Intrepid Camera 4x5 Second Generation...the PERFECT Field Camera

[@pepeg.luthier566]

Ben Horne solved your concern. He actually changes the front standard top portion goes to the back and the bottom portion goes up front. That way, your bellows does not see extra stress.

[@chickenitsa]

Hi Alan. Like your videos. I'm confused, though, by your statement, saying that, "Pretty much -other than Arca Swiss- all your large format cameras [today] are going to have to be second hand". Am I misunderstanding something? (Linhof? Walker? Canham? Toyo? Wista? Shen Hao? Chamonix? Ritter? Lotus? Gibelli? Svedovsky? Argentum?)

[@OllyHitchen]

Thanks for the very clear overview of the camera! Really much appreciated! 😀

[@photog1529]

As a woodworker in addition to being a photographer, just one tip: keep an eye on the finish along the plywood edges. You may need to re-apply a suitable finish over time to keep the edge grain sealed against moisture. Any good spar varnish would work.

[@sinclairmarcus]

well said.

[@nickswisher6759]

I can't wait until I get mine! I'm looking forward to learning a new type of photography. Great review as well.

[@Qigate]

Thanks for sharing!! Always good to watch your videos...

[@tinaturner1]

Great review, Alan. I wish I had come across a review like this when I was thinking about which camera to buy and deciding whether I would go 4x5 or 8x10. Ended up with a (rather expensive) 8x10 Chamonix at the end of 2015 and I still like it very much. The photo in the background of your video looks very nice. Gotta take a look at your website to see if I can find it there to get a better look at it. Oh, and by the way: How much time to you spend on keeping those eyebrows in shape? 😉

[@NigelDanson]

Glad to see more content on your channel. Just started a landscape photography one myself. My D800 died in the ocean last week - so lucking at new camera ;-)

[@TimLowe]

My D800 is safe on the shelf. But you know, going from that to 4x5 is quite a leap. Maybe a nice Hasselblad as a bridge? ;)

[@spipes5611]

Making the change from Digi to film isnt a bad one... I shoot both still... it has slowed me down... and makes me think a lot more... it is cool when composing a shot... going from a peep hole Digi 35mm to a small window pane... 8x10 a window... seeing the shot upside down flipped around... not a biggie either... you will make mistakes just as you did in digi at the start... start with cheap film... and go shoot take notes and have fun...

[@chriscunningham6362]

Ansel Adams once said, When asked what size camera he liked to take out to shoot he replied, the biggest one I can carry. This was true as later in life, he was shooting medium format with a Hasselblad 501.

[@ShawneeUnion]

Great review! Thanks for covering everything and hope your shots turn out well. No dance?

[@rayonline78]

Looking forward to see your results with this

[@nuckinfuts5481]

BTW: Tilting the rear standard can have a profound and unintentional effect on your exposure.

[@tailwheel65]

Hi Alan, was wondering if the Shen-Hao and Intrepid take the same lens boards. I also have a Shen-Hao and have been interested in the Intrepid. Just like you, I don't like the idea of beating up that beautiful woodwork of the Shen-Hao.

[@navyfan87]

Great review! Thanks. You mention the Chamonix, but what about the Shen Hao PTB? Similar design but with more movements in a very compact lightweight form - perhaps an even smaller footprint than this one. I love mine. Of course you can't get a PTB for under $300, but I guess I worry about how any camera will hold up over time under heavy use. This one looks very interesting.

[@steveh1273]

Kind of confused about the focusing and lens placement. Let's say you put the lens (210mm) on the last screw hole, so how do you fine tune the focus? It appears you have only 3 focus positions, 3 fixed focal lengths from the film plane. Does that base board slide out and in? Also, it lacks the advantage of taking the back and tilting it backward into a Scheimpflug position to extend the focus as an alternative to tilting the front standard. That also helps with enlarging any near object. Let us know how the negatives turn out in sharpness, since the lack of weight could contribute to stability issues, especially in the wind. It does look good, and what is the maximum bellows extension? Good luck and thanks for sharing. BTW, my old Linhof MT weighs in at 7 lbs., a tank!

[@AlanBrockImages]

I probably should have showed the focus racking in/out. You are correct, the base has a standard geared focus that slides the base of the camera. The rear camera movements was a major consideration for me as I use them on about a third of my images. However, in the end, the weight saving won out. I'm actually not concerned about stability that much. First, I don't often shoot in windy locations. However, even more importantly, I always weight my tripod down so I should always have a stable base. I'll share images as soon as I can!!

