Leica M8

The Leica M8, released in 2006, is a mirrorless digital rangefinder built around the Leica M mount and a 10.3 megapixel APS-H CCD sensor.

Everything about shooting it is deliberate. There is no autofocus and no live view; you compose through the optical rangefinder viewfinder and focus by hand, which rewards slow, considered photography.

The body measures 139 x 80 x 37 millimetres and weighs 591 grams, so it is easy to carry for long stretches without noticing the load.

The M8 earns a modest Optics score of 43, placing it in the bottom 12% of cameras in our database for Optics. The APS-H sensor crops the field of view of M lenses compared with a full frame sensor, and the resolution suits prints and online sharing more than heavy cropping.

Focusing is entirely manual. It has no autofocus points, and the optical rangefinder viewfinder asks you to align a double image to confirm focus. Photographers who enjoy deliberate framing will settle into this rhythm quickly; anyone expecting the camera to lock onto a moving subject will not find that here.

Sensitivity runs from ISO 160 to 2500, which makes daylight work at base ISO the natural home. Low light narrows your options, and with no in-body stabilisation, slower handheld shutter speeds carry more risk of camera shake.

The 1/8000 top shutter speed helps when you want wide apertures in bright light. Continuous shooting runs at up to 2 frames per second, which fits a considered, frame-by-frame way of working rather than fast action.

The M8 does not record video in any form, and there is no built-in timelapse mode either. This is a pure stills camera.

That absence fits the M8's design. The optical rangefinder viewfinder and manual focus, plus a maximum continuous rate of 2 frames per second, all point toward stills photography rather than motion work.

For practical planning, nothing is spent from your card or battery on motion recording, and no video editing is needed. If a project requires moving images, though, you will need another device alongside the M8.

The Features score is limited, at 17, and the hardware explains why. The rear screen is a 2.5-inch LCD with 230,000 dots and no touch input, and there is no live view. You compose through the rangefinder and use the screen mainly for reviewing shots and navigating menus.

Flash is external only. The camera has no built-in flash but does accept one, which keeps the top plate clean when you are working with ambient light.

Connectivity is minimal. There is no Wi-Fi, no Bluetooth and no GPS for location tagging, so the camera offers no wireless transfer. There is no weather sealing either, so keep the body sheltered from rain and heavy dust.

Storage & Battery scores 29, which is limited. A single SD/SDHC slot means one card is the whole plan for a shoot, with no second card for in-camera backup, so carrying a spare is sensible for longer outings.

The BP-SCL1 battery is rated at 550 shots per charge. There is no USB charging, so the battery cannot be topped up over a cable, and a second battery is worth carrying if you expect to shoot well beyond the rating.

The M8 records no video, so both the card and each battery charge are spent entirely on stills, which matches its unhurried shooting style.