Last Updated on 03/04/2018 by Mark Beckenbach
With the ALPA 12, your Pentax 67 lenses will become much more versatile
When we got word of the new ALPA 12 module for Pentax 67 lenses, we were honestly pretty shocked and amazed. Photographers still holding onto their 67 lenses will be very happy to know that they probably just got a bit more value. The ALPA 12 is finally available for Pentax 67 lenses, and the module will let photographers have shift capabilities with the lenses and allow for use on the AlPA 12 cameras. But even better, the module gives photographers the ability to use the lenses with backs like those available from Phase One.
One of the best parts about all this is the ability to also get 15mm of shift ability. Unfortunately there is no specific word on whether you can attach the lens to a Pentax camera and get shift abilities that way. I’d assume not. But I surely do need to say it’s very nice that you can now get more out of your lenses. There doesn’t seem to be very much word on pricing and details are pretty scant. But you’ll be able to use all of the Pentax 67 lenses–which even to today are very good, on even more medium format backs.
How many people are actually going to do this? Most likely not a whole lot. Medium format digital is very expensive and those who shoot medium format tend to go for film partially because of the look but also partially because of how affordable it is.
According to Alpa’s release:
“Especially those who want to work in medium format with long focal lengths of 400mm or more will hardly be able to do without the Pentax 67 system, even eight years after the end of production. For ALPA photographers, these long lenses were not previously used in conjunction with the ALPA 12 system. With the Pentax 67 lens module, ALPA is now building a bridge to the entire medium format camera system ALPA 12 and modern digital backs. This means that the valuable lenses will retain their value beyond the next few years, as they remain compatible with the latest camera technology. In addition, new creative applications for ALPA photographers are emerging.”