The Wetzlar Camera Auction, which usually takes place every October is one of the biggest and most prestigious auctions of its kind for collectors and camera/lens nerds.
Being that the auction takes place in Wetzlar, Germany, it’s tends to be very Leica focused. Though, you do see some unique items from Canon, Nikon and others.
At last year’s auction, the rare Canon FD 24mm f/1.4 SSC sold for €15,000. The SSC version is extremely rare, but even the L version of this lens, the FD 24mm f/1.4L can fetch a pretty penny.
Last year’s top prize was the Leica MDa NASA Replica, which sold for €550,000 before the buyer premium.
This year’s auction does have some interesting and likely more affordable Canon cameras and lenses available to bid on.
Canon Hansa (1938)
Estimate €6,000-€7,000
Canon Hansa with focusing mount No. 872, already without “Nippon Kogaku Tokyo” engraving. With original Nikkor 1:3.5/5 cm with black front with matching hand-scratched serial number 872 on the connection ring. Inside the base plate is engraved with number 2583
Canon M39 35mm f/1.5 (1971)
Estimate €4,000-€5,000
Very rare, third and last version, in good condition. This very late variant was only produced for a short period in 1971. The optics with minimal cloudiness and dust inclusions, slight traces of plaster and a small scratch on the front lens. Light oil coating on the aperture blades.
Canon FD 24mm f/1.4 L (1989)
Estimate €5,000-€6,000
Sought-after wide-angle lens in very good condition. The optics with minimal turbidity in the rear lens element.
Canon M39 85mm f/1.5 (1955)
Estimate €6,000-€7,000
Third version of this coveted portrait lens in very good condition, with original lens hood. The optics with minimal dust inclusions, small scratches behind the rear lens.
The most interesting Nikon lens available is the mammoth Nikon ED Nikkor 1200-1700mm f/5.6-8 P IF.
Nikon ED Nikkor 1200-1700mm f/5.6-8 P IF
Estimate €80,000-€100,000
In May 1989, Nikon started developing the lens offered here as a “hold my beer” moment in response to the Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6L USM. The prototype was first used in 1990 at the Koshien Stadium in Amagasaki. In order to capture the athletes in the middle of the stadium from the press seats, focal lengths of 1200mm were required to catch the action and the 1700mm long end offered portrait opportunities. Nikon later delivered these lenses to various news agencies around the globe. As of 1994, Nikon had produced no more than 35 of these lenses.
As usual, the big item for this auction comes from Wetzlar’s own, Leica. Somehow they have a Leica 0 available at this year’s auction.
Leica 0-Series (1923)
Estimate €1,500,000-€2,000,000
In 1923, two years before the market launch of the Leica, 22 to 25 cameras of what is now known as the Leica 0 series were built for testing purposes, of which 16 units are still known worldwide. Based on the assessment of the Leica 0 series by the experts involved, Ernst Leitz II decided in 1924 to mass-produce the camera designed by Oskar Barnack. The “revolution in photography” thus initiated took its course. The Leica 0 series is therefore not only the prototypes of the Leica I, but the prototypes of all Leica miniature cameras to this day.
You can check out all items available at this year’s auction at the Wetzlar Camera Auction website.
Bidding starts on October 7, 2023.
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