Looking to buy a new camera? You can always take advantage of sales and snatch up a cheap point-and-shoot, but if you have money to burn you might want a flash that’s a little more flashy. Also, by “money to burn” we mean several hundred thousand dollars. With that in mind, check out the eight most expensive cameras ever made!
The Leica M –– $1.8 M
Yep, that’s right, the much buzzed-about custom-made Leica M by Jony Ive and Marc Newson sold for a staggering $1,805,000 at a Sotheby’s charity auction on November 23, with proceeds going to fight AIDS in Africa. The camera is made from a special alloy and includes a lens with fixed focal length.
Olympus PEN Art Edition –– $25k
This highly decorated edition of the Olympus PEN E-P5 is tricked out with all kinds of high-end accessories, includes a training session with photographer Jay McLaughlin, and has two bodies –– one adorned with artwork by Susie Lowe. The limited edition is on sale at Harrods and comes with a Vespa scooter with matching design. Because who doesn’t want a scooter with their camera?
Samsung NX300 Gold Edition — $2.7k
Considering that the Leica M sold for $1.8M, spending $2,700 on a luxury camera seems like a drop in the bucket. The Samsung NX Gold Edition has everything you’d see in a typical NX300, only it’s plated in 22k gold and is exclusively sold in Saudi Arabia. Sigh, one more thing to put on our trusty “things to buy in Saudi Arabia” list.
Canon Diamond lxus — $50k-$60k 
Canon’s glittery “Diamond lxus” is a simple PowerShot SD640, only –– you know –– encrusted with diamonds. The camera was made back in 2006 to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Digital Elph, and proceeds were auctioned to the Red Cross. To quote Marilyn Monroe, “diamonds are a camera’s best friend.”
Hasselblad Lunar — $7k
The Hasselblad Lunar is basically a Sony Alpha NEX-7 compact system camera in disguise. That disguise being a stylish wood or leather grip, making it the perfect gift for the hipster in your life. By the way, Hasselblad takes the name of this camera super seriously –– they even invited astronaut Buzz Aldrin to its “Lunar” launch!
Leica M9-P “Edition Hermes” — $50k
Luxury fashion brand Hermes teamed up with Leica to design a gorgeous version of their M9-P, which comes with a leather-clad body and multiple lenses. Basically, it’s the Birkin Bag of cameras, and we can only assume that the waiting list is a mile long.
Hasselblad Stellar — $2k
The Italian-designed Stellar is a much more expensive version of the Sony cyber-shot RX100 point-and-shoot, which retails for a mere $600. So, if those snazzy (er, stellar) wooden handgrips are worth that extra $1,400, this is the camera for you!
Hasselblad H4D-40 Ferrari Edition — $29.5k
Looking for a high horsepower camera? Hasselblad’s Ferrari Edition camera is your best bet, and comes part-and-parcel with the most elite name in luxury vehicles. This medium-format camera is just like a standard H4D-40 (you know, only more expensive), and comes in an edition of 499.
Sources: Digitaltrends, Leicarumors
