INTREPID CAMERA 4X5 Gen 2 Users & Reviews

[Tin Can]

I agree!

Remember the Spruce Goose! http://www.evergreenmuseum.org/the-spruce-goose

In this instance, I would rather have plywood: in an application like this, it's better, not worse, functionally.

[Jac@stafford.net]

At last solid wood: that would be nice and stable and worth the effort.

I must disagree. An AC plywood would be more stable.
Baltic birch is great stuff.

[AuditorOne]

Yes. Baltic birch is a very strong, very stable material. It certainly is not as pretty, and needs to be well sealed to prevent delamination, but it is a great material for a field camera in my opinion.

However, all that being considered, I have wondered what the camera would look like if the visible plywood edges were boxed with solid birch. I may play around a bit in the shop and try to recreate some of the Intrepid's parts this way.

Undoubtedly not worth the time but...hey...I'm retired.

[Daniel Casper Lohenstein]

Yes. Baltic birch is a very strong, very stable material. It certainly is not as pretty, and needs to be well sealed to prevent delamination, but it is a great material for a field camera in my opinion.

However, all that being considered, I have wondered what the camera would look like if the visible plywood edges were boxed with solid birch. I may play around a bit in the shop and try to recreate some of the Intrepid's parts this way.

Undoubtedly not worth the time but...hey...I'm retired.

Just to get it right: I find the Intrepid is a wonderful lightweight camera. But solid wood would make it more durable. And upvalue resp. appreciate the effort of the team, without adding too much weight.

Let's make a case: In fact Intrepid buyers prefer Chamonix. They just don't want to spend the money.

You're needled? Just imagine an Intrepid made from beech or oak or birch wood ... This definitely would be THE killer application.

Of course they would have to change their laser controlled CNC routers then ...

[Jimi]

I am not sure the Intrepid buyers want a Chamonix - maybe they even have one already.

I think Intrepid are on to something good, trying to make a small, sustainable ecosystem, while keeping to the original intent - simple lightweight cameras.

There are trade-offs in every camera design, and I think they need to be clear about their overall philosophy on their homepage. I have the impression quite a few people want the camera to be something it really isn't. It is like expecting a Spyder 550 to be a nice car for hauling a trailer.

There are already people making cameras out of other sorts of wood based on the Philips design - have a look at the 'Bay.

[Fred L]

I think a number of Intrepid buyers (esp the 8x10) are looking for a second, lighter body for some specific use. When I get mine, I'll probably backpack it vs hauling the Zone VI camera. The weight difference is another lens or two, or several holders. It won't replace my Zone beast

[williaty]

Just to get it right: I find the Intrepid is a wonderful lightweight camera. But solid wood would make it more durable.

Speaking as a hobbyist woodworker, you are completely wrong. The plywood camera will be stiffer, stronger, have better vibration damping, be more resistant to dimensional movement with changing humidity, and allow for a more precise fit betweenpieces. The hardwood high-ply-count plywood like Baltic Birch is a superior camera building material compared to solid wood in every way except for 2: appearance and water resistance. I'd even argue that it's not actually worse than solid wood in water resistance because both the plywood and the solid wood cameras are likely to be completely ruined if you get them wet, they just fail in different ways. The plywood camera will delaminate and obviously be ruined. The solid wood camera will likely just deform and may look OK but will be unable to be used to produce good results afterwards.

So, building the camera out of solid wood would actually make it a worse camera.

Ebony, Deardorff, Chamonix, etc don't make their cameras out of solid wood because it has better structural properties. They make them out of solid wood because they sell better and for more money. Solid wood convinces the buyers that the camera is worth more because it looks prettier or, as with you, the buyer isn't educated about materials and mistakenly believes the wood is more durable.

[Daniel Casper Lohenstein]

Speaking as a hobbyist woodworker, you are completely wrong. The plywood camera will be stiffer, stronger, have better vibration damping, be more resistant to dimensional movement with changing humidity, and allow for a more precise fit betweenpieces.

[...]

So, building the camera out of solid wood would actually make it a worse camera.

As a "Wista 45N" and a "Brand 17" user I don't have to be educated about wooden materials ... Altough I use a Berlebach tripod made of solid wood because of its vibration damping ...

Asked whether I prefer to compensate a defocus on the ground glass after 25 years of use or to search a dissolving birch plywood camera after a dozen shots everywhere in my rucksack, I prefer the first option:



The Intrepid is definitely wonderful but made of poor material. It's a pity, they waste all efforts, time, skills and excellent ideals on poor material.

[williaty]

Asked whether I prefer to compensate a defocus on the ground glass after 25 years of use or to search a dissolving birch plywood camera after a dozen shots everywhere in my rucksack,

The Intrepid is definitely wonderful but made of poor material. It's a pity, they waste all efforts, time, skills and excellent ideals on poor material.

No, you're wrong. The plywood is a very good material for this application. You abused the camera by getting it wet. There are very few cameras (and no LF cameras that I've ever heard of!) that are completely impervious to getting wet.

If, by chance, you didn't get it wet that would mean that the plywood was defective and Intrepid would repair (in this case meaning replace the plywood bits) the camera for free and cover shipping in both directions. If I understand their warranty correctly, if even you did destroy the camera by getting it wet, you just have to pay to ship it and they'll still repair it for free. Did you even bother contacting them about this?

[mdarnton]

If dents and little slivers of wood, as in the photos, are things you can't personally live with, then you shouldn't buy an Intrepid, but functionally these have nothing to do with anything.

I have baltic birch forms in my shop that have been used over 30 years to make many more than 100 violins, and they are just as functional as they were when new. Previously I worked in a shop that made 400 instruments a year, using baltic birch forms, and they lasted forever. Please don't confuse cosmetics with function.