This stunning, one-off Leica belonging to the late Pope Francis just raised $7.5 million for charity here are its 7 unique features

Date:
Wed, 26 Nov 2025 17:59:23 +0000

Description:
Leica has just sold a unique M-A camera belonging to the late Pope Francis to raise millions for charity here's what it looks like.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Leica has sold a rare camera belonging to the late Pope Francis at auction The
Leica M-A 'Pope Francis' raised 6.5 million / $7.5 million for charity The camera and Noctilux-M 50mm f/1.2 lens are full of exclusive features

Leica is no stranger to special-edition cameras, but even by its standards
the personalized M-A and lens it gifted to the late Pope Francis is something to behold and the set has fittingly just raised 6.5 million (around $7.5 million / 5.7 million / AU$11,660,000) for charity at auction.

Leica gave the special M-A 'Pope Francis' to the late Pope in 2024 with a Noctilux-M 1:1.2 50mm ASPH lens, and it originally had an estimate of only 60,000-70,000. However, the one-off set, which came with several unique features including a custom presentation box, fetched around a hundred times that figure at the Leica Photgraphica Auction this week. The entire proceeds are going to His Holinesss personal charity.

The Leica M-A is a minimalist, fully-mechanical 35mm film camera that's known for being a purist's choice. So what unique touches does the 'Pope Francis' version have? Firstly, it has an exclusive serial number (5,000,000), which Leica reserves for "distinguished individuals" and is prized by collectors. Naturally, it also has a "special white covering", along with a white-painted base plate and back doors. Image 1 of 2 The Leica M-A is a fully-mechanical 35mm film camera that has very few mod cons and this special white version was given to the late Pope Francis in 2024. (Image credit: Leica) Image 2 of
2 (Image credit: Leica)

But the more unique touches are the special engravings (which you can see in the gallery below). The flash cover is adorned with the Keys of Peter, while the back of the top plate is engraved with Pope Francis' motto 'Miserando atque eligendo' (which means 'lowly but chosen').

Both the body cap and the lens cap are also engraved with the Coat of Arms of the State of Vatican City. Which is pretty exclusive as body caps go. Image 1 of 3 One of the unique touches is the Keys of Peter symbol on the flash
cover. (Image credit: Leica) Image 2 of 3 (Image credit: Leica) Image 3 of 3 (Image credit: Leica)

The lens is also covered with personalized touches too, with the Noctilux-M (which typically costs $8,555 / 7,160 / AU$13,590) finished in chrome and featuring engravings filled with gold and white paint.

With a white presentation box (also adorned with the Coat of Arms of the
State of Vatican City) finishing things off, this clearly isn't a set that you'd typically associate with the late Pope Francis and it isn't clear whether or not he ever actually used it. However, given his charity work he'd surely approve of the incredible 6.5 million it raised. Leica's
record-setters Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Leica / Christoph Welkowitz) Image 2 of 2 (Image credit: Leica)

The M-A 'Pope Francis' edition isn't the most expensive Leica camera sold at auction. That world record was set in 2022 when a 0-series model used by
Leica inventor Oskar Barnack fetched a staggering 14.4 million (then around $15.1 million / 12.3 million). Earlier this year another rare Leica 0-series went for 7 million.

However, it is the highest fee for a Leica camera sold at a charity auction. Alexander Sedlak (Managing Director of Leica Camera Classics and Leitz Photographica Auction) said it was certainly one of the most exciting bidding battles in our companys history and entirely befitting this extraordinary lot.

It wasn't the only prestigious Leica lot auctioned this week. Even though it was only the backup model of the Leica M3 that Theodor Heuss (the first President of the Federal Republic of Germany) gave to Queen Elizabeth II of England as a diplomatic gift in 1958, another M3 also fetched 156,000 (around $180,000 / 137,000 / AU$278,000).

While that camera is engraved with the initials E II R on the top plate, giving it some exclusivity, it goes to show Leica's incredible appeal to collectors who can't get enough of its combination of history, classic design and special-edition sparkle.

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