In looking at the Alpa website under discontinued or sold out products, I see they sold 5 sliding backs--similar to the Arca Swiss Rotoslided, as well as others. There wre no prices and evidently they decided against putting these into production--why I can't imagine. Has anyone here seen or used or have one of these sliding backs--the film or digital back on one side and ground glass on the other--makes for quicker setups and shooting.

Have you seen this thread?

http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....showtopic=38922

Alpa never sold a sliding back. They made prototypes and decided there was no way to build one to their levels of precision.

Yes. I read the thread after I saw the pictures from Alpa's website and started searching for something on it. Alpa says on it's website that they were "sold out" and while they obviously didn't feel it feasible, I'm really curious as to the actual reasons for not going into production. There was nor is there anyway to judge (at least for me) the qualifications of those that were giving the answers, since no one cited their source. I've heard the hearsay and stuff also, but I've never talked to anyone that can say they actually know as opposed to "hearing".

Where did your information come from--a dealer or an actual Alpa rep?

I am somewhat familiar with manufacturing and I don't think the question is "can they build one to their level of precision" (I'm quite sure they could)--but rather the real question is it economically feasible to do so?

If there are 5 around somewhere, I'd really like to see one lol

The trick is to get the back (film or digital) to seat in the precisely designated place each time when it is ready to take the image--the movement getting it there or whether it is a rickety rail or on worn out ball bearings or whatever will not won't affect the image sharpness if the back and ground glass seat properly, in the same place. For instance the Graflex (later Singer) Grafmatics are still one of the sharpest film placement systems available, next to Linhof, Toyo sheet film holders and possibly some new ones on the market in the last couple of years, but they beat Fuji Quickloads and Kodak Readyloads and most other sheet film holders by large margins, despite their age and propensity to jam. But I digress and thanks for the reply.

It was from Jeff at Fotocare, but Alpa people were there from Switzerland. It was about a year ago, so I don't remember the exact words. But precision and durability were main concerns.

You can email Alpa and ask them yourself, go straight to the horses mouth. I doubt it had much to do with cost. Alpa seem to be people who do things the way they consider correct. If you like stereotypes you could say it is a very swiss attitude. They showed they could make a sliding back and decided it was not the right thing to do. I wouldn't know if they sold the prototypes or not, perhaps to collectors.