In 2025, Leica Camera AG celebrates the 100th anniversary of the world's first mass-produced 35mm camera, the Leica I. First unveiled to the public on March 1, 1925 at the Leipzig Spring Fair, this pioneering camera went on to revolutionise photography forever.
Two years before this landmark presentation, several prototypes—known as the 0 series—were developed at the Ernst Leitz factory in Wetzlar by Oskar Barnack, then head of the company’s experimental film camera department. A total of 25 prototypes (serial numbers 101–125) were produced, and the whereabouts of nearly half of them are still known today. The 0 series itself was based on the original Leica, which Barnack had created for private use shortly before the First World War. Of the two original Ur-Leica models, only one has survived, now owned by Leica Camera AG—where it remains, of course, not for sale.
The 0-series cameras, however, tell a different story. Due to their historical significance and extreme rarity, they are highly sought after by collectors. When one appears on the auction market, it almost always commands a significant price. The most notable example is the Leica 0-series no. 105, which set a new record for the most expensive camera ever sold at auction. It fetched an impressive €14.4 million (including premium) at the Leitz Photographica Auction in June 2022, far exceeding its estimated value of €2–3 million.
Now, three years later, another Leica 0-series camera will be going under the hammer in Wetzlar on June 27 as part of the 46th Leitz Photographica Auction. The estimated price for this example, bearing the serial number 112, is between €1.5 million and €2 million.
See also: The 5 Most Expensive Cameras Ever Auctioned
“A 0-series for sale certainly draws the attention of the international collectors‘ scene”, says Alexander Sedlak, Managing Director of Leitz Photographica Auction, in a press release. “These prototypes laid the foundation for modern photography. To auction such a legendary camera, honouring the 100th anniversary of the Leica I, is a particular pleasure.”
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However, it remains to be seen whether a price surge similar to that of 2022 will occur in June. No. 105 holds a distinct advantage over the other 0-series cameras: its provenance, as it was originally Oskar Barnack’s personal copy.
Leitz Photographica Auction will present the top lot of its 46th auction on April 4 2025, during the Milan Design Week, at the Leica Store in Milan—a date that collectors of historic cameras should mark in their calendars.
