Last Updated on 12/20/2017 by Chris Gampat
Fancy and rare, is the US military issue Leica KE-7A in your vintage camera collection?
Are you a vintage camera collector or military history buff with some space in your shelves and some loads of cash to spare? There’s a rare Military Version Leica KE-7A currently up for grabs on ebay that you can add to your collection.
The black Leica KE-7A, in great condition, posted by ebay seller mkkamera_us can be yours for a whopping US $24,898.85. This actually seems like a good deal, if you consider the fact that there was once a mint and sealed complete set that went for a staggering US $45,000 as we reported last year.
What’s so special about this Leica? It was manufactured in Canada in the early 1970s especially for the US Army, with only 505 units produced. Of these, the military acquired only 460 units which had engravings to indicate they were army issue. The rest were put on sale in the civilian market. While it essentially had the mechanisms of the Leica M4, the Leica KE-7A was built with a modified shutter and better sealing for dust and shooting in extremely cold conditions. In some photography forums, discussions also note the body was made in black chrome instead of black paint, just like the late production M4 cameras. The 50mm f/2.0 Elcan lens that it came with was also of a simpler design with only four elements, and reportedly did not perform as well as the contemporary 50mm Summicron lens.
In terms of rarity, a civilian edition would definitely be a rarer find, but the military version — although essentially just an M4 with some cool engravings — fetches a hefty price tag as a collectible. Don’t forget to check out this ebay listing if you’re still willing to part with your cash for this rare Leica! Don’t worry, it’s not the most expensive Leica you’ll never buy.