’d left at home, the little(ish) Leica was great for this kind of relaxed photography.
It would be appropriate to call the M8 a fair-weather photography camera - it really does not perform well in low light conditions. However, on a beautifully sunny morning, this camera bursts to life and the image, albeit with not the most awe-inspiring subject matter, speaks for itself. Colours pop off the screen and there is a beautiful detail in the modestly sized files.
I’ve fallen into the trap of searching for and saying that certain cameras have a ‘film like’ feel before. I don’t honestly believe that a digital camera can give you what shooting film does. To coin the phrase of a much better ‘Ross’ - it’s the ‘Happy little accidents’ that make film what it is. However, there is no doubting that the colours out of this camera and the achingly classic Leica body, all contribute to the feeling of something much more, analogue.
As I strolled the streets, barely with a thought in my head, I would say the only thing that could really improve the shooting experience would be a manual shutter lever, Epson R-D1 style! I’ve pined for an R-D1 for many years but they will remain out of my price range for the foreseeable future. However the thought of physically interacting with the M8 in the same way you would a (dare I say it!) M6 - but with CCD colour goodness and none of the chemicals - well that’s a combo hard to beat in my book!
“I got home and couldn’t wait to get the images into Lightroom and apply my own not-so-subtle edit to them”
I got home and couldn’t wait to get the images into Lightroom and apply my own not-so-subtle edit to them. Just as much as I had enjoyed my walk in the sun with my best M8 (sorry!!) I loved seeing the images come to life. There’s enough dynamic range that if you expose something correctly, protecting the highlights, you can make some wonderful images. The thing that will really please you though are the colours - no whacking the vibrance slider half way off your screen here, the M8 provides colour in abundance.
So, the question remains - does the M8 live up to my initial high praise? Yes, yes and then some. I only realised when I got home how much I had missed shooting with this camera and how I must take it out more often! It might not have escaped your attention that I have posted this on the same day that I posted my review of the Sigma DP2 Merrill - another camera that needs good light but is a colour monster!
Now, comparing the CCD sensor Leica to the Foveon masterpiece that is the Merrill is no easy task, both are amazing. However, the Merrill makes you work for it and the satisfaction is when it hits. With the M8 though, this is just a more pleasurable experience with the same gratifying rewards. I would be hard pressed to pick another camera over the Leica M8 for sheer photography enjoyment and that, on a sunny Sunday is what it’s all about. I love this camera.
About the Author - Ross Jukes is a professional Photographer and Videographer with over a decade of experience. Working in both Digital and Analogue formats, Ross has worked with international clients, had his worked published numerous times and exhibited his work extensively. With a passion for all things photographic, Ross combines his experience, enthusiasm and dedication to his art form to create engaging and educational content for the photographic community.
Disclaimer: All links to Amazon UK are affiliated links - you will still pay the same price but I will receive a small commission for providing the link. All information provided in this blog is intended either for educational or entertainment purposes and is accurate to the best knowledge of the author. However, further research/professional advice should be sort before making purchases/implementing any advice given and no responsibility is taken by the author or parties mentioned here within.
Leica M8 - My First Impressions...
I'm not going to justify this camera as anything other than a very, very expensive indulgence. For the same money I could buy a modern offering from Canon or Sony that would blow the M8 out of the water in every single department. But that's no the point here. This camera is as much about the process as it is the somewhat sketchy results.
Finding the Perfect Camera
For the last few years, I have been on the hunt for the perfect camera. I have a pretty simple criteria, it must be small, fun to use and produce stunning images! Easy enough then, right?
Watch the video for my thoughts on the Leica M8 in 2024!
Well judging by my purchase history, I have been struggling. That was, until I came across a video from the excellent One Month, Two Cameras (Ali) - a channel seemingly dedicated to the exact struggle of finding the perfect camera.
PLEASE NOTE: I PURCHASED THIS WITH MY OWN MOMEY AND NO PAYMENT OR CONTROL WAS EXCHANGED FOR PUBLISHING THIS UNBIASED REVIEW
Video Source - One Month Two Cameras via YouTube
Ali superbly explains why the Leica M8 is her (almost) perfect camera and it had me hooked. I just had the small task of raising the funds and hunting down a good condition M8. Over the coming weeks, I sold a bunch of cameras that simply were not being used and then trawled the internet for a good condition M8.
Grey days in Birmingham are a challenge for any camera…
Leica M8 making all trees look Autumnal…
Finally, I stumbled across a great condition M8 on MPB - a site dedicated to secondhand camera sales. At £1250, the little Leica was a little more than I'd planned to spend but it seemed to be around the average so I plucked up the courage and pulled the trigger! A few days later, I was in the Leica club and ready to go shoot!
First Impressions...
I was super excited to get the camera out of the box and my first thought when I picked the camera up was 'this thing is heavy!' Not so heavy that it's uncomfortable, far from it but it's definitely got some heft to it! It feels solid and all dials and buttons have a reassuring sturdiness to them.
The body itself is very simple. It has the unmistakable Leica shape. The shut release and shutter speed dial and perfectly located on the top plate. There is a small but very useful LED display on the top for shots remaining and battery life, two delicate subjects that we'll talk more about later.
“The body itself is very simple. It has the unmistakable Leica shape.”
On the rear of the camera, there is a small and underwhelming LCD screen (keep in mind this is a camera from 2006!). Next to the screen is a small d-pad for navigating the menu. On the bottom of the camera is the familiar Leica style plate that must be removed to access the battery and SD card slot.
