Leica would like to thank you for purchasing the LEICA M8 and congratulate you on your choice. With this unique digital view- and rangefinder camera, you have made an excellent choice. We wish you a great deal of pleasure and success using your new LEICA M8. In order to make best use of all the opportunities offered by this high performance camera, we recom- mend that you first read these instructions. Leica M lenses Essentially, most Leica M lenses can be used with the LEICA M8. Details on the small number of exceptions and restrictions can be found in the following notes. Usage is independent of the initial format of the respective camera – whether 18 x 27 mm (sensor size) for the digital LEICA M8 or 24 x 36 mm for the 35mm models up to the LEICA M7, and also independent of the lens features – with or without the 6-bit coding in the bayonet (the latest version, see next section). Even without this additional feature, i.e. when using Leica M lenses without identification, the LEICA M8 will supply good pictures in all cases. The extension factor The nominal focal lengths of Leica M lenses are based on the 35 mm-format, i.e. on a film format of 24 x 36mm. In comparison, with its 18 x 27mm, the sensor in the LEICA M8 is somewhat smaller though – by a factor of 0.75. Therefore, when used on the LEICA M8, these lenses have angles of view corre- sponding to lenses with focal lengths that are longer by a factor of 1.33 (1.33 = reciprocal of 0.75). This has the respective effects on their perspective, but not on their depth of field, which, with the LEICA M8, can also be read directly off the lens (see the lens instructions for more details). The bright-line frame in the viewfinder of the LEICA M8 of course always shows the “correct” field of view for this camera, i.e. it takes account of the increased focal length. You can therefore compose your pictures in the normal way, just as for other cameras in the Leica M series (see also “The bright-line view- and rangefinder “, p. 102).

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