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ALPA cooperates with the acknowledged best manufacturers of large format lenses. The large image circle of ALPA lenses places enormous demands on the optical calculation, adjustment, and mounting. ALPA is the only camera manufacturer that has its lenses completely mounted and tuned by the lens manufacturer. The lenses consist of a tube, helical mount, shutter or aperture mount, and the lens itself. Each lens undergoes a "real world" photographic test at ALPA. We do not rely on automatic measurements but examine each lens for its performance at infinity at a distance of over 5000 m.
The X-Shutter (Phase One)is an electro-magnetic leaf shutter replacing the discontinued Copal 0 size leaf shutter.
Born from the industrial performance and precision of the Phase One Reliance Shutter (Phase One Industrial division) this shutter is now available for some large format lenses (ALPA ALPAGON and ALPAR lenses in the first wave and later ALPA lenses from Scheider-Kreuznach), meeting the needs of demanding users of ALPA technical cameras.
The X-Shutter has been designed to work with the Phase One IQ digital backs of the IQ4 type and later.
Starting April 2021, we will accept orders for lens modifications to Phase One X-Shutter. From this date, we also collect orders for new lenses in this new variant.
Please understand that the X-Shutter is a supplier part. ALPA and Qioptiq/Rodenstock have little influence on the availability of this shutter. You will find all lens types that can be modified in the list for new lenses as below.
The modification price is for an existing ALPA lens with a helical mount and lens barrel into the same version with X-Shutter. For third-party lenses or a change in ALPA lens mount, the needed extra material (helical mount, lens barrel, conversion to "Gold Ring") will be charged on top.
We will also offer the modification of ALPA Schneider lenses, once all the quirks are sorted out.
Feel free to communicate your needs via the Planning or Repair form below. For the time being, the lenses must travel via ALPA HQ in Zurich. We will try to hold turnaround times as short as possible. Nevertheless, we want to support you closely and plan together with you to avoid delays. Due to the still ongoing pandemic situation the normal turnaround times may be increased. Therefore, please send lenses only after everything is prepared, and we give you the go.
For optimal coordination you can make use of the following planning tools:
Use this tool / survey for non-binding announcements of your interest in modifying existing lenses or new lenses. We will then help you with your plans.
Planning Data for X-Shutter (x-shutter-plan.alpa.swiss)
Use this tool if you are an ALPA Dealer or if you are a customer without a dedicated ALPA dealership in your country. After receiving your request, we will get into contact with you.
ALPA Repair & Return Form (rma.alpa.swiss)
Use this tool if you are an ALPA Dealer or if you are a customer without a dedicated ALPA dealership in your country. After receiving your request, we will get into contact with you.
ALPA eCommerce (ecommerce.alpa.swiss)
For the X-Shutter launch, ALPA offers the modification price of existing ALPA lenses for CHF 3,980 and the lenses as listed below until further notice. All prices are ex Works Switzerland (without transport, insurance, taxes. etc.). All prices are subject to change.
Actual Lens Range ALPA
Currently, all our medium format lenses are manufactured by Qioptiq/Rodenstock. Historically, ALPA lenses have also been manufactured by Schneider Kreuznach and Carl Zeiss. The current lens series carries the brand names ALPAGON, ALPAR, and Macro SWITAR. Together with the typical "gold ring", they guarantee the ALPA quality. Lenses manufactured by Schneider Kreuznach were mainly branded HELVETAR. The ALPA Apo-SWITAR 5.6/36 mm was a Schneider lens, too. As a reminiscence to the famous Macro Switar lenses from Kern Aarau for 35mm cameras, we now carry a Macro SWITAR (Rodenstock) and the Cine SWITARE for moving image. For further information, see the Legacy Collection.
This product group consists mainly of the HPF High Precision Focusing Rings for the available ALPA lens range. Over time we have produced a wide range of these handy helpers, namely for ALPA Schneider lenses. Please ask for specific HPFs which are not listed here.
ALPA offers a wide range of lens shades. Each individually calculated and optimized for the specific lens type.
Center Filters are lens- or lens-rage specifically calculated high-end filters. They compensate for lens-type inherent falloff / vignetting towards the edges.
Digital backs with electronic shutter (currently Rolling Shutter for Phase One IQ 3/4, Hasselblad X1D, and partly H6D) are becoming increasingly available. The new Rodenstock aperture unit - with its almost round, 9-piece aperture pattern - optimally supports this shutter type. Besides, photographers can use lens versions in short-barrel can also on the ALPA 12 FPS with its built-in focal-plane shutter (SB34, SB51, FPS SB17).
ALPA introduced the Short Barrel concept back in 2007. How did this come about and what were the key aspects of this decision?
The History
In June 2007, ALPA visited the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris to help evaluate a successor to its Sinarcam 23. BNF planned to make the best possible use of the digital backs in question from Hasselblad or Sinar and to achieve the highest possible megapixel yield. In addition to multishot backs, extremely precise stitching and planarity were therefore required, and the ALPA 12 XY and ALPA/Schneider Apo-Digitare with electromechanical leaf shutters were therefore already evaluated.
Due to the working distances and the large-format originals, BNF wanted to use the ALPA / Schneider Apo-Digitar 5.6/120 mm as one of its main lenses. With a 4-fold stitch, the image circle of 110 to 120 mm was theoretically exhausted. However, the geometry caused mechanical vignetting. Since this effect did not occur with wide-angle lenses, appropriate solutions had to be worked out. This led to the development of the Short Barrel lens concept.
