ALPA of Switzerland - Manufacturers of remarkable cameras

As a start: Why are all ALPA cameras equipped for digital as well as for rollfilm backs?

Not everyone wants to photograph digitally, and not everyone wants to do so exclusively. ALPA does not patronize its customers – not in this respect, nor in any other respect. With all its advantages and drawbacks, film has and retains its own charm and its aficionados, while digital photography has its areas of use where film cannot match it. The time of the “wars of religion” is over and the outlook on what really is and what can be becomes clearer. ALPA celebrates this with its unique new 6x9 (56 x 83 mm) 120 and 220 roll-film back that has been developed in cooperation with Mamiya/Japan and that fits exclusively on all ALPA cameras.

Products

As a start: Why are all ALPA cameras equipped for digital as well as for rollfilm backs?

Not everyone wants to photograph digitally, and not everyone wants to do so exclusively.

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Can existing lenses be adapted to the ALPA?

Indeed they can – as long as such lenses are listed in our latest product list.

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Can lenses for AFi, Hy6 or Rolleiflex 600x be used with ALPA cameras?
Can my existing lenses get converted into ALPA mount?

Yes, in general it is possible to convert existing lenses from Schneider and Rodenstock into ALPA mount.

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How to focus and to frame?

There are five ways:

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Macro: Are macro shots possible with ALPA cameras?
Mounting the ALPA Shutter Blade Interlock

All actual ALPA lenses in Copal 0 (except Apo-Digitar 5.6/24 mm XL) feature the interlock as standard equipment.

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What are color fringe, color cast and center fold and what can be done about them?

These are three unwelcome but usually removable side effects when photographing with digital backs.

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What are the exclusive "Short Barrel" lenses and what are they used for?

ALPA supplies all lenses made by Schneider-Kreuznach from 80 mm to 250 mm focal length besides the standard version also in a special "Short Barrel" version that is 34 mm shorter than the standard version.

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What is shift, swing and tilt?

Shift, swing and tilt are purposeful displacements of the picture axis against the lens’ axis.

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What is the exclusive ALPA shutterblade interlock for?

All current ALPA lenses with mechanical Copal shutter (except the extraordinary Schneider Apo-Digitar 5.6/24 mm XL) are equipped with the ALPA shutterblade interlock.

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What viewfinders are there for the ALPA cameras?

When an ALPA camera is to be used freehand, then on all ALPA models a variety of viewfinders can be used (see also page 29):

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Why are all ALPA shift-sleds mounted on roller-bearings?

There are, of course, cheaper solutions to support shift sleds.

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Why do ALPA cameras not need a manual?

ALPA cameras are designed to be as simple as possible.

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Why does ALPA offer adjustable adapters for digital backs?

Adjustable back adapters (max. 3/10 mm, adjustable in single steps right down to 1/100 mm) with reuseable shims of various thickness are exclusive to ALPA.

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Why the need for mechanical precision and robustness?

Ever more frequently digital backs use ever-smaller pixels (at present more than 60 MP at 6 µm size).

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can a digital or film back on an alpa camera be positioned vertically as well as horizontally?

Yes, they can.

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