Mamiya Pistol
The Mamiya Pistol is a rare Japanese specialist camera built into a pistol-shaped body, produced by Mamiya during the mid-20th century. Its unusual form factor and very limited production place it firmly in the specialist-collector category rather than the general used-camera market, and its price reflects that scarcity rather than any photographic utility.
At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the Mamiya Pistol have clustered around £6,000 for examples offered since 2019, with earlier saleroom results in the mid-2000s reaching as high as £12,000. Across the available sales history the range sits at roughly £6,000–£12,000 with a median hammer value near £7,500, so as of today £6,000 is a fair working figure for what a clean example is worth. Condition, completeness and documented provenance move the value materially given how few examples surface each year.
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: November 2025
| Date | Price | Source | |
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| Nov 2025 | EUR 3,000 | 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 47 (Lot A02304) Title: Mamiya Pistol Camera
Description:
An extremely rare half-frame 35mm camera, designed in the shape of a handgun and using standard film cassettes. These unusual cameras were produced for the Japanese police and employed primarily for covertly photographing demonstrators. The offered example is preserved in beautiful condition, with the Japanese police symbol still intact and well preserved — a feature often missing, as most known examples were deliberately defaced. It is estimated that only around 300 units were manufactured, the majority of which were officially destroyed only a few years after production. |
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| Jun 2024 | EUR 6,000 | 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 44 (Lot A00616) Title: Mamiya Pistol Camera
Description:
An extremely rare half-frame 35mm camera (for standard film cassettes) shaped like a handgun, according to the literature, these cameras were made for the Japanese police, who used them mainly for photographing demonstrators. The offered example is in very good condition (police markings defaced, as usual) and comes with an original leather holster. Only about 300 of these cameras were manufactured, most of them were officially destroyed a few years after production. Estimate: EUR 6,000 - EUR 7,000 |
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| Jun 2023 | EUR 6,000 | 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 42 (Lot AI_20220121_1128_41674) Title: Mamiya Pistol Camera
Description:
An extremely rare half-frame 35mm camera (for standard film cassettes) shaped like a handgun, according to the literature, these cameras were made for the Japanese police, who used them mainly for photographing demonstrators. The offered example is in very good condition (police markings defaced, as usual) and comes with an original leather holster. Only about 300 of these cameras were manufactured, most of them were officially destroyed a few years after production. Estimate: EUR 6,000 - EUR 7,000 |
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| Nov 2019 | EUR 6,000 | 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 35 (Lot AI_35_37958) Title: Mamiya Pistol camera
Description:
half-frame 35mm camera, shaped like a handgun, it has been used in training by the Japanese police, in very good condition (police markings defaced), with original leather holster Estimate: EUR 12,000 - EUR 14,000 |
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| Jun 2008 | EUR 12,000 | 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 13 (Lot AI_13_16737) Title: Mamiya Pistol Camera
Description:
extremely rare half-frame 35mm camera, shaped like a pistol, produced for Japanese police training, with film spool, in very fine original condition with original and very rare everready case Estimate: EUR 14,000 - EUR 16,000 |
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| May 2007 | EUR 9,000 | 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 11 (Lot AI_11_16016) Title: Mamiya Pistol Camera
Description:
extremely rare half-frame 35mm camera, shaped like a pistol, produced for Japanese police training, with film spool, in fine original condition Estimate: EUR 15,000 - EUR 17,000 |
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| May 2004 | EUR 10,938 | 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 5 (Lot AI_5_23442) Title: Mamiya Pistol camera
Description:
half-frame 35mm camera, shaped like a pistol, produced for Japanese police training, original leather case, extremely rare Estimate: EUR 1,954 - EUR 1,195 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Mamiya Pistol worth today?
Recent UK auction hammer results have sat around £6,000, while earlier high-profile sales reached up to £12,000 — so a realistic current value is in the £6,000–£12,000 band depending on condition and provenance.
How much does a Mamiya Pistol sell for at auction?
The recorded hammer prices range from £6,000 to £12,000, with a median close to £7,500 across the six sales on file.
Why is the Mamiya Pistol so expensive compared to other Mamiya cameras?
The price reflects scarcity and collector demand for the pistol-form design rather than photographic specification; very few examples come to market, which sustains its value well above standard Mamiya bodies.