M8.2

Manufacturer's Specification . M8 and M8.2

Camera type - Compact digital viewfinder <- and rangefinder> system camera for professional use with Leica M lenses. Microprocessor-controlled metal blade focal plane shutter.

Image sensor - Low-noise CCD <chip,> sensor specially optimized for the requirements of the Leica M lens system, Pixels: 10.3 Million. Dimensions: 18 mm x 27 mm. Extension factor: 1.33 x. Aspect ratio: 3:2. Coverglass thickness 0.5 mm, full suppression of infrared light by additional UV/IR filter. Moiré filter: no, <lens imaging power is fully utilized through recognition and softwarebased elimination of moiré.> but full exploitation of the lens capabilities by Moiré fringe detection and elimination by digital signal processing.

<Sensitivity> Sensor speed range - Manual setting from ISO 160/23° to ISO 2500/35°. LEICA M8.2: additional automatic setting with free choice of ISO range.

Viewfinder - Viewfinder principle Large <, bright> bright-line frame range <and> viewfinder with automatic parallax compensation. Viewfinder optics with reduced <susceptibility> sensitivity to stray light and optimal <perceptibility of all> of the bright-line frame in <any> all lighting <conditions> situations. Eyepiece - <Adjusted> Matched to –0.5 dpt<r>. Correction lenses from –3 to +3 dpt. available. Image framing - By <projection of pairs> display of two bright-line frames at a time: For 24 and 35 mm, or for 28 and 90 mm, or for 50 and 75 mm. <Automatic projection when lens is attached.> Display selection automatically matches the lens in use. 100% of the sensor format is covered at 0.7 m (LEICA M8.2: 2 m).

Frame selector - <Can be used to select any of the bright-line frame pairs and so emulate> Displays pairs of frames manually to simulate any focal length. Parallax compensation - The horizontal and vertical difference between the viewfinder and the lens is automatically compensated <according to the relevant distance> appropriately for the focus setting, i.e. the bright-line frame of the viewfinder automatically <align> coincides with the subject <detail recorded by> area as seen from the lens.

<Enlargement> Magnification - 0.68× (for all lenses). Wide-base rangefinder - Combination of split- and superimposed-image rangefinder shown as a bright field in the center of the viewfinder image. Effective measuring base <width> 47.1 mm (mechanical <base width> measuring base 69.25 mm x viewfinder enlargement 0.68 x).

Lenses - Lens <attachment> mount Leica M bayonet with additional <sensor> optical sensing for identification of all 6-Bit coded lenses. Lens system - Current 6-Bit coded Leica M lenses from 16-90 mm focal length. <Almost all 16 to 90mm Leica M lenses manufactured> All Leica M lenses of 21–90 mm focal length produced since the year 1954 <without> can be used even if lacking 6-Bit coding <can also be used>. <Most lenses can be updated to the> Virtually all lenses can be retrofitted with 6-Bit <coded standard> coding. 6-Bit functions - Lens- <specific> dependent reduction of <system-immanent vignetting> edge shadowing originating in the system. <Lens information is added to image file to facilitate easier digital archiving. Adjustment of the motor-driven reflector with accordingly equipped flash units.> Identification of the lens information within the image file to facilitate digital archiving. Adjustment of the flash reflector when using motor zoom flash devices. Auto slow sync <mode with> function in aperture priority mode. Compensation of color shifts through the use of UV/IR filters.

Exposure control - Aperture priority mode (Auto) Automatic <setting of> determination of the correct shutter speed <for the manually preset aperture with according> with manual aperture preselection and corresponding viewfinder display. Manual <mode> exposure control <Manual setting of shutter speed and aperture according to camera’s exposure metering system, indicated by light balance in viewfinder.> Free selection of shutter speed and aperture – can be visually checked using the exposure control in the camera seen by LED light balance in the viewfinder.

Snapshot mode LEICA M8.2 - “S” setting of shutter speed dial = automatic control of exposure time, ISO speed and white balance. Menus reduced to essential functions, hints on aperture and focus settings are displayed when the Info key is pressed.

<Main switch settings> Picture modes - S - <Single exposures. one per pressing of the shutter release button.> Single picture, pressing the shutter release once per picture. C - <Continuous (serial) exposures with 2fps and a maximum of 10 per series Self timer Delay selectable with 2 0r 12s, countdown indicated by an LED in the viewfinder window on the camera front.> Continuous succession of pictures with 2 pictures per second and 10 pictures in the sequence. Auto-release Selectable with 2 sec. and 12 sec. delay time – visualization of the countdown by an LED visible from the front of the camera in the viewfinder window.

