Leica M8.2 Digital Rangefinder Camera

2008 Photokina Leica News

Leica M8.2 Specifications

Camera type Compact digital viewfinder system camera for professional use with Leica M lenses. Microprocessor-controlled metal blade focal plane shutter
Image sensor Low-noise CCD sensor specially optimized for the requirements of the 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, but full exploitation of the lens capabilities by Moiré fringe detection and elimination by digital signal processing
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 principle Large bright-line frame viewfinder with automatic parallax compensation. Viewfinder optics with reduced sensitivity to stray light and optimum visibility of the bright-line frame in all lighting situations
Eyepiece Matched to -0.5dpt. Correction lenses from -3 to +3 dpt available
Image framing By 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. 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 Displays pairs of frames manually to simulate any focal length
Parallax compensation The horizontal and vertical difference between viewfinder and lens is compensated appropriately for the focus setting, i.e. the bright-line frame of the viewfinder automatically coincides with the subject area as seen from the lens
Magnification 0.68 x (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 47.1 mm (mechanical measuring base 69.25mm x viewfinder magnification 0.68 x)
Lens mount Leica M bayonet with additional optical sensing for identification of all 6-bit coded lenses
Lens system Current 6-bit coded Leica M lenses of 16 – 90 mm focal length. All Leica M lenses of 21 – 90 mm focal length produced since the year 1954 can be used, even if lacking the 6-bit coding. Virtually all lenses can be retrofitted with 6-bit coding
6-bit functions Lens-dependent reduction of edge shadowing originating in the system. 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. function in aperture priority mode. Compensation of color shifts through the use of UV/IR filters
Aperture priority mode (Auto) Automatic determination of the correct shutter speed with manual aperture pre-selection and corresponding viewfinder display
Manual exposure control 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 “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
Picture mode S Single picture, pressing the shutter release once per picture
Picture mode C Continuous succession of pictures with 2 pictures per second and 10 pictures in the sequence
Auto-release Selectable with 2sec. and 12sec. delay time – visualization of the countdown by an LED visible from the front of the camera in the viewfinder window
Camera front Lens mount; frame selector
Top Main switch (more pronounced detent mechanism to prevent inadvertent switching) and shutter release; shutter speed dial, LCD status display: display of remaining exposures and battery capacity
Back 2.5″ color monitor (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 dust and moisture
Color monitor 2.5″ large bright LC display with a resolution of about 230,000 pixels for viewing pictures and for menu settings (scratch-resistant sapphire coverglass). Brightness 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)
Picture view sizes 9 miniatures, 4 miniatures, full picture display and enlargement in four stages up to 100% view (1 sensor pixel = 1 display pixel)
Menu languages German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Chinese
Picture resolutions DNG: 3916 x 2634 pixels (10.31 MP); JPG: 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 rates
DNG file information 16-bit color resolution, 10.2 MByte file size per picture
Memory medium SD and SDHC cards up to 32 GByte Complete list of LEICA M8- and M8.2-compatible SD memory cards: www.leica-camera.de/photography/m_system/m8
White balance Automatic, 6 preset values, manual white balance, color temperature input from 2000K to 13,100K
Color spaces Adobe RGB, sRGB, ECI RGB
Viewfinder display at the bottom edge of the viewfinder) LED symbol for flash status, four-digit seven-segment LED display with dots above and below (display brightness is always adjusted for ambient brightness) for: display of the automatically calculated shutter speed in aperture priority mode, indication of the use of saved metering values, 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 is full. LED light balance with two triangular and one central circular LED for manual exposure setting. 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 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. (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 principle 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, aperture 1.0 and ISO 160/23°
Metering cell Silicon photodiode with collection lens positioned at the center of the lower edge of the camera base
Principle Using an extremely short calibration pre-flash fired immediately before the exposure, the exact power requirement for the main flash is determined
Connection M-TTL guide number control with calibration pre-flash via accessory shoe SCA 3502 (version M4) or with Leica flash SF24D
Flash synchronization time 1/250 sec. (1/180 sec.) synchronization permits creative open aperture photography even in bright ambient light
Manual Flash synchronization times from B (bulb) down to 1/250 sec. (1/180 sec.)
Aperture priority mode Auto Slow Sync: automatic extension of the longest flash time, using the rule of thumb 1/focal length in seconds. (only with 6-bit coded lenses). Choice of long flash synchronization times up to e.g. 1/8 sec. for balanced flash when taking available light pictures in aperture priority mode
Synchronization flash firing time Firing optionally at the 1st or 2nd shutter point (with appropriate flash device such as the LEICA SF24D or when using the SCA-3502 adapter)
Flash exposure correction ± 3 1 / 3 EV in 1 / 3 EV stages adjustable at the SCA-3501/3502 adapter. Settable at the LEICA SF 24D ± 3EV in 1 / 3 EV stages, or from 0 to -3 EV in 1EV stages when using computer control
Shutter Microprocessor-controlled metal blade focal plane shutter with vertical action (optimized to reduce noise and vibration)
Shutter times In aperture priority mode (A) steplessly adjustable from 32 s down to 1/8000 s (1/4000 s). With manual setting from 4 s down to 1/8000 s (1/4000 s) in half steps. B for long exposures of any length
Activation Shutter activation optimized for minimum noise. Electric motor drive with friction wheel in the first speed build-up stage and a cam disk for homogenous torque throughout the activation process (time-delayed cocking after shutter button is released, selectable in menu)
Release Three-stage activation governed by how far the release is depressed: 1. Switch the camera electronics on & activate the exposure metering – 2. Save metered value (in aperture priority mode) – 3. Release (includes a standard thread for cable release)
Power supply Lithium ion rechargeable battery with a nominal voltage of 3.7 V and a capacity of 1900mAh
Interface 5-pin standard mini-USB socket on the left side of the body, for quick USB 2.0 data transfer to a computer
Material Enclosed all-metal body of highly stable magnesium alloy for professional use over many years. Black synthetic leather coating. Top cap and base plate are milled from solid brass and are silver or black chromium plated (black paint finished)
Tripod thread DIN4503 – A1/4 (1/4″) in the centre of the bottom cover
Size (W x H x D) 5.46″ × 3.16″ × 1.45″
Weight without battery approx. 19.23 oz
Scope of supply M8 camera (10702 silver or 10701 black), M8.2 camera (10712 silver or 10711 black), anti-slip carrying strap (14 312), camera cap for M bayonet (14 195), rechargeable lithium ion battery (14 464), battery charger incl. car socket adaptor and 3 mains plug adapters (Euro, UK, USA) (14 463), (compact charger with 80% charge display, car socket and EURO/USA mains leads), USB connection cable, user manual, software DVD Capture One 4, warranty card

Related Content:
All Leica User Reviews
All Leica News
Leica M8 Pro Review
Digital SLR Forum
Leica Camera Web Site

About the author: Photo-John

Photo-John, a.k.a. John Shafer, is the managing editor of PhotographyREVIEW.com and has been since the site launched back in 1999. He's an avid outdoor enthusiast and spends as much time as possible on his mountain bike, hiking or skiing in the mountains. He's been taking pictures for ever and ever, and never goes anywhere without a camera.


Related Articles


NOTE: There are two ways to comment on our articles: Facebook or Wordpress. Facebook uses your real name and can be posted on your wall while Wordpress uses our login system. Feel free to use either one.

Facebook Comments:



Wordpress Comments:

  • GUY FELTON says:

    Is it true that it’s easy to rob a bank in Ireland by taking hostages some distance from the bank?
    How many Irish dollars do I need to steal in order to buy an M8.2 with a decent lens?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*
*