My experience with and reflections on the Intrepid 4x5 enlarger

[tykos]

the kit fits any graflok compatible camera, so it should work. If i may suggest, try using your camera in vertical mode and see if the focusing is easy and stable, it's probably the most important thing for the kit to work.
the controller changes the source's colours based on what contrast you set. I think there's bw mode with discrete steps resembling the gel filters, and colour mode with continous controlling of the light, more or less like using a colour head on an enlarger.

 

[koraks]

colour mode with continous controlling of the light, more or less like using a colour head on an enlarger.

Very few people actually use this enlarger for color work I think - and that's a good thing, because it cannot be expected to work, and indeed it doesn't work well. The filter resolution is inadequate to do accurate color balancing.

 

[tykos]

yeah, i've read something about it, but he was talking about bw printing (i've read something is off in the highest grades, too, never tried though) so i was just describing the two working modes.
In the end: he doesn't need contrast filters, the light changes colour and provides contrast.

 

[koraks]

Yes, indeed. The ratio between blue and green is altered just like with e.g. an Ilford 500 system. Just a whole lot less heat and noise created in the process!

 

[Wouthazel]

I’ve been using the iIntrepid 4x5 enlarger for a few months now. No tripod, but a column from an old enlarger. I used to have an Omega 4x5 enlarger, but in my small darkroom I kept bumping my head and knees all the time. I’m lucky to have a ‘spare’ Tachihara 4x5 (managed to buy it very cheaply once), so I use that for my fixed setup. Compared to the Omega, I don’t think it’s a big step backward. Sometimes even the opposite… The Omega was cooled by two fans that sounded like airplanes taking off. Now it’s quiet. I only use black and white, no color. I did adjust the light intensity a bit (yes, that’s possible); I ended up with about 8 seconds for a 4x5 enlargement to roughly 24x30 cm. Too little to bother making further adjustments in my opinion. Since it’s my permanent setup, I’ve been able to align and balance it properly. At least I don’t have to go back to a monster of a 4x5 enlarger

 

[blee1996]

Thank you all for sharing your experience and tips. Will do some measurements in the closet first, and test the rigidity of my 4x5 in vertical position.