Tools: Leica M8

Product Information

Lcm8s_max192w

Leica M8

Leica

Category: Photography
Subcategory: Cameras
Price: $5000
Average Rating:
  •  
(2 Votes)
Description:

The Leica M8 is the the first Professional Leica Digital Rangefinder Camera. It features high picture quality even with high ISO settings, with logical, leica-typical intuitive functions, all in a metal housing made of highly stabile magnesium alloy, available in black or silver chrome. High Resolution: The minimal noise CCD was optimized for the special needs of the M-lens system & offers a high resolution of 10.3 mio.pixels. The special adaptation of the sensor with micro lens offset helps to avoid disturbing vignetting in the corners of the pictures. A very thin glass covering obstructs unwanted light by diagonal light. Full Light Efficiency: It is now possible to take much more detailed pictures with high sensitivity up to 2500 ISO, as never before with analogue film. Concentrated & Intuitive: The M8 features only the most relevant photographical digital possibilities. The functions such as time automatic & the manual focus in combination with the preserved rangefinder principal were maintained. A simple & intuitive menu allows for setting on the 2.5" screen in only a few steps. Rangefinder: The Leica M8 has a bright light frame for the 24 & 35 mm, 28 & 90 mm & 50 & 75 mm lenses. Through the focal length extension factor of 1.33x, the effective focal length is from 32 to 120 mm. This makes the use of the APO-TELYT-M 135mm/f3.5 not recommendable. The viewfinder magnification corresponds to 0.68. Compatibility: The M8 deliberately is without the resolution reducing Moire-Filter in front of the sensor in order to achieve the full performance of the lens. The high resolution of the M-system lenses produced since 1954 can be used with the M8. Creative Photography: The electronically steered & very silent metal blades of the focal-plane shutter can realize exposure times of up to 1/8000 sec. In well-lit surroundings, a photographer's creativity is not hindered with the use of selective sharpness with an open aperture. It is possible to take pictures during daylight hours with selective sharpness with the short flash synchronization time of 1/250 second. Silent & Discreet: In order to achieve a silent advance of the shutter, a rubberized silencing friction wheel was placed in the first gear step. The power is transmitted over a cam the entire length of the tension arm. This makes for a very silent noise from the motorized tension of the shutter. Digital & Longevity: The M8 has been designed to deliver professional results over many years. The closed all metal housing is made of highly stabile magnesium alloy. The top plate & bottom plate of the camera is milled from massive blocks of brass & then silver or black chromium-plated. For the future, raw data formats will implement the DNG technology due to the fact that it guarantees long archive security. Raw data converter DVD Capture One, is included, as well as the Leica Digital Capture remote control CD software. Features A genuine M. No ifs or buts. The LEICA M8. Lenses recognized as the best in the world demonstrate

Member Reviews

  • P0b3dd77ea5c48826d14c8aaf94eeb3f5_355501_max30
    photopro, Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:44:25 UTC.

    I love my m8 -- sure there are UV issues...but it's like driving a porsche...refined, smooth & brilliant.

    Flag as inappropriate
    1st review
  • N37002868_32344679_1004_max30
    Heather, Mon, 03 Sep 2007 17:55:53 UTC.

    I'm still learning about photography but I do know that this sure takes beautiful photos!

    Flag as inappropriate
  • Mrigby_avatar_max30
    serendigital, Wed, 05 Sep 2007 02:42:07 UTC.

    It's on my wish list. The shutter is much quieter than most which is great for street photography and candids. I don't do weddings to much, but it might be good for that too.

    ---update

    <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/09/24/070924fa_fact_lane?printable=true">The New Yorker</a> agrees with me, but says it much more eloquently:

    The Leica is lumpless, with a flat top built from a single piece of brass. It has no prism, because it focusses with a range finder—situated above the lens. And it has no mirror inside, and therefore no clunk as the mirror swings. When you take a picture with an S.L.R., there is a distinctive sound, somewhere between a clatter and a thump; I worship my beat-up Nikon FE, but there is no denying that every snap reminds me of a cow kicking over a milk pail. With a Leica, all you hear is the shutter, which is the quietest on the market. The result—and this may be the most seductive reason for the Leica cult—is that a photograph sounds like a kiss.</blockquote> --via <a href="http://daringfireball.net">Daring Fireball</a>

    Flag as inappropriate