Leica M8

103 reviews

Apr, 2024

Positive
usability (34)
image quality (30)
performance (20)
design (15)
portability (13)

Negative
low-light (2)
sensor (2)

General overview
Price comparison

alaTest has collected and analyzed 103 reviews of Leica M8. The average rating for this product is 4.2/5, compared to an average rating of 4.3/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras for all reviews. Reviewers are impressed by the portability and design. The performance and image quality also get good comments. Some have doubts about the low light performance and sensor, while the memory and viewfinder get mixed opinions.

usability, image quality, performance, design, portability

sensor, low-light

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Digital Compact Cameras the Leica M8 is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 85/100 = Very good quality.

Review analysis

(Based on 103 reviews)

Expert Reviews

User Reviews

Review Ratings

(67% of reviews)
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Features

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image quality
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price
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performance
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design
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Showing 1 - 33 of 53 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (50)

Consumer review (amazon.co.uk)

Amazon.co.uk review summary for Leica M8

alaTest has collected and analyzed 10 user reviews of Leica M8 from Amazon.co.uk. The average user rating for this product is 4.8/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.3/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras on Amazon.co.uk. Reviewers really like the portability and price. The size and usability also get good comments.

image quality, usability, size, price, portability

100% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

Apr, 2024

Consumer review (amazon.com)

Amazon.com review summary for Leica M8

alaTest has collected and analyzed 13 user reviews of Leica M8 from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 4.8/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.2/5 for other Digital Compact Cameras on Amazon.com. Reviewers are impressed by the durability and image quality. The screen and reliability are also appreciated, but some have doubts about the price. Reviews about the size and battery are different.

usability, reliability, screen, image quality, durability

price

100% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

Apr, 2024

Expert review by : Phil Askey (dpreview.com)

Leica M8 Review

In 1954, at Photokina (or 'Foto Kina'), Leica introduced the first M series camera, the M3, the first Leica rangefinder body with a bayonet interchangeable lens mount, it was the beginning of a legendary series of cameras and lenses, the latest of...

Hand-built body speaks for itself, superb quality and finish, the best in the business Totally new body built from the ground up to be a digital rangefinder Years of heritage brought into the digital age without compromising Leica core values Range of...

Infrared / Ultraviolet sensitivity means screw-on filters are required for all lenses in order to avoid the magenta color cast on man-made fabrics Disappointing in-camera JPEG engine delivers sub-par results (jagged artifacts, moire, lower resolution)...

When I first got my hands on the M8 I have to admit it was my first experience of a rangefinder camera, I was also skeptical that there was still a place for such a significantly manually controlled camera in such an automatic world where every new...

Jul, 2007

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Expert review by : Phil Ryan (cnet.com)

Leica M8 rangefinder

Leica M8

Dec, 2006

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Expert review by (pdnonline.com)

Leica to Auction Off First M8 Digital Rangefinder

Proceeds to go to press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders.

More than a third of the world's population live in countries without press freedom. Reporters Without Borders works every day to ensure than news is available to everyone. Alerted by their worldwide network of more than 130 correspondents, they expose...

May, 2008

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Expert review by : Andrew Duncan (buy-n-shoot.com)

Leica M8 Digital Camera Review

Mention the name Leica to a photographer and you are sure to get a reaction. Leica is synonymous with cameras and lenses of uncompromising quality. The Leica M8 is the latest member of Leica's M-series range finder cameras, taking the M-series from...

The front of the camera gives no hint that the M8 is a digital camera. Just like the Leica M7, the front of the M8 contains the lens mount, viewfinder, rangefinder and frame selector lever

May, 2008

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Expert review by : The Digital Journalist (digitaljournalist.org)

Expert Review

Roger Richards is the editor and publisher of The Digital Filmmaker, and a Multimedia Editor/Producer at The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia. Richards' main focus now is producing video essays combining his still photographs with digital video, as...

Oct, 2007

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Expert review by : Bruno Stevens (digitaljournalist.org)

The Leica M8 on Assignment

During a recent six-week trip to Iran, I shot exclusively with a Leica M8. This camera was lent to me by Leica for assessment, but I want to stress that there is no financial deal involved either way

Not withstanding all its technical qualities, the best point of the M8 is that it is a true M Leica. The ability to shoot discreetly in a crowd, to be inconspicuous on a street, and finally to point a small innocent-looking camera in the face of the...

Aug, 2007

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Expert review by : Photography Review (photographyreview.com)

Leica M8 Review

Apr, 2007

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Expert review by : Jason Schneider (shutterbug.com)

Leica's M8; Does The 10MP Digital Leica Live Up To The Leica M Legend

The moment you take the eagerly anticipated Leica M8 in your hands you know that the design engineers at Leica have gone to great lengths to preserve the look and feel of perhaps the greatest 35mm rangefinder camera of all time, the legendary M-series...

When you fire the M8's shutter, the actual click is pretty quiet but higher pitched than that of a classic Leica M. However, this is quickly followed by a whir that lasts about a second on S and 1/2 sec on the C setting as the motor cocks the shutter....

Apr, 2007

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Expert review by : Nic Rossmüller (photokina-show.com)

Leica M8

Leica Camera is introducing the new Leica M8 at Photokina in Cologne (September 26, 2006 to October 1, 2006). It is the first digital camera to use the Leica viewfinder system. All the key characteristics of the analog Leica reporter's camera such as...

Sep, 2006

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Expert review by : Shutterbug (shutterbug.com)