Leica Resale Value Guides

Which Leica pieces hold their value

• Film M bodies, particularly the M3, M4 and M6, which are mechanical, repairable and have an unbroken collectors’ market
• Summicron and Summilux lenses, which are the fast prime lines and hold their value far better than any body
• Lenses made in Wetzlar, which are marked as such and are preferred over the later production from Solms, Portugal and Canada
• Original boxes, certificates and lens caps, which on a collectors’ brand affect the price more than they would elsewhere

And what pulls the price down

• Haze inside older lens elements, caused by lubricant vapour condensing on the glass, which needs a specialist clean and sometimes cannot be fully cleared
• Element separation, where the cement between glued lens groups has failed — this shows as an oily rainbow at the edges and is effectively terminal
• Rangefinder misalignment on film bodies, which is adjustable but is specialist work and few people can judge it from a photograph
• Brassing on painted bodies, which some collectors actively want and others discount sharply, so it needs photographing rather than describing

Identifying and dating yours

These are the checks that decide which end of the range a piece sits in, and they are the facts a serious buyer will ask for:

1. The body serial is engraved on the top plate and the lens serial around the front ring — both date the item precisely and buyers look them up
2. The country of manufacture is engraved on the lens; Wetzlar production carries a premium and is worth putting in the listing title
3. Hold the lens up to a bright light and photograph through it: haze shows as a milky veil and separation as a coloured edge, and buyers will ask for exactly this shot

WishThrift does not authenticate or inspect anything. Condition and origin are described by the seller against five grades — what each one means — so photograph the markings above rather than asserting them.

What Leica items are worth

The most-searched Leica items on the site, with the band the label typically commands against the generic range for the same item:

Sterling guide ranges with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026). Sellers set their own asking price.

Every Leica value guide

• Binoculars
• Camera Lens
• Film Camera
• Mirrorless Camera
• Vintage Camera

Selling Leica on WishThrift

Listing is free and there is no commission on either side — the price you agree with the buyer is the amount you keep, whatever the label is worth. Create a free account, or read the selling guides for what to photograph and how to price.

Frequently asked questions

Is used Leica worth buying?

It depends far more on the line than the label. Leica is the only camera brand where a fifty-year-old body and a current one sell in the same market. The M mount has barely changed since 1954, so old glass still has a job to do. Each guide below says which Leica lines hold their value for that item and which have almost none, so you are comparing like for like rather than paying for the name alone.

How do I check a piece is genuine Leica?

The body serial is engraved on the top plate and the lens serial around the front ring — both date the item precisely and buyers look them up. WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything — condition and origin are described by the seller, so ask directly and expect an answer. A seller who has the item will send a photograph of the marking in minutes.

What is used Leica worth?

Across the 5 guides here, from about £28 to £1,295 (roughly $37 to $1,725) depending on the item and its condition. Grades run New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts.

See also: value guides by brand · all value guides · buying guides · selling guides · condition grades.