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Alpa U-Phot |
 Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in Swiss from (Circa) 1974 to (After) 1974.
Index of rarity in France: Rare (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 5074
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Alpa
This model is evidently very rare. We've only found a photo of it in the context of a sale by Westlich and in the Grenier-Natkin 1975 catalog. In the latter, the photo is of the camera seen from the back. From the front, the entire surface is occupied by a porthole protecting the lens. The diameter of the camera is 15.2 cm.
The report of the 1974 Photokina by Photo'Argus indeed dedicates an article to this model, but without an illustration. It is presented as the only 35mm camera with full waterproofing, completely automatic, and with automatic drive. Its robustness and waterproofing allow it to withstand 20 bars of pressure, chemical sterilization, high temperatures, and corrosion. In the standard version, it is equipped with a porthole, but it can be fitted with an Ivanoff-Rebikoff(*) pre-lens with extraordinary qualities, eliminating the need for focusing from 50 cm to infinity.
In 1975, during the report of Photexpo 75 in Zurich, Photo'Argus published two poor-quality photos of the camera and one of its flash, the U-Flash. It is noted that the camera is made of a special aluminum alloy and is approved by the US Navy and NASA. A valve allows "inflation" to detect leaks.
(*) Dimitri Rebikoff (1921-1997) was credited with many inventions related to photography and underwater exploration, such as an underwater electronic flash and an underwater scooter. During the 1950s, in collaboration with Alexander Ivanoff, he developed a highly precise lens for underwater photography that corrected numerous inherent defects in underwater photography. This camera model was constructed at his request.
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