More than 400 lots go under the hammer in Wetzlar on 28 November, including an exceptionally rare 1950s Leica Box camera and a Leica R6 that belonged to the late Sebastião Salgado.

By Alastair Jennings

The 49th Leitz Photographica Auction is under way, with pre-bidding now open ahead of the sale at Leitz-Park in Wetzlar, Germany, on 28 November 2026. More than 400 lots are on offer. As ever, Leica cameras, lenses and equipment make up most of the catalogue, but there are also plenty of items from other well-known manufacturers. Estimates run from three figures to six figures in euros.

The headline lots

Three lots stand out.

The first is an exceptionally rare Leica Box camera from the 1950s. The Box was an experimental 18 x 24mm design, and very few exist. It’s also a rare chance to see one up close: Kosmo Foto recently reported that a one-off Leica Box compact is also coming up for sale.

The second is a Leica R6 owned by the late Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado. The R6 is a fully mechanical SLR, and it’s a fitting camera for a photographer whose black-and-white documentary work defined an era. For many collectors, provenance like this matters as much as condition.

The third is a re-edition of the Elcan 66mm f/2. It’s the predecessor to the Summicron-M 66mm lens that Leica released earlier this year, so this lot connects one of Leica’s rarest optical designs to a lens you can buy today.

Our take

Leitz auctions are a useful barometer of the classic camera market, and with film photography as popular as it is, interest in mechanical Leicas shows no sign of cooling. Even if six-figure lots aren’t on your shopping list, the catalogue is well worth browsing. It’s a superb visual history of the 35mm camera, and we’ll be sharing the results after the sale.

Leitz Photographica Auction 49 key details

How to bid

Pre-bidding is open now through the Leitz Photographica Auction website, where you can browse the full catalogue and register an account.