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Voigtlander& Sohn Prominent

The Voigtländer Prominent is a rangefinder camera produced by the German maker Voigtländer & Sohn. The Prominent name was applied to two distinct designs: a pre-war medium-format folding rangefinder of the 1930s and a post-war 35mm interchangeable-lens rangefinder introduced in the early 1950s. Both were positioned as premium enthusiast instruments when new.

At UK auction in 2025, hammer prices for the Prominent have spanned roughly £70–£450, with the median close to £120 — these are saleroom results and so reflect wholesale levels rather than retail asking prices. That wide spread is driven by condition and, crucially, by which Prominent is on offer: 35mm post-war bodies with a clean shutter and a desirable Nokton or Ultron lens are what tend to sell for the upper end today, while tired or incomplete examples change hands for under £100. As of 2026, a complete, working Prominent with matched finder and a good lens is typically worth around £380–£450 at auction, whereas body-only or faulty lots settle near £80–£140.

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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: June 2026

Date Price Source
Jun 2026 £62 Flints Auctions
May 2026 £100 Special Auction Services
Mar 2026 £80 Special Auction Services
Jan 2026 £112 Flints Auctions
Jan 2026 £138 Flints Auctions
Nov 2025 £140 Special Auction Services
Nov 2025 £380 Special Auction Services
Sep 2025 £275 Flints Auctions
Sep 2025 £160 Special Auction Services
Sep 2025 £126 Chiswick Auctions
Jul 2025 £90 Special Auction Services
Jul 2025 £80 Special Auction Services
Jul 2025 £403 Chiswick Auctions
Jun 2025 £375 Flints Auctions
Mar 2025 £428 Chiswick Auctions
Mar 2025 £106 Flints Auctions
Jan 2025 £378 Chiswick Auctions
Jan 2025 £100 Special Auction Services
Jan 2025 £110 Special Auction Services
Jan 2025 £70 Special Auction Services
Oct 2024 £120 Special Auction Services
Oct 2024 £200 Special Auction Services
Oct 2024 £450 Special Auction Services
Sep 2024 £100 Tennants Auctioneers
Sep 2024 £212 Flints Auctions
Aug 2024 £110 Special Auction Services
Jul 2024 £81 Flints Auctions
May 2024 £500 Flints Auctions
Feb 2024 £140 Special Auction Services
Jan 2024 £100 Flints Auctions
Jan 2024 £238 Flints Auctions
Nov 2023 £325 Flints Auctions
Oct 2023 £210 Special Auction Services
Aug 2023 £750 Flints Auctions
Jun 2023 £300 Flints Auctions
Apr 2023 £188 Flints Auctions
Apr 2023 £212 Flints Auctions
Mar 2023 £162 Flints Auctions
Oct 2022 £225 Flints Auctions
Oct 2022 £138 Flints Auctions
Jun 2022 £200 Flints Auctions
Feb 2022 £150 Flints Auctions
Nov 2021 £322 Flints Auctions
Jan 2021 £174 Flints Auctions
Nov 2020 £420 Flints Auctions
May 2020 £674 Flints Auctions
Nov 2018 £156 Flints Auctions
Nov 2018 £600 Flints Auctions
Nov 2017 USD 500 pedia_sales_tamarkin
Nov 2015 EUR 650 Leitz Auction
Jun 2008 EUR 950 Leitz Auction
Nov 2005 £300 Christie's
Jun 2005 £156 Christie's
May 2004 EUR 178 Leitz Auction
May 2004 £119 Christie's
Mar 2004 £179 Christie's
Mar 2004 £836 Christie's
Mar 2004 £537 Christie's
Nov 2003 £235 Christie's
May 2003 £164 Christie's
Apr 2003 £188 Christie's
Nov 2002 £141 Christie's
Sep 2002 £164 Christie's
Feb 2002 £1,175 Christie's
Nov 2001 £822 Christie's
Nov 2001 £164 Christie's
Jul 2001 £141 Christie's
May 2001 £705 Christie's
May 2001 £258 Christie's
Mar 2001 £564 Christie's
Mar 2001 £141 Christie's
Mar 2001 £258 Christie's
Jan 2001 £646 Christie's
Sep 1999 £322 Christie's
Mar 1999 £184 Christie's
Jan 1999 £218 Christie's
Oct 1998 £149 Christie's
Oct 1998 £460 Christie's
Jul 1998 £97 Christie's
May 1998 £207 Christie's
May 1998 £97 Christie's
May 1998 £97 Christie's
May 1998 £368 Christie's
Mar 1998 £690 Christie's
Mar 1998 £598 Christie's
Jan 1998 £253 Christie's
Nov -0001 £375 Flints Auctions

Frequently asked questions

What is a Voigtländer Prominent worth today?

Recent UK auction hammer prices range from about £70 for incomplete or non-working examples to around £450 for clean, working bodies with a good lens, with a median near £120.

How much does a Voigtländer Prominent sell for at auction?

In 2025 saleroom results, most Prominents sold in the £80–£160 band, while the best examples with desirable lenses fetched £378–£450.

Why do Prominent prices vary so widely?

The Prominent name covers both a pre-war medium-format folder and a post-war 35mm rangefinder, and within each type the price hinges on shutter function, rangefinder condition, and whether a premium lens such as a Nokton is included — so value tracks specification and condition rather than the model name alone.

Is the Voigtländer Prominent a good user camera?

A serviced example can be used for film photography, but buyers should budget for a shutter CLA and expect the ergonomics — particularly the top-plate focusing wheel on the 35mm version — to feel unusual compared with later rangefinders.

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