Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/03/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Seth, Looks very promising. Thanks, Mike ----- Original Message ----- From: "Seth Rosner" <sethrosner@nycap.rr.com> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 9:19 AM Subject: Re: [Leica] So.. what is the deal with Alpa Cameras? > Mike, there is currently a beautiful-looking Alpa offered on that site > with the right lens, the Kern 50/1,9 Macro-Switar, a splendid design from > the late 1960's that rivals the Leitz DR Summicron. It is item number: > 7501065485. > The current high bidder is an Alpa collector to whom I have sold a camera > privately. Hope this is useful. > > Seth > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Michael J Herring" <creativevisions@verizon.net> > To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> > Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 4:59 AM > Subject: Re: [Leica] So.. what is the deal with Alpa Cameras? > > >> Seth, >> >> Do you know of any place where you can find these late model Alpa 35mm >> SLR >> cameras? I have been told it is rather easy to adapt other optics to >> them. >> I live in New Jersey. >> Thanks, >> Mike >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Seth Rosner" <sethrosner@nycap.rr.com> >> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> >> Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 11:31 PM >> Subject: Re: [Leica] So.. what is the deal with Alpa Cameras? >> >> >>> Aha! >>> >>> Eric, this very high quality MF camera is the successor to a line of >> very >>> high quality Swiss 35mm cameras whose prodution started in the 1940's by >> a >>> company called Pignons, S.A. in Ballaigues, Suisse, that also >> manufactured >>> parts, gears, levers etc. for the top-line Swiss watch manufacturers. >> They >>> were very quirky; early models were rangefinders, next lines featured >> both >>> rangefinder and reflex focusing in the same camera (!!!)and the final >>> models were strictly SLRs. Alpa made no lenses. They were furnished in >>> Alpa mount by Kern, Schneider-Kreuznach, Angenieux, Kilfitt. >>> >>> Their quirkiness made them relatively uinsuitable for what our group >> terms >>> photjournailsm or street photography as they are slow and >> counterintuitive >>> (e.g. the film advance-shutter cock lever protrudes from the front of >> the >>> camera and is drawn clockwise toward the rear!!!) Thus it is very slow >> and >>> deliberate in operation and was used more by scientists, laboratory and >>> research people than by PJ's. >>> >>> Tom Abrahamssen, who used to collect them, describes having disassembled >> a >>> very early model of which he said the shutter mechanism and gear train >> for >>> the delayed action release were like the inside of a Patek Philippe or >>> Rolex watch while the rest of the camera looked like it came from a >> Soviet >>> tractor factory! Later models are magnificently made, rivaling even >>> contemporaneous Leitz and Zeiss production. >>> >>> Take a look at the history that I believe is on the Alpa website. Capaul >>> and Weber are a Swiss couple who bought the Alpa name and mark from the >>> receiver in bankruptcy in about 1990 and proceeded to design and >>> manufacture this current Alpa camera that is built to space station >>> quality levels, nothing automatic whatever. They too do not make lenses >>> which are still produced for the Alpa by some of the world's finest >> optics >>> manufacturers. >>> >>> I have had several Alpa's and 50mm lenses recently and still have a >>> collector camera/lens combo like-new in box. >>> >>> Seth >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "eric" <leica_korenman@hotmail.com> >>> To: "LUG" <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> >>> Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 6:36 PM >>> Subject: [Leica] So.. what is the deal with Alpa Cameras? >>> >>> >>> http://www.alpa.ch/ >>> Do pros really use these? Or just former sultans? >>> Are these even snobbier than Leicas? >>> >>> I stumbled into these cameras on a stroll of the net today and I am not >>> familiar with them. >>> >>> Eric >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> -- >> I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. >> It has removed 367 spam emails to date. >> Paying users do not have this message in their emails. >> Try www.SPAMfighter.com for free now! >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. 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