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So, who is buying a Alpa these days?

darr

darr

Well-known member
:unsure: ... I currently shoot three ALPA bodies and five lenses.

Would a carpenter with a garage full of finely crafted tools be expected to build every house in town? Of course not. The tools are there to support the carpenter's craft, not to dictate how much they produce. The same can be said for photography equipment—having exceptional gear doesn’t obligate someone to constantly showcase their work.

Photography is a deeply personal art form, and each of us connects with it in our own way. While some photographers excel in street/documentary photography and choose to share a multitude of images, that's not the path I follow. The quantity of images one may share does not necessarily reflect productivity or creativity for everyone. I don't feel the need to post every image I like that I create. The essence of photography isn't solely about how much we post publicly but about the depth of our connection to the craft. We all contribute to the photographic community differently, and I respect that diversity. My equipment and shooting styles serve my creative needs, and I believe every photographer should pursue what genuinely resonates with them.
 
AreBee

AreBee

Member
lookbook said:
... the excessive prices of this brand can be explained by the fact that they buy their products and don't manufacture them themselves.
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The price can be explained in more than one way. "... excessive..." is subjective.

lookbook said:
I recommend Arca...
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I recommend Arca too. And Cambo, and ALPA, and P1, and...

What now?

lookbook said:
... tools are for professionals...
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Tools are for carrying out a task.

lookbook said:
For me, the SWA is also one of the most beautiful technical cameras ever built - But it's not practical (as a technical camera).
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It is practical when its ability meets its intended use, which is true of all cameras, technical or otherwise.

lookbook said:
Alpa and Leica cannot be compared - If I send my M3 to Leica, which is over 60 years old, they will service it and/or repair it to the best of their ability!
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ALPA also will service/repair to the best of its ability.

lookbook said:
Alpa cannot do this after a model has been discontinued so soon.
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"... so soon..." is subjective. I'm not sure most would consider 14 years "...soon...", but each to their own.

lookbook said:
Leicas have been used daily for decades - some with just one lens. They are not just bought - they are also used!!
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Why didn't you use the ALPA camera(s) you purchased?

lookbook said:
What kind of system is it that requires 3 bodies for 4 lenses?
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One you imagined?

lookbook said:
It must be possible to express a justified opposing opinion without being attacked in a malicious way. But maybe you can't help it.

One more question -
What camera did you use to take the picture of your SWA? It is a bit blurry! : )
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Can you see what's wrong with this comment?

lookbook said:
You can't buy the SWA new anymore either?
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It's still listed as current.

Paul Spinnler said:
I think someone interested in an Alpa ALWAYS knew there are cheaper alternatives.
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For sure.
 
P

Paul Spinnler

Well-known member
darr said:
:unsure: ... I currently shoot three ALPA bodies and five lenses. ... The quantity of images one may share does not necessarily reflect productivity or creativity for everyone.
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a) You are not alone on this one on this planet, Darr :)

b) That's the point - quantity of images postes does not reflect one's photographic expression!

To generalize Alpa users as some sort of well-off amateurs who don't create images reeks of underlying frustration / bias.
 
dchew

dchew

Well-known member
lookbook said:
... you should always listen to the right advisors Dave! : )
Great photo by the way !!! -
taken with which camera? (little joke)
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A Fuji GFX was used and one of the zooms; not sure which one Michael had on at the time. Michael does a lot of work for Red Bull. As you can imagine, that puts him in situations where, well, let's just say a technical camera might not be the best tool for him. :rolleyes:

Many of you know I've written a fair amount here and elsewhere about technical cameras, and sometimes about specific Alpa features that fit my use case. That image highlights some of them:
  • It is the smallest and lightest camera I know of that does what I want it to do
  • Technical cameras allow me to frame images without tilting the camera. Notice I have 5mm of back fall dialed in
  • That little brass disconnect lever means I can set a camera movement very quickly when light is changing or clouds are moving fast
There are others I won't bore everyone with. Two things I don't remember ever saying: I like them because they are pretty; I like them because so-and-so uses them. Heck, I don't even use the fancy walnut grip any more because, for me, it is dead weight.

