I just ordered the anodized aluminum base conversion for my Mk III. I like Intrepid's policy of offering upgrades. rather than trying to sell you a whole new camera. Intrepid has made a useful large format camera that weighs no more than a typical DSLR with zoom lens. Those of us who are seniors appreciate a reduction in the weight of the gear, especially in mountain treks or desert adventures. I'm older than Ansel was when he went to the Great Darkroom In The Sky, so I need all the help I can get. I'm not so feeble that I would ask a beautiful model to carry my gear. On second thought...
Just a couple of details - "Copal" is the brand name of the shutter; the sizes would be the #00, #0, #1, #2, #3, and #4. Compur, Seiko, and Compound are all other manufacturers of shutters. Not all manufacturers make all sizes, however... so you may not be able to find a #4 Copal, but you could find a #4 Compound shutter. Why all the different numbers? Because the longer the focal length of the lens, the larger the diameter (usually) of the glass, and so the opening needed for the shutter. So we see #00 on the very short lenses (47mm, for example) and a #3 on a 360mm lens.
Great video!! Makes me want one. After you finish your series of How to videos, it would be nice to see a full demo, where you take a picture with this out on the field
Thanks for the review. Btw...I've used the Polaroid 545 on Linhoffs, Deardorffs, and Sinar many years ago and I seem to recall we just popped the Polaroid holder in between the glass plate and the back as you would a film plate.
Great review!! Amazing that you're able to manage the 4x5 on a ball head tripod. I love them for medium format but usually prefer a pan-tilt head for LF. Excellent work as always! I always enjoy your presentations.
Couldn't you just slide the Polaroid 545 holder into the camera like a regular film holder? I don't own an Intrepid 4x5, but that's how I use the Polaroid holder on the camera I do own.
Yes, exactly... I shot with a Polaroid 545 holder for years and ALWAYS inserted it in like a regular filmholder... waiting for my Intrepid to arrive later this month, but I guess my concern would be whether the side springs that secure the holder into position have a large enough "gap" for the 545 holder - it is significantly thicker and I can't tell what the tolerance of the springs are from any of the videos I've seen so far. The advantage of working with the 545 holder this way is that you can go straight from focusing with the ground glass in place to shooting, without removing the ground glass.
The smaller tripod socket is 1/4x20 and is on virtually every camera sold in the US since the late 1880s. The 3/8" socket is common in larger European cameras. A simple 1/4x20 stainless steel insert, available at most hardware stores, can be threaded into the larger 3/8" socket, instead of having two separate holes. If you are using heavy lenses at full bellows extension, the 3/8" socket offers a more secure interface between tripod and camera. Otherwise, it is unnecessary with a camera weighing only a little over one pound or 2.2 kg.
They have used a Trapezoidal machine screw for the focusing screw and so long as the nut is not worn out, there should be no or very little backlash on the focusing threads. It is a rather slow process as unlike Wista, Ebony etc where you can move the front standard in a rough focus position quickly and then fine tune the focus, the Intrepid requires a lot of turning of the focusing knob to achieve focus. This being a purely field camera works fine but in the studio the standard will have to be moved into one of the three screw positions provided to get rough focus and then fine tune the focus. My main concern with this camera is the stability of the rear standard. As it is , it just relies on the two Aluminium angles to secure the standard. A stabilizing link to the base on each side, would have added the much needed support to the rear standard .
I know this one is ligther but I prefer to stick with my MPP. But it's a good and needed video for those potentially interested in this camera! Bueno trabajo Nico!
@@NicosPhotographyShow I will wait for the new videos! I am trying to upload interesting content in my channel (small channel!). I have a Cambo 4x5, a MPP 4x5 and a Mamyia Press 4.5x6 to 6x9 and I will do my reviews about them soon.
Oh my Nico, you are convincing me, I am tempted :). Although, I would like to start out with something like New55 as it looks so cool. Beautiful camera too!
nice video, but in explaining the focus screw position, the reason it goes there is because focal length of lens must equal the extension distance between standards ( focus all the way back) as opposed to 35 mm format camera extension bellows for macro work, which varies the magnification of image. in THIS case, the extension allows infinity focus point on lens to hit film plane ( ground glass)- in effect the longest focus point that that lens can achieve sharp focus is the lens focal length away from the film. One reason, say Linhof technika cameras have body focus controls, or a focus bellows for 65 mm and wider lenses is this case, the body bellows draw is so small, 65 mm away from the film, that this is necessary as the front standard is in effect taken off the rangefinder/ focus rail and put into the "storage rail", where no focusing can occur , hence the special equipment to facilitate focusing as this is designed as a "rangefinder" just like a Leica 35 mm rangefinder, just to take 4 x 5 sheet film, and why with this camera stops are in-built for wide/normal/tele lenses, just set the top rail to the stop, and the lens standard to its stop for that lens, then hey presto infinity focus for whatever lens design you mount onto it!
