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Information from Alpa

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Bottom line and this goes with the whole forums philosophy if you don't help educate people than they can't learn. That's why Jack and I created this place was a place to learn and grow and in effect people will buy what they learn about its only natural. Look at all the MF shooters that are here hobbyists, Pros it's really meaning less we all buy product. If we dont know about these things than we simply will not buy them. Sorry it goes against everything I work for here as well as Jack and our mods is to help educate the industry at large. We all have learned so much from each other on all these great tech cams and how each one works to help us make informed decisions. As a business owner myself if folks talked about my products or my services than its a blessing. I simply don't get it , sorry.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
There is the Hasselblad Store; maybe there will be the Alpa Store. :)
Of course, and that is all fine. But why would that leave you not wanting to have a qualified individual still talk-up your products in an online forum full of potential buyers? (At almost any point in time during a normal day we have 400+ viewers online and usually around 90 of those are in the MF forum alone.) It seems very strange to me, but then I'm just a simple businessman running a four-person company.
 
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photohagen

Guest
I personally would like to never deal with a dealer--Paul from Optechs was the exception. I would prefer purchasing directly from the manufacturer and have them provide someone like Thierrry as their middle person for information. I hope Alpa (and other manufacturers) consider revising their selling models in this very small marketplace. With internet businesses, saving money by eliminating middle people can make economic sense for smaller companies like Alpa to stay in business. My 2 cents.
you are absolutely correct! i too would prefer to purchase directly from the manufacturer. paul from optechs was definitely the exception! i bought a few alpa products (max, tc, focus rings, etc.) from him. imho, the alpa - snake oil - dealers/salesmen are rubbish especially from the point of view of giving technical advise. putting thierry on the forums was definitely a step in the right direction - now it's two steps back for alpa. arca swiss might not have a web presence, but at least they have a really good representative in rod klukas - someone who truly knows the technical ins and outs of their products. in this sense, alpa could take a chapter out of the arca swiss book. just my 3 cents.


rh
 

darr

Well-known member
I am sure we will learn the answer eventually. I was thinking of switching to Arca, but I personally feel I get better customer service from Alpa. If I need something, I generally get it within 7 days; if it is not available, they tell me that within 24 hours. I think one of Alpa's strong points is something their competitor (Arca in this example) does not seem to care much about, so I think there mindset is different. I like my Arca cameras a lot, but I prefer Alpa. I would still support Alpa regardless if they have a place on the forums or not because I know I can get honest information from them when I need to. I dislike the sales runarounds I have gotten with Arca in the past. Why we put out so much money with no definitive delivery date, website, or phone number to call I shake my head at anymore. I do not like all the shark invested waters of the medium format dealers on the forums at times. I know you guys need your advertiisng sales, but sometimes it is so obvious what is going on. I would not mind paying a membership for lack of solicitation. I learn best by viewing work, seeing what equipment was used and then connecting with the photographer if need be.

I am a happy Alpa customer and will respect their reasoning behind this decision. I can always contact Thierry personally or visit their website.
 
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photohagen

Guest
i joined the alpa camp many years ago. so i too am an alpa customer. i'm just sayin that arca in all their grand stupidity by not having a web presence and giving miserable customer service, STILL had the good sense to have a reputable technical person - someone who really knows their product line - available. someone who actually uses their systems and therefore knows what he's talking about. paul from optechs was the only dealer who knew and personally used alpa products - it wasn't just talk - he walked the walk.

rh
 

stephengilbert

Active member
"paul from optechs was the only dealer who knew and personally used alpa products - it wasn't just talk - he walked the walk."

True. I anticipate the five stages of grief when Optechs closes.
 

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
What a shame. I'm just starting to consider tech cameras and it's discouraging to consider a camera that will not be represented on this forum by the manufacturers own expert.

