Vienna – Three, two, one – “Habemus Camera!” (German: “We have cameras”). The camera of Pope Francis (†88), who died on April 21, has now been sold at auction in Vienna. The hammer only falls on the Leica MA at 6.5 million euros. More than 100 times the estimated value.
No monitor, no light meter, no battery: the MA is considered a minimalist Leica mechanical status symbol. This model sells for 5,700 euros. The manufacturer gave the device with serial number 5,000,000 to the Pope a year before his death.
Pope Francis died in April 2025 at the age of 88
Special features (silver chrome plated, white painted, Vatican symbol on lens cap) and the fact that Head of the Catholic Church Taking a photo with it catapults its estimated value to 60,000 euros. “It has been a tradition at Leica to reserve distinctive round serial numbers for special cameras, which are often awarded to prominent public figures,” said Alexander Sedlak, Managing Director of Leica Camera Classics and Leitz Photographica Auction.
But at the auction on Saturday morning in Vienna, expectations were completely shattered. Two bidders raised the price of the holy lens to the heavenly realm. In the end, one of them won and got a contract of 6.5 million euros.
Auction money for charity
There are no additional auction fees. The entire amount was donated to charity. This is what the church leader who died in 2025 wanted. Leica boss Sedlak described the auction as “one of the most exciting bidding battles in the history of our auction house, and truly worthy of this extraordinary draw.”
Many are sales items auction. Each object is clearly identified by its lot number. What and how often Pope Francis shoots with his Leica has not been said.