@@NicosPhotographyShow Thank you that helps. Because intrepid do not answer mails. The bottom board is not in the way when using a 75mm wa lens? i mean you can not push the rear standard to the front like in other view cameras to avoid vignetting of the board itself…
Their website says a max 300mm extension, so I would only suggest a 300mm tele lens, as they can focus closer than 300mm extension. But I think its probably not the best camera for lenses of that focal length.
Nice introduction to this nice looking starter, Nico. Hopefully you can describe movements in your next video about LF in terms of why you want to use each of them, or combinations of them. It's one of the main attractions of LF, but I think most noobs to the subject, like me, don't really appreciate where and why most of the movements make sense. Thanks, and stay well!
Well its for demostration purposes, also I like having a big surface for the camera to sit, some plates make the surface too narrow and brings excesive wobble.
i like intrepid for their passion for LF.. but the price point and the quality im afraid is a sore point. Why are we now as consumers ok in paying quite a bit of money (nearly 400 quid is still a lot of money people lol) for something that honestly, isnt great. Charmonix is better quality but im not sure its worth just over £1k. Ive not touched the very latest intrepid 4x5 both wood and black... but even still... after each revision... some of the same old issues still apply.. like tightening the front standard and you can still move it (good old electrical tape at the base to stop it moving works a treat).. or the rear standard not having arms or a zeroing position (does the latest have this... need to look lol) As you said in other videos... you come to know the nuances and get around them... but.. without the internet and people posting reviews... a consumer wouldnt know this. They would be buying a camera where this wouldnt be known, and maybe and i think correctly, they wouldnt expect these either! If the latest version is the best version.... why wasnt the 1st version like this in the first place?!?!?! lol ITs not rocket science in what they have done. It must be about money... being a new company needing to at least make a profit.. not knowing if it would have take up or not etc... i understand this, and as the company have grown, they have changed the build process etc.. but in all seriousness, i couldnt do what they have done if i were them. I can put this in comparison to Walker cameras... (no longer made i think) but Mike Walker produced his cameras and they were great. Not as light, but still abs but with far greater quality parts. The waiting time for a camera wasnt that much more than Intrepid when they first started. But the camera was a little more expensive than a charmonix back then (talking 10 years ago at least) but that would be right as it was more pro. At the end of the day, quality is important. The tool you use has to be enjoyable and help you in your photo making, rather than cause frustrations. And this is what i think the intrepid is.... its a camera of little frustrations. Hopefully one day they will yield a camera without any and it will be a joy to use. We have their lenses coming.. and now they have added their own double dark slides and viewing hood... and we all know about the enlarger. It is good that they are helping film... but with the price of film always going up, along with chems, or lab prices (for many dev etc at home isnt viable)... there is a lot that is great but it could be better.
Hi there. Can you tell me and point me in the right direction where to search to find the 90m, 210 and 150mm lenses. It is complicated. I looked in KEH , no that much selection, brand new ones are expensive. Thanks.
Get your Polaroid 405 here:
ebay.to/3dtracJ
I just ordered the anodized aluminum base conversion for my Mk III. I like Intrepid's policy of offering upgrades. rather than trying to sell you a whole new camera. Intrepid has made a useful large format camera that weighs no more than a typical DSLR with zoom lens. Those of us who are seniors appreciate a reduction in the weight of the gear, especially in mountain treks or desert adventures. I'm older than Ansel was when he went to the Great Darkroom In The Sky, so I need all the help I can get. I'm not so feeble that I would ask a beautiful model to carry my gear. On second thought...
For someone on the verge of trying out a 4x5 camera, this video is extremely helpful. Great video Nico!!!
You are really making me want this for my first large format.
Beauty!! Can't wait for my intrepid to arrive then watch this video as I tilt and shift to my delight
Thank you for your videos!
Just a couple of details - "Copal" is the brand name of the shutter; the sizes would be the #00, #0, #1, #2, #3, and #4. Compur, Seiko, and Compound are all other manufacturers of shutters.
Not all manufacturers make all sizes, however... so you may not be able to find a #4 Copal, but you could find a #4 Compound shutter.
Why all the different numbers? Because the longer the focal length of the lens, the larger the diameter (usually) of the glass, and so the opening needed for the shutter. So we see #00 on the very short lenses (47mm, for example) and a #3 on a 360mm lens.