Bill
 

DeckardTrinity

New member
I won't speculate on the motivations behind this decision, but I can pretty safely say that there would be about a 0% chance of Alpa ever having reached me as a potential customer were it not for this forum and the information posted to it. I'm not saying I'm even a buyer, but just by visiting this forum from time to time, looking for info on MFDBs, I've learned a little bit here and there about the world of tech cameras. That world is still very foreign to me (as I'm really more of a serious enthusiast rather than a pro), but since photography in general is my main hobby outside of my day job, I naturally want to learn as much as I possibly can about it. Over time, visiting forums, reading books, talking with other photographers, I've amassed quite a bit of knowledge, as I'm sure many others here have as well.

It is a shame that Alpa are, IMO, following in the footsteps of other once great companies that made a bad decision or two, and have been resigned to the dust bin of commercial history. Maybe it is a cultural difference, one which is unfortunate, because I don't think anything good comes from silencing information.
 

stephengilbert

Active member
"It is a shame that Alpa are, IMO, following in the footsteps of other once great companies that made a bad decision or two, and have been resigned to the dust bin of commercial history."

Good thing that we can avoid hyperbole.
 

pophoto

New member
Sorry to hear you leaving Thierry. I just saw this posting today.
I will add, that is very disappointing that any company who turns away from the public and not giving a face to the public, customers, and potential customers is poorly thought out and a bad idea in general. This is in especial regards that someone like Thierry acted very positively for Alpa.

I for one have considered my own personal needs as a photographer hobbyist and would have considered Alpa as part of my system if I was making the jump into MF. Knowing there is someone, real and tangible to communicate and thoroughly nice and friendly to communicate with heightens the whole experience in a Market niche. Also from what I have seen in this forum, knowing how well qualified Thierry is, is a substantial loss to the community as a whole. An unfortunate event indeed.
 

jlm

Workshop Member
in thinking this over, maybe what really happened is the manufacturer wanted to butt out of the public arena, and leave customer relations to the dealers?

For example, If I have a Cambo issue, i go to Capture Integration, not Cambo
 

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Alpa dealers.. Alpa dealers.. The only one I ever hear about is closing. Any others (good ones) out there? If the handle on the STC could mount on the top/bottom so that the default shift were vertical, it would be my first pick... Need a back first <grumble grumble>

--Matt
 

bab

Active member
Wow you guys are being tough on ALPA their priorities are different than ours skiing hiking drinking fine wine and making 1 to 2 cameras a month that's the life it's a simple life but it doesn't require global recognition. I will say that I've contacted Thiery and he immediately replied to me with his answers, I too am thinking of buying an alpa system and this is not good news for 2012 I think this communication belongs back in the 1940s.
 

jlm

Workshop Member
fotocare in NYC is good (Jeff hirsch)

contrast the Alpa withdrawal with Leica who is now opening Leica stores...?

and again; I see some welcome Hasselblad and Aptus factory contribution on the forum, but never Arca, Cambo, Leica, Sony, Nikon, Phase, Sinar, Rollei, etc, except through dealer input
 
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photohagen

Guest
Alpa dealers.. Alpa dealers.. The only one I ever hear about is closing. Any others (good ones) out there? If the handle on the STC could mount on the top/bottom so that the default shift were vertical, it would be my first pick... Need a back first <grumble grumble>

--Matt
are there any good alpa dealers? No!
fotocare? definitely no!

rh
 

dchew

Well-known member
I use Dodd Camera. They are relatively new with Alpa, but very helpful and always get me what I need. They also have a large rental inventory, including IQ180 backs, if that is important to you. Not sure where you are; they are in Cleveland and Chicago.

www.doddpro.com
Dennis Semick is the Alpa contact.

Dave
 

darr

Well-known member
are there any good alpa dealers? No!
fotocare? definitely no!

rh
In a message sent from Paul (Optechs), he states his former/current employee, Ted Pedersen, who I know as the author of the tech article: A Customized Hyperfocal method for the Alpa and High Resolution digital backs, as being his successor for Alpa:

New Bear Seattle
Ted Pedersen
3708 Airport Way South
Seattle, WA 98134
USA

Phone: +1 877 567 2327
Phone: +1 425 780 5833
E-Mail: [email protected]


I got this info from the Alpa web site.

I am still hoping for an "Alpa Store" to happen. :)
 
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