Viewfinders for ALPAs
ALPA is a modular and open system which allows you to combine many, many items from other manufacturers with the ALPA camera bodies - viewfinders is one such item.
Leica Viewfinder:
This Leica viewfinder "Universal Wide-Angle Viewfinder M"; is sold by any Leica dealer. It's a relatively new product and difficult to procure. The Leica "Universal Wide-Angle viewfinder M" fits all ALPA 12 cameras with the no. 400'060'030 accessory adapter - otherwise it cannot be mounted.
It is (of course) made for the 24x36mm format, features parallax compensation, a spirit level visible in the finder, but cannot be used in the vertical ("portrait") position. As 24x36mm features the same side-ratio as 6x9 (= 2:3) it can be perfectly used with 6x9 - with the ALPA 12 cameras and it's extremely interesting in combination with the brand new ALPA 6x9 power-drive 6x9 (56x83mm) 120/220 rollfilm back (made for ALPA exclusively by Mamiya) - ALPA order no. 220'010'010.
The zooming capacity of the Leica Universal Wide-Angle Viewfinder M:
- position 1. 24x36: 16mm focal length = 6x9: 37mm focal length (precise enough for 35 - 38mm lenses, e.g. for the 4.5/35mm ALPA AAA Apo-Alpar [made by Rodenstock exclusively for ALPA] or the 5.6/38mm Schneider Super-Angulon XL )
- position 2. 24x36: 18mm focal length = 6x9: 41mm focal length (precise enough for 39 - 43mm lenses [there is actually no lens of this focal length range in the ALPA program])
- position 3. 24x36: 21mm focal length = 6x9: 48mm focal length (precise enough for 45 - 50mm lenses = e.g. for the 4.5/45mm ALPA AAA Apo-Alpar [made by Rodenstock exclusively for ALPA] or the Schneider 5.6/47mm Super-Angulon XL or for the 5.6/48mm Schneider/ALPA Apo Helvetar [made exclusively for ALPA])
- position 4. 24x36: 24mm focal length = 6x9: 55mm focal length (precise enough for 53 - 58mm lenses = e.g. for the 4.5/55mm ALPA AAA Apo-Alpar [made by Rodenstock exclusively for ALPA] or the 5.6/58mm Schneider Super-Angulon XL)
- position 5. 24x36: 28mm focal length = 6x9: 64mm focal length (precise enough for 62 - 66mm lenses [there is actually no lens of this focal length range in the ALPA program])
Linhof Viewfinder:
The Linhof "Multifocus Optical Viewfinder" can also be used with the ALPA system of cameras.
It is available from any Linhof dealer in different versions with different and interchangeable format masks (6x7, 6x9, 4x5 inch, etc. [some also interesting for the use with digital backs because the side ratios are close to the 36x48 resp. 37x49mm chip sizes/side ratios]) and with distance scales in meters resp. in feet.
The Linhof "Multifocus Optical Viewfinder" fits all ALPA 12 cameras with the no. 400'060'030 accessory adapter (the same as used for the Leica viewfinder - see above) - otherwise it cannot be mounted on the camera. For the ALPA 12 MAX, the people at ALPA are preparing a completely new adapter so this Linhof viewfinder can be mounted in a specially space-saving and aesthetically appealing way (available mid 2008).
There are several viewfinders from COSINA (sold under the brand names "Voigtlaender" or ZEISS-IKON") that can be and are frequently used with any of the ALPA 12 models by using an adapter piece which ALPA sell.