Dave

PS: This thread needs more images. Here is the "bird's eye" view of what I was interested in. Three of us started hiking at 4am through a snowstorm to get there by sunrise. This image reminds me of how cold it was:

 
P

Paul Spinnler

Well-known member
Hi Dave

Nice picture!

Right, there are some distinct advantages of the Alpa cameras that are sometimes overlooked, for example:

1) You can set detents ex factory, I have detents set at 5mm increments plus 18mm on all my Alpa cameras. Because it is a sliding system, it is a lot faster to set than the Cambo / AS gearned movement type; fixed detents allow you to save presets in C1 for LCC correction which is extremely useful if you for example anyhow are always working with say the 40HR and F11.

2) The double lever protection mechanism to mount the back and lens are the best across all systems. Even with the XT I sometimes feel it is a bit flimsy to mount lenses and the AS is outright horrible in comparison. The back, especially with bax extender, is only held in place via a small lever and under stress it can lead to an accidental fall. Double levers make really sure nothing falls down. A key aspect IMHO

3) Breadth of the system - there's no comparison for the XY, Pano and TC - all extremely useful

4) Modularity -> you can attach many accessories as there are drill holes on each side and on top the symmetric construction means you have many ways to configure your Alpa camera.

In my view, money permitting, the Alpa system is the pinnacle of tech cam systems and although the prices bite, you get what you pay for and it lasts for ages.

There's other aspects like the anodization quality, the different grips, the Linhof rollfilm back with the highest possible planarity, etc. it goes on and on.

And let's not even talk about the FPS / Rodie 105 setup which allows you to stitch on an IQ4 on macro shots with flash sync on top.

Great system.
 
Godfrey

Godfrey

Well-known member
I've been attracted to the Alpa SWA because I think that, as a piece of photographic machinery, it is beautiful. But it's not the sort of lovely thing I can just buy for the fun of occasionally using it: it costs way over my pay grade. I don't even use my Hasselblad gear enough, really, to justify it any more now that I have the 40 Mpixel Leica M10-M/-R bodies to work with.

I still keep the Hassy gear because I am emotionally attached to it, and on the rare occasions I take it out, it is a thrill to work with. I'm sure the Alpa SWA would pose the same thrill.

G
 
lookbook

lookbook

Well-known member
dchew said:
A Fuji GFX was used and one of the zooms; not sure which one Michael had on at the time. Michael does a lot of work for Red Bull. As you can imagine, that puts him in situations where, well, let's just say a technical camera might not be the best tool for him.
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.. it's amazing what photos he has in his portfolio -
You should definitely persuade him to become a member here -
you're a nice guy and you can get him to come!!

But probably not for long, I guess :)
 
GrahamWelland

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
dchew said:
I'm going on 15 years working with the same STC camera. It fits perfectly in a F-Stop SmallPro ICU, four lenses, a digital back, and all the accessories I need to shoot in the mountains for 5 days.

I'm not switching any time soon. Who else is buying, or not, isn't on my radar.

Dave
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I'm in the same boat as Dave.

I already own my "bodies"- TC, STC, and Max—and all the Copal shutter lenses I'll ever need. Okay, the 138 would be nice, but at the cost of a nice truck, maybe not.

Rather like quality Leica gear, once you own it, you keep it.
 
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GrahamWelland

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I just wanted to say that once you have the ultimate camera system from Alpa (or Cambo Actus too btw) with a PhaseOneIQ4150. My point of view has always been that I'm the limiting factor, not the gear.

Ditto with all my Leica gear.

My GFX100s II and lenses, though, are my go-to gear, which is superb, but the Phase One gear is quality. Add that to either my Alpa gear or Actus DB, both with Schneider or Rodenstock lenses, making only YOU the limiting factor.
 
GrahamWelland

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Back to the OP, I'd buy an Alpa 12 Pano if I had the disposable income to pay for it. It's harder to justify when you're in your sixties and already fabulously over-equipped.
 
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