Leica has today unveiled its long awaited M8 Digital Rangefinder camera. Some fifty-two years since Leica introduced the first M series camera (the M3) they have introduced what is without doubt a milestone model, the first digital M series. The M8 has a ten megapixel CCD (with special offset microlenses to reduce vignetting) which produces a 1.3x FOV crop,it is built around the same sold metal design which has become the M series trademark with a solid brass top and base and a magnesium alloy cast main section. This camera has been built from the ground up as a digital rangefinder but without compromising the size, quality or usability of the M series design.
Leica M8 digital camera specifications:
| Format | Range finder |
| Price (street) |
$5195.00
|
| Also known as | |
| Release Status | |
 Max resolution |
3936 x 2630 |
| Low resolution |
2952 x 1972, 1968 x 1315, 1312 x 876 |
| Image ratio w:h |
3:2 |
| Effective pixels |
10.3 million |
| Sensor photo detectors |
10.3 million |
| Sensor size |
27 x 18 mm (4.86 cm²) |
| Pixel density |
2.1 MP/cm² |
| Sensor type |
CCD |
| Sensor manufacturer |
Kodak |
| ISO rating |
160, 320, 640, 1250, 2500 |
| Zoom wide (W) |
|
| Zoom tele (T) |
|
| Digital zoom |
No |
| Image stabilization |
No |
| Auto Focus |
n/a |
| Manual Focus |
Yes |
| Normal focus range |
|
| Macro focus range |
|
| White balance override |
6 positions, plus manual and kelvin |
| Aperture range |
|
| Min shutter |
8 sec |
| Max shutter |
1/8000 sec |
| Built-in Flash | No |
| Flash range | |
| External flash | Yes, hot-shoe |
| Flash modes | 1st or 2nd shutter sync, auto slow sync |
| Exposure compensation |
-3 to +3 EV in 0.3 EV steps |
| Metering |
Center-biased TTL |
| Aperture priority |
Yes |
| Shutter priority |
No |
| Focal length multiplier |
1.3 |
| Lens thread | Leica M bayonet |
| Continuous Drive |
No |
| Movie Clips | No |
| Remote control | No |
| Self-timer | Yes, 2 or 12 sec |
| Timelapse recording |
No |
| Orientation sensor | No |
| Storage types |
SD/SDHC card |
| Storage included |
None |
| Uncompressed format |
Yes, RAW (DNG) |
| Quality Levels |
Fine, Standard |
| Viewfinder |
Optical (Rangefinder) |
| LCD |
2.5 “ |
| LCD Dots |
230,000 |
| Live View |
No |
| USB |
USB 2.0 (480Mbit/sec) |
| HDMI |
No |
| Wireless |
No |
| Environmentally sealed | No |
| Battery |
Lithium-Ion rechargeable |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 591 g (20.8 oz) |
| Dimensions | 139 x 80 x 37 mm (5.5 x 3.2 x 1.5 in) |
| Notes | Leica’s first digital M series |
| Resolution Chart | |
| Colour Patches |
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