Leica M8

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The M8 is the first digital camera in the rangefinder M series introduced by Leica on 14 September 2006.^[1] It uses a Kodak KAF-10500 CCD image sensor. The sensor has 10.3 million 6.8 μm pixels and is 18 x 27 mm inducing a 1.33 crop factor, with a ISO 160-2500 sensitivity range. An electronically controlled metal focal plane shutter replaces the previous cloth shutter of all previous Leica rangefinders permitting 1/8000s exposures and 1/250s X-sync.

To prevent excessive vignetting due to closer lens mount than in a DSLR and thus higher light rays angle on the sensor periphery, a correction is applied by an offset on the micro-lens array on the concerned areas. A code on newer lenses give the knowledge of its optic vignetting characteristics permitting software adjustment.^[2]

The Leica M8 suffered from some controversy on its release due to image quality problems reported by some users, especially an extremely high sensitivity to infrared light, which made black colors appear purple.^[3] Leica have since released a statement saying that they will be shipping special screw-on photographic filters with future M8s, and that users who purchase before this date can request to have the filters sent to them for free. Users experiencing other image quality problems can apply to return their M8 for repair.^[4]