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Top 10 Most Expensive Cameras in the World

We’ve all heard the saying, “The best camera in the world is the one you have with you.”

While it may be true from an artistic standpoint, most photographers are still very involved in their equipment. So much so that a lucky few spend a small fortune on their photography equipment.

Today, let us take a few moments to fantasize and marvel at the world’s most costly cameras.

List of 10 most expensive cameras in the world

1. Canon EOS R3

Now fast forward to the present. When it comes to Canon’s current digital portfolio, the mirrorless EOS R3 is at the top.

The Canon EOS R3 is a fully equipped full-frame camera with eye-controlled autofocus and a stacked sensor that offers class-leading dynamic range and image quality for $5,999.

That price, which is nearly identical to that of the first digital EOS flagship, makes it the most costly Canon camera available today.

2. Nikon Z 9

If you like Team Nikon, you’ll have to accept some hefty pricing for their top-of-the-line gear. The Z 9 is the most costly camera in the brand’s current lineup, directly competing with the Canon EOS R3.

The Nikon Z 9 costs $5,499 USD. It is by no means a low-cost machine. But, with its massive pro body, full-frame, 50MP sensor, and near-infinite burst shooting capabilities, it’s not supposed to be.

3. Nikon Df

The Nikon Df polarised current critics when it was released in 2013. It uses the same full-frame, 16-megapixel CMOS sensor as the then-flagship D4, and has a design influenced by the vintage Nikon FM series.

The Df lacks video recording and many other features reserved for its professional cousin, instead relying on a startling number of old-school knobs and dials to regulate exposure and other camera settings.

The Nikon Df also had its own version of the long-running F lens mount, which accommodates all Nikon lenses manufactured between 1959 and about 2019. It is the only camera in the world with such a wide range of lens compatibility.

The Df retailed for $2,750 at launch, which is now $3,500.

4. Nikon E2

Nikon introduced the E-series, their first mass-produced digital camera aimed at professional photographers, in the mid-1990s. These oddly sized animals, which were compatible with all existing Nikon lenses, utilised an ingenious “Reduction Optics System” to cancel out the crop factor created by their small sensors.

In that regard, the resolution of all E-series devices reached a remarkable 1.3 megapixels!

What is the retail price, you ask? A cool $10,000, to be exact. In today’s dollars, that equates to around $19,500 after inflation.

5. Leica SL

With an MSRP of $5,995, this Leica camera burst onto the scene in 2013, becoming the German brand’s second major digital system aimed at professional photographers following the Leica S.

The Leica SL was competitive with similar crop-sensor professional cameras at the time, thanks to a lens mount shared with the Leica CL and a 24MP CMOS sensor. The high price did, of course, limit its popularity – but the Leica brand has a history of doing so, as many of the goods on this list will demonstrate.

6. Kodak DCS 100

In 1996, the Nikon E2 must have seemed like a revelation compared to what digital photography was like only a few years before. That’s because the only truly digital alternative available to journalists and others prior to that point was the absolutely unbelievable Kodak DCS 100.

The Kodak-made digital imaging system was extremely massive, constructed from leftover Nikon F3 camera bodies. An electronic grip with an integrated back and winder was one component of the system, effectively doubling the height and weight of the original F3.

But it isn’t all. To capture images, you also needed to carry a DSU, or Digital Storage Unit, which was wired directly to the camera. The DSU, which was about the size of a small printer and weighed a few kilos on its own, came with straps and a fitting rucksack so you could wear it on your back, across your shoulder or on your hip.

In any case, utilizing a DCS 100 for an entire day must have been exhausting!

In terms of pricing, Kodak demanded at least $20,000 in 1991. Not bad considering that the few people who purchased a DCS were investing in ground-breaking technology that was unique at the time!

7. Leica R8 & R9 With DMR

The Leica R8 and the very similar R9 from 2002 were the final members of Leica’s long-running but frequently overlooked R-series of SLR cameras.

The most advanced models yet, the two siblings included a lot of technological gadgetry that was popular in the late 1990s. This incorporates a record-breaking electronic shutter speed of 1/8000th of a second!

Every vintage of Leica camera exudes luxury and exclusivity, and this is no exception. The R8 and R9 were initially priced around €3,000. That equates to $6,400 in 2023 dollars!

That is, of course, without a lens. You’d also have to pay an extra $5,500 (about to $8,400 now) for the so-called Digital Module Back, or DMR, which became available in 2004.

This digital back converts any Leica R8 or R9 camera into a full-fledged digital shooter. With a 10MP Kodak-built sensor and a crop factor of 1.37, it was one of the best digital backs money could buy at the turn of the century.

8. Fujifilm GFX 100

Investing in a digital medium format camera is now the most prudent method to burn a huge sum of money while receiving a world-class camera in return. These beasts attract the highest pricing among any mass-produced cameras in the world today due to the constraints involved in producing huge sensors with great dynamic range.

The Fujifilm GFX 100 is a prime example. The GFX system’s top variant, with its weather-sealed, stabilized housing and 100MP CMOS sensor (!) will set you back $10,000.

9. Hasselblad H6D 400c MS

It may seem surprising, but the stunning GFX 100 isn’t even the most costly medium format camera available today. Actually, it’s not even close!

The Hasselblad camera brand has been dubbed “the Leica of the medium format world” with good cause. Their timeless creations typically mix haute couture aesthetic design concepts with exorbitant price tags and extreme exclusivity.

That certainly applies to the Hasselblad H6D, which costs – wait for it – $48,000. Just in case you’re having trouble processing that figure, it’s $48,000.

For that money, you receive one of the world’s most sophisticated and ergonomic medium format cameras today, along with a 400-megapixel sensor (yes, that’s genuine).

10. Hasselblad 500C

The 500C, a more expensive Hasselblad camera, was released in 1957. Because of its tiny profile, waist-level viewfinder, and outstanding Carl Zeiss lenses, this is now a sought-after model among street photographers.

When it was first released, the list price for this medium-format camera marvel was roughly $600.

That may not seem like much at first glance, but when converted into current-day values, the Hassie is worth a whopping $5,600!

The normal 500Cs, on the other hand, aren’t even the most expensive of the bunch. NASA adopted one of the Hasselblads in this series for use by the astronauts of the Mercury space program.

It has become one of the most expensive cameras ever sold since its return to Earth in 1962.

Most recently, an unnamed British collector paid an estimated $275,000 for the Hasselblad 500C.

Which country manufactures the most expensive camera in the world?

The most expensive camera is the 1923 Leica 0-Series no. 122 which was produced in Wetzlar, Germany

How much is an IMAX camera?

Each Imax camera is estimated to cost roughly $500,000, which leads us to the astonishing story of Christopher Nolan destroying three of these fantastic cameras for a total of $1,500,000.

Which brand sells the most expensive cameras in the world?

Leica sells the most expensive camera in the world.

The century-old rare, which was part of the legendary O-Series, fetched a record $15.1 million (€14.4 million) on Saturday at the 20th anniversary Leitz Photographica Auction.

That astounding figure, nearly five times the original high estimate of $3.2 million, allowed the camera (serial number 105) to oust another 0-Series (serial number 122) that sold for $2.9 million in 2018.

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