ALPA PRISMA REFLEX on "Test Roll"

[martinola]

Hi everybody. In case you're curious about this early SLR, my buddy and I blather about it on this edition of "Test Roll".

 

[chennn]

The early ALPA was very designed, more elegant than Leica in my eyes

 

[choiliefan]

Designed by Jacques Bolsey:

The History of the Alpa Reflex Camera

web.archive.org

 

[guangong]

I was always intrigued by the ability to advance film while keeping camera at eye. Also the ability to take SLR lenses of other brands with adapters.

 

[ph]

Sirs,

Your presentation is quaint and entertaining, but too slow and filled with small talk and possiblly not properly researched

The earliest narrow-bayonet Alpas, like the first, the Alpa- standard in 1943 had no prism as well as did the Bolsey reflex, Viteflex variants . So the implication that this is the first and from the 1930es is erroneous, although the styling fits.

(One might have pointed out that the prisma reflex had a 45degree view into the prism (adverdised as an advantage) at the start of the piece rather than at the end of the program) .

Also. ad the slightly misleading introductory information , the factory, Pignons in Ballaguies -as its name implies- , used to make cogwheels for the swiss watch industry, not just "anything" and when mr Bogopolsky came along with experience from Paillard they embraced his project.

The Alpa optics usually have sunshades. At least mine have , so flare from un-multicoated lenses should not occur as long as one does not shoot "contre jour". No mention of the collapsible standard Angenieux or Berthiot lens which I presume was used.

All in all I agree with your conclusions although they could have been presented in a more condensed , detailed and precise manner. It is years since I ran film through my various Alpas-

And do disregard my catankereous view of your style, it does convey an engaging although semi-correct picture and might appeal to many others.

yours

p.

 

[Paul Howell]

Question, who made lens for the early WWII Alpas?

 

[ph]

bethiot made the 50mand 135mms and Angenieux made 50es. Later several makers supplied optics for the small bayonet. THe Dutch maker of the somewhat later wide angle in Delft had an agreement with the Swiss company Spectros who produced longer focal length optics marked as equivalent. Later, both Kern and Schneider stepped in and according to a Danish collector even a Zeiss lens was produced for the Alpa. The book by Lothar Thewes has all the details.

p.

 

[Paul Howell]

Wonder how Alpa got their hands on highly desirable French made lens during WWII? Would have thought that Germany would have embargoed lens it could make use of.

 

[ph]

Ballaguies lies in the canton Vaud with a rail connection over the French border. And Switzerland was neutral. The Wehrmacht probably had sufficient capacity with their own factories like ISCO making air photography lenses and did not bother with civilian stuff from unknown (to them)French factories -

p.

 

[choiliefan]

Does this particular model have a swing-up mirror or maybe a pellicle-type splitter or...?

 

[martinola]

The mirror swings up as the shutter release is pressed.

 

[choiliefan]

...and swings back down as the film is advanced?
Rather than the instant-return type?

 

[martinola]

Yep. You got it!

 

[MarkS]

About the lenses... lots of business went on across borders during WWII. As mentioned, Switzerland was neutral; after July 1940 France was divided up into German-controlled and (nominally) French-controlled regions. The Nazis were certainly not opposed to corporations making money, and many deals were made, mor or less shady by the rules the Allies would play by post-war. And of course the number of French lenses that Alpa needed was very, very small. How many of these early cameras were made before 1946? Not many, I'd suspect.

 

[ph]

Peculiar numbering system, but according to gthe Tbale published by mr Thewes the first ones came in 1944 with numbers 120220 and in 1945 they had reached 120233 , no info on dates, but apparently a small number. So your assmption is correct. No need for huge supplies of optics from France. And corresponding rarity.

As to the mirror raising mechanism it is years since I used my early Alpas, but I recall that the mirror did not snap up assisted by a spring, waiting for rearming the shutter. It flopped up and down dirctly governed by the release button. Also, the was a need to fix the mirror as raised when collapsing the lens. Just like the Elmars, the french normal lenses were made to be pushed into the body when not in use. The later Oude Delft normal lens might also have had this construction. Anyway a lock to keep the mirror raised was provided.

p.

 

[pdccamerqs]

Interesting camera - great video - thanks for sharing

 

[martinola]

Thanks! I know we complained a lot, but we had fun doing this.