Hi from Australia & Alpa Alnea 7 owner (my first post)

[romualdo]

I'm primarily a Leica user (IIIa/f/g, M3, MP, M240). I was lucky enough to pick up an Alpa Alnea 7 (with Kern Switar 50mm f1.8 lens), both in very nice condition, here in Australia a couple of years ago. 
My Alnea 7 was imported into Australia (Melbourne) in January 1956 - I've managed to get a copy of the original production sheet/info (manufactured in late 1955) from an online contact in Switzerland, which also confirms the correct matching lens (see attached image)
I havn't had it serviced/CLAd yet but will do so in the near future.
Managed to track down an original screw on +2 diopter for the rangefinder eyepiece plus a variety of NOS filters for the Switar

Also, I plan to use that magnificent Kern Switar 50 on my Leica LTMs once I procure a Kipon Alpa-L39 adapter - maybe when the aussie $ improves (abysmal right now) - those Kipon/Alpa adapters are so expensive IMHO

Luckily, here in Brisbane we have someone who has worked on Alpas & dealt with the factory etc.

A couple of questions for the Alpa experts/enthusiasts

1. My large reflex eyepiece is missing the original rubber (like 90% of Alneas you see for sale) - impossible to find originals (from my extensive searching) - any hints for something similar - I've unsuccessfully tried O rings, nikon eyepiece rubbers (either too large or too small). Has anyone here successfuly tried something on their alneas?

2. The shutter speed dial has "intermediate settings" between the standard ones - I have (1, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, P, 1/25, 1/50, 1/11, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000). One of my books (The Alpa Camera) states there are actually 60 shutter speed positions. What I would like to know is how do you actually know what the actual shutter speed is - is it just a guess (between the two numbered settings??) - I can't see the point of having those settings without knowing what they are - am I missing something - I would like to be able to use shutter speeds of maybe 1/30 & 1/60 sec

[lesdmess]

I don't know this camera but just as a general comment is that as I understand it mechanical shutter speeds are not that accurate. Specially one that hasnn't been tuned a number of years. I haven't tried them yet but I have seen smart phone aps that supposedly can measure mechanical shutter speeds relatively accurately via sound. There are even others with attachments that measure them even more accurately.

[romualdo]

May 17, 2020 23:29:22 GMT -5 lesdmess said:

I don't know this camera but just as a general comment is that as I understand it mechanical shutter speeds are not that accurate. Specially one that hasnn't been tuned a number of years. I haven't tried them yet but I have seen smart phone aps that supposedly can measure mechanical shutter speeds relatively accurately via sound. There are even others with attachments that measure them even more accurately.

Lesdmess, thanks for the suggestion re the app (shutter speed measurement) - I was wondering if there was something like that on the market,

Cheers Stephen (Romualdo)

[paulhofseth]

sir,
I consulted the gebrauchsanleitung where Pignons write that all intermediate times can be set, but do not specify which exactly. They also state that this is not possible between 500 and 1000 since "that is only one tooth" and not between 25 and 10 since that dsetting is occupied by B.

as to eyepiece-rubber , the chapter on accessories has no mention, but state that there is an additional ring: "Montur" for eysight correction and that for type 7 distance measuring window ther is the extension for rflexeinblick, "Oculur"

In conlusion they have tips for maintenance where they advise not to store with cocked shutter , never ope, and that one should not try to lubricate with ordinary oil, since that will be incompatible with the type of oil they use.

I have found the old Alpas to be very robust and its Switar 50mm contrasty and sharp.

p