Intrepid 4X5 camera Kickstarter

[dodphotography]

No patience. You will regret that one.

Eh, it was an impulse buy. I have enough stuff.

[Zndrson]

Obviously this isn't being marketed to current LF photographers. Its being marketed to people new to the medium that want to get into it without breaking the bank. Pretty simple concept. That being said, it could still be useful to current LF shooters. Not a bad backup camera. As someone mentioned before it could be a great wet plate camera. If you're doing some other experimentation but don't want to damage your nice Ebony this thing could be a great solution. Its just waiting to be modified and experimented with.

I'm encouraged that they were funded so quickly and by so many. I won't be buying the Intrepid, as I've got my travel-geared 4x5 covered. I would, however, be blisteringly interested if they produced a similarly designed 8x10. The purchase of a decent 8x10 field is cost prohibitive to someone like me, but something at this price range + film holders + lens makes the move a bit more palatable.

Anything and everything bringing attention to and helping sustain large format photography is something I feel we should all support. Large format film manufacturers will see the intense support. This one thing probably won't bring any long-lasting change, but its a building block.

[dodphotography]

I agree... An 8x10 would be an instant buy for me, say..600 dollars. It would allow me to beat on it with silver and not worry about the degradation of the wood. I'm in the same boat... I scraped every penny in my life and sold off every useless tool in my arsenal to buy a Ritter 810 and it's amazing, but NO way I'm making plates with it. That's what my shit Burke and james is for... Except that sucker doesn't fold and pack well, so it's so hard to bring on location.

[Larry Kellogg]

How much does this thing really weigh? I want to see a picture of it on a scale. They say less than 1.2kg, 2.6 pounds, but that sounds unlikely to me. I've worked with birch plywood in a shop, and it is heavy stuff, from what I recall.

Don't compare this to the Travelwide, they're completely different cameras. The Travelwide is a point and shoot 4x5 that can be mounted on a GorillaPod because it is so light. The Travelwide is going to be great, and it's almost here. Yes, I know it was delayed, but patience is a virtue, as they say.

I have a relatively lightweight 4x5 field camera, a Wisner, which is a beautiful camera. Wisners can be had for pretty good prices.

I agree with the idea of using this as a wet plate camera though, if you want to get messy.

[plywood]

Forty one hours to go and they are only 8 cameras away from 400 cameras. That is quite a demand for 4X5! I hope they can pull it off, it seems like a very short time to get 400 cameras ready by March 2015.

[Tin Can]

All good, let's hope they all buy cases of film AND enlarging paper.

If between Travelwide and Intrepid we get several thousand more USERS of film and paper, that could help the market for us all.

[richardman]

I am horrible person. I suspect at least 50% of these cameras would not have more than 6 sheets of film go through them before they either sit on the shelves or sold.

[Tin Can]

I am horrible person. I suspect at least 50% of these cameras would not have more than 6 sheets of film go through them before they either sit on the shelves or sold.

Takes way more than 6 sheets to figure out how to shoot and develop. I have wasted 100's of sheets learning...

If I had any brains I would shoot 35 mm or 120 of the same LF film until I get my 'thing' happening...

Do the math and there must still be at least 10K LF shooters or the money is too small for anything viable. Maybe 100K users worldwide is more like it?

[plywood]

I am horrible person. I suspect at least 50% of these cameras would not have more than 6 sheets of film go through them before they either sit on the shelves or sold.

One word.....well two words; Paper Negatives

It is a great and cheap way to try out large format without breaking the bank. Since the materials can be handled under safelight the darkroom work is also simplified. With a flat bed scanner you could even put the negative into file to run a bigger print if so desired and of course there are always contact prints. Bit small at 4X5 but serviceable for seeing what you have. Even if you had zero darkroom equipment you could get set up with trays, chemicals, a dozen 1 qt. amber bottles, funnel, safelight bulb, tongs, and a 500 sheet box of Ilford MGIV RC 4X6 to trim down to 3.9 x 4.9 inches for the DDS holders. The whole thing should not run more than $180 tops.

[richardman]

I'm not talking about how to get into LF. I am just saying that I am cynical on whether these cameras will really be used at all.