Leitz R3 MOT
The Leitz R3 MOT is a 35mm SLR and the motorised version of the Leica R3, the first R-series body produced after Leitz's collaboration with Minolta. It uses the Leica R bayonet mount and was positioned as a professional-oriented body capable of accepting a dedicated motor drive when it was introduced in the late 1970s.
At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the R3 MOT have spanned roughly £69 to £370, with a median around £150 based on the records to hand. Today the camera sells for noticeably less than cleaner R-series bodies such as the R6, and its worth at saleroom level is strongly condition-sensitive — working electronics and a clean finder lift value, while the rarer special variants (Gold, Safari-style finishes, LHSA commemoratives) command a premium well beyond standard-chrome examples.
Variants
Select a variant to filter the sales history below.
| Variant | Years | Edition | Sales | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic LHSA | — | — | 1 | £88 – £88 |
| Explosion | — | — | 0 | — |
| Gold | — | — | 0 | — |
| red | — | — | 0 | — |
| Testcamera | — | — | 0 | — |
Sales History
Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.
Prices updated: April 2026
| Date | Price | Source | Variant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2026 | £62 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 20) Title: A Leitz Portugal Leica R3 MOT 35mm SLR Camera
Description:
black, serial number 1519621, body G, not powering up, with maker's packaging and original matching guarantee card. Note: A 5% import Duty applies to |
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| Sep 2025 | £81 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 34) Title: A Leica R3 MOT Electronic SLR Camera Body
Description:
black, serial number 1493855, body G, powers up, shutter fires. |
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| Jun 2025 | £62 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 12) Title: A Leica R3 MOT Electronic SLR Camera Body
Description:
black, serial number 1492531, body G, shutter works, meter responds, viewfinder degraded, with motor winder. |
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| Jun 2025 | £150 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 13) Title: A Leica R3 MOT Electronic SLR Camera Body
Description:
black, serial number 1494779, body G, shutter works, meter responds, viewfinder clear, with motor winder. |
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| Mar 2025 | £252 | Chiswick Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Photographica (Lot 229) Title: A Black Leica R3 MOT Electronic & Summicron Lens.
Description:
A Black Leica R3 MOT Electronic & Summicron Lens. A working Leica R3 MOT Electronic 35mm SLR (signs of normal use) shutter firing and meter reacting ... read more |
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| Mar 2025 | £69 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 44) Title: A Leica R3MOT Electronic SLR Camera
Description:
black, serial number 1493866, body G, shutter works, with leather case. |
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| Feb 2025 | £100 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 66) Title: A Leica R3 MOT SLR Camera
Description:
black, body F-G, some paint wear, meter needle moves but all shutter speeds are the same, with a Leitz Wetzlar Vario-Elmar-R f/4.5 75-200mm lens, |
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| Feb 2025 | £31 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 8) Title: A Leica R3 MOT Electronic Camera Body
Description:
black, serial number 1493748, body F-G, shutter not working with new batteries. |
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| Oct 2024 | £190 | Harper Field Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Buying & Selling (Lot 1805) Title: Leica R3 MOT electronic SLR camera, serial number 1509216, Portugese made, circa 1979, with motor
Description:
Leica R3 MOT electronic SLR camera, serial number 1509216, Portugese made, circa 1979, with motor |
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| Jun 2024 | £112 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 65) Title: A Leica R3 MOT 35mm SLR Camera Body
Description:
black, body VG, light seals tacky, with batteries inserted all shutter speeds work and the internal needle responds to light, with body cap, made in |
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| Feb 2024 | £150 | Special Auction Services | — | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 78) Title: A Leica R3 MOT Electronic SLR Camera
Description:
A Leica R3 MOT Electronic SLR Camera, made in Portugal, shutter irractic, fires on one speed throughout, occasinally ok, meter responsive, body G, |
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| Nov 2023 | £125 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 21) Title: A Leitz Leica R3 MOT Electronic 35mm SLR Camera
Description:
black, serial no. 1515972, body VG, shutter working at time of auction, together with a Motor Winder R3, working at time of auction, (Qty: 1) |
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| Jan 2023 | £312 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: The Collectors Sale (Lot 55) Title: A Leitz Portugal Leica R3 MOT Electronic SLR Camera
Description:
1979, black, serial no. 1515035, with a Leitz Canada Summicron-R f/2 50mm lens, black, 1978, serial no. 2926314, shutter working on B & X, otherwise |
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| May 2022 | £94 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: The Collectors Sale (Lot 275) Title: A Leica R3 MOT Electronic SLR Body
Description:
black, serial no. 1493998, body, VG, shutter working, electronics untested |
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| May 2022 | £88 | Flints Auctions | Electronic LHSA | |
