Focus accuracy issue with Intrepid 8x10

[Bob Salomon]

Manufacture's response to this very real problem is not, should not be proprietary.

Bernice

Not drawings of a current product.

[Drew Wiley]

Who draws anything anymore? It's all CAD now. But industrial spies have far more tempting things to make duplicate thumbdrives of than view cameras.

But the mere fact something can be prototyped completely in computer, and then simply sent off to mass-manufacture on a completely different continent, and then mass volumes sent directly back to sell, without any true physical product quality-control testing being involved in between, is one of the plagues afflicting consumer confidence today. You can't have it all - cheap products instantly made, yet reliable at the same time.

[Lachlan 717]

n=2 is not relevant in this discussion about this camera.

What IS relevant, how does the manufacture respond to these findings.

No study needs to be made here, the information needed is easily found in the manufacture's drawings used to produce this camera in production, their quality assurance/quality control process and standards this camera has been designed to. All of which can be provided by the manufacture of this camera.

These points are not what I question.

One camera with one lens wide open on unspecified mount with undocumented user skills should not be the basis to tar the product.

[Bernice Loui]

Lens mounting is irrelevant to the documented problem of ground glass to film in film holder distance.
~How would ground glass to film in film holder distance be related to lens mounting?

~User experience is again totally unrelated to the problem of ground glass to film in film holder distance, if yes, explain how they are related?

~~ Explain these trolling confrontational words.~~


Bernice

These points are not what I question.
One camera with one lens wide open on unspecified mount with undocumented user skills should not be the basis to tar the product.

[Lachlan 717]

Lens mounting is irrelevant to the documented problem of ground glass to film in film holder distance.
~How would ground glass to film in film holder distance be related to lens mounting?

~User experience is again totally unrelated to the problem of ground glass to film in film holder distance, if yes, explain how they are related?

~~ Explain these trolling confrontational words.~~


Bernice

That you choose to accept unsupported, arbitrary and non-controlled methodology as being empirical evidence of systemic failure speaks volumes.

In simple parlance. “One swallow does not a summer make”.

Capish?

[interneg]

One camera with one lens wide open on unspecified mount with undocumented user skills should not be the basis to tar the product.

Agreed - especially as there's a lot of (rather didactic) assumptions that the only allowed way seems to involve hauling a Sinar around - without considering for a second that the Intrepid's popularity owes a fair bit to it not being a Cambo/ Toyo/ Sinar monorail chunk of excessive weight and movements. That said, I think it's not a great idea to stick a big 360mm plasmat on a lightweight folding camera & expect high precision wide open without a little give & take being needed.

[Bernice Loui]

After this episode with Intrepid lens boards any respect/creditability has been totally dissolved.
https://www.largeformatphotography.i...pid-lensboard)

This fiasco could have been completely avoided by simply leaving the copper on the FR-4 pc board material. Very telling about the folks at Intrepid.


Bernice

[LabRat]

Without seeing it in person, the camera seems well designed/sturdy enough by itself, but for a "new" camera, the T distance should be dead-on... If not, it's the makers problem to fix...

When restoring old cameras, little issues grow into these antiques and a restorer has to check carefully for them... Things like light leaks, warpage, binding, etc can almost be expected to be dealt with... But for many of new production cameras, they shouldn't be beta-testing them on new buyers (entry-level or experienced)... What will people say online??? ;-)

Seems to me a big issue is many items are designed on a monitor, and not in a shop now... And not field tested by actual users well in advance of release... One observation of mine is maybe not a wise thing to buy the latest camera offering on Kickstarter etc until well proven beyond doubt when the CNC nerds release one...

Steve K

[Tobias Key]

Without seeing it in person, the camera seems well designed/sturdy enough by itself, but for a "new" camera, the T distance should be dead-on... If not, it's the makers problem to fix...

When restoring old cameras, little issues grow into these antiques and a restorer has to check carefully for them... Things like light leaks, warpage, binding, etc can almost be expected to be dealt with... But for many of new production cameras, they shouldn't be beta-testing them on new buyers (entry-level or experienced)... What will people say online??? ;-)

Seems to me a big issue is many items are designed on a monitor, and not in a shop now... And not field tested by actual users well in advance of release... One observation of mine is maybe not a wise thing to buy the latest camera offering on Kickstarter etc until well proven beyond doubt when the CNC nerds release one...

Steve K

I guess the two questions I would ask is just how accurate is the CNC manufacturing process and what QC checks are undertaken once assembly is complete? Accuracy costs money of course and these cameras at the value end of the market. Historically view cameras are hand assembled and checked. The use of modern manufacturing methods is how Intrepid are trying to get around this, but what is the acceptable variation from unit to unit with the CNC process?

[Lachlan 717]

. Very telling about the folks at Intrepid.


Bernice

Also, very telling about your prejudices in relation to the brand. It helped me to place where the bias and vitriol in this thread stemmed from.

Pity you didn’t mention their apparently stellar customer service in sorting the problem out quickly, including sending a box of film. Guess that doesn’t suit your narrative…