WE ARE TOOLMAKERS - FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS

The beginning of the ALPA story reaches all the way back to the time of World War II. The first ALPA camera had been on the market for several years, but it was not until the 19th of February 1946 that the Swiss manufacturers Pignons SA, Ballaigues, registered the brand. In the following years, ALPA and their 35mm cameras became legendary. The production of these cameras reached its climax between 1960 and 1970.

In the 1980s, the boom stopped. Switzerland’s industry was hit by the vast economic globalisation. A lot of Swiss manufacturers faced financial and technical difficulty and some were even forced to close their doors. Among them, despite their outstanding products, was Pignons SA. The ALPA 11 remained their last camera.

50 years after the registration through Pignons SA, Ursula Capaul and Thomas Weber bought the brand on the 29th of February 1996. They revived and repositioned it as a modular medium format platform, adopting the qualities of the earlier ALPA-Generations, like their outstanding precision, their quality and their function-oriented design. The new ALPA of Switzerland was born alongside the new ALPA 12 camera.

Since then, another two decades have passed. In 2016, ALPA celebrated 20 years of medium format with the ALPA 12 platform - as well as 70 years of existence. It was a year of reminiscing, it reminded us of the untold stories about ALPA from all these years.

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

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