Leica M8 Review: Digital Photography Review

Top of camera controls

Controls on the top of the M8 are simple, traditional and easy to understand. First we have the main switch which allows you to power the camera on and select either single shot, continuous (2 fps) or self-timer modes. This surrounds the three-position shutter release button (1. prime exposure, 2. exposure lock, 3. shutter release).

To the left of this we have the shutter speed dial, the A position engages automatic shutter speed selection (aperture priority), otherwise turn the dial to select any shutter speed between 4 seconds and 1/8000 second in 1/2 EV steps (there is a step between those printed on the dial), in addition there is also a Bulb position which allows for longer exposures.

Rear of camera controls

The rear of the M8 may be busier than any previous M series but compared to most digital cameras is a wonderful lesson in simple clean design. We have a column of five buttons down the left side of the LCD monitor, the menu button on the right and the control dial and direction buttons.

Shooting mode controls

PLAY	Play mode Switches to play mode and displays the last image taken or viewed, as the M8 is a shooting priority camera a soft touch on the shutter release will cancel play mode and return you to shooting mode.
SET	Picture parameters menu Displays the picture parameters menu which allows fast access to the six most common camera settings; User profile, ISO, EV compensation, White balance, Compression (image quality), Resolution (image size). Soft touch the shutter release to cancel this menu.
MENU	Main menu This is the main camera menu which is displayed as one long page with twenty-two options. Press again to remove the menu (or soft touch the shutter release).

Play mode controls

DELETE	Delete single / all Displays the 'Delete: Single / All' dialog which allows you to delete the currently displayed / selected image or all images on the SD card (except those which have been protected).
PROTECT	Protect / Un-protect Pressing this button displays a dialog with four options 'Protect: Single / All' and 'Unprotect: Single / All' which are fairly self-explanatory. Protecting an image simply sets its read-only flag on the SD card file system, it won't protect it from a format.
INFO	Information level Pressing this button switches between normal 'full review' to the detailed INFO display which includes a histogram and exposure information (see following page for example).
	Magnify / thumbnail index / page The command dial enables you to magnify the image (turn clockwise) or enter a thumbnail index view (turn counter-clockwise). You can magnify all the way up to 1:1 (one image pixel to one display pixel), in thumbnail index you can select either 2x2, 3x3 or a 3x3 page-by-page view.
	Browse Use the left and right arrows to browse through images, note that this also works in magnify mode enabling you to check the same area of several images. In magnify mode the direction buttons are used to scroll around the image.

Menu controls

SET	Change setting / confirm With a menu setting selected press SET to display options, with the required option selected press again to confirm and store the setting change.
	Navigate (command dial) The command dial can be used to navigate menus, clockwise to move down options, counter-clockwise to move up options.
	Navigate (direction buttons) The up and down arrows can also be used to navigate menus and select options, the left and right arrows have no function.