Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/06

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Contarex, Linhof, Alpa
From: "rlb" <rlb@triad.rr.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 17:33:01 -0800

Jim:

I remember back in the late 60's and early 70's drooling all over a glass
camera case full of Alpa cameras in Durham, N.C.   I would not go through
Durham without stopping at this shop.   I was too busy during that time
starting a career and taking care of a family to be able to afford one.  To
this day I scan Ebay and Shutterbug with hopes that just the right one will
appear.   Nice ones are rare and very expensive, aren't they.

One of these days!

Bob Bedwell



- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Brick" <jimbrick@photoaccess.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>; <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Monday, March 06, 2000 8:19 AM
Subject: [Leica] Re: Contarex, Linhof, Alpa


> At 04:57 AM 3/6/00 -0800, Mark Rabiner wrote:
> >><Snip>
> >I miss the cha-chunk of my Contarex Bulleye's shutter!
> >Has there ever been more solid of a camera ever built? Linhof? Alpa?
> >Mark Rabiner
>
> For many years, I knew, very well, the owners of Pignon SA (Alpa), Samuel
> Bourgeois (father) and Benjamin Bourgeois (son). I visited them in
> Ballaigues, Switzerland regularly. I spent many a day, in the machine shop
> and camera assembly area of Alpa. The body shell (two parts) is machined
> out of a solid block. It is not cast. I have a "raw" 10d body that just
> came out of the NC mill that made it. I believe you could drive a tank
over
> the Alpa body incurring insignificant damage. Well,,, maybe not a tank.
But
> believe me, it is a strong camera body.
>
> Jim
>