Leica’s M8 used to be a camera that I never really had interest to. Crop sensor, infrared issues (requiring filter) you know, it was Leica’s first attempt to make a digital camera and I read many negative reviews about it.
I just thought that I would rather go for M6 and get a full frame camera via 35mm film and be happy for the rest of my life.
But now, since M8’s price came down (in fact you can get used M8 with around same cost as Fujifilm X-PRO) I find myself attracted to this camera. M8 is less than half the price of M9, and still it is a real rangefinder Leica, and accepts all the great optics.
The shortcomings of the M8, such as poor JPG’s, requirement of infrared filter, and the crop sensor, doesn’t weight so much in my scale. For me I care much more about the spirit of rangefinder focusing, feeling connected to the scene you’re shooting.. and of course, the culture of manual photography which is so genuinely embraced by Leica.
