Leica M8 - Digital Camera Review
November 13th, 2008 at 10:48pm Under Leica
Overall Assessment
Design 6 / 10
Qualita finish 7 / 10
Rich functionality 9 / 10
Access’ Profiles 7 / 10
Qualita image 9 / 10
Battery 8 / 10
Quality Report price 9 / 10
Overall Assessment 8 / 10
Sensor; Display; values of sensitivity, range targets
Conclusion: The Leica M8 is a professional digital camera, which captures all the key features and representative that made famous the cameras of this producer.
Image sensor to 10.3 megapixels, high sensitivity, interchangeable lenses to choose from a wide range available, and functional commands. Note the large display and high resolution.
Design
Apart from some inevitable differences in commands, such as lack of leverage of office and rewind crank, the front view of the Leica M8 is practically identical to that of the analog version. Even the dimensions are very similar, although slightly higher, as far 138.6 mm wide, 80.2 mm in height and 36.9 mm deep. With intuitive operation, also with a few well-identified commands and menus rational, the new camera also confirms that trend to what that is typical of Leica.
The design of the particular reflex viewfinder box without keeping the typical compact shape and flat cameras LEICA M, but leads to a greater angle of light rays that reach the sensor. Finally, the display is of excellent quality, and 2.5 inches with a resolution of 230,000 pixels.
Features and functionality
With the M8, Leica carries in the world of digital photography all those characteristics that made her famous analog, such as image quality, compactness el’esclusiva mode of composition of the photographs. Starting from technical specifications, the Leica M8 has an image sensor type CCD, whose size is 18×27 cm, low noise and with an effective resolution of 10.3 megapixels, among other things developed specifically for the Leica M. As the target this camera is compatible with a wide range of targets, even with all those that the manufacturer has done so far, all characterized by an exceptional level of performance. The high precision mechanics and optics recognized Leica coupled with the ability to obtain images of exceptional quality, makes goals Leica M particularly suited to digital applications. Among other things, the Leica M8 can recognize the type of lens in use, information that is used by the camera for further improvements in image quality. This is definitely a machine that offers the professional photographer particularly useful features such histogram of the tonal scale also enlarged the areas currently playing, to assess the exposure even on the smallest details of the subject. Another feature to keep the consideration is the viewfinder, which lets you see the subject in the correct light conditions where you are and a focus quickly. Despite being very professional, the Leica M8 photographer follows the step by step, for example through the selector of the field of image frames with six bright margins that show exactly the frame or the directional buttons and ring setting.
The maximum sensitivity of ISO 2500 makes this new camera ideal for photography in ambient light, always a distinctive feature of the Leica M. As for the photos in the night, this camera uses for the first time the technology M-TTL flash, which detects the light reflected from the surface of the subject and thus determine as precisely the power required to correct the main flash. Like all professional machines, the Leica M8 offers a histogram of tonal values RGB, Callable at any time to assess the quality of the photos saved. The Leica M8 also includes a special function for manual cleaning image sensor, in practice, selecting the appropriate menu item and pressing the shutter button, the shutter stays open as long as necessary to clean-up operations. The camera is also accompanied by software Capture One LE II, a RAW file converter, and a special software for remote monitoring of the camera from a computer via the USB cable. The Leica M8 does not have memory but is compatible with memory cards Secure Digital. Finally, regarding the allocation of series, in the package include a strap slip, the camera body cap for M bayonet, rechargeable lithium battery, charger, car power cable, USB cable, DVD with software for managing photos and user manual.
By Digital Camera Review