Great video!! Makes me want one. After you finish your series of How to videos, it would be nice to see a full demo, where you take a picture with this out on the field
Thanks for the review. Btw...I've used the Polaroid 545 on Linhoffs, Deardorffs, and Sinar many years ago and I seem to recall we just popped the Polaroid holder in between the glass plate and the back as you would a film plate.
Great review!! Amazing that you're able to manage the 4x5 on a ball head tripod. I love them for medium format but usually prefer a pan-tilt head for LF. Excellent work as always! I always enjoy your presentations.
Thanks Joe, this ball head is HEAVY duty, and I only use it for this sort of format. I always use 3 way heads for shooting.
Great video, very clear instructions.
Thank you!
Más como este, Nico! ❤️
Yo tambien!
Vendran mas prontito.
Couldn't you just slide the Polaroid 545 holder into the camera like a regular film holder? I don't own an Intrepid 4x5, but that's how I use the Polaroid holder on the camera I do own.
Yes, exactly... I shot with a Polaroid 545 holder for years and ALWAYS inserted it in like a regular filmholder... waiting for my Intrepid to arrive later this month, but I guess my concern would be whether the side springs that secure the holder into position have a large enough "gap" for the 545 holder - it is significantly thicker and I can't tell what the tolerance of the springs are from any of the videos I've seen so far.
The advantage of working with the 545 holder this way is that you can go straight from focusing with the ground glass in place to shooting, without removing the ground glass.
The smaller tripod socket is 1/4x20 and is on virtually every camera sold in the US since the late 1880s. The 3/8" socket is common in larger European cameras. A simple 1/4x20 stainless steel insert, available at most hardware stores, can be threaded into the larger 3/8" socket, instead of having two separate holes. If you are using heavy lenses at full bellows extension, the 3/8" socket offers a more secure interface between tripod and camera. Otherwise, it is unnecessary with a camera weighing only a little over one pound or 2.2 kg.
Thanks Robert, being from Spain the Imperial system is quite alien to me. So I always mess it up.
Hi Nicos, love this video. Would you say the black editions of intrepid is of better build quality than other intrepid cameras?
They have used a Trapezoidal machine screw for the focusing screw and so long as the nut is not worn out, there should be no or very little backlash on the focusing threads. It is a rather slow process as unlike Wista, Ebony etc where you can move the front standard in a rough focus position quickly and then fine tune the focus, the Intrepid requires a lot of turning of the focusing knob to achieve focus. This being a purely field camera works fine but in the studio the standard will have to be moved into one of the three screw positions provided to get rough focus and then fine tune the focus. My main concern with this camera is the stability of the rear standard. As it is , it just relies on the two Aluminium angles to secure the standard. A stabilizing link to the base on each side, would have added the much needed support to the rear standard .
Very helpful and informative video .
I know this one is ligther but I prefer to stick with my MPP. But it's a good and needed video for those potentially interested in this camera! Bueno trabajo Nico!
Gracias!! Planning on doing these for every LF camera I own and can get my hands on.
@@NicosPhotographyShow I will wait for the new videos! I am trying to upload interesting content in my channel (small channel!). I have a Cambo 4x5, a MPP 4x5 and a Mamyia Press 4.5x6 to 6x9 and I will do my reviews about them soon.
Hey Nico. Does the camera come with a Fresnel ground glass? Also, is it a linhof size lens board? Cheers!
Oh my Nico, you are convincing me, I am tempted :). Although, I would like to start out with something like New55 as it looks so cool. Beautiful camera too!
They make an excellent May 8th gift :)
Its a really nice finish, New55 is awesome but not a cheap entry film to 4x5. I highly suggest getting used to the LF world with Foma 100 film.
@@NicosPhotographyShow Ah, I see. I'll wait for your next set of videos to decide, I know nothing about what lens one needs etc. :).
"You can choose what hole you wanna go into..."
Nico, 2020
That's what she said...
Get out
Hahaha, its true.
Hahaha, its true.
nice video, but in explaining the focus screw position, the reason it goes there is because focal length of lens must equal the extension distance between standards ( focus all the way back) as opposed to 35 mm format camera extension bellows for macro work, which varies the magnification of image.
in THIS case, the extension allows infinity focus point on lens to hit film plane ( ground glass)- in effect the longest focus point that that lens can achieve sharp focus is the lens focal length away from the film. One reason, say Linhof technika cameras have body focus controls, or a focus bellows for 65 mm and wider lenses is this case, the body bellows draw is so small, 65 mm away from the film, that this is necessary as the front standard is in effect taken off the rangefinder/ focus rail and put into the "storage rail", where no focusing can occur , hence the special equipment to facilitate focusing as this is designed as a "rangefinder" just like a Leica 35 mm rangefinder, just to take 4 x 5 sheet film, and why with this camera stops are in-built for wide/normal/tele lenses, just set the top rail to the stop, and the lens standard to its stop for that lens, then hey presto infinity focus for whatever lens design you mount onto it!
