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Alpa Telephoto Lenses Tested.


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I've never owned or even used an Alpa camera. It always seemed to me to be more "jewelry" than camera, given what was available in Japanese and even other European cameras for less $.

So not on my personal bucket list, but still fun to read about.

 

Those were fun times- Thanks for bringing them back a little.

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Marc,

Thanks so much for uploading this material in general. Whenever you add a few pages I can easily lose a couple of hours poring through all the reviews, articles and even the ads—I love it all.

 

Thanks especially for the ALPA lens tests. I’ve been using various ALPAs quite a bit over the last twelve months in the course of inspecting and testing a collection that was consigned: 2 x 11si (one black wrinkle finish, the other black chrome); an ALPA Alnea 5; and an ALPA 9d. As well as a number of different lenses including the three main versions of the Kern 50mm Switar/Macro-Switar; Angenieux 28mm Retrofocus f/3.5, 90mm Alfitar f/2.5 and 180mm Alitar f/4.5; Schacht 35mm Alpagon f/3.5; and Kinoptik 100mm Apochromat f/2.

 

I also brought home a new to me camera today—an ALPA 11si in chrome finish from 1976. It joins an Alnea 7 RSLR I am planning to rejuvenate later this year. The 11si is basically working but with a shutter tapering half a stop or so across the gate. I can rectify this, and time permitting will do so in the next month, before a forthcoming holiday trip I would very much like to do with an ALPA on hand.

 

I also own the following ALPA bayonet lenses: Kern 50mm Switar f/1.8; Schneider 35mm PA-Curtagon f/4; and the big Schneider 80–240mm Tele-Variogon f/4. A genuine ALPA “autobag” adapter adds much versatility by permitting the use of my lenses in the Zeiss 42mm screw mount, if desired.

 

They are technically interesting cameras. Some of the most solid I have ever held, unique designs and memorable to shoot with. The only other 35mm SLRs I’ve ever used that can compare are Exaktas, which happen to share the front mounted shutter release and aperture actuation that many of the ALPA lenses utilise.

 

For the record the 7 is the most interesting, technically though I have not used it yet; the 5 has the best “feel” of quality; the 9d is the heaviest; the Prisma, prettiest; and the 11si the best to actually shoot with. At least that’s how I’ve found them.

 

Like so many of us who visit this forum I am attracted to unusual, uncommon and interesting designs. The ALPAs tick all these boxes. But one of the most important contributors to image quality is arguably the lens involved. The numbers shown in Marc’s linked test say everything that needs to be said about why I grabbed the chance to own some for little outlay when I had it.

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There are a couple of Kinoptik 100 f/2's on eBay starting at $6,000, if anyone is interested. Or $600 just for the lens hood. :eek:

As is so often the case with eBay listings, those prices tend to be a bit optimistic. The 100mm Kinoptik I had the pleasure of using for a few months was in very clean but not mint condition, with original UV filter, front and rear caps and hood, and it found a buyer for AUD 5800.00, which is rather less than USD 6000.00.

 

There were also two versions of the lens—the earlier pre-set one and the later auto aperture type with integral release button which connected with the camera body shutter release. The automatic version is the better one to use, but because the pre-set type represented, from memory, less than a third of total production, it can fetch the higher price due to collector interest.

Edited by brett_rogers
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Do you need an assistant? Intern? Apprentice? ;)

Adopted son? Porter? Gopher? :) :)

Ha! Well a porter actually could be very useful for lugging the Tele-Variogon around. I haven’t weighed it but it’s clearly got an awful lot of glass and brass in it because it’s a lump. Until I got it I had never seen a lens with strap lugs before.

 

Inventory and sale of the ALPA items is nearly finished now. I listed the 9d & its 50mm f/1.8 Macro-Switar on Thursday and it was sold an hour later. There are only the two Angenieux telephoto/long focus lenses to be added, and the Alnea 5, and they will all be off to new homes, barring the 7 RSLR, 11si, and three lenses I have acquired. If your are ever in Tasmania you are welcome to try them though. ;)

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