[@The78bluedevils]

i am nearly 60 yrs olds, still shooting with FUJICHROME sheet film. one of the few stable films after processing. no color shifts after 35yrs. my other films have not stood well over the same time. still carry on my back my calumet studio camera on a 22" rail. complete set up runs 100lbs. with tripod. & i walk up to 20 miles round trip

[@larsolssonphotography3327]

My last 4x5 was a Toyo AX 45. About 8 lbs I believe. The Intrepid sounds great!

[@manuellion6300]

Set-up and folding is very similar to the Chamonix. I never had any issues with the camera sitting on the bellows, but then I am trying not to put too much pressure on it.

[@Oculus729]

Chamonix 4 by 5? Did you look at this camera?

[@mike.thomas]

Looks like some good improvements. And 2lbs is just silly light. Hopefully you won't find the Phillips design too annoying on-site. I get a bit frustrated with my Chamonix sometimes, at least in comparison with the Arca Swiss, which is god's own camera :-\.

[@analogbug16]

Under $300 I'm definitely more and more interested. I'm looking to move up from my medium format work. Try something a little different.

[@andyvan5692]

nice video, your problem might be fixed by putting a hook on the standard & base, ie like the K.B. Canham cameras have, albeit modified to hold it up as well as shut. (those cameras are illustrated very well on a site by Fred Newman, called the view camera store).

[@schaffer84]

How would rate the focusing mechanism? Is it smooth and precise?

[@bublt4me]

Will I have to worry about the camera being rocked in the wind?

[@wylie_photo]

Sweet little camera. £250 is very good deal for an LF camera body. I use an Ebony, which is gorgeous and cost a fortune. To be honest, for the amount I use it, the Intrepid would have probably been a more sensible choice. (Although, now that Ebony don't make new cameras anymore, there ain't no way I am going to part with it!).

[@toddavis8151]

If I was to go into large format this would be my camera of choice mainly due to the price. However one of the main things stopping me is the price of lenses

[@jose2bee2]

How much did his cost? What was the total shipping, taxes, vat, insurance cost?

[@andrewbartram2478]

all shipped first generation cameras had metal knobs trust me I had an early kickstarter. the wooden knobs were on the pre production models g2 looks good though I have to say and great review

[@AlanBrockImages]

Thanks! It's a shame those prototype pics that were on their kickstarter had the wooden knobs. I didn't think those cameras looked good at all, but I find the metal hardware makes it a fantastic looking camera.

[@hobidolap]

ok. great price. how do you put the lens in the front hole. which lenses. and how do you load the film. it is sooo interesting...

[@FrankWalsh]

The camera does not come with a lens board or a film holder. You must purchase these separately.

[@hobidolap]

so the price of this camera is just a small persentage of the total cost of a 4 by 5 system. the operating costs are also huge i suppose...

[@MrGroooveman]

Where can i find the maxwell screen you are talking about? google dosent help that much :D

[@AlanBrockImages]

Yeah, the Maxwell screen is not advertised anywhere...at all! You have to email the owner Bill at maxwellprecisionoptics*at*yahoo.com. If you're interested, he'll probably want to set up a phone conversation with you. It's an interesting way to do business in this day and age, but he makes the best screens on the market by far.

[@PB4U]

Does it have a rotating back?

[@AlanBrockImages]

Yes! After recording the video I was kind of kicking myself for not showing that. The back does rotate.

[@GreyGhost-r4z]

Great review

[@WayOffTheTrail]

I bet my Schneider 90mm f/6.8 Angulon would go well with that....

[@jose2bee2]

What was name of other ground glass screen? Where do you find that?

[@The78bluedevils]

try a fresnel lens focusing screen. it will give you brightness for focusing sharp images. the come in 2 types. www.intenscreen.com/products_large-format.htm

[@lance744]

I just put mine up for sale on ebay. mostly because I don't have an enlarger that will print a negative that big.

[@Chris-wj4ze]

So why did you buy it in the first place?

[@TimLowe]

I know that Toyo and Wista also make new cameras. I'd hang onto my Shen Hao for a bit. Even the new design of the Intrepid gets iffy reviews.