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Auction: The Collectors Sale (Lot 282) Title: A Leica R3 MOT Electronic SLR Body
Description:
black, serial no. 1517001, body, G, shutter working, speeds untested, in maker's box |
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| May 2022 | £69 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: The Collectors Sale (Lot 276) Title: A Leica R3 MOT Electronic SLR Body
Description:
black, serial no. 1514507, body, G, shutter not tested |
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| Apr 2019 | £204 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science & Medicine (Lot 184) Title: A Leica R3 MOT SLR Camera
Description:
1979, black, serial no. 1511080, with Leitz Vario-Elmar-R f/3.5-4.5 28-70mm lens, black, serial no. 3531154, body, G-VG, shutter not tested, lens, |
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| Apr 2019 | £264 | Flints Auctions | — | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science & Medicine (Lot 185) Title: A Leica R3 MOT SLR Camera
Description:
1979, black, serial no. 1754937, with Leitz Summicron-R f/2 50mm lens, black, serial no. 2909514, body, VG, shutter working, lens, G, 3-cam, some |
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| Nov 2016 | EUR 800 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 29 (Lot AI_29_33845) Title: Leica R3 MOT Electronic 'LHSA'
Description:
very rare edition of 100 cameras only for 10th Anniversary of the Leica Historical Society of America, engraved '1968 LHSA 1978' on the prism housing, in mint condition, with Summicron-R 2/50mm no.2923293, warranty cards, papers, special wooden presentations box Estimate: EUR 1,600 - EUR 1,800 |
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| Nov 2012 | EUR 3,200 | Leitz Auction | — | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 22 (Lot AI_22_14758) Title: R3 MOT Electronic 'Testcamera'
Description:
camera with various engravings: 'E.Leitz Wetzlar No.1492504 Versuch 6-78' engraved on prism and 'TESTCAMERA LEITZ-WERK Portugal JUNI 1978' on base plate, with 3-cam Elmarit-R 2.8/35mm no.2451545 Estimate: EUR 2,500 - EUR 3,000 |
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| Feb 2004 | £131 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT INCLUDING MAGIC LANTERNS (Lot 65) Title: Leica R3 Electronic no. 1461234
Description:
Leica R3 Electronic no. 1461234 Estimate: £150 - £200 |
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| Mar 2003 | £129 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 100) Title: Leica R3 MOT Electronic no. 1513802
Description:
Leica R3 MOT Electronic no. 1513802 Estimate: £100 - £150 |
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| Mar 2003 | £58 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 101) Title: Leica R3 MOT Electronic no. 1511113
Description:
Leica R3 MOT Electronic no. 1511113 Estimate: £25 - £50 |
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| Feb 2002 | £235 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 185) Title: Leica R3 MOT no. 1511655
Description:
Leica R3 MOT no. 1511655 Estimate: £300 - £500 |
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| Feb 2002 | £152 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 182) Title: Leica R3 Electronic no. 1450436
Description:
Leica R3 Electronic no. 1450436 Estimate: £200 - £300 |
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| Sep 2001 | £470 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 75) Title: R3 MOT Electronic no. 1501580
Description:
R3 MOT Electronic no. 1501580 Estimate: £400 - £600 |
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| Nov 1999 | £690 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: Magic Lanterns, Optical Toys and Cameras (Lot 354) Title: Leica R3MOT Anniversary no. 1498463
Description:
Leica R3MOT Anniversary no. 1498463 Estimate: £600 - £800 |
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| Nov 1999 | £115 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: Magic Lanterns, Optical Toys and Cameras (Lot 353) Title: Leica R3MOT no. 1501719
Description:
Leica R3MOT no. 1501719 Estimate: £25 - £100 |
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| Oct 1999 | £69 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: Cameras and Optical Toys (Lot 102) Title: Leica R3 MOT no. 1499066
Description:
Leica R3 MOT no. 1499066 Estimate: £25 - £100 |
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| Oct 1999 | £149 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: Cameras and Optical Toys (Lot 108) Title: Leica R3MOT no. 1517197
Description:
Leica R3MOT no. 1517197 Estimate: £25 - £200 |
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| Jun 1999 | £368 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: Leica Cameras (Lot 297) Title: Leica R3MOT no. 1516882
Description:
Leica R3MOT no. 1516882 Estimate: £250 - £350 |
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| Jan 1998 | £287 | Christie's | — | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND OPTICAL TOYS (Lot 214) Title: Leica R3 MOT no. 1496870
Description:
Leica R3 MOT no. 1496870 Estimate: £20 - £100 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Leitz R3 MOT worth today?
Standard examples have sold at UK auction for roughly £69 to £370 in recent years, with most clean working bodies landing near the £150 mark before commission.
How much does a Leitz R3 MOT sell for at auction?
Hammer prices depend heavily on condition and variant — a tired but functional body can sell for under £100, while a well-preserved example or a rare variant such as the Gold or LHSA edition commands a substantial premium over the standard price.
Is the R3 MOT a good user camera?
It is a capable R-mount SLR with motor-drive capability, but the value case depends on the electronics being healthy; a serviced example is a more sensible buy than a cheaper untested one.