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.

At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the Nicca 3-S have ranged from about £80 to £230, with a median around £110 on the three 2024 results in our data. That tells you what a body is worth today at saleroom level — wholesale, not retail — and condition, cosmetic wear and whether a clean period lens is included are the main factors pushing a sale toward the upper end of that band. An older 1998 Christie's result of £977 reflected a specialist collector sale and is not representative of how the model currently sells.