Leica M8 IR Filter / Leica M8 Infrared Filter
Leica M8 IR Filter (Marumi UV IR Cut Filter) (Test)
IR Filter for Leica M8
I own a Leica M8 as a backup Leica M digital camera body for my M9. I have only ever used the M8 for black and white photography so have never used a Leica M8 IR filter. Why only B&W? The colours from the Leica M8 digital sensor are not true to what I can see with my eye. The two most commonly documented examples of this are magenta blacks (seen taking photos of black synthetic materials such as a suit jacket. Quite a common sight at a wedding!) and yellowed greens (again green foliage is often all around during a wedding day here in the UK, whether the grass lawns of the wedding venue or surrounding gardens containing trees and shrubs).
Marumi UV IR Cut Filter Test
I tried to do my own research to see if a Leica M8 Infrared filter (IR blocking filter) actually worked but there was very little evidence easily findable on Google. I bought myself a 52mm Marumi UV IR Cut Filter anyway and hoped it would work. It arrived yesterday so today I got to try it on my M8.
Leica M8 Infrared Filter
Leica M8 Colours (with IR Filter)
Infrared Filter for Leica M8 – Conclusion
It is very clear from the images that the Marumi IR filter does a great job of correcting the Leica M8 colours so they now look like colours I would obtain using my Leica M9.
This will give the M8 a new lease of life as I can now use it for both colour photography and black and white images. I would recommend this lens if you are looking to buy an M8 as an entry camera into the Leica M world. It can take some fine images, especially in black and white (due to the lack of IR filter built into the camera).
Cheers
Matt
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Hi there, I have recently got an M8 and loving your work. . Is B&W JPG better with or without the UV/IR. What settings are you using for M8 in camera JPG?
Hi Andy, congrats on your M8! Good choice! 🙂 The IR filter is for colour work so for B&W I don’t use a filter. I now shoot DNG and convert to JPEG with my Leica M8 LR presets (see shop tab if interested – https://mrleica.com/shop/ ). When I first had the camera I used in camera B&W JPEG yes and I think had the settings as more contrast & sharper but it was a few years ago. Matt
Hi there.
I like Your post. I bought a M8 recently. And I really love it.
I’m unsing Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 for my M8.
I finding filters size for my lenses. Do you have any advice for me.
Thank you
Hello, sorry to only just come back to you.. yes the top tip for filters is buy the biggest filter size for all you lenses (often 52mm for Leica M lenses), then use setup rings from eBay to convert say 39-52mm / 43-52mm / 46-52mm (common sizes). Hope that helps and enjoy your M8! Great camera! 🙂 Matt
Hi Matt, thank you for this article I’m looking at getting a M8 and finding a IR filter was on my mind. Were there other manufacturers that make an IR filter?
Hi Matt, you can use any, that was just the brand I went with at the time. Pick any popular filter brand and you should be fine.