Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant, left, and guitarist Jimmy Page, right, are seen performing at the Live Aid concert at Philadelphia's J.F.K. Stadium in 1985. Page says he only chose images of himself performing for his memoir. (Rusty Kennedy/File/Associated Press)

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page is releasing a handmade photographic autobiography that will cost £445 ($708 Cdn).

The 700-image, leather-bound book is set for release in late September and will be limited to only 2,500 copies.

News of the massive tome with its equally heavy price tag has angered some fans, but the reclusive musician defended his book saying he wanted to do something of quality and not just a book of musings.

"I thought it would be quite interesting to do a photographic autobiography … a career in pictures," said the 66-year-old guitarist in a statement on Friday posted on the publisher's website.

Page also praised his British publishers, Genesis, known for their handmade books.

"As someone who's always been interested in having a library themselves, I appreciate fine bookbinding and their whole ethic of what they do and what they're trying to do with a whole catalogue of books."

Each book, wrapped in a silk slipcase and with its pages and spine decorated in gold, will be signed by Page.

Page told the New York Times he only chose images of himself performing, with the first one in the book of him as a 12-year-old choirboy.

"It's purely about the music and nothing else," he told the newspaper. He also warns fans not to expect in-depth descriptions with each picture.

"I'm not really colouring it too much with annotations … I just wanted the pictures to speak in a way that the music does."