I have just had a rough calculation of the total price of the camera and lenses Mark is discussing in this latest article and with the digital back and the Alpa system accessories and the lenses etc, etc, we are talking somewhere in the region of an eye watering $80,000 for this piece of exotica - so I think the answer to the question: Alpa FPS - An Enduring Camera? I think is going to be a definite yes, because if I owned something like this, then it would be locked up in a bank vault somewhere gathering dust, as I would be too frightened to ever go near it or touch it
Well Dave, it doesn't quite work like that. It goes more like this:
You bought a Phase back 5 or more years ago, upgraded to the IQ180 at something like $14,000 2 years ago. Now in 2013, you buy the FPS (~$9000 with grip) and if you choose it, the 50mm Rody lens, about $5500. So that's under $15000 spent in the current year. For a working pro that's modest.
I know there are finders and all sorts of accessories you can buy to boost this price, but there are many cheaper and better options than (eg) the Alpa finder. The Zeiss 35mm optical finder made for Sony RX1 for example is a good match for the 50mm in question.
Yes MF digital is a *lot of money, and most photographers would be better off with a D800 and a pair of zooms. But quite a few others just need huge files, and prefer the workflow of MF to the dSLR one.
Of course, YMMV, and that's always to be respected.