[@TimLowe]

All true but I wouldn't driver a Yugo. If the camera allows more people to get into large format, that's great. I don't know any serious photographers using this camera and I still caution Alan to hang on to his old camera.

[@TimLowe]

Again, we have no disagreement. (although I really don't understand the toy camera thing. takes all sorts, I suppose). And you make the point I was making to Alan. From the reviews of this and the earlier version, I don't think he's going to be in love with this camera for long.

[@AlanBrockImages]

Out of curiosity, what bad reviews have you heard about the camera? For me, it fits what I do perfectly...backpacking with LF gear. However, I will admit that it's a VERY small group of people who use cameras in this manner. I'm still not completely sure what I'm going to do with the Shen Hao. I would be kind of sad to sell it to be honest.

[@TimLowe]

Yeah. It's a Yugo.

[@AlanBrockImages]

If it's fit and finish complaints, then I think that is just a matter of expectations. I paid $280ish for a large format camera made out of birch plywood. I don't think people should expect it to be as smooth as a brand new Arca Swiss. The glued on bellows are something that I'm a bit concerned about. I messaged a friend who has put his Version 1 Intrepid through a lot of use, and his bellows are still intact. When you're trying to push yourself and your gear to the limits, compromises have to be made sometimes. In this case, the weight savings takes priority over every other factor for me. And I agree with you on price as well. For that price, I'll just buy a new one if I end up destroying this one.

[@schonphotography3430]

Orrrr you could just lift more and those six pounds saved will be no biggy, right?

[@AlanBrockImages]

Alex S. I can bench press two of you...I don't know how much more I'm supposed to be expected to lift!! :)

[@schonphotography3430]

Two of me plus six pounds apparently

[@AlanBrockImages]

Maybe the best comment I've ever had on my channel...

[@schonphotography3430]

I bring nothing but quality, relevant content to your videos

[@hocadidilyocuttCAP]

I want you to play superman in the next movie.

[@andrewbartram2478]

the first generation cameta did NOT have wooden knobs!

[@AlanBrockImages]

Andrew Bartram Maybe not all versions, but the first releases most certainly did. Google "Intrepid Camera" and click on the images tab...

[@philipcollins2691]

The camera weight should be stated in Kilos - we don't all live in the USA !!!

[@AlanBrockImages]

The newest version of the camera weighs 1 kg.

[@andrewbartram2478]

also absolutely no difference between setting up compared to generation 1 - so as not to mislead

[@AlanBrockImages]

What about those additional stabilizer bars on the 1st gen rear standard? Did those have to be tightened?

[@sneeuwwolf1176]

Intrepid is a toy camera. Inprecise, badly made, focusing is a drag, ground glass falls out, screws unscrew themselves... It´s a toy, nothing more. Or an ornament... I put together a camera for 26 euros that is better at taking pics than this joke. But as the saying goes ´les gouts et les couleurs ne se dispute pas´.

[@AlanBrockImages]

Weird...myself and many others have absolutely no problems taking images with it. No, it's not as precise as an Arca-Swiss; it's not meant to be. It's a lightweight field camera. I've had no problems focusing with it, never had the ground glass fall out, and screws have never unscrewed themselves. It is not remotely a toy. It is a camera with several purposes: a lightweight field camera and a low cost entry to large format. If you assembled your own camera, that's great! I love to see innovation. However, a camera does not take good or bad pictures...the photographer does.

[@sneeuwwolf1176]

@@AlanBrockImages To each his own. I can only do my part to deter people from buying it. I mean I felt horrible with my purchase. But if you are into chipped wood, loose screws and sub par products...

[@AlanBrockImages]

Not remotely my experience, and I’ve had this camera in more extreme situations than just about anyone out there.

[@Foxglove963]

intrepid is a crap camera. Go for brilliant WISTA in rosewood with fresnel.

[@jacovanlith5082]

Weight ? Size? Do not be a sissy! Stop complaining about the weight. Ladies do it in the morning; standing on the scales. A real photographer needs a sturdy tool. So get yourself a Linhof Technika. No money enough? Must it be cheaper and lighter? Make a 4 x 5 inch pinhole camera out of a Campbell soup can; that is a weight saver.

[@AlanBrockImages]

Do you have experience backpacking with large format gear? I think you'll find weight becomes pretty relevant when you're in the backcountry.