Controls/displays - Camera Front - Lens <release button> mount, frame selector. Top Main switch (LEICA M8.2: more pronounced detent mechanism to prevent inadvertent switching) and shutter release <button>, shutter speed dial, LCD for remaining exposures and battery status. Back - 2.5” color monitor (LEICA M8.2: scratch-resistant sapphire coverglass), dial for navigation in the menu & magnifier function in 4 steps; 4-way direction pad for navigation in the menu & in picture details; menu button; play button; delete button; protect button; info button. Base Lockable base plate protects the rechargeable battery and the SD memory card against <, setting ring for navigation in menu and enlarging, 4 direction buttons for navigation in menu and frame trimming, MENU, SET, PLAY, DELETE, PROTECT, and INFO buttons. Bottom Locking bottom cover protects battery and SD card from> dust and moisture.

Color Monitor - 2.5” large bright LC<D> display <with 230.000 pixel resolution for image replay and menu control.> with a resolution of about 230,000 pixels for viewing pictures and for menu settings. (LEICA M8.2: scratch-resistant sapphire coverglass). Brightness <adjustable in 5 steps. Controllable by replay: General quality of images, exposure control by RGB histogram including indication of over-saturated highlights (also available with magnified images), focus plane, indication of image parameter settings, and of the attached lens’ focal length (when current, 6-Bit coded lenses are employed).> control in 5 stages. Checking options after taking the picture: general quality assessment, checking the exposure by means of a RGB tonal value histogram with identification of bright picture areas lacking detail (can also be used when zooming in), checking the focal plane, display of the quality parameter settings and the focal length of the lens (when used with current 6-bit coded lenses). <Image replay> Picture view sizes - <4/9 thumbnails, full size, and enlargement up to 100%> miniatures, 4 miniatures, full picture display and enlargement in four stages up to 100% view (1 sensor pixel = 1 <LCD> display pixel).

<Image> Picture parameter menu-main menu - <Image parameter menu is accessed with SET button and includes the following image-relevant parameters:> By pressing the set button, the following parameters relevant to the picture can be selected and changed in the picture parameter menu: user profile, <Sensitivity> sensor speed, manual exposure compensation> correction, white balance, <Quality/Compression rate, and> image data format, picture resolution. <Main menu is accessed with MENU button and includes settings such as monitor brightness and color space.> By pressing the menu button, parameters such as the color monitor contrast or the color space can be set in the main menu. Menu languages - German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, <and> Chinese.

Picture resolutions - DNG™: 3916 x 2634 pixels (10.31 MP);JPEG: 3936 x 2630 pixels (10.35 MP), 2952 x 1972 pixels (5.8 MP), 1968 x 1315 pixels (2.6 MP), 1312 x 876 pixels (1.15 MP).

Data formats - DNG™ (camera-manufacturer independent Digital Negative Format), 2 different JPEG compression <levels> rates.

DNG™ file information - <16> 6-bit color <depth> resolution, <file size> 10.2 MByte file size per picture. <per exposure.>

<Storage media> Memory medium - SD and SDHC cards up to 32 GByte. Complete list of LEICA M8- and M8.2-compatible SD memory cards: <cards with up to 4GB, complete list of compatible SD cards for the LEICA M8 available under:> www.leica-camera.de/photography/m_system/m8 <(as of market introduction).>

White balance - Automatic, 6 preset values, manual white balance, color temperature <setting> input from 2000K to 13.100K.

Color spaces - Adobe® RGB, sRGB, ECI RGB.

Viewfinder display - (at <lower> bottom edge of the viewfinder <image>) LED symbol for flash status, four-digit seven-segment <digital> LED display with dots above and below (<with automatic brightness control, adapts to the> display brightness is always adjusted for ambient brightness) for: display of the automatically <determined> calculated shutter speed <for> in aperture priority mode, <information that metering memory lock is being used> indication of the use of saved metering values, <information that an exposure compensation is set, warning that the metering or setting ranges are overshot or undershot using aperture priority mode, for counting down exposure times longer than 1s, and information that> warning of exposure corrections, warning of when the metering range is overshot or undershot in aperture priority mode and countdown display of shutter times longer than 2 sec., memory capacity warning when the SD card memory is full. LED light balance with two triangular and one circular LED for manual exposure <control> setting. <They indicate underexposure by at least one aperture stop, underexposure by 1/2 an aperture stop, Correct exposure, overexposure by 1/2 an aperture stop, overexposure by at least one aperture stop.> Display of: underexposure by at least one aperture stop; underexposure by 1/2 aperture stop; correct exposure; overexposure by 1/2 aperture stop; overexposure by at least one aperture stop. Triangular LEDs <indicate which way to turn shutter speed dial and aperture ring for correct exposure. Flashing LED indicates lighting conditions above or below the metering range.> give the direction of rotation of the aperture setting ring and shutter speed setting dial to adjust the exposure. The LED flashes as a warning that the metering range is overshot or undershot. (LEICA M8.2: In “S” mode: red dot to indicate correct exposure, left arrow to warn against camera shake, right arrow to warn against overexposure).

