The Merkel Phönix Tropen (Tropical) is a folding plate camera from the early 20th century, produced in a tropical specification with teak or similar hardwood body panels and brass fittings intended for use in humid climates. It was sold as a field and travel camera for plate or sheet-film photography.

With only a single tracked UK auction hammer result, the Phönix Tropen sold for £325 in April 2026, which sets the current reference for what one is worth at saleroom level today. A clean, complete example with original shutter and bellows tends to sell for more than a rough one, but with one data point the price band is indicative only.