When an ALPA camera is to be used freehand, then on all ALPA models a variety of viewfinders can be used (see also page 29):

• The original 120°-ALPA-viewfinder with interchangeable viewfinder masks and incorporating a spirit level can be used for all formats and focal lengths up to 120 mm. Apart from the numerous exchangeable standard viewfinder masks, customer de-signed versions of viewfinder masks can be supplied on request. The front part of the viewfinder together with the mask can be turned from the horizontal into the vertical position. To make possible the full field of view (120°) together with optimal brightness a certain barrel distortion has been left in the optical construction and the masks are shaped to reflect this.

• The original Leica “Universal Wide-Angle Viewfinder M” is an interesting alternative when 6x9 roll-film or digital backs with comparable format ratios and wide-angle lenses are used (e.g. 24 x 36 mm and 6x9 have the same format ratio). This viewfinder offers manual parallax compensation and an integrated spirit level. ALPA has a special accessory shoe available for this viewfinder.

• The original Linhof “Multifocus Viewfinder“ has been used successfully for years and is well suited for lenses of longer focal length.

• It is available with exchangeable viewfinder masks and offers manual parallax compensation but no spirit level. For its use with the ALPA 12 MAX, a special viewfinder shoe is available. For other ALPA models this viewfinder can be used with our standard accessory shoes.

• Cosina, the Japanese manufacturer of the Voigtländer- and Zeiss-Ikon cameras offers a number of interesting 24 x 36 mm standard viewfinders (www.cosina.co.jp). They are all compatible with 6x9 and other formats with comparable aspect ratios. Viewfinders from Cosina do not have parallax compensation or integrated spirit levels.

• Mamiya produces for the Mamiya 7 / 7 II (www.mamiya.com) some excellent interchangeable viewfinders: 6x7/43 mm, 6x7/50 mm, 6x7/150 and 210 mm (43 mm and 50 mm with integrated spirit level, all viewfinders without parallax compen-sation).