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So, who is buying a Alpa these days?

Ben730 said:
You are absolutely right. At the moment I'm working on a project that would be almost impossible without a view camera.
For these flush plate pictures I need 39 mm shift right, 34 mm shift down and approx. 4 degrees swing.
Lens: Rodie 120 mm macro, Schneider Electronic-Shutter
Click to expand...

Ben, that lens has an official image circle of 150mm*, but the shift you're describing needs a 170mm image circle, not accounting for the four degrees of swing. Is image quality good enough that far outside the rated image circle?

* Presuming it's the APO-Macro-Sironar Digital 120/5.6?
 
Hi Rob
It's the APO-Macro-Sironar Digital 120/5.6. The picture is slightly cropped.
The bottom right corner is outside the image circle.
The flush plate is perfectly sharp, everything else is of no interest,
it can also be blurred. In any case, the image circle of this lens is huge and it is quite sharp.
It is my most important lens for product images in the studio. It has met all my requirements so far.

The joke is, now we're talking about sharpness again. ;)
With this picture, I actually wanted to show how important camera movements and light are.
 
Thanks Ben. It's good to know that Rodenstock is being conservative.

Your example showed movements and light very well! I asked about the image circle because in my experience when we're pushing it we move out of the circle of good definition into the circle of illumination (where there's light but likely no useful detail and lots of aberrations that turn everything to mush).
 
Also bear in mind that the size of the image circle also changes with the focus distance. Here the distance is approx. 1 m.
I assume that Rodenstock specifies the size of the image circle at infinity.
 
Ben730 said:
Also bear in mind that the size of the image circle also changes with the focus distance. Here the distance is approx. 1 m.
I assume that Rodenstock specifies the size of the image circle at infinity.
Click to expand...

Indeed. At 1:1, it's x2 what it is at infinity. I'm not sure how big that object is, but from your setup photo it looks like you're a long way from 1:1.

I never got around to mentioning that your case is a nice example of what I imagined @baudolino had in mind. People don't know what they don't know, so case studies that showcase what you can do with and without movements are valuable. I genuinely think it's not possible for someone to begin to understand what's possible with movements if they can't see demonstrations like this.

In the case of your example, the only missing piece is the counter example: what would that look like without movements, but using focus stacking? I'm not asking you to do the work! Rather, I'm suggesting that's the kind of thing that's needed to get people to appreciate the benefits of movements.
 
These videos are instructive, I know them.
However, in terms of speed, they appeal more to old geezers like me.
A young, dynamic photographer might fall asleep during the videos. :ROFLMAO:
 
You need some photo influencers using them, ideally also with film. Would be nice to see some influencers use the Alpa with a film back.
 
zurück zum Titel des Threads: Wer kauft heutzutage einen Alpa?
und die Antwort ist: Das werde ich. Eine Alpa 12 Pano. Warum…?
Nicht weil ich denke, dass meine Fotos besser werden oder ich ein besserer Fotograf werde. Nicht weil es cool aussieht, es professionell aussieht oder weil Struth, Gursky und so weiter Alpa verwenden. Niemals. Einfach weil ich, nachdem ich es zum ersten Mal in die Hand genommen hatte, sofort von der Haptik, Verarbeitung und Laufruhe begeistert war. Also in erster Linie sinnliche Dinge. Rein praktisch gesehen ist es vor allem die Existenz eines dedizierten „Pano“, das ideal für meine „Bedürfnisse“ ist, und die Möglichkeit, die Bewegungen beim Stitchen getriebegesteuert oder viel schneller manuell auszuführen. Schnell und einfach reproduzierbar, wenn das Licht nachlässt und immer sehr präzise. Und ich war sehr zufrieden mit meiner Arca, sehr zufrieden mit der Verwendung von Cambo mehrere Jahre lang und auch mit meiner 20-jährigen Sinar-Erfahrung. Und jetzt ist die Zeit gekommen, etwas anderes auszuprobieren….
Aber ich möchte mich hier nicht rechtfertigen, es macht einfach Spaß, eine solche Kamera zu benutzen und das ist mir das Wichtigste.
Ich hätte in die verlockend angepriesene Hasselblad x2d oder Fuji GFX 100s II investieren können, aber diese Systeme sprechen mich persönlich nicht an, auch wenn sie technisch und gewichtsmäßig auf dem allerhöchsten Niveau sind. Deshalb nutze ich meine Leica M im Kleinbildformat auch lieber als Sony/Nikon/Canon/Fuji-Spiegellose…, es sind die gleichen Gründe.
viele Grüße Uli
 
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Uli

Für mich war es immer das Sinnliche / Haptische an der Alpa. Während die anderen Kameras höchst funktional daherkommen, empfand ich immer Freude und Lust zu Fotografieren mit der Alpa. Etwas, was Cambo nie auslöste, Arca zum Teil. Zudem ist die Verarbeitung für die Ewigkeit, was trotz der Anschaffungskosten eine gewisse Ruhe auch bringt, da man weiss, dass man dann fertig ist. Wie mit der Linhof MT. Die letzte Laufboden 4x5 wenn man mal in dieses Genre einsteigt.

