Classic camera set with an olive green finish

January 28, 2009 - Leica Camera AG, Solms has announced a collector’s edition M8.2 ‘Safari’ camera set in an olive green finish. This exclusive special edition is limited to 500 cameras worldwide.

The LEICA M8.2 'Safari' set includes a LEICA M8.2 camera body in olive green paint finish and a silver anodized LEICA ELMARIT-M 28 mm f/2.8 ASPH. lens with a metal lens shade in classic design and a silver E39 UV/IR filter. The technical specifications of both camera and lens are identical to those of the standard models. A premium quality, genuine brown calfskin leather carrying strap is included, and a matching camera bag completes this unique set. The British camera case and bag specialists, Billingham, have created the matching camera bag in olive green with brown trim especially for the 'Safari' edition, offering sufficient room for the set, and also accommodating additional lenses and accessories. The LEICA M8.2 'Safari' edition will be available in February 2009.

The LEICA M8.2 'Safari' edition camera model is in a durable olive green paint finish that is characterized by a particularly comfortable feel and grip. The vulcanite leathering of the camera body also follows the color scheme of the top plate, the base plate and the camera back. This special paint finish lends the camera an appearance ideal for outdoor use and underlines the camera's status as an unobtrusive tool for reportage photography.

The controls of the LEICA M8.2 'Safari' edition are silver chrome, thus creating a visual harmony with the silver finish of the LEICA ELMARIT-M 28 mm f/2.8 ASPH. lens. Thanks to its particularly compact design and construction, a weight of only 6.3 ounces and its outstanding optical qualities, this extremely versatile lens is one of the most popular lenses of the Leica rangefinder system.

The special edition LEICA M8.2 'Safari' is not the first Leica camera produced with this unique color scheme. The olive green finish was previously used for two other Leica camera models: in the 1960s, olive green-painted Leica M cameras were supplied to the military and used for unobtrusive surveillance and documentary photography. The second olive green camera model, the Leica R3 'Safari', was first introduced in 1977/1978 and is today a much sought after and valuable collectors' item.

Leica's M8.2 Safari edition digital camera: close-up (left) and with bundled calfskin strap / Billingham bag (right). Photos provided by Leica Camera AG.