Auto Mode
The Leica M8 does not have a full auto mode, in part because the aperture control is not mechanically linked to the camera body. The M8 can set an automatic white balance, but does not offer automatic ISO or autofocus – again, the lenses aren't built for it. The camera can operate in Aperture-priority mode, setting the shutter speed to match the selected aperture.
Movie Mode
The Leica M8 does not have a movie mode, which is usually associated with a live electronic preview.
Drive / Burst Mode
The M8 can shoot 2 frames per second for up to 10 frames. It can also be set to single-shot mode. That's a remarkably slow, small burst for an expensive camera. The lack of autofocus, zoom lenses and exposure automation are all related to the fundamental architecture of M-series cameras, but it's not obvious why the M8 is so slow.
Playback Mode
The superb LCD is key to the Leica M8's playback mode. At 100 percent – one pixel onscreen for each pixel in the image – it clearly shows how well the image is in focus, and shows image noise clearly. For a shot of a person from the waist up, that shows the threads going through the holes in shirt buttons.
The M8 shows thumbnail images 4 or 9 at a time. While showing a single shot, it can show shooting information, as well as luminance or RGB histograms that do or do not show clipping. The histograms reflect only the area displayed when an image is magnified.
Custom Image Presets
The User Profiles are user-defined custom image presets, controlling ISO, white balance and other image parameters. The settings could allow users to switch quickly between flash and available-light shooting, but they can't switch the camera from full manual to aperture-priority shooting.
