ALPA of Switzerland

Name: ALPA of Switzerland
Address: Überlandstrasse 241, Dübendorf, 8600, CH
Telephone: +41443839222

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Schweiz
Dübendorf
ALPA of Switzerland

Precision measured in Microns, Passion measured in Decades. Swiss Made Since 1946 In the 1990s, the upswing stops. The ALPA 11 remains their last camera.

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. 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. 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.

27/03/2026

Join ALPA Ambassador for Architectural and industrial photography in digital medium format and get hands on cameras from digital backs from and equipment from

08.05.2026 - 10.05.2026, Berlin⁠
⁠
This workshop is organized by

We are looking forward to meeting you in Berlin! 📸 ❤️ ⁠
⁠
Please register here: https://pberlin.org/workshops/architektur-und-industriefotografie-im-digitalem-mittelformat-de-engl/
Link in bio

📸 by
mediumformat phaseonephoto passionforphotography

21/03/2026

Join Photographer Yan Bighetti de Flogny out shooting...

01/03/2026

- Sometimes, the future of photography is an echo of its past.

In 1996, at Photokina, ALPA of Switzerland presented the very first ALPA 12 study - a radical departure at the time. A modular, uncompromisingly mechanical camera concept, itself inspired by a much earlier pioneer: the Ermanox. But the market was not quite ready.

The Ermanox (1924–1926), built by Ernemann in Dresden, was one of the first cameras to make available light photography viable thanks to it's extraordinarily fast Ernostar 2.0/100mm lens. It became closely associated with Dr. Erich Salomon, who used it to photograph diplomats and politicians discreetly, often working from waist level. A camera that truly changed access and perspective.

Our 1996 ALPA study was later translated into a contemporary, modular system that eventually could bridge analog film and emerging digital backs. A camera reduced to essentials: The ALPA 12 WA – still beloved today in the shape of its successor, the timeless ALPA 12 SWA.

Today, nearly thirty years later, the conversation seems to circle back.

The market appears increasingly drawn to:
– Physical interfaces that offer resistance and precision
– Mechanical feedback instead of touchscreens
– Cameras that encourage composition over consumption

ALPA has quietly remained in that space: Mechanical where it matters. Open to both analog and digital backs. Built around the experience of handling, not tapping.

We find it inspiring when ideas re-emerge across brands and generations. It means certain principles endure.

25/02/2026

ALPA Escape Big Sur - Carmel by the Sea - California - Step into the landscapes that shaped the legacy of icons like Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, and Imogen Cunningham.

Explore the Art, Mindset and Process of landscape photography with ALPA Ambassador

May 17th – May 22nd, 2026
Carmel by the Sea, California

WHAT TO EXPECT

Joining an ALPA Escape is a great way to get inspired. To learn and speak about photography. You will spend an exceptional time with like-minded people and make new friends.

If you are looking to try specific equipment, please DM us. We will be happy to make sure, that you can get hands on the equipment you like to try out.

Find all information in our link in bio.

This workshop is organized by our friends from
We are looking forward to welcoming you, soon!

19/02/2026

- Alpine Landscapes by Joni Hedinger

Just recently became a member of our ALPA Ambassadors circle as its youngest representative. We are happy to announce his upcoming presentation of works together with ALPA Partner .de in Stuttgart/Germany. If you like to rub shoulders with like minded photography enthusiasts and experience the impressive nature of the swiss Alps and its glaciers, this evening is for you.

About the selection:

Four series, four ways of reading the Alps: glaciers as a visual time document, landscapes pared back in response to visual saturation, and a return to familiar peaks. Once romantic, once reduced to a minimalist essence.

Presented at Prolabs' workshop gallery as part of Art After Work #35 in Stuttgart.

Opening: Fri, 6 March 2026, 18:00 (artist present)
On view until: 10 April 2026
Details: Link in bio

Works shown from:

Legacy of the Glaciers
Abstract Landscapes
LaLa Land
Shifting

alps

04/02/2026

The HR ALPAGON 40mm Edition Pignons. A cornerstone of the ALPA system.

In the Limited Edition Pignons, it becomes a tribute to 80 years of ALPA: precision, restraint and optical excellence rooted deeply in the brand’s heritage.

04/02/2026

Multiple frames, precisely stitched, come together to render the city as a single, uninterrupted vertical space.
By keeping perspective flat and geometry true, the high-rise reveals itself without distortion. Lines remain lines, scale remains honest.

By deliberate stitching the architecture is shown as it stands: balanced and proportional to the surrounding objects.

ALPA 12 STC & CFV100C

23/01/2026

80 Years of ALPA at Xposure Festival in Aljada - Sharjah, UAE

This year marks 80 years since ALPA was established as a camera brand in 1946. From our origins in the Swiss Jura to the hands of artists and image-makers around the world, we continue to build tools that invite presence, precision, and mastery.

We are proud to celebrate this milestone at Xposure 2026 in Sharjah, UAE.

📍 Join us at the ALPA booth—where precision meets conversation.

Managing Directors Hans Keist and Patrick Lambertz will be present for personal meetings and discussions.

ALPA Ambassador Julian Calverley and ALPA photographer Andreas Urscheler will exhibit their work and take the stage for artist talks.

Join Julian Calverley for his Talk "North Northwest – The Art and Craft of Landscape Photography" on Stage X on February, 4th 2026

Andreas Urscheler shares his "Journey into Fine Art photography" on Stage X on February, 3rd 2026

The ALPA presence at Xposure is made possible thanks to the support of ALPA photographer Mohamed Alsuwaidi and his team at Third Eye - our dedicated partner in the UAE.

As both a visionary image-maker and advocate for photographic craft in the region, Mohamed has been instrumental in cultivating a growing community of creators who value depth, deliberation, and tools that invite mastery.

