My experience with and reflections on the Intrepid 4x5 enlarger

[AERO]

I think the magic of this thing is for folks who are really limited on space, and want to do both B&W and RA4 printing. I mount my 4x5 to a copy stand and use this thing pretty often. It took some getting used to, but I have made some prints im proud of with it. The most fiddly part is focusing on the intrepid 4x5 because it's on the back of the camera, but if you aren't printing big it's not a huge deal. Id love to set it up as a projection style enlarger instead of on a copy stand at some point, but that requires more space than i've got! It's a pretty nice piece of kit, especially if you have a copy stand already. Trying to set it up with a tripod to print is annoying!

Nail on head

 

[StefantheHun]

I noticed that the M42 thread of my Componon-S 150/5.6 is only slightly bigger than a Copal 1 opening in a Linhof type lens board (42 mm vs 41.6 mm). I will try mounting it that way, if necessary slightly enlarging the hole in the lens board, and fix the lens with a PATIKIL telescope adapter M42 x 0.75 mm female thread/ M48 x 0.75 mm male thread.

Using a step-up ring adapter 39 to 42 mm to fit the lens to the Intrepid lens board will not work since the adapter is only 5 mm thick, and the thread of the lens starts only at 5 mm upwards from the end of the tube.

 

[StefantheHun]

I obtained a 3D printed Copal 1 Linhof type lens board, enlarging the opening step by step with abrasive paper until I could screw on the M42 lens thread and secure it with the telescope adapter ring. The recessed lens board provided by Intrepid has a (nice) M39 metal thread insert, so the opening cannot be enlarged as easily.

For enlarging 4x5 to 8x10 or slightly above with my Chamonix 4x5 folding field camera, I mount it on a macro rail vertically on my tripod on the table top, which works just fine without any leg extensions. I fix a weight on the hook of the center column to avoid tipping over.

The only inconvenience is that the wheel for focussing is at the back of the camera, i.e. now on top of its vertical position, so you have to reach out (more or less) high to turn it while at the same time having your eye near the paper surface for focussing. The wheel for operating the macro rail is positioned significantly lower where it can be reached more easily. So in the end I used the (Novoflex) macro rail for fine tuning the focus, which worked nicely since there was no creeping down of the camera following gravity even without locking the macro rail.

Now I understand that a focussing aid that can be used from a certain distance from the eye eases the handling of the Intrepid enlarger.

Having an additional safelight is nice (even nicer when placed on a box so it illuminates the white wall instead of the dark table), having the Multigrade filters integrated in the LEDs is really convenient, and the LED light is bright enough to get 10-20 second exposures in 8x10 format with 150 mm lens at f=11 on Ilford Multigrade paper.

And I certainly like the idea of re-using camera, tripod and macro rail for enlarging.

 

[argentic]

Why complicate things using the Intrepid as a badly aligned unstable enlarger, when with a bit of patience you can find a perfectly stable purpose-made 4x5 enlarger for under 300 € ?

Penny-wise = pound-foolish.

 

[StefantheHun]

Well, to gain wisdom is a long and winding road.

Wouldn‘t you agree that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder when looking at my set-up, or do you think there‘s most likely some loose screw somewhere?

The two main advantages of the intrepid approach for me are low storage volume and Multigrade filtering at the turn of a knob.

Btw. the 3D-printed plate got stuck in the camera since the carbon fibre Chamonix plates seem to be thinner.

„Planung ersetzt den Zufall durch Fehlentscheidungen“ (some German wisdom as to the doomed who plan things).

 

[koraks]

Reorganize that storage space a little bit and you have plenty of space to put a regular 4x5" enlarger.
Multi grade exposure systems are quite common and one could even hack the Intrepid light source into an existing enlarger if you like their particular implementation of multigrade control.

 

[StefantheHun]

Oh yes, I‘m in the process of reorganizing, to gain space for the baryta paper drying grids and newly acquired T-shirt press. It‘s an uphill battle if you‘re an collector of things (having learned that the most unlikely spare part may come in handy for a quick fix for something - if I can find it in time, of course).

But you are totally right. Perhaps I just have fun playing around with things - and I wisely do not show (yet) any of my prints.

 

[AERO]

Well, to gain wisdom is a long and winding road.

Wouldn‘t you agree that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder when looking at my set-up, or do you think there‘s most likely some loose screw somewhere?

The two main advantages of the intrepid approach for me are low storage volume and Multigrade filtering at the turn of a knob.

Btw. the 3D-printed plate got stuck in the camera since the carbon fibre Chamonix plates seem to be thinner.

„Planung ersetzt den Zufall durch Fehlentscheidungen“ (some German wisdom as to the doomed who plan things).

If it suits your needs thats all that matters

 

[StefantheHun]

I forgot to mention numerous water containers allowing for e.g. washing water to reach room temperature, since the sink next to the table offers only really cold water. The Nova Washmaster I ordered via a German distributor seems to be stuck in France in tax procedures - crossing the channel is not that easy anymore for UK products.

 

[koraks]

I only have cold water iny darkroom. When I require something warmer, I use a kitchen water boiler, the type you'd use for tea. It doesn't take a lot of boiling water to bring a tray of water up to tepid temperatures.

 

[StefantheHun]

Only now I realised that so far I was reluctant to get an enlarger because my main reason to go large format was the ability to contact print (apart from the new experience and joy of equipment ownership), thus not needing an enlarger. It takes time to let in and digest new information (and looking at Avedon‘s print sizes there seems to be more to 8x10 than contact printing). Being stubborn does not always facilitate to change course.

 

[StefantheHun]

Valid point - and you can even stay in the lab during tea time!

 

[StefantheHun]

My idea was to simplify things by bying bulky containers, since my cellar is heated to 20 degrees, so that I do not have to check the water temperature, apart from having a workout through repeatedly lifting 10 liter containers.

 

[koraks]

Temperature control for B&W prints isn't so critical anyways. I never check tray temperature.