Hi Nico, great vid as always..! could you tell me the total height and with of the Intrepid 4x5 BE when open, can't find these anywhere. Thanks
Nice little camera. would a 6x9 rollfilm back like the linhof rollex fit in it? And is the bottombord too long/vignetting when using a 65mm wide lens?
You can use a 6x9 back as it has a graflok back. What you can't use is lenses wider than 75mm unless you use a recessed lens board.
@@NicosPhotographyShow Thank you that helps.
Because intrepid do not answer mails.
The bottom board is not in the way when using a 75mm wa lens? i mean you can not push the rear standard to the front like in other view cameras to avoid vignetting of the board itself…
I haven’t tested 75mm but probably would be on the limit, maybe a little rise would help.
@@NicosPhotographyShow Thanks a lot Nico!
Will try my 72mm XL asap and get back to you. Or maybe even make a video.
Great video, thank you. Would love to see a video on how to integrate a roll back on the intrepid.
Thanks! I will show that soon on a separate video.
Thank you Nicos! That would be really appreciated!
Hello, I would like to know if we can also use the 300 mm with this camera. Thank you.
Their website says a max 300mm extension, so I would only suggest a 300mm tele lens, as they can focus closer than 300mm extension. But I think its probably not the best camera for lenses of that focal length.
Hi, I have a question. I want to try with the wet plates. Would be a good choice to try with this camera and an appropriate holder?
For wetplate it can be used. At the end of the day wetplate is quite corrosive so maybe an entry level priced camera is a good idea.
@@NicosPhotographyShow Many thanks:) You'te right about corrosion, maybe wooden model of intrepid instead is a better idea.
What is the price of this camera.?
👍👍👍👍👍
Seems to me a lot of people on here need their hands holding...ANY info on the Intrepid is available on their website.....🙄🙄
Nice introduction to this nice looking starter, Nico. Hopefully you can describe movements in your next video about LF in terms of why you want to use each of them, or combinations of them. It's one of the main attractions of LF, but I think most noobs to the subject, like me, don't really appreciate where and why most of the movements make sense. Thanks, and stay well!
You should get Q/E plate and arca type. Screwing the camera on is unacceptable.
Well its for demostration purposes, also I like having a big surface for the camera to sit, some plates make the surface too narrow and brings excesive wobble.
i like intrepid for their passion for LF.. but the price point and the quality im afraid is a sore point. Why are we now as consumers ok in paying quite a bit of money (nearly 400 quid is still a lot of money people lol) for something that honestly, isnt great.
Charmonix is better quality but im not sure its worth just over £1k.
Ive not touched the very latest intrepid 4x5 both wood and black... but even still... after each revision... some of the same old issues still apply.. like tightening the front standard and you can still move it (good old electrical tape at the base to stop it moving works a treat).. or the rear standard not having arms or a zeroing position (does the latest have this... need to look lol)
As you said in other videos... you come to know the nuances and get around them... but.. without the internet and people posting reviews... a consumer wouldnt know this. They would be buying a camera where this wouldnt be known, and maybe and i think correctly, they wouldnt expect these either!
If the latest version is the best version.... why wasnt the 1st version like this in the first place?!?!?! lol ITs not rocket science in what they have done.
It must be about money... being a new company needing to at least make a profit.. not knowing if it would have take up or not etc... i understand this, and as the company have grown, they have changed the build process etc.. but in all seriousness, i couldnt do what they have done if i were them.
I can put this in comparison to Walker cameras... (no longer made i think) but Mike Walker produced his cameras and they were great. Not as light, but still abs but with far greater quality parts. The waiting time for a camera wasnt that much more than Intrepid when they first started. But the camera was a little more expensive than a charmonix back then (talking 10 years ago at least) but that would be right as it was more pro.
At the end of the day, quality is important. The tool you use has to be enjoyable and help you in your photo making, rather than cause frustrations. And this is what i think the intrepid is.... its a camera of little frustrations. Hopefully one day they will yield a camera without any and it will be a joy to use. We have their lenses coming.. and now they have added their own double dark slides and viewing hood... and we all know about the enlarger. It is good that they are helping film... but with the price of film always going up, along with chems, or lab prices (for many dev etc at home isnt viable)... there is a lot that is great but it could be better.
Hi there. Can you tell me and point me in the right direction where to search to find the 90m, 210 and 150mm lenses. It is complicated. I looked in KEH , no that much selection, brand new ones are expensive. Thanks.