Is any camera worth $2.66 Million dollars?
Take the case of David Douglas Duncan. He has had an amazing and rich career. A "former LIFE photographer; [Duncan is] Best known for his dramatic combat photographs of Korean and Vietnam War and his work with his close friend Pablo Picasso." The friendship between Duncan and Picasso proved fruitful as it "[resulted] with the publishing of seven books; all photographs [taken were with] the Leica M3D." Last November, Duncan put up his Leica M3D "up for auction at WestLicht Photographic Auction in Austria.
Some interesting history on the camera reveals that the Leica M3D was "manufactured in 1955 [and] is one of four ever made." The combination of the camera's rarity and it's rich past has proven to be "a world record for a commercially produced camera; [the camera] is also the second-highest price ever paid for a camera."
Eventually the camera "went on to fetch €1,680,000 ($2.66 million); becoming the most expensive camera from a serial production ever sold." This teaches a good lesson; take care of your equipment as it's value is reflected by the work it produces.
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