Exposure metering - Heavily center-weighted TTL exposure metering with pre-set working aperture. Metering principal - Light reflected from a white strip in the centre of the metal blade focal plane shutter. Metering range - EV0 to EV20 at 20°C room temperature, <f/1,> aperture 1.0 and ISO 160/23°. Metering cell - Silicon photodiode with collection lens positioned at the center <in the camera bottom> of the lower edge of the camera base.

Flash exposure control employing M-TTL technology - Principle The necessary output for a correct exposure is determined by firing a pre-flash fractions of a second before taking the actual picture. Flash interface - M-TTL guide number control with pre-flash when using dedicated flash unit with SCA-3502 adapter (as of version 4) or LEICA SF 24D in hot shoe. Flash sync speed - Fast 1/250s allows creative full-stop photography even in bright ambient light. Manual Flash sync speeds up to 1/250s and B available. Aperture priority - Auto Slow Sync: Automatic extension of the flash sync speed range to the longest speed according to the rule of thumb 1/focal length (only available with 6-Bit coded lenses). Limits selectable down to 1/8s for available light flash photography: Flash firing moment - Selectable, 1st or 2nd shutter curtain (with dedicated flash units and SCA-3502 adapter or LEICA SF 24D). Flash exposure compensation - ±31/3 EV in 1/3 EV steps settable on the SCA-3501/3502 adapter. On the LEICA /SF 24D ±3EV in 1/3 EV steps or 0 to –3EV in 1EV steps can be set using computer control.

Shutter and shutter release - Shutter - Microprocessor-controlled metal blade focal plane shutter with vertical movement. Shutter speeds - In aperture priority mode (A) steplessly from 32s to 1/8000s. Using manual setting 4s to 1/8000s in half steps, B for long exposures of any duration. Shutter cocking - Cocking mechanism optimized for minimal noise, motor driven with friction transmission in the high-rev 1st gear and cam disc for sustained torgue throughout cocking process. Shutter release button - Three steps through pressing levels: 1. Camera electronics and exposure metering on – 2. memory lock (in aperture priority mode) – 3. shutter release. Integrated standard cable release thread.

Power supply - 1 lithium ion battery, nominal voltage 3.7V, capacity 1900mAh.

Interface - 5-pin mini-USB 2.0 High-Speed socket on left side of camera for quick data transfer to computer. Software based camera remote control possible using LEICA DIGITAL CAPTURE.

Camera body - Material Enclosed all-metal body of <high-grade> highly stable magnesium alloy for <sustained> professional use over many years. Black <leatherette cladding> synthetic leather coating. Top and bottom covers of milled brass, black or silver chromium plated. (LEICA M8.2: black paint finished). Tripod <socket> thread - DIN 4503 - A1/4 (1/4") <tapped socket in> in the center of the bottom cover. <, in line with the center of the lens.>

Dimensions (W x <d x h> H x D) approx. <138.6mm x 36.9mm x 80.2mm> 139 x 80 x 37 mm.

Weight <excl.> without battery - approx. 545 g.

Scope of delivery - Camera LEICA M8 (10 701 black / 10 702 silver, carrying strap with slip-stop (14 312), camera bayonet cap (14 195), lithium ion battery (14 464), battery charger with 3 mains plug adaptors (Euro, UK, USA) and car cable (14 463), USB connection cable, software: DVD with Capture One LE, CD-ROM with LEICA DIGITAL CAPTURE and user manual in all languages as PDFs, LEICA M8 printed instructions, LEICA M8 Warranty Card.

Manufacturer's Specifications - September 2008

M8 Launch - November 2006.

M8.2 Launch - September 2008.

Current M8 & M8.2 Pricing

Price in US Dollars - $4,195..$6,288.

M8 Firmware History

• 1.06 (Nov 2006)
• 1.09 (Dec 2006)
• 1.091 (28 Feb 2007)
• 1.092 (05 Mar 2007)
• 2.000 (03 Sep 2008) - Released 18 Sep 2008.

Version M8.2.000 has these improvements to the M8 line:

Compatibility to memory cards - in the SDHC standard up to 32GB capacity. Note: The choice of SD and SDHC cards in the market is already very big and is constantly growing. Therefore, Leica Camera AG is not able to do comprehensive compatibility- and quality testing with all available cards in the market. We recommend “Extreme III” or “Professional” from the leading brands such as “SanDisk” or “Lexar”. Using other card types, will not damage camera or card, but as especially “no name” cards do not respect the full SD or SDHC standards, Leica Camera AG cannot warranty full function with those cards.

New function “AUTO-ISO” - with setting options for maximum ISO values and the slowest shutter speed (please see also instructions for LEICA M8.2 from page 121) Note: It is not possible to “downdate” LEICA M8 cameras to previous firmware releases, once the version 2.000 has been installed.