Alpa 8b1959

History

The Alpa 8 was introduced in the late 1950s as the successor to the Alpa 7s. The "b" suffix on the Alpa 8b indicates a variant within the 8-series body, typically associated with the inclusion or refinement of the selenium metering cell. Pignons used letter suffixes throughout its model history to denote variants sharing the same basic chassis — "d" consistently indicated the most current metered variant of a given body generation.

Selenium meters became widespread in 35mm cameras during the 1950s, appearing on the Leica M3 accessory meter, Voigtlander Vito line, and numerous Japanese cameras. Pignons adopted the technology to keep Alpa cameras current with market expectations while avoiding the complexity and battery dependency that CdS cells would later introduce. The selenium cell on the Alpa 8b is integrated into the body front, below the lens mount, where it reads the same general scene as the lens.

The Alpa 9d (1965) succeeded the 8-series with a revised selenium cell integration and refined body. The 8b thus occupies a specific transitional place: more modern than the unmetered Alpa 7-series, but without the TTL CdS accuracy of the 10d and 12 TLC that followed.

Why It Matters

The Alpa 8b is the most accessible point of entry into the classic Pignons system for photographers primarily interested in the Kern Switar optics rather than the metering system. Prices for clean 8b bodies are lower on average than the 9d, 10d, and 11-series bodies, while the mount and lenses are fully compatible across the entire Alpa range.

The selenium meter, even when it has drifted from calibration — as most examples have after 60 years — remains a useful rough indicator, and the camera is fully operable with a hand meter or sunny-16. For photographers who prefer a simpler, battery-free mechanical shooting experience with premium Swiss glass, the Alpa 8b delivers the same optical quality as the more expensive later bodies at lower acquisition cost.

The Kern-Switar 50mm f/1.8 is the technical highlight. Its six-element design produces rendering that collectors and practitioners alike describe as having exceptional micro-contrast and a three-dimensional quality unusual among standard lenses. Whether the 8b comes with the standard Switar or the rarer Macro-Switar variant substantially affects its value.

Lenses & Accessories

• Kern-Switar 50mm f/1.8 — the standard pairing; six elements, optimised for general photography from 0.5 m to infinity
• Kern Macro-Switar 50mm f/1.8 — macro-optimised variant; close-focus redesign for subjects from reproduction ratio down to infinity; significantly rarer and more expensive than the standard Switar
• Kern-Switar 25mm f/1.8 — wide-angle retrofocus; among the best wide standard-mount wide-angles of its era
• Kern-Switar 75mm f/1.9 — short telephoto; smooth background separation
• Schneider Curtagon 35mm f/2.8 (Alpa mount) — West German wide-angle alternative
• Extension tubes (Alpa mount) — period accessories for moderate close-up work; used without metering compensation when relying on the external selenium cell
• No motor drive or power winder was available for the Alpa 8-series.

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• Swiss and German professional photographers working in editorial, scientific, and commercial contexts during the late 1950s and early 1960s, where Kern optics were preferred for their resolution on fine-grain black-and-white films.
• Scientific imaging applications in Swiss universities and research institutions, where Pignons cameras were specified for the quality of the Kern lens range.
• Today collected as the entry-level classic Alpa body, particularly by photographers who shoot with Kern Switar lenses on modern mirrorless cameras via Alpa-to-E-mount or Alpa-to-M43 adapters.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Alpa 8 — covers the 8-series variants including the 8b; primary reference for production history and specifications