The Leica M8’s sharpness and how it compares to the Canon 5D and others has been the source of many debates on the photography forums. When it comes to sharpness, I have no complaints. The M8’s detail excels beyond what 10 MP suggests. At a per pixel level the Leica M8 images look sharper than the Canon 1Ds Mark III by a pretty wide margin. When it comes to sharp images, that is the Leica M8’s strong suit. However, when compared to cameras like the 1Ds Mark III with megapixel power, the M8 is outgunned. Here is a quick comparison with the Zeiss 50mm F2 Makro-Planar ZF on the 1Ds Mark III, and the Zeiss 50mm F2 ZM on the Leica M8. And the test scenario -

1. •One shot at F2 and another F8
   

2. •Both cameras focused on the tree trunk in the center of the image
   

3. •Both cameras mounted on a tripod
   

4. •No MLU - M8 does not have MLU, so I did not want to give the 1Ds Mark III an unfair advantage
   

5. •Used Live View to focus the 1Ds Mark III
   

6. •Used a 1.25x magnifier on the Leica M8
   

7. •Let both cameras determine their own metering at base ISO
   

8. •No remotes
   

9. •From the EXIF you should be able to deduce which is which via the shutter speeds
   

10. •Download the files
    

For some more megapixel comparisons, the Gear Talk column picks up where this review leaves off, so I suggest reading the from April 1, 2009 and from November 14, 2008.

CONCLUSION

As a camera the Leica M8 is a wonderfully made machine with beautifully fashioned controls, high standards of craftsmanship and solid materials. For photographers who enjoy the rangefinder experience, the M8 delivers that experience. The M lenses are equally wonderful - smooth, sharp, Leica colorings and so on. There are many digital point & shoot cameras which are smaller and easier to travel with, but they do not offer the optical quality and most likely not the file quality either. From a system performance perspective there are cheaper alternatives delivering similar or better image quality. However, I believe using the Leica M8 is more about how you want to take photographs than it is about technical merits.

Digital cameras have reached a mature stage. While the new developments are impressive at a technical level, the net improvement in file quality is debatable. I am finishing a Canon 7D review and I think the Leica M8 files look better. The Canon 7D has an utterly amazing list of features and capabilities, but when it comes to taking pictures, I am just as likely to take a good picture with the Leica M8 as a Canon 7D. In terms of the actual picture taking part - I like the Leica M8 more than the Canon 7D. I mean nothing against the Canon 7D, it is just a matter of personal / subjective preferences.

There were a flurry of articles earlier this year about “gear doesn’t matter” and counter articles, “gear matters”. My personal view - gear does NOT matter provided you have good equipment. The cost of owning “great” equipment is extreme, and often a text book example of diminishing returns. As of September 2010, I think $2000 for a used Leica M8 is a bargain. Now is the time to own some very “good” equipment for a reasonable price.

Cheap lenses like the Voigtlander 50mm F1.5 ASPH (around $350 used) and Voigtlander 35mm F2.8 Skopar Pancake II (about $250 used) are excellent performers with minuscule price tags. For someone who has been wanting to try a Leica M8 but was put off by the original retail price, now is a great time to buy a used Leica M8 - and probably still in excellent to mint condition. M8’s will be even cheaper in the future, but they will have more miles on the odometer too. In 2008 used M8’s were selling at ~$2500. Today the used prices are around $2100. So they guy who bought a used M8 in September 2008 and sold it today (September 2010) only lost ~$400 in depreciation. That is a screaming good deal when it comes to electronics.

I have taken around 15,000 pictures the Leica M8 (and M8.2) and around 5,000 pictures with Leica M9. There are some things like about the Leica M9, such as full frame. But, in some ways I like the original M8 sensor better. The images have more bite and color is more to my liking.

The next two pages of the review discuss various accessories for the Leica M8 and Leica M9.