The Concept
But what changes if a lens barrel is shortened and the complementary element is mounted on the back? The following rough sketch shows the basic problem. In the standard configuration, the sensor is very close to the camera body. The free opening is not infinite with a technical camera. If the back part is shifted considerably, the camera body shades a part of the sensor. If the sensor is now placed further back, this shadowing is substantially reduced and the usage of the image circle is optimized for the BNF. In line with ALPA's system modularity, the first lenses, where constructionally possible, were shortened by 34 mm to SB34, since macro tubes of 34 mm in length were already available.
During research, the so-called "Short-Barrel" lenses of the Mamiya RZ67 were spotted. Back in their time, Mamiya also shortened the lens barrel of some lenses. However, only space was to be created for a shift/tilt module, which could be used optionally. ALPA also referred to the concept as "Short Barrel" as a reminiscence to this RZ solution. ALPA delivered the first SB34 lenses starting in mid-2007.
At Photokina 2008, ALPA also presented tilt/swing modules using the SB concept. From now on, ALPA users could very economically use a single tilt element for any SB34 lens and only had to purchase it once. Later, ALPA extended the group of SB lenses with shorter focal lengths to SB17. Here, too, the user could continue to use and combine existing elements, such as macro tubes. Today, 17mm macro elements and tilt/shift modules can be combined and used with great flexibility. The ALPA / Rodenstock HR Alpagon 6.3 / 138 mm planned for 2019 will be offered as SB51 (34+17 mm) following this philosophy.
The Exceptions - Good to Know
The very first short barrel lenses were the SB34, as the corresponding macro tube already existed. In 2004 ALPA introduced a complete set of extension tubes for macro photography. This set initially included tubes of 6.5 mm, 16 mm, 34 mm and 52 mm in length, which were optimally matched to the existing Schneider and Rodenstock helical mounts. The old versions are distinguished by long, SWA-like locking levers.
ALPA has subsequently successfully integrated tilt/swing modules of 34 mm with an inclination of up to 12° into the SB concept. Due to the success and other customer requests, ALPA then transferred the idea to further lenses. However, not all focal lengths allow a shortening of the tubes by 34 mm. It became evident that apart from a few very short focal length lenses with a small image circle (HR Alpagon 23, 28 and 35) an SB17 version was also possible. Thus, two 17 mm elements could be economically combined for the SB34 lens tubes.
This subsequently led to the standardization of the macro tubes to 6 mm (as the shortest, finishable extension and seamless connection to the extension of the standard helical gears, the 17 mm elements (2 x 17 mm = 34 mm) and now 51 mm tubes (3 x 17 mm or 1 x 34 mm plus 1 x 17 mm).
Important & Caveat
The older 16 mm tubes are therefore NOT fully compatible with the current SB concept, as they are one millimeter too short. Of course, they can still be used as extension tubes. The missing millimeter can also be compensated by an additional extension on the screw, whereby the distance scales no longer fit.
ALPA cameras are precision tools, made with passion and skilled craftsmanship for a small group of connoisseurs. Much like musical instruments, these tools require the expertise and the careful eye of a master.
Technical cameras are characterized by the possibility of "movement," i.e., the lens's shifting in relation to the image recording part, be it an analog or digital back. These movements (rise, fall, shift left/right) are used either a) for perspective correction to precisely control converging lines or b) to use the image circle of large format optics for planar stitching. Both types of movement place high demands on the precision and durability of the cameras. ALPA cameras are equipped with multiple high-precision (and therefore not cheap) roller bearings for this purpose and do not merely let greased metal friction on each other.
ALPA also offers camera bodies without movements for precisely specified purposes.
Do you want to approach the new possibilities of cameras with adjustment more cautiously, or are you looking for a camera that is as light and straightforward as possible? The ALPA 12 TC offers the beginner an easy way to switch from a 35mm camera to the high-end medium format. And because modularity is a top priority at ALPA, components can also be used later with cameras with movement.
Do you already have an ALPA with movement capability and are looking for a lightweight, compact travel camera with which you can effortlessly reuse your existing lens assortment, analog or digital back, and more?
For both cases, the ALPA 12 TC would be a safe value, serving beginners/transitioners and seasoned ALPA users alike.
Are you looking for fast exposure times to 1/4000 sec, integration into a network, and automation through a wide variety of program-supported functions? Then the ALPA 12 FPS is worth a look. Simultaneously, the FPS is a camera on its own or, with specific short-barrel lenses or macro use, a shutter module for a wide range of applications.
You can order standard kits as shown. We have put them together on proven usability in the past or where they make the most sense economically. The user can, of course, choose the digital back adapters for camera kits. In this group we show only kits with an ALPA camera body or the like.
In addition to existing standard kits, we can also put together individual setups for you. You will also find specific compositions for certain applications among the equipment suggestions. You can recognize such products by a missing fixed ALPA product ID (PID).
Excerpt from the Press Text: The plus has the perfect shape. The Swiss know this fact and show it as a Swiss cross in their flag. You can turn it as you like - it always fits. The new ALPA 12 PLUS can also be shifted plus and minus 20 mm on each side. Stitching multiple images is a snap. Move it up and down, right and left. Besides, the latest camera body from Swiss manufacturer ALPA features an entirely symmetrical design - front and back. It's not the camera that decides what fits, but the photographic object. Even the digital back can be attached vertically and horizontally. In this way, the photographic task also becomes the determining factor for the format itself. If the image circle of the lens provides it, the multi-line stitched sensor format of 80 x 94 mm go be numerically beyond the good old roll film in 6x9 analog format.
The ALPA 12 FPS, although introduced back in 2012, remains one of the most versatile and outstanding technical medium format cameras. The usable accessories from the modular ALPA system are correspondingly diverse. And the continuously further developed firmware keeps it young, not only at heart.