For the first time in the region, we will showcase the ALPA 12 Edition Pignons - a limited release honoring our watchmaking roots and commitment to timeless engineering. Precision-machined in Glacier Silver and limited to just 99 pieces per model, this edition is a collector’s tribute to the values that have shaped ALPA for eight decades.

Xposure, held annually in Sharjah, UAE, is a premier festival for photographers and filmmakers. It offers diverse screenings, workshops, seminars, and exhibitions, featuring industry experts.

Meet ALPA at Xposure ❤️📸

# passionforphotography

19/01/2026

- In Memory of Thomas Weber - 1946-2026

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Thomas Weber – co-owner of ALPA of Switzerland from 1991 to 2022, and the visionary behind the radical, groundbreaking ALPA 12 series.

Thomas Weber’s relentless pursuit of uncompromising quality, paired with a profound passion for mechanical design, gave ALPA cameras their legendary reputation, far beyond Switzerland’s borders. His legacy lives on in every frame and in the community of photographers who value tools built with soul and precision.

After the end of the 35mm era of ALPA Pignons in the early 1990s, Thomas Weber and his wife Ursula Capaul laid the foundation for a revolutionary medium format system: modular, sustainable, and made entirely in Switzerland. A new generation of ALPA was born, led by the now-iconic ALPA 12 WA.

Debuting at Photokina in Cologne, the WA immediately drew international attention. Among the first to embrace its potential was French Magnum photographer Raymond Depardon, who acquired model no. 290547 - The second ALPA 12 camera ever built. The very first WA, proudly marked “290546,” carries Thomas Weber’s own date of birth – a subtle nod to Thomas' personal dedication to the craft.

A LEGACY BEYOND THE FRAME

Thomas Weber was not just a designer. He was a passionate force, a thinker, and a builder of ideas made metal. What he shaped continues to inspire photographers, artists, and engineers alike.

His legacy also lives on and can be visited in the permanent exhibition of the Swiss Design collection of the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich.

This moment of farewell is marked by sorrow – yet also by pride and purpose. His legacy reminds us that even in today’s world of mass production and algorithms, it is still worth creating things of lasting value and inner integrity.

Together with the Capaul Weber family, we mourn the loss of a true visionary, and continue what he began: Precision, built to endure.

With sincere gratitude,
The ALPA Team
Dübendorf, Switzerland

12/01/2026

"You never really own it. You merely look after it for the next generation.”You all know the famous line from the legendary Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe.
‍
In December, we saw what this idea looks like in real life. Simon Depardon Paris-based documentary filmmaker and son of Magnum photographer Raymond Depardon, visited us at ALPA of Switzerland

In his hands: two ALPA cameras his father worked with for decades.

“When I was a kid, my father’s cameras always felt indestructible. Like they could take a hit and keep going. Today, holding an ALPA, I feel something else: weight, calm, and a simpler way to look at the world.” Simon said.

Raymond discovered the ALPA 12 WA at Photokina in 1996. He was famously quoted saying: “I’ve been waiting for this camera all my life.” His ALPA 12 SWA and ALPA 12 TC were paired with original Schneider lenses and a Linhof roll film back and used extensively, including for his long-term black-and-white series "Errance".

Both cameras carry the traces of countless journeys: scratches in the housing, worn wooden grips, maybe even desert sand in some slots.They were never objects. They were tools. Loved, trusted, and used.
‍
"Can they still be used today? Digitally?”

Simon came to us with a simple question: “Can they still be used today? Digitally?”The answer was straightforward. Thanks to ALPA’s modularity, generations remain compatible to this day. Our ALPA specialist Jean-François attached a Hasselblad CFV 100C digital back and a sync cable, and the cameras were ready again.

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Same bodies. Same lenses. A new chapter. The cameras are now with us for gentle cleaning, servicing, and tolerance checks. Their character will remain untouched. The signs of use stay, because they tell a story no restoration should ever erase.

We are proud that Simon continues his father’s legacy with these cameras. And grateful to be part of the journey they carry forward.

Learn more about Simon's work https://simondepardon.com/

photographer passionforphotography alpaphotographer⁠ fineartphotography art mediumformat ⁠hasselblad

24/12/2025

Season’s greetings from ALPA of Switzerland.

As the year slows, we are reminded why we make images at all:
to look more closely, to work with intention, and to take the time each photograph deserves.

Thank you to our community of photographers, partners, and friends for another year of shared curiosity and craft.
We wish you quiet days, clear light, and meaningful images in the season ahead.

Images by ALPA photographer Steffen Jahnjahn

happyholidays seasonsgreetings alpa cameraporn camera

04/12/2025

We’re proud to unveil the new ALPA website—a space that reflects our commitment to clarity, precision, and the timeless craft of image-making.

But what excites us most isn’t just how the site looks—it’s who you’ll find there.

More and more, the ALPA circle is expanding to include exceptional women whose vision and rigor elevate the craft of photography. Among them:

📸 Fernanda del Villar, whose connection with ALPA was sparked through our sponsorship of Women Photographers History—a project we’re honoured to support.

📸 Kristie Meyer, who began her professional journey with the ALPA 12 PLUS. Her images reveal a meticulous eye and deep sensitivity to architectural form and spatial light—proof that technical precision and artistic emotion can move hand in hand.

Their presence reminds us: mastery is not defined by tradition—it’s shaped by those who challenge, reframe, and redefine it.

Explore the work of many inspiring photographers:
www.alpa.swiss (Link in bio)

alpacommunity newwebsite fernandadelvillar kristiemeyer photography photographer mediumformat phaseonephoto hasselblad camera

Adresse

Überlandstrasse 241
Dübendorf
8600

Telefon

+41443839222

Webseite

https://www.alpa.swiss/

Benachrichtigungen

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