WE ARE TOOLMAKERS - FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS

The begin of the ALPA story leads back to the time of World War II. The first ALPA camera has already been on the market for four years, but it is not until the 19th February 1946, when Swiss manufacturers Pignons SA register the brand. In the following years and decades, ALPA and their 35 mm cameras become legendary.

In the 1990s, the upswing stops. Switzerland’s industry is vastly hit by economic globalization. A lot of manufacturers get in trouble or even close doors. Among them, despite the outstanding products, are Pignons SA. The ALPA 11 remains their last camera. ALPA for its part rises again. 50 years after the registration through Pignons SA, Ursula Capaul and Thomas Weber buy the brand on 29th february 1996. They revive and reposition it as a modular medium format platform. The new ALPA of Switzerland with the ALPA 12 cameras is born.

Since then, another two decades have passed. In 2016, ALPA was celebrating 20 years of medium format with the ALPA 12 platform - as well as 70 years of existence. It was a year of looking back and it reminded us also about the untold stories of ALPA in all these years. Which is why we decided to write them down. We will continuously add the chapters to our website, hoping to share the backgrounds which lead to our products. At the same time we would like to thank all of you for your loyalty and for sharing the spirit.

Today, ALPA is one of the last manufacturers of cameras in Switzerland and an outstanding one in the global market. ALPA cameras are precision tools, made with passionate and skilled craftsmanship for a small group of conoisseurs. Much like musical instruments, these tools require the practiced fingers and the eye of a master. ALPA photographers do not require automatic functions or a constant stream of new models. So we simply provide the same as all good manufacturers of tools and instruments do – the best possible quality in design, material and an open ear for the wishes of our customers.

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