This beautiful camera just sold for over US$700,000 – and here's why
A Leica M3 black paint was sold at the Wetzlar Camera Auction for an unbelievable amount, a once-in-a-lifetime buy.
Rare, storied, and steeped in photography legacy, the Leica M3 represents the pinnacle of Leica collecting – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that, in this condition and early manufacturing year, is hard to find.
The Leica M3 Black Paint, paired with its original lenses – a Leitz Elmar 50mm f/2.8 and Elmarit 90mm f/2.8 – recently sold for an astonishing €625.000 (around US$722,000 / £544,000 / AU$1,120,000) at the 7th Wetzlar Camera Auctions on October 11, 2025.
It's one of the earliest Black Paint versions ever made.
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Author's summary: Leica M3 black paint sold for over $700,000.