Most old cameras sell for under £100, but the right make, model and lens can reach four figures. This guide uses real hammer prices from our own auctions in Carshalton, Surrey, between November 2025 and September 2026, so you can see what actually sells and why.
All prices below are hammer prices, excluding buyer’s premium. If you’d rather skip the reading, send us photos for a free valuation.
The short answer
- Leica cameras and lenses are the most consistent sellers. M-series outfits regularly make £800 to £2,200.
- Medium-format cameras from Rolleiflex and Hasselblad often make several hundred pounds, and the best examples more than £1,000.
- Classic Japanese rangefinders and very fast lenses can surprise people, with results above £1,000.
- Rare or unusual cameras can do best of all: our highest camera result was £6,950.
- Everyday film SLRs and compacts usually make between £10 and £200, often sold in groups.
Leica: the most reliable seller
Leica rangefinders attract collectors and working photographers alike, so demand is steady. Recent results at our sales include:
- Leica M4-2 with Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4: £2,200
- Leica M6 with Elmar-M 50mm f/2.8: £2,200
- Leica M6 with Summicron 35mm f/2: £1,900
- Leica M3 with Summarit 5cm f/1.5: £1,200, with other M3 outfits at £800 to £900
- Leica IIIg: £550; earlier screw-mount Leicas (II, III, IIIf) mostly £100 to £260
The lens often makes as much difference as the body. A Summilux or Summicron adds far more than a slower Elmar. Read more in our guide to selling a Leica, or see all our Leica results.
Medium format: Rolleiflex, Hasselblad and friends
Medium-format cameras are popular with film photographers, which keeps prices healthy for good working examples:
- Rolleiflex 2.8GX with Planar 80mm f/2.8: £1,500
- Hasselblad Super Wide C with Biogon 38mm: £950
- Rolleiflex 2.8F: £650; Hasselblad 500C with Planar 80mm: £650
- Pentax 67 with four lenses: £480; Zenza Bronica GS-1 body: £360
Cheaper twin-lens reflexes, such as the Rolleicord and Yashica, usually make much less, typically under £100. See all Rolleiflex and Hasselblad results.
Japanese rangefinders and fast lenses
Some of our most surprising results came from Japanese cameras and lenses:
- Early Nikon S3 with 5cm f/1.4 and 3.5cm lenses: £1,600
- Canon 7 with the 50mm f/0.95 “dream lens”: £1,100
- Canon FD 85mm f/1.2 SSC Aspherical lens: £1,000
By contrast, popular 1970s SLRs such as the Nikon F2 or Olympus OM-1 typically make £100 to £200 with a standard lens.
Rare and unusual cameras
The highest prices often go to cameras that few people have heard of:
- Rectaflex 1300 with Angenieux lenses: £6,950
- Linhof stereo panorama folding camera with Cooke lenses: £1,600
- Limited-edition gold Minox cameras: £650 each
If you have something you can’t identify, it’s worth asking. Early brass and mahogany cameras, stereo cameras and other photographica all have collectors.
Don’t forget the lenses
Vintage cine lenses can be worth far more than the cameras they came with. At our recent sales, a set of Zeiss Super Speed cine lenses made £11,000, a Dallmeyer 2-inch f/1.5 made £9,500, and Cooke Speed Panchro lenses made £2,200 to £3,200 each. See all cine lens results and how we sell lenses.
Everyday cameras
Most 35mm compacts, family box cameras and common SLRs sell for under £50 each, and are often grouped into mixed lots of several cameras. They still find buyers, so they’re worth including if you’re clearing a collection, but they’re rarely valuable on their own.
What makes a camera valuable
- Make and model: a few makers and models account for most high prices.
- The lens: fast or rare lenses can be worth more than the body.
- Condition: clean optics, a working shutter and accurate rangefinder all help.
- Completeness: original boxes, caps, cases and paperwork add value, especially for Leica.
- Rarity: limited editions, prototypes and unusual variants attract specialist collectors.
What doesn’t add value
Please don’t clean, oil or service a camera before selling it. Buyers usually prefer to arrange their own work, so the cost is rarely recovered, and cleaning can damage coatings and finishes. Faulty cameras still sell to collectors and repairers, as long as faults are described honestly.
How to find out what your camera is worth
Send us clear photos of the front, back and top plate, the serial number and the lens markings, and tell us whether the shutter fires. We’ll give you a free, no-obligation auction estimate. You can use our online valuation form, email photos, or book a visit to our saleroom at 11 High Street, Carshalton.
When you’re ready, find out how to sell your vintage camera at auction with us.
Prices are hammer prices from London Camera & Antique Auction sales between November 2025 and September 2026, excluding buyer’s premium. Past results don’t guarantee future prices.
