Nicca 3-S

The Nicca 3-S is a 35mm rangefinder camera produced in Japan in the 1950s, built around the Leica screw mount and closely modelled on the Leica III-series bodies of that era. It was positioned as a domestically-made alternative to imported Leica equipment at a time when Japanese makers were establishing themselves in the interchangeable-lens rangefinder market.

Inspect the shutter curtains for pinholes and check that slow speeds do not hang, as cloth-shutter rangefinders of this period commonly need a service. Verify that the rangefinder patch is still visible and aligned, and look for haze or separation in the viewfinder/rangefinder optics. Service support is limited to independent specialists, and screw-mount lenses from Leica, Canon and other Japanese makers of the period remain readily available second-hand.

Generated summary, 22 Apr 2026 — not checked by hand; prices on this page come from the sales, not from this text.