Viel Glück auf Deiner Reise, obschon der Trend im Allgemeinen ja zu sein scheint, dass Arca-Leute auf Alpa umschwenken und es daher wenig Gebrauchtobjektive gibt.

Alternativ kannst Du den Mount-Service in Anspruch nehmen, der bei ca. 2500 pro Optik liegt, wenn Du Dein 50er und 90er umbauen lassen willst.

Aufgrund der Qualität, der wenigen System-Aus- oder -Umsteiger (Alpa ist die Endstation) und der Mount-Kosten sind Gebrauchtsachen leider rar.

VG

// English //

Uli

For me it was always the sensual/tactile aspect of the Alpa. While the other cameras are extremely functional, I always found joy and desire to take photos with the Alpa. Something Cambo never triggered, Arca partly. In addition, the product lasts forever, which, despite the purchase costs, also brings a certain peace of mind because you know that you are finished. Like with the Linhof MT. The last foldable 4x5 if you get into this genre.

Good luck on your journey, although the general trend seems to be that Arca people are switching to Alpa and therefore there are few used lenses available.

Alternatively, you can take advantage of the mount service, which costs around 2500 per optic, if you want to have your 50s and 90s converted.

Due to the quality, the few people leaving or changing systems (Alpa is the last stop) and the mounting costs, used items are unfortunately rare.

BR
 
There’s been a lull on this site lately, but I do see a small trend of people moving to Alpa, at least from other tech cams. I imagine there is a general downward trend and exits from that system, but those sticking with it appear to at least be Alpa-curious. I know I’m looking to replace a 24 and 35XL from another system myself, and maybe add a Max mark II ;)
 
Yes Alpa is the brand to be on.

Arca is great for cheap entry, hybrid shooters with its distinct compatibility with view cameras and rotaslide for analog / digital look analysis, but once you hold Alpa gear in your hands you are a goner. :)

It has been my system of choice since 15 years.

On the lull - it would help to see some serious new innovation from P1, but agree, the entry price is an issue for young interested parties.
 
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Who's buying an ALPA these days? Well, I bought an ALPA 12 STC in 2022 (together with the Rodenstock 40 and 70 mm and the IQ4 back). I'm a fine art photographer with many years on various versions of the full-format Sony a7R. In 2021 I started testing the Phase One XF and XT cameras and I was blown away by the image quality (resolution and especially the malleabilty of the medium-format RAW files). I had known about ALPA as a brand, but it was thanks to an architectural photography workshop that I become familiar with the system. I was immediately impressed by the build quality (in my view clearly one notch above the XT). It's now my tool of choice and joy to use. ) Feel free to check out my work: https://www.alpa.swiss/alpa-log/woodcuts-by-photographer-andreas-urscheler )

I love my ALPA it for several reasons:
- top-notch precision and quality of materials (tight tolerances, no wobble)
- timeless and future-proof modular design regarding future generations of digital backs (or even a film back) as well as allowing the use of 3rd party medium-format lenses (old and venerable Mamiya, Contax, Hasselblad glass) thanks to various adapters.
- excellent customer care and support by the friendly folks at ALPA
 
randonnneur_93 said:
Who's buying an ALPA these days? Well, I bought an ALPA 12 STC in 2022 (together with the Rodenstock 40 and 70 mm and the IQ4 back). I'm a fine art photographer with many years on various versions of the full-format Sony a7R. In 2021 I started testing the Phase One XF and XT cameras and I was blown away by the image quality (resolution and especially the malleabilty of the medium-format RAW files). I had known about ALPA as a brand, but it was thanks to an architectural photography workshop that I become familiar with the system. I was immediately impressed by the build quality (in my view clearly one notch above the XT). It's now my tool of choice and joy to use. ) Feel free to check out my work: https://www.alpa.swiss/alpa-log/woodcuts-by-photographer-andreas-urscheler )

I love my ALPA it for several reasons:
- top-notch precision and quality of materials (tight tolerances, no wobble)
- timeless and future-proof modular design regarding future generations of digital backs (or even a film back) as well as allowing the use of 3rd party medium-format lenses (old and venerable Mamiya, Contax, Hasselblad glass) thanks to various adapters.
- excellent customer care and support by the friendly folks at ALPA
Click to expand...

Hi Andreas

Nice to have you on here.

Agree – Alpa is the benchmark in all regards.

It just takes a hands-on and one is won over!
 
drevil said:
me, i recently acquired a MAX, from the chinese second hand market ;)

in the past 10-15 years china was a huge market for alpa and phase one, i remember a picture from a meeting of the official alpa/phase one fan club in china, 20-30 people standing next to their equipment. as paul mentioned the boom in china created alot of wealthy people, who didnt know what to do with their money.

but in the last few years in china, i could tell there was a shift, hugely in favor for Fuji GFX and Hasselblad X syxtem.
but that happened before covid and now people are saving money ahead of insecure times
Click to expand...
Hello @drevil i am not sure how the PM works . I would love your help on sourcing a 12 MAX grateful for any pointers on that and how to PM :)
 
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