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The 35mm
Pignons S.A. never aimed at producing cameras in large quantities, but rather at quality and they often made cameras to special order, incorporating features as requested by the customer. Lenses were subcontracted to several well-known manufactures. Prototype production began in 1939. A test series of 20 cameras was completed by 1941, the series A, starting at serial number 10.001. Some of these were called BOLCA Reflex, some TELEFLEX and some VITEFLEX. In 1942 a small production series B starting at serial number 11.000 was completed for local sale, but no record of it exists at the factory. By now, the Alpa trademark had been chosen and the camera became the Alpa-Reflex. The camera was first presented for a wider public in April 1944 at the Swiss Trade Fair in
Documentary on camera inventor Jacques Bolsey
Single-lens reflex cameras 135 film cameras
SLR camera
In photography, a single-lens reflex camera (SLR) is a type of camera that uses a mirror and prism system to allow photographers to view through the lens and see exactly what will be captured. SLRs became the dominant design for professional a ...
Alpa-Reflex has its origins back in the 1930s when a Swiss precision mechanical manufacturer decided to diversify their product range, having mainly relied on manufacturing parts for the watch industry. They sought outside assistance and by 1939 the plans were ready and building cameras commenced at a very slow rate. The camera was eventually named the Alpa because it was light, pocketable, and might easily be brought along travelling in the Alps
The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.
...
. The Alpa-Reflex is only predated by the Kine Exakta, the Sport
Sport is a physical activity or game, often Competition, competitive and organization, organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The numbe ...
, and the Praktiflex 35mm SLRs. The manufacturer was Pignons S.A, Ballaigues, and the designer was Jacques Bolsky born December 31, 1895, in Kiev
Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
as Yakob Bogopolsky. He emigrated to the United States of America
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...
once the design was completed. He was also the inventor of the renowned Bolsey and Bolex
Bolex International S. A. is a Swiss manufacturer of motion picture cameras based in Yverdon located in Canton of Vaud, the most notable products of which are in the 16 mm and Super 16 mm formats. Originally Bol, the company was founded ...
cine cameras.
Camera production
Pignons S.A. never aimed at producing cameras in large quantities, but rather at quality and they often made cameras to special order, incorporating features as requested by the customer. Lenses were subcontracted to several well-known manufactures. Prototype production began in 1939. A test series of 20 cameras was completed by 1941, the series A, starting at serial number 10.001. Some of these were called BOLCA Reflex, some TELEFLEX and some VITEFLEX. In 1942 a small production series B starting at serial number 11.000 was completed for local sale, but no record of it exists at the factory. By now, the Alpa trademark had been chosen and the camera became the Alpa-Reflex. The camera was first presented for a wider public in April 1944 at the Swiss Trade Fair in Basel
Basel ( ; ), also known as Basle ( ), ; ; ; . is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine (at the transition from the High Rhine, High to the Upper Rhine). Basel is Switzerland's List of cities in Switzerland, third-most-populo ...
(Schweizer Mustermesse), and soon production began in earnest with the series C, albeit at a very slow rate: 115 was made in 1944 and 434 in 1945. In addition to the SLR camera, a few rangefinder camera
A rangefinder camera is a camera fitted with a rangefinder, typically a split-image rangefinder: a range-finding focusing mechanism allowing the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs that are in sharp focus.
Most v ...
s were produced, the Standard, that lacks the reflex finder. By accident, the series C has a six-digit serial number, starting at 120.001. The series D began in 1945 at serial number 13.000, the factory now reverting to the five-digit format. Some 1.350 cameras were produced during a two-year period, ending in 1947 at serial number 15.020, the serial number range including all models and types manufactured. The series E was the last series of the original Alpa-Reflex; it begins at 20.000 with only minor improvements. It ends at 25.032 in 1951.
In 1949, the Alpa Prisma-Reflex was introduced, sporting a pentaprism finder, which was a new feature in 35mm SLR cameras about this time; also seen a year before on the Rectaflex from Rome, Italy, and the Contax S from Zeiss Ikon in Dresden. Production of this first generation ALPA-Reflex and the ALPA Prisma-Reflex cameras continued smoothly until 1952, at which point the factory had made some 5.000 more cameras. In 1952, Pignons S.A introduced a new range of cameras, employing completely new production techniques.No ISBN available.
References
{{ReflistExternal links
The History of the Alpa Reflex Camera: https://web.archive.org/web/20051023050531/http://www.alpareflex.com/History.htmDocumentary on camera inventor Jacques Bolsey
Single-lens reflex cameras 135 film cameras