The Leica M8, a digital rangefinder camera, was released in 2006, making it 12 years old now. It was a controversial machine right from the beginning, with an APS-H format and 10 million pixels. Some people thought the camera was a great product, while others felt that it was outdated compared to Canon’s 5D in 2005, which had a full-frame and 13 million pixels.

Despite being over a decade old, the Leica M8 is still a great camera. I have been using it for many years and still get excited to take it out. The M8 has a brass top cover and bottom plate with a built-in magnesium alloy body, making it of unmatched quality compared to any other brand of camera. Holding the M8 is a delightful experience, and I like to carry it with me as an extension of my body.

However, the Leica M8 does have a few small problems. Firstly, the shutter sound is loud, even though the camera has a high-speed shutter of 1/8000s. Secondly, the display screen was outdated when the camera was released, with a small size, low resolution, and sometimes showing “coffee traces.” Finally, the IR cut filter is notorious for causing the CCD to be too sensitive to infrared rays, turning black into purple.

Despite these problems, the Leica M8 produces clear, original images that are still amazing today. It has an ISO range from 160 to 2500, and its 10-megapixel CCD sensor provides film-like grain that is hard to replicate in modern cameras. Although the M8 is not a full-frame camera, its quality does not shrink, and it can handle various lens sizes.

Using the Leica M8 is not easy, but once you get used to it, it becomes a lifelong friend. It is essential to remember that equipment does not take pictures; people do. So, if you can accept its limitations and know what the M8 can do, it is still an excellent choice for capturing life’s moments.