Always wanted a Leica M3? Leica just made a special edition to rule them all, but it’ll cost you

Leica is a specialist in pricey special edition cameras, but its latest creation isn’t simply a new colorway, but one to mark 70 years of its legendary M-system. The new Leica M3 Edition 70 is a nod to the rangefinder camera that started it all back in 1954, the M3, and it’s a stunner.

Naturally, the M3 Edition 70 costs a pretty penny, but even by Leica standards it’s an ultra-rare, ultra-expensive proposition – it’ll set you back £19,000 (that’s around $25,000 / AU$37,000).

That’s if you can get your hands on one. Leica has limited this special platinum-plated edition M3 to just 250 units, with each unit’s unique number engraved on the camera’s hotshoe (see 001/250, below).

It’s not just the camera that comes in what we expect is an extravagant presentation box. The M3 Edition 70 is bundled with a Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 APSH lens, Leciavit M fast winder and a film container (probably the sexiest film container ever and yes, there’s a roll of film inside).

Film container not sold separately

That Leicavit M fast winder is also available separately in three versions; black-painted, glossy black-painted and silver-chromed, for £900 (about $1,200 / AU$1,750). Sadly for most of us, we don’t think that gorgeous film container is available separately.