Leica's first digital M rangefinder — 10.3MP CCD with classic M-mount lens compatibility.
The Leica M8 was released in 2006 as the first digital Leica M-mount rangefinder camera. It features a 10.3MP 27×18mm Kodak CCD sensor — not full-frame. The APS-H format provides a 1.33× crop factor, meaning a 50mm Leica M lens frames as approximately 67mm equivalent. No video recording. ISO 160-2500. BP-SCL1 battery. At approximately 591g with battery.
10.3MP 27×18mm Kodak CCD sensor (APS-H format, 1.33× crop factor — NOT full-frame). No video. ISO 160-2500 (plus pull to ISO 80). BP-SCL1 battery (3.7V). Approximately 591g with battery. Leica M bayonet mount. Requires UV/IR cut filter on many lenses (M8 CCD has no built-in IR cut filter).
The M8's APS-H sensor means all Leica M lenses produce a 1.33× crop — a 28mm lens frames as 37mm equivalent, a 50mm as 67mm. This affects wide-angle use most significantly. The absence of an internal IR cut filter requires UV/IR filters on most lenses for correct colour rendition in daylight — a well-documented M8 operational requirement addressed in the M8.2 (2008) and M9 (2009, full-frame).
On the used market the Leica M8 is affordable as the first digital Leica M-mount body. Condition checks: CCD sensor for dust (large fleck pattern), BP-SCL1 battery health, rangefinder alignment, UV/IR filter availability. APS-H — 1.33× crop. No video. Compatible with all Leica M-mount lenses.