INTREPID CAMERA 4X5 Gen 2 Users & Reviews

[JamesCookPhoto]

Received my V2 Intrepid 4x5 yesterday after a 12 week wait from order to delivery. Was meant to be 8 according to the ordering page when I placed the order. Meh - what's one extra month. I'm presently surprised but the camera i'm holding in my hands. It appears to be free of any of the issues mentioned in the previous generation.
The wood is much better quality than I thought it would be. I expected it to be rough particularly at the cuts, but they've obviously tidied their production somewhat. Smooth on all the surfaces, edges are firm but not razor sharp.
Bellows are great. Perfectly light tight from what I can gather. I've been all over them with the brightest torch I own, trying to find any pinholes with nothing to be found. Nicely supple with movement, I imagine I'll lose lens coverage before I max out movements.
Focus racking is smooth and precise.
Only sticking point I've found at this point is inserting film holders stick about 1cm from full depth, I imagine because everything is brand new. A gentle push and they drop into place. Give it a few weeks and I don't envision this being a long term issue.
Its light beyond belief. Weighs in at 924g or just over 32oz, body only [no lens or film holder]. As a comparison, my Mamiya 645 Pro TL body and viewfinder is 850g or just under 30 oz [no lens or film back].
I'm very happy with my acquisition. And at this stage I could only recommend it. I'll add more things here as I gain experience.

[mfoot]

I've received mine as well, which I intend to use primarily while hiking (initially the West Highland Way). I currently have a Sinar Norma and this is much, much, much lighter and so much smaller to pack down into a backpack. Will be testing the camera this weekend.

So far I'm also impressed. It's a little fiddly to screw in the front standard, but it's still quick. I too have experienced the film holder not sliding all the way in, but as James said, a little tap fixes it.

[Charles S]

Their FAQ suggests that there may be an 8x10 in 2017. Worth keeping an eye on them, I think.

Here is an image of the prototype on their FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/plugins/pos...956512910313:0

[Leszek Vogt]

Has anyone run any IR film through it ?

Les

[Steven Tribe]

Base looks a lot like the Lancaster. Is the lens board size the same as Sinar - thinking about the Sinar/Copal shutter with barrel lenses?

[locutus]

Here is an image of the prototype on their FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/plugins/pos...956512910313:0

At the right price i might be tempted by the 8x10.

I think the 5x4 hit a strange spot of being in a field were for a bit more you could already get a wooden folder second hand. A 8x10 might actually do much better as those go for far more relatively speaking.

Lets see, if it ends up about 400 euros i think they might hit a really good selling point.

[Steven Tribe]

Here is a review.

http://istillshootfilm.org/post/1548...-camera-review

Unfortunately, a photo shows a lens board with the unmistakable badge of the Linhof company. A bit small for an 8x10 lensboard and no sinar/copal shutter opportunities.

Reading some other comments, I am surprised that there is doubt about the stability/strength of birch ply - it far exceeds traditional hardwood construction. Perhaps they could do a de luze version with a final hardwood layer?

[EdWorkman]

Birch plywood is used in construction of buildings as re-usable formwork for poured concrete.
"Regular" plywood is damaged by pouring processes and form stripping, such that as re-use increases so does 'patching and sacking' to bring the concrete finish into conformance.
Birch provides many more re-uses and less remedial work.
The large number of thin, perpendicular grain oriented plies make the material in the pix hell for strong and much more capable to hold screws than traditional solid wood..
Of course if the exposed edges are aesthetically repugnant one could paint the plywood pieces- say a traditional gray

[EdWorkman]

Steven- see the other pic [ reiterated in post 16 just above yours] of the 8x10 prototype. It shows a big lensboard , at least 6x6, maybe more

[steve_p]

I ordered one of these cameras a few weeks ago to serve as an introduction to LF photography. The selling point for me was the weight of the camera. For fifteen mile hikes in the Scottish Highlands I need as light a camera as possible.