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.
