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Nikon NIKONOS I (Calypso)

The Nikonos I, sometimes referred to by its original Calypso name, is a 35mm underwater film camera Nikon introduced in 1963, based on a French design that Nikon licensed and rebadged for global distribution. Built as a sealed body for direct submersion without an external housing, it was positioned for divers, marine researchers and underwater photojournalists.

Auction-hammer evidence for the Nikonos I (Calypso) is thin, with only a single recorded UK saleroom result of £117 in our dataset, so a reliable current-year median cannot be quoted with confidence. Buyers asking what a Nikonos I is worth in 2026 should treat that figure as a historic data point rather than a guide to today's price, and look to completed sales of comparable early Nikonos bodies when judging value.

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Sales History

Prices shown are realised prices — auction results and completed eBay sales, never asking prices. Most saleroom figures are hammer prices, before commission; some houses publish a premium-inclusive figure, and we do not adjust for condition. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher. How this figure is calculated.

Prices updated: July 2026

Date Price Value GBP Source
Jul 2026 £100 £100 🇬🇧 eBay
Sep 2025 £60 £60 🇬🇧 Special Auction Services
May 2025 £40 £40 🇬🇧 David Duggleby
May 2004 EUR 208 £140 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction
Oct 2000 £117 £100 🇬🇧 Christie's
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Frequently asked questions

What is a Nikon Nikonos I (Calypso) worth at UK auction?

Auction-hammer data for this model is sparse; the only verified UK saleroom result in our records is £117, so the price a clean example sells for today depends heavily on condition and the small number of comparable lots that appear.

How much does a Nikonos I sell for compared with later Nikonos models?

Because the Nikonos I is the earliest body in the line and surfaces less often than the Nikonos II–V, individual sales can vary widely; the value is driven by originality, working seals and cosmetic condition rather than by a settled market price.

Is the Calypso the same camera as the Nikonos I?

The Calypso was the original French-built underwater 35mm camera that Nikon licensed and reissued as the Nikonos in 1963, so the two share the same underlying design and are often catalogued together.

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