I quickly grabbed a Canon 50mm lens and an adapter so that it would fit my new Leica and started grabbing shots. The first thing I noticed was the big, bright viewfinder. I'm pretty familiar with using rangefinder cameras these days and this is the best viewfinder I've used by some distance. The frame-lines are clearly visible and accurate. The rangefinder patch itself is bright and contrasty enough to make focussing simple.
I fired shot after shot (mostly of the cat!) and instantly fell in love with the sound of the shutter. It is not discreet! It has a significant clunk to it which more than satisfies my 'digital camera that feels like a film camera' needs. In fact, short of a manual advance lever (and maybe scrapping the LCD screen etc) this camera basically feels like a Leica M6 - one of the most coveted 35mm film cameras out there.
A Rocky Start...
It's safe to say that my first impressions were overwhelmingly positive. I quickly bagged up my new baby and hit the streets. I was keen to see what the real world performance of the camera was and to overcome some of the issues I knew that I was going to have, and they were some biggies!
I knew going into this purchase that there were two main problems that the M8 had. Firstly, there is basically no Infra-red filter on the camera. This helps keep images sharp, and they are! But it also does funny things to the colours. Greens take on a yellowy burnt kind of look and synthetic blacks just come out purple.
This caused such an uproar on release that Leica had to send out IR Cut filters to all new owners to overcome the issue. I thought I could live with it. I very quickly realised I couldn't and a costly filter would need to be purchased. This was an easy fix, the next issue was not so simple to overcome.
This camera, as with many of its age is just not great in low light. I really wanted to be pleasantly surprised and in certain circumstances, I was. But it's safe to say that shooting at anything past dusk can have major limitations. More worryingly, the sensor is prone to some very strange artifacting - more-so in low light. I thought it might be infrequent, but already I was seeing some worrying signs.
The Sensor...
Now is probably as good of a time to talk about this cameras major strength, but also its biggest weakness. The sensor is an ASP-H size CCD sensor from Kodak. What does this mean? It has great colours. In the most simple sensor, the colours out of this camera have a very film like feel that nostalgia junkie like me go crazy for. This comes at a cost though.
That’s a worry from the M8 :(
Apart from low light performance not being great, there is also the small issue of this sensor just doing really strange things with no real indication of when it's going to happen. This makes it very difficult to account for. It seems more prominent in low light conditions but also scenes with difficult contrast. Either way, it is a major flaw.
Low light can be a challenge, but it can work!
It's important to remember that this is a 10-megapixel camera from 2006. Setting expectations is key to building a relationship with this camera. That £1250 price tag does make it a pretty difficult pill to swallow when you are not 100% sure that your image will come out clean or not. As a film shooter, this level of disappointment is something I've learnt to live with.
Getting to grips with it...
With some of the major issues out of the way, it's safe to say this camera is a beauty to use. One of the only potential issues I would note is the camera can be a bit difficult to carry. I have added a wrist strap and have ordered a grip for the camera. For such a costly camera, I thought it best to add something a bit more grippy!
Those colours though…
Talking of additions, the other 'elephant in the room' is lens choice. It won't come as any surprise that Leica glass is just as expensive as the Leica bodies. With that in mind, I wanted a wider field of view than what the Canon 50mm was giving me (with it's 1.33x crop on the ASP-H sensor, this feels more like 66mm). After some research, a happy middle ground of cost and performance was the Voigtlander 28mm Ultron Type II.
I've been really impressed with this little lens and will do a separate review soon. It's important to remember when getting into a system like this, there will always been things you need to add. I'm sure this lens will be the first of many additional items and IR Cut filters to go with any additional new lenses - this could get costly.
Video Source - Mattia Burling via YouTube
Final Thoughts...
I will do a full review in the near future but its pretty safe to say that I am very happy with the Leica M8. I've been really pleased with the files coming out of this camera. The images are sharp with great colours and enough of a vintage feel to them to satisfy my film-shooter tendencies.
The handling of this camera is great. It feels like a film camera and if it had a manual advance (like the Epson RD-1) it would be almost the perfect middle ground between film and digital! If nothing else though, it looks great and certainly turns heads when you're using it in the street - you may want to make sure it is insured!
This camera is not for everyone though. It pays to think of it as a film camera as it involves a lot of manual intervention to get good image out of it. You will definitely need to be present in the photography process and it is not a simple 'set and forget' shooting style. When it hits though, when the light is just right and plays ball, it is fantastic.
I'm not going to justify this camera as anything other than a very, very expensive indulgence. For the same money I could buy a modern offering from Canon or Sony that would blow the M8 out of the water in every single department. But that's no the point here. This camera is as much about the process as it is the somewhat sketchy results.
Obligatory mirror-selfie… Sorry…
All-in-all, I already love this camera! If you have been looking at one to purchase for yourself and you’re on the fence (and can afford it!) Do it! You’ll certainly have a lot of fun with it. It has some major flaws, but if you can look beyond the potential downsides, this is an amazing way into the world of Leica! Be warned, it’s a bad habit to get into though! :)
Disclaimer: All links to Amazon UK are affiliated links - you will still pay the same price but I will receive a small commission for providing the link. All information provided in this blog is intended either for educational or entertainment purposes and is accurate to the best knowledge of the author. However, further research/professional advice should be sort before making purchases/implementing any advice given and no responsibility is taken by the author